Is Free Speech Under Attack in America?

Matt Welch on the obstacles facing the First Amendment

1x 1.1x 1.25x 1.5x 2x 3x

:15 :15

Download

Is Free Speech Under Attack in America?

HD Video Download

"At some point it is inherently ridiculous when you can't laugh at Neil Patrick Harris making jokes on the Academy Awards," says Matt Welch, Reason Editor in Chief. At Reason Weekend 2015, the annual donor event for the nonprofit that publishes this website, Welch discussed how today's society, full of trigger warnings and a sensitivity to opposing ideas, has lead to a watered down approach to the First Amendment. 

"It's not fun when you're walking around policing jokes all day long, it's not an attractive pose to people," continues Welch. 

About 30 minutes.

Camera by Paul Detrick and Zach Weissmueller. Edited by Amanda Winkler. 

Scroll down for downloadable versions and subscribe to Reason TV's YouTube Channel to receive automatic notifications when new material goes live.

Comments

[timbo]

Yes

[toliyadikoncama]

I make up to $90 an hour working from my home. My story is that I quit working at Walmart to work online and with a little effort I easily bring in around $40h to $86h? Someone was good to me by sharing this link with me, so now i am hoping i could help someone else out there by sharing this link... Try it, you won't regret it!......
http://www.work-cash.com

[Rich]

I make up to $90 an hour ... and with a little effort I easily bring in around $40h to $86h

Screw the effort, then.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

"At some point it is inherently ridiculous when you can't laugh at Neil Patrick Harris making jokes on the Academy Awards,"

You can't laugh at anything. Except straight white men of course. 'Cuz they're oppressive patriarchal cis shitlords.

[rocks]

The word cis sounds like a slur to me. Where do I go for the vigil to make this hate stop.

[Rich]

CisBoomBah.com

[Quixote]

In New York, professors must not be laughed at, even if they are straight and white. See the documentation of America's leading criminal satire case at:

http://raphaelgolbtrial.wordpress.com/

[Sevo]

tl; dw

[american socialist]

^this commenter's most considered posting.

[MarkLastname]

^this commenter's most considered posting.

[Chumby]

^ this commenter's least idiotic posting

[RussianPrimeMinister]

- Wanted to be a part of the group.

[american socialist]

Hi Matt,

I don't have time to watch the video. Can you summarize for me the major points? Such as...

- people making accusations of rape are probably faking it
-Leftists who join unions are fascists
-if I don't agree that corporations should have the same rights as a living, breathing human, I'm a communist
-college students are coddled wimps--except the college republicans on Jacob sullum's overheated conservative grievance hotline. They're ok.

[BulletGibson]

I saw it as a lot of what we are seeing today with free speech. That everyone thinks it's great....unless someone get their panties in a wad over it. Then they try to use some form of "grouping" to silence the minority. I didn't see any left or right in it, although I admittedly kinda jumped from time to time on things I had seen before. Hope it helps Am Soc.

[bacon-magic]

Summary,
Progressives/communists/socialists and the lemmings that follow them are retarded and will lead us back to the promised land(stone age).
You're welcome.

[OldMexican]

Re: American Stolid,

Can you summarize for me the major points?

Sure:

* College campuses are filled with little red Maxians who are interested in the least in hearing or even letting others hear what you want to say.

'nuff said.

[american socialist]

So if an asshole like ann coulter comes to campus and gets treated rudely by people who know an asshole when they see one that's a violation of the 1st amendment?!? Maybe assholes don't know what is and isn't in the 1st amendment.

[OldMexican]

Re: American Stolid,

So if an asshole like ann coulter comes to campus and gets treated rudely by people who know an asshole when they see one that's a violation of the 1st amendment?

I am still surprised just how many little red Marxians are also the direct result of the Amerikan Pulbic Skool Seistem Dat Teeches Kudz To Red and Writ. There was clearly a comma missing in your weird, unhinged question.

Treating someone rudely is the sign of people who are rude, unpolished, boorish. I do not know for a fact that Ann Coulter is an asshole. That is now what I'm talking about nor am I talking about people being rude, unkind and boorish. I am talking about a group of little red Marxians pressuring the school to stop a person from speaking to a different group of people. Little red Marxians can always refrain themselves from listening to someone they find objectionable but they have no right to make decisions for others.

[american socialist]

"pressuring the school to stop a person from speaking to a different group of people. "

That's against the first amendment?

