Cultural Revolution Editorial

Freedom of Speech to All

By: Vasken Kebabjian

The Cultural Revolution has taken another life from someone. A women named Zhang Zhixin was executed, just for stating her opposition against “The Gang of Four.”This need to stop. It is not fair too any of the people living in China. They should be free to say whatever they want, and get away with it without getting arrested or beaten.

People should have the freedom of speech to say whatever they want whenever they want without getting in trouble. People are getting arrested, or beaten just for stating their opinion against the Cultural Revolution, or someone very important to the Red class. Also, Red guards should not be able to give horrific punishments to people for stating their opinion. They have no right, and no one gives them the right to attack innocent people and beat them, or arrest them. The Red Guards should let people say what they want and not care. People should also not be subjected to a overly extended punishment for stating their opinion. If someone criticized the Cultural Revolution they should not get put into prison for six years like Zhang Zhixin was. All Zhang did was state her opposition, and she got arrested, and was eventually executed. If someone is going to get arrested, they should only be in jail for a day or less.

Someone from a Red Class status would say that anyone who has a Black Class status should be punished severely for their mistakes. They would also say that they would need to learn their lesson in prison for a long period of time, or get beaten severely. People think that insulting the Cultural Revolution, as well as Chairman Mao is very disrespectful. They think people should be punished for their criticism which is entirely unfair to the people in a Black society in China. Their opinion is unfair because anybody should be allowed to say or think their mind about the Cultural Revolution, or Chairman Mao. So just because of some peoples opposition towards those things, gives Red Guards, or anybody highly ranked in the Red Class the authority to punish them severely.

The citizens of China will always have different opinions over hundreds of subjects. So just because two people disagree on a curtain topic, doesn’t mean one of them can overpower the other. The people should have the freedom of speech, and no one should be able to take that away from them.