It is chilling, not to say confusing, to hear Charlie Kirk lauded as a proponent of free speech and meaningful dialogue while at the same time people are being fired, suspended, and/or harassed for exercising their free speech to say negative things about the late influencer (who himself had so much negative to say about women, people of color, and the LGBT community.)
Indeed, when Brian Kilmeade, a commentator on Fox suggested solving the problem of mentally ill homeless people by lethal injection, he was only reprimanded. Meanwhile, Matthew Dowd at MSNBC was fired for saying that Kirk was a very divisive and polarizing figure" and pointing out the dangerous combination of political toxicity and gun culture in America.
Alas, the right is coming for everyone's free speech. Teachers, firefighters, and military personnel are among those terminated for speaking ill of the right-wing's new saint. The GOP government is scanning the internet in search of adverse comments by those they can fire, deport, or refuse entrance.
And self-appointed social media warriors are threatening to make lists of and dox those with whom they disagree.
I don't have a job to be fired from nor a business that could suffer. I think I have to keep on speaking my mind--just like Charlie did.
For a fuller account of this free speech ban, check out this excellent article in The Guardian. HERE
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