Stanford University has released a guide to eliminate “harmful language.” I haven’t read it. It must be pretty extensive as it has 10 “harmful language” sections: ableist, ageism, colonialism, culturally appropriative, gender-based, imprecise language, institutionalized racism, person-first, violent and additional considerations. Among the words the university urges people to avoid is “American.” People are instead urged to use “U.S. Citizen” because “American” typically refers to “people from the United States only, thereby insinuating that the US is the most important country in the Americas.” The Americas, the index notes, comprises 42 countries. Well . . . the United States is the most important country in the Americas. Or if it isn’t, what is? Anyway, this guide reminds me of a couple of things. George Orwell used to say “If liberty means anything at all it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” And Salman… Read more →
EppsNet Archive: Salman Rushdie
It All Depends on Who’s Slinging the Hash
"Cries." Boo hoo. Maybe you disagree but wishing the Queen of England an excruciating death is something one could take exception to without even knowing the race of the person who said it. https://t.co/07rFN8AVfi — Paul Epps (@paulepps) September 16, 2022 I don’t think the sentiment would play any better coming from a white person. The article goes on to say that the professor has faced “violent threats, harassment and abuse.” OK, first of all, let’s all keep our hands to ourselves. No violence. But still, of all the people who claim to have received violent threats or death threats, how many have actually been violently attacked? How many have died? The only case that comes to my mind is Salman Rushdie, and he didn’t get a death threat from a lone nut, he got a death threat from a global religion. Other than that, I have to call bullshit… Read more →
What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist. — Salman Rushdie
Professional Enraged Fanatics
Many years ago, when I worked on construction sites, I learned that the people you see on picket lines are not necessarily union members. If a union man doesn’t feel like walking a picket line, he can pay a “professional picketer” to walk in his place. Yesterday, I learned that this same technique is used in the Muslim world. If a Salman Rushdie knighthood or a Danish cartoon doesn’t generate enough spontaneously enraged fanatics, you can hire some professional enraged fanatics, like Islamic Rage Boy here. Click through on the photo or link to see him in action . . . Read more →