Freedom of Speech in Times of Crises

Assume that our next debate will have the resolution, "The press should be censored in times of crisis."

1) Indicate whether your reading selection is pro or con for the above resolution and write three things that support the pro or con position on this issue.

I read the first section which was about the pro side of the resolution. Carlos A. Kelly is trying to say that sometimes the media should not disclose all military information. During times of crisis, such as a war, successful military operations are more important than letting sensitive information out to the public and risking defeat. Often, secrecy and silence is important to winning a war quickly and well. Media decision makers should use their judgment and common sense when covering military matters. Just because you can publish something, doesn’t mean that it is right to do so. Kelly says that freedom of speech is tempered by “the circumstances in which it is done”.

2) Write a paragraph where you state your opinion on the issue. It should include some evidence from the reading, but it does not have to follow each viewpoint to the letter. You can also include ideas and evidence from other sources or individuals.

I don’t necessarily think that the media should be censored during times of crisis, but I do think that they should use their judgment and not publish something that might make the situation worse. I said before that the media should not be censored and they should report the straight up, unbiased facts, unfortunatly I doubt that that is possible. I also think that what I don’t know won’t hurt me. I would rather win a war smoothly than know every detail about the war. In addition, I think that negative media coverage gets very tiring after a while and I don’t know how this could help during a time of crisis. I believe in freedom of speech and the press, and I understand that it is an essential part of democracy; however I think that limited and temporary restrictions on media coverage are necessary.