Story Of Freedom Research Paper

Freedom is a word that stirs the emotions, and is the rallying cry of every revolution ever. While the term freedom itself has many connotations, in western civilization the most venerated are the free thinkers. I am fortunate to be a freethinker. Like revolutionaries who came before me; I also had to endure hardship before I could doff the chains from my mind. I believe adversity, the suffering and struggles of life are the agents of change and offer an opportunity to transcend a circumstance. This is the story of how I learned to love adversity for freeing me from social obligations. My story of freedom starts in middle school. Middle school is a strange time in a person’s life, where you are suddenly mixed into a new social hierarchy, but …show more content…
I could not hear what they were saying, and I had no idea how what they were saying was going to change my life. In the coming days I found out what was so funny, apparently those two kids I had defended Jason from had spread a rumor that we were gay together. A rumor I thought would blow over, it did not. Ironically, the people who harassed me were not even the original attackers. I will never forget the daily torment of trying to go to my next class, and having someone step in front of me to block my path. “You fucking faggot” he said, as his friend spit in my face. Someone else would come up behind and rip my bag open all my books would fall to the floor papers flying everywhere. The kids in the hall would turn and laugh or snicker. In class was no better, when the teacher’s back was turned the back of my head would become a target for all manner of objects, balls of paper, sharp pencils, erasers, gum or whatever else happened to be at hand. I was ostracized even from the outcast table, as no one wanted to be collateral damage. Even Jason distanced himself from me, and somehow escaped persecution. Everyday was worse than before. I remember being cornered and asked such questions like “so does he suck your dick, or do you suck his?”. It was not long before I started being pushed, tripped, and punched. The hallway …show more content…
One morning on my way to second period, I am preparing myself to quickly walk by a group who usually heckles me. The leader steps blocks my way, and the other kids crowd around trapping me in a familiar way. The leader has the same tired insults I had heard everyday for years, asking “ why are you so sad, didn’t your boyfriend take care of you last night?”. This might seem like an odd time for an epiphany, but that’s just what happened. I was exhausted of this struggle, and honestly bored with it. Moreover, I realized these insults no longer hurt me, because I just did not care anymore. There was nothing more anyone could take from me. My self-esteem was non-existent, I was completely alone, and nothing I did helped or hurt my situation. This is the instant my life changed for the better. Instead of insulting him back, or ignoring him, I realized he’s the one who is insecure. I stepped forward to him, he recoiled, but before he could get away I grabbed him by the back of the neck pulling him close to me. “Get off me you fucking faggot” he screeched, trying to push me away like a cat being shoved into a bath. I reached down and grabbed his junk and said loud enough for everyone to hear “That’s not what you were saying last night when I was going down on you”. He forcefully pushed me away, and bowed up to fight, face flushed red. All his friends turned towards him and laughed, one so hard he