It'll be his decision next time too. And now that the Red Guards know he'll succumb to even the slightest bit of pressure, there will certainly be a next time.
I don’t know that we can use words like “succumb.” It’s always that way when you have a strong opinion about a particular matter.
For example, we can praise Obama for listening to scientists on certain matters, than complain he is caving under lobbying pressure on others.
In the end, I prefer to say that it is Alex’s decision. He didn’t crumble, succumb, get browbeaten, or anything else. He decided, and that means you can hang the responsibility around his neck.
People who can’t decide shouldn’t run things, it’s that simple.
> He didn’t crumble, succumb, get browbeaten, or anything else.
How can you possibly know that? People have lost their jobs and have been forced out of their own companies for less than allowing somebody who other people might consider "racist", "sexist" or "homophobic" to talk at their conference. You can't be aware that these things have happened to other people and say that it doesn't influence the decision.
Once it was brought to his attention, the decision Alex faced was either let Curtis go on and eventually be forced out of his own conference or disinvite him and strengthen the atmosphere of political compliance. I think he made the right short term choice for him, which is all you can realistically expect people to do, but in the long term allowing this sort of thing to persist will come and bite him in the ass.
The longer this goes on, the more radical you need to be to not become victim to the political correctness mob. In the end, if you're a straight white male, you will fall prey to it because you're not a protected class. You can see this playing out in video games, movies and SF&F publishing right now. Joss Whedon and Wil Wheaton especially are vocal feminists who have taken a beating by feminists because their views aren't extreme enough.
I’m loathe to personalize this discussion with a comparison of your anecdotal experiences and mine. And to be honest, once we start bandying about hot-button phrases like “the social justice left,” I have a feeling that we’re on a slippery slope towards ayn rand and men’s rights.
For example, we can praise Obama for listening to scientists on certain matters, than complain he is caving under lobbying pressure on others.
In the end, I prefer to say that it is Alex’s decision. He didn’t crumble, succumb, get browbeaten, or anything else. He decided, and that means you can hang the responsibility around his neck.
People who can’t decide shouldn’t run things, it’s that simple.