I get why the students are upset, and I also get why the right wing cannot abide the student resistance to her. Both positions seem “somewhat” reasonable, or at least both sides have their reasons. But inclusiveness that promotes hate speech is ill advised, and that’s the kind of speech Coulter specializes in.
The students are holding themselves to a standard that says free speech in this case is less important than resisting hate speech. That’s a slippery slope, of course, but I get it. Those who revel in Coulter’s filth are hateful and like to shovel that hate out into the public conversation. If you think gays are evil, women’s rights don’t matter, war is better than peace, Rich is better than poor. Coulter is for you. And if you believe empathy and evidence are irrelevant—then Coulter is your kind of speaker.
There are many cases where free speech is toxic. Our mentally ill “president” is a great example. His lying, exaggeration, and demagoguery during the campaign were breathtakingly toxic.
When the right wing says I have to listen to them, be open-minded, and consider all the sides to issues, I do try to do,just that. But when I discover they spread outright lies and ill-founded nonsense, then my receptivity diminishes to the vanishing point. Academia has lots of problems, to be sure. But in the main it is a vital, essential part of the civilizing influence of evidence-based thinking. Ask yourself: Why is America’s elite higher education so treasured all around the world?
Coulter is toxic to evidence-based discourse, which is what academia is all about (or should be all about). Coulter should be allowed to speak, and the students allowed to protest.
If you tolerate intolerance, tolerance is not what you get. Philosophy and politics are not the only places where classical logic is insufficient. Consider, for instance, “This statement is false.”
Looks like if you don’t listen to the right they will have a temper tantrum. Free speech is only for the right wing. Left wing can sit down and shut up.
Gypsy8 about 7 years ago
The students didn’t want their money wasted on a demagogue.
twclix about 7 years ago
I get why the students are upset, and I also get why the right wing cannot abide the student resistance to her. Both positions seem “somewhat” reasonable, or at least both sides have their reasons. But inclusiveness that promotes hate speech is ill advised, and that’s the kind of speech Coulter specializes in.
The students are holding themselves to a standard that says free speech in this case is less important than resisting hate speech. That’s a slippery slope, of course, but I get it. Those who revel in Coulter’s filth are hateful and like to shovel that hate out into the public conversation. If you think gays are evil, women’s rights don’t matter, war is better than peace, Rich is better than poor. Coulter is for you. And if you believe empathy and evidence are irrelevant—then Coulter is your kind of speaker.
There are many cases where free speech is toxic. Our mentally ill “president” is a great example. His lying, exaggeration, and demagoguery during the campaign were breathtakingly toxic.
When the right wing says I have to listen to them, be open-minded, and consider all the sides to issues, I do try to do,just that. But when I discover they spread outright lies and ill-founded nonsense, then my receptivity diminishes to the vanishing point. Academia has lots of problems, to be sure. But in the main it is a vital, essential part of the civilizing influence of evidence-based thinking. Ask yourself: Why is America’s elite higher education so treasured all around the world?
Coulter is toxic to evidence-based discourse, which is what academia is all about (or should be all about). Coulter should be allowed to speak, and the students allowed to protest.
gammaguy about 7 years ago
If you tolerate intolerance, tolerance is not what you get. Philosophy and politics are not the only places where classical logic is insufficient. Consider, for instance, “This statement is false.”
Alfkowitz about 7 years ago
The left is once again proving that they are a bunch of violent psychopaths.
Mr. Blawt about 7 years ago
Looks like if you don’t listen to the right they will have a temper tantrum. Free speech is only for the right wing. Left wing can sit down and shut up.
DrDon1 about 7 years ago
@BILLW101 — Once again you show ignorance of just who started, fought, and won the American War of Independence!