Well Beinart, you can't say you weren't warned. As "cancel culture" and its affiliate slogans like "hate speech isn't free speech" and "speech is violence" have gained mainstream acceptance among the left, both conservatives and liberals (like those who wrote the Harper's Letter) warned about the problems they posed for free speech. Thes…
Well Beinart, you can't say you weren't warned. As "cancel culture" and its affiliate slogans like "hate speech isn't free speech" and "speech is violence" have gained mainstream acceptance among the left, both conservatives and liberals (like those who wrote the Harper's Letter) warned about the problems they posed for free speech. These critics pointed out that things like "hate speech" is very difficult to define, racism and bigotry can be subjective, and normalizing cancellations for wrongthink will eventually be used against the left by the right. In response to these very understandable concerns, the left sneered at their critics and accused them of being just a bunch of racists who want to be able to say racial slurs or make fun of minorities without consequence. "Screw free speech!" They declared, "We have to protect the feelings of minorities!" And the pro-Palestine activist class, having hitched themselves very firmly to the far left, went right along with the ride.
Oh how the tables have turned! Germany took one look at the pro-Palestine national movement, saw the rampant anti-Semitism there, and has acted accordingly. What? Did you think there wouldn't be any consequences for crashing Holocaust memorials, harassing Holocaust survivors, chasing politicians into bathrooms, and beating up Jews in the street? It's very convenient for pro-Palestinians like Beinart to rediscover their commitment to free speech, now that THEY have a minority group they want the freedom to racially abuse. And now what are you going to do? Run to the far left and tell them "never mind, we were wrong, speech isn't violence?"
We told you that free speech is a value that protects us all, you did not listen, and now you're being hoisted on your own petard. It couldn't happen to more deserving people.
PS: what's "anti-Palestinianism?" Is that a word you just made up to silence your movement's critics? Naughty naughty!
Well Beinart, you can't say you weren't warned. As "cancel culture" and its affiliate slogans like "hate speech isn't free speech" and "speech is violence" have gained mainstream acceptance among the left, both conservatives and liberals (like those who wrote the Harper's Letter) warned about the problems they posed for free speech. These critics pointed out that things like "hate speech" is very difficult to define, racism and bigotry can be subjective, and normalizing cancellations for wrongthink will eventually be used against the left by the right. In response to these very understandable concerns, the left sneered at their critics and accused them of being just a bunch of racists who want to be able to say racial slurs or make fun of minorities without consequence. "Screw free speech!" They declared, "We have to protect the feelings of minorities!" And the pro-Palestine activist class, having hitched themselves very firmly to the far left, went right along with the ride.
Oh how the tables have turned! Germany took one look at the pro-Palestine national movement, saw the rampant anti-Semitism there, and has acted accordingly. What? Did you think there wouldn't be any consequences for crashing Holocaust memorials, harassing Holocaust survivors, chasing politicians into bathrooms, and beating up Jews in the street? It's very convenient for pro-Palestinians like Beinart to rediscover their commitment to free speech, now that THEY have a minority group they want the freedom to racially abuse. And now what are you going to do? Run to the far left and tell them "never mind, we were wrong, speech isn't violence?"
We told you that free speech is a value that protects us all, you did not listen, and now you're being hoisted on your own petard. It couldn't happen to more deserving people.
PS: what's "anti-Palestinianism?" Is that a word you just made up to silence your movement's critics? Naughty naughty!