Magic Stories

Freedom of Speech / Protection of Others

The topic of the appropriateness of religion, specifically Christianity, in a
magic show for public consumption is an interesting one but, when dealing with
this type of question, I sometimes feel that I’m the only Libertarian left in
America.

I’ve always felt that if one spoke in complete and thorough sentences, that
is, if people truly thought out their opinions before admitting to them
publicly, they would necessarily keep their mouths shut and keep their opinions
to themselves out of sheer embarrassment and logical and moral consistency.

The truth is that theatrical magic has always had a religious or
superstitious theme.

I recall any of dozens of performances in my ring here in New York City where
voodoo and even satanic themes were used. One magician went so far as to even
use a black wax figurine candle as a prop during his performance; one he
specifically bought in a store dedicated to black magic. It’s important to live
one’s life as consistently as possible.

When one makes a law or pronouncement on one group, one has to make the same
law or pronouncement on all groups. It is the only way to remain logically and
morally consistent. It’s schizophrenic, unethical, arbitrary, narcissistic,
selfish, hubristic, manipulative, immature, bigoted and politically
unsustainable to do otherwise.

The long and short of this is that if anyone wishes to live in a country and
world where their own opinion can exist, regardless of how misbegotten,
misguided, anti-intellectual, vapid and insipid it might be, they must, by force
of logic and reality, allow all other opinions to coexist.

As Voltaire (1694 ? 1778) put it: “I may disagree with what you have to say,
but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it.” I’m a committed
Catholic Christian but I don’t begrudge the opinions of those that disagree with
me. I must support an environment in which their opinions are respected because,
if I don’t, then my opinions will not be respected.

This is sheer and unadulterated enlightened self-interest but, so is everyone
else’s political opinion. There are very few political philosophical martyrs
among us?at least there are no sane ones. I belong to several magic e-lists and
in one of the more esoteric ones, someone recently “came out” as a vampire.

That’s right?.I said “vampire.” That has to be amongst the stupidest things
I’ve heard in my life.

Worse that this insanity, there were people on the e-list who supported and
encouraged this poor man’s madness. But my opinion of this man’s apparent and
unquestionable mental illness is irrelevant; he has the right to make himself
into a fool if he wishes and others have the right to nominate him for president
of the United States if they desire.

They can all run around in their living rooms in the nude with mayonnaise in
their hair if they wish. That’s the price we pay for the honor, privilege, and I
believe, God-given right to express ourselves.

If someone wants to gear their magic act to make it palatable to a Jewish
audience (Torah Magic) it must be accepted. Admittedly, none of my rabbi
magician friends would touch Torah Magic with a 10-foot “yad” but, the point is…

The topic of the appropriateness of religion, specifically Christianity, in a
magic show for public consumption is an interesting one but, when dealing with
this type of question, I sometimes feel that I’m the only Libertarian left in
America.

I’ve always felt that if one spoke in complete and thorough sentences, that
is, if people truly thought out their opinions before admitting to them
publicly, they would necessarily keep their mouths shut and keep their opinions
to themselves out of sheer embarrassment and logical and moral consistency.

The truth is that theatrical magic has always had a religious or
superstitious theme.

I recall any of dozens of performances in my ring here in New York City where
voodoo and even satanic themes were used. One magician went so far as to even
use a black wax figurine candle as a prop during his performance; one he
specifically bought in a store dedicated to black magic. It’s important to live
one’s life as consistently as possible.

When one makes a law or pronouncement on one group, one has to make the same
law or pronouncement on all groups. It is the only way to remain logically and
morally consistent. It’s schizophrenic, unethical, arbitrary, narcissistic,
selfish, hubristic, manipulative, immature, bigoted and politically
unsustainable to do otherwise.

The long and short of this is that if anyone wishes to live in a country and
world where their own opinion can exist, regardless of how misbegotten,
misguided, anti-intellectual, vapid and insipid it might be, they must, by force
of logic and reality, allow all other opinions to coexist.

As Voltaire (1694 ? 1778) put it: “I may disagree with what you have to say,
but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it.” I’m a committed
Catholic Christian but I don’t begrudge the opinions of those that disagree with
me. I must support an environment in which their opinions are respected because,
if I don’t, then my opinions will not be respected.

This is sheer and unadulterated enlightened self-interest but, so is everyone
else’s political opinion. There are very few political philosophical martyrs
among us?at least there are no sane ones. I belong to several magic e-lists and
in one of the more esoteric ones, someone recently “came out” as a vampire.

That’s right?.I said “vampire.” That has to be amongst the stupidest things
I’ve heard in my life.

Worse that this insanity, there were people on the e-list who supported and
encouraged this poor man’s madness. But my opinion of this man’s apparent and
unquestionable mental illness is irrelevant; he has the right to make himself
into a fool if he wishes and others have the right to nominate him for president
of the United States if they desire.

They can all run around in their living rooms in the nude with mayonnaise in
their hair if they wish. That’s the price we pay for the honor, privilege, and I
believe, God-given right to express ourselves.

If someone wants to gear their magic act to make it palatable to a Jewish
audience (Torah Magic) it must be accepted. Admittedly, none of my rabbi
magician friends would touch Torah Magic with a 10-foot “yad” but, the point is
still made.

If someone wants to gear their magic act toward Christianity, Judaism,
Buddhism, the Rotary Club, the Elks, or something ridiculous, degrading and
thoroughly offensive such as the Republican Party, it must be allowed.

One can’t say that some groups aren’t allowed to express themselves while
others enjoy carte blanche. Only totalitarian philosophies allow for such a
thing?and I think we all know how they played out their opinions.

If not, maybe this quote from Rev. Martin Niemoeller, a Protestant minister
who survived the Nazis will illuminate:

They came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I
wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I
wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up
because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I
didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. And then they came for me and by
that time no one was left to speak up.

Politically-correct speech,
or as it had previously been referred to in the past, “censorship” and “denial
of human rights,” has a way of biting one in one’s ass. Please keep this karmic
injunction in mind when seeking to limit the way others express themselves
either in magic or in the other parts of our lives. After all, as Voltaire also
pointed out, “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit
atrocities.”

  

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