The four freedoms

PROGRESSIVE VIEWS

In his January 1941 message to Congress, President Franklin Roosevelt ended his speech by explaining the concept of four freedoms. We had not entered World War II with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor some ten months away. FDR was focused on broadening the Lend Lease program for the allies fighting the war and gearing up for a possible US entry, something he knew we could not avoid. Here are his words:

“The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in the world.