Failure to understand freedom of speech is one of the most obvious signs of a backward society
Published:
June 5, 2013 at 5:10am
Those who wish to see me jailed or otherwise penalised for what I write should ask themselves why this story made the international news after been reported by all the major news agencies.
Go on, why?
5 Comments Comment
Reply to Tabatha White Click here to cancel reply
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130604/world/Blogger-convicted-of-insulting-Morsi.472492
Fascist totalitarians will never understand.
Respect is earned and not imposed. If Morsi, Mubarak or whoever, like our Joseph and his amateurish band who keep lying through their teeth.
They have to be called out and today’s technology gives us the global internet which holds all views for consideration, is much faster and effective to an educated society to use for discussion and confrontation rather than demonstrations.
Mind you these are only strengthened by intelligent exchange of ideas when they need to be resorted to.
That’s why dishonest politicians fear blogs and twitter of nowadays and why they use words like, working against the Nation, Incitement, and Mhux fl-interess tal-poplu. Yes, Ahmed Douma as Daphne hold my respect.
Yes, freedom of speech and of the press is paramount in ensuring a free society. The worrying thing is that in many Western countries various people are using legal tools, mostly created in good faith, to kill freedom of speech and dissent. People are being dragged off to kangaroo courts for ‘inciting hatred’ or ‘using language that someone finds offensive’.
Literally, these are the kind of vague scenarios made reference to in legislation all over the West. It is costing poor people money, time and a great deal of distress and is leading people to fear recriminations if they speak up. I think the sun is setting on the West. This is a sure sign.
In the case of Malta, libel laws are used for the same purpose by unscrupulous people to bully others into silence and ultimately submission.
One small way of preventing abuse would be to heavily penalise those who take people to court willy-nilly. Also, when a defendant wins against the Police for example, she should be awarded costs that cover lost days of work, travel expenses and legal expenses. That will stop them from acting like government thugs in a totalitarian state.
Prison is not the only way of suppressing and silencing free thought and speech. These days there are other more refined means of less direct ‘torture’ and ‘hostage taking’ scenarios to use as emotional blackmail. This is what the LP in Opposition and this government is availing itself of.