Jonathan is "height" not "hate", but I'm old and never tire of the irony -- he is a brilliant scientist that so far just refuses to knuckle under to the rule of "The Party" (TP-D), and thus just keeps stating the obvious very well. He closes with this:
As I continue to point out, "progressive" is actually "regressive" ... unlimited government, restrictive speech, fundamentalist shunning of people you disagree with, etc are not "new" in any way at all ... they are very very old. Traditional liberalism and free market capitalism are still "new" (since like 1700), and they are like your house. Without constant attention, they fall aparty. (see "Suicide of the West").
The conflation of words with violence is not a new or progressive idea invented on college campuses in the last two years. It is an ancient and regressive idea. Americans should all be troubled that it is becoming popular again—especially on college campuses, where it least belongs.
As there is now a relative avalanche of books and articles are pointing out, "progressives" have led us to a very bad place of moral confusion, loss of meaning, broken families, addiction, suicide, and yes ... as this article covers, the certain threat of violence and even some early "shots fired" on our campuses ... the place that ought to MOST respect complete freedom of speech!
The right to provoke, offend, and shock lies at the core of the First Amendment. This is particularly so on college campuses. Intellectual advancement has traditionally progressed through discord and dissent, as a diversity of views ensures that ideas survive because they are correct, not because they are popular. Colleges and universities—sheltered from the currents of popular opinion by tradition, geography, tenure and monetary endowments—have historically fostered that exchange. But that role in our society will not survive if certain points of view may be declared beyond the pale.As is made clear in "God and Man at Yale" and "The Closing of the American Mind", the left was all for "freedom of speech" as long as it was anti-American typically pro-Communist left wing speech. Back then, they were in the minority, and certainly not in control of any national political party like TP. That has changed now, so their temporary allegiance to "free speech" is over ... the only left wing "value" is POWER ... all others are just tools!
The article is well worth the (short) read -- as nearly anything by Haidt seems to be.
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