Letters to the editor for Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018

Truth can’t survive without free speech

What is free speech? French philosopher Voltaire expressed the spirit of free speech when he said, “I disapprove with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Free speech is controversial, unpopular, and goes against popular belief. Nobody wishes to censor what they think or believe. Free speech is under attack everywhere and is dead in many European countries as well as Canada. Free speech is being labeled by the people who wish to censor as “hate speech” or “fake news.”

For years information has been a monopoly of newspapers that printed the information the owners of the paper wanted you to know. Freedom of the press meant that government had no right to prevent papers from printing things unfavorable to the government. Mass media has become a facilitator, a propaganda arm of those in control of the government instead of the watch dog over the government.

The truth will always prevail in any honest, open, and free debate. Lies must resort to force to prevail over the truth. In many countries in Europe, anyone who publicly denies the “official version” of certain happenings of World War II will go to prison and/or pay large fines. The truth does not need to resort to force as the physical and documentary evidence will always prevail if allowed public access and those who present the truth do not face punishment.

Alan Edwards

Carson City