The Absolute Freedom of Expression through Journalism in the Modern World - Article Example

The Absolute Freedom of Expression through Journalism in the Modern World Human history has long witnessed compelling and convincing appeals for the freedom of speech, expression, and the press from several corners. In spite of the incessant pleas for the absolute freedom of expression through journalism in the modern world, the situation for the journalists all over the globe has not changed drastically and the most recent examples from different turns of the planet point to the same fact. While the atrocities against the journalists continue to rise as a global phenomenon, one essential question demands reply from the general public: is sword mightier than pen? In this same background, it is also important to redefine the true purpose and function of the global journalists. A prudent definition would instruct the journalists to persist their valuable efforts to invite the attention of the common people to incidents of similar nature and to the exact need for greater freedom of the press. The most recent attacks on the six journalists across the world and especially in the South Asia once again draw the attention of international community to the question of journalistic function and many have responded to this essential topic of the time. In one of the most persuasive appeals to the recent atrocities on international journalists, Matt Wade’s article “Sword Mightier than Pen as Journalist Deaths Rise to Six” deals with the “bloody start to this year for media workers on the Indian subcontinent.” (Wade) In this article, Matt Wade convincingly summarizes the atrocities to journalists in the most hazardous region in the world for journalists to work and reports the several instances of media attacks in South Asia - which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. He illustrates the amounting attacks against the freedom of speech in the region with evidences of Lasantha Wickramatunga, the leading Colombo newspaper editor, Uma Singh, the young journalist in her 20s, and Sayed Perwiz Kambaksh, the journalism student in Afghanistan. By reporting and summarizing several instances of attacks on journalists in the region and by raising the issue of sword being mightier than pen, Matt Wade not only serves his journalistic function but, more importantly, proves that pen is mightier than sword. An understanding of the rhetorical devices used by the author, one realizes that Matt Wade has been effective in catching the emotion of the readers and creating the exact feelings of pathos in them. When he begins the article by stating that “it has been a bloody start”, he is appealing to the same feeling in the audience. He moves far beyond this and persuades the readers about the pathos of the incidents. (Wade) The narrative style of the author helps him in this endeavor and examples of this persuasive style include “that’s not unusual,” “the riskiest place on earth for media workers,” “conflicts range from little-known insurgencies…to full-blown wars,” “a hazardous place for reporters” etc. (Wade) The author has been able to create the exact feeling in the minds of the readers who are moved by the way he narrates the brutal acts of violence against the journalists. In persuading the readers with the immensity of the issue and motivating them to be vigilant against the overriding atrocities on human rights, Matt Wade employs several effective rhetorical devices all through his article. He is not focused in just reporting facts and figures about the issue. In fact, he aims at persuading the readers against violation of human rights by illustrating the several episodes of atrocities to journalists and the rhetorical devices helped him exactly. For example, he is highly convincing in attracting the attention of the readers though the very opening sentence and the use of ‘bloody start’ exactly serves the purpose of the author. In an analysis of the logos in the article, one realizes how effectively the author has proved his points to the readers and persuaded them to the intended effect. Wade has a definite purpose in reporting the different events of attacks on journalistic rights which are not apparently stated. Thus, he illustrates the amounting attacks against the freedom of speech in the region with evidences of Lasantha Wickramatunga, the leading Colombo newspaper editor, Uma Singh, the young journalist in her 20s, and Sayed Perwiz Kambaksh, the journalism student in Afghanistan. Through his article, Wade wanted to establish that sword has become mightier to pen and he provides substantiating evidences to prove his point. Through the use of factual information and vivid examples that appeal the sense of ethos for the audience, Wade convinces the educated, enlightened, and conscious readers of The Sidney Morning Herald. The use of literary allusion and paradoxical statement can be evidently seen in the title of the article “Sword Mightier than Pen as Journalist Deaths Rise to Six” and the intention of the author is to persuade the readers about the same situation. A reader, who reads the events reported in the article involving his heart, is moved by the atrocities against the journalists. “While Colombo mourned Wickramatunga, another cruel assault on freedom of speech was taking place in Nepal.” Here, the reader is ruled by the persuasive style of the author who convinces the readers about the intensity of the issue and the ultimate effect is favorable to the profession as a whole. Matt Wade has been effective in illustrating the international situation where the journalists cannot exhibit their freedom of speech and expression and the persuasive nature of the article keeps the readers in an intense mood. I strongly agree with Wade that the journalists should have freedom of speech and opinion. However, in my opinion, it is the prime duty of the journalists to realize and respect the culture of others and the author seems to disregard this fact. For example, people of every culture have their own tradition which has been preserved over long period and Uma Singh, as a journalist needed to respect them. “Uma Singh… was also a strident critic of the Hindu caste system and the tradition of dowry, where a bride's parents are forced to give cash, jewellery and expensive gifts to the groom at the time of wedding.” (Wade) Here, Wade seems to be agreeing with the journalist and he gives a negative impression of the respected values of a culture. Let it be remembered that it is the golden principle of every journalist to respect and value the traditions and cultures of other people. In addition, another contentious issue has been about the true responsibility of a journalist and I believe that every journalist should persistently work for the good of people across the world by carrying out the journalistic functions. In the article it is reported that “we consider South Asia to be just about the most dangerous region in the world for journalist to work”. (Wade) In my opinion, the journalists should keep on working in similar places, because they play a great role to stop the violence in South Asia. For example, when Wade illustrates facts evidence of violence against journalists in the South Asia, he has been carrying out his journalistic function. As a journalist, he has been trying to stop this violence by reporting it in this style. Therefore, one of the demands of the day is that there should be a lot of journalists like Wade in order to continue to stop the violence and fight for the freedom of speech and opinion. Although Matt Wade is effective in presenting his point that sword is mightier than pen by reporting several events of violence on journalists, I have strong opposition and disagreement on the question. In my opinion, pen is greatly mightier than sword and Matt Wade himself has proved it by writing the article “Sword Mightier than Pen as Journalist Deaths Rise to Six.” In his attempt to prove that sword is mightier than pen, Wade depended on the power of pen and writing. The author wanted to communicate the immensity of the attacks on journalists and he neatly presented it in the article. The readers who are persuaded by the quality of his writing prove how effective a pen can be in fighting the violence by sword. In other words, a lot of people read the article by Wade and they are all convinced by the pen not by the sword. Therefore, the author’s claim that sword is mightier than pen has no validity and I strongly disagree with Wade on this point. In conclusion, Matt Wade’s “Sword Mightier than Pen as Journalist Deaths Rise to Six” has been an important article dealing with one of the essential issues of global attention today: the ever increasing atrocities against journalists all over the world. Matt Wade reports and summarizes several instances of attacks on journalists in the region and establishes that if sword becomes mightier than pen, it is a great disaster to the whole humanity. However, through his compelling article which reports the attacks and violence against journalists and the freedom of speech and expression, Wade proves that pen is mightier than sword in spite of the acts of violence in different parts of the world. Works Cited Wade, Matt. "Sword Mightier than Pen as Journalist Deaths Rise to Six." 05 March, 2009. The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 February 2009 . Read More