[OldMexican]

Re: American Stoopid,

That's against the first amendment?

Who mentioned the 1st Amendment besides YOU, you unthinking dolt? Welch, everybody else, are talking about Free Speech.

[american socialist]

So... it's an abridgment of free speech if an asshole comes to campus and the students tell them they are assholes? When I was on campus, We had a group of assholes come to campus telling us how homosexuals were spreading AIDS and that premarital sex was evil and how we should all repent for our sins. We all told them they were fruitcakes and to tell that shit to whatever hick, backwater church they came from. I wasn't aware that we were suppressing their free speech. Maybe I need some sensitivity training so I can interact with bigots and homophobes more productively. At first blush this seems like a colossal waste of time, but-- you know-- I like to keep an open mind.

[Free Society]

No it's an abridgment of free speech that speakers are being censored by people who wouldn't even be listening to the talk anyways. If the Campus Communist Club wants to have Van Jones come and give them an absurd talk, wouldn't it be an abridgment of free speech for the Campus Conservative Club to demand that Van Jones be barred from speaking to the other group?

[MarkLastname]

No, because communists are right and conservatives are wrong, and wrong people should just shut up and die lest they violate the fragile ears of the whimpering proletariat.

I think that about sums up his position

[rudehost]

I have no issue with the proletariat as long as they are properly seasoned.

[C. S. P. Schofield]

It's an abridgement of free speach when one group monopolizes a venue paid for by another. Youmhave a right to speak. You do not have a right to a podium, an audience, or a stage. Those you have to arrange for on your own.

If I buy a press, you do not get to run anti-me screeds off on it. If I hire a hall, you do not get to disrupt my speech. You can protest outside the hall, but if you assault people, or even block access, you should be jailed.

Proesters get away with entirely too much in this country. And the first thing we should change is the tolerance for preventing other people from speaking at their own events.

[VG Zaytsev]

So it's not an abridgement of free speech when the officially approved brownshirts use the threat of violence to shut up speakers that they disapprove of?

You know who else used tactics like that?

[Cis-Gendered Shitlord]

VG, umm... people who wore brown shirts?

[fish]

Hey.....it's against the 1st amendment to call an unthinking dolt and unthinking dolt.

[fish]

No it isn't you dolt!

[Jumper]

No but banning her entirely to prevent that does

[JWW]

No, if she come to campus and speaks and people treat her rudely, that's fine.

Its when the precious little flowers soil themselves and she gets banned from even coming to campus that we have a problem.

[Not an Economist]

Or when they disrupt the speech by trying to drown out the speaker by shouting, blowing horns, or in extreme cases rushing the stage.

[Suthenboy]

"Maybe assholes don't know what is and isn't in the 1st amendment"

There doesn't appear to be any maybe about it. Also, go sit on a sharp stick you commie piece of shit.

[OldMexican]

Re: American Stolid,

if I don't agree that corporations should have the same rights as a living, breathing human, I'm a communist

You don't want living, breathing humans to have the same rights as the State! So what the hell are you talking about?

[Rhywun]

-Leftists who join unions are fascists

FTFY.

[timbo]

leftist/fascists/unions are the same thing dipshit.

Do you have your Che Guevara shirt?

Please come back with some defense of unions.

[Eric]

Please come back with some twisted reason that Unions = Fascists. Methinks you don't really know what that word means.

[RussianPrimeMinister]

Depends entirely on the union. See SEIU as an example, possibly the most damning one there is.

The teachers unions, police officers unions, and prison workers unions are also great (terrible) examples.

[Private FUQ]

Notice that each example you provide is of a public sector union.

Fascism: a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

That definition fits with those unions quite well IMO

[american socialist]

Nah... I was never into political statements as fashion. The closest I came to this was buying a Ho Chi Minh shirt that I picked up from a street vendor in hue. Like many figures of the. 20th century Ho is a complicated man with a mixed legacy, but I know which side I'm on between a local people fighting for self-determination and an occupying army sent there by men playing power politics. I suppose certain people seeing it might react as I do whenever I blunder into Reagan international and wonder how that angry, senile fool ever got an airport named after him.

Oh, yeah... Unions. I think some are good and some are bad. As a libertarian I'm pretty much for one's unrestricted right to assembly ( although I don't necessarily think that assembled groups should be treated the same as individuals) so I don't really have a position on people joining a group-- good or bad-- in an effort to, say, kick out their shitty boss.

