[mukto-mona] Ref: Sir Salman Rushdie's fatwa against freedom of expression.

14August2008

 

Mr. Shajahan

 

I see, Mr. Rushdie obviously should have his rights to say anything he wants to say and the way he wants to say. His rights of Free Speech need be protected and secured by all means in our democratic minds (not democratically) regardless of any expressive harm caused to anyone or to any group. As a top notched author/writer, Mr. Rushdie is now a public person and anyone should have his/her rights to express views on Mr. Rusdhe's personal taste, family value, cultural value and his "private" double life. He should not claim to be or should not be the only one (or those like minded) that shall carry or hold the "standard measuring stick" in defining other's free speech rights.

 

Should we be morally and legally permitted to say whatever we want to say, whenever we want to say and the way we want say? Or should there be any moral and/or legal limits and restrictions on free speech and/or on our freedom of actions that we can publicly express or do (ref. recent Dhaka University event)? Most of us are reluctant to denounce free speech though like an open discussion on it. There could be at least 2 reasons behind this; one is psychological and the other is logical. The psychological explanation is very simple. Never underestimate the power of self deception i.e. some individuals sincerely believe that they are the powerful advocates of individual liberty while seeking all possible opportunities to squelch speech THEY DISLIKE (Ref: Rushdie himself)!! The logical one is interesting and a little complex; like many of us AGREE that we should suppress the speeches only when it harms others bodily or do expressive harms (Ref: hate speech/writings). But strangely we then DISAGREE radically about "EXACTLY when" our free speech harms others, thus disagree EXACTLY WHEN  the free speech should be restricted!

 

Regards.

 

Mohammad Gani

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

 

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