The ideals of public good versus abstract argument

     Freedom of Speech is the right to express opinions without censorship or restraint, a right that has been attacked many times throughout history. The liberal left has made a notion that the public good, or people's personal beliefs, should be held with more respect than free speech itself. They claim that people's experiences, those of suffering or oppression, challenge an argument.

     Jean-François Lyotard, a philosopher, does not define free speech as the guarantee of a debate where truth emerges. He instead defines it as personal views that are challenged by abstract argument. He also claims that certain topics should be restricted from free speech because they are not good for the public; he claims they are undebatable and unmentionable.

     Free speech and freedom of expression are fundamental to higher society. It is important for our education and for our democracy, none of which should be restricted to protect the feelings or "personal experiences" of certain groups of people. A former student of B-UHS claimed, "The notion to restrict free speech for the public good is ridiculous and is counter-intuitive to high society."