"Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society against the onslaught of the intolerant, then the tolerant will be destoryed, and tolerance with them. ...We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant. We should claim that any movement preaching intolerance places itself outside the law, and we should consider incitement to intolerance and persecution as criminal, in the same was as we should consider incitement tomurder, or to kidnapping, or to the revival of the slave trade, as criminal." - Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies.
From American Fascists, The Christian Right and the War on America, Chris Hedges
3 comments:
What a long-winded way of getting to the point: that those who preach hatred should be charged. The preachings of the Christian Fascists most certainly falls outside of the scope of freedom of speech. I'd call it indoctrination.
Have you seen the documentary "Jesus Camp"?
People are finding all sorts of excuses to restrict freedom of expression. Strangely it's mostly coming from the political left, especially in universities with their speech codes.
"We tolerate everthing but intolerance" doesn't work. Who is to decide what is intolerance? Is opposition to abortion or same-sex marriage intolerance? How about opposition to affirmative action? Only the most arrogant believe they have all of the political answers.
The proper response to speech you don't like is more speech, not restricting people's basic freedom of expression. That's the action of a tyrrant.
Adrain MacNair:
Holy Cow, are you saying that preaching fundamental Christianity is hate speech? Rather than debate these people, you would end the argument with the point of a gun?
Tolerance - I don't think that word means what you think it means.
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