The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award in the United States, given by the president for non-military activities. It can be awarded to citizens of other countries and has been criticized for being awarded too frequently. The award is a white star with golden eagles and blue stars, hanging from a blue ribbon.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award given to civilians in the United States. It is the highest and most prestigious award that can be awarded to individuals for non-military activities. The president has sole authority over who receives the medal, and they are usually given for some important achievement that results in the betterment of society or for a lifelong, civilian-oriented body of work. People commonly awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom include individuals such as scientists, world leaders, and activists who have promoted important causes.
President Harry Truman was the man behind the idea for a Presidential Medal of Freedom. It was originally designed as a way to give some sort of honor to the people who helped with WWII from a civilian standpoint. Several have been awarded, and the prize has never been used for anything else. Eventually, President John Kennedy revived the award and came up with a wider scope of use. He has made many changes to the law surrounding the award and has set things up so that the president has sole discretion over who receives it. After Kennedy was assassinated, he was actually one of the first recipients of the award.
The laws established around the award give the president a lot of latitude in choosing the winners. The medal can also be awarded to citizens of other countries besides the United States. A group to recommend candidates for president was originally set up, but was later abolished.
Some people think that some presidents have abused the award by using it as a political tool or by only awarding people who agree with them on certain issues. Some presidents have also been accused of being too free to award the prize. Because it is supposed to be the second highest award in the nation behind the Congressional Medal of Honor, many people feel that the Presidential Medal of Freedom should be awarded very rarely.
In terms of appearance, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is a white star, or at least that’s the first thing a person might notice when looking at it. There is a circular formation of golden eagles surrounding the star and in between are several small gold stars within a blue colored circle. The award traditionally hangs from a blue ribbon with white trim.
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