Freedom of Speech
Sound & Pyramids
March 29, 2023
Industrial Pollution
March 30, 2023How should we exercise our right to freedom of speech?
Freedom of speech article 10 on Human Rights states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.“
Debate: If I follow by letter what the article says I can go anywhere or I can right how I feel about certain issues. And let’s say I have done it , next thing I know my profile has been suspended my account cancelled and I end up with a title say “racist” or “homophobic” or “Anti-Jewish” and the list goes on.
These days you can even talk to a friend and somehow express yourself without been labelled.
What happened with the freedom of speech and how far can you go if you go and if there is a freedom of speech
When it comes to freedom of speech or expression..People often claim about the fundamental right act-19 given by the indian constitution which clearly states about the freedom of speech and expression..
But they always forget that there is also a sub-section which draws a limit about your freedom of speech and expression..
(1)Security of state-Restrictions can be imposed on freedom of speech and expression in the interest of security of State.However The term security of state” refers only to serious and aggravated forms of public anger and rebellion, addressing war against the State, unlawful assembly, riot, violent crimes, murder,which would undermine the security of State
(2)Foreign state policy: In the present globalized world, a country must have to maintain a friendly relationship with other countries. Keeping this in mind, this restriction was added by the constitution..The object behind the provision is to prohibit malicious propaganda against a foreign country, which may imperil the effect of good relations between both countries..And India is the one and only country to have such a law..
If you make a violent call for action, it will take away someone’s right to be secure in their person, so if you call for a lynching, and the people do it, you will be in trouble with the law.
You can lie all day, but do it in court, and charges will be forthcoming. Courts take a dim view of telling falsehoods that could put an innocent person in prison. If you slander someone, and it causes them harm, the courts will lower the boom.
Yell fire in a crowded movie house when there is none, and someone gets hurt, you’ll be on the hot seat.
However, as long as you don’t violate someone’s rights or harm them, you can talk gibberish, say offensive/controversial things, tell tall tales, talk smack, and spread lies.
When it’s corrupted by money and people use the government to line their pockets, it goes to hell pretty quickly.
All to say that freedom of speech allows for the uninhibited feedback on the function of government so that the government, in its role as public service, can be held accountable to the public it serves… and changes can be made to better serve, without having a bloody war over it.
G.I.T.C
I agree with others here saying what free speech actually means, legally, since so many posts recently either do not understand or are confusing issues on purpose.
So, with those answers already covering that territory, I want to look at it from a slightly different angle.
Free speech is the external manifestation of free thought. Without original thinking, you have nothing to say worth hearing.
This is something I sort of learned from Hitchens. Build your own house of thought. You survey the lot, you examine the planks, you design your edifice and build it. Don’t copy.
The world already has the original, so your copy will always be less. Before you ask for attention, do your own work.
Before you start making the sounds, check your talking points against your philosophy. Are you consistent on the responsibilities of the individual to others and to society?
Or the responsibility of society to the participants? In practical terms, do your actions match your views. What views can you not accept and why?
What evidence do you bring? What do you hope to change, inspire, create or end? Why should we hear you and believe you instead of wandering away?
(3)Sovereignty and unity- To maintain sovereignty and unity of a country is the prime duty of a government. Keeping this in mind freedom of speech and expression can be restricted..
And it is not permitted any one to challenge the sovereignty of our country or preach something that may result in threat to the our countries sovereignty,unity and integrity.
(4) denigration-some ones freedom,must not affect the reputation or status of any another person.some times reputation is more than wealth and anything else for a person..
So Indian constitution considers it as a major offense if a statement which hurts a person’s reputation&dignity,hence Indian constitution prohibited someone to exposing another person as hatred, ridicule,and contempt..
(5) provocation to a violation:Obviously, freedom of speech and expression cannot be a reason to provoke people for committing crime or violation.
And this type of speeches are made punishable by the constitution for the sake of social piece and harmony
It’s a pressure valve for society. People being able to vent their dissatisfactions with the government reduces, though does not eliminate, the chances of societal unrest and violent over throw of the government.
Like JFK said and previous generations have learned again and again… ‘Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.’
Freedom of speech is critical to the functioning of a free society. In a functional free society, the government exists to ‘establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity’.
It’s supposed to be operated as a public service, its decisions done on an eye for public good, not just the interests of a few. When it’s operated that way, the results are astounding.
