ABC's Jonathan Green backs attempts to censor cartoonist
ABC presenter Jonathan Green's exchange with Gay Alcorn over attempts to silence cartoonist Bill Leak demonstrates two things: how dangerously keen many journalists are to censor others, particularly conservatives, and how truly terrible Green is at arguing a case.
Clearly, groupthink at the ABC has made Green intellectually flabby - or has simply hidden his weakness, which may explain why he is so eager to back attempts to close down opposing ideas:
Caroline Overington on The Australian’s website yesterday:
The Human Rights Commission has announced that it has given (Bill Leak) a fortnight to produce evidence that he was not being racist when he drew a picture of an Aboriginal man who didn’t know his own son’s name. I’m asking him to refuse. To my mind, Bill Leak doesn’t have to explain himself to the government. No cartoonist, no filmmaker, no songwriter, no poet, no historian, no artist should ever have to explain themselves to the government.
The Guardian Australia’s Melbourne editor, Gay Alcorn, linking to Overington’s piece on Twitter:
Am also surprised at how many journos back censoring Leak.
A lively Twitter conversation with the ABC’s Jonathan Green soon followed:
Green: No one wants to censor him. Some doubt the wisdom of publishing him when he punches down like that.
Alcorn: Mmm, condemn publication of a racist cartoon and want the paper to apologise for it? maybe censor not quite right, but close. Even the Press Council’s statement emphasised the importance of free speech, and did not condemn it as racist.
Green: And why shouldn’t the (Human Rights Commission) consider a complaint arguing that it is? Do you want to censor that view?
Alcorn: Don’t think should be unlawful to insult or offend anyone. Genuinely surprised that some journalists (of all people) think that’s OK.
Green: Because journalists are universal upholders of unfettered free expression? Give me a break.
Alcorn: You kidding? Journalists should not be champions of free speech, even uncomfortable speech? Of course they should.