Freedom of Expression

It is curious to me that some people consider the attempt by Christians to “can” the movie “The Last Temptation of Christ” to be an infringement of freedom of expression (Saturday Letters, July 23 and 30). The First Amendment was not intended to give a license to blatantly do whatever one pleases without regard for others.

The Soviet-born Nobel Prize winner, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, said in a 1976 article in the Op-Ed section of The Times:

“Regrettably, in recent decades our very idea of freedom has been diminished and grown shallow in comparison with previous ages. . . .

“Freedom! for editors and film producers to start the younger generation off with seductive miscreations. . . .

“Freedom! for casual, trivial pens to glide irresponsibly over the surfaces of any problem, pushed forward in haste to shape public opinion. . . .

“Freedom! for the collection of gossip, while the journalist for reasons of self-interest spares compassion for neither his fellow man nor his native land. . . .

“I think it will not be too much for us to acknowledge that in some renowned countries of the Western world in the 20th Century, freedom has been degraded in the name of ‘development’ from its original soaring forms; that in not one country of the world today does there exist that highest form of freedom of spiritualized human beings which consists not in maneuvering between articles of laws, but in voluntary self-restraint and in full consciousness of responsibility, as these freedoms were conceived by our forefathers.”

Of course, this letter is probably in vain as I’m sure The Times will exercise its prerogative of censorship and not print my letter as they have refused to numerous times before. Truly, “freedom of the press” belongs to those who own the press!

BRENDA HESTER

Garden Grove