Freedom of Speech and Expression
by Hanna Coria
Many Americans are becoming increasingly annoyed with something known as “political correctness”. People claim that political correctness has taken away their right to say what they want, also known as their “freedom of speech and expression”, for the sake of not hurting the feelings of other people. The freedom of speech and expression is a right protected by our constitution that a lot of Americans take for granted, and frankly, don’t seem to understand very well. Saying whatever you want without repercussions is not what freedom of speech is about, it is about the government not being able to punish you for what you protest, publish, say etcetera. When people say things that can be deemed as offensive, they are so quick to respond with “This is America” or “Freedom of speech” and blame political correctness as though this makes them immune any sort of criticism. It happens in schools, at the dinner table, through social media, but how many of the people in this country who claim they do not have freedom of speech and expression anymore have actually experienced what it is like to not be free to say what they like?
1974 marked the start of an almost decade long political crisis in Argentina known as “The Dirty War” or to most Latinos “La Guerra Sucia”. This was a time when the country under the rule of an extreme right-wing military dictatorship known as the Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance. Military death squads would hunt down, torture and even kill people who spoke out against the government or in support of socialism. Speaking out against the injustices happening in the country you called home was quite literally a death sentence. University students, journalists, people in trade unions were all victims of the atrocities taking place at the hands of their government. An estimated 20,000 people either died, were tortured, or disappeared under extremely mysterious circumstances. 20,000 lives and families ruined because these people were protesting their oppression under their government. Can you imagine such a place?
Benjamin Coria was raised in Argentina at the time when this was happening. He said “During the Falklands war (a war with Britain that went on during the military control), I remember I was 8, and they made us learn to march and sing songs of patriotism while they told us we were winning the war. And I remember how shocked everyone was when the word got out that we had lost.” This is because the government censored the press, and nobody could say or know about what was actually going on.
“I also remember singing a song of protest and we were passing through a place with a lot of people, and I was singing at the top of my lungs, and my father put his hand over my mouth and told me to never do that again,” said Benjamin. Singing songs that had bad interpretations of the government were banned and one could get in serious trouble for listening to them much less singing them. Not having freedom of speech is nowhere near the same as being afraid to day what you believe for the sake of offending other people. Not to say that saying things that are offensive is okay by any means, but it should not be equated to to not having the right of freedom of speech and expression. Fortunately for the people of Argentina, this time of terrorism is over and citizens can speak freely.
As for the rest of the world, the issue of freedom of speech is far from over. Countries all over the world today such as Libya, Burma, North Korea and many more are still trying to earn the basic human right of freedom of speech and expression. The people in these countries can not protest, speak against their government, or have freedom of the press. Stop blaming your so called "oppression" on political correctness. You were graciously given this right to express yourself. Speak about what you believe in. Protest injustices. Speak for the people in the countries who have no voice. Utilizing your freedom of speech and expression is much more useful than buying into the illusion that you do not have it.
by Hanna Coria
Many Americans are becoming increasingly annoyed with something known as “political correctness”. People claim that political correctness has taken away their right to say what they want, also known as their “freedom of speech and expression”, for the sake of not hurting the feelings of other people. The freedom of speech and expression is a right protected by our constitution that a lot of Americans take for granted, and frankly, don’t seem to understand very well. Saying whatever you want without repercussions is not what freedom of speech is about, it is about the government not being able to punish you for what you protest, publish, say etcetera. When people say things that can be deemed as offensive, they are so quick to respond with “This is America” or “Freedom of speech” and blame political correctness as though this makes them immune any sort of criticism. It happens in schools, at the dinner table, through social media, but how many of the people in this country who claim they do not have freedom of speech and expression anymore have actually experienced what it is like to not be free to say what they like?
1974 marked the start of an almost decade long political crisis in Argentina known as “The Dirty War” or to most Latinos “La Guerra Sucia”. This was a time when the country under the rule of an extreme right-wing military dictatorship known as the Argentine Anti-Communist Alliance. Military death squads would hunt down, torture and even kill people who spoke out against the government or in support of socialism. Speaking out against the injustices happening in the country you called home was quite literally a death sentence. University students, journalists, people in trade unions were all victims of the atrocities taking place at the hands of their government. An estimated 20,000 people either died, were tortured, or disappeared under extremely mysterious circumstances. 20,000 lives and families ruined because these people were protesting their oppression under their government. Can you imagine such a place?
Benjamin Coria was raised in Argentina at the time when this was happening. He said “During the Falklands war (a war with Britain that went on during the military control), I remember I was 8, and they made us learn to march and sing songs of patriotism while they told us we were winning the war. And I remember how shocked everyone was when the word got out that we had lost.” This is because the government censored the press, and nobody could say or know about what was actually going on.
“I also remember singing a song of protest and we were passing through a place with a lot of people, and I was singing at the top of my lungs, and my father put his hand over my mouth and told me to never do that again,” said Benjamin. Singing songs that had bad interpretations of the government were banned and one could get in serious trouble for listening to them much less singing them. Not having freedom of speech is nowhere near the same as being afraid to day what you believe for the sake of offending other people. Not to say that saying things that are offensive is okay by any means, but it should not be equated to to not having the right of freedom of speech and expression. Fortunately for the people of Argentina, this time of terrorism is over and citizens can speak freely.
As for the rest of the world, the issue of freedom of speech is far from over. Countries all over the world today such as Libya, Burma, North Korea and many more are still trying to earn the basic human right of freedom of speech and expression. The people in these countries can not protest, speak against their government, or have freedom of the press. Stop blaming your so called "oppression" on political correctness. You were graciously given this right to express yourself. Speak about what you believe in. Protest injustices. Speak for the people in the countries who have no voice. Utilizing your freedom of speech and expression is much more useful than buying into the illusion that you do not have it.