[OldMexican]

Re: American Stolid,

As a libertarian I'm pretty much for one's unrestricted right to assembly

What is a libertarian?

[american socialist]

You tell me. From what I see on this website being a libertarian means you advocate that people should be allowed to do certain things that the commenter supports and restricted from doing what the commenter opposes. I'm not in favor of this philosophy, but think its a pretty common one.

[Free Society]

What now? Tell us why it is that what you believe, makes you a libertarian.

[american socialist]

Because I don't believe the government should be involved in the private lives of its citizens and I think there are way too many laws.

I do believe that we should pay taxes and that the people best equipped to pay those taxes are rich people and corporations. These last two asterisks mean I don't get invited to eat at the Ayn rand table at the LP convention and instead have to sit in the concrete bleachers with the rest of Stalinist Deviationalist clique.

[Chumby]

Hey Amsoc

The govt gets involved with my private life because it forces taxes on me. From where do you think the funds to pay for all of the government employees comes? For someone that bitched about having to work 50 hours a week because other IT people are willing to do it I find that very hypocrotocal given that folks like me basically give up our Mondays (in wages) to the local, state, and federal government.

[rudehost]

"the government should be involved in the private lives of its citizens and I think there are way too many laws."

Does socialism result in more laws or fewer laws and less or more involvement in people's private lives? Show your work.

[GILMORE]

"I don't believe the government should be involved in the private lives of its citizens"

A quick search of your prior comments shows that to be the most laughable lie out of your piehole, in a long series of laughable lies

The very first comment i came across with was your claim that "the FDA is essential" because otherwise we'd be testing drugs on human prisoners.

The next was a defense of Venezuela (*a government known for its "hands off" policies?)... and then insisting that "higher taxes" were in no way associated with higher degree of social-control and regulation....

You're not even a *competent* liar.

[JWW]

Ah yes people can have the liberty to do whatever they want, except when the state comes to take some of their stuff because, fairness.

Quite the libertarian mindset there.

[Greg F]

I do believe that we should pay taxes and that the people best equipped to pay those taxes are rich people and corporations.

Corporations don't pay taxes, they collect them. The end user always pays the tax.

Rich people are people that make more or have more money than american socialist. Of course if american socialist thinks he doesn't pay enough taxes he is free to make a donation to the U.S. Treasury. They will gladly accept his gift.

[MarkLastname]

What about people being compelled to join the party I mean union in order to be allowed to work in that industry?

Oh yeah, fascism. No, perhaps racketeering is the better word.

[RussianPrimeMinister]

but I know which side I'm on between a local people fighting for self-determination and an occupying army sent there by men playing power politics

So you're all for libertarians being against the government?

Because the police are now officially an occupying army, and we're about the only ones fighting for our right to self-determination.

You know what? Nevermind. You're too much of a dishonest hypocrite to even understand how dishonest and hypocritical you are.

[timbo]

The problem with communists is not their incredible stupidity and ignorance.
Rather, it is that the average uneducated American that likes the way communism sounds would actually love to see millions of people with money sent to prison and killed.
I think they know fully the atrocities carried out by the likes of Mao and Ho and are perfectly happy with death and destruction; only if you are successful and rich.

just say it am socialist.

[Chinny Chin Chin]

This is just silly.

Respect for freedom of association requires acceptance of unions. The issue comes when unions use govt. to back their actions with the force of law.

There's a HUGE gap between a truly independent union and a fascist economy.

[Michael Ejercito]

The issue comes when unions use govt. to back their actions with the force of law.

Provide examples.

[RussianPrimeMinister]

Here's the SEIU's own list. Feel free to fuck off as you read it.

[Marshall Gill]

Provide examples.

Science, Michael, really? You have never heard of a "closed shop"? They exist because nearly unskilled manual laborers are so difficult to find or because of government coercion? How about the billions transferred to the UAW and called "stimulus"? Actual creditors of GM taking a back seat to ridiculously inflated retirement packages sound familiar? We practically Nationalized GM but that had nothing to do with the UAW?

[buybuydandavis]

"if I don't agree that corporations should have the same rights as a living, breathing human, I'm a communist"

Corporations are groups of people getting together to achieve a common purpose. There is a lot of perversity with respect to the law and corporate persons, but those concept aren't limited to speech rights, and regardless, people shouldn't lose their free speech rights just because they've organized into a group for a purpose.

