Freedom of Speech: A Double-edged Sword

Freedom of speech has been a topic of discussion for many years. Since democracy was established in many countries to provide safety and rights, freedom of speech has been one of the most important rights in any constitution. Freedom of speech constitutes a human right that all people should have and one that must be respected. As individuals, we are entitled to express our opinions, write, publish or communicate, and such expressions must be, if not shared, respected. Different countries have certain level of tolerance at the moment of executing this right. Sometimes freedom of speech can become more harmful than helpful. This liberty tells what happens in everyday life, makes you aware, informs you, but does damage when is not well founded, or is not objective, since it violates human rights. Those concerned with freedom of speech have always wondered about its limits. One of these limits is the incitement to violence. Freedom of speech is a double-edged sword that can change the course of many things; lives, civilizations, even history. For many people this liberty to express their feelings and beliefs has been beneficial. Unfortunately, the same liberty has been counterproductive for other people. There is a big difference between freedom of speech and violating the right of intimacy.

Freedom of speech has proven to have such a tremendously powerful influence that it has changed the course of history in different occasions for the sake of the world. Since ancient times, humans have demonstrated the need to express what they think is right and what must be changed. As a result, the world has been transformed into a more tolerant society towards other cultures, religions and traditions. However, these innovations do...

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...that many people are lucky enough to exercise, people must be cautious, because this “right” is a double-edged sword, that can provoke major problems if isn’t well used. In some countries of the world, this right is punished, as in Mexico, where more than 65 journalists have been killed in recent years, possibly because of increased drug trafficking and how these reporters for trying to expose these criminals have been silenced. Maybe someday, people will understand and respect each other, and in the same time, express their opinions properly, because mutual understanding is the key to peace. As Benito Juarez, a former president of Mexico, also called the Mexico’s Lincoln, once said: “Entre los individous, como entre las naciones, el derecho al respeto ajeno es la paz” that means: "Among individuals as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace".