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freedo9.txt
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1996-03-11
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Free Speech and the Internet
I am a mother and a grandmother and I live in Southeast Texas.
Freedom. What does that word mean to me? I've sat here thinking about it.
I've thought of those men whose blood soaked the ground 220 years ago,
those men who valued freedom over life itself.
As I look around my house, I realize that nearly everything my gaze falls
upon is something that was undreamt of 220 years ago. What tremendous
forward strides we have made in those relatively few, short years.
Technological strides, that is.
But what of our idealogical progress? What have we done to improve on the
foundation of ideas set forth by the founders of our country, by the
framers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? Nothing!
Not only have we done nothing to improve on those ideals, we have allowed
them to be gradually eroded in the name of comfort and security. Yet, we
are neither more comfortable nor more secure despite the invasive govenment
intervention in our lives.
The government of the United States of America now wants to protect us from
those words or images that might offend us. But remember that old cliche,
"There is no free lunch." What price must we pay for this protection?
We must relinquish our right to define what is offensive to us. We will
have to wear a blindfold on our eyes and a gag on our mouths. But worst of
all, we must let them snatch another of the stones from the foundations of
our overall freedoms. And a very important stone, it is. No semblence of
freedom can long endure when the free flow of ideas and information is
curtailed. How easily we toss aside that for which our forefathers were
willing to die.
I know, I know--many will say that the government is not trying to restrict
freedom of speech. They will say that it is just pornography which is being
banned. But once we allow the door to open on censorship, even a tiny bit,
there is no closing it again. I don't want my grandchildren to spend their
time cruising the internet looking for smut and pornography. But it is my
responsibility to make the decision about what I, personally, feel is
inapporpriate. It is my responsibility to teach my family right from wrong.
It is my responsibility to teach them to think and make appropriate
choices. I will not willingly turn that responsibiilty over to the
government.
The risk is too great, the price too high, when we let a govenment body
have the power to decide what is appropriate for us to see. Once they have
that power, they are free to define what they see as indecent and
inappropriate. It is just a small step to include wording which outlaws
essays such as these that speak out against the government's actions.
L. N. Tinney
ltinney@compassnet.com Prev Next Index
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