I didn't have time to watch the video either, so I hope that Matt got around to discussing the Progressive Theocracy's attempt last year to push a *constitutional amendment* to gut the first amendment.

[american socialist]

"discussing the Progressive Theocracy's attempt last year to push a *constitutional amendment* to gut the first amendment."

What push was that? I don't listen to Glenn beck so I'm not up on al franken's latest attempts to send us all to the gulag. Can you elaborate, please?

[OldMexican]

Ask and ye shall receive:

http://reason.com/blog/2014/09.....l27qa:ye6c

[Invisible Finger]

Do your own fucking work. Oh, I forgot, you're a socialist.

[Whahappan?]

I believe you meant "I won't enact your labor for you."

[GR8IPAZ]

how intellectually curious of you. But then again, you self identify as a socialist.

[Sevo]

american socialist|4.24.15 @ 12:14PM|#
"Hi Matt,
I don't have time to watch the video."

Hi, shitstain.
Fuck off; you're a tired piece of stinking shit. Is that clear?

[Scarecrow Repair]

Man, I knew you were half-illiterate and incapable of thinking, but a video? You can't watch a video? What are you, invideoate or something?

[C. S. P. Schofield]

You know, the line aboit corporations is cute. I understand why so many folks repeat it. But if you give it just a little thought it parses out to "I don't mind when individuals say things I don't agree with, because individuals won't get their message out much. But when people band together and really find an effective voice, then I'm offended because the Lower Orders clearly don't Know Their Place."

When you can explain the moral and ethical difference between a corporation like Citizens United and a leftwing group like PETA, get back to me.

[Greg F]

if I don't agree that corporations should have the same rights as a living, breathing human, I'm a communist

So american socialist believes that the only collective group of people that should have free speech rights are those who collectively represent the government corporation. Following that logic american socialist would limit free speech for corporations with such names as the New York Times, the Washinton Post, and MSNBC. It really is amazing how stupid some people are.

[BulletGibson]

When I was young even a second grader knew that, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."

Simply mind blowing that college students, and professors, are unable to understand this childishly easy concept.

Are we truly that far gone? Almost makes you look forward to some possible earth shattering event that might kinda...oh I don't know....weed out the dumb-asses? Terrible I know, and I wouldn't really want it....but dayum people!

[Rich]

a second grader knew that, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me."

Well, a second-grader also knew Santa Claus brings the presents.

/prog

[Loki]

Well, a second-grader also knew Santa Claus brings the presents.

Whereas every right thinking adult knows it's the Government. /prog-tard

[buybuydandavis]

"Simply mind blowing that college students, and professors, are unable to understand this childishly easy concept."

They understand it perfectly well, when it suits their needs. "I feel unsafe" is simply the latest rationale for attacking certain political viewpoints, preying on people's basic decency to avoid hurt to others to grab more power.

I feel unsafe every time a tentacle for the Progressive Theocracy opens its mouth to attack freedom, and with good reason.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Yes. Free speech is under attack. Duh.

Not just in America but everywhere in the West including Canada.

Remember, the prevailing belief is we 'need to balance speech' and the more directly fiendish 'need to restrict free speech to protect it'.

Now if you don't mind, I need to go deal with Matt's micro-aggressivish tone.

[Rich]

Hey, Rufus, serious question: Of the Canadians who get, um, accosted for "hate speech" and its ilk, how many actually are significantly punished?

[Rufus J. Firefly]

So far none I think but with the Human Rights tribunal around there's a mechanism to try. Ask Levant and Steyn - see below.

But not everyone is crazy:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/dalhous.....-1.2883072

[Marshall Gill]

Say what you will about Levant, I don't see how a Liberty minded person could watch these videos and not cheer him.

"I don't answer to the State"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n3SdV2cwn4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iMNM1tef7g

[mtrueman]

"So far none I think..."

Ernst Z?ndel might disagree. He's been arsoned, letter bombed, arrested, jailed and deported.

[buybuydandavis]

As Steyn says, the process is the punishment.

The Eye of Sauron turns on you, and unless you have the resources, political reach, and cohones of a Mark Steyn, you're simply crushed.

If Steyn had lost, he would have effectively lost his right to publish in Canada - lost his right to work in his vocation. Most people wouldn't be willing to risk that, and even fewer would have had the resources to fight it.

