Censorship Is Thuggery: This Weekend's Free-Speech Defending Moment
The answer to speech you dislike is more speech -- not covering up, silencing, or ripping down the offending speech.
On Saturday, I was working on my book at a cafe where a woman was having a book-signing, advertised with a poster of her book cover on a few doors and windows of the cafe. (That's her on the cover.)
An Orthodox Jew with a gray beard came into the cafe and began taking one of her posters down -- this one in the photograph.
On my way back from the bathroom, I saw him trying to pick off one of the pieces of tape and then just start to slowly rip the thing (causing the small rip in the upper right-hand corner before I stopped him).
When I realized what he was trying to do, I put my hand over her poster to protect it so he couldn't continue.
"That's the author's poster," I said. "You don't get to stop somebody's speech."
He said it had to come down because there was a swastika on it.
Understanding that he saw the poster's existence as an attack on Jews, I explained that it wasn't hate speech; it was a historical novel about the Holocaust. (An icon that represents the time is the swastika -- which was why it was on its cover.)
But, frankly, while I wanted to reassure him that it wasn't a symbol of hate, as used, even if it had been, that doesn't mean an offended Jew or anyone gets to tear it down.
I explained that the answer to speech you are against is more speech. Picketing bookstores that sell books with swastikas on the covers, for example.
He was having none of this.
He snarled at me to "grow up."
Mature. And extremely short-sighted.
This country has a Constitution -- and a First Amendment that gives us the right to free speech.
That incredible document is also what allows this man to practice his religion freely in this country -- unlike in states like Iran, where they control speech and religion and jail or slaughter people who speak unapproved speech or practice unapproved religions.
I'd make the same point about the correct way to criticize speech to Muslim activist Mona Eltahawy, who spray-painted over speech she objects to about Islam in the New York City subway:
Stopping another person's speech is thuggery. Whether you believe you are on the "side of angels" doesn't change that a whit.
For an inspiring and very interesting read on how surprisingly endangered free speech is in this country, pre-order the soon-to-be-published Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, by Greg Lukianoff, president of theFIRE.org, a fantastic organization defending civil liberties on college campuses across America.
And if you're interested in the book in the poster above, it's Forbidden Symphony, by Alexandria Xiaoli Zheng.
Her book is a true-life-inspired fictional account of a Jewish conductor from Berlin who escaped the Holocaust in Germany as one of reportedly 25,000 Jewish refugees who went to Shanghai, where visas were not required of the Jews.
He snarled at me to "grow up."
The perfect retort is obvious: "You're the one throwing the tantrum."
-jcr
John C. Randolph at October 1, 2012 11:40 PM
Growing up would entail the difference between the use of words and images vs. actions.
The Jewish man had no right to take down the poster. And it doesn't matter if the symbolism offended him or not.
But at the risk of going off on a tangent, there is a certain culture in society that believes that the use of certain words or symbols justifies outright criminal activities, such as the Jewish man's attempt to remove the sign.
Some decades ago, for instance, Geraldo Rivera once hosted a show that turned into a brawl when his guest stars included black civil rights leaders and neo-Nazi skinheads. (Gee, Geraldo wouldn't have been looking for trouble, by any chance, would he?)
When one of the skinheads referred to one of the black guests as an "Uncle Tom," the man responded by attempting to strangle him. A thrown chair resulted in Geraldo's nose being broken, which renewed my faith in God.
As Geraldo and his audience watched the skinheads being escorted out by security, Geraldo speculated that they were being arrested. (Which they weren't.) And the audience applauded at the idea.
And I got to thinking, "For what? They're not the ones who instigated the fight."
On another occasion, Jerry Springer (that epitome of masculinity) once slapped a Holocaust denier on his show who made a sick joke about having Jerry Springer's dad as a lampshade.
Doesn't matter what the guy said; Jerry (despite the fact that he's Jewish) had no right to put his hands on someone because he was offended by what he said. And he should have had the sense to realize that that a Holocaust denier was likely going to offend him.
Same token, the Jewish man, regardless of how offended he is a the sight of a Swastika, has no right to tear down a coffee shop's posters.
Patrick at October 2, 2012 4:03 AM
Orthodox Jews offend me for several reasons, the main one is that they are super annoying.
And look I'm tired about hearing about the Holocaust. Yeah I said it. Well truth is I only hate Holocaust Hollywood movies, enough already there are plenty of genocides to go around. We cant keep revisiting the same one.
