Michael Smith"I’m trying to think my way through something. As people who read my posts know, I sometimes use social media as a yuge, bigly chalkboard to refine my thought process through