[Len Bias]

Are those tribunals that Ezra Klein and Mark Steyn faced still in force?

[Marshall Gill]

Are those tribunals that Ezra Klein and Mark Steyn faced still in force?

Dude, I am sure that it was just an accident but, fuck, what an insult. Ezra Levant is the one who made the pieces of shit squirm. Ezra Klein was likely cheering them on.

And no, I do not think that they are. Levant and Steyn stood up to them and kicked their asses.

[Michael Ejercito]

Those countries who place speech restrictions simply want to defend the truth- a noble goal.

[Jimbo]

Very On-Target: http://www.marketwatch.com/sto.....MW_popular

What a great way to get more people to attend a funeral.
And it's "Speech!"

[Rich]

"Culture deficit", my ass!

[MarkLastname]

more like culture surplus!

[Notorious G.K.C.]

10 years in prison? The government is really letting these funeral-goers down.

If it weren't Sunday, I'd add an alternate joke about how "even the dead guy is stiff."

[Mickey Rat]

Again, last fall the Senate Democrat Caucus voted to excise the general free speech/press protections from the Constitution.

Lip service is given but comes riddled with so many caveats as to make it meaningless.

[buybuydandavis]

"Again, last fall the Senate Democrat Caucus voted to excise the general free speech/press protections from the Constitution."

Just one of many obscene power grabs made by the Progressive Theocracy lately.

[Old Man With Candy]

At some point it is inherently ridiculous when you can't laugh at Neil Patrick Harris making jokes on the Academy Awards

Maybe they're just not funny.

[F. Stupidity, Jr.]

Maybe they're just not funny.

GAYCIST!!

[RussianPrimeMinister]

Neil Patric Harris is as gay as Lou Reed is dead.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Imagine fans of 'The Big Bang Theory' mandating we all have to laugh at the show.

Man. Talk about me not getting why it's so popular.

[OldMexican]

It used to be much funnier when Leonard was only dreaming about dating Penny and when Raj was unable to speak to girls. Not so much now.

Maybe it's age but I am now more of a The Middle fan than a TBBT fan, even when Patricia Heaton is 10 years older than I am yet still find her hot.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

1) I'd do Heaton
2) My wife screams with laughter watching that show. That and Modern Family.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

As banal as BBT is, I've found The Middle to be relentlessly unwatchable. Everyone on that show acts like a spastic retard, with Heaton rehashing her old Harpy Wife archetype from Everybody Loves Raymond.

[timbo]

All those shows suck.

Mainly because they are not funny.

Like Bill Burr said: We need to get rid of all this dork/nerd popularity crap. Its not funny.
He said that's what happens when you get rid of bullying; you take away their number one predator.

[RussianPrimeMinister]

He said that's what happens when you get rid of bullying; you take away their number one predator.

FUCK YOU

[timbo]

Why don't you cry about it

WIMP.

[OldMexican]

Re: Red Rocks Rockin,

with Heaton rehashing her old Harpy Wife archetype from Everybody Loves Raymond.

I've been watching re-runs of ELR lately, specifically on TV Land and The Kube. You're totally talking out of your ass. Frankie Heck has nothing to do with Debra Barone.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

You're totally talking out of your ass. Frankie Heck has nothing to do with Debra Barone.

Please. Anyone who can't see that they're the same character with a different name is spending too much time staring at her tits.

[MarkLastname]

Well, isn't that what they're there for?

[buybuydandavis]

"Man. Talk about me not getting why it's so popular."

It's basically a nerd freak show for the "normals" to point and laugh at.

It's popular because people like to point and laugh.

[MarkLastname]

I'd speculate it's more a show people watch to make themselves feel smart. Now the normal people and even the cool kids want to be 'nerds' but are terrible at math, so they watch this show and now they can feel like they're in on all the jokes.

[Free Society]

Man. Talk about me not getting why it's so popular.

It's a stupid show about smart people. More than half the population are bound to eat that shit up.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

At first it was "let's do something different - a show about scientists and engineers and how they interact in the real world!"

But naturally this now translates to "let's have a sex/relationship comedy - there's an original idea - except the male characters should be scientists and engineers!"

