Answering censorship from Left and Right
The fundy family group Promise Keepers wants to rent the Razorback stadium in Fayetteville, Arkensas, and the enlightened humans on campus want them to JUST SHUT THE HELL UP AND GO AWAY. As always, the urge to silence those who disagree with you is universal, and as usual, Ed at Dispatches from the Culture Wars has a wonderful answer:
“I say the same thing to these whiners that I say to the moral majority types who complain of immoral movies or books – don’t read them. Don’t see them. Turn the channel. Argue with them, show them up, prove them wrong. But don’t try and shut them up. Because if you give to the government the power to shut up those you oppose, you’re also giving them the power to shut you up too. Let all ideas remain free so long as reason is free to combat them, said Jefferson, and he was right.”
-Ed, Dispatches from the culture wars
Ed’s entire post is definitely worth a look-see.
UPDATE: Also see his following post:
Why the First Amendment is uniquely important.