The Academic View of Freedom of Speech

Submitted by Ted Jonas (United States), Dec 28, 2002 at 16:44

Dear Dr. Pipes:

Like a lot of liberals ("progressives") your debating partners seem to believe that what they view as freedom of speech should also be freedom from criticism. They are welcome to continue their screed (their word for your rather restrained reaction to their idiocy) but there is nothing in the first amendment that prevents you, me or others from inviting attention to their nonsense.

Indeed, this liberal exposition of their special "rights" goes on all the time. When there was objection to federal funding of some absurd art projects, the artists in question could not seem to distinguish between the "right" to paint or write with my right not to pay for it through my tax dollars.

Where is the opposition on the elite campuses? I recently read that when Condoleeza Rice was appointed Provost of Stanford University, the objection was not to youth, race or lack of management experience. It was simply that it had become known that she was a Republican!

Keep shining the light on these folks who would like to remain obscurely buried in their liberal burrows on campus.

Ted Jonas

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