In the seven volumes of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling told millions of readers a story about the power and triumph of love. Last week, addressing a PEN American Center gala, she issued a reminder about dealing with hatred. It was a reminder even a few people attending the event — held by an organization committed to free expression — seemed to need.
When Ms. Rowling mentioned the half-million online signatures a petition to ban Donald Trump from visiting the United Kingdom had gleaned, a few in the audience applauded. Ms. Rowling had referred to “tides of populism and nationalism currently sweeping many developed countries ... accompanied by demands that unwelcome and inconvenient voices be removed from public discourse,” and perhaps these audience members expected Ms. Rowling to take the side of the petition signers.
That would hardly have been a shock: Ms. Rowling has compared Mr. Trump to Voldemort, the murderous bigot who is Harry Potter’s nemesis. And Mr. Trump has called for making it easier to sue news organizations that report critically on political figures.
But when the applause broke out, Ms. Rowling said, “Just a moment.”
Just a moment, indeed.
Only when those who offend are free to speak, Ms. Rowling reminded her audience, are their opponents free to speak against them. “If my offended feelings can justify a travel ban on Donald Trump, I have no moral grounds on which to argue that those offended by feminism or the fight for transgender rights or universal suffrage should not oppress campaigners for those causes.”
There are, of course, those who would argue that there is a difference between silencing good causes and silencing bad ones. But in practice, that means you may try to silence the causes you think are bad, and everyone’s cause is good in his own judgment. So on a principle that one may oppress the advocates of bad causes, people on all sides would be free to try to suppress advocacy for positions they oppose.
This means that anyone with any views — and especially anyone whoever is or expects to be in the minority on any issue — has a vital interest in a culture of free speech. There can be no exceptions for offensive ideas. Hate, as well as love, must be free.
First Published May 26, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
