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Does Free Speech Only Apply to Those with Nothing to Say?

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For those who believe wholeheartedly in the principles of democracy and liberal government, the freedom of speech is something that should subsist without any restriction or imparted conditioning. It is an accepted privilege of democratic rule, that allows individuals to express their thoughts and feelings without the fear of censorship or reprisal, and also affords them the freedom to access information in order to aid an independent quest for knowledge and wisdom.

However, if the core values of democracy are to be maintained entirely, then the freedom of speech and expression must be upheld without exception and in every viable social circumstance. If this is not the case, then the concept becomes one that actually opposes liberal rule, especially in situations where individuals are censored or punished for revealing views which are deemed to be controversial or potentially divisive. The question is whether free speech is an unconditional feature of democracy, or any applicable to those who have nothing to say.

A Case in Point

An example of this issue unfolded in the US this week, as a high school English teacher was suspending for expressing her anger and frustration on an internet blog. The text contained numerous disrespectful or insulting insinuations towards her students and the methods of teaching in contemporary society, although the writer refrained from making specific references to their place of work or individual students.

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WikiLeaks: Encouraging Empowerment or Disruption?

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One of the most contentious issues that surrounds the World Wide Web is the surfeit of information that can be published and accessed by anyone. The intended purpose of the Internets swathes of resource is to empower and educate individuals within society, and prevent them with the factual data, opinion and objective information to aid them in an individual quest for wisdom. This is with a view to liberating society and giving each individual member the tools to further their own education on desired subjects.

To this end, Wikileaks is an international non profit organization that was founded in 2006, and strives to deliver anonymous submissions of private and covert news to a wide and uncensored audience. As they protect the source of the information they are able to seek and publish highly controversial and topical information, which is served in the greater interest of keeping the public updated with relevant data. In keeping with the nature of their operation, they have been involved at the centre of several well documented international incidents.

Freedom of Speech and its Consequences

If anything, Wikileaks is the evocation of the freedom of speech and democratic values. In its purest form, it provides a platform through which it is able to deliver entirely relevant information that would otherwise be suppressed and censored by government bodies. In effect, it takes control away from governments who wish to control what information is fed to society, and ensures that people are empowered to be as informed as they wish to be. Of course, this concept is one that has produced a vast differential in terms of its reception and response.

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Why the US Must Maintain its Religious Tolerance

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There are several core principles at the heart of a civilized and democratic society. Personal liberties such as the freedom of speech and choice of lifestyle are accepted as basic civil rights in the US and many western cultures, and allow citizens to develop and maintain individual values and thinking. Religious tolerance is another primary factor within any civilized society, as this allows different cultures and belief systems to co-exist within a single community without dispute or prejudice.

It is an idealism not without its issues. In today’s world, there is much trepidation and hostility between alternate religions, due in part to the existence of extreme religious bodies who have adapted a harsh and unforgiving interpretation to specific literature. This, in addition to the diverse nature of beliefs and values prevalent in different religions, make multiculturalism an awkward and potentially divisive concept. One of the significant dangers is that a culture or belief system may lose its unique identity and values when immersed in a mixed and varied community.

Resisting Religious and Cultural Intolerance

Religious tolerance is something which separates civilized people and societies from bigoted and more dictatorial examples. While is inherent to US values, it is not prevalent in all faith or religious representation that exists in the contemporary world. Particular examples of extreme faiths have applied a rigid understanding to relevant text, creating an ethos that is not only intolerant to alternative faiths and beliefs but actually hostile towards them. These groups propagate the notion that belief systems that vary from their own are both immoral and opposed to clean living.