There Is No Such Thing as "Free" Speech (was RE: [Fwd: THE TEARS OF THE MIGHTY])

[Jim heartfield]

In message <v03130300b4f60c527f21@[140.254.112.90]>, Yoshie Furuhashi
<furuhashi.1 at osu.edu> writes
>No *individual* can *alone* decide what racism is, however powerful he may
>be.  How much concrete freedom -- including freedom of speech & freedom
>from racism -- we may enjoy gets *politically* decided by the balance of
>class and other powers.  

But if there are already restrictions on what can and cannot be tested
in this political decision-making, then those whose views are at odds
with the status quo will be prevented from arguing for them.

LM, for example, is now unable to challenge the conventional
interpretation of the Bosnian war, under threat of imprisonment for
contempt of court.

Saying 'that's the balance of forces that exists' is just a way of
avoiding the problem.

-- 
Jim heartfield