When we can speak freely, without the intent to do harm with our words against individuals, to freely criticize the government, politicians, and how our world is being run, then well, wouldn’t that be a world filled with great possibilities.

It’s really interesting how freedom of speech is not just controlled and restricted by the government, as in your example, Edrei, but also by our fellow citizens, as in my example.

Recently two bloggers in Malaysia are being sued for libel because of blogging about how certain journalist and government spin doctors and that they are plagiarising the works of other people. Also recently another blogger was also being sued for libel against a Malaysian airline company for blogging about how women (specifically his wife) are dismissed from word for being pregnant.

There are but 2 incidents in Malaysia where freedom of speech have clashed with bloggers because under Malaysian law, you’re not allowed seditious and hateful comments towards other people especially the government.

I attribute this problem to the lack of bloggers actually fighting for their right to free speech and the current political scene in Malaysia. It’s a problem that is easily solved, but runs into so many obstacles seeing that a lot of Malaysian bloggers only care about themselves.

The worst thing in all this is that Malaysian bloggers have a skewed sense of the idea to the freedom of speech. Freedom of speech as I understand it is not the freedom to say whatever is on your mind. It is the freedom to be responsible for whatever you’re saying, because if you’re going to say something, you might as well have the evidence to back up what you’re saying. Most importantly, take the flak for what comes your way.

Most Malaysian bloggers are discovering that the freedom of speech does come with consequence that you cannot run away from and it’s a hard lesson to learn especially for some.

When I had just returned to the United States, I gently asked someone “What do you think of the president?” I was verbally assaulted in response and accused of undermining the government and our wonderful president and believing all those lies about no weapons of mass destruction and how Saddam was really in with the terrorist attack in New York and DC because that’s why Bush attacked…and, well, it was horrible. All I’d done was ask what they thought. I hadn’t said anything else. But they told me what I had said and what they believed they heard, and I got it clear how they thought and felt about their political views, and a whole lot about what they believed my political views were. No freedom of speech in that house. ;-)

Having lived for a long time in the Middle East, I learned a lot about the difference between freedom of speech and government’s illusion of freedom of speech. BIG difference, and Egypt is a good example.

Since my return to the states, I’ve learned that you can say what you want, as long as you are in the privacy of your home. If you take it to the streets, there are laws now on where and how you can “protest” and what you can protest about. I’ve learned that one person’s idea of free speech is another’s idea of treason. I’ve learned that the government can hold you in jail for no reason, no access to an attorney or the outside world, and they are not only justified, they are supported in this action by twists in the law and support of an apathetic nation.

As “free” as the United States is, I’m totally stunned at the level of censorship and control over that freedom. I fear US citizens have taken their freedoms so much for granted, they’ve ignored them when they’ve been taken away slowly, assuming they will always be there.

Blogs give people a voice, but, as I said in the article, it comes with a price and you have to be willing to pay the price if you want the freedom to say what you want. Sad.

[quote]The United States is living in a time when freedom of speech is persecuted from every angle by the government. It’s okay to be for the President or for the troupes, but let’s pound you into the ground if you are against the war. If you are against the war, you must be against the President. You are definitely against the troupes. They seem to forget that you can be for many things and against many things, and the connections do not have to connect.[/quote]

Where are you getting this from? I know people who are against the war, and for the President (and vice versa) and none of them fear of being taken in the dark.

I even have family members who actively (in public and private) express their views of the war.

Freedom of speech isn’t exactly fashionable in China (especially if your faith/philosophy conflicts with the government) but to accuse the US of the same thing seems a bit far fetched.

Aside from that, this was a great post.

PS

Similar voices are being squashed out in Egypt, probably a good indicator that dictatorships and real journalism do not mix very well.

However, it’s worth remembering that having a blog is a privilege we are very lucky to have. Freedon of speech is also a privilege. Neither give us the right to libel or de downright nasty (ok, so some people deserve to be vilified!)

I have a blog where I write on social issues, and I do restrain sometimes.