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[Prev|Next|Index] 2/22/96, mathewi@interlog.com,
http://www.interlog.com/~mathewi
Democracy in action
By Mathew Ingram, mathewi@interlog.com.
My name is Mathew Ingram, and I'm a journalist in Toronto. As you
might expect, this means I have more than a passing interest in
freedom of speech -- and I take this to mean even (and perhaps
especially) bad, hateful, irritating and/or stupid speech.
Someone once said that it is easy to defend speech we agree with
and find pleasing, but much harder to stick to our principles
when it is something we disagree with strongly or find morally
repugnant. This is clearly a point that has been lost on the
various legislative bodies in our large neighbour to the south.
However, it is something I think we must all remain committed to
-- and I think that the Internet, in all its bizarre and
occasionally ridiculous glory and diversity, is a living example
of that principle. It is filled with human beings making
themselves heard and/or seen for whatever reasons and to whatever
purposes they feel are important. That is a deep-seated human
desire, and it is one that shouldn't be extinguished simply
because a lot of blinkered old men are trying to make political
points, or because some sheltered souls somewhere have gotten
offended at the thought that naked human beings might be glimpsed
somewhere on the Internet by accident.
[Image]
democracy action 24 hours hotwired essay democracy action 24
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