So now it is a matter of freedom of speech if you let racist or homophobic people come to your university. I believe in free speech and my children all regularly tell me their opinions. But when I think they are being offensive to me or someone else in the family I take that privilege away.
What the alt right needs to understand is that as far as I am concerned they are in no way part of the solution. As a white man let me say they are the worse defenders of white rights. Their opinions are gauged to ignite anger or upset feelings not to engage in legitimate debate. So they can talk wherever they can get a platform. But I am under no obligation to provide them a platform. Neither do any television networks have that obligation. Their platforms are Bob Jones University and talk radio. They have no inherent right to speak at Public schools. If someone wants to promote an ideology associated with pedophilia or genocide are we obligated to let them hold forth as if they have a legitimate authority on anything because of some fanciful notion of freedom of speech. Too often we use our privileges to allow platforms that are harmful to the good of the general public. And yes with my family and groups I work with I have the right to make the judgment if I want to bombard them with nonsense. If I allow a Richard Spencer, a Neo Nazi< to speak at my children’s school I have given him some legitimacy. I much rather legitimize the poor, immigrant, black lives matter and other outcast groups that are seldom given platforms. I only have so much legitimacy to spread around. I should choose carefully who I sponsor. Besides that the age of the internet allows even bozos like myself to expound on whatever I want. It is up to me to create my huge following. If I cannot? A pox on all of your head but I am not expecting the Christian Broadcasting Network to give me equal time and even my alma mater Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is not obligated. And you know I do not feign surprise or cry about my freedom of speech is being abused when I am not allowed these platforms. It is a pox on them not the constitution. But you might say a conservative or liberal campus group has asked them to come. If the person is more provocateur than educator why give them to opportunity to speak at an educational institution. I listen almost daily to Talk radio. And believe me I would not provide them any platform to speak. Well what about having all views represented at a debate. No thank-you. A debate is usually won by the person who can hold forth the most forcefully not the one who is necessarily right. In debates a person can bring out some statistic or historical event and lie about the facts. One debate lets them create with their false statistics a narrative that is slanted in their favor. And you know the statistics are wrong but you cannot prove it on the spot. Although with smart phones we are a step closer to that. That is why everyone does not get a seat at the table. Some people are too good of yellers and able to speak without a breath and make up shit faster than others as they go along. This is not a serious debate but an entertainment of personality. It is not about freedom of speech. It is about encouraging speech that is as Paul of the Bible not Beatles said ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.’ Life is short. Why not spend our time on the good stuff. You see I listen daily to the other side through talk radio and watch Fox occasionally. They have created a platform for conservative ‘thought’. The racists and homophobes are big boys and girls I do not have to choose to listen to their ramblings as I might my child to help build their self-esteem or do i.
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