MB Civic

By Alan Dershowitz | September 9, 2006 | The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/09/09/universities_and_tolerance/

Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz (one of my favorite essayists, a rational and clear voice free of jargon) reacts to the Kennedy School of Government inviting former President of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, to speak on “Ethics of Tolerance in the Age of Violence”. He compares it to inviting David Duke to talk about race relations. He goes on to make a wider point that is worth repeating here:

“If offensiveness were ever to be recognized as a basis for distinguishing among the acceptable and unacceptable, then any group could exercise the equivalent of a “heckler’s veto.” If offensiveness to some groups were to be deemed more deserving of consideration than offensives to other groups, that would be unfair discrimination. For example, if a speaker offensive to Muslim students were permitted to speak, while a speaker offensive to Hindu students were not permitted, that would constitute bigotry against Muslims. But if offensiveness to any group were sufficient to ban a speaker and if “ism equality” prevailed, then in this age of the thin-skinned and easily offended, only the most inoffensive and boring speakers would be heard.”

Giving the “bully pulpit” to any nut with a speech is not what Dershowitz suggests. Obviously, a kind of middle ground must be found, particularly because exposing ourselves to other views is an essential process in a living democracy. That’s why I selected this…BS