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A specter is haunting Western democracies:
It isn’t the surging pandemic
It isn’t mass death
It isn’t catastrophic unemployment
It is the supposed end of free speech and the advent of “cancel culture” https://trib.al/QxaMTjk
It isn’t the surging pandemicIt isn’t mass deathIt isn’t catastrophic unemploymentIt is the supposed end of free speech and the advent of “cancel culture” https://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Trump defined the new menace – “cancel culture” – to civilization in his speech at Mount Rushmore.
He claimed that far-left fascists were “driving people from their jobs, shaming dissenters and demanding total submission from anyone who disagrees” http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
He claimed that far-left fascists were “driving people from their jobs, shaming dissenters and demanding total submission from anyone who disagrees” http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Days later, a group of well-known writers including Salman Rushdie and J.K. Rowling published an open letter in Harper’s magazine.
They, too, agreed that the forces of “illiberalism” were rampant on the left as well as the right http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
They, too, agreed that the forces of “illiberalism” were rampant on the left as well as the right http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Given the bizarre timing and nature of the complaint, it does not feel rude to ask: “What are they on about?” http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
In the 1990s, Black writers were hard to find and there were hardly any voices from India.
One or two writers were tasked with articulating the experiences of whole continents (as in the New York Times’ praise for Rushdie: “a continent finding its voice”) http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
One or two writers were tasked with articulating the experiences of whole continents (as in the New York Times’ praise for Rushdie: “a continent finding its voice”) http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Today, conservative as well as liberal and left-wing outlets feature a multiplicity of opinion and analysis.
Much more variety is still needed — human experience is always growing — and many publishers are sincerely trying to achieve it http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Much more variety is still needed — human experience is always growing — and many publishers are sincerely trying to achieve it http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Given this progress, the picture that Trump and highly prominent writers draw of narrowed and darkened intellectual horizons seems wholly unrecognizable, even paranoid http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Could it be that increasingly diverse voices and rich conversations are a threat to their free speech — or more accurately, the prerogative of famous and powerful people to speak at length on all sorts of things without interruption or disagreement? http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
J.K. Rowling seems intent on tweeting her disapproval of transgender people.
Certainly, a closer examination of the critics of cancel culture confirms the suspicion that many of these self-appointed defenders of free speech prefer monologue over dialogue http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Certainly, a closer examination of the critics of cancel culture confirms the suspicion that many of these self-appointed defenders of free speech prefer monologue over dialogue http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Trump, who routinely advocates sackings and boycotts of his detractors, is the world’s leading exponent of the very thing he attacks.
But commitment to liberal values is also not widely upheld among the anti-Trump signatories of the Harper’s letter http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
But commitment to liberal values is also not widely upheld among the anti-Trump signatories of the Harper’s letter http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
The letter includes writers, professors, journalists and novelists who have:
Campaigned against academics
Outlined “permissible” forms of torture
Championed the illegal war on Iraq
Proposed a “Muslim ban”
http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Campaigned against academicsOutlined “permissible” forms of tortureChampioned the illegal war on IraqProposed a “Muslim ban” http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
Trump might be voted out in November.
But the writers, journalists and academics guilty of cruel blunders and terrible misjudgments will remain as entrenched as ever http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
But the writers, journalists and academics guilty of cruel blunders and terrible misjudgments will remain as entrenched as ever http://trib.al/QxaMTjk
