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Before I came to the United States,
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I learned in history class about the Declaration of Independence.
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But these words had no meaning to me.
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Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
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I was merely memorizing the words to get good grades.
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These words sounded so strange, so abstract and foreign to me
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until I came to University of Maryland.
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I have learned the right to freely express oneself is sacred in America.
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Each day at Maryland, I was encouraged to express my opinions on controversial issues.
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I could challenge a statement made by my instructor.
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My voice matters.
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Your voice matters.
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Our voices matter.
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Civil engagement is not a task just for politicians.
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I have witnessed this when I saw my fellow students marching in Washington D.C.,
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voting in the presidential election
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and raising money to support various causes.
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Freedom is oxygen.
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Freedom is passion.
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Freedom is love.
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And as a French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once said,
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"Freedom is a choice. Our future is dependent on the choices we make today and tomorrow."