The People's Hope by Lynn Maser

Author:Lynn Maser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2018-07-09T13:24:56+00:00

Freedom.

Principles: Independence. The US Declaration of Independence was a statement of a country’s right to be free to conduct its own affairs. Independence also pertains to individuals, tribes, communities, and cultures, as well as nations. In each case, outside influences should not dictate. Of course, they are there, and we’re always dealing with competing interests. But no one has the right to impose their ways on others. A community, for instance, must live by the laws of the land. But at the same time, the laws of the land should allow for optimum community sovereignty.

We often loudly cry foul if we perceive that someone or some country is infringing our independence, yet we somehow fail to notice when we ourselves are doing just that to others.

Free Speech. The first amendment to the US Constitution was drafted to provide for an individual person’s right to voice whatever opinions might occur. That is consistent with democracy’s requirement that all citizens’ voices need to be heard. This right for individuals is robust, and everyone has the right to criticize, to spout off, to complain. But this right is not necessarily absolute. There are extreme cases of libel, slander, hate-speech, and inciting violence which need curbing.

Other entities should not assume the right of free speech at all. Institutions are meant to serve the community, and the community has the right to limit their speech and their communications. Corporations, special interest groups, the mass media, or any other group must speak responsibly, in the interest of the community. There are many examples where such speech is rightly limited or balanced, including unfair or biased news reporting, harmful advertising (tobacco, of course, and how about junk food?), and political ads paid for by special interests that drown out the voice of the people.

To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American people.

—Theodore Roosevelt (during World War I)

Free Press. The good, balanced, free exchange of information is an essential part of freedom and democracy. Unfortunately, in these times people get their information mainly from the mass communications media. The electronic media have become the public square. So, it is vitally important that the communications media be free and balanced and responsible. The voice of the people has to carry through to the mass media. The full spectrum of voices must be fairly heard on the media as well as in the public square.

Elections and other representative processes are just empty window dressing if the press is not truly free. And for the press to be free, there have to be a number of operative conditions in place. Ownership of all the media should be diverse, local, and decentralized. There should be no media conglomerates. The media should be required to devote considerable time to the public interest; presenting any issues in a balanced, globally broad manner, giving the full spectrum of positive world opinions to be heard freely.

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