COUNTERPOINT - Political Correction
Adrian Brown (OC), Contributing Writer
Issue date: 1/22/07 Section: Viewpoints
Robin was right to confront the speaker and challenge his views but is fundamentally wrong to conclude that people should keep their views to themselves. It is only by exposing prejudice and confronting it publicly that ideas can be properly debated. This is what any open, tolerant society should be aiming for.
Freedom of speech is even more important in today's divided world where fundamentalism can preach hatred and intolerance. We need to be talking more not less. Last week Newt Gingrich suggested that we need to "break up [terrorists'] capacity to use free speech" and to have a "serious debate about the first amendment." Newt's logic is the same as Robin's and equally flawed. Pushing views out of sight because they are unattractive will do nothing to solve the thinking behind those views and may make the ideas all the more dangerous. As people who hope to be future leaders in the world we have a responsibility to use our talents to engage in the battle of ideas rather than silencing those with whom we disagree.
Freedom of speech is even more important in today's divided world where fundamentalism can preach hatred and intolerance. We need to be talking more not less. Last week Newt Gingrich suggested that we need to "break up [terrorists'] capacity to use free speech" and to have a "serious debate about the first amendment." Newt's logic is the same as Robin's and equally flawed. Pushing views out of sight because they are unattractive will do nothing to solve the thinking behind those views and may make the ideas all the more dangerous. As people who hope to be future leaders in the world we have a responsibility to use our talents to engage in the battle of ideas rather than silencing those with whom we disagree.
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