Freedom of speech

Told you I am back :) I am still busy catching up on blog reading from the last few months, so don't be surprised if you get random comments on posts you made a while ago.

Being back aside, today I need to have a bit of a rant. (If you don't want to read, come back tomorrow! Otherwise continue at your own risk. You have been warned).

I love blogs. I love facebook. I love the internet. But I have to admit I sometimes find it very hard to bite my tongue (sit on my hands?) about some of the stuff people post. Sometimes I am ashamed to admit I can't restrain myself. My Dad had a favourite quote when I was little (and probably more importantly when I was a teenager): "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". I have no idea who's quote it really is, but in my head it was Dad's*. In his head he meant it, even though I am not sure how well he really applied to teenage daughters. Now I have almost teen aged daughters I am a lot more sympathetic about this too. Remind me again why it was a good idea to teach them to think for themselves? But I digress!

I do agree. I really, really do. But it is hard when people are saying things that are racist or sexist or ageist or classist or just plain ignorant. Sorry, but some things are. Where is the line? At what point does it change from respecting their view to it being *me* assisting to perpetuate the biases by keeping quiet?

Thanks to things like facebook this is a whole new area of etiquette that not only we have to learn as adults, but also that we need to teach our children. Another minefield!

All this aside, there are so many wonderful people out there, who look at things in ways that are different to mine. Who have had different lives, different beliefs and cultures and experience and I feel so privileged to be able to learn from others and expand my understanding of the universe. And, most of the time, this makes it all worthwhile.

*According to Google it was Voltaire who said it originally. I wonder if he had teenage daughters?