In his article "In Defense of Prejudice" Jonathan Rauch takes an uncommon stance on the subject of prejudice in our society. Rauch argues that many of the policies surrounding hate-speech that were created to protect the minority are actually oppressing free speech. The author's point of view as a Jewish homosexual adds weight and creditability to his argument. Rauch's essay does not support racism but does support the rights of each person to speak openly without fear of reprisal.
Rauch makes his point against the latest trend in American society, the war against public expression of any prejudice. The article is arguing two different sides of public expression of individual prejudices using the two terms introduced by the author: "purism" used to describe the position of those who would eliminate prejudice, and "intellectual pluralism" describes a position, which recognizes the certain duality of life. .
The author presents the both sides of his argument. On one side, there are the purists- authorities, the protesters, and the editorialists who believe that there is no place for any public expression of racism, sexism, homophobia, religious orientation, and " that the public expression of any and all prejudices must be forbidden". Purism, according to Rauch, is that society cannot be just until the last traces of offensive prejudice have been eliminated. "Only when racism and other forms of prejudice are expunged," say the crusaders for sweetness and light, "can minorities be safe and society be fair." He states that a fair and safe society can be only where there is no discrimination.
On the other side of the problem is the author himself (the pluralist) giving arguments about how to get the best out of prejudices instead of fighting to eradicate them regardless of today's society that tries to eliminate any form of prejudice. Rauch makes a great point by bringing up the fact that we live in a society that gives us the right of freedom of speech and people will always use the freedom they are given to express themselves.
