I agree with you philosophically about free speech... no one should be held responsible for someone else’s actions. If someone is nutzo violent, then they are nutzo violent, regardless if they supported Bernie Sanders or Col.Sanders.
The problem here is a massive double standard in the media and in our culture. THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL THIS WHOLE THING WOULD HAVE COME DOWN LIKE IT DID IN THE MEDIA IF THIS GUY TARGETED DEMOCRATS AND WAS AN AVID TRUMP SUPPORTER.
What is more, the media that helped incite him and many other radical violent segments of the population, would never stand for it if some right wing talking-heads or publications got even remotely close to the vile vitriol that they themselves frequently spew.
Is it free speech or isn’t it?
As far as your double standard statement goes, I couldn’t agree more.
When you dumb down the masses, you make them susceptible to fiery rhetoric, to becoming mob-like in their thinking. And most people realize how a mob behaves.
Interestingly, in the play, Julius Caesar (which is currently at the heart of the political rhetoric controversy), Marc Antony’s famous funeral oration is all about fanning the mob into a frenzy.
Perfect post. You nailed it.
This is not an argument about Free Speech. It’s about Hypocrisy.
The Left owns the media and have told everyone that Speech Can Be Free Only If It Meets The Needs of Leftists. To them free speech must first pass through their homophobe/xenophobe/racist/sexist/any stretch of the imagination judgmental filters. There are only two groups of whom free speech against them is still allowed: the Right and Christians.