In the article "Protecting Freedom of Expression at Harvard" by Derek Bok, he writes the challenges the University of Harvard had when three students hung two flags in school. Two hung the Confederate flag and the other protested by hanging the symbol of the swastika. Both have pretty dark backgrounds. From this incident, questions as to what extent should freedom of speech be prohibited on certain instances?
Now, I take freedom of speech seriously. It is a valuable right that some people do not have the privilege to have. That is what makes our country great. With this right, many sides of different matters can arise and they cannot be shut down because people disagree or think they are wrong. Now the symbols that the students at Harvard displayed should be taken down. By themselves, they send a symbol of struggles and hurt. People have fought for these symbols be taken out of earth and should not be displayed. The only way they can be displayed is if they had words to accompany it. By having words or phrases to accompany it, it can send a message of his thought, why he has it up, make an argument and just explain.That is what Freedom of Speech means to me. Doing an action or speaking about a cause. Reading the meaning of freedom of speech on the government site, it has examples of what rights people have and don't have. The one example that the site says they do not have the right to do that relates to the situation at Harvard is "To make or distribute obscene materials". What I am trying to convey is that by freedom of speech in the amendment means that people need to speak about why they feel a certain way and telling their feeling in a way that they are still considerate of peoples feelings as much as they wont get into fist fight with them. Just a note, I am not saying they cannot have these symbols anywhere in the U.S. They can still have them around but in private property like in their homes out of site of the public. If their guests see it it should not be a problem because it is their feelings.
Website for the Definition of Freedom of Speech: http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/ClassroomActivities/FirstAmendment/WhatDoesFreeSpeechMean.aspx
I agree that the flags should be taken down from the public's view. I believe that the flags are offensive enough that a lot of people would be angry and show aggression towards the kids that put them up... I know I would be. However, the Fifth Amendment does protect their rights and allows them to "speak their mind in whatever fashion that they want to." As long as they refrain from using violence they can say, or display in this case, whatever they want to. With this in mind the campus can not make them take it down, and this is the sad part. I feel that the kids who put them up are just immature and do not respect themselves. That is why they put up offensive things. Like Bok statede the only thing the campus can do is ignore the flags.
ReplyDeleteI think people should just ignore the flags. I know a lot of guys, in my racist, small-minded hometown, who think it's funny or cool to put a confederate flag on their truck. (To get one thing straight, I am not racist by any means! My hometown, however, is unfortunately.) I strongly disagree with those guys who choose to do that and actually yelled at one of my friends for having a confederate sticker on his car. Nevertheless, if those people want to display flags, they have the right to since we live in a free country. It would be very hard to tell all the people to take down the confederate flags they have displayed so people should just ignore it. Billboards along the highways are filled with advertisements that people don't agree with and instead of complaining about it, they move on with their lives and ignore them.
ReplyDeleteFreedom of Speech is quite a difficult subject. The founding fathers did not make it very clear on when one's freedom of speech begins and someone else's right to be free of their speech begins. I know one of the policies has to do when your speech "threatens public safety" such as the typical example of yelling fire in a crowded theater... When it comes to Swatiskas and Confederate flags I'm not sure where I stand. I hate seeing the Confederate flag because it makes it seem like the person is being pound of being racist. At the same time, I know outlawing it would be infringing on Freedom of Speech... Perhaps a middle ground would be to outlaw it for certain contexts, like when the Confederate flag is accompanied by "the south will rise again" - which I think can qualify as threat of terrorism.
ReplyDeleteTough subject. Not everyone can be happy about everything in life. People have their own views about different things. It is ridiculous to say, but sometimes people just need to suck it up and let it go. The best way is just admit you dont like it and move on. Life aint about pleasing people.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you are saying. Often times the people who are most offensive are easily offended and are the first ones to speak out when they feel something is wrong. Some people need to get off of their high horse and just watch what they say and do to be courteous to others.
ReplyDeleteI think that freedom of speech is the most valuable right we have. The one thing that really gets me angry is the Westboro church and how they are protected now. What I don't understand is how is how they can have freedom of speech when they are degrading the lives of people who are protecting that right. I do think their are certain times when censorship is needed, but like the article said, it could lead to a slippery slope of censorship.
ReplyDeleteI think that people are one minded about flags. Just because it's a confederate flag does mean someone is rascist. I feel that people are ignorant to other meanings. Even the swastika can mean something else. If you turn it 90 degrees then it means peace, so just because it's on its side it means that you're rascist? I do think that the swastika and confederate flag are in two different catagories but i certainly don't think people should jump to the conclusion someone is rascist.
ReplyDeleteI think that you are absolutely right about having words to accompany the flag because if you just hang the flag by itself obviously people are going to think that the person who hung it up is racist. People will see that symbol/flag as a racist thing regardless and if it isn't accompanied by words how are people to know the difference. You should be able to hang whatever you want but if people don't know why you're hanging it, then its pointless.
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