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Freedom and Citizenship“Without an unfettered press, without liberty of speech, all of the outward forms and structures of free institutions are a sham, a pretense—the sheerest mockery. If the press is not free; if speech is not independent and untrammeled; if the mind is shackled or made impotent through fear, it makes no difference under what form of government you live, you are a subject and not a citizen.”
—William E. Borah, (1865-1940), U.S. Senator; Remarks to the Senate, April 19, 1917
(Thanks to alert WORDster Steve Marston)
(Thanks to alert WORDster Steve Marston)
For one last amusing look back at 2008, click here to see Uncle Jay explaining the news.
Today in History:
2004: Pete Rose admits betting on baseball; 1994: Former House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill dies at 81; 1982: California landslides kill 33; 1933: Construction begins on Golden Gate Bridge; 1920: NY Yankees buy Babe Ruth; 1916: Britain creates first military draft; 1781: Benedict Arnold's forces capture and destroy Richmond; 1643: First divorce in the American colonies.
I can't imagine not having the freedom of speech or a free press, but with everything going on in the Greek community lately, I wonder about the lack of ethics in local journalism.
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ReplyDeleteSorry didn't mean to do that... I think that local Journalism really jumps on breaking news, this doesn't help the validity of the story. With all thats going on in the Greek community, its sad the story hasn't been reported on correctly yet.
ReplyDeleteThank you 1st amendment!! Without freedom of speech or freedom of press, where would journalism be? It is safe to say that it probably would not exist. It's sad to think of how corrupted the ethics of journalism have become, but it is good to know that we still have the right to speak our minds and the right to report on important issues in today's society.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful thing to have freedom of speech. It would not be a fun time to be a subject rather than a citizen. It is interesting that we don't always get the whole story on some things.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Senator Borah. If your mind is shackled and fearful, free speech does not exist. And if your mind is shackled and fearful, abstract thought and ideas cannot be expounded upon. That is the basis of totalitarianism and without the right of free speech, all other rights become null.
ReplyDeleteIt seems people become accustom to what they have and take it for granted, then once it gets taken away, they realize how precious it is. I would hate to have to live in a country where the government has the power to control every piece of news that is released to the citizens. Thank goodness for free speech and freedom of the press!
ReplyDeleteI suppose thats why good ol' Jefferson said "If I had to choose between government without newspapers, and newspapers without government, I wouldn't hesitate to choose the latter." Atleast that way we aren't subjects. although... I guess we wouldn't be citzens without the government...
ReplyDeleteSo- doesn't that mean if the government tries in any way to shackle the press we're all doomed to be communists? Interestingly enough, the FCC has been trying to regulate Web content... Where would this leave our class entirely devoted to blogs? Or the entire college population? Or the U.S.? Where is our first amendment rights when we need them. Check out this site: http://www.businessandmedia.org/articles/2008/20080812160747.aspx
ReplyDeleteIts not a prerequisite to have a government to be a citizen...
ReplyDeleteA citizen is an inhabitant of a city or state, which really are only geographical/territorial co-clusterings/gatherings of people... how they do or dont organise themselves into a cohesive cohort with agreed-on rules of conduct and process and how they enforce those agreements is where government comes into being...
I think you're only ever a subject if you think you are.... at each point, one has choice to participate or not, to be subject or not... though for myself, I dont every consider myself to be subject to anything/anyone - I choose to decide event by event, moment by moment, how I will respond to something and whether I will abide by the 'rules' set up by the 'government'.... which after all, is only an inanimate 'thing' created by people, which is the servant of the people and is therefore (or should be) infinitely malleable...
It concerns me that so many people consider government, and The Constitution for example, as 'sacred cows' that have all this power - they only have power because we give them that power in the first place, and continue to enable their existence by our acquiescence...
This is an interesting statement to me. Every one will bring the idea into context using the United States, because that is where all of us (I'm assuming) were born and raised. However there are limitations on what kind of press can be put out. These limitations are put in place for our safety, and I think that this is a good thing. Just because the government isn't allowing 100% free speech doesn't mean that they are making all of the free institutions are a sham. I believe some things do need to be censored from the public. Things such as propaganda, and any form of discrimination should not be allowed to be publicized.
ReplyDeleteI had never really thought of unfettered press, and liberty of speech as being the heart of freedom in a society, but it makes sense. Truth and knowledge make you free and if the press is not free then truth and knowledge aren't very accessible. It makes me think of the midevil times when the Bible was only published in Hebrew and Greek. Translation into other languages was prohibited. Few (mainly catholic priests) could understand the ancient languages which meant the majority of the people were subjects to others interpretations of the Bible.
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