The angrier we get, the more we need free speech
03/11/23
In her Post column this week, Josie looked at how we debate the war in Gaza.
"The right to speak your mind is not about disagreeing politely. It is about what happens when you are really angry and offended by someone else’s views. The point of democracy is to tolerate people you disagree with on fundamental issues. The alternative is to fight it out.
"The reason many will hesitate to share a view about Israel and Gaza, let alone write about it, is that the cultural norm of tolerating speech and others’ views has weakened.
"We need to restrain more than threats of violence if we are to navigate our way through the things that make us most angry. We need also to exercise restraint in de-legitimising people with other views, people who give offence, even people who are outright wrong."
Read her column here.
"The right to speak your mind is not about disagreeing politely. It is about what happens when you are really angry and offended by someone else’s views. The point of democracy is to tolerate people you disagree with on fundamental issues. The alternative is to fight it out.
"The reason many will hesitate to share a view about Israel and Gaza, let alone write about it, is that the cultural norm of tolerating speech and others’ views has weakened.
"We need to restrain more than threats of violence if we are to navigate our way through the things that make us most angry. We need also to exercise restraint in de-legitimising people with other views, people who give offence, even people who are outright wrong."
Read her column here.
