Jk Rowling Speaks Out About Intolerance

[agchristie]

Great speech. What can be done to stem this ever increasing tide of 'taking offence'? At what point in history did this start to happen? Anybody care to offer an explanation? Thank you!

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/17/jk-rowling-defends-donald-trumps-right-to-be-offensive-pen-america

[Cloverjo]

I can't offer an explanation, but I agree it's a great speech. She makes a very good point about Trump. I can't stand him, but wouldn't want to curtail his freedom to travel and speak.

[Jackdaw33]

She is a latter day Voltaire. "I disagree with everything you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it".

[agchristie]

Yes, speeches of common sense like this are rare and heartwarming. It's about time somebody took the bull by the horns and cut through the drivel I hear and read on a daily basis.

Whether it's Trump, Farage, Cameron, Hopkins it is seriously grating. But...I remain intrigued as to when this started to go wrong?

I've not read any of the Harry Potter books but have read her four novels under her pseudonym and her writing is, unsurprisingly, way up there in quality compared to other contemporary authors. That said, I would hate to think that authors works had to be so diluted as to not give offence to the likes of the minority of today. However, that minority bandwagon is rolling on faster...

[Old_Geezer]

I'd estimate PC has become fashionable over the last three or four decades maybe longer as it gradually eased it's way in; with a backlash being evident for around half that time. There were many changes to attitudes in the sixties, increasing in the seventies, as some groups objectex to attitudes and being unfairly treated. I think the desire for no one to be offensive and all be nice to each other came in on that upheaval.

[ummmm]

Or maybe some of us were silently offended.

[pixie374]

I think she's right. Free speech is essential, but people also have the right to be offended- and to say so.

[Deskdiary]

People do have the right to be offended, and do have the right to say they are offended.

Unfortunately there appear to be far too many professionally offended people around - those who are offended on a regular basis and often about things which any normal person with an ounce of fortitutude would ignore as an irrelevance, and there also appears to be far too many people who are offended on behalf of somebody else or a group of others.

Both types are bedwettingly pathetic.

[naomi24]

I don’t recall precisely when it began, but it seems to have been gathering momentum for a long time and those who concede to ‘offence’ and very often habitually to the prospect of ‘offence’, are wholly responsible. We have now reached a stage where, for fear of causing offence, certain to produce a backlash, the most extreme of which is through legal channels, we are obliged to consider every word before we utter it and that is not only wrong, it’s damaging. The ‘offender’ may be intolerant but the ‘offended’, in his quest to silence another’s freedom to speak as he sees fit is equally, if not more, intolerant. Intolerance raises its problematic head in many ways and the demand for its suppression, as well as being idealistically unworkable, creates what has become an acceptable and forcefully defended victim mentality, adding deeply held resentment to the mix, which in turn creates greater intolerance on all sides.

(ag, I’m a huge fan of the Harry Potter books. Not to be missed, in my opinion).

[anotheoldgit]

It is much safer to allow 'free-speech' than the thoughts to be bubbling under the surface, which in time will erupt to the surface with damaging results.

[Gromit]

Yes she is obviously right about free sppech. She is wrong that victims of Trump's offensive comments to not have an equal right to be offended by them, and say so in this age of mass electronic communication.

People have always been offended by everything. The difference isn't PC or professional complainers. The difference is than now, every complaint can be published on the internet, for someone else to get offended by the offended answering back.

And what a bunch of hypocrits some of you are. Everyday we get links to the country's most offended newspaper, whipping its geriatric readers into a frenzy over the most trivial matters.

[Jackdaw33]

And what a bunch of hypocrites some of you are. Everyday we get links to the country's most offended newspaper, whipping its geriatric readers into a frenzy over the most trivial matters.

Charming!

[naomi24]

Gromit, //The difference isn't PC or professional complainers. //

That's exactly what the difference is.

Who are the hypocrites?

[tamborine]

It started with the Robinson golly in 1980s & the dark 'n' word. Not only is my collection of gollies hidden but I cant buy my favorite licquirice sweets n1ggro1ds.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// And what a bunch of hypocrits some of you are. Everyday we get links to the country's most offended newspaper, whipping its geriatric readers into a frenzy over the most trivial matters. ///

Isn't it also hypocritical of you to speak up for free speech while at the same time stifling the freedom of the press?

Incidentally, would you care to point out a few examples of those trivial matters that supposedly whips its geriatric readers into a frenzy?

[ToraToraTora]

well there are the professionally offended making a living out of it but they are vastly outnumbered by the yoghurt knitters who take offence on behalf of others who themselves are not even offended!

[ToraToraTora]

tambo: then there was baa baa rainbow sheep and who can forget, person holes!

[jno]

person holes was a joke. Rainbow sheep was invented by the Mail. But hey, let's not forget them!

[youngmafbog]

And Harperson ?

[agchristie]

Naomi, excellent post at 0823.

[naomi24]

ag, thank you.