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If the republicans do not come around in the next few years, I fear for America. What exactly do you mean by “do not come around”. Come around to what? That

If the republicans do not come around in the next few years, I fear for America. What exactly do you mean by “do not come around”. Come around to what? That suppression of free speech is a good thing? I’m an independent, and I think Trump has a serious amount of responsibility for what happened here. But the suppression of free speech offends me on every level, regardless of who the target of the suppression is. We either have free speech or we don’t.

brown9-2 6y ago
Republicans need to come around on topics like admitting who won the election, ceasing to lie to their voters about it, and asking themselves why such a large part of their voting base and media ecosystem is based around spreading or believing in obvious bullshit like QAnon.
objectivetruth 6y ago
> Come around to what? When polls show nearly half of Republicans support the Capitol Insurgents, there are LOTS of things that Republicans need to come around to. Come "back" around to the belief that the court is the final arbiter of disputes in our country, NOT whoever sends the most maniacs in a frenzied mob. Come around to the belief that yes, they did in fact lose the 2020 presidential election fairly, as stated by every state and county election official, including the GOP's. Come around to the belief that the US "peaceful transition of power" during presidential elections was in fact a good thing, not a centuries-old tradition to be thrown away in a futile attempt to install a game show host as dictator-for-life. Source: https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/01/07/nearly-half-of-republicans-support-the-invasion-of-the-us-capitol https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/01/07/nearly-h...
polemic 6y ago
> We either have free speech or we don’t. Perhaps one of the best things Americans could do is throw away demonstrably false dichotomies like this. You have defamation laws, you have copyright & IP law, contract law etc. Freedom of expression is a right that is balanced against other types of rights and freedoms. No doubt the USA puts more weight on freedom of expression over other rights, but it's by no means the only setting that confers a functioning democracy. It's entirely valid to discuss where the balance should sit. Indeed it's the _only_ way to discuss it rationally.
- refurb 6y ago
  No, America has consistently valued free speech is all but the most limited circumstances. Now isn’t the time to say “well that didn’t work” and roll back a right that is pretty core to the country itself.
  - objectivetruth 6y ago
    Thankfully, Twitter blocking Nazis and Qanons isn't rolling back any rights. In fact, it's Twitter engaging in their Constitutionally-protected right of free association.
  - tjr225 6y ago
    You've never had the right to do whatever you want on someone else's private property.

brown9-2 6y ago

Republicans need to come around on topics like admitting who won the election, ceasing to lie to their voters about it, and asking themselves why such a large part of their voting base and media ecosystem is based around spreading or believing in obvious bullshit like QAnon.

objectivetruth 6y ago

> Come around to what? When polls show nearly half of Republicans support the Capitol Insurgents, there are LOTS of things that Republicans need to come around to. Come "back" around to the belief that the court is the final arbiter of disputes in our country, NOT whoever sends the most maniacs in a frenzied mob. Come around to the belief that yes, they did in fact lose the 2020 presidential election fairly, as stated by every state and county election official, including the GOP's. Come around to the belief that the US "peaceful transition of power" during presidential elections was in fact a good thing, not a centuries-old tradition to be thrown away in a futile attempt to install a game show host as dictator-for-life. Source: https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/01/07/nearly-half-of-republicans-support-the-invasion-of-the-us-capitol https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/01/07/nearly-h...

polemic 6y ago

> We either have free speech or we don’t. Perhaps one of the best things Americans could do is throw away demonstrably false dichotomies like this. You have defamation laws, you have copyright & IP law, contract law etc. Freedom of expression is a right that is balanced against other types of rights and freedoms. No doubt the USA puts more weight on freedom of expression over other rights, but it's by no means the only setting that confers a functioning democracy. It's entirely valid to discuss where the balance should sit. Indeed it's the _only_ way to discuss it rationally.

refurb 6y ago
No, America has consistently valued free speech is all but the most limited circumstances. Now isn’t the time to say “well that didn’t work” and roll back a right that is pretty core to the country itself.
- objectivetruth 6y ago
  Thankfully, Twitter blocking Nazis and Qanons isn't rolling back any rights. In fact, it's Twitter engaging in their Constitutionally-protected right of free association.
- tjr225 6y ago
  You've never had the right to do whatever you want on someone else's private property.