Mr James Vicars (Letters, 9 November) thinks my urging UNE to oppose Federal Green Labor’s plan to restrict our freedom of speech is as effective as UNE opposing school bullying, that is, of no importance.
I can only say I find it hard to understand why an educated man would not speak up for that freedom of speech which has allowed him, through university attendance and study, to attain a better life for himself.
As for my high regard for freedom of speech expressed both by News Ltd and columnist Andrew Bolt, I wonder what Mr Vicars considers ‘misplaced’ about it. After all, like Mr Vicars, I am free to choose how I regard my freedom of speech. If Mr Vicars disagrees with my choice, let him subscribe fully to those newspapers, magazines and television and computer programs of his own preference. Mr Vicars asserts that ‘Free speech withers when other voices cannot be heard’.
Exactly! For, despite the predominance of left-wing media in Australia, free speech flourishes while other voices can be heard. Obviously, Mr Vicars prefers the withering of free speech.
Mr Vicars asks for modern examples of George Orwell’s ‘Double Think’ (from his book, “1984”) where two opposite meanings appear as one. How about the term, UNITED NATIONS? Sounds good, but is fraught with corrupt practices and with the nations seldom united. NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK and its mantra, “it will be good for YOU”. So good for universities, hospitals and government departments; of little or no benefit for the rest of us, but we’ll have to pay for all the big users. GOVERNMENTAL INQUIRY INTO FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, designed to restrict freedom of the press (especially News Ltd); not an inquiry as much as a Star Chamber (late English medieval royal court especially set up for punishment of those in disfavour with the monarch — for “monarch”, read “federal Green Labor Government”).
It appears that Mr Vicars is a little after his time. He would have been an excellent minion for the Big Brother society in 1984. By the way, is it “Mr Vicars” or just “Vicars”?
Dr Paul Fidlon,
Armidale
