Freedom of Speech and Press
The cartoon furor seems to be dying down but I've been thinking, along the lines of Charles' post, that everyone in this situation is acting so irrationally. My beef is with those who keep insisting on re-printing it...especially in the name of Freedom of Speech or Freedom of the Press. I see very little value in reprinting the cartoons. The verbal description of the cartoon is very clear and actually seeing it would not lend much to my ability to form an opinion on it. And it is especially not worth the risk of inciting further violence. Even if the violence is wrong, even if you're exercising your Freedom of Press, you are also exercising irresponsibility, tactlessness and close-mindedness in reprinting it. The protestors aren't directly trying to shut down Freedom of the Press, they're just pissed off. Why would you want to piss them off further? I don't think all these Freedoms are supposed to give people carte blanche...that may be a by-product of it, but it has to be measured with intelligence.
I was very proud of myself for coming up with the saying "It's my right to vote, but my responsibility to be informed." And I think it applies here too. "It's my right to publish what I want, but my responsibility to keep it from inciting violence."
...and two more apt quotes from pop culture:
"With great power comes great responsibility" -Uncle Ben, from "Spiderman"
"...the price of freedom is eternal vigilance" -Trong Van Din, Episode 8F01, "The Simpsons"
posted by The Man with the Plan @ 10:18 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
free speech is not the same as unrestricted speech. i mean, you can't yell fire in a crowded theatre just for fun. you can't slander. you can't spill state secrets, etc. the restrictions we already have are fairly reasonable and free speech has to pass these tests to be considered so. and by all accounts the cartoons are.
me, i would rather have freer speech with a few more insulted people than have more censorship but less hurt feelings. it's like the voltaire quote "i may not agree with what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it". i mean, i don't think the klan should go around saying racist stuff. but i most certainly think they have a right to.
the economist had a good piece on the subject in last week's issue here. it pretty much covered all of the same points you made.
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