Freedom Folks

Thursday, October 05, 2006

A Liberal Perspective On Free Speech

MJ just posted on the Gilchrist/Columbia denial of free speech story.  I was browsing Memeorandum and this story was listed and a couple of liberal blogs were linked along with some wacky comments found at conservative blogs.

Shhh, let's listen in...

The Booman Tribune starts us off with a nice denial...
The right-wing New York Sun reports that vicious crazed liberal, black, hispanic, socialists from Columbia University stormed the stage and attacked the Minuteman founder, Jim Gilchrist, and his sidekick. You can judge for yourself whether they attakced them.
Then they stand in solid support of denying free speech...
If they had actually attacked the speakers that would not be funny or acceptable. In reality, they just heckled the warm-up guy before shutting down the joint when the racist took the stage. Of course, the College Republicans are disappointed.
And now from the comments...
actually I thought I also heard them chant "Racist Nazi go away." aka conservative Republican. I like that. (This comment was left by... americanforliberty, uh-huh, yeah, no sense of irony whatsoever)

I have little patience for people who get their kicks off of hunting human beings. It's about time the vigilantes received some vocal opposition. Cue the media outrage against liberals in 3...2...1.

Hell fuckin' yeah. Good to see that political activism is alive at another Ivy League campus.
This was found in comments at QandO...
This speech took place at Columbia University. A private university. The First Amendment does not apply to private actors, whether they be the university itself or the students at the university.
This was found under the video at Youtube...
Racism is Rampant in this country. The slurs in theses comments show that. It was shameful that in this atmosphere of intolerance that Columbia Universtity would give a platform to these bigots. The actions taken by the students and protestors were not just appropriate but inspiring. A victory for all those who oppose racism and want full equality for all people on this planet. Si Se Puede!

you all suck, because this is awesome. there's like five people who aren't protesting LOVE IT

Long live the spirit of '68!

they shoulda stabbed the minuteKLAN member while they had the chance.

i am very pround of the company i keep becaue i know that liberal interests do not lie in genocide, fascism, and greed. this protest is nothing other than a bunch of kids who had the balls to protest something they did not believe in in an extraordinary way. free speech is not the issue. this man gets plenty of support and attention from the american people, as is evident from the sick amount of people who think that allowing mexicans to immigrate is wrong.

they stand at the border with machine guns in their hands...hello?

should have killed the KKK guy
This from comments at USS Neverdock...
Is Fidel Castro able to speak freely in America? Nope. So there is no free speech.
From The Unapologetic Mexican...
JIM GILCHRIST AND HIS TRAVELING SHOW OF HATE didn't count on the spirit and corazón of New York City students at Columbia University
From his comments...
Thanks for the video and yeah, it was wildly energizing. This feels like students are getting somewhere, they protest and protest however the media at times is more interested in protecting the status quo instead of reporting the reality of the discontent.

I will share this video with some of my students, they need to see this too.
And...
I would paraphrase Orwell and say that if there is any hope, it lies in the young. The proles, while they outnumber the elite, are tired, sad, and no longer believe in their own ability to affect change. The young were made for it. It is what they are here for while young. It is why their idealism and energy outweighs their practicality.

It makes me happy to know that you and others are in contact with them in a capacity to help support this.
From Gawker...
Minuteman Event at Columbia Ruined by Brown People
in comments...
This reminds me of when the leader of the Klan came to NY to stage a "rally". These rednecks just don't fucking get it. So when and where are Southerners planning the next anti-gay rally? During Gay Pride week in the W. Village?
From Indymedia....
you rock my fuckin world. this is awesome. a good example for everyone else to follow when racist psychos show up to speak in your town.

FUCK YEAH! Tear these minutemen up. I'm from the southwest and i went face to face with gilchrist and his cronies innumerably. He's a dirtbag that is using anyone he can to push his views of xenophobia through. This is not free speech, its hate speech smothered in good ol fashioned liberalism. Dialogue and debate are appropriate when meaningful dialogue and debate can be had (ie, in a loving relationship when the relations are more important than the subjects). Dialogue and debate cannot be had in an abusive relationship when the subjects are more important than maintaining the relation.

1968 Baby!!!!!

You can stop the ruse. New Yorkers know what the Minutemen are. They are not sensible voices in the immigration debate. The Minutemen group is a racist organization with known white supremacist hate group ties. The Minutemen make a name for themselves through slurring Mexicans and immigrants who build this country. It is a disgrace for Columbia University to allow this known racist group to speak on campus. Racism and hate speech should be combated by any means necessary when it pops its ugly head.
I will post more later. Food for thought.

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