Even today, these words bring on goose pimples, and make the heart beat faster. What power there is in these 3 words -Liberté. Égalité. Fraternité - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. These words powered the French Revolution in 1789, and look where France is today...It was the Jaques and the Madames Defarge who set France on a path from which there was and never has been any looking back. One has to see 'Tale of Two Cities' to become a part of the people who were so mercilessly downtrodden, and who rose as one to create a new social order.
My own interpretation of these words are: Liberty - as being public freedom and personal freedom. Public freedom being that responsible freedom which would create a society where everyone can live with their heads high; where everyone can live in a clean, healthy environment, and personal freedom as being that responsible freedom which every individual feels but which ends where the other person's nose begins. Equality - as being a society where everyone has an equal chance and equal opportunities to live and grow. And Fraternity - we all need to remember at all times that we are all - ALL - no matter what the differences - created equal and are equal before God. Consequently, everyone needs to be treated with respect.
When will our country see these words becoming a reality? When will we have our Jacques and Madames Defarge fighting against our Evrémonde
The hope in our country lies in the common man--that common man who is so badly exploited. Maybe we, in our little worlds, could live the power of the words -Liberté. Égalité. Fraternité.