Free speech

Free speech, exercised both individually and through a free press, is a necessity in any country where people are themselves free.

- Theodore Roosevelt, 1918


Speakers' Corner in London can be fascinating and entertaining on Sundays, when individuals get on their soap boxes to speak to anyone who is prepared to listen. Any subject is fair game, as long as the police consider their speeches lawful, but in practice the police tend to be tolerant and intervene only when they receive a complaint or if they hear profanities.

Freedom of speech is an inherent human right that is crucial in a democracy, informing political debate, and should never be taken for granted. I was torn as to which image to blip today but plumped for this one, as it demonstrated the interaction between speaker and audience which can make a visit here so entertaining. A few other images here if curious.