Thursday, February 9, 2017

Good, Short Presentation on 'The Free Speech Wars' by Dave Rubin

Here it is.

I liked one point especially: he remarks how ridiculous it is that, today, if we happen to express our agreement with a controversial (i.e., right-wing) commentator about anything, we feel obliged to add: "I don't agree with him about everything". As Rubin asks: who agrees with anybody about everything? 

I really do think this call to arms is needed. I have little patience with anybody, in our particular historical moment, who isn't willing to confront political correctness. Please note I don't make this criticism of people who generally avoid controversy either way. That's understandable. But if you are outspoken on controversial subjects, then I think it's mere self-indulgence if you don't also defend the right to have an opinion in the first place-- and not just in the abstract, but against people who challenge it in particular instances.

As I've said several times before, one of the reasons I left Facebook was because I was so frustrated at Catholics who were willing to bash men (especially white straight men), racism (or supposed racism), sexism (or supposed sexism), Donald Trump, the religious right, gun ownership and all sorts of other soft targets, but who kept very quiet when it came to the right to life, or the Christian view of sexuality and marriage, or religious freedom-- you know, anything it's actually controversial to defend. I didn't want to get into unpleasant arguments with them, but their collaborationism appalled me and I found it difficult to keep quiet. So I removed myself from the dilemma.

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