Freedom of speech is one of the most important human rights. How to know a way whether freedom of speech is secure or not boils down to whether the citizens of a country can criticize the most influential person there or not. I think freedom of speech is relatively secure in Western countries, because they can see, read and listen to a lot of criticism of their president or prime minister.
On the other hand, there are some countries where it is forbidden to criticize the head of the nation. In countries like that, if somebody criticizes him, they are sent to prison or are killed in the worst case. I think criticism for correcting something is important, but it is often unfavorable for the head of the nation to maintain his power. What do you think about freedom of speech? Do you think freedom of speech is secure in your country?
Comments
Hello, Evangelina. Yes.
Exactly!
Hi, O.M. Thank you for sharing your view.
I think the most important role of mass media is to watch of power, not invasion of privacy. If they bow before authority, how can we stop bowing before authority?
Hi, Mishaikh. Thank you for your comment. Of course, freedom of speech doesn't include insult, slander, racial discrimination, fabrication and so on. I think they are governed by the law in most countries.
Hello, Mr.Robinoz. Thank you for sharing your view.
I read an interesting news article about freedom of the press in Australia a few months ago. It said that when an Australian commercial broadcasting corporation broadcasted a preview of a program about criticizing China's foreign policy, the Chinese Embassy in Australia strongly and highhandedly pressureed them not to broadcast the program.
But the producer of the program didn't yield to their pressure and said, "Their style of pressuring people to stop something unfavorable to them does not work in Australia. Even if they don't agree with the content, we will broadcast it. This is freedom of the press in Australia."
Freedom of speech is human right, but as Rose has explained it must have some moral boundaries and not abused just to defame any personality (religious or non-religious).
In my county Pakistan there is freedom of speech, but with some restrictions as mentioned above which is protected by law. So violation of such law is not allowed.
The freedoms we have don't come from some mystical source and they are not guaranteed.
They are those to which the society in which we live permits us either through direct expression as in some Constitutions or through legislative omission. By legislative omission, I mean that if something isn't expressly prohibited by a law, then it's probably permitted for us to do it.
This is the case in Australia where the legal assumption is that everything is permitted until a law says it isn't. Other countries have a Bill of Rights that set out what people may and may not do.
Religion and culture have traditionally also set what may, or may not be done in a society. In so far as speech is concerned, some countries permit it, others don't depending on the degree of democracy.
Freedom of speech is under attack in the West and other countries. In Australia, as in other countries with a Western tradition, freedom of speech is balanced with a right to take legal action upon people who defame (say things that hurt their reputation).
Essentially, you can say whatever you want about someone provided it is true, and not be held to account with the exception of an increasing number of anti-discrimination laws. Some people who follow a Liberalist philosophy are trying to stop criticism of religion which they claim is hate speech although the criticism rarely has anything to do with hate.
Australians are fighting against having our freedom of speech reduced and we will need to keep fighting as we face continuing threats.
Hi, Onee-chan. Thank you for your comment. I agree with "We should learn how to make good words in delivering our message.". How to deliver our message is important as well. If people don't listen to speakers, it is meaningless no matter how good the content of a speech is.
Hi, Paula. Thank you for your comment. I think the U.S values freedom. As you said, we must have a responsibility with freedom.
HI, Rose. Thank you for your comment. I agree with you. Freedom of speech doesn't mean Insult, slander, racial discrimination, fabrication and so on. It is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation.(This is from Wikipedia.)
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