“EN” xml:lang=”EN”>The brisk and

sunny weather seemed to enhance the hustle and bustle of downtown

Philadelphia on this particular Friday. Freedom was in the

air.

“line-height: 120%;”>Constant movement across traffic-choked

streets, pounding the pavement past all manner of store fronts and

tired, huddled masses, and the innate need to look and listen to

everything emanating from this urban ecosystem out of intrigue and

safety; it all created quick exhaustion, and only at one in the

afternoon.

“line-height: 120%;”>Reprieve could be found by stepping away from

the streets and entering a more peaceful part of the city, one that

is no less historically important to this town and, more

importantly, this country.

“line-height: 120%;”>Independence Hall, where the Declaration of

Independence and United States Constitution were adopted, exists as

a testament to our nation’s founding.

“line-height: 120%;”>The fact that it has been preserved and still

stands amid the skyscrapers proves itself to be a symbol of our

country’s progress and advancements.

“line-height: 120%;”>These thoughts were certainly in my mind, as I

stood in the State House Square, where the Declaration of

Independence was first publicly read, and read the latest printed

issue of the satirical newspaper “The Onion.”

“line-height: 120%;”>Only in the United States of America can a

person stand at the front of one of his country’s most important

buildings and read a publication whose front page includes farcical

parody pieces on people who abandon puppies shortly after giving

them as Christmas gifts and the FCC allowing hardcore sex to be

aired on the hit TV show “The Big Bang Theory.”

“line-height: 120%;”>Such a freedom seems trivial, silly even, but

to read a piece of parody on a historical site is a small freedom

afforded to Americans, nonetheless.

“line-height: 120%;”>As I travelled further around Philly, more

freedoms could be found.

“line-height: 120%;”>The fascinating modern art in the Philadelphia

Museum of Art, both outrageous and puzzling, could never be found

in certain countries that would censor the sexuality, violence and

overall bizarreness found in some of my favorite pieces installed

here.

“line-height: 120%;”>The troop of young black kids playing

bombastic drum cadences to raise money to go to a Christian

conference in South Carolina would never be permissible on certain

countries’ street corners.

“line-height: 120%;”>My friends and I stopped just outside of China

Town to get our bearings and to locate other places to visit on a

map when an excited old man struck up a conversation with

us.

“line-height: 120%;”>Our collective willingness to converse with

this man named XXX led to a tour of his long-standing shoe shop. It

also led to a tour of his and his friend XXX’s wall-to-wall

collection of pictures and autographs of the various athletes,

musicians, students, public servants and everyday folk.

“line-height: 120%;”>They had all visited this store and left their

mark there, just as my friends and I did, too.

“line-height: 120%;”>Our ability to strike up a conversation with

such a cool guy, who years ago risked his success on a shoe store

and found many great people and experiences along the way, in

Philadelphia, a place that is as historically and culturally rich

as any other city in the country, struck me with a simple yet deep

observation.

“line-height: 120%;”>Freedom certainly rings true in

Philadelphia.

“line-height: 120%;”>So do their cheese steaks.

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“line-height: 120%;”>Man, were those good.

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