The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #85532   Message #1585506
Posted By: frogprince
18-Oct-05 - 02:50 PM
Thread Name: BS: Freedom of speech- Unless we disagree
Subject: RE: BS: Freedom of speech- Unless we disagree
Freedom of speech also includes freedom not to listen to speech
Which is close to the heart of why I struggle with the Skokie decision: should freedom not to listen have to consist in barricading yourself inside your house with heavy ear plugs? How do you ask a Jewish person to "just ignore" speech which is deliberately meant to threaten his welfare, even his life, and that of his loved ones? More power, certainly, to those who can drain away the power of hatemongers by walking by them as if they don't exist; but that is a remarkable thing to ask of anyone in a position such as a Jew confronted with active nazism.

And, all the time, so much of me is saying "Let the filthy motherf**kers have their march; it really may be by far the lesser of the possible evils."