On Something Called Liberty

Hukuk sosyolojisi dersi için yazdığım ödevi buldum. Avrupa İnsan Hakları Sözleşmesi ile TCK'nın ifade özgürlüğü ile ilgili maddelerini karşılaştırmış, Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi'nin bu başlık altında verdiği kararları incelemiş ve John Stuart Mill'in 1859 tarihli "On Liberty" kitabından bolca alıntı yapmışım. Ödevin İngilizcesi pek parlak olmadığı ve takip etmesi zor bir yapısı olduğu için tamamını paylaşmaktan vazgeçtim, kendisini iyi niyetli bir çaba olarak tarihin karanlığına gömülmek üzere bırakıyorum. Yalnız kullandığım alıntıları cımbızla çekip şuraya bırakmak isterim. 

He evidently opposes the tyranny of the majority by saying that “[i]f all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion”, the former would be no more justified to silence the latter, than the latter would, if s/he had the power to silence the former (20: 1989).

Experience, according to Mill, is not sufficient for reaching truth, interpretation of the experience is as crucial indeed.

“Strange that they should imagine that they are not assuming infallibility, when they acknowledge that there should be free discussion on all subjects which can possibly be doubtful, but think that some particular principle or doctrine should be forbidden to be questioned because it is so certain, that is, because they are certain that it is certain” (25: 1989).

Blasphemy turns out to be a keyword here, because a considerable majority of the untouchable issues are somehow attributed sanctity. I am of the same opinion with Mill who happens to “condemn the immorality and impiety of an opinion” (26: 1989). Going further, he points out the fact that Christ had been considered to be a blasphemer himself. I suspect if this signifies anything for a believer.

As John Stuart Mill puts it, “[o]ur merely social intolerance kills no one, roots out no opinions, but induces men to disguise them, or to abstain from any active effort for their diffusion” (34:1989). As a result, most of the damage is actually made to those who could benefit from such ‘perilous’ views rather than those who are made to be paid for holding them. “There have been, and may again be, great individual thinkers, in a general atmosphere of mental slavery. But there never has been, nor ever will be, in that atmosphere, an intellectually active people” (36:1989).

Mill says “[n]o one can be a great thinker who does not recognise, that as a thinker it is his first duty to follow his intellect to whatever conclusions it may lead” (36:1989).

Ödevin sonunda, Avrupa'nın da bu hususta sütten çıkma ak kaşık olmadığını söylüyorum. Hatta bu dersi bugün alıyor olsaydım doğrudan "The Right to Blasphemy" başlıklı bir ödev hazırlardım. Bunu yaşam sayarsak, sonrasında fazla yaşamazdım herhalde.