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Politically correct free speech?

Justin Azadivar
Saturday November 02, 2002

To the Editor: 

 

Aftim Saba’s letter (Forum, Nov. 1) suggests that he is somewhat confused. The bulk of the letter is a long and involved discussion about how council candidate Micki Weinberg would be a bad Israeli politician. As a brief correction or clarification, allow me to point out that Weinberg is running for Berkeley City Council, which is not part of the Israeli government, thereby making his views on Israeli politics irrelevant. 

Saba then goes on to say that Weinberg is “rabidly anti-free speech” for his view that students who disrupt classes should face consequences. If a group of students was to burst into Saba's home and scream about a cause, and if Saba was to call the police and press charges, I wonder if it would be appropriate to label Saba as “rabidly anti-free speech.” The university is an educational institution. Disruption of education on a university is not free speech. Amazingly enough, while Saba objects heartily to the university trying to allow its students to get an education “uninterrupted by anyone,” Saba goes on to claim that he is proud that Berkeley is “politically-correct.” Political correctness and free speech are at dramatic odds with one another. Perhaps Saba is the type who thinks that a group such as the KKK is not entitled to free speech, because they are politically incorrect. 

 

Justin Azadivar 

Berkeley