Russia and Ukraine flashpoint

[TonsofPuppies]

EpicRandy said:

CGI-Quality said:

Fascism is actually a far-right nationalist's way of thinking and "Antifa" (and I use quotations since that group is nothing close to organized) doesn't have widespread support of an authoritarian government. So calling them "fascists" is about as loose as it gets and I wouldn't put them in that category even if I can see why they would be lumped in.

That said, I heard about their shutting down of Ben Shapiro from a college campus. Of course I feel people should have a right to speak (so long as they don't advocate for violence), but I can also see why someone like him has folks trying to shut them down. There are just several layers that need to be considered.

In the case of Putin, he gets no such forgiveness. 

The right to speak doesn't come with the obligation from anyone to offer you a stage to speak. Refusing to hear someone you don't agree with from speaking using your medium is actually, in and of itself, an exercise of your own right to speak.

Of course it doesn't, but the rest of your take is laughable. There's a big difference between refusing to hear someone else speak (not listening) and refusing to allow that person to speak at all or refusing to allow other people (who willingly want to do so) listen to that person speak.

If we use the college campus example, which is a good one, then it is up to the college or university in question to determine if they'll allow that person to speak. If they've chosen to do so, antifa (or another other group of activists) have no right to shut down that speech - they do not own the stage, to use your wording.

Last edited by TonsofPuppies - on 05 April 2022