Freedom of Expression | Filed under General
Freedom of expression is one of the most fundamental rights that individuals enjoy. It is fundamental to the existence of democracy and the respect of human dignity. It is also one of the most dangerous rights, because freedom of expression means the freedom to express one’s discontent with the status quo and the desire to change it. As such, it is one of the most threatened rights, with governments - and even with an individual. People all over the world constantly trying to curtail it.
The United States, probably like no other nation, has recognized the importance of freedom of expression to safeguard democracy and grow as a nation. However, this does not mean there are no efforts to try to curtail it. The internet has often been the target of this efforts, as it provides practically everyone with the ability to communicate their ideas to wide audiences and escapes the ability of the state to control it.
Especially here on my blog, you will find what is important to me. I open it up to your thoughts and welcome them as well as your opinions at any time. There will never be any censorship as long as you identify yourself in an appropriate manner and your comment is not of spam nature. This is being brought up because I have removed a comment from yesterday but will post it here as an example.. I would welcome this comment and would have enjoyed being able to have communicated with this person and thanked them for stepping up and expressing their opinion if I had been able to have communicated with them but the e-mail came back because that account had been discontinued. So without any further interruptions here is a copy of the deleted comment……
Name: My business | E-mail: itsme@yahoo.com | IP: 72.240.92.186
I know someone who lives at this facility and the resident was of sound mind and could make decisions for herself. SHE WAS CHECKED ON EVERY 15 min and offered water and asked if she was too hot and would like to come inside. She said no to all of the above. They cannot force her to come in because it would be an issue of residents rights. She layed out in the sun a lot last summer, i would see her when i was visiting my family there. They provide excellent care to my family member and i have no complaints. It was a horrible accident. But the staff if very caring and concerned for their residents. Also the area she was in is surrounded by windows so she was in full view of employees the entire time. I will not remove my relative because of this, the whole facility is greiving for pat and from what i hear an ivestigation is being done as we speak. I would see pat out smoking everyday when i would pull in the parking lot and the employees were always joking and laughing with her. Alot of the employees there become very attached to the resident and treat them like a friend or even a family member.
Posted Jun 30, 7:31 PM
It is important for each of us to protect our Freedom Of Speech and be aware of any that attempts to curtail it. Meanwhile I hope you understand and respect what I have done here. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the time you spend here at Always Victoria and yes Life Is Simply Good.
“Almost always the creative, dedicated minority has made the world better.” –Martin Luther King, Jr
“The strongest man in the world is he who stands alone.” –Henrik Ibsen
June 30th, 2005 at 9:32 pm
Well, that was a strange comment at least to me. Did you have any idea what that person was talking about other than something happened to a resident of a “facility”? Maybe I missed it!!
I believe in free speech, and expression if it doesn’t hurt someone else. This state I live in (if I don’t get some answers soon) will be hearing my free speech more loudly than ever before.
I’m sure you now what I’m talking about, and won’t get into it here on your blog. Thank you for just being you, my dear Victoria.
June 30th, 2005 at 9:35 pm
Ooops, sorry Vickie, I hadn’t read your previous post. I’m a dimwit, eh?
July 1st, 2005 at 1:53 am
I respect the way you handled that comment….. what else could you do, if you were unable to contact the person then how do you know the legitimacy of it? That leaves one wondering if the person who commented is making valid points or just playing games. Good job Vickie.
July 1st, 2005 at 4:50 am
Freedom of speech is certainly a right to be cherished and valued. However, not everybody thinks it is an absolute right, meaning a right that can be exerted at all times without any restrictions as to its use. Our freedom of speech can damage the freedom of other people, like when we engage in discriminatory or hateful speech or slander. We have to balance between the different freedoms of different people, in order to get the most freedom for us all.
I would say we don’t have to totally discard information that reached us in an anonymous way, but we have to be very careful not to attach to much importance to it, whatever the content is. There are many critical questions, we cannot get an answer on, when we don’t know who the author is. Who is the author? What is his authority to write on that situation? (Is he really a family member, who has first hand information on what has happened there?) What are his possible motivations? (Is it in his advantage to portray the treatment of the patients in the home in a positive light?) Where is the author coming from? (What do we know about the author, about the experiences he had in life that can help us understand how to interpret what he has written, etc…)
I think this mail is certainly very interesting as it brings new things to light. E.g. it might have been her free choice to sit in the sun, maybe the staff couldn’t forbid her to sit in the sun, etc… But without double checking we can not draw any conclusions. Hence, I think you did great to serve this with a word of caution.
July 1st, 2005 at 7:24 am
Freedom of speech is such a gift that our forefathers gave us and fought so hard for. I never really knew the meaning of it, personally, until I started to blog. I have learned so much appreciation for it, and consider it an honor more than just a right.
*HUGS & LOVE*
July 1st, 2005 at 11:36 am
And the world hates us because of our freedom. They just don’t understand what they are missing. I gave 20 years of my line for this freedom and I love it.
July 1st, 2005 at 1:49 pm
Well as I usually don’t like unhappy things. I do get unhappy at times.Just being human. I love your site and am sorry I haven’t been here to comment. Having found my way back. I hope you don’t mind my returning once I understand what is going on. I must read more on your site Thanks for your comments on mine.
July 1st, 2005 at 3:54 pm
You handled that just right, Vickie. It’s clearly something to consider, but an anonymous comment (as others have said) leaves you wondering if this is fact or fiction.
**Hugss** and have a great weekend.
July 1st, 2005 at 7:31 pm
Hey girl passing through to say have a great weekend!
July 2nd, 2005 at 10:40 pm
The statement i made is all true, i gave you a closed email account b/c i have had to deal w/the media since the event. They were hounding the parking lot of the facility for 3 days, they were calling my house b/c I have a relative there. I found out that they were copying our license plate numbers and looking up the info to contact us at home. That is why I am hesitant to give you my new email address. I can prove this is real w/any questions you have for me. I will give you my email address, even though i am not sure i feel safe doing so. So here it is almostblond716@yahoo.com. As far as her family knowing if she layed out in the sun, in her obituary it listed her hobbys as sunbathing, painting ect. So they should have had a good idea, they also supplied the sun screen which was applied to her. If they wanted her time limited they had the choice to put a time limit in her care plan. I have heard the aide was fired, which i don’t agree with, and the nurse is facing some kind of disiplinary action, but she has been at work since the event.
July 3rd, 2005 at 2:19 pm
I think it’s a good thing to post more than one side of any story…because there is always more than side and we can’t be quick to judge a situation, even if we think the facts speak for themselves. I’m glad that someone has commented on this site, and can completely understand the anonymity.