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Legal Commentary

: Althouse

"'Freedom' belongs almost wholly to the right. They talk about it incessantly and insist on a link between economic freedom and political freedom..."

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"... positing that the latter is impossible without the former.... [T]he broad left in America has let all this go unchallenged for decades, to the point that today?s right wing ? and it is important to call it that and not conservative, which it is not ? can defend spreading disease, potentially killing other people, as freedom. It is madness. One thing Democrats in general aren?t very good at is defending their positions on the level of philosophical principle. This has happened because they?ve been on the philosophical defensive since Ronald Reagan came along. Well, it?s high time they played some philosophical offense, especially on an issue, wearing masks, on which every poll shows broad majorities supporting their view. Say this: Freedom means the freedom not to get infected by the idiot who refuses to mask up."

From "There?s a Word for Why We Wear Masks, and Liberals Should Say It/It?s high time Democrats played some philosophical offense on the concept of 'freedom'" by Michael Tomasky (NYT).

Does the "broad left in America" ? to use Tomasky's interesting term ? really value freedom? Or is he suggesting that they use it only because it may make an impact on right wingers ? don't call them conservatives! ? who value freedom and don't wear masks as much as it seems they should? Notice Tomasky says left-wingers ought to use the concept of freedom offensively. He seems to mean that they ought to make noise about the limits on freedom, defining "freedom" to exclude whatever hurts someone else's interests. That is showing enthusiasm for the limits on freedom, not for freedom itself. Alternatively, Tomasky might mean that left-liberals ought to use the word "freedom" when saying what they want for themselves ? things like safety and peace of mind ? as they limit the freedom of others.

But I don't think left-wingers these days like to say "freedom." That's why Tomasky has to go out of his way to prod them into saying it.

By the way, I like that he's writing about masks when "mask" is part of his name ? Tomasky.

And do wear your mask when you go to an indoor public places or you're in an outdoor area where you can't be sure to keep more than 6 feet from everyone else. Do it to minimize harm to others!

Full post as published by Althouse on October 18, 2020 (boomark / email).