Comments on: The Jordanian Regime’s Hostility toward Free Speech: Mr. Salah Momani is a Recent Example http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/01/16/the-jordanian-regime%e2%80%99s-hostility-toward-free-speech-mr-salah-momani-is-a-recent-example/ Thinking Ahead Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:46:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jordan court bans ‘net freedom-Global Voices « FACT – Freedom Against Censorship Thailand http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/01/16/the-jordanian-regime%e2%80%99s-hostility-toward-free-speech-mr-salah-momani-is-a-recent-example/#comment-24680 Jordan court bans ‘net freedom-Global Voices « FACT – Freedom Against Censorship Thailand Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:38:21 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=6434#comment-24680 [...] Awen Al-Meshagbeh, writing for Mideast Youth, gives an example of the Jordanian governments’ treatment of an online writer, Mr. Salah Momani. Al-Meshagbeh has this to say about the governments’ various methods of censorship: [...] [...] Awen Al-Meshagbeh, writing for Mideast Youth, gives an example of the Jordanian governments’ treatment of an online writer, Mr. Salah Momani. Al-Meshagbeh has this to say about the governments’ various methods of censorship: [...]

]]> By: Nissim Dahan http://www.mideastyouth.com/2010/01/16/the-jordanian-regime%e2%80%99s-hostility-toward-free-speech-mr-salah-momani-is-a-recent-example/#comment-24679 Nissim Dahan Wed, 20 Jan 2010 01:11:42 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/?p=6434#comment-24679 By definition, autocratic rule requires a stifling of dissent. If you concentrate political power in the hands of a few, then criticism cannot be allowed, because it can easily be used to de-ligitimize the ruling authority of the few. If, however, you diffuse the power to rule among the many, with checks and balances between various sources of political power, as is the case in a true democracy, then criticism of a leader will be tolerated to a greater extent, because that leader does not hold all the reigns of power, and his power is checked by others. Any attempt to stifle dissent would be challenged by competing sources of political power. So what we're really talking about here is not just freedom of expression, but rather freedom itself as envisioned in a truely democratic state. Is the Middle East ready for that? And what would it take to pull it off? By definition, autocratic rule requires a stifling of dissent. If you concentrate political power in the hands of a few, then criticism cannot be allowed, because it can easily be used to de-ligitimize the ruling authority of the few.

If, however, you diffuse the power to rule among the many, with checks and balances between various sources of political power, as is the case in a true democracy, then criticism of a leader will be tolerated to a greater extent, because that leader does not hold all the reigns of power, and his power is checked by others. Any attempt to stifle dissent would be challenged by competing sources of political power.

So what we’re really talking about here is not just freedom of expression, but rather freedom itself as envisioned in a truely democratic state. Is the Middle East ready for that? And what would it take to pull it off?

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