Medea Benjamin has done much good in educating people about violent aspects of United States foreign policy and why such should be opposed. But, via a brief video Benjamin posted Thursday at Twitter, in which she calls on people to urge Hilton to cancel an upcoming event at one of its hotels, she is promoting a curtailment of speech that endangers her cause and individual rights more broadly.
Hotels have managed to remain a refuge for free speech as a censorship trend has proceeded among major American companies. This refuge is very valuable for people opposing the expansion of government power at the expense of individual rights. And part of defending this refuge is accepting that hotels will host on occasion events you abhor or see as harmful. In Benjamin’s case such an event is a conference to be held on November 14-17 by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) at a Hilton hotel in Dallas, Texas. “Say no to the JNF; say no to genocide and ecocide,” concludes Benjamin in her video.
The course Benjamin is pursuing in regard to this conference is detrimental for liberty in America and ultimately for her cause. As we have seen, it is the forces for expanded government power, including in the area of foreign policy, that have been able to direct the extensive censorship pursued by other sorts of companies. If liberty defenders and peace advocates do not stand up unequivocally for free speech, they are sure to lose. They may be able to shut down a “bad” event here and there at the beginning. But, ultimately, expect the advocates of expansive government power, including the warmongers, to be the ones directing who hotels censor.
By all means, educate people about events you oppose. But, beware of taking the censorship approach. That approach plays into the hands of the opponents of liberty and peace.
