Micah 6:8

Democracy and our Freedom of Speech

I found an interesting news story on BBC about Belgium. Their supreme court just put to death a political party that was gaining power on the basis that it was racist. I think that this is an interesting example of how our culture's strict adherence to being politically correct has the power to erode democracy. From the sounds of the article the courts probably had some legitimate concerns but I think that it is crazy that courts of unelected judges have the ability to strangle democracy. Even if the party was neo-Nazi I don't think that any court should be able to prevent the populace from voting into power those that they want in power. If they have this power and exercise it how can they reasonably claim to be a democracy.

I see that this could happen in Canada or US easily as well. I think that the underlying problem has to do with the government being able to decide what values for our countries are unalterable. If I want to stand in opposition to an agreed upon value it can be criminal. For most people the laws that protect their values are seen favorably. If I am a Neo-Nazi you're probably comfortable with any expression of that being illegal. The problem is that people are comfortable until it's a value that they want to stand in opposition to. Speaking against homosexuality in Canada can now have charged with hate crimes. Maybe next it will be abortion. The laws could easily be changed so that it was considered a fundamental right for a woman to choose to be able to have an abortion just as homosexuality became protected. What would be next? It could be anything that you are opposed to. I don't think that there is anything within our laws to prevent the governments from degrading into a fascist state.

My proposal is that we all work to protect the freedom of speech, even the freedom to say things that we disagree with or consider downright evil. In a true democracy everyone should have the right to attempt to shift public opinion in whatever direction they want. While I don't think that this could actually be a workable model I think that is better to aim that way then to continue going down the path that we are currently on. I think that our current course is headed towards a more oppressive law that will be created in the name of political correctness.