January 9th, 2021
Apparently, some jerk got kicked off Twitter forever and people think it’s an example of silencing freedom of speech. In fact, there are a lot of people who think violating social media platforms’ rules and having their posts or access adjusted or removed accordingly is also that, apparently forgetting that when they joined those platforms they checked a little box that said they read AND understood the rules. Allow me to give you my bar metaphor:
If someone is being a threat or just an a**hole in a bar, we can 86 them (bye!) and it is not denying them their freedom of speech; it is telling them their words and actions are infringing on other’s right to be in that space, and that there are consequences for their free speech. They can threaten others and be an a**hole in other bars, but from personal experience I can tell you that there will come a time where there won’t be a place for them to go and drink — unless that place specifically tolerates that kind of behavior.
And lemme tell you: there are PLENTY of places like that on the internet.
I don’t know why we have to keep reminding some of you of this, but here it is for the people with their hands on their ears: freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences. Period. Exclamation point! But no question.
The Den 