Maybe I'm venturing dangerously close to the realm of 'morality', but I've always thought that Voltaire was absolutely right when he famously said "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it!".Nowadays I'm not so sure. When 'Free Speech' is abused by a radical minority in order to corrupt a gullible and causeless public, maybe it's time to say 'No'.
The great problem is where one draws the line between what is acceptable and what isn't. I certainly wouldn't trust it to politicians or the judiciary, so who could make such decisions?
Perhaps 'public taste' should be the final arbiter, although how this would be implimented; I have no idea! What I do know, however, is that the 'public' is becoming increasingly angry about too much so-called 'Freedom-of-Speech', and if nothing is changed, that anger may well spill out onto the streets.
Take To The Barricades Citizens; but maybe not just yet.
What makes a 'civilised' society? Because - when we are crowded together in tight communities - we need to find a way of generally getting on without too much upset which could turn into violence, morals are developed to keep us in check. It is quite pragmatic, I think.
ReplyDeleteAnd a dilemma it is Cro. When you react to these radicals you give them exactly what they are looking for, your attention...when you ignore them, they raise the ante! Hard to know which way to turn.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be that the younger generation gets angrier about a lot of things,not only do the protests get out of hand and these young people loose any ground they have made by turning the whole thing into a farce, you have a really good point Cro but how one would go about changing things I don't know,and when you see the papers here about the behaviour at the pubs etc these days I think we were the "nicer" generation where you could protest about a point to worst you did was raise your voice, have a drink with friends ,good fun and go home instead of being drunk before we went out then get angry break a glass cut someone up with it and toddle off!!I am so glad I am not a youngster in the angry violent time,I do however shrivel at the thought of what our grandchildren are going to find as they grow,it is up to us and our children to now work on the upcoming young ones and teach them what is absolutely unacceptable and maybe we can be the wind of change from within the home..just a thought.Carole
ReplyDeleteLook at us here in America. We have a president who is a very mild mannered person, a great diplomat, who cares about family, he cares about the lower class and the "downtrodden". But the tea party says all of that is un-American. I say it is being a decent human being. Using grace, gentleness, compassion—will teach our children to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about The Tea Party. I must find out more.
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