Carl F. Horowitz

Carl F. Horowitz, Washington correspondent for Investor’s Business Daily, argues in the subsequent viewpoint that the crusade to deter immoral behavior with shame threatens the freedom of Americans. Shaming is ultimately a form of censorship, contends Horowitz, because it insists that people conform to the “social mandates” of the majority or else be ostracized.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Horowitz, what is private censorship, and why is it harmful?
2. How does psychologist Robert Karn define a “shameful” person, as cited by the author?
3. In Horowitz’s view, how does shame lead to and reinforce censorship"

Punishment, ostracism, humiliation,” thundered Tory essayist and avowed high-cholesterol gourmand Digby Anderson, slamming his fist onto the table. It was an unusual discussion panel I had stumbled...