There is no doubt that as to some core First Amendment issues such as speech and association all of us are not consistent as we might like to be. Part of this is because of the people we ally with that we considered our friends . For instance if you find the issue of LGBT righat of paramount importance that it cries out to the heavens to be resolved , you might be ok with censoring a little campus speech and campus groups
On the flip side you might have certain strong feeling about sexual morality therefore you might put some blinders on as to those that wish to punish the Univ of Tennessee for Campus Sex week . Another rather horrid example is perhaps you feel so strongly about gun rights that you might support legislation that is a huge wound on the First amendment . This happened in my State of Louisiana last year.
However I do have concerns that as to these issues that both the secular left and indeed the progressive religious left is becoming much more a danger to basic First Amendment freedoms. This is more concerning because such things as " entertainment "and media are often leftward focused. So some traditional guardians of First Amendment freedoms that raise alarm bells to the public will be AWOL .
I am going to hit the progressive " social justice " religious folks issue and how they play a role in all this later in another post.
An voice of the left just brought out these concerns in two blog posts that is where worth your reading time as to what he is seeing. That is perhaps if you thought the real problem with the morality police was on the Right you might be mistaken.
See from Purdue University read Fredrik deBoer two posts is the social justice left really abandoning free speech? and an addendum on social justice and free expression .
I have to say I agree with this observations and it scares me to death .
Next I will talk the role of the religious left in all this.
Friday, March 28, 2014
A Liberal Academic Concerned " Social Justice " Left Is Threat To First Amendment and Expression
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5 comments:
Interesting pieces and thanks for the link. Clearly I wouldn't be in the same "tribe" as this PhD student at Purdue, but greatly appreciate his support for free speech and his concern that the left endangers(?) social justice when it plays the "shut down speech we hate" card. I am amazed by how many commenters basically try to deny there's a problem ("where's your evidence Freddie?" did *no one* mention FIRE?!?) - thankfully few (if I read correctly) said "this isn't a problem, we should shut down speech we deem hateful".
I was president of Cornell's pro-life group for 3 years, we almost never had any trouble. *However* a couple years later yes "pro-choice" protesters shut down a Coalition for Life event. I understand Sandra Fluke led a similar effort during her time as an undergraduate. Some of the participants were charged with misdemeanors, not found guilty. Cornell said "you guys need to hire more security at your expense". I was furious that they got away with it.
I hope to G-d I never ever treat leftists or progressives that way.
I will neither confirm nor deny that of late I have had to start biting my tongue and self-censoring both at this church and on campus. But then... theoretically that only suggests I lack courage. But I would like to keep my jobs.
I think you are so right about F.I.R.E it really does a good job of putting the issue out by looking it at what is happening on state by state basis
What disheartening to a great extent is how dependent we were on the " left " to make people take a deep breath and look at the various Expression issues. The 60' , the 70, seemed a much time that even the most committed person on the left was an advocate for the Speech and other First Amendment values. Now and I am going to get into this my " religious post " it seems certain special interest that packs committees , and writes some nice checks seem to trump that past feeling
Perhaps you'd like to talk TO the religious left before opining? Just a thought.
Verry thoughtful blog
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