Mats Tunehag

Democracy, human rights and freedom are not destinations you arrive at. We mustn’t take these for granted – they can be lost.

President Ronald Reagan wrote: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

The book “Exiting a Dead End Road” deals with key issues for Europe, including the survival of true democracy and real adherence to human rights. You can read more about it here and also buy it as hard copy or e-book.

The book covers topics like:

• Describing Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians –
• Understanding Rights Talk
• Dealing with Political Correctness
• Comprehending Freedom and Tolerance
• Responding to Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Confronting Radical Secularism
• Holding Universal Truths in a Pluralistic Society
• Protecting Freedom of Speech

I was asked to write the chapter dealing with trends and concerns regarding freedom of speech in Europe and beyond. This chapter is found as a pdf file in Further Reading and here: Towards a Better Understanding of Freedom of Speech

The attacks on freedom of speech in Europe and beyond are worrying. We need to fight against hate speech laws, harassment, threats and self censorship.

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeev writes in the foreword to the book: “This book is a collection of publications on discrimination against Christians in Europe. This problem is deliberately hushed up in the ‘free continent’. … The book cites numerous concrete facts pointing to discrimination against Christians, violations of their rights to freedom of expression and conscience and ultimately to the free expression of their faith.”

Tags: Democracy, freedom, human rights