Most importantly, if people only express non-inflammatory, "acceptable" opinions, then almost inevitably there will come a point when truth is suppressed. Individuals cannot be afraid that voicing their controversial views will be prohibited, or else the status quo will be unshakeable and society will stagnate. Sometimes people don't want their views challenged. Institutions don't want to deal with the controversy that revision of sentiment entails. Governments don't want to face the challenges oppositional views create. What it comes down to, however, is that a society that inhibits freedom of expression is one that will become hopelessly dogmatic.
Canadian universities are full of intelligent and opinionated individuals from all over the world. While this fact makes them rather explosive in certain circumstances, it also renders them some of the most valuable settings on earth for productive dialogue about world issues. Preventing students from expressing their views on controversial subjects-even for the sake of avoiding destructive conflict-is a violation of student rights that we cannot permit. Even more importantly, however, it is a sure-fire way to see that the most important issues facing today's youth remain emotionally charged, volatile and unresolved.
2008 Woodie Awards
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Harry Abrams
posted 3/18/08 @ 5:28 PM EST
It's disingenuous to suggest that curtailing inflammatory hate speech only produces more.
Holocausts and ethnic violence don't begin with sticks and stones,they begin with words. (Continued…)
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