Prologue: I do not disagree with this post one bit.
Notably, “free speech” has both a constitutional and colloquial usage.
Constitutionally, your First Amendment right to Free Speech (in the US) is a guard against the state interfering with your speech, even if it is offensive. Still, that’s not universal; consider libel and slander, gag orders, for example. The Constitutional free speech protection does not shield you from consequences of your speech handed down by non-governmental persons or organizations.
Colloquially, “free speech” is often used to refer to situations like the one posted here: where a non-state actor takes a retributive action against a speaker. This usage is leveraged by people across the political spectrum.
Yeah the fash like to use “free speech” to mean “I can say whatever I want whenever I want and no one is allowed to criticize me for it” which mysteriously does not apply to anyone who isn’t also a fash
Prologue: I do not disagree with this post one bit.
Notably, “free speech” has both a constitutional and colloquial usage.
Constitutionally, your First Amendment right to Free Speech (in the US) is a guard against the state interfering with your speech, even if it is offensive. Still, that’s not universal; consider libel and slander, gag orders, for example. The Constitutional free speech protection does not shield you from consequences of your speech handed down by non-governmental persons or organizations.
Colloquially, “free speech” is often used to refer to situations like the one posted here: where a non-state actor takes a retributive action against a speaker. This usage is leveraged by people across the political spectrum.
Counterpoint: fascism doesn’t get included in free speech. But everyone else is allowed to voice an opinion.
Yeah the fash like to use “free speech” to mean “I can say whatever I want whenever I want and no one is allowed to criticize me for it” which mysteriously does not apply to anyone who isn’t also a fash