So I'm curious what you think about the riots at Berkeley this weekend?
I was barely aware of them.
Do you feel as strongly about freedom of speech for everyone, or is it just for journalists?
Everyone, I assure you. I even supported the ACLU supporting the Nazis marching in Skokie, the classic marker for tolerance of speech.
I was disappointed that not one major newspaper took up the cause defending freedom of speech.
I wasn't paying attention to that. Had not ever heard about the NYU incident. Trump's antics are keeping me too busy. Plus, the demonstrations interest me mostly in that they are happening. Academic interest. To the extent that I am aware of the substance, it is mostly not to my taste.
But I have read a lot of criticism over the last couple of years about students disrupting presentations with which they disagreed or dis-inviting speakers. I don't approve, either. And I certainly don't approve of violence. I just checked the WaPo, the only newspaper to which I subscribe. It has only a straight news story from AP, no commentary.
I do think it's the responsibility of both the left and the right to manage the nuts on their side. Of course, I've been disappointed about the right forever and now the left has become just as bad.
I do think, however, that the two situations you have associated are, er, asymmetrical. Air-headed college students not respecting let alone valuing free speech wrt to speakers at their colleges vs the POTUS, himself, advocating something unconstitutional and contrary to the tradition and spirit of the country? Alike in kind but not even in the same ballpark in degree. The former is sad and irritating and worrisome, although I have recently seen some hints of positive movement. The latter is flat outrageous and an imminent threat to the country's bedrock. The other difference between the incidents is that the pattern of the former is old news while the latter is bright and huge and shiny. |
