Don’t persecute

others’ viewpoints
“… Nazis, the Klan and others … deserve no First Amendment protection that we rightfully give to more constructive speech,” wrote Pat Payne in the April 16 Emerald (“Absurdity about the ‘n’ word”). Apparently Mr. Payne thinks that some speech is so offensive that it should not be legal. And while the speech of neo-Nazis and the KKK might be extremely distasteful, a free society must defend its right to say it. Once we begin picking and choosing who deserves the right to speak their mind, we begin heading down the slippery slope toward totalitarianism.
If we say neo-Nazis don’t deserve First Amendment protection, then what about anarchists? Socialists? Environmentalists? It is not our job, nor should it be, to determine the social acceptability of someone’s viewpoint. Many great scientists, theologians and innovators have been burned at the stake because their viewpoints were deemed “unacceptable.” It is critical to an enlightened society that everyone be exposed to a wide range of new ideas and opinions, so as to accept the most rational, and reject the most irrational.
Many great ideas in history have come from unlikely or minority sources. Galileo was imprisoned for offending the dominant sensibilities of his time, even though he was right. I am not suggesting that neo-Nazis are right, but no one deserves to be persecuted for their views. It is essential, in an enlightened society, that all voices feel free to speak their minds without fear.

Chuck Slothower

freshman

pre-journalism