We saw an interesting movie with friends last night: "Denial". It's a true story about a Holocaust denier in England who sued an American university professor for libel, because she said in a published book that he was a liar. And in England, you have to prove that the accuser has lied, rather than the burden of proof rest on him. His wrong speech was protected, and it had to be proved that his statements were deliberate lies: if he believed them, then he was innocent and she guilty. It was fascinating on screen and so relevant to the current election, where almost everything fact checked that the one candidate says is false. Yet he is allowed to have his say, even if it is inaccurate or dead wrong. Free speech is something we pride ourselves on, but when we get to the borders of free speech or incitement to violence, everything is blurry, and no one wants to end up censoring where it is not necessary. Thus we have the quandry of the democratic. We can choose not to listen, but the environment is poisoned and sometimes dangerous to those who do.
I really believe this film is educational. It reminds us of who we are and how hard it is to stand by what we believe, when it requires us to stand silent while the other speaks. We must listen, to some extent, because free speech is about hearing the other side, the ideas and opinions that repel us, the fighting for their right to have different opinions. We're stronger when we can do this. I hope we show our strength now.
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