Dr. Jim's WebLog

Here are some interesting contrasts.

First, the president of Harvard (not a conservative by any stretch) raised the hypothesis that there might be biological differences behind the lack of women at the highest levels of physical and mathematical sciences. Women walked out, a firestorm erupted, and he was forced to retract.

Second, a University of Colorado professor wrote a stupid article equating the financial services workers in the World Trade Center with Adolf Eichmann of the Nazis. A conservative law school prof writes that he shouldn't be fired; he is tenured. Free speech and all. Frankly, I agree. This guy is such an obvious nutcase, or stupid, or hysterical. We're taking him way too seriously. Just widely distribute what he says, and then laugh at the poor sap.

Third, the University of Oregon forced an employee to remove a yellow ribbon magnet saying "support our troops" from University vehicles, saying it was political speech, forbidden. This one I really don't understand. Are professors at the U. of Oregon state employees? Is political speech forbidden to the faculty? I hope not; they wouldn't have much to talk about in the Poli Sci dept!

So I guess if you say something that isn't PC, there is immediate censorship by the left. Funny how they squawk when one of their own, even a wacko who may have fraudulently made up his Cherokee "ancestry" might be held to account.

I am in favor of the First Amendment.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or 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. [note: nobody has the right to "not have their feelings hurt." Look it up. There is no such amendment in the Bill of Rights.]

That means all of us. If it were up to me, I'd protect all speech, but since I was in college in 1972, I've known that conservative speech is less protected. The chickens are coming home to roost, lefties. You're not going to get much sympathy any more, now that we know that your opinion is that free speech is only OK if it doesn't hurt anybody's feelings. Well, Churchill hurt someone's feelings and he's feeling the heat. It's a sad day, following many sad years. I hope we come back.