Reparations without Assigning Blame
Interview with Mark Reiff in Davis Vanguard re Trump and Trumpism
Reiff argues that fascism is grounded in a radically different conception of society and the self. Liberal democracies are organized around individual rights, he explained, whereas fascism sees “the people” as the core moral unit. But who counts as “the people” is strictly defined.
“For liberals, ‘the people’ means everyone, or at least all citizens. For fascists, it excludes entire categories—Black people, gay people, Jews, Muslims, women, anyone who doesn’t conform,” he said. “Fascism claims to be democratic, but only because everyone inside its narrowly defined ‘people’ is assumed to think the same way.”
What are the Limits of Free Speech?
Story by Alex Russell
The right to free speech is part of our American identity, but what if some forms of speech use this idea of freedom against us? Increasingly, certain forms of speech — hate speech and disinformation in particular — threaten our society and the many freedoms we might take for granted.
In a new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Jurisprudence, UC Davis philosopher and legal scholar Mark Reiff gives new insight into the source of the right to free speech and the limits that this right contains. The paper explains how these limits show us that hate speech and disinformation are not protected by the right, but rather must be limited to ensure all of our fundamental freedoms.
Conceptual Truths
Adam Miller and Mark R. Reiff discuss the rise of anti-establishment politicians, rightwing political parties, and the increasing threat of political violence
