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Freedom of speech is the power to express opinions freely and open mindedly on all subjects. It is an essential component that allows the free press the right to express their ideas and the majority of opinions about the government, current events and other public issues. The problem is, the right to express freely produces a very diverse amount of opinions that the subject of of the expression cannot shape into the way they want it to be. When everyone has something to say about an issue, it complicates the problem. How far is too far when it comes to freedom of speech?
"We can't arrest an idea."
~Anonymous
While freedom of speech enables people to voice their opinions without any restrain, there is still a danger that some may attempt to manipulate the public through various medium. In the recent Charlie Hebdo massacre, countless journalists, cartoonists and staff at the company were killed because of their comics, jokes and articles mocking Islam. This magazine/paper was well received by the public over the years because of their smart and funny puns and interesting articles. Their jests caught the attention of terrorists who came and killed almost the whole company. This incident has brought international attention and numerous debates about the freedom of speech. Were they innocent victims who just wanted to express their opinions? Or were they just ignorant fools seeking to overwhelm the terrorists?
I assume that the freedom of speech should be universal
and limitless. However, expect the opinion to be perceived by
the person or event. It is, to say in a way, common sense! This
act was quite a risk being given that the targeted can be
terrorists and they will do anything to follow their religion
and beliefs. I personally view freedom of speech as a
suggestion to the situation that one would like to change.
The targeted subject can decide whether or not to change
being given the public’s opinions. The response to the opinion
is sometimes faint and sometimes extreme. This is one of the
extreme cases where they decided to take away the lives of
the critiques.
Joy Yang
=Joy Yang
Under no circumstances should anyone be exempt from social consequences as a result of their controversial opinions. These social consequences may include losing friends, tarnishing your reputation, reducing the chances of getting into college/university, and getting fired.
Not only does freedom of speech come with social consequences, but it can also come with legal consequences. Hate speech is speech that “offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits.” The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the right to free speech “only to reasonable limits prescribed by law”, but what are those limits? Placing one foot across the line between free speech and hate speech means moving from distasteful speech to illegal speech, except we don’t exactly know where that line is. Consequences can escalate from getting fired to landing in prison. In fact, it’s a fine line; the difference between free speech and hate speech lies in a gray zone. Legally, the government may take action upon hate speech as it may incite violence. The definition is broad, leading to confusion about what to and what not to say to avoid consequences.
Even with Nash Grier’s large fan base, he faced social consequences as a result of his controversial videos. Part of his public image was tarnished and he lost most of his older audience. Therefore, we must be aware of the inevitable consequences of freedom of speech, whether they are social or legal
Amy Li.