129 Free Speech

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">There are many examples of people trying to gain control by making an issue about themselves, only the “I'm offended” crowd is the most spectacularly obvious about it. It's a highly effective tactic that immediately coarsens communication because the accused must either go silent, which is of course what the attacker wants, or must fight back, and that takes enormous self-confidence to do, especially in public. The “I'm offended” attack is exploiting other people's courtesy, and relies on our passive natures when in comes to confrontation. Most of us would rather not engage in nor witness a acrimonious verbal exchange so the momentum is all on the side of the attacker.</p> <p>As children we were conditioned to succumb to an “I'm offended” attack by adults who took great sanctimonious pleasure in vocally condemning our use of “dirty” words, and the indoctrination remains strong into adulthood. That's why the offended attack, represented by the college campus euphemism, “Safe Space,” is so attractive to & effective on young people. But Race-Baiters and victims of all kinds are profligate users of offense as cause celeb. Religions are also purveyors of the offended attack, and unfortunately, the bad judgment inherent in religion can actually result in physical violence against the perceived offenders, squelching Free Speech with a Kalashnikov. There are people whose job requires them to run afoul of zealotry, such as the French satirist magazine Charlie Hebdo, that were killed by offended Muslims. Unbelievable as it seems, there are actually “enlightened” Westerners claiming Charlie Hebdo deserved what they got?! Firefighters can never be blamed for dying in fires.</p> <p>I don't admire people who go around bashing religions, setting up conferences to bash religions, or attending religion bashing events, however, I support those people's Rights & ability to do so, whatever the consequences may be. Limiting Free Speech because somebody might be offended, and in response capture some poor Japanese missionary in Syria and behead them is the kind of logic that clearly points to a coward & ingrate not worthy of having liberty.</p>