Obvious as it may sound, people with authoritarian beliefs hiding behind free speech actually consider it as a weakness akin empathy. It allows losers like them to amplify their reach despite not being in power. They abandon their “free speech absolutist” postures the moment they think they are in power.

  • lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    ·
    9 days ago

    Does anyone?

    Yes, old-school liberals, the ACLU, etc.

    It’s bizarre & disappointing that newer generations seem to associate freedom of speech with right-wing authoritarians when freedom of speech has been a firmly liberal value advanced through the enlightenment & civil rights movement. Everyone ought to defend it.

    • I Cast Fist@programming.dev
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      9 days ago

      Claim it, twist it, poison it, ruin it. Hate groups and vile scum always do that with things people used to care about or that used to be innocuous.

      • lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        9 days ago

        Claim it, twist it, poison it, ruin it.

        Nothing new historically. You don’t have to accept their false premises by surrendering ideas to them.

        things people used to care about or that used to be innocuous

        Free speech is power, not innocuous: authorities fear it. It belongs to the people unless they surrender it.

        Used to care about? Only if you let them stop you.

    • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      8 days ago

      The ACLU are nationalist ideologues who don’t believe in anything. There’s no objective definition of “civil rights” or even “free speech”. They promote the wacky idea that money is speech and corporations are people. They’re only “free speech absolutists” for the rich or whatever the system tells them. They’re fash enablers.

      • lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        8 days ago

        That’s the most delulu & citation-free comment I’ve read in recent time: good job!

        The premise of free expression is that the people get to decide what speech they want to hear, and it’s not the role of an authority to decide that for them. Seems you oppose that liberty & want an authority to decide. Isn’t there a name for people who oppose freedom & want everyone to obey authority? Aren’t there some rather unsavory characters who agree with you? That’s some awfully bad company: despite your superficial differences, you’re a bit too alike.