Freedom For and Freedom From: Upon getting removed from a FB group because I posted that I was uncomfortable with some responses to posts:

Guidelines are awesome.  And essential.  And group rules SHAPE the form and function of the group.

However, with that said, a friend once told me that there are "freedom for/of"s and there are "freedom from"s.

When one has freedom from something it is because that experience is removed from that person's life.  For example when one has freedom from being upset it is because all things upsetting are banned, removed, or otherwise suppressed.  Freedom from feels safe and provides shelter.  It provides protection for those who cannot or will not protect themselves.  It also requires an authority of some type to have the power to remove the upsetting things.

Freedom for, on the other hand, requires each person to be responsible and active.  When you have freedom for speech, you are required to accept the consequences of your speech, but you have the right to speak.  Freedom for is messy and not always easy, but tends to lead to growth and change.

Neither type of freedom is bad.  However, some people do better in one type or the other.  I suspect the group from which I was removed and the admin of that group prefers Freedom From.  And I know I prefer Freedom For.

To me Freedom For feels honest and when tempered with compassion and understanding that we are all in this world together, that diversity makes for wonderful flavor, and that cruelty is NEVER a freedom, it results in growth and achievement of potential.  And Freedom For means that I also accept the consequences of speaking up.

To say I was uncomfortable was honest and was addressing an action that created emotion within me.  I do not mind being removed from the group... I would have left it when I next had the chance to be online at my computer instead of my phone.  But my comments of discomfort on the group led to a personal message sent to me prior to my removal from the group, followed by being blocked by the admin who made the comment.  After thinking some about that message, I decided it made the difference between Freedom For and Freedom From quite obvious.