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Human rights: Freedom of Speech & Freedom of PressBy Rabab Yazbeck
July 27, 2000Freedom of speech and freedom of press
· How can they affect our daily life?
· What are their positive effects on the society?
· If we don't have these two freedoms what will happen?The concept that human beings have inalienable rights that can't be
violated by others is linked to the history of democracy. It was first expressed
by ancient philosophers of Greece. Socrates, for example, chose to die rather than
renounce the right to speak his mind. Human rights and liberties constitute the
Bill of Rights which guarantees all human rights such as freedom of speech and
freedom of press.
Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, both oral and written, are
considered essential to political activities and religious practices. The exercise of
the right of free expression often occurs in association with the exercise of the
right of peaceable assemblage and freedom of worship. Every person has the right
to honor the supernatural power that he wants, to teach his beliefs and to
respect others' beliefs. Freedom of expression is intrinsically related to
academic freedom. Teachers have the right to express opinions coordinated to
their own beliefs without any fear or hesitation. Freedom of speech is also
considered essential to the vitality of representative government. If each
minister gives his opinion openly, freely, and others listen to his notes
objectively it would be for the good of the country.
Freedom of press is regarded as fundamental to individual rights, human
dignity, self-respect, and personal responsibility. The right to dissent encourages
peaceful, orderly, social, and political change. Canada, USA, for example, are two
countries that respect the freedom of press; not a single time did we hear that they
have problems while political or social change. On the other hand, all African
countries suffer from problems related to each election. Every day we hear that
there is a war between the same people of the same country, each group wants a
president and they don't know how to express themselves in a civil method. So, they kill each other without any mercy. Without free media a free society and democratic self-government couldn't be possible. Russia and Syria ,for example, are two countries where only one voice is heard, the voice of the present government. In this way, countries will not progress.
All human rights are essential to human dignity, to the progress of
knowledge and to the improvement of life. In fact, governments must
respect, protect and facilitate realization of our rights, in addition to its
obligation to fulfill our rights directly under certain circumstances. All
countries have signed the bill of human rights but how many countries fulfill
these rights?References:
· "George kent" university of Hawaii- December 9,1998
· Times, May 29, 00 by Amartia Sen
· "press, freedom of the," "speech, freedom of ", Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia
Page Created on August 4, 2000
Last updated on August 5, 2000
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