Harper's Letter on Justice and Open Debate

[HisGrace]

Let's also note Salman Rushdie, who had an assassination attempt against him, once had a 3 million dollar price on his head, and is still on hit lists, signed this. If he thinks the current climate is threatening to free speech maybe people should sit up and listen.

Of course if the Satanic Verses controversy happened today wokesters would all be siding with the jihadists because Islam is apparently the only religion in the world everyone has to be 100% reverent towards even if you are not a member.

[HisGrace]

There shouldn't be consequences for opinions, there should be consequences for actions, which oddly enough the far left is opposed to much of the time.

Even if we're going to accept that people should be punished for opinions, the punishment should be proportionate to the harm caused. Losing your job because you hurt someone's feelings on twitter is not justice, it's over the top revenge. If someone says something mean to you either say something mean back or gasp be an adult and move on with your life. Anything beyond that is disproportionate.

[HisGrace]

Let's also note Salman Rushdie, who had an assassination attempt against him, once had a 3 million dollar price on his head, and is still on hit lists, signed this. If he thinks the current climate is threatening to free speech maybe people should sit up and listen.

Of course if the Satanic Verses controversy happened today wokesters would all be siding with the jihadists because Islam is apparently the only religion in the world everyone has to be 100% reverent towards even if you are not a member.

There's no surprise in him signing this. He said in 2012 that has book wouldn't be published because of "climate of fear and nervousness." So if this letter had been written in 2013 he would have signed it then, too. So his opinion definitely doesn't make it more weighty.

We had these same problems in 2012/2013 too even if not to the same extent. Regardless of when he said what I don't see how someone who has faced violence for their words warning others about limiting free speech can not have weight to it.