Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Stifling Dissent


Andrew Sullivan finally recognizes Ezra Klein for what he is after reading what Sullivan terms a "chilling post:
It's an attack on any independent thought outside of the situational demands of a political coalition. It is a full-throated and not-even-regretful support for the subjugation of free inquiry and free ideas to the demands of political organization. It makes Sidney Blumenthal seem intellectually honest.
Anyone who has read Sullivan for any length of time might be excused for thinking that he was writing about himself, but that is not the point here. Klein's response to the comment was not so much a denial as a successful change of the subject to Sullivan's opposition to the Clinton healthcare plan thirteen years ago. Changing the subject midstream because he is losing the argument is something Klein also does on a regular basis. While Sullivan falls into that trap, I think he still gets the better of Klein in the exchange.

No comments: