Free speech?

 

Historically free speech must be viewed in the context of confrontation and compromise. The suppression of free speech has always been used by the dominant value system as a political weapon against the working class, i.e. the alienation of the proletariat as a means of disenfranchising the proletariat. However, there came a time when, due to the pressures of democracy free speech was more permitted by the ruling elite. Better to allow the pressure cooker to let of steam rather than explode and cause damage to the existing order.

The first amendment of the American constitution specifically bans the abridgement of freedom of speech or of the press.

Sedition is defined as ‘Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state’.

'The United States has had two sedition acts: the Sedition Act of 1798 and the Sedition Act of 1918.

The Sedition Act of 1798 was part of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were enacted by the 5th United States Congress. This act criminalized false and malicious statements about the federal government, aiming to restrict freedom of speech under national security grounds. It expired in 1800.

The Sedition Act of 1918 was an amendment to the Espionage Act of 1917, extending the scope of offences to include speech and opinions that cast the government or the war effort in a negative light. It applied only during times when the United States was at war and was repealed on December 13, 1920.’

Within the UK The Sedition Act 1661  ‘aimed at suppressing criticism of the King and maintaining governmental authority. Passed shortly after the Restoration of Charles II, it imposed penalties on anyone who wrote, printed, or preached words against the King, reflecting the monarch's efforts to consolidate power and control over the press and public discourse.

This act was later amended and its provisions were incorporated into other laws, such as the Treason Act 1695 and the Treason Felony Act 1848. The Sedition Act 1661 was repealed on 21 July 1967 by the Criminal Law Act 1667, but some of its key provisions, particularly those related to treason, continue to influence modern UK law.' Internet.

In 2009, the UK government abolished the offences of seditious libel and criminal defamation, marking a significant shift towards protecting freedom of speech’.

The establishment has little or no sense of humour and when it feels that satire and mockery have gone too far it will take steps to punish its lampooners. American entertainers and stand-up comics Bill Hicks and Lenny Bruce are two examples of state suppression. Bruce was arrested for obscenity in his act and Bill Hicks was censored. Hicks gig on the David Letterman Show in 1993 was completely cut and not aired. As to what effect their use and promotion of recreational drugs was a factor is debatable.

The anarchic punk band The Sex Pistols had their recording ‘God Save the Queen’ banned by the BBC and nearly all the radio stations in 1976 presumably for upsetting the monarchy in Jubilee year. They were also refused visas to enter the United States, but that ban was later lifted. There were many musicians banned from entering the USA for one reason or another.

Under the guise of protecting workers from harassment the current Labour Government is trying to implement legal sanctions against conversations between drinkers in pubs.

‘Under Ms Rayner's new rules, pubs will need to protect its staff from harassment from “third parties”, such as drinking punters. Landlords fear they could be sued if someone takes offence to “overheard conversations” among patrons. Brian Whiting, the chief executive of WH Pubs, said: "We are very good at controlling our customers but I can’t control what they say."’.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2003013/angela-rayner-pub-owner-tax-hikes-national-insurance

Offence can only be taken, not given.

The capitalist system using various means to defend the status quo. Socialists will always highlight the charade of a system that props up the greed and avarice of free-market entrepreneurs who use ‘free speech’ as a marketing device for the furtherance of the capitalist agenda.

Free speech is fundamental to the advocacy of socialism. Socialists use free speech as a defence against exploitation, not as a weapon of anger, bigotry and racism and to prevent further the cause of capital exploitation.

Barry Watts