Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Your argument effectively says: 'people are too stupid to be trusted with their freedom'.

I get that this is an unpopular opinion, but bad things will happen if people are to be free.



Back in the 90's I think ours was the popular opinion. It's gross to see it fade so fast.

I get companies taking a stand for who they accept as a customer. It makes me feel really icky when I see suggestions that the first amendment get even more asterisks next to it.


But smart enough to carry guns, eh?


Huh? The conversation is currently about speech, not guns.


[flagged]


Heh, is that supposed to shut this conversation down? Genocides get started, because people can express themselves freely? Really?


No, genocide happened because people believed that another group would do terrible things if given the opportunity. Not freedom, but the belief that others will misuse their freedom.


Who are those hypothetical people that would do those horrible things given the opportunity. I hate hypotheticals.


Hitler believed Jews were a cancer[1] to Germany and had to be stopped.

[1] AFAIK Hitler had a very living image of Germany as a singular ideological organical being and truly though of those he tried to eliminate as a dangerous infection.


Ahh, yes. US is the spitting image of a country ravaged by WW1, with its government in shambles and crushing reparations. The similarities just impossible to ignore.


No, they are not. The reasons behind the horrors of nazi germany where probably unique in many way. but not all genocides need to look the same.

It is significantly silly to say it cannot happen just because it cannot happen in the same way.

That said I believe a new genocide is impossible in the US in the coming year. This won't stop a violent escalation fo the rhetoric.


Great. We agree. If you believe it is impossible, why do you appear to be arguing for subverting US foundations?


I am not, I am arguing that the rhetoric "if we do not restrain their freedom bad things will happen" is dangerous and with dangerous precedents.


I agree. It is dangerous, but I also happen to think that attempting add asterisks to individual freedom runs counter to the spirit of this country. More than that, I believe that few dead bodies matter less than individual freedoms, as sad as those deaths are. We come at this argument from different perspectives.


#godwinslaw


To be fair the article is about banning a site in part to nazi influences.


Agreed.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: