Freedom Week: Young America's Foundation Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall
Last Monday, November 9, marks 20 years to the day that the Berlin Wall came crashing down—a historic moment that crystallized the failures of socialist governments everywhere. In remembrance, students around the country will ensure that this momentous occasion is not forgotten. It’s all part of “Freedom Week,” an initiative started by Young America’s Foundation (YAF) to recognize freedom’s victory over tyranny.
On November 9, students will tear down a mock Berlin Wall at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, which is exactly when the Wall opened in Berlin. Participating schools include: University of California-Berkeley, University of California-San Diego, University of Florida, The George Washington University, and Cornell, among many others. These young leaders on more than 100 campuses will educate their peers about centralized economies and how socialism always lead to widespread misery, rationing, and colossal oppression.
Student activists will also be armed with Young America’s Foundation free posters.
One poster is titled, “Reject Oppressive Socialist Ideas; Embrace Freedom.” It features this language:
•People Murdered by Progressive Socialist Movements: 100,000,000
•People Freed from Communist Tyranny by Ronald Reagan and Worldwide Freedom Movements: 425,574,817
It was President Reagan who brought real ‘hope’ and ‘change’ when he defeated communism.Sadly, even though socialist ideas have been thoroughly repudiated, liberals in Washington and academia still push to increase the power of the federal government.
Another poster, called “Got Milk? Got Blankets? Got Anything,” informs young people that, while the former USSR was supposedly developed to “fairly” and “equally” allocate resources, such mass distribution of goods and services only led to shortages and starving people. The poster depicts an actual photo of a woman in a Soviet store that has its shelves stocked with…nothing.
More breakthrough posters for young people, including the “Security Wakeup Call” to honor Veteran’s Day, can be accessed at www.yaf.org .
Although the fall of the Berlin Wall led to the freedom of millions of people from authoritarian rule, more than two billion people still live under oppressive regimes today. “Freedom Week” encourages young Americans to support those who seek to lead their people toward freedom and out of oppression. From Burma to Cuba, North Korea to Sudan, citizens of many countries still suffer under repressive governments.
Today, “Freedom Week” is needed more than ever. A Rasmussen survey showed that 33% of young people prefer socialism over capitalism and another 30% were undecided. “Freedom Week” is that clarion call for all who care about liberty, individual responsibility, and economic opportunity.