The topic of free speech is one of the most contentious issues in liberal societies. If the liberty to express oneself is not highly valued, as has often been the case, there is no problem: freedom of expression is simply curtailed in favor of other values. Free speech becomes a volatile issue when it is highly valued because only then do the limitations placed upon it become controversial. The first thing to note in any sensible discussion of freedom of speech is that it will have to be limited. Every society places some limits on the exercise of speech because speech always takes place within a context of competing values. In this sense, Stanley Fish is correct when he says that there is no such thing as free speech. Free speech is simply a useful term to focus our attention on a particular form of human interaction and the phrase is not meant to suggest that speech should never be interfered with. As Fish puts it, “free speech in short, is not an independent value but a political pr...
Dear Colleagues, Today in the morning, I was having breakfast with two friends and colleagues of mine and we were talking about Human rights work and how sometimes it varies depending on culture, country and even families. however along the way there was an issue that was raised; about human rights and money. one of my two friends believes that money is everything, he believes that money gives power so he believes the best way to engage in human rights advocacy you need money to be able to do your advocacy; in his own words, he says; I strongly believe that my work as a human rights activist would make sense if I was a big business person with lots of money because then I would have influence that would actually put me at a negotiation table to influence policies and so protect those who are oppressed, I feel that I don't have to alert the international community or the other partners to give some one a protection he/she deserves before I consulting anyone; I would feel valuable ...
As UNESCO is celebrating World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April by highlighting the need to preserve creativity from piracy. The Day also marks the launch of celebrations in Ljubljana (Slovenia), World Book Capital for 2010. I was thinking of what this date means to Rwandans after the week of mourning and the continued 100 days of commemoration of the 1994 Genocide, I was imagining the meaning of World Book and Copyright Day and I thought I could visit some schools around to see what it really means. One thing that I believe for my Rwanda is that education is a necessary step in Rwanda’s reconciliation work from the 1994 genocide. Rwanda’s current population is about 9 million, but it is estimated to double by the year 2020 with 60% of the population below the age of 20. Rwanda is the most densely populated and the most impoverished country in Africa, in order to grow from poverty to middle income, Rwanda’s poor must benefit equally to the upper classes. Over half the popul...
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