Thursday, February 19, 2009

Re: Ah, Now I Get It   [Mark Steyn]

Honestly, Jonah, I can't believe that in the Kinsley days Slate would have been satisfied with a review as plonkingly complacent as that. 

Liberalism's "dedication to fair procedures, impartially administered, legitimated by the consent of the people," plus its "inclination to deliberate," "commitment to tolerance," and "appreciation of openness" will be news to those of us who've been on the receiving end of multiple Canadian "human rights" suits for writing columns or Dutch prosecutions and British "public order" bans for making a film - or even to the most mildly dissenting students at American colleges: To visit your average campus, you might almost think it was the liberal preachers who had "the one true story": What price "the garrulousness of the academy" when you're all gibbering the same cliches?

Celebrate diversity with ruthless conformity. We won't tolerate anyone who questions our commitment to tolerance. You can't build an open society without closing down all other avenues. It's Hallmark by Newspeak.

(More on the "inclination to deliberate" here.)

02/19 10:45 AMShare