[alejandralilley]

I get paid over $87 per hour working from home with 2 kids at home. I never thought I'd be able to do it but my best friend earns over 10k a month doing this and she convinced me to try. The potential with this is endless. Heres what I've been doing,

------------- http://www.work-cash.com

[Win Bear]

The First Amendment is only about what Congress can't do. It doesn't say anything about what the people have to tolerate or what newspapers or TV stations have to publish. If the Academy Awards want to ban jokes that offend the PC police, they can do that. The proper response is not to watch the Academy Awards (which is a good idea anyway because they are stupid).

[MarkLastname]

I believe we are all aware of that; what is being critiqued here is the sentiment, the mentality of suppressing "offensive" speech or opposing viewpoints. People who insist that opposing viewpoints or risque jokes not be permitted in their clubs or campuses are more likely to be the same people to support censorship by law than people who can tolerate such things even in private.

Plenty of private censors are eagerly seeking the opportunity to transpose their policies onto the public sphere, so it may not be smart to just ignore them.

[Chumby]

But hate speech!?!?

[MarkLastname]

This article is wrong: clearly, it is America that is under attack from free speech. Something needs to be done about it.

[yihumoku]

Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out.
This is wha- I do...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

[wiludonuf]

Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out.
This is wha- I do...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

[yutowo]

pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out.
This is wha- I do...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

[cewiwoc]

Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out.
This is wha- I do...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

[cewiwoc]

Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out.
This is wha- I do...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

[GILMORE]

Your attempt to make a meta-comment about 'free speech' by spamming the board is noted.

[GILMORE]

Dartmouth Student = 'Free Speech Needs Fixing'

University of Chicago Student-Paper ("The Maroon"*) Editorial Board = 'Campus Speech Restrictions - Not Strict Enough'

*The term 'Maroon' - used in the Bugs Bunny sense - would likely get you crucified by these 'speech police'

[RussianPrimeMinister]

You can be brutally murdered by a cop for saying the wrong thing, nowadays. Crucifixions probably aren't too far away.

[Michael Ejercito]

Explain what is wrong with the University of Chicago restricting speech for the purpose of defending the truth.

[GILMORE]

What gave you the impression "truth" was even mentioned in their debate about whether 'tranny' is a hate-filled term that needs to be 'banned'?

[RussianPrimeMinister]

But if they ban it, how will I find my favorite po. . .I mean. . .nevermind.

[GILMORE]

Protip = "CWD" is now a handy way to browse your favorite 'chicks with dicks' material without being bashful about your search bar history.

I'm more of a PAWG person myself

[RussianPrimeMinister]

Midgets. Big titted midgets.

Not that I look at that, mind you.

But holy shit are midgets hot.

[GILMORE]

"BTM" aside....

...notable in that Epic-Retarded example @ the University of Chicago was that the context was entirely dismissed when the kerfuffle over the 'use of the term Tranny' turned into a big-fucking-deal...

...specifically - that when the aforementioned Hate Term was used? It was in the context of a discussion about LGBTQ activism, and why that term itself was 'problematic'.

It was like there was a seminar called, "Faulkner's Racism = Excessive Use of the N-Word in Southern Literature", and someone attending complained that the word 'nigger' was used.

i.e. - it wasn't directed as an insult - it wasn't a 'slur' - it wasn't even directed "at" a person. The word was simply 'uttered'. And that was enough for a student to insist that such utterances are simply beyond the scope of Decent Society, provoking the subsequent shitstorm of Speech Protection.

"Defending Truth" indeed.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Ha ha, it's Dan Savage...what's the matter, Dr. Frankenstein, your monster is turning against you?

[GILMORE]

Also, Russian...."Midgets" is not the preferred nomenclature.

"Dwarves", or Little-Americans, please.

[Private FUQ]

Explain how you need to restrict free speech to defend the truth. Will not the speaking of the truth be enough to defend the truth. Why must you restrict speech?

[Michael Ejercito]

Some institutions want to punish people who defy the truth.

[MarkLastname]

Still being sarcastic, right? Right?

[Greg F]

Some institutions want to punish people who defy the officially approved truth.

There, fixed it for you.

[GILMORE]

More =

Eric Posner, teacher at University of Chicago Law School, defends Campus Speech codes on the basis that "Students are Children, unfit for the Real World, and must be coddled and indoctrinated"

in his conclusion =

"If college students are children, then they should be protected like children. Libertarians should take heart that the market in private education offers students a diverse assortment of ideological cultures in which they can be indoctrinated. Conservatives should rejoice that moral instruction and social control have been reintroduced to the universities after a 40-year drought. Both groups should be pleased that students are kept from harm's way, and kept from doing harm, until they are ready to accept the responsibilities of adults."

