Letter of the Day | Freedom of expression ... is a right and privilege

The Editor, Sir:

“ Free speech carries with it some freedom to listen”, is an interesting quote by former US Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, who is essentially saying that the refusal to listen is as effective in denying free speech as muting the speaker himself.

Except, of course, that you’re free to listen to your own voice or speech.

Freedom of expression affects the press also, and involves all areas of life. It therefore attracts laws, restrictions, and privileges. Without freedom, we would suffocate and die like birds without wings or fishes deprived of water.

Without commenting on any specifics of the discussions regarding banning socially inappropriate music from airplay, the belief that freedom is itself good is untrue.

Freedom is no more good than a blank sheet of paper which becomes valued by what the writer writes there. Used for good, that sheet serves a useful purpose, and the reverse if used for unworthiness.

Liberty is a God-given privilege that dignifies humans even to serve or deny its giver. However, when one considers much of the unfiltered expressions appearing in the media; on the radio, on the television, the Internet and newspapers, when covering sexual matters, violence and character assassination, it seems that freedom of choice is inherently good.

The censorship of freedom came to focus during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, where the freedom to ditch masks severely hampered the choice of others to avoid the maskless crowd.

Or, when smoking freely in public infringes on the rights of bystanders to their own space, comfort and health.

Licences to abort, freedom of sexual preference, and so on, have collectively sought refuge and endorsement under the umbrella and holy grail of liberty! Yet, freedom of expression in any form is a right and privilege granted by the very right that approves that liberty and not by the freedom it allows.

HOMER SYLVESTER