A Right Worth Fighting For
“Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such thing as Wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without Freedom of Speech.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
The primary aim of America is to be a free society; a haven allowing individuals from all over the world to possess the right to pursue their own goals for a better, successful, enjoyable life. America gives its people limitless opportunities to seek their ambitions and protects their individual, constitutional right to free speech. Outside the United States, however, the governments of several countries are controlling and corrupt.
These nations have no toleration for those who voice their personal opinions in politics, religion, and culture, potentially violating the strictly set laws. These countries often have severe punishments for such people, and silence them through censorship and public humiliation for acts as simple as street preaching, showing support to the LGBT community or a certain religion, or even making a joke.
America offers such a rare, widely desired, and cherished liberty to its citizens. We the people are permitted to freely express our personal opinions and thoughts without fear of suppression and punishment, despite those ideas possibly being considered unorthodox, unpopular, or downright wrong by society. “Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government: When this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved,” wrote founding father Benjamin Franklin about this essential liberty. This right is one of the most invaluable components of a free and successful country. It must be preserved by the people.
Freedom of speech is possibly the most influential and critical key to prosperity in any society. Constant steps towards social and national improvement and progress are initiated by the opinions and actions of the people being served. Several concepts that may have been previously seen as acceptable in our country, one such example being racial segregation, were resolved by the people voicing their concerns, beliefs, and suggestions for plans of action.
The bible itself urges us to make wise judgments, and speak up for those who suffer injustice and defend those in need: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy,” — Proverbs 31:8–9. Ultimately, this process causes our nation to be in a constant state of self-improvement, becoming a better, more free society for everyone.
Today, it has become increasingly important to defend and preserve our freedom of speech. A majority of the newer generations of America have been programmed into believing that civil discourse and discussion are not an option when two sides oppose. Rather, they desire a utopian-like society that completely extinguishes any contradictory idea with force. They see it as the government’s responsibility to censor speech and actions they consider “offensive” or “inconsiderate.” Additionally, they believe it is their own duty to personally attack the speaker of these ideals rather than engaging in a respectful debate.
These opposers label such outspoken figures as “misogynists,” “racists,” and any other completely irrelevant accusation they can conjure. Often, this immature outburst of name-calling is followed by a series of attempts to further censor the speaker, even through means of violence. “If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed,” Benjamin Franklin states on this matter. These assaults on the constitutional, God-given right of free speech are causing massive damage to our free society and are gradually destroying our ability to have mannerly discussions in an attempt to understand each other’s reasoning.
The sole purpose of the US Government is to justly oversee and serve the American people, not to manipulate them for their own advantage or censor any individual who causes others to feel “offended” or “uncomfortable.” As Greg Lukianoff, President of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, states; “Intellectual comfort is not a right. Nor should it ever be. Not if we want freedom of speech — let’s just call it freedom — to survive.” Without the right to freely express our thoughts and opinions, we, not only as Americans but as human beings in general, will begin to lose the ability to hold civil discussions with those we may disagree with.
We will no longer be able to be considerate towards one another and try to understand a subject from another’s point of view before casting wild accusations. We will lose our ability to think for ourselves, therefore becoming more susceptible to a manipulative government and will become much easier to control. “If men are to be precluded from offering their sentiments on a matter, which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences that can invite the consideration of mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of speech may be taken away, and dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter,” George Washington, the first president of the free United States declared.
The incredible right of freedom of speech must be valued and preserved within our nation in order to avoid these disasters and the countless others that will inevitably follow. Free speech is the most essential cornerstone in maintaining a prosperous society of independent individuals, and it is worth fighting to protect.
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