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Rights apply to government interactions with its subjects. Lambdaconf isn't a government, none of us are. And really? Being disinvited is the same as secret pol

Rights apply to government interactions with its subjects. Lambdaconf isn't a government, none of us are. And really? Being disinvited is the same as secret police renditions? But let's take your absurd comparison in good faith: I don't care whether they have the "right" or not, I would oppose retaliation by a state on the merits of the situation. Again I will repeat my exasperation at the idea that one must have a rule that applies to all conflicts of speech uniformly without consideration of context or details of the conflict. No one here wants to grapple with the effects of hate speech on others, they simply want to ignore them, and that is completely irrational. Free speech absolutism is irrational and behaves like dogmatic religion.

thescribe 11y ago
Free speech that doesn't protect what you find loathsome is ineffective to the point of being worthless.
- danharaj 11y ago
  Am I being unclear here? I don't believe in free speech. It's an inconsistent, dogmatic belief except as a legal principle, and governments purporting to honor that legal principle almost never respect it when they feel threatened by speech. I'm not claiming a moral high ground here. I'm exercising my speech, and I fully accept the consequences of my speech. It is precisely that my speech has consequences that makes it worth exercising.
  - Turing_Machine 11y ago
    Am I being unclear here? I don't believe in free speech. No, I think you're being perfectly clear. I, and many others, find your disbelief in free speech threatening (frankly, this attitude scares the hell out of me). That would make it okay for us to prevent you from speaking in public or holding gainful employment? Yes? No? If not, why not?
    - saryant 11y ago
      His attitude frightens me too. Can we get him banned from conferences now? /s See the problem?
Turing_Machine 11y ago
You are missing the point. Yarvin was disinvited because his political beliefs are threatening (and yes, several people used the word "threatened"). Therefore, communists should also be disinvited if anyone feels threatened. Yes or no? I mentioned nothing about "the state", by the way. Clearly Lambaconf is a private organization that can invite (or disinvite) anyone it wants. I am asking why "feeling threatened" by Yarvin (who, as near as I can figure out --- there's no way I'm going to plow through all that turgid prose) is a political party of one, and who (again, as far as I know) has never actually harmed anyone, is a valid reason for disinvitation while feeling threatened by communists (who most assuredly have actually murdered millions of people) is not. Do you have an answer to that or not? I strongly suspect that you do not.

thescribe 11y ago

Free speech that doesn't protect what you find loathsome is ineffective to the point of being worthless.

danharaj 11y ago
Am I being unclear here? I don't believe in free speech. It's an inconsistent, dogmatic belief except as a legal principle, and governments purporting to honor that legal principle almost never respect it when they feel threatened by speech. I'm not claiming a moral high ground here. I'm exercising my speech, and I fully accept the consequences of my speech. It is precisely that my speech has consequences that makes it worth exercising.
- Turing_Machine 11y ago
  Am I being unclear here? I don't believe in free speech. No, I think you're being perfectly clear. I, and many others, find your disbelief in free speech threatening (frankly, this attitude scares the hell out of me). That would make it okay for us to prevent you from speaking in public or holding gainful employment? Yes? No? If not, why not?
  - saryant 11y ago
    His attitude frightens me too. Can we get him banned from conferences now? /s See the problem?

Turing_Machine 11y ago

You are missing the point. Yarvin was disinvited because his political beliefs are threatening (and yes, several people used the word "threatened"). Therefore, communists should also be disinvited if anyone feels threatened. Yes or no? I mentioned nothing about "the state", by the way. Clearly Lambaconf is a private organization that can invite (or disinvite) anyone it wants. I am asking why "feeling threatened" by Yarvin (who, as near as I can figure out --- there's no way I'm going to plow through all that turgid prose) is a political party of one, and who (again, as far as I know) has never actually harmed anyone, is a valid reason for disinvitation while feeling threatened by communists (who most assuredly have actually murdered millions of people) is not. Do you have an answer to that or not? I strongly suspect that you do not.