Once upon a time, on both sides of the Atlantic, those on the liberal left believed in free speech and liberty. Back in the era of Mccarthy it was we on the right who were, correctly slammed, for stifling debate. I like to think that was an glitch in that for most of us who believe in a small state, freedom of expression is a given, it is part of the DNA of our thought set. It is the Big State loving left that wants to decide what the little people should think and say.
In recent years barely a week has gone by without some University no platforming not only good conservatives like Ann Coulter or Mark Steyn but also mad lefties such as Germaine Greer or Peter Tatchell because on some issue or another they are not quite mad enough. And holding the wrong view means that, for many on the left, you must just be silenced. And then abused by the Guardian, the BBC, the Washington post and pitiful CNN.
The intolerant left has had a cracking start to 2017. First came the revelation that Oxford Physics Don Joshua Silver had reported useless Home Secretary Amber Rudd for a "hate crime" for her Tory conference speech with some very silly proposals on immigration. That Rudd is an airhead with daft and unworkable and pointless ideas is a given. But to say this is a hate crime is surely insanity, particularly when, like Professor Silver, you did not actually listen to the speech.
At least it added to the stats showing a post Brexit rise in hate crimes which can all be blamed on Nigel Farage and it also wasted Police time and will perhaps deter others from even discussing immigration. For folks like Prof Silver there is no need to debate immigration - what is there to debate?
Trumping the insanity from Oxford came news that Opera star Andrea Bocelli had backed out of singing at the inauguration of Donald Trump after he received death threats. The liberal press thinks that it is very brave of Meryl Streep to stand up in a room full of millionaire liberals and say how Hollywood actors (ie millionaire liberals) are threatened by the Trump regime, singled out for attack.
it seems Trump's main crime in this regard is pointing out how American voters ignored the ludicrous threats made by the Hollywood elite about how America had to vote for crooked Hillary or they would all move to Canada. At the last count not one luvvie has headed to the frozen North. A celeb I admire is anyone brave enough to shrug off the abuse and threats from his or her fellow "artistes" and who will join most Americans in celebrating inauguration day on Friday.
Has Meryl Streep condemned those who posted death threats to Mr Bocelli yet? Or does she, like the rest of the left, not think that conservatives have any right to free speech?