Yeah, not feeling a whole of passion for "truth" there.

[GILMORE]

SF'd the link

"There is a popular, romantic notion that students receive their university education through free and open debate about the issues of the day. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Students who enter college know hardly anything at all?that's why they need an education. Classroom teachers know students won't learn anything if they blab on about their opinions. Teachers are dictators who carefully control what students say to one another. "

Progressive "Truth" of course is best when it is never challenged. Or when challenging it is a crime

[VG Zaytsev]

Students who enter college know hardly anything at all?that's why they need an education.

And we need to get all these ignorant children voting who will be our rulers - / Hillprogderp

[MarkLastname]

I assume this post is sarcastic, right?

[Beautiful Bean Footage]

*The term 'Maroon' - used in the Bugs Bunny sense - would likely get you crucified by these 'speech police'

Yeah, it probably would, given that the root world of maroon is a Spanish pejorative for an escaped slave...

[GILMORE]

Yes, I was actually thinking of its more-traditional American-use to describe "offspring of a slave" in general.

The "Was Bugs Bunny a Racist How Racist Was Bugs Bunny?"-debate has already been had, apparently. my understanding of the actual joke was that Bugs was unaware how the term "Moron" was pronounced.

it was like a post-war joke on the same level as, "YOUR A RETARDED"

[Notorious G.K.C.]

"Speech that challenges commonly held assumptions can be beneficial. Hate speech benefits no one because it seeks only to tear down, not to build up. The University needs to directly address hate speech for the good of productive discourse."

In practice, this would mean "by denying that racism explains the problems of the black community, you've been tearing down our black students, not engaged in real free speech."

[bassjoe]

I believe the current anti freedom environment on college campuses has something to do with the Millennial generation and how it was popular in the 1990s to raise your kids without ever telling them "no" and other methods to enforce the perception that everybody is "special" and able to get anything they want. It created a generation of young adults who have no concept of disappointment or being denied anything and expect the world to revolve around their subjective feelings.

[GILMORE]

4 out of 5 Rutgers Students React to Charlie Hebdo Massacre = People Should Watch What they Say

University of Iowa 'Student Senators' = Stop Defending Free Speech We Don't Want

[GILMORE]

"Students Active For Ending Rape" (SAFER! get it?) Advocate Thinks FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) is like Totally Bullshit... Because They're 'Conservatives', Duh = Also, "Objectivity"? Is a Lie

"Wikipedia has an interesting policy about "sourcing" what appears there. This isn't a problem with an easy solution, but Wikipedia insists on written sources, and personal experience doesn't count for knowledge there. It makes sense in some ways?it might help with preventing crazy people from posting whatever they feel like? but when the media is controlled by a bunch of right wingnuts and there is nothing even close to an equivalent on the side of those of us working against oppression, it guarantees that Wikipedia will mirror the biases of the media as it exists, and ultimately harm members of oppressed groups.

There's also a problematic belief in "objectivity" (the underlying old-school sexist crap about "rationality" and women makes me cringe, but that's another post) that seems to guide a lot of Wikipedia's discussion. When the ridiculous notion of the possibility of objectivity in journalism is done away with, progressives will be a whole lot better off.

[Michael Ejercito]

when the media is controlled by a bunch of right wingnuts

Is this satire?

[GILMORE]

shucks, i jacked up that link as well

A quick perusal of the author's other contributions should clarify how deep the rabbit-hole goes

[Suthenboy]

He is just defending the truth, Mike. Just defending the truth.

[GILMORE]

Of all the noted examples of "anti-free speech" editorials I've seen in the last ~7 years or so...

...they almost always originate from Student groups.

Yes, there are plenty of hysterical campuses which enforce their silly 'free speech zones' and impose codes and policies which are clearly antithetical to any idea of free speech (George Will cataloged a number of them in a 2012 piece)

...but when the institutions are criticized, they often provide a very-weak and bureaucratic defense of their own policies, asserting that they still have the highest ideals in mind, but that reality is, you know, 'more complex'.

Its almost always the Students who cross the line into full-retard, and give fire-breating denunciations of "free speech" as some kind of code-language for 'Permitting Racist-Raping-Totalitarian Oppression'.

