Canadians deserve the right to offend; just because something is offensive doesn’t mean it's untrue, and in fact, the right to offend is an imperative tenet of our democracy.
One can pose the question, ‘where are the limits of free speech?’ and one may even wonder whether it is OK to offend someone.
Well, it is my belief that I should have the right to speak the truth, even though it may be deemed offensive by some. Silencing someone on the basis of their speech initiates a slippery slope, which may ultimately lead towards oppression and despair.
Free speech is the basis upon which many democratic nations have come into existence and been able to thrive.
If free speech were given up, and people were allowed to silence dissenting opinions, we would unknowingly be giving way to the end of debate and truth, and we would run the risk of becoming a society governed, not by sensibilities, but by emotions.
Therefore, I believe that we as a society should ensure that we continue to have the right to free speech; for it is the case that altering or taking away our right to speak freely can only result in harm. Thus this problem begs the question, do the emotions of the few outweigh the sensibilities of the nation?
Clarke McCarville,
Souris Regional School
