Personal Freedoms?

Nicaragua
December 17, 2006 10:36am CST
What personal freedoms do we as citizens of the world actually have? It would apear we no longer truly have freedom of speech (case in point, the guy going through Australia, and was wearing a shirt calling Bush a terrorist (which he is) was asked to remove it for "security reasons" what sort of danger could a shirt pose? Hmmm.. Semtex in the tag maybe? Cyanide in the ink? who knows...)... Even if you are a citizen of a country and are travelling back home you get asked at customs.. "So how long are you staying?" DUH.. I am a citizen here, I can stay as long as I dang well want!.. The other question I liked was "So, what business do you have here?" I always like the response.. Gee, I work for so and so, but if you keep me any longer I'll have to call in EXTREMELY late.. Of course my favorite question has to be.. "Do you have anything to declare?" YES.. as a matter of fact I do.. I've been travelling for 16 hours, I'm hungry, the airline was cramped, the air was stale, the food was over priced, the perfume the flight attendant was wearing made me sneeze, and I find your service to be lacking... (Followed of course by me being dragged off to another room to await counsel... *sigh....) So, what personal freedoms do we still have?
2 people like this
2 responses
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
18 Dec 06
You must be confused about freedom of speech. I believe I read that story as well and the shirt was not just anti Bush, it had a swear word on it. It was inappropriate to wear in public on a private establishments property. The Airline isn't owned by the Government, it makes its own rules. We obviously, I mean completely obviously still have our freedom of speech. Look at the mainstream media, news, comedy, internet discussions like this, and what professors and teachers are saying; They are all biased and critical against Bush. How was anyone limited YOUR rights as a citizen? Name on example that has happened to you or your friends or anyone else that doesn't have an reasonable explanation that wasn't mentioned on purpose.
1 person likes this
• Nicaragua
18 Dec 06
I remember one incident.. School speeches.. We were to make a speech for graduation, not abig ordeal, but they all had to be edited, and there were at least 2 things in each of the speeches that the faculty said we couldn't say.. And these weren't swear words, or hateful or anything of the type... They were only jokes (some about the cafeteria food).. I'd call that censorship
1 person likes this
@MrNiceGuy (4141)
• United States
18 Dec 06
pffft. Please, that is SOOOO petty. That was to make it an appropriate speech. Censorship is for something real, like real dissent or political opinions, not complaining about cafeteria food. give me a break.
1 person likes this
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
22 Mar 08
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/01/29/police_detain_9_in_capitol_hill_protests/ That's to a news story about 9 US citizens arrested in my state's capitol, for 'unlawful assembly' while peacefully demonstrating against this war. That story is from last year, but another group was arrested this past week. I can't seem to find a link to that story though. I find it ironic and sad that in the city that staged an 'unlawful assembly' that kicked off our county's independence we now arrest citizens for speaking their mind.
• United States
18 Dec 06
We have the freedom to work, the freedom to live, and the freedom to choose.