Freedom of speech an anti-Americanism

gordy · March 1, 2003, 2:17pm

I was pretty shocked when I read this article:

The reporter tried three times, unsuccessfully, to get a picture without obscenity. One woman spat in my hair. The journalist gave up and moved on. The mob did not. Men and women violently screamed in my face and Bob’s.

It stopped just long enough for the president’s motorcade to pass by and then erupted again. We were told to " Get the f— out of the country," had obscene gestures pushed in our faces. An elderly man told me to “Go to hell!”

I was in a state of shock. Here I was, a 42-year-old mother of four, born and raised in Cobb County, holding a peace sign, standing on the sidewalk across the street from my church, and I was frightened that my neighbors were going to hurt me because I dared to express my opinion. This could not be happening. Not in America, right?

accessatlanta.com/ajc/opinio … otest.html

It is clear which participant stood for America values, and those who did not. Yet those dangerously- pychopathically- narrow-minded individuals might well have justified their disgusting behaviour in terms of patriotism.

I have seen a few reports of such behaviour, and incidents like this may or not reflect a wider trend within the United States- those within that country would be better placed to answer that question than I am.

If people are not able openly to question the actions of those in power we are in deep, deep trouble.

thoughts?

gordy · March 1, 2003, 2:48pm

This was another article that had me concerned (I very much admire Anita Roddick- founder of The Body Shop).

I wrote about the suppression of public dissent and the erosion of civil liberties in the United States, which as I see it are among the most dire threats that country now faces. Little did I know that I was about to experience exactly how fearfully limited public debate in America really is.

Somehow, my expression of dismay was twisted in a highly selective retelling in the New York Post, a right-wing tabloid, as “an America-loathing diatribe. Little… in the foreign press outside al-Jazeera comes close to Roddick’s viciousness”. I was astonished to read that I was suddenly a supporter of terrorism and a hater of Americans and devastated at the idea that any American would assume that I was not outraged by the barbaric attacks of 11 September…

Somehow, my criticism of George Bush had been equated with a hatred of the country he leads, as if a leader and his country were one and the same, as if all Americans support George Bush without reservation or exception.

I also fear that perhaps this is the natural result of the atmosphere created when a sitting president tells his subjects that “you’re either with us or you’re with the terrorists”.

Criticism of Bush, then, is tantamount to friendship with Bin Laden. The mind reels at the logic.

[b]Teddy Roosevelt must be spinning in his grave. He’s the beloved American president who said: “To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”

…But I have received far more letters of support than hate mail, almost all of it from Americans…

“I am a California human rights attorney and a customer of The Body Shop… I was pleased to read Ms Roddick’s column, which I took as a call to defend what are usually regarded as America’s finest values - freedom of speech and association among them - against the depredations of a power-hungry and opportunistic government. I did not take it as a condemnation of America, and I fail to see how any intellectually honest reader could have done so.”
[/b]

argument.independent.co.uk/comme … ory=336658

I must say- I have witnessed similar reactions. For criticising America I am a “terrorist sympathiser”- for opposing war on Iraq I am a “supporter of Saddam Hussein”. For critisising the actions of my own government I have been told (by an American) that I must hate my country (!!!???).

As free thinkers, surely we should be especially aware of the importance of free speech?

I belive that this is an issue of grave concern, especially for Americans. I have no doubt that those who express such objectionable views are no more than a vocal minority- but I believe it’s something we should be concerned about.

TheHairyGuy · March 1, 2003, 7:47pm

a few months ago bush came to pennsylvania to deliver a speech. a man was arrested for holding a sign that opposed his policy. “bush must love the poor… he created so many of us” is what the sign said. it wasnt in any way a threat to the kin- i mean president and this man and his sister were both arrested. free speech as it is commonly thought of does not exist in any form (at least in america- i dont know about other countries.) it is an idea. i think everyone agrees on that. however, the problem is, people can easily interpret ideas differently. the american governments interpretation of free speech is “say what you wont but dont oppose us.”

and i know somebody will come in here saying im wrong because i just criticized america. im well aware of that. i did type it, after all. however, you must take into account credibility of the so called free speaker. i, for example, am 15 years old and very liberal. nobody takes what i say seriously and assumes it just to be a “rebellious phase” (an expression which ive heard enough times to last me the rest of my life.) if a noted journalist tried to say something like that, the government would be on top of them in an instant.

Matt · March 1, 2003, 9:09pm

It’s strange how free speech is something that governments seem to think is against our best interests.

Take Blunkett, wants us all to be blind too with the amount of illiberal policies he’s been churning out in the last few years. Sounds harsh, but in my lifetime I haven’t seen one man work so hard to undermine the concept of liberty.