Comments on: Still Want To Be Just Like Europe?

By: Quilly Mammoth

Quilly Mammoth — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:09:12 +0000

Why do the sounds “clip clop., clip clop” come to my mind when yuri posts a comment?

By: martian

martian — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:53:37 +0000

Yuri, it’s interesting that you choose, as an example of the administration denying someone the right of free speech, an incident where the subject, Pres. Ahm-a-doofey-jerk, was not only NOT denied free speech but when it would have been simple to deny him entry into the US, the administration even refrained from that. Further, you cite the “mayhem that broke loose when Ahmedinijad was allowed to speak at Columbia last year” and the coverage of the incident on FOX News as an example of denying him free speech when it was really an example of “The solution for political speech you do not like is more political speech” to which, in your first post, you said “amen, very well said”. In short, you still have not provided a single instance in which the current administration denied anyone the right to free speech either here in America or in our nation’s foreign policy. I love the way you liberals constantly make accusations against Pres. Bush and his administration but when pressed for examples you obfuscate and try to twist facts to make them fit your accusations. It’s often fun to watch you twisting and turning to try and prove your point.

By: Bleepless

Bleepless — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:48:27 +0000

The only silencing these days comes from Yuri’s thug pals, abetted by cowards and hypocrites. Take a look at the antics of the ironically-named Antifa, devoted to suppressing the peaceful expression of pro-democracy views.

By: Rich Horton

Rich Horton — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:41:06 +0000

Yuri, I’m perfectly willing to confront examples of those on the right denying others access to the venues of free speech. I’m sure they are out there (hypocrites abound on all sides), but, in this day and age, the heckler’s veto is generally a tool of the left. Yes, Conservatives were not happy about the invite to Ahmedinijad, but that was patially a result of the university denying the right to speak to Conservative speakers (as Mwalimu correctly noted). The founder of the Minutemen? “Strictly forbidden.” Notorious anti-Semite? “Have a seat and tell us your views, please.” The complaint was more that BOTH should have been allowed to speak. (That, and is Columbia University really the appropriate venue for holocaust denial talk? Free speech must allow for the criticism of Columbia on this matter.)

Now, I’m less sanguine about the efficacy of using, for example, Mill’s ideas of free inquiry as a model for international relations. (Which you seem to be intimating by your Iraq war reference.) Yes, as Churchill said “jaw, jaw is better than war, war,” but the whole point of free speech, again in Mill’s conception, is the ability to influence individuals through a marketplace of ideas. We might try to appeal to the greater mass of the Iranian people (for example), but fundamentally the Iranian people do not rule. Theocracies are not interested in free and open discourse as they are already in possesion of all the “truth” that they need. As a result I dont think a “free speech paradigm” will suffice in that context.

By: Mwalimu Daudi

Mwalimu Daudi — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:40:47 +0000

Interesting that when yuri was pressed for an example of the Bush Administration silencing its critics, all that he could come up with was a vague accusation about the Iraq War (no names and places – just an accusation) and the fact that sometimes Fox’s coverage of university presidents is less than hagiographical.

I guess that in academic circles failing to worship university presidents is almost as heinous a crime as criticizing the Messiah. Tells you all we need to know about life under the coming Obama junta.

By: Mwalimu Daudi

Mwalimu Daudi — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:19:38 +0000

Listening to yuri one would think that Columbia’s President and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were immediately carted off to Area 51 of Gitmo by the Bush Administration for violating the Patriot Act. Except of course that the little monster from Iran got to have his say – and received wild applause from many in the audience. And Columbia Lee C. Bollinger continues his policy of only supporting speech that he agrees with (remember how the brownshirts at Columbia threatened the leader of the Minutemen and managed to deny him the right to speak? Did Bollinger do anything?).

But what do you expect from an academic like yuri who has segregated himself in his ivory tower?

By: yuri

yuri — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:19:29 +0000

ahhhh, can’t resist.
Remember mayhem that broke loose when Ahmedinijad was allowed to speak at Columbia last year?
Listening to FOX news one could think that the University’s president is personally responsible for the Holocaust and 9/11 …

By: yuri

yuri — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:16:17 +0000

oh, dear, where do I start?
But I’ll limit myself with Iraq, and not even go into the domestic policy

By: syn

syn — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:00:28 +0000

“Attempting to silence those you disagree with politically by shouting them down or denying them access to the traditional arenas of public discourse signals the death knell for any Democracy worthy of the name.”

Yuri, please offer an example in which the current administration has silenced anyone, anywhere?

Just one.

That’s all.

By: yuri

yuri — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:34:22 +0000

“The solution for political speech you do not like is more political speech, and not the adopting of a morally self-righteous attitude that justifies intimidation and violence.”

amen, very well said.
Too bad current administration doesn’t practice this in the US foreign policy…