Around the world people have stopped what they were doing to watch news reports about acts of terrorism. Since 9-11, Americans have been on the front lines fighting against terrorists, and we have been raised to be scared of anything like that happening again. While this fear is just and to a certain extent healthy, it can also cause us to hide behind our armies and hold our tongues. We cannot be scared to speak. We cannot be afraid to voice our opinions.

While not everything people say and believe will be politically correct or in good taste, it is a basic human right to have an opinion and to be allowed to voice it. The vocalizing of opinions is something that people should not be scared of. People’s thoughts and ideas can change the world and how other people see things.

The cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo did not let anyone stop them from voicing their thoughts and feelings in a crass satirical manner after the tragic massacres of its workers in Paris, France. The release of a movie in the backlash of digital warfare seems almost minuscule in comparison, but the result is the same. People are standing up and saying “You cannot silence us.”

Silence halts progress. When we are scared to let people see the truth or hear our thoughts, we can never grow or take steps in a positive direction. While satirical comedy is not necessarily what is going to change the world, it can strike an interest in political business and world affairs.

The people at Sony Pictures who made the ultimate decision to release “The Interview” in select theaters and online made the right choice. When we start to let fear dictate what we put out into the world we are letting the people who find joy in the pain and oppression of others win.

When Malala Yousafzai was interviewed by the Daily Show, she said that she would not be scared if she faced the man who shot her in the face. She spoke about sharing her message of education to him and then letting him do as he pleased. The strength it takes to voice your opinion in the face of the Taliban is unimaginable. Like Malala, we should not be scared to share our beliefs and opinions with the world.

If we start to limit what people are allowed to say, then what else will we start to limit? The politics of this situation are complicated, but the laws are simple. Freedom of speech gives people the right to share how they feel without fear of legal repercussion (unless your Miranda rights have been read to you and you are making a criminal confession).

The more we restrict ourselves from speaking out, even if it is just in a silly comedy, the more we gradually lose our freedom. Freedom is what our country was built on, even if we did not always honor it. We cannot move backwards and take freedom away from people.

A joke, no matter how unnecessary and hurtful to some people, is not reason enough to start a war or massacre people. “The Interview” release seems to almost be a way for America to stare North Korea in the face and say “We will not stand down. We will not let you dictate what we say or watch. We will not let a dictator halfway around the world run our lives.”

While “The Interview” did not receive good reviews, I do not think that the quality of the movie is the point. The point of its release was to show a spark of defiance and prove America’s independence still rings true. America will not bow down to dictators or terrorists. People will not stay oppressed. Every day we have men and women fighting for our freedoms and the freedom of the world. If we let an oppressor of people dictate our media consumption, then we let those men and women fight in vain.

“The Interview” was a release that stood for free will and stood against repression.