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I just listened to the discussion on OPB tonight. It has been a while since I was in college but I still recognize the types. It is kind of a joke but everyone takes it all so seriously. Keep in mind that there are places in the world where people are killed for the race or sexual orientation.

On a college campus all this excitement sparks all sorts of righteous indignation. The Queer Penquins feel threatened but couldn't really tell the interviewer how they were threatened, they just didn't feel safe-and that was bad.

The Neo-Nazi was the better and more confident speaker. But, he was just off on his little strange trip that he thought up in prison.

The representative from the ACLU refused to directly answer the question and sounded pretty pathetic.

From what I heard I can't see a problem. Clark has a free speech policy. If the flyer did not advocate violence, then what is the issue? Does some speech deserve less freedom than other speech?

So what if it makes you feel uncomfortable-isn't college supposed to challenge you and make you think about things?

Everything worked like it was supposed to. The guy put up the flyer and people debated the issue.

As for the Queer Penguins, the leader was really talking himself into a corner. No one threatened them in any way. They just got themselves all worked up so they could all feel special and unique.

There are countries where gay people are killed and beaten. Hanging up a silly poster with a link to a stupid website and advocating or committing violence against someone are two very different things.

It occured to me that complaining about feeling threatened by a poster kind of diminishes the sacrifices of those who really suffer violence and death.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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