Feel the Bern!!!

[TheRealJoeFish]

He's sexist and racist? I've never seen him be either of those things I hope he isn't.

Well, here's how I'd put it: he has some rather unfortunate views in these regards.

Harris's worldview seems to be that religion is a present, affirmative threat to personal and national security; this understanding of his often results in behavior and opinions remarkably reminiscent of post-9/11 Iraq war proponents. He believes torture is appropriate in a fair number of circumstances, and in a dialogue with Noam Chomsky (in which I don't believe either party argued particularly effectively) he essentially argued that military action by the U.S. against middle eastern civilians is justified by the U.S.'s broader intent. He's spoken positively of, although as far as I can tell has not advocated for, curtailing the entry of Muslims into the country while allowing Christians in. His views on Muslims align almost perfectly with Cruz and Trump; whereas a great many atheists (myself included) believe that Islam is harmful, Harris espouses that muslims are harmful.

Additionally, he is very blunt and tone deaf regarding women, essentially suggesting that women shouldn't worry too much about their rights here and that feminism should instead focus its efforts on destroying religion (especially Islam).

Harris is a thinker who has a lot of really good things to say and a fair amount of not so good things. I agree with him on many things but find some of his views somewhere between silly and abhorrent. I find Harris, like Dawkins and PZ Myers, to be someone we can learn a ton from while recognizing that not all of his many opinions deserve respect.