[1511] in Discussion of MIT-community interests
Re: treading carefully on free speech
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ray Jones)
Mon Oct 13 17:40:55 2003
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 17:08:46 -0400
From: Ray Jones <thouis@MIT.EDU>
To: MIT-Talk@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <20031010225323.GA2714@eepness-trion.mit.edu>
Kai-yuh Hsiao <eepness@MIT.EDU> writes:
> If the email was, instead, intentionally offensive, then I could
> potentially see further punishment as being appropriate. But that's
> not the case here.
I agree with much of Kai-yuh's message, but take issue with the above.
There's nothing wrong with intentionally giving offense. It's almost
impossible to take any political, philosophical, or religious stand
without offending someone. In any energetic discussion, such offense
will probably be at least partially intentional.
There is a right to free speech. There's no right to not be offended.
Harassment is another thing entirely, but don't confuse the two, as
seems to be the tendency lately.
(I could have phrased this message in terms and tone calculated to
offend Kai-yuh. My message wouldn't be as communicative if sprinkled
with ad-hominem attacks, but if I avoided threatening him, it's
doubtful it could rise to a case of harrassment in a single message.)
Ray Jones
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