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WORTH THINKING ABOUT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE "FREE SPEECH?"

From: Lawrence A. Parker (occti)
Date: Thu Mar 02 2000 - 17:52:08 PST

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    Lawrence A. Parker
    Philosopher/Educational Consultant
    The Ohio Center for Critical Thinking Instruction
    http://www.acorn.net/lists-ht/occti.html
    Truth, Honor and Courage

    From NewsScan:

    WORTH THINKING ABOUT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE "FREE SPEECH?"

            For some time now there has been spirited debate about "politically
    correct" speech, and the debate will no doubt continue for at least as long
    as baseball players are thought worthy subjects of interviews on
    philosophical and social topics. In any event, here's what the liberal
    journalist I.F. Stone suggested as the defense Socrates should have made to
    escape drinking the hemlock:
            "Men of Athens, fellow citizens, this is not a trial of Socrates,
    but of ideas, and of Athens. You are not prosecuting me for any unlawful or
    impious act against our city or its altars. No evidence of any such sort has
    been brought against me. You are not prosecuting me for anything I did, but
    for what I have said and taught. You are threatening me with death because
    you do not like my views and my teaching. This is a prosecution of ideas and
    that is something new in our city's history. In this sense, Athens is in the
    dock, not Socrates. Each of you, as my judges, is a defendant.
            "Let me be frank. I do not believe in your so-called freedom of
    speech, but you do. I believe the opinions of ordinary men are only beliefs
    without substance, pale shadows of reality, not to be taken seriously, and
    only likely to lead a city astray. I think it absurd to encourage the free
    utterance of unfounded or irrational opinions, or to base civic policy on a
    count of heads, like cabbages. Hence I do not believe in democracy. But you
    do. This is your test, not mine. How can you boast of your free speech if
    you suppress mine?
             "The test of truly free speech is not whether what is said or
    taught conforms to any rule or ruler, few or many. Even under the worst
    dictator, it is not forbidden to agree with him. It is the freedom to
    disagree that is freedom of speech. This has been the Athenian rule until
    now, the pride of our city, the glory on which your orators dwell. Will you
    turn your back on it now? Ideas are not as fragile as men. They cannot be
    made to drink hemlock. My ideas-and my example-will survive me. But the good
    name of Athens will wear a stain forever, if you violate its traditions by
    convicting me. The shame will be yours, not mine." See
    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385260326/newssca... for I.F.
    Stone's "The Trial of Socrates." 

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