The right to speak

Hi all,

First to say sorry for posting it late.

This time I would like to try a challenging topic: the freedom of speech (or the right to speak, in another terms.)

Basically, why I choose this is based on what I read weeks ago, and the chatting topic between I and my sister.

For the starting question, please refer to the links below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/13/world/europe/13twitter.html

1. Do you think Mr. Chambers is illegal? Based on your sense, why is he guilty or innocent? Do you have any determinants or standards to evaluate it? It's glad to hear why you would make such a judgement.

2. For the British court, Mr. Chambers was convicted as "menace", do you think it is appropiate? why? (FYI:He was convicted of sending a “menacing message” over a public telecommunications network under the Communications Act of 2003.)

3. The articles mentioned it's hard to regulate "Twitter", since such an innovation creates and spreads the information so quickly. Do you have any great idea about that? Or you think we should let it "anarchic"?

4. Viewing purely from the "freedom of speech" part, it seems we should support what Mr. Chambers did, especially "nearly everyone" knows that it a "joke"
However, the judge's words are worth considering:
"Anyone in this country in the present climate of terrorist
threats, especially at airports, could not be unaware of the
possible consequences"

How to strike the balance between those two "conflicted" virtue, or do you think they are not conflicted at all?

5. Do you think the way you talk whould be different comparing in formal occasion(working place) and casual ocassion(chatting in the car)? What kind of words you may be more likely to say in a losse atmosphere?

For another case also concering the use of Twitter, please see the link below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/19/world/asia/19beijing.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=globasasa2

6. Similarly, the woman in the news was sentenced to labor camp, what she had done is sending messeges to people, disturbing social order. Do you have more sympathy on her, or Mr. Chamber? Do you think there's any differences between the two case? (Country, the words been said....)


If we still have time, we can talk about the "wikileaks"

Interestingly, this organisation wins the people's heart but causes the governments' anxiety.

(1)http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/lang/eng/julian_assange_why_the_world_needs_wikileaks.html (Recommend: open the subtitles ^ ^)
(2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CihW5I1NNhY (This is the first part of their speech)
(3)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks (refernce from wikipedia)

7. There's a vote in the TED speech, we're gonna have a vote as well. Do you think Julian Assange--the founder of wikileaks, is worth prasing? why? Or what he should be blamed for?

8. Recently you can see the governments suppress the growth of wikileaks, their intention is quite clear, and how do you feel about those actions?

9. Do you know the goal of that organisation? What's your opinon about their ability to change the world?


For the wikileaks part, since I'm jsut get down to it, I can't offer you some
"insightful opinion", let's just discuss it freely.



Can't wait to see you guys


Hector