23-01-2015, 09:55 PM
Albert Doyle Wrote:Just as a theoretical point, if McAdams had told a student that JFK conspiracy theory would not be tolerated in his class or any discussion of its philosophical legitimacy because it was disruptive and part of irrational thinking (homophobia) and that he as a teacher had a right to control his classroom, and there was a member of this board attending his class who took him to task on it along with another teacher and created an ethical controversy, just like what we do on these boards, how would that figure in the greater picture of things?
I have issues with "hate speech". Hate speech is a very ambiguous term that can be used very loosely and in favor of those who want to manipulate it. Some people's angry protest over the Lone Nutters at the Education Forum was labeled a kind of disruptive hate speech and its users were banned. In my opinion, those who endorse the hate speech standard are not being mindful that persons like Sunstein are working in that direction to label things like conspiracy exposure a one word violation that doesn't need detailing and can be used to censor whole forms of opinion. Seeing how things have been working out lately you can assume the government will have the total say on which type of speech is prohibited, as Sunstein intends. We live in a time where it is very important to protect all person's free speech rights. The best example of a hate speech-tamed public is the present day American public that doesn't question its government or the Kennedy Assassination. It's a tempting tool to reach out and grab but once used costs more than it's worth.
Yes, as I said on another thread, I'm a free speech extremist. The only way to deal with ideas you don't like is to respond to them with more vigorous debate. In my ideal world, anyway. In the real world, the lone nutters are such incredible time-wasters, so I can understand why they aren't allowed on DP.