Choose the Most Correct Response

My parents had their annual Grandchildren's Day this past weekend. It's nice to see the family, but I feel mostly out of place at these gatherings (I am not a grandchild, nor do I have a child that is a grandchild). Oh well, it's family time, and that is nice. My mom mails us an itinerary each year, with all of our activities (including a slot for "visiting" scheduled). It's kinda funny, I used to make scheduled itineraries like that when I was a kid, if I was especially excited about the events of a particular day. I seem to remember being made fun of because I had scheduled a whole 30 min. just to eat cereal in the morning.

I'll just blame that on the fact that most kids lack a clear concept of time. Otherwise, why would they consistently ask on road trips, "Are we there yet?" again and again, after having been told (likely over and over) how long it would take to get there? Well...I can think of other reasons too.

But while I'm on the subject of concepts that mature with age, I think I'll get into the real topic for today: Free Speech. First off, whenever I come to my parents house, I love to go through old books and papers in the basement. I happened to be intrigued this time by some volumes of a series called Out of the Best Books that used to belong to my Grandma Banks. Each one is a compilation of essays, poems, short stories, etc. for LDS families. Specifically, this series was created for a program of Relief Society cultural refinement back in the 60s. There are six volumes that begin with personal values and self-worth, then move on to marriage and family relationships, and then our role in the community.

In the spirit of Independence Day, I decided to read a section in the fifth volume about Freedom. I was particularly impressed with an essay by Walter Lippmann, "The Indispensable Opposition." His views on the value of opposition are very similar to that of the LDS church. He concludes that opposition is essential in order for us to arrive at the truth of a matter, or to more knowledgeably form our own opinions. I would like to share a paragraph:

"We miss the whole point when we imagine that we tolerate the freedom of our political opponents as we tolerate a howling baby next door, as we put up with the blasts from our neighbor's radio because we are too peaceable to heave a brick through the window. If this were all there is to freedom of opinion, that we are too good-natured or too timid to do anything about our opponents and critics except to let them talk, it would be difficult to say whether we are tolerant because we are magnanimous or because we are lazy, because we have strong principles or because we lack serious convictions, whether we have the hospitality of an inquiring mind or the indifference of an empty mind. And so, if we truly wish to understand why freedom is necessary in a civilized society, we must begin by realizing that, because freedom of discussion improves our own opinions, the liberties of other men are our own vital necessity."

I think I'm probably guilty of missing the point of free speech. There are times when I treat the opinions of others like a game of Monopoly. I graciously wait while each player takes his turn, but am all too anxious for my own turn, so I can bankrupt them all with my newly constructed hotel on Ventnor Avenue. Of course, that didn't end up working the last time I played Monopoly. Well...getting at my point now, the right of free speech is much more than a fair and equal opportunity for everyone to express their own opinions, it is a right to continuously question and investigate what we feel is right, and to act on it.

I mentioned a few months ago that I participated in a panel on campus discussing what educational experiences have been the most valuable to me in school. I spent a bit of time talking about how important my experience in debate class had been. When the class began, I had very fixed opinions about many topics, but through the course of two years in hearing opposing views, arguing opposing views, and researching opposing views, I felt less certain about some issues, and in my opinion, was the better for it.

In a way, my answers to various questions now take on the form of those found in multiple choice questionarres, with the direction: choose the most correct response. Those tests are full of decent answers. The world is full of decent answers. But our freedom of speech goes beyond respect and tolerance, and extends to helping ourselves and others find the most correct answers for our lives. This perspective really does make the concept of free speech much more unifying and liberating to me. Anyhow, the essay is worth reading.