tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post1533801163438423091..comments2024-03-26T10:26:51.288-04:00Comments on Jim Leff's Slog: I Am Not Charlie/Je ne suis pas CharlieJim Leffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00007232702717055047noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-2962918667797346792015-01-12T15:43:26.233-05:002015-01-12T15:43:26.233-05:00It "feels right".It "feels right".James Leffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03645526020049321126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-30751632181964775672015-01-12T15:42:04.326-05:002015-01-12T15:42:04.326-05:00And you are right again. I think the vast majority...And you are right again. I think the vast majority of the people posting "Je suis Charlie" to their Facebook timelines aren't even really thinking through the issue. They are just jumping on the political bandwagon du jour.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13875597827346297828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-80417702624993393912015-01-12T15:34:56.589-05:002015-01-12T15:34:56.589-05:00"I fully support the right to free speech, an..."I fully support the right to free speech, and abhor murder and suppression (of course!). But....."<br />-------------<br /><br />The fact that we both must bend over backwards to emaphasize that we're against massacre and in favor of free speech (duh) before noting that the satire in this magazine was loathsome - and the fact that most people won't be reassured by these avowals, and view both of us as apologists for barbarity - is an illustration of this: <br />http://jimleff.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-to-know-if-you-indoctrinated.html<br /><br />Sometimes alternative perspectives can't be rationally heard - even with copious avowals and clarifications - even when they come from people whose intelligence and reasonableness is otherwise respected. In this particular situation, it is, of course, the very height of irony that only one perspective about a free speech crisis is acceptable to those championing that right. <br /><br />It's nuts, but it's temporary. Such situations are always (per the above link) the result of idea viruses and mass hysterias. Individuals calmly at rest, untouched by winds of popular sentiment, can be quite thoughtful in considering alternative perspectives (they may not agree, but they'll listen and consider without lashing out).<br />James Leffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03645526020049321126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-29310796841816502642015-01-12T15:10:05.898-05:002015-01-12T15:10:05.898-05:00Well put - you make your point and make it more su...Well put - you make your point and make it more succinctly than any of the editorials I've read on this. And I agree with you 100%. I fully support the right to free speech, and abhor murder and suppression (of course!). But, I am not one with Charlie Hedbo. I would have never published what they did, and I don't think I need to declare allegiance to them to prove my support for free speech.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13875597827346297828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-2695109873528535622015-01-10T22:02:26.152-05:002015-01-10T22:02:26.152-05:00How do we decide who's too evil to have free s...How do we decide who's too evil to have free speech rights?<br /><br />And how do we quantify "belief" in disqualified causes? Can such causes be mentioned ironically? How about tenuous expressions of sympathy, e.g. "ISIS has a couple of good ideas"?<br /><br />I'm strongly in favor of free speech for people and ideas I approve of, too. That's easy! But that's not free speech. It's not America.<br /><br />Also, fwiw, American Nazi party doesn't directly advocate murder or ethnic genocide. In fact, they deny it ever happened. They're just really into the jackboots and kitschy fascism/racism. Are those things permitted?James Leffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03645526020049321126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-44689729916245764822015-01-10T20:56:21.117-05:002015-01-10T20:56:21.117-05:00I agree on your first point.
But why should peop...I agree on your first point. <br /><br />But why should people who believe in murdering others, who believe in ethnic genocide like Nazis, have free speech rights? Why should I support their right to publicize their evil agenda in any way? I don't understand that, and I don't agree.ThereAreLimitshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07340194966847907323noreply@blogger.com