Commentary Democracy is a messy thing, relying as it does on debate and dialogue. This means that people we don’t like, or who express unpopular views, or who articulate ideas we find hateful or subscribe to ideas we think dangerous get to express their annoying, wrong-minded opinions. As George Orwell put it, “If liberty means anything at all, it means the ability to tell people what they do not want to hear.” Practically, those of us who are devoted to democratic norms need to listen respectfully to our political adversaries, as well as to those who promulgate ideas that are not to our taste or liking. Dialogue is the lifeblood of democracy. Just as a musician requires the ability to improvise in different keys, so too do democracies require diverse opinions and free-flowing and open discussions. In short, we need to listen to interlocutors who say things we don’t want …
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