Posted on 01/16/2023 1:51:52 PM PST by nickcarraway
While political speech is heavily censored in China, everyday social speech is now curtailed by pervasive taboos in Anglo-American societies
In the often hilariously insightful TV series Silicon Valley, a horrified tech start-up owner told his Chinese-born and culturally maladaptive programmer to put out his cigarette at the office of a venture capital boss. “Jian Yang, we are not as free as you were, here in America!”
In mainland China, and increasingly in Hong Kong, you would likely get into trouble if you publicly challenge the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party or the central government. In Western societies, you can still pretty much say what you like about your political leaders, short of threatening their personal safety.
However, on many major and sensitive social issues, from gender norms to race and discrimination, in academia and outside, the attacks on free speech have been relentless, and often sanctioned by the state and powerful regulatory groups and organisations. The mainstream mass media are especially prone to such censorship.
The Anglo-American sphere has become a world of safe spaces, trigger warnings and “de-platforming”, where self-censorship and “cancel culture” are two sides of the same coin. In this environment, it’s increasingly difficult to call a spade a spade, without risking serious social penalties.
In Canada, governing bodies are increasingly willing to impose a single acceptable position or doctrine on members while threatening to excommunicate those who refuse to play ball. Recently, the Canadian Historical Association announced there was only one acceptable interpretation of the term genocide when discussing the country’s treatment of indigenous peoples. When more than 50 scholars wrote an open letter criticising the association’s stance as a threat to academic freedom and free speech, its president launched ad hominem attacks against some of the letter’s signatories.
(Excerpt) Read more at scmp.com ...
Oldie but a goodie:
(Ein Westdeutscher sagt zu einem Ostdeutschen auf der anderen Seite über die Berliner Mauer.)
Westdeutscher: Auf unsere Regierung dürfen wir schimpfen, so viel wir wollen.
Osteutscher: Auf Ihre Regierung dürfen wir auch schimpfen, so viel wir wollen.
[translation]
(A west German says to an East German on the other side, across the Berlin wall.)
West German: We can complain about our government as much as we want.
East German: We also can complain about your government as much as we want.
God-given rights to Life Liberty and Free Pursuits are universal. No exceptions.
The only difference is, unlike America’s Declaration of Independence and Constitution, most countries and governments DISREGARD those God-given rights and liberties. To that extent those governments are illegal and outlaw governments.
To the extent America’s government disregards its constitutional limitations, it too is illegal and an outlaw government.
You nailed it.
“IF free speech isn’t completely free then it isn’t”. L.Star
Speech is equally free everywhere. Freedom after speech is the real issue.
dear ching chong charie,
America ain,’t China, ain’t Europe, or nowhereselse but itself.
Go jump in the Yangtse River!!!
It’s only free speech if the GOVERNMENT can’t punish you for it.
The blue hairs of the Lady’s Garden Club can’t punish me if I curse, nor can the Castro District residents if I don’t praise abnormal sex practices between men. If either of those got the government to stop me, then yes, they’d also keep my speech from being free.
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