@Russ16: from one conservative to another who also states himself to be conservative, and with respect..... Sir: I am not too inclined to to "listen" to someone who has their fangs sunk into my neck. Especially after yesterday. When one of them put a bullet into Charlie's neck. An act which many of them celebrated gleefully, including many in positions of government or leadership. Many others slyly and dishonorably condoned it or excused it or rationalized it.
The First Amendment right of free speech absolutely applies constitutionally to all American citizens. To be clear, that right is in place to protect speech that you don't want to hear. Sometimes speech that almost nobody wants to hear. Most especially speech that the King or the Government does not want to hear. And I fully support that right; in fact I treasure it. Yes, they have a right to say it. That just means the government cannot imprison or punish them for speaking. Nothing more, nothing less. That's what it means. It carries no obligation whatsoever to platform it, to dignify it, to respond to it, to engage with it, or for a private citizen to give it an audience of any kind. And there is zero protection whatsoever for BEHAVIOR if it is criminal. I agree fully with some who have observed that the best solution for speech that you don't like, is MORE speech to push back against it (I think that was Charlie's primary mission; sadly they responded to his SPEECH with an ACT of violence).
NO, I am under ZERO obligation to listen to it or give it one scintilla of credence. By the way, that does NOT make me un-American. If you feel that you have a "duty" to allow poison into your life or your ears or your mind, then I respect your choice and wish you the best of luck. But I submit that listening to poison will not make me or you better informed. I'm precisely as informed as I need to be about poison. I know enough to avoid it. My thinking on that is fully complete. This ain't your Daddy's Democratic Party, or liberals. These people have become more dangerous than anything discussed on this forum, mambas and Dagga Boys included.
If someone is attacking me, or my beloved country, or my way of life...... No Sir-eee Bob. No thank you, very much. Dismissed, with extreme prejudice.
Not trying to pick a fight with you (or anyone). I agree with you that name-calling is not only offensive, but also generally not effective. To be fair, I too have seen some name-calling from the Right. I don't participate in that, and while I can probably understand the hurt and anger, I wish they would choose to use arguments, persuasion, and facts rather than such juvenile tactics. To also be fair, I have seen 87 million metric tons of name-calling from the Left, for years and years. Coming not only from frustrated keyboard warriors, but from the very highest levels of leftist leadership in government, academia, and media. Many would say encouraged and amplified by that leadership. Therein lies a crucial distinction.
"Listening" to toxic, violent, vile, civilization-destroying ideologies is what got us here. It got Charlie dead at age 31. We've been "listening" for at least 60 years, and playing by Marquis of Queensbury rules, while they've been canceling, doxxing, bombing, jabbing, stabbing, burning, rioting, raping, stealing, rigging elections, castrating children, cheating, lying, and murdering. Done. Heard enough. Liberals have showed us who they are and what they stand for. I believe them.
My apologies for the screed. I don't typically check this thread, because I'm here for much more joyful reasons. But right now I'm hurting, and I guess I needed to vent. Most likely you and I would enjoy a nice conversation and a Gin and Tonic around an African campfire, given half a chance. But then, neither of us is spewing poison.
