[Fwd: THE TEARS OF THE MIGHTY]

Carrol Cox cbcox at ilstu.edu
Wed Mar 15 12:39:43 PST 2000


Doug Henwood wrote:


> Charles Brown wrote:
>
> >So , I say the political value of freedom from racism is more
> >important than the value of freedom of speech.
>
> And who will decide what qualifies as "racism," and therefore
> unprotected? You? Bill Clinton? William Rehnquist? David Duke?

I have differences with Charles over granting more power to the state -- but I do think also that in principle "No free speech for racism" is correct. Doug's question is also important-- but only in terms of a prior acceptance of the principle. There are of course ways to suppress free speech other than through formal operation of state power, and those routes should be explored. I would see no particular limit, for example, to covert actions directed at a professor who showed consistent racist practices *or* ideas.

Carrol



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