By Long Yan

(Clearwisdom net)

In the information age, information is playing a more and more important role in people's life, work, study, and social activities, and hence it has become one of the most significant social resources. People need to obtain reliable information from various perspectives in order to have an overall understanding of the social and natural environment they are in. Thus, they can react properly to people in their lives and reorient themselves accordingly.

To maintain control of one's life, everybody needs to receive authentic information from a variety of sources. The government and various social elements also have the responsibility to present information objectively so as to protect the interest of each and every citizen. It is the government's responsibility to protect the right to speak freely, and the right to think freely.

The right to think freely is the right of a citizen to know the truth and acquire thorough, complete, and authentic information. This means that information itself cannot to be monopolized and channels for the dissemination of information cannot to be blocked or sealed. If the government or the ruling social class monopolizes the information or blocks the channels of information dissemination, they are actually committing a crime against each person in society.

The right to speak freely is the right of each citizen to express his thoughts and opinions, that is, the right to create information. Especially when people are wrongly treated, people have the right to defend themselves, to fight for their rights, and to speak up for the truth. Any action depriving citizens of their rights to speak up for the truth is violating the law.

Monopolizing information and creating an information blockade directly encroaches on the right to speak and think freely. Because of this, people are unable to access different perspectives to be able to make reasonable judgments and decisions, and the quality of their life is thus adversely affected and their direct interests are damaged.

Monopolizing information and creating an information blockade also does direct harm to the society. This problem itself is a manifestation of serious corruption in a society. It also nurtures the environment of corruption. This is one of the important reasons why embezzlement and corruption is prevailing in China.

Under the circumstances of the monopoly of information and the information blockade, a country or society cannot be transparent and open, nor can it move toward real prosperity and strength. From another point of view, free access to information is a cornerstone for the development and strength of western countries. It is also a sign of civilization and advancement.

It is dictators in the world who monopolize the power and available resources to satisfy their desires. They use various means to monopolize and block information. In China, such a monopoly reaches an unprecedented level and has brought immeasurable damage to the Chinese people. What's needed most in China right now is to break this blockade and release people's mind from the lies and poisons.

Posting date: 3/9/2003
Original article date: 3/9/2003
Category: News & Media Reports
Translated on 2/27/2003
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2003/2/28/45439.html

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