I look to the day when Everyone is at last Offended by Everything and we all can live in unity, agreement and harmony.
– The Doctrine of Universal Affront, George Wallace, California lawyer and writer.
Although not completely unanticipated what happened yesterday in Paris a chance I’m going to write something longer for publication outside Facebook and our blog reminding all of us that (1) “free speech” instincts are not intuitive or something we are all born with (i.e., we can’t hold the world to that standard yet), (2) nearly every American, Brit and Parisian this week who secretly gloats about having free speech is in fact a chickenshit who won’t exercise free speech rights when it counts, and (3) the “Je Suis Charlie” movement is cute but misses the point. Until then, think about how many times you’ve used your speech rights at work and in the community. And then think about times you should have and you did not because you were “playing it smart”. Until I write it, though, our hope for the wise Wallace Doctrine above being embraced by Westerners is all I’ve got.