Tuesday, July 07, 2020

"We Are Already Paying the Price in Greater Risk Aversion"

"This stifling atmosphere will ultimately harm the most vital causes of our time. The restriction of debate, whether by a repressive government or an intolerant society, invariably hurts those who lack power and makes everyone less capable of democratic participation. The way to defeat bad ideas is by exposure, argument, and persuasion, not by trying to silence or wish them away. We refuse any false choice between justice and freedom, which cannot exist without each other. As writers we need a culture that leaves us room for experimentation, risk taking, and even mistakes. We need to preserve the possibility of good-faith disagreement without dire professional consequences. If we won't defend the very thing on which our work depends, we shouldn't expect the public or the state to defend it for us."

Harper's Magazine runs a "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate" from a variety of writers.

Damon Linker at The Week warns against "taking control of the boundaries of debate, narrowing them to verify our tidy certainties, protecting our sacred texts, and punishing those who dare to profane them."

And Jesse Singal at Reason reacts to the reactions to the letter, as does Jeet Heer at The Nation, as does Nick Cohen at The Guardian, as does Scipio Sattler at Collide.

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