this post was submitted on 27 Aug 2023
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Futurology
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People have a huge misconception of what free speech is. Free speech is the ability to speak against or question the government without consequence. It doesn't have anything else to do with saying whatever you want to say.
Example:
"Cheerios are made by milking bats." is not free speech. It's just a lie.
"The president is wrong, and doesn't know what he's doing." is exercising my right to free speech.
The misconception is that freedom of speech means anything other than freedom from prosecution by the state for your speech. It does not mean you are entitled to a platform, it does not mean you cannot be shouted down, and it does not mean private entities cannot (or even should not) censor your speech.
It's important to keep unpopular speech legally protected. It's not at all important to ensure it has a robust platform. For example, Nazis should not be arrested for saying Nazi things; but they should absolutely be deplatformed, socially shunned, and have a blind eye cast when they get punched in the mouth for saying Nazi things in public.
Well said!
What about "The radical, left-wing Democrat president is continuing Antifa's crusade against Americans by forcing Cheerios to adopt the supposedly environmentally friendly policy of milking bats to produce the classic American breakfast cereal."
Where does that fall? It sounds like free speech to me.
That would be free speech, yes.
Lol see? Just like that, you can lie profusely as free speech. America!
It's even more effective if you just assert random bullshit, mention someone political figure you hate or like, whatever the intent. It's free speech even if it is completely divorced from reality as long as you criticize the government, I guess.
Back in the day journalists wouldn't have been able to publish a story covering what you just quoted. It had to be factual. But that was ripped away, unfortunately. Hell, before Trump and Conway outlets would still point out when someone was flat out lying. But "alternate facts" get more views so they went along with it.
Liable should come up more, imo. I don't know why it doesn't.