Free Press And Free Speech

[Amisk]

The press and freedom of speech, by definition, include the freedom to offend. But the freedom to offend has to be used carefully if it is to retain real power. …….Under the rules of a free press, it's fair game - but to what end?
BRIAN GABLE Toronto Globe and Mail

 

[Andy Broadley]

I guess Amisk osted this for the purposes of discussion, so here's my £0.02.

Free speech is a central factor in democracy, and must remein so.

I agree with whomever said "I do not agree with what you say, but I would defend to the death your right to say it."

Right to offend? I'm not so sure about that.

It is commonpace these days among the yoghurt knitters to find new things to ban, on the grounds that they might offend one particular group of people or another.

The sad thing is that in many cases, the people concerned have never been asked about it.

The prime example of this is Christmas. Local Authorities seem to have a phobia about the word Christmas, lest they offend an ethnic minority group.

Yet at Christmas time last year, in the city of Bradford (with one of the highest Aisian and Muslim populations in the country), a primary sachool made TV headlines one night.

This school has a pupil base which is 80% Muslim/Aisian. The headmaster and most of the teachers are also Aisian.

The school went our into the city centre one afternoon to present a programme of carol singing, traditional Indian dance, and to distribute mince pies.

Interviewed on TV, the headmaster said the school wanted to make the point that they were in the main Muslims, and they in no way felt offended by Christmas.

 

[Andy Broadley]

As for the press and the media in general, they have never been ones to let something as trivial as the truth to get in the way of a good story.

Nor have they ever worried about the offence they cause. What bugs me about the press is that they will trumpet a headline in huge letters. Yet if they are forced to retract and apologise, they do so in the space of about 2 inches half way down page 5