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I don’t think free speech absolutists are Nazis, and I have read enough of Noah’s writings to be fairly certain he wouldn’t be clumsy enough to conflate those positions either. I do believe that free speech absolutism is a naive and ultimately dangerous position, because it empowers the very forces who dedicate themselves to destroying the kind of society where a variety of different people can coexist in relative peace.

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Al should never have left. He was (and is) brilliant. We need sharp minds like his to counter the endless stream of right-wing troglodytes that parrot anything their thought-masters feed them.

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Sep 19, 2022Liked by Jim Ryan

I always liked Al Franken and today you gave me a new reason to like him. I have often been intimidated by rabid conservatives who, unrequested, showered me with verbal diarrhea that contained nothing in support of their positions. If only I had known how to respond as Mr. Franken did in this video! Well, now I know! Thank you, I like your style.

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Sep 19, 2022Liked by Jim Ryan

Yes, And! Great essay !!

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Read his post on Substack allowing actual Nazis while attacking others (centrists) for arguing for free expression. While I’m here if he is so worried about Nazis being allowed to speak how about actual commies. Two sides of the same coin. Always have been. Murderers all and the real oppressors.

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You responded to a comment I made on Noah Berlanskey’s Substack about his ongoing comments seeking to limit participation on Substack. I have not replied to his comments before because he sort of limited his comments to actual practicing Nazis. In this post he was asserting that the center has been radicalized implying that those “radicalized” folks should also be censored. I tried to ask him to give examples of centrists who were so radicalized that they are dangerous (I am one of the evil centrists) but the little sissy blocked me for my comment and I can’t reply to your question. So, give me some examples of centrists who are so radical they need to be controlled by Mr. Berlanskey’s ilk?

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