Tim Cavanaugh at Reason takes a ‘moral equivalence’ line on Campus Watch. He admits that Daniel Pipes (the leading figure behind Campus Watch) wants to suppress free speech on campus, but then quotes some overheated rhetoric from the other side about McCarthyism as being equally bad. Cavanaugh pretends to take a balanced ‘plague on both your houses’ line, but obviously his sympathies lie with Pipes, and, I suspect, McCarthy. This is another instance of my general observation that, among the inheritors of the classical liberal tradition, ideological libertarians are the group least supportive of freedom of political speech. (link via Bargarz)
Update Don Arthur has more on this. He notes “The trouble is Daniel Pipes and Campus Watch are not trying to promote informed debate – they’re trying to intimidate people who express views they don’t approve of.”
Further update Another great comments thread (an all-time record of 22 comments and counting), with informed discussion on the distinction between individual and collective defamation from Ken Parish and “Simon”. Jason Soon defends Reason and CW vigorously, but, I think, unsuccessfully. And the inimitable Jack Strocchi introduces what I believe to be a new move in blogging, using one comments thread to advertise comments posted in another. Everyone, including me, has told Jack he should start his own blog, but perhaps his unique style is better suited to a comments thread, and no blog I know of has better comments than this one.
Further updateComment 23, from Ken Parish brings in flag-burning which seems to a guaranteed firestarter in the Us, but not so much here. Prove me wrong and keep those comments coming!