Noam Chomsky and the democratic state: While I disagree with much of Noam Chomsky's criticism of Israel, I thought denying him the opportunity to speak hurt Israel more than it hurt Chomsky. I think it was a bit, well, stupid to deny him free speech rights.

I THOUGHT Israel was a democracy. Now it surely will give Chomsky fodder with which to criticize the Jewish state. I can hear it now: See, I told you Israel was not a democracy.

It's too bad. I hate hearing the criticism of Israel and I do not for the life of me know why someone as smart as Chomsky and many on the political left would go to bat for terrorist states which bear much more similarity to the tyranny Chomsky and others say they hate. Now Israel gives its critics ammunition, as if they needed more, to hurl the slings and arrows of outrageous accusations which make those accusations all the more believable.

Israel did itself NO favor by denying Chomsky the opportunity to air his views. What happened to "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it." It seems Israel now gives credence to those who criticize it when by allowing Chomsky the opportunity to speak would have sounded a clarion call for democracy by the ordinarily free democratic state of Israel it says it is.