Is silence ever necessary?

In Self Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson argues that people's opinions drown out in society's conformist views: "These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and inaudible as we enter into the world" (21). This is true, many ideas are suppressed for fear of being wrong, and according to Emerson, this is shameful. While shame is a strong word to describe timidness, maybe he's on to something. In class, I'm sure most people have had experiences in which they had an answer or idea, but withheld it for fear that it was wrong or against the common belief. While Emerson speaks mostly of ideas being held back, sometimes it would be easier if we could censor some. Many times, as Emerson agrees, brilliant ideas can go unnoticed because of fear, and society could be improved with new, determined ideas. But when people with adamant ideas effect society for the worse, censorship seems almost like a good idea. I believe that freedom of expression is a large part of what this country stands on, and with this great privilege comes abuse of privilege.


"Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting "Assassinate Obama." Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars." This is the way in which Jesse Washington began his article in the Chicago Tribune, Barack Obama's Election Spurs 'Hundreds' of Racial Incidents Around the Country. Being able to burn a flag in front of the White House is a liberty that we as Americans have, but it can be taken too far. In Standish, Maine a sign in a general store read: "Osama Obama Shotgun Pool." Customers signed up to bet on a day in which they thought Obama would be assassinated, for $1. The sign continued: "Stabbing, shooting, roadside bombs, they all count." And the last statement was the most disgusting: "Let's hope someone wins." While hate crimes are punishable by a more severe sentence, nothing can be done against threats. When hate elevates to the point in which people are betting on an assassination, there is a problem. The worst part is that this disgusting behavior is legal under the first amendment. I wonder what Emerson's views would be on this matter. The problem with this extent of freedom, is that if someone says it, there will be others listening who are just as twisted. Given the right to say this and gather others who agree, it is easy to escalate to action, and Washington gives examples of how this is a reality. Some ideas should not be held back, and others should never be said.