by Doug Hewitt 
Censorship has become a hot topic around the world. In China, Google is threatening to leave the country. In Iran, news has to get smuggled out via cell phone videos. While some countries take pride in the freedom of the press, other countries view censorship as a method to remain in power.
But what is censorship? It's the suppression of free speech, and it doesn't have to be of the government variety. Some speech can be censored based on social norms. For example, newspapers typically don't print letters to the editor that contain profanity. These newspapers censor such letters. On the other hand, profanity can certainly be found on the Internet. It's not censored by some governments.
At high school graduations, there have been cases in which valedictory speeches have been censored. And when students read their speeches anyway, they are threatened with retraction of their diplomas by school officials who argue that students are expected to follow codes of conduct. Parents have certainly been known to censor their children. "Shut up," can be an effective form of censorship for an authoritative parent. However, as children grow into teenagers, the "shut up" may lose its efficacy.
While it may be easy to condemn censorship by the governments of Iran and China, there are other forms of censorship in more complicated situations where lives are at stake. For example, in 2005 a Danish newspaper published a cartoon depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad, despite opposition to what hard-line Muslims viewed as blasphemy. The publication of the cartoons led to attempts on the life of Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard and violence at Danish embassies around the world. Some newspapers refused to publish the cartoon, effectively censoring it, as an editorial decision.
If you believe in free speech and the power of democracy, there are ways in which you can subvert censorship. Censorship can take many forms, and the actions to subvert the suppression may depend on the form of censorship. But there are steps everyone can take to promote free speech.
Read More » 
Become a Fan
Follow Us on Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment