Wednesday, December 03, 2003

MORE INTOLERANCE MASQUERADING AS TOLERANCE

From the WSJ

The Detroit News reports that the Gay-Straight Alliance at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School last year "held a forum titled "Homosexuality and Religion" that included six religious leaders--all of whom were chosen by students because the clerics believe homosexuality is not incompatible with religion. The district denied a request from student Elizabeth Hansen to include an opposing viewpoint." The name of the event? "Diversity Week." Hansen sued, claiming the event violated her First Amendment rights, and she looks likely to prevail, based on the News's account of a hearing last week:

U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen said Monday the district's decision to shun alternative points of view was "un-American" and twice compared the district's reasoning to that of Nazi Germany and other totalitarian regimes that were intolerant of dissent. "Isn't this what led to book-burning in Nazi Germany?" Rosen asked.

The comparison to Nazi Germany is perhaps a tad overwrought; Rosen might better have invoked Orwell, since demanding uniformity and calling it "diversity" is classic doublespeak.

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