February 2, 2011Dear Sir,In yesterday’s issue of your newspaper the issue of mass demonstrations and protesters was again presented. I had previously written to you about that issue and had a number of people make comments about that letter and subject. I want to point out a very important point concerning the democratic freedom of the press and the people’s right of assembly and free speech. Mr Editor, it is clear that freedom of speech does not apply to crying fire in a movie theatre. Freedom of expression and the democratic right of political and religious assembly come at a price. That price is “responsibility”. Inciting people to become violent against the government results in mob rule and is not responsible democracy. The act of behaving responsibly applies to individual people, the government, institutions of the press, its reporters and the media in general including talk shows.I don’t need to remind you Mr. Editor that one of the Ten Commandments deals with this very issue; “you shall not bear false witness to your neighbour”. If the people in any society do not act in a responsible way and turn to violence, slander and liable, the freedoms of speech are diminished for all of us on this island. Mr Editor, the continued price of our democracy and the present freedoms we have in Bermuda is the continued vigilance by the people and the institutions of this country. For Bermuda to move forward over the next decade, and democratically solve the serious structural problems in our society, we must make a commitment. We must pledge to responsibly, sensitively, without provocation and offence; speak the truth to each other.MICHAEL A MARKHAMSmith’s