Our Freedom of Expression Is Killing Us

[Scootaloo]

161. Free expression is not the problem.

The problem is the abuse of that right. Using your freedom to impinge upon the lives and security of others is abuse of said right.

Take the broad example of bullying. Under the exact same logic being used by DU'ers to support this dehumanizing film, there's absolutely no issue with systemic verbal abuse of others, no matter the consequences of that abuse. Harass a kid until he hangs himself? Well, by the new logic of DU, that's the kid's fault, the harasser didn't hang him, how dare you impinge on the harasser's rights! The kid should have known to just ignore it!

Of course these DU'ers will cluck their tongues and quote Voltaire, as if they think they are the new stewards of Enlightenment-era ideals. "Oh, I don't defend what he said, just his right to say it!" while ignoring of course, the cumulative effect of constant hatred on its targets.

This is simply a case of the United States' long history of protecting the privileged's rights to denigrate and abuse those who are less fortunate. This is why the right rallies against any sort of hate speech legislation, against any anti-bullying legislation, against any rights or allowances that they think challenges the authority of their religions, etc. They do this because, simply, they hate people and want their hate protected at the expense of the people they hate. And they claim the first amendment supports this. Which is the sort of logic that says the 2nd amendment allows you to manufacture and stockpile chemical weapons. "it doesn't say you can't!"