Re: Who's the audience?
> All this bullshit about removing statues and monuments to people who did anything remotely bad.
> We shouldn't be airbrushing them out of history. Teach people about them, and what they did.
> Don't remove them.
I'm not in favour of removing them from history. How could we learn from their mistakes if we hide them ?
But where they occupy a place of honour, such as the name of a building or a prominently-placed statue, I think it's reasonable to show our disgust by placing them in a museum - an actual repository of history, not an airbrush - rather than in pride of place.
Their work is more problematical, Rowling being a good example. Since her work doesn't, as far as I'm aware, make any comment on trans people I see no reason to cancel that. But it's common to provide a platform for people who have produced well-known and appreciated work : we don't have to do that if it's likely to disseminate unacceptable views.
We deal with Hitler in this way and, by and large, it's successful. We don't ban Mein Kampf - we allow it as an object lesson. We do ban far-right groups who disseminate those views. It hasn't resulted in complete suppression of those groups but they have remained a minority, at least in Europe.
What this ends up saying is : you cannot make simple rules about free speech. It requires thought, judgement and open discussion.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
