The whole point of free speech is not to make ideas exempt from criticism but to expose them to it.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Pecksniffianism among progressives?

One of the reasons I love George Will is that he often sends me to the dictionary in what appears to be an effort to improve my understanding of his position because he chooses his words with incredible precision. He has a column in yesterday's dead tree version of the Rapid City Journal and here.

The point of this column should not be lost on us, however. In their ever-present effort to protect us and our children from ourselves, California (and the Supreme Court) are dancing with the idea of censorship in the name of the "common good" as they consider to regulate the purchase of violent video games. It is a sticky place to be dancing...

11 comments:

Wayne Gilbert said...

I was surprised by, and not sure I agree with, the observation by the lawyer for the video game sellers that this run of censorship comes more from educators and social scientists than from the pulpit. Perhaps a list of the organizations which have filed amicus briefs in the case would prove me wrong, but my expereience and observation tells me that censorship comes from religious based ideas. My kids couldn't wear halloween costumes to school because the PTA at that school was run by fundamentalists.

Michael Sanborn said...

Wayne, the frightening thing, I suppose, is when an unholy alliance is forged between social scientists and religious fundamentalists. Where the video games are concerned, we can assume the religious right is less concerned about the violance than the sex and the social scientists are more concerned about the violence and couldn't care less about the sex.

In both instances, both are happy because they are forcing their views upon others, at the expense of the First Amendment.

The city's Adult Oriented Business Ordinance had broad support among fundamentalists (Bob Fisher, Elizabeth Kraus, Ellie, et. al). But it also enjoyed support among the social do-gooders from the left who bought into Fisher's "Rapid City is the Rape Capital of the World" scare and the only way to solve it is to stop the strippers!

Of course nothing was solved except several businesses have gone out of business or moved away. Employees lost their jobs, the city lost the tax revenue, and the rape statistics increased.

Wayne Gilbert said...

It is an unholy alliance indeed. By the way, I've been waiting for an opportunity to say there are several reasons why I appreciate the Decorum Forum, not the least of which is that Art Oakes doesn't post here.

larry kurtz said...

Wayne, convince me that tampering with the old Central High School theatre while it is on the National Register is a good idea.

Wayne Gilbert said...

Larry-I'm not sure what you mean by "tampering." Do you mean repair and restoration of the plaster? Do you mean installation of a modern HVAC system without altering the structure? The only real alteration to the theatre main floor that has been proposed is to change the configuration of the seats. (the proscenium stage will not be altered) The seats will be removed and stored during construction and the decision as to what seats will go into the auditorium will be addressed at the completion of the construction phase. There will be some changes to the balcony as well, but wooden seats will remain in the balcony under any proposal on the table. I might mention, however, that I have done a lot of "googling" on this and have yet to find a theatre restoration project which did not replace wooden seats with modern padded theatre seats. This includes Carnegie Hall. I think it is fair to say that if the project does not go forward, we will be left with an essentially useless space located in an alternative high school which I don't think (I may be wrong about this) will have music, dance or theatre in its curriculum.

larry kurtz said...

How realistic is designing pads for the seats?

Wayne Gilbert said...

Larry-I don't know for sure. I am personally skeptical, but the mintues of the November 23 HPC meeting reflect that HPC Member Tamara Pier has done some internet research on this point, so it could be that there is something out there that might work. My understaind is that, with the exception of the certainty that some of the balcony's wooden seating will remain, all seating replacement and/or modification options for the main floor are and will be on the table through the first phase of the project. This understanding is based on the architect's presentation at the November 5 HPC meeting. I believe that the plan is for public input during that time. There are two comfort issues with wooden seats: hardness and size. I have it said that the public input will include some seating options, including a couple of the existing wooden seats, at some public place for people to sit in and look at.

larry kurtz said...

Why is the Journal Editorial Board beating such a loud drum? $9 million seems cheap to me.

Wayne Gilbert said...

I don't know what the deal is with the Journal. They really haven't bothered to find out what the proposal actually is. They didn't have a reporter at the November 5 meeting when the HPC voted that the first phase as presented did not have an adverse impact on the historic value of the theatre (again, the issue of seating changes not part of this first phase does not include a replacement of wooden seats). Their stories do not reflect that they sent a knowledgeable reporter to the November 23 meeting (which I was not able to attend so I don't know if they did have body present). I think, but it's of course speculation, that the Journal is consciously pandering to an angry group of people who hate art and react viscerally to any expenditure that they perceive to be wasteful. I can't help but add that I think this group is not composed of people who actually pay for newspaper subscriptions but read and comment on stories in the online Journal.

larry kurtz said...

How conspicuous. Is there not a building at SDSMT with merit?

Wayne Gilbert said...

Larry--SDSM&T does not have a building suitable for theatre. They do theatre there but do it in the Surbeck Center with a makeshift stage and unsatisfactory lighting. A stage for dance, orchestral music and acting has some lighting and sound requirements that you can't just put together. The Civic Center theatre is magnificent but not workable economically or practically for audiences of less than a thousand or so--it's pretty expensive also--that's not a criticism just a statement of what is real as far as available spaces for dance, symphonies, choral groups and acting.