Judges say unfairly dismissed academic David Miller’s views on Israel should be protected by antidiscrimination laws
  • Flying SquidMEnglish
    34•1 month ago

    I think the headline is slightly deceptive:

    The belief that Israel’s actions amount to apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide are “worthy of respect in a democratic society”, an employment tribunal has concluded in a landmark decision.

    “Worthy of respect” and “worthy of respect in a democratic society” are two very different things. If you don’t respect anti-Zionist beliefs, that’s your personal issue. A democratic society has a duty to respect such beliefs.

    • @[email protected]English
      3•1 month ago

      I fail to get the distinction. Disagreeing/agreeing and disrespecting/respecting are two different concepts to me.

      Since this was an employment tribunal i would assume the ruling also applies to all sorts of employments under labor protection laws. I don’t care if my boss agrees with me politically or not. But he better damn not be disrespecting/persecuting me for my political beliefs.

      Obviously the “democratic society” is integral to it anyways. E.g. there is no need or expectation for pluralism under an authoritarian regime. Meanwhile democratic societies can and should impose certain limits, like when it comes to dehumanization and calls for crimes against people based on their ethnicity, religion, gender…

      • Flying SquidMEnglish
        2•1 month ago

        I agree. They are two different concepts.

        I should not be forced to either agree or respect what someone says. In fact, I should be free to tell someone to go fuck themselves and stick their belief up their ass no matter what they say to me… if I am not in a position of power over that person.

        I assume you don’t respect the belief that Israel is in the right to commit genocide in Gaza despite the fact that plenty of people believe it. I also assume you don’t want them to receive retribution for those beliefs.