But in all seriousness a teacher in high school lived through the Holocaust and the formation of Israel as a country. Very interesting stuff.
Purplepen at October 2, 2012 4:13 AM
Amy, just to clarify - I assume the posters/signs were up with the blessing of the establishment/owner, right? I only ask because when I worked at a local shop in high school, I spent a good part of my work hours taking down signs people put up on our door/window. Sometimes it can be hard to tell an "approved" advertisement from a random person's desire to "spread their word" about whatever.
I've been known to take down signs/stickers that are placed in places where signs/stickers don't belong - in an effort to keep the neighborhood clean.
For instance, there was a political sticker posted on the side of a trash can at the shopping center (so you'd have to stare at it if you parked there - which is how I saw it). Sure, it was somebody's "speech" to put it there, but I'm fairly certain that the owner of the shopping center wasn't asked - making it some type of vandalism or litter. I peeled it off and tossed it in the trash bin it had been adorning, just as I would pick up a bit of trash.
My favorite transgression is finding ads placed right next to plastic signs announcing "no advertising."
Shannon M. Howell at October 2, 2012 4:23 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/02/the_answer_to_s_1.html#comment-3355630">comment from Shannon M. HowellYes, Shannon. The manager allowed them to be put up. She is a very good-hearted person, and very supportive of writers and artists, and she, like me, is Jewish, and understood this for what it was: an artistic work about Jews who lived during the time of the Holocaust.
(Personally, I prefer the stories of the Jews who got away, like this one, to the ones about the Jews who died horribly in Germany, Poland, and throughout the rest of Europe.)
PS The guy who runs a synagogue does his paperwork at the cafe in the morning. The signs were up for almost three weeks. He and I have spoken before. He's no shrinking violet. He would have said something if they were offensive. A reasonable person would not be offended by these, but no matter who is offended, it is wrong to rip down speech and especially speech posted in a private business which does not belong to the ripper-downer.
Amy Alkon at October 2, 2012 5:32 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/02/the_answer_to_s_1.html#comment-3355665">comment from Amy AlkonMy dad, who is Jewish, is very interested in WWII, and has a number of books with swastikas on them, including "The Rise And Fall of The Third Reich."
Again, it's an icon used to illustrate that a work is about a certain time.
And even if it weren't -- in high school, I defended the right of the Nazis to march in Skokie, even though our lovely neighbor boys occasionally wrote "dirty Jews" on our garage door in shaving cream and toiletpapered our trees. You can't just defend free speech when it's speech you approve of and stop speech you don't. Then you become that thug Mona Eltahawy.
PS I know a number of people who lived through the Holocaust and the formation of Israel. My friend's husband is a Mexican Jew -- because his mother ran through the forest in France, chased by dogs, as a little girl, and got on a boat that went to Mexico City. His father, who is Russian, came separately and, I think, met her there.
Amy Alkon at October 2, 2012 5:38 AM
"Muslim activist" seems like an unduly dignified, and needlessly verbose, description of Mona Eltahawy in light of her behavior. In the interests of accuracy and concision might I suggest simply "savage?"
Senator Blutarsky at October 2, 2012 6:12 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/02/the_answer_to_s_1.html#comment-3355953">comment from Senator BlutarskyThanks, Senator. An improvement.
I was going to say "thug," since she behaved thuggishly, but I used that for the line below her.
(Where are you when I'm editing blog items in the middle of the night?!)
Amy Alkon at October 2, 2012 6:16 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/02/the_answer_to_s_1.html#comment-3355966">comment from Amy AlkonDisgustingly, Eltahawy is an American citizen. I know from my friends who have become citizens, there's a citizenship test, on which you're asked about the Constitution, among other things. Clearly, she lacks understanding of what the Constitution is, and dishonors the very precious thing she's been given -- citizenship. It's a shame they let her in to shit on others' free speech.
Amy Alkon at October 2, 2012 6:18 AM
Why aren't they telling her that it isn't a non-violent protest, but vandalism? Also, it seems to me like she is saying, "Hey you get arrested for non-violent protest in America, so may as well be violent because the result is the same." I have heard that she plans to destroy more posters if she gets the chance.
sheepmommy at October 2, 2012 7:00 AM
Amy, thanks for verifying that for me. I agree it's not offensive.
I wrote more, but my toddler just erased it by hitting the keyboard with a shoe .
