Defending Free Speech and the Fight Against Oppression
freedom of thought matters more than freedom of not getting offended
Defending Free Speech and the Fight Against Oppression
Free speech is the cornerstone of a free society. My right to offend holds more weight than the fear of being offended, because a truly free society allows for the expression of all ideas, good or bad. This creates an environment where diverse thoughts can flourish, just as thousands of flowers bloom in a garden. On the other hand, a society that stifles offensive speech punishes free thought, leading to a stagnant and oppressive state.
I often see memes referencing *Animal Farm* and George Orwell’s prophetic warnings, saying, "Boy, did I call it." But this dismisses a crucial point: Orwell’s works were not predictions but warnings. They were lessons to prevent totalitarian futures, not simply to acknowledge them when they arrive.
My personal connection to these concerns runs deep. Coming from Bangladesh, a country plagued by political corruption and religious persecution, I have witnessed firsthand what happens when free speech is suppressed. In Bangladesh, politicians launder an estimated $8 billion annually out of a $400 billion economy—about 2% of the country's GDP vanishes into foreign accounts every year. Meanwhile, the Islamist political party, Jamaat-e-Islami, openly advocates for an Islamic Sharia state, where minorities—like my Hindu family—are oppressed, and their places of worship are regularly vandalized.
As a Hindu minority, my family lives in constant fear. Hindu homes are torched, and people are killed simply because of their faith. It's not a matter of if, but when, given the instability following the fall of the Awami League and the rise of an Islamist-leaning caretaker government backed by the military. Although I grew up in a Hindu household, I am an atheist, and in Bangladesh, blasphemy laws mean that I, too, could be killed simply for my beliefs.
In recent years, many bloggers in Bangladesh, advocating for the same free speech I support, have been assassinated for expressing their views. Living in Canada now, I’m constantly reminded of the fragile state of freedom. Canada has given asylum to ISIS terrorists and allowed individuals with violent Islamist ideologies to enter. For instance, a Pakistani student on a study permit was recently found planning attacks on Jewish communities in the Bronx. These incidents hit too close to home. Another ISIS member was granted asylum and citizenship here too.
While I understand the humanitarian need for granting asylum to those fleeing persecution, it’s disturbing to see Canada extend this courtesy to individuals who may intend harm. Supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami—who aim to turn Bangladesh into an Islamist caliphate and eliminate minorities—also find refuge here. This is heartbreaking for someone like me, whose family faces imminent danger in Bangladesh, while I work hard to earn permanent residency in Canada and eventually bring them to safety.
My family should be prime candidates for asylum due to the well-documented oppression of minorities in Bangladesh. Yet, instead of exploiting the system, I’m following the legal route, working hard to achieve my goal. I don’t want my family to come to Canada only to find it has become another Bangladesh, overrun by Islamist extremists.
For the sake of my family and for all those who believe in a prosperous future, we must embrace maximum free speech. No speech should be forbidden. The true test of freedom is when someone like *Charlie Hebdo* can draw a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad without fearing for their life.
Let’s strive for a future where minorities like my family don’t have to flee their homeland and where atheists like myself can speak freely without fear of death. A future where free speech, not oppression, reigns supreme. The path forward must be one where all ideas, no matter how controversial, are allowed to flourish and be judged on their merit. Here’s to a new Renaissance, one free of the viruses of intolerance and hatred that threaten to destroy us.