[GILMORE]

...which i think is a bad sign.

the political-correctness craze of the 1990s was entirely driven by the institutions, while Gen X students tended to be pretty blas? and cynical about the whole affair.

This time around, it seems very much a student-driven phenomenon, and isn't going to fade away.

[bassjoe]

Millennials should be reclassified as the Me-Me-Me Generation.

[Suthenboy]

Those students didn't invent that out of thin air.

[bassjoe]

True enough. But they've taken it to a crazy extreme.

The fact that Reason seems to think the young adult generation will bring us to the Libertarian Moment (TM) is sort of shocking considering these are the people (with the help of older radical activist enablers) driving the Title IX insanity.

[Greg F]

...but when the institutions are criticized, they often provide a very-weak and bureaucratic defense of their own policies, asserting that they still have the highest ideals in mind, but that reality is, you know, 'more complex'.

'More complex' meaning they have gotten all knotted up in their own logical contradictions.

[lap83]

"It's not fun when you're walking around policing jokes all day long, it's not an attractive pose to people," continues Welch.

Honestly, I don't think that's a typical viewpoint. Freedom of speech is always under attack because most people only want it when it suits them and many of those people have some level of power over others. Sometimes you're lucky and the person in power is fairly tolerant.

[AlmightyJB]

So the question is what will gut the First Amendment for hate speech persecution. Future SCOTUS rulings or a Constitutional amendment? Because I don't see the next generation being able to handle speech they find offensive i.e. racist, homophobic, triggering, etc. I hope they prove me wrong but...

[AlmightyJB]

I don't think it would happen under the current SCOTUS.

[RussianPrimeMinister]

What about the SCROTUS?

[adolphowisner]

My dear, the next five minutes can change your life!
Give a chance to your good luck.
Read this article, please!
Move to a better life!
We make profit on the Internet since 1998! ????? http://www.jobsfish.com

[GILMORE]

Another odd *(or not) characteristic of the people most likely to be the most vehement "Speech Police"?...

...is that they are almost never the ones claiming to be 'victims' of the speech = they're standing up on *behalf* of some hypothetical group of hypersensitive 'survivors' who apparently have no ability to defend themselves.

The 'Bailey Loverin' character who was trying to impose the 'trigger warnings' at UCSB is a stereotypical example.

They never say that they themselves are the "infantilized" people who are perpetually on the verge of PTSD-breakdowns...

...but they seem to need to invent this massive invisible population of "potential victims" so that they can justify their own Crusading defense of them.

They always have this self-righteous attitude that you can never be wrong whenever you're speaking on "behalf" of "Victims". Even when a) there's no evidence that these so-called victims even exist, and b) they seem to be depriving these 'victims' of their own voice by constantly co-opting them.

[kevaze]

my Aunty Sophia just got a nearly new BMW X4 SUV just by some parttime working online with a lap-top
This is wha- I do...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

[toxapirax]

my roomate's half-sister makes $71 /hr on the computer . She has been laid off for 5 months but last month her pay was $17321 just working on the computer for a few hours
...... ?????? http://www.netjob80.com

[See Double You]

Ah, Flathead County, how I miss thee. But now your prosecutor resolves to out-California the immigrant Californians?

Flathead attracts some weird people. I remember the controversy over these twin girls who moved to Kalispell a few years back. They were a part of the white supremacist band, Prussian Blue. Never met them, but they apparently went to my middle school when I was there.

[Sevo]

Got a transcript?

[Pathogen]

The Reason magazine lunch menu for Spring/Summer 2015:
.
Friday 4/24, "Is Free Speech Under Attack in America?" Steak.
A savory porterhouse with a side of saut?ed Portobello mushrooms.
.
Sunday 6/7, "Is Free Speech Under Attack in America?" Burger.
A savory fresh (re)ground steakburger served with a topping of finely age mushrooms.
.
Sunday 7/19, "Is Free Speech Under Attack in America?" Tacos.
A savory yet finely aged taco. Jerk seasoned beef, topped with mango salsa and select mushrooms (while supplies last)
.
Sunday 8/23, "Is Free Speech Under Attack in America?" Finely textured beef.
Savory beef based dog food without mushrooms.. fuck it.. eat it or don't..

[lap83]

Will there ever be a definitive answer? Stay tuned!