I was extremely concerned about our US representatives' YES vote on HR6090 "Antisemitism Awareness Act” (https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6090) and the move toward censorship. One must be allowed to speak truthful thoughts and facts without restriction. Remember:
• First Amendment: Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances (https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/)
Illegal BEHAVIOR -- not thoughts or words – must be stopped. But certain speech cannot be made illegal while other speech is allowed. The Overton Window is like a saloon door: it swings back and forth depending on the cause of the day.
Odious speech must never be a "special" crime. People can:
1. Ignore odious speech.
2. Convince others their words are wrong, impolite, and hurtful.
3. Follow the Golden Rule.
Odious speech should be allowed unless it imminently threatens person or property. Criminalizing odious speech is wrong.
Excellent podcast, Brian! Spot on in every way.
I was extremely concerned about our US representatives' YES vote on HR6090 "Antisemitism Awareness Act” (https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6090) and the move toward censorship. One must be allowed to speak truthful thoughts and facts without restriction. Remember:
• First Amendment: Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances (https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/)
• I Disapprove of What You Say, But I Will Defend to the Death Your Right to Say It (https://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/06/01/defend-say/)
• Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words shall never hurt me (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticks_and_Stones)
Illegal BEHAVIOR -- not thoughts or words – must be stopped. But certain speech cannot be made illegal while other speech is allowed. The Overton Window is like a saloon door: it swings back and forth depending on the cause of the day.
Odious speech must never be a "special" crime. People can:
1. Ignore odious speech.
2. Convince others their words are wrong, impolite, and hurtful.
3. Follow the Golden Rule.
Odious speech should be allowed unless it imminently threatens person or property. Criminalizing odious speech is wrong.
Ask Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and Australia how "hate speech" laws evolved into abominations such as Scotland's Hate Crime and Public Order Bill (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2021/14/contents).
Ask Germany how fast the Nazis eroded constitutionally guaranteed free speech rights in the 1930s (https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-propaganda-and-censorship).
It starts "innocently" but quickly morphs into something much uglier. Do we really want this for America? We must be careful what we wish for!