The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) recently issued a statement about what is and is not protected free speech as part of protests. I reprint it here in full (after receiving permission). FIRE’s Statement: Introduction Yesterday, FIRE released the below statement regarding the protests spreading across America’s campuses. We are aware that things developed overnight and are continuing to develop in real time and, as always, our team is monitoring the situation closely.
“This is an extraordinarily difficult moment for students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and the public. “
No it is NOT. This is very simple. Stop being self-centered and respect the rights of others. You may be upset but you never have the right to infringe upon others. Get over yourself. It really is that simple.
When you decide to put boundaries on freedom of speech, you start falling in a slippery slope leading to tyranny. Who decides what the boundaries are? Who enforces them? Who interprets them at will?
Of course, physical violence is not acceptable but the concept of violence has been weaponized to even consider verbal violence to tell a person that he has a psychological disorder and needs healing. So verbal violence is another slippery slope against freedom.
We need to focus on freedom of reach instead!
No Free Speech without Reach. We need a #FreeReach law urgently!
“This is an extraordinarily difficult moment for students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and the public. “
No it is NOT. This is very simple. Stop being self-centered and respect the rights of others. You may be upset but you never have the right to infringe upon others. Get over yourself. It really is that simple.
When you decide to put boundaries on freedom of speech, you start falling in a slippery slope leading to tyranny. Who decides what the boundaries are? Who enforces them? Who interprets them at will?
Of course, physical violence is not acceptable but the concept of violence has been weaponized to even consider verbal violence to tell a person that he has a psychological disorder and needs healing. So verbal violence is another slippery slope against freedom.
We need to focus on freedom of reach instead!
No Free Speech without Reach. We need a #FreeReach law urgently!
http://scientificprogress.substack.com/p/no-free-speech-without-reach