HONEST DEBATE

by David Nuttle

To help avoid conflicts and make real progress on any subject, civil and open debate, that is honest, is typically a valid solution. Many of our youth lack this skill and that is one of the things Charlie Kirk was teaching with his "Turning Point" effort for high school and college students. Too often, these days, they have not questioned or debated and simply accepted the views of CCP (Chinese) agents of influence infiltrated into our universities over a period of years. As a result, we have witnessed many college students rioting against Israel and in support of the horrific terrorist group, Hamas, who made a brutal series of terrorist attacks on Israels innocent civilian population. Hamas was even decapitating babies and burning some alive along with parents. They captured some hostages and gang-raped some Israeli young women and cutting off their breasts, when done, so these victims would bleed to their deaths. Some of our youth did not see anything wrong with this.

Over the years working overseas, I have known several dedicated communists and made an attempt to engage several in a debate about communist policies. None would debate me due to the fact they cannot justify communist policies of economic destruction, termination of all freedoms, suffering, and democide (mass murder of opposition by government). A very obvious clue that others are in the wrong is when they refuse a debate opportunity to defend what they claim to believe. Among Islamic populations, they debate but it is seldom a civil type of debate. At times I have witnessed two Islamic debaters who agree almost nose-to-nose shouting at each other and waving their arms at each other. Perhaps this is why very few issues get resolved without conflict in the Middle East.

Communist dictators have not allowed free speech or debate. They have allowed only one point of view and control the media to make certain there is but one view. Typically, only 1 or 2 media outlets are allowed, and they are state are state-controlled. If opposition develops, a program of democide (mass murder by government) is undertaken. I the last century, six times more people were killed by democide than were killed by armed conflicts during that same period. Radicals seeking to gain and/or retain power usually seek to end free speech and put an end to opposition ideas and thought. POTUS Joe Biden attempted to do so by the creation of s federal Office of Disinformation to "kill" all ideas but the ones he favored. To be certain this effort, had it been approved, would have limited free speech.

The current debate over possible limits to free speech is present a danger of ideas and concepts being censored. Free speech is critical but cannot be assured in some cases as

I have previously noted. You cannot walk into a crowded movie theatre and shout fire, when there is no fire, and expect to be immune from punishment if a few people are killed in the resulting exit stampede from the theatre. By the same token, use of "big lies" and horrific hate speech on social media, to motivate a lone wolf assassination of a political enemy is not free speech if the intent was to cause such a killing. This is a sensitive subject, and the debate on this issue is in progress.

Being skilled at debate is a learning process that takes time and practice to develop. This was a skill my parents valued and encouraged me to learn. I was on debate teams 3-years in high school and 4-years in college. learning to have an open and honest debate was a skill that has served me well. Doing research on debate topics was an associated skill that has been of great value to me. As I noted above, Charlie Kirk recognized that our youth need to acquire these vital skills. Let the debates proceed!!