Rep. Will Hurd: I'm a conservative. I was 'disinvited' to the Black Hat Conference. Here's what I want to know

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/rep-will-hurd-conservative-cybersecurity-black-hat-conference

By Rep. Will Hurd
Fox News
June 18, 2019

This weekend, I experienced a first as a member of Congress – I was uninvited to
give the keynote address at the world’s premier cybersecurity conference. I was
not uninvited because of my positions on cybersecurity. I was uninvited because
the organizers of the conference were criticized by a few individuals who
opposed the selection of a speaker with a conservative voting record. I was
honored to be invited and wish the Black Hat Conference nothing but success, but
I am concerned that this is yet another data point in a growing trend where
individuals are unwilling to engage with people who think differently from them.

As a member of Congress who represents one of the few true swing districts in
the country, I have always tried to engage groups of people who don’t
necessarily agree with all my votes or opinions. This kind of engagement has
taught me that disagreement is the cornerstone of the competition of ideas. We
are a better country for it, and I hope that going forward we can avoid
politicizing issues like cybersecurity that are essential to the security of our
nation.

In his recent book "Love Your Enemies," Arthur Brooks says that political
differences are ripping our country apart because of a culture of contempt where
the outrage industrial complex (e.g., divisive politicians, screaming heads on
television, polarizing columnists, social media, etc.) caters only to one side
of the ideological spectrum. This culture stokes our own biases while affirming
our worst assumptions about those who disagree with us, therefore making
political compromise and progress impossible.

[...]

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