pz myers: atheism ≠ fascism

i liked the phrase, radical, militant tolerance...

snip

...

i disagree with harris and hitchens, especially hitchens on this one issue, but i also defend them, and not just in the sense of defending the principle of free speech, but because i also agree with them in part. somehow, the meaning of "progressive" has weakened so much that it can be equated to radical, militant tolerance of every blithering looniness someone might spout, with tactics that constitute little more than limp-wristed surrender to the excuses of bigots.

too often, the conversation between so-called 'progressives' and their opponents is one of gelatin-spined appeasers trying desperately to stave off the tyrants of the right by frantically retreating from the conflict.

"i want to chop off my daughter's clitoris," says the islamist. "oooh, that's not nice," says the 'progressive', "and your deep, rich cultural traditions make me hesitate to object."

meanwhile, the new atheist says "no. there is no ambiguity here: your children are individuals, you have no right to butcher them. and being an ignorant barbarian is no excuse."

/snip

etc...