[Peace-discuss] Re: Hate speech

[Tom Mackaman]

Thanks to those who have complimented my letter to the editor.  I'm under the impression it will run.
  
  Carl, I don't think I "cast aside" the question of free speech.  I  said it was a red herring, as there is no question of state censorship  involved here.   For the record, I would not support efforts to  fire or blackball editors.  I would support efforts to condemn and  expose them.  The former tactic appeals to the powers that be for  redress; the latter attempts to mobilize from the ground up for change.
  
  Attending today's rally, organized by the Muslim Student Association, I  and others had to suffer through two representatives of the Orange and  Blue Observer pushing forward the struggle for "free speech" by  shouting out crude remarks about the Muslim prophet in an attempt to silence  speakers.  
  
  The World Socialist Web Site has once again distinguished itself with  its coverage on this question.  Barry Grey, though using the same  phrase I did, puts it much better when he writes (and I suggest reading  the whole article, which really gets to the bottom of the context in  Denmark):
  
  "In point of fact, the entire hue and cry about “free speech” is a red herring,   aimed at concealing the deeply anti-democratic character of the cartoons and the   political forces behind them. There has been no attempt to censor any of the   publications in Europe or the US that have printed the cartoons, nor does the   denunciation of them as a political provocation imply support for censorship—no   more than would the denunciation of racist anti-African-American cartoons or   anti-Semitic caricatures."  http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/feb2006/cart-f15.shtml
  
  Best,
  Tom
  
  
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