The Observer, February 23, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 18
Editorial: Right to freedom of speech not without boundaries
One of the things that makes this country great is our right to freedom of speech. This basic right is a necessity to the American people as it is the root of all great debates, ideas, and advancements. Without such a freedom, our minds and spirits would be confined in the most oppressive manner. Though this right – as written in the first amendment of the Constitution – essentially states that there are no limits to our expressions, far too often we come upon controversial situations in which we must really contemplate the true meaning of the term freedom of speech.
Just last week, two such incidents came under the scrutiny of the public eye and raised a significant question – where is the imaginary line that people must be conscious of when exercising their freedom of speech? When hearts were aflutter and chocolate boxes were being unwrapped last Valentine's Day, there was very little love going around the Connecticut Central State University (CCSU) and just as little was given to former NBA star Tim Hardaway.
In the first case, a hurtful and insensitive editorial titled, "Rape only hurts if you fight it" was published by the CCSU undergraduate newspaper, The Recorder. Though the editorial was meant to satirize rape in an effort to illustrate that people only pay attention to news when it is sensational, the author's comments regarding the "benefits" of rape to women and ancient society are highly unwarranted, and should have never been published in the first place. The other headlining piece of news came from Tim Hardaway's antigay comments regarding his hate for gay people and his confession to being homophobic during a radio interview in Miami.
While these incidents touch upon different topics, they are certainly not isolated as we have all heard racist, homophobic, and sexist remarks. In this country, we have the right to say whatever we want, whenever we want, but there comes a certain point at which we need to exercise our rights responsibly in order to protect the rights of others. Making an offensive comment just because we have the ability to say it doesn't make it any less hurtful or inappropriate. The phrase "think before you speak" can't ring more true in situations such as these.
We are students of a university that is proud of its diversity and progressive outlook, and it would be a shame if we didn't understand the fine line between exercising the right to freedom of speech and simply abusing it. There is a difference between the intelligent and the educated and this difference is related to the use of language. Those who are intelligent use words just to speak, while those who are educated use words to create a well-informed idea. Use words to express yourself as the educated individual that you are.
As a newspaper and voice of the undergraduate population, we certainly do not believe in censorship. We believe in the strength of words and its power to educate, enlighten, and change – that is the meaning of freedom of speech.
