Maturity in exercising Democracy and Freedom of Speech
Before I go back to my desk to study, I would like to make some comments about some of the activity going on with the other Iranians speaking up for freedom, Human Rights, democracy, freedom of speech, etc. Yes, I know this entry isn’t quite as polished as I would like, and a little long, but I have to study.
In my opinion, it seems that we have not quite obtained maturity in the practice of the above concepts. While freedom means the right to express your thoughts, slander is against the law. Bloggers have been accusing other bloggers of being associated with the CIA, communists, Khamenei’s best Islamic Facists, and other undesireable groups. Just because one hears an opinion of how to get to democracy in Iran that he/she doesn’t like, that doesn’t necessarily mean the person making the comment is part of some complex conspiracy with a secret political party and having intricate capabilities like Jason Bourne, the assassin from the movie the “Bourne Identity”!
The point of freedom of speech is so that different ideas can be voiced. One of the reasons that the United States is the best country for its own citizens is that different creative and innovative ideas are allowed to be presented and flourish, and that’s how the country stays strong. If we want to win our struggle for Human Rights, Democracy and freedom, we have to be tolerant of other’s ideas. If we don’t like other’s ideas, we can respectfully disagree, but wanting to sue them, or accuse them of horrible associations is wrong. I think people have the misconception that a democracy means you get everything that you want. That’s not true! The last two presidential elections I voted, and I didn’t get the candidate I voted for. However, the two presidential elections prior, I got what I wanted. Democracy means you have a say in what will happen, but still the will of the majority rules.
If one thinks that with a democracy he/she gets whatever he/she wants, that person is mistaken! By slandering/suing/bullying others that don’t have opinions exactly like one individual’s, (yes even your opinion), then we might as well not try for a regime change, because the new government will be forcing your opinion on others, rather than a forcing of Khamenei’s opinion on others! A democracy means you don’t get your way all the time, but you get it some of the time, rather then always getting your way because you are the bully, or never getting your way because you are the oppressed.
I personally think that all people wanting human rights, democracy and freedom for Iran should stand united and not accuse each other of ugly associations with out concrete proof. In the end, we all want the same thing, we just have different ideas on how to get there. That difference should not separate us, it should make us stronger. In think constructive criticism goes a long way.
In my opinion, it seems that we have not quite obtained maturity in the practice of the above concepts. While freedom means the right to express your thoughts, slander is against the law. Bloggers have been accusing other bloggers of being associated with the CIA, communists, Khamenei’s best Islamic Facists, and other undesireable groups. Just because one hears an opinion of how to get to democracy in Iran that he/she doesn’t like, that doesn’t necessarily mean the person making the comment is part of some complex conspiracy with a secret political party and having intricate capabilities like Jason Bourne, the assassin from the movie the “Bourne Identity”!
The point of freedom of speech is so that different ideas can be voiced. One of the reasons that the United States is the best country for its own citizens is that different creative and innovative ideas are allowed to be presented and flourish, and that’s how the country stays strong. If we want to win our struggle for Human Rights, Democracy and freedom, we have to be tolerant of other’s ideas. If we don’t like other’s ideas, we can respectfully disagree, but wanting to sue them, or accuse them of horrible associations is wrong. I think people have the misconception that a democracy means you get everything that you want. That’s not true! The last two presidential elections I voted, and I didn’t get the candidate I voted for. However, the two presidential elections prior, I got what I wanted. Democracy means you have a say in what will happen, but still the will of the majority rules.
If one thinks that with a democracy he/she gets whatever he/she wants, that person is mistaken! By slandering/suing/bullying others that don’t have opinions exactly like one individual’s, (yes even your opinion), then we might as well not try for a regime change, because the new government will be forcing your opinion on others, rather than a forcing of Khamenei’s opinion on others! A democracy means you don’t get your way all the time, but you get it some of the time, rather then always getting your way because you are the bully, or never getting your way because you are the oppressed.
I personally think that all people wanting human rights, democracy and freedom for Iran should stand united and not accuse each other of ugly associations with out concrete proof. In the end, we all want the same thing, we just have different ideas on how to get there. That difference should not separate us, it should make us stronger. In think constructive criticism goes a long way.
posted by sheernejad | 7:56 AM
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