Steven Friedman’s latest column was a collection of platitudes signifying little, the comment not being particularly insightful (Unvoiced prejudices are the deepest and most harmful, April 4). He said those who would not be insulted by Vicki Momberg would find the punishment harsh, while those who would be insulted by her would welcome it. Similarly, those who defend freedom of speech are the ones never hurt by it. So according to him, people (except for left-leaning intellectuals, of course) are generally too thick or too emotionally deficient to apply their minds objectively. For instance, it would not be possible for a black person to think that, while Momberg’s utterances were disgusting, the two-year custodial sentence for a nonviolent crime is by any standards and comparisons a bit harsh, and not allowing bail pending her application to appeal (which is normally allowed even to rapists and murderers when there is no risk of them absconding or interfering with witnesses) smacks...
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