Posted on 03/04/2006 1:39:56 AM PST by JohnHuang2
"But in the context of what FREE SPEECH is about, there always should be a level playing field. No one should be stifled from voicing, or forced to adopt an opinion..."
1) I agree that 'free speech' means 'No one should be stifled from voicing, or forced to adopt an opinion' and i agree its an ideal to support overall.
2) The term 'level playing field' is an inapt term in the context of free speech. It raises the bugaboos of things like 'equal time' and 'fairness doctrine' and other true enemies of free speech. Free means Freedom - no restraints.
You cannot enforce equality without impinging on freedom.
Freedom often creates un-level playing fields as those with more resources can exercise freedom more robustly (again, Dan Rather vs me).
3) I think you are getting lots of feedback that this is far from a 'free speech' issue. It's about the appropriate role and responsibility of a taxpayer-paid teacher in the classroom. Had this lunatic been doing his ranting on his free time, there would be no issue at all.
OK, I got ya. I see where your going. Good points you have brought up.
See reply #81 for explanation.
When I said:
"all your logical errors stem from an acceptance of phony egalitarian ethical claims that are not really true"
What I meant was:
The 'level playing field' is the same term used by the supporters of the 'fairness doctrine', the most pernicious attack on the first amendment in the last 50 years by the Federal Government. To 'level the playing field' they forced 'equal time', in effect stifling radio stations from daring to have an opinion. It was the repeal under Reagan that allowed for the rise of talk radio - freedom at its best.
I doubt you'd want to force Rush off the air and deny his 1st amendment rights in the name of a 'level playing field'.
This, 'level playing field', a term of egalitarians, is an inapt term to you when you are exressing support for free speech.
If you want to know why this is a sensitive and serious issue, read this, and expect hairs to stand up on your back:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1556044/posts
"This is TAXPAYER-PAID speech, which instead of paying for education, pays for indoctrination into liberal psycho-babble."
"I understand and agree with your point to a certain extent. But are you saying that there is a point where speech should no longer be free?"
Yes. Taxpayer-paid speech in a classroom is subject to limits based on the fact that we are paying a teacher to teach, not to indoctrinate kids into leftwing drivel.
"I could care less what this prick spews as long as someone else is able to opine equally."
I just dont see how two wrongs make a right.
Excessive political rants in a geography class are not appropriate.
Question: If the teacher got up and gave a recitation
of a bible-thumping 'Jesus is Lord' sermon to the classroom,
would he get to stay? No.
"There road you're heading down is very dangerous my well meaning friend because it dictates what others can say and when they can say it."
Asked and answered on the thread. He is free to say what he
wishes outside the classroom, but in the classroom he needs to fulfill his responsibilities as a teacher, and excessive politic rants are an abuse of his privilege.
"Equal speech for everyone in this country!"
That statement is gibberish.
Did you know women say on average twice as much as men each day? How do we fix that? :-)
"Good points you have brought up."
Thanks for saying that!
Geographically, it doesn't appear on a "continent" at all, kind of a trick question, one supposes...
the infowarrior
"I wonder how much of the "No Child Left Behind" money this school receives."
I don't wonder that Jay Bennish is the Infant Terrible/Bad Seed that should be LEFT BEHIND. Afterall, why should the disdained profits from a dispised captialistic America support his parasitical tenure?
I doubt if the kids who left school gave a damn about the teacher, one way or another. As I remember high school, any excuse to cut class would do just fine.
This liberal nutbar is lying on every show he is going on. This morning Matt Lauer acted as his friggin PR agent.
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