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Letters | From Hong Kong to George Floyd protests, freedom of speech is a double-edged sword
- The fluid meaning of freedom of speech allows it to be repurposed to suit different agendas. It’s up to each of us to listen to both sides of every debate and make up our minds on where we stand
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As Beijing’s national security law stokes fears of censorship in Hong Kong, many are realising the personal and societal value of free speech. I first came to Asia last August, to attend university in Hong Kong, and I realised that how much one values free speech is intrinsically tied to one’s definition of freedom.
My family took a trip hiking the Great Wall before classes commenced, and our guide, a middle-aged Harbin local, asked me, a Gen-Z American, how I defined freedom. I instantly blurted out “independence”.
To me, freedom is individually driven, the ability to pursue whatever you want. I realised that I had internalised an Americanised definition of freedom, and I was surprised at our guide’s differing Chinese perspective. He told me he “feels truly free”, through a collective ideal for “societal unity and harmony”. He explained he was taught in primary school that his actions reflected the national flag, and therefore they should benefit the greater good.
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During the violent anti-government protests last year, I witnessed Hong Kong protesters define freedom in a similar way to me. I watched from my window in Tseung Kwan O as they fought to maintain their independence under “one country, two systems”. Hongkongers exercised their freedom of speech, while my Chinese classmates feared prejudice if they spoke Mandarin.
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A year of anti-government protests in Hong Kong
A year of anti-government protests in Hong Kong
Witnessing anti-government protests in Hong Kong, and now anti-racism protests from my home in New York, I am forced to confront the double-edged sword of free speech. While freedom of speech allows me to join protesters and say the names of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and mourn countless black Americans who have fallen victim to police brutality, I also must listen to what I consider the racist views of others.
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