When I began following free speech controversies, I was a First Amendment absolutist. Now I’m something less comfortable. I still think free speech is a good idea, certainly better than alternatives I’ve come across, but I’ve learned that everyone has a line that can’t be crossed, a word that sticks in the craw, an image that feels like a kick to the gut. The First Amendment, bless its little heart, always eventually lets us down (self-protection is innate, tolerance an acquired taste), so how can I not be bothered by its limitations?

This is a running log of arguments over free speech – some silly, some funny, some hard -- because free speech is all about argument. Being able to speak our mind makes us feel good and it's essential to real democracy and fairness. Yet, in the end, one of the best reasons to keep our speech rights intact is that we miss them when they’re gone.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Would that we could legislate niceness

Hell, we can't even legislate legislation.  I suppose one response is to learn to suck it up, but parents, teachers & kids (bullied & bullies alike) have been dealing with meanness forever and probably have some better ideas up their sleeves for limiting or counteracting it.  Yeah, YouTube, Facebook and the like make nastiness more efficient, but not really all that different.  Anyone besides me remember slam books?