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Why free speech is essential
6 Responses | 10499 Plays | 0% Agree | 0% Disagree
Started by albert on
July 06 2007
Hi my name is Albert Fenton and at the debating matters competition i am defending the right to absolute free speech. If not for the right to free speech Darwin would never have been able to put forward his theories of evolution. It is an absolute must in terms of politics. Otherwise how would a specific party put forward their manifeto? We need free speech to reach a consensus and progress as a society
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Responses
added July 09 2007
Extremely well articulated. I agree with your sentiments over the BNP - the best way to expose and critique the far right is to let them air their views in an unrestricted fashion to prevent them 'going underground'.
added July 09 2007
Extremely well articulated. I agree with your sentiments over the BNP - the best way to expose and critique the far right is to let them air their views in an unrestricted fashion to prevent them 'going underground'.
added August 17 2007
There are certain cases where free speech is not justified. I believe the classic example is one of "shouting 'fire' in a crowded building". However, mr fenton has some very good points. As for the BNP, I think it's well established that they're a bunch of nasty people. So why should we insult the intelligence of the electorate by censoring them. Let them say what they think, and I can tell them precisely what I think of them. And the Mohammed cartoons were a work of genius. one of them criticised Jyllands-Posten for its reactionary stance, and the end result was one which people can learn from. Free speech is offensive, and that is precisely how society should be.
added September 08 2007
If you put a brake on free speech - in any respect - then you run into endless problems as to what may be said and what may not. It is simpler and more civilised to let people say what they want and be judged by the response. If people want to remove all the immigrants from England, make homosxual illegal, etc, etc, then free speech gives them the right to say so. Free speech also gives others the right to disagree with them. I think there is a tendency to confuse free speech with incitement and slander. There is a difference.