Our Right to have an Opinion !

The recent suspension of Professor Barry Spurr from Sydney University opens an interesting can of worms.  Just what privacy rights do we mere mortals have in the emails, letters and phone conversations we have with family and friends ?

The University took offence when a website published emails said to have originated from the Professor which described Nelson Mandela as a "Darkie "and accused Prime Minister Tony Abbott of being an "Abo Lover ".    In the "politically correct " era of today, that was sufficient to have students screaming protests outside his office and for calls for his tenure to be terminated.

It seems that a "legal letter "has been served on the website that published these emails and there is the suggestion that this matter may have breached the Commonwealth Criminal code.  The Professor claims that his email account has been hacked - and matter stolen.

This certainly raises the question of whether we have the right to a personal opinion.  When we make a public statement, write a letter to a newspaper under our own name - or take part in a public forum we stand by the opinion we express and that it legitimately open to criticism.   The more important a position we hold in public affairs, the more interest our thoughts will generate.

But surely we have the right to privacy within the sanctity of our communication with family and friends to make satirical comments that may verge on racism to some thin skinned people, or express views on subjects that may be regarded as contentious ?   There are laws in place to prosecute those who maliciously hack to gain nude photos of ordinary people and publish them on the web to create dismay and humiliation.   Surely similar protection should be afforded to communications that were not intended for the public domain ?

Cyber warfare has entered the lexicon as having the capacity to deliver a knock out blow in a future world war, but it is fast becoming a weapon of  character assassination in all aspects of public life. A skilled hacker can amass a fortune delving into the personal affairs of "important people "- and selling that information to the news hungry media world.  The "political machines "that are generated by political parties are ever ready to do damage to an opponent - if they can find material that will generate controversy.

We are all vulnerable - if we come to public attention - to having received a racist joke circulating on the Internet or making an "off colour "joke to a friend about something that is featured in the news.  It seems that the only way to be perfectly safe is to adopt a puritanical attitude - and instantly delete any material that could possibly be considered even mildly offensive - and adopt a neutrality of opinion - which would probably make us the most boring conversationalist on the planet !

Fortunately, we are perfectly safe as long as we merge in the common herd - and never stick our head above the parapet.   We are entitled to have personal opinions.  We are entitled to share those opinions with others - just so long as we don't do it too openly - and in a public place.

It seems that all the "interesting people "of this world need to adopt a bunker mentality.   Such is the price of even minor fame !