Even though the topic of this AOL News Article Iran's 'Blogfather' Sentenced to Long Prison Term is not related to the topics of CFOs and Controllers' frustrations, it is related to the freedom of expression issues that concern all of us. That is why it should have its place in the spotlight here.
I don't want to diminish the severity of the sentence and the horror of what Mr. Derakhshan is going through in Iran as the result of expressing his thoughts and opinions in cyberspace. However, essentially everyone who publishes honest and edgy, or even boring and banal, material on internet are exposed to unpredictable consequences.
In one article, or post, or conversation after another, we are warned that prospective and current employers are searching internet for possible controversial material on you. So do the political opponents, educational institutions, investors, country clubs, religious congregations, etc, etc. Here is a typical example of such warning provided by the CEO of TheLadders.com Marc Cenedella in his new book "You're Better Than Your Job Search": In a Google World, Prepare to Be Investigated. Jail sentences in foreign countries are extreme and rare incidents, but we do learn that people get fired, rejected and harassed because they express themselves.
That is the reason so many bloggers are writing under noms de plume. That is the reason so many people who have something to say don't write at all. That is the reason I guarantee 100% anonymity to anyone who shares their professional experiences with me.
And it does not apply just to cyberspace. One of my future planned posts will address my favorite topic - something I call the Bill of Rights in the Workplace. There is a reason the new great American masterpiece from Jonathan Franzen is called "Freedom." Obviously, it is a concern.
And of course, I disagree with Mr. Derakhshan's politics. Moreover, I am a life-time student of World History and it seems inconceivable to me that any private citizen without diplomatic immunity would actually accept an invitation from any organization sponsored by an authoritarian government. History is full of actual repatriation incidents that sound like horror stories: China, Russia, etc.
Nevertheless, my disagreement with his ideas, does not mean that I will not support this writer's freedom of expressing them with all my heart. It's like what Voltaire said, "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it."