pastery

I read an article about the arrest of the well-known US-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi. She has been reporting for the BBC, NPR and many other news organizations. Currently there is a petition launched in Facebook for her release. Arrests such as this are truly damaging to the freedom of speech on the long term. Especially since the world becomes increasingly more flat. The borders – geographical, political, ethnical, cultural and religious – are eroding and constantly fading and soon I would claim they are almost non-existing. Ok, well not really. But they should! 

We are living in a global society. A global community. The issues we have to tackle are predominantly global, multifaceted unique, and very challenging. They have to be solved and understood by us all, together as one society. During this time of a complete transition of our world, the news media industry is decreasing their international reporting and media staff by to this date around 50%. In my eyes, we are witnessing a very dangerous development from a societal growth perspective as the need for news coverage is increasingly more important here. Events as the one mentioned above is just going to emphasize this development.

The issue or probably better put challenge with freedom of speech is to be able to listen. To be open enough to really hear the other person’s perspective. It is about challenging yourself to hear the other side. To challenge yourself to realize that you are but only a part of the global community. It is a tough ride but… It is about accepting the advanced global citizenship. It is to think about your effect of the world and how you can make it a better place. We have to do this together since there are way too many regimes, as well as “normal” selfish and ignorant people. 

We shouldn’t be “angels of the silences”.