[PEN-L:2385] Re: free speech

["A. S. Fatemi" <fatemi@xxxxxx>]

On Sun, 14 Jan 1996, James Devine wrote:

> On Sun, 31 Dec 1995, Doug Henwood wrote:> Yes yes yes! Thank you Michael.
>  And not only does he keep the list going, he's somehow kept us free of
>  infection by libertarians!<
>
>
> A. S. Fatemi responds >>I DISAGREE WITH DOUG BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN
> CENSORSHIP UNDER ANY GUISE OR EXCUSE.<<
>
> I think of pen-l as being like a group of friends having a
> discussion of political economics over lunch or drinks or
> whatever. If some drunk comes over and starts yelling
> "libertarian" or Rush Limbaughite slogans and we tell him to go
> away, it's hardly "censorship." They can go somewhere else to
> spew their party line.
>
> How can we have a serious but friendly conversation if Hayekians
> and the like keep coming in and trying to impose their vision?
>
> Nonetheless, I don't think pen-l should have Michael Perelman or
> anyone else having the job of kicking out interlopers (except the
> most obnoxious "spammers" who bombard a list with ideological or
> commercial advertising). Instead, the groups should shun these
> folks, simply refusing to respond to their comments.  If there's
> enough consensus about who the obnoxious folks are, in my
> experience, this kind of shunning policy works.
>
> BTW, we should remember that libertarians are in favor of
> censorship as long as it's done by private capital, as when a
> newspaper decides not to publish "controversial" letters to the
> editor, opinion pieces, etc. and to keep left-leaning reporters
> from differing from the editorial line.
>
> (I'm breaking with my 12-step program with this message, but I
> think this stuff is important.)
>
> in pen-l solidarity,
>
> Jim Devine   jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ., 7900 Loyola Blvd.
> Los Angeles, CA 90045-8410 USA
> 310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950
> "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way
> and let people talk.) -- K. Marx, paraphrasing Dante A.
>
>
I agree with the first part of Jim's argument regarding those who come in
only to spread propaganda. However, I am in disagreement with his
conclusion that since the "liberal"press does not print leftist opinions
that could be used as an excuse for doing the same. Furthermore, I do
have respect for Hayek as a social scientist and I hope expression of
that opinion does not automatically make me a persona non grata on pen-l
which I immensly learn from and like.

Liberally yours,

A. S. Fatemi>



A. S. Fatemi
Professor and Chairman
Department of Economics
The American University of Paris
31 ave Bosquet
75007 Paris

Tel:	(33) 1 40 62 06 40
Fax:	(33) 1 47 05 33 49