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Is America having second thoughts about free speech?
The Week ^ | February 11, 2018 | Damon Linker

Posted on 02/11/2018 6:40:12 PM PST by EdnaMode

The free speech wars are getting worse, but it seems that none of the warring factions quite grasp the character of the dispute — or precisely what's at stake.

At the figurative center of the clash is the norm of near-absolute freedom of speech and expression, which its defenders like to treat as the American default. A number of ideological challenges have arisen in recent years to overturn this norm.

On many college campuses, groups of left-leaning students insist that free speech should be conditional on speakers adhering to explicit standards of diversity and avoiding the infliction of emotional harm on the members of marginalized groups through the spreading of "hate."

From the opposite ideological direction, President Trump believes that the government should "take a strong look" at libel laws to keep news organizations from subjecting his own administration to negative coverage.

Finally, from the center-left come calls to use anti-discrimination law to punish organizations that oppose the legitimacy of same-sex marriage and accommodations for transgender people. If that happens — either by passing new laws that explicitly add to existing anti-discrimination statutes or by courts treating the members of these groups as protected classes covered by existing law — the result will almost certainly be a significant constriction of speech, as those holding more conservative views will face sanction for expressing them in public.

(Excerpt) Read more at theweek.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Society
KEYWORDS: 1stamendment; fake; fakenews; firstamendment; freespeech; thoughtpolice
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Only the left is trying to censor free speech.
1 posted on 02/11/2018 6:40:12 PM PST by EdnaMode
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To: EdnaMode

Only when it’s truly free speech at that.


2 posted on 02/11/2018 6:43:20 PM PST by Dogbert41 (Jerusalem is the city of The Great King!)
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To: EdnaMode

Yes, the article’s attempt to create an equivalency between left and right is as transparent as it is pathetic and false.


3 posted on 02/11/2018 6:44:53 PM PST by Steve_Seattle
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To: EdnaMode

Bottom line. It is happening full time. And it’s working better then we care to admit.


4 posted on 02/11/2018 6:49:42 PM PST by lizma2
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To: EdnaMode
Free speech? Great idea - we should try it! Free speech would mean that we would honor the stricture in the Constitution against titles of nobility - because a title of nobility is precisely what a broadcast license is.

5 posted on 02/11/2018 6:53:05 PM PST by conservatism_IS_compassion (Presses can be 'associated,' or presses can be independent. Demand independent presses.)
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To: EdnaMode

The left as we know it today, those who are calling the dance which consider nothing of the old extreme left to be extreme anymore, has only ever been attached to THEIR free speech. Silencing other views has always been a big part of who these Cultural Marxist are.

Their Revolution, if it is in the final form of a boot on the neck of Mankind forever or some SJW screeching incoherently in the face of Mankind forever, is about destruction of and suicide of the civilization.


6 posted on 02/11/2018 6:53:27 PM PST by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: EdnaMode

What a joke. Do you understand how not only your speech is threarened?how about your thoughts? Stand the hell up!! There is truth more than bull shit! Speak up or prepare for your slaughter.


7 posted on 02/11/2018 6:56:50 PM PST by raiderboy ( "...if we have to close down our government, weÂ’re building that wall" DJT)
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To: EdnaMode

“If we want to preserve Freedom of Speech, we must force all the Conservatives to shut up”, explained the media


8 posted on 02/11/2018 6:57:52 PM PST by ClearCase_guy (The revolution will not be televised (at least, not by CNN).)
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To: Steve_Seattle

Bingo


9 posted on 02/11/2018 7:00:18 PM PST by Williams (Stop tolerating the intolerant.)
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To: KC_Lion

Ping.


10 posted on 02/11/2018 7:01:09 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: EdnaMode
Finally, from the center-left come calls to use anti-discrimination law to punish organizations that oppose the legitimacy of same-sex marriage and accommodations for transgender people.

Maybe Damon Linker would get a clue if the 'center right' called for laws to 'punish organizations that oppose the legitimacy' of the NRA and groups that support the Second Amendment...

11 posted on 02/11/2018 7:01:26 PM PST by GOPJ (Conservative men who marry liberal women deserve the misery they're going to get...)
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To: EdnaMode

We have not spoken freely for 40 years


12 posted on 02/11/2018 7:03:11 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of he Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: EdnaMode

I’d like to ask the author “what should happen to the press when they knowingly lie about someone?”


13 posted on 02/11/2018 7:03:58 PM PST by BookmanTheJanitor
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To: EdnaMode

The Red half of the country fully embraces free speech. The Blue half rejects it out of hand and believes all opposition must be silenced. We are the true Antifa.


14 posted on 02/11/2018 7:05:34 PM PST by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: EdnaMode
At the figurative center of the clash is the norm of near-absolute freedom of speech and expression, which its defenders like to treat as the American default.

Well, for those who still stand on the Constitution, it states "Congress shall make no law.... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." It is funny that those who don't believe in absolute freedom of speech do stand for absolute freedom of the [leftist-liberal] press.

number of ideological challenges have arisen in recent years to overturn this norm

We don't have a clause in the constitution stating that it can be overturned by an ideological challenge. It requires and amendment ratified by three fourths of the several States. Ideological overthrow is resorted to by leftists, Clinton and Soros because they cannot muster 3/4ths of the states to consent to an amendment, even if you could get a very venal craven corrupt Congress to agree to it, though I would suggest that 1/3 of the Senate would in any case oppose it.

But there you have it, leftists trying to suggest that something is subject to debate when it isn't open for debate at all, until you get the proposal to the states.

15 posted on 02/11/2018 7:07:22 PM PST by AndyJackson
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To: EdnaMode

Take away the First Amendment and we’ll go to the second I guess.


16 posted on 02/11/2018 7:07:53 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up. ....)
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion

How is a broadcast license a title of nobility?


17 posted on 02/11/2018 7:07:57 PM PST by wastedyears (Americans are dreamers too.)
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To: raiderboy

Jordan Peterson has been spot on about exactly that. You cannot let the Left control speech, they would take us down a road to modern totalitarianism.

This interview with Mark Steyn covers this idea. Worthwhile.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p4obxH2vSms


18 posted on 02/11/2018 7:08:30 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: AndyJackson

Liberals say they and they alone are love, rational, educated, smart, good.
This makes everyone else by definition a stupid, crazy, evil hater.
By their own definition, hate speech is every other viewpoint.
When we allowed for free speech to be curtailed when it is called hate speech, akin to inciting a riot, we gave them the means to shut down every other opinion per their own branding.


19 posted on 02/11/2018 7:09:32 PM PST by tbw2
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To: FreedomPoster

I love that. We are fighting for freedom
To be wrong. We are fighting to be right. We are fighting to be free.


20 posted on 02/11/2018 7:10:56 PM PST by raiderboy ( "...if we have to close down our government, weÂ’re building that wall" DJT)
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