Another Man's Opinion

Freedom to Disagree September 20, 2010

Do we have more freedoms in the world these days or less? The huge one we are losing is the freedom to disagree and to express that. If our opinion differs from a particular group in the spotlight these days, we are guilty of crimes all the way from abuse to phobias to hate crimes. This has gotten very bad in the U.S. but if you want to have a likely view of the future, look to England these days. What in the states will get you scorn and ridicule may get you locked up for a bit in the U.K.

If you’re a Christian, a right-winger or much on the conservative side, you might think a couple of times about preserving that right to free speech very religiously. You’d be falling behind in the liberal England of these times.

Our freedom to disagree is being rapidly eroded. There are now more and more prohibited ideas. If you disagree with these “intellectuals,” you are some sort of phobe at best and perhaps stark raving mad.

Do you dare question the man-made global warming contingent? Are you not anti-capitalist? Are you not going “green” and helping save the environment? Do you still hold doors open for women? God help your soul for the verdicts are all in and anyone who dares disagree with the “consensus” must be, by definition, quite nuts.

Politically correct? Independent thought? Opinions that aren’t in vogue? Dare to dissent? Question an unchallengeable truth? Whose truth? The world is flat. The universe spins around us. Bloodletting will make us well. Dissension has made for many “improvements” in the truth over the centuries. Without it, we’d still be in the dark ages.

The left believes that its values represent not a point of view but virtue itself. Don’t get too comfy on the right side of things either. They also see the way, the truth and the light. Both views as opinions are wonderful but when you exclude all disagreement with them in an ostracizing fashion, all of civilization suffers. The other side is now automatically evil, mad and extreme. The views become almost religious movements and the believers are more than happy to try to do away with heresy. In the view of some, utopia may only be reached by their views and suppressing all others.

One of our foundations is the right to be heard. The police can’t just take you to jail and keep you there because they deem you’re guilty. You have a right to make your argument and present your evidence to a jury of your peers. Our “progressive” society these days are taking some of that away and presuming your guilt for the pure act of disagreeing with them. The right to free speech and dissent may be the cornerstone that we cannot afford to lose, maybe above all other freedoms. If we do lose it, we have lost our basic way of life and can no longer claim to be the last bastion of freedom.

For the record, I’m not religious, Muslim, feminist, Jewish, liberal or conservative. I’m one guy who has his own opinions and will not allow others to give me theirs. They can make their arguments and I’ll listen but I won’t be coerced. Will you? Come on. Disagree with me. I welcome it and would love to have a friendly, intelligent conversation about it. Is that still possible?

Show me.