I don't think in the UK we have truly grasped the whole concept of free speech, not all of us anyway. I know I sit amongst an entire community of people that defend the vulnerable and fight for life’s injustices that I'm quite right in my observations when I say that we're slightly lacking when it comes to the concept of speaking your mind. I know because most of free speech hurts. When people throw free speech in our faces it's usually because they are touting for something that can be controversial to some.

My backstory

Let me give a little of my background. I've worked in the voluntary sector for most of my life. Throughout that time, I've had to learn the words that offend and the phrases that can start controversy in certain groups. I've learned how not to isolate and I've been taught how to include everyone regardless of their stance on anything; I had a perfectly normal discussion once with a man that thought hanging should be brought back. Most importantly, I've learned not to judge people so critically anymore, and this comes from a place of better understanding; the narcissist can be the way that they are because of an extreme childhood at home. Not that I'm defending their actions but I do sit from a place of understanding it.

I'm beginning to wonder if this is the right way to go though? I agree, there are certain members of society that shouldn't be open to such avenues of potential of abuse because of their vulnerabilities, but I'm also certain that doesn't mean they never should be exposed to it. Let's be clear here, some of the best lessons I've learned in life is when I have been dragged through the mud kicking and screaming. I learned not to bully others in School when the kids brother that I was bullying came and rearranged my face. I learned not to play women off one another very early on in life when they eventually ganged up on me, made my life intolerable and rendered my dating life in the community almost optionless. I learned not to get flat out drunk and pass out in the bar when my clothes were taken off me and I had to run back home naked, and most importantly I learned not to piss off people that help me. I'd have never learned any of these very tough lessons if I hadn't been given the chance to experience them.

Differing opinions

The same can be said for freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is harmful in some cases, yes, but then doesn't it allow you to know that the sort of opinions and ideas that you disagree with exist? I say that from an attitude that I'd rather know my enemy than be taken out of the game when I thought life was at its most comfortable, usurped by my very real false sense of security and ignorance? That's what we have been growing in Britain. A slow but steady train of thought that everyone exists happily together through a wondrous eclectic community of diversity and acceptance. Yet since 2010 I slowly realised that I had been duped. I was very proud that my nation was one of the world’s forward thinking leader in freedom of speech, diversity and acceptance of culture. It turned out that wasn't the case at all.

For years there has existed and undercurrent of increasingly angry people. Bitter that they haven't been allowed to express their feelings, and even more hurt that it was not a popular thing to do. Pre-2010 it was definitely not acceptable to speak racially. Since then, and since it has become far more acceptable to speak out about division and race, the rise of UKIP and Brexit, we have saw the underbelly of toxic Britain rise up and spew forth its bile and hatred ontowards anyone not within normal cultural parameters of a perceived 'Briton'. In my mind, it would have been so much better if we had allowed them the freedom of speech. There wouldn't be this stark undercurrent of people that feel their needs aren't being addressed. I for one know what happens if you suppress a human. To allow freedom of speech is to allow yourself the option of knowing what the other opinions are out there.

Americans be crazy, yo

I remember the first time I joined an American debating group and was fucking shocked at some of the inhumane and crazy conversations that were going on in there. People outwardly talking about the genocide of n*ggers, killing Atheists / Bible worshippers and so on. Some of the conversations that I was witness to wanted me to put my fist through the screen at the gross injustices of humanity. After some time though I began to realise that I had been made aware that this existed, and that was good. I am more than sure that there are vast swathes of people that think exactly the same way in the UK but keep it behind closed doors because of our systems in place. I really, really, really didn't agree with what they were saying but I was glad that I was finally aware that a lot of people believed this stuff. There's a lot to be said about knowing the different side of the coin.

In a sort of masochistic way, I admire America for that right. For bringing us extreme hate groups like The Westboro Baptist Church. Could you just imagine the damage they could have done behind closed doors? The fear and hatred they could have indoctrinated our youngsters were they not in the public eye? An example of course, and from what I had observed the Westboro Baptist Church had its kicks from being in the limelight. I doubt at all their message was important, only a bunch of attention junkies hopped up on the media spotlight they were given. Still, the notion remains. People achieve much more in the shadows than in the limelight. An idea spreads faster than wildfire when not in the public domain. And this is why I am quite proud of Americas open speech policy and their people that like to be loud and in your face.

Free speech travels both ways

Let us never forget though that freedom of speech is a concept that both parties should be signed up for. It is so that you can tout your bullshit to me and I can equally refute it, or vice versa. I had a friend that I went to school with get really angry with me because I was always refuting his rather extreme views of immigration whenever I decided to have a Political discussion on my Facebook. I was always met with chants of I don't like Freedom of Speech and I'm only holding my leftist stance because it's popular, yet what he failed to realise that I did not shut him down nor disallow him from posting. He could say whatever he wanted to me whenever he had the time. Freedom of speech is clearly everyone having their say regardless if we agree or not.

Personally, I think we have a lot to learn in the UK. We have had Brexit; where many of us laughed and jested that a situation was not possible because there just wasn't enough people who oppose immigration or dislike Europe. Yet, in complete assassin style those that had been once silenced and now had the options to vote with their heart, to which they did, and rocked Britain to the core. I'm no Brexiteer but I understand why it happened. People have been angry for years. People have been shunned, ignored, minimised and not listened to. They weren't allowed to voice their opinions. And thus, Brexit happened.

Echo chambers of fragility

And this is why I say freedom of speech is a good thing. It allows us the opportunities to speak our minds and oppose the injustices of the world whichever way we believe. It gives us the awareness of what’s out there rather than sitting in our own little echo chambers of fragility, not accepting anything else but the sniffing of our own farts (think South Park haha).

Thanks for listening! I'd love to hear your thoughts?