Long before the United States came to be a country, free speech was a fundamental right. For centuries, philosophers, reformers, politicians and journalists proclaimed the need for free expression. As Voltaire puts it beautifully, “I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” First coined during the Enlightenment in Europe, this expression became a rally cry. In this day and age, with wars and debates over human rights, we must be open to other's perspective.
Under the first amendment, free speech has become part of the cornerstone of America. The founding fathers of America such as Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine, boldly stated the need for a freedom from censorship. We are lucky to be living in such a free place while in many parts of the world people can be hanged or killed for speaking out against the government. With this in mind we have to let people be speak their minds on controversial topics while being respectful of others.
Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire argued for freedom of speech to enable the citizens to be individuals without fearing for their lives. In no circumstances would the enlightenment philosophers agree that freedom of speech allows people to deprive others of their liberty due to the condemning threats against others. Standing up freedom of speech is not an excuse to demean people. Free speech is an art form; it enables people to express themselves. From the dawn of mankind, there has not been a statement uttered that did not meet opposition in some way shape or form. It is only natural for people to disagree among themselves over ideologies, beliefs and concerns. As long as what one person says does not target harming one person or a specific group then it is alright to speak your mind. Responsibility is the key to making Voltaire’s statement true. We must be accountable for what we say and for what we don’t say. We must think before we speak making sure each word we say is for the common good.
As the 21th century is under way with all the new, instant ways to share ideas we must be mindful of the way we come across. Social media whether it be Facebook, twitter, or Instagram is not exempt from these principles. We have a responsibility as humans to make sure each individual is equal and free to be themselves. By taking Voltaire's words into consideration, it is prevalent that we understand the impact of silence or the voice of reason makes in the world. Most often it is in the times when we let people who we differentiate as different speak that we learn something about ourselves.
