By Allan Rendell
Alex Tribe Member
As we enter the next phase of the global pandemic is there a space for freedom of speech if the views are not in line with a government directive or our own personal belief?
Can we, or should we tolerate open discussion if the opinions are against our personal choice or what we believe is best for our community?
We may have faith in our leaders but does this become an obstacle to having an open and critical discussion around why there is a lack of trust within some sectors of our community at the moment.
As a society are we becoming intolerant or fearful of someone else’s view when we dismiss these without listening first?
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.” often attributed to Stephen Hawking
Yes, we must be careful when it comes to listening to others, however, we must also remember the importance of knowing we might be wrong, as an old minister use to remind me a little too often for my liking.
Within our Tribe at the Alex we have people with a wide range of opinions and beliefs. While most will do anything to return to the norms we once enjoyed pre-pandemic we do support open discussion around defending the right of all to having free speech, even if it doesn’t align with our personal understanding of the universe we live within.
We thank Michael Gray Griffith, an Alex Tribe member, for hosting “Café Locked Down” and for standing to defend others rights to discuss openly their views, whether in line with his or not.
To tune into Café Locked Down visit www.facebook.com/Cafe.Locked.Down
