Freedom of speech in danger?

Submitted by Rob Riedijk (Netherlands), Mar 4, 2003 at 20:34

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This sounds as a careful formulated promotion of limiting the (academic) freedom of speech and expression by authorities. And could be understood as similar to what happened in the early 30-ies in Europe when Hitler started to raise to power and started to limit academic freedom. In view of this I would also like to quote one of the great American Presidents: Thomas Jefferson:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness". Unquote.
Limiting freedom of speech whatsoever is the greatest danger for democracy. How ever detestable some ones views are, it is more important to defend the right to express them.

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