[lbo-talk] Re: "Freedom" of fascist speech is an absurdity

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Tue Feb 7 08:18:40 PST 2006


Carrol Cox wrote:


>Free speech _means_ no state interference. It has no other meaning. Do
>not use it in any other sense because if you do you will cause
>confusion.

Since you seem to have unique possession of the Dictionary of Clear Thought and Speech, could you look this one up for me: what if a gang of fascist thugs tries to prevent, say, a black Leninist lawyer from Detroit from speaking by shouting him down? Should the cops intervene to allow him to speak? If they did, would that be state interference in the freedom of fascists to shout? If they didn't, is that state inaction interfering with freedom of speech?

Yours truly,

Confused in NYC



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