[emgoldstein]

Let me change one word in your response:

> Students don't need "protection" from free speech, nor does anyone need to be rescued from the "mockery" and "humiliation" of an accusation of communism.

> Demands for journalism-free "safe spaces" are bad, but so too is the idea that accusations of communism are so beyond the pale that people need to be shielded from them by institutions.

Or:

> Demands for journalism-free "safe spaces" are bad, but so too is the idea that accusations of witchcraft are so beyond the pale that people need to be shielded from them by institutions.

Can you honestly be unaware that we live in a world where no one gets fired for being a communist, or a witch? But...

[thesteamboat]

That's not the best example to pick: people are still killed on accusations of witchcraft. [0,1] The Hollywood blacklists are still in living memory, and someone was fired in the US for being communist ~2001.[2]

I, personally, am something of a free speech absolutist, and believe it is important to protect even (nay, especially) loathsome speech. I am not aware of the what the happened in the incident described in the letter, so I am not willing to judge whether the original letter is an overreaction as tptacek claims, or not. Nevertheless I generally like to see arguments made accurately.

[0]: Papua New Guinea, 2013. http://world.time.com/2013/06/05/despite-legal-moves-pngs-te...

[1]: Tanzania, 2014. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29572974

[2]: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/chatterbox/2...