Shannon M. Howell at October 2, 2012 7:39 AM
When are you going to teach that child that you have the right to express your thoughts, even though he finds them objectionable?
Crid [Cridcomment at Gmail] at October 2, 2012 7:45 AM
And look I'm tired about hearing about the Holocaust. Yeah I said it. Well truth is I only hate Holocaust Hollywood movies, enough already there are plenty of genocides to go around. We cant keep revisiting the same one.
The thing I dont like about most holocaust conversations is how they seem to always focus solely on the Jews, as if they were the only ones to be killed
lujlp at October 2, 2012 8:01 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/02/the_answer_to_s_1.html#comment-3356567">comment from Shannon M. HowellThanks, Shannon. And that latter bit is very funny. This is why I have a dog. No thumbs, very helpful.
Amy Alkon at October 2, 2012 8:02 AM
> We cant keep revisiting the same one.
'The Holocaust' has special illustrative power... It demonstrated that the full administrative and industrial might of a modern, continentally-integrated nation could be set the task of genocide, essentially without shame or apology. It wasn't about infectious disease wiping out an isolated population on an island or in a valley... Or a drunken expeditionary force, weeks without communique from the home office, rampaging through a valley of gold-hoarding virgins.
Quite aside from what it says about humanity's response to Judaism, that particular holocaust says special things about us.
Crid [Cridcomment at Gmail] at October 2, 2012 8:20 AM
This business with the flyer reminds me of the guy who got in trouble for reading an ANTI-klan book.
http://thefire.org/case/760.html
lsomber at October 2, 2012 8:41 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/02/the_answer_to_s_1.html#comment-3356810">comment from Crid [Cridcomment at Gmail]'The Holocaust' has special illustrative power... It demonstrated that the full administrative and industrial might of a modern, continentally-integrated nation could be set the task of genocide, essentially without shame or apology.
This is a great -- and very important -- point.
Amy Alkon at October 2, 2012 8:44 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/10/02/the_answer_to_s_1.html#comment-3356829">comment from lsomberIsobomber, that case of the guy who got in trouble for reading the anti-Klan book is in Greg's book. Amazing, appalling case - and not an isolated one.
Amy Alkon at October 2, 2012 8:47 AM
No one's brought up the obvious reason for including a swastika on a book cover design: it sells books. An editor at a major publishing house told me that years ago, and it stuck with me. Apparently it's an image that grabs the eye on a crowded bookshelf.
I did a quick Google on the subject and found this reference from a 2004 story in The New York Times (no link so it's not spamtrapped):
At the British Book Shop in central Frankfurt, where the English edition has been selling well, Ruth Warburton, the store manager, said books with the banned symbol had occasionally come in, generally without incident.
"I'm sure we've had books that had it on them," she said. "They're not so strict that they check every book. And I have been told by the sales rep for Random House that if there's a swastika on the cover, it sells better in the U.S."
Kevin at October 2, 2012 9:41 AM
Gitta Sereny just died and after reading a few obituaries I picked up Into That Darkness, her interviews with Franz Stangl, the commandant of Treblinka:
Into That Darkness
It's a fascinating view of how the Holocaust was carried out in the trenches. Stangl was no impassioned anti-Semite; he was just a guy who went along because it was the easy and safe path. That is as much the lesson of the Holocaust as anything: not the actions of the truly depraved but of the average person who fails to rise up in the face of evil.
Astra at October 2, 2012 11:38 AM
in high school, I defended the right of the Nazis to march in Skokie
In high school, my US Government teacher showed us the movie Skokie! I remember my naive younger self being astounded that Neo-Nazis could be so cruel (duh)... planning their demonstration right where they could find the most Holocaust survivors... but no other case could have demonstrated to me so clearly what free speech is, and how precious it is.
Debra at October 2, 2012 1:01 PM
I hate Illinois Nazis...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ukFAvYP3UU
Astra at October 2, 2012 1:49 PM
You might think a bit more about the progress of Germany under that National Socialist German Workers' Party. There are a number of parallels between legislation passed then and modern American regulation. Nobody believes their own nation can fall down the same hole.
Homeland Security, anyone?
Radwaste at October 2, 2012 2:14 PM
You're welcome, Amy. I'm glad you found it funny. I wrote a big long thing and was just too disappointed to rewrite it.
I also have a dog, and he's pretty good about not touching the keyboard. The cat is awful though. He likes to try to nap between my wrists when I'm typing.
Shannon M. Howell at October 4, 2012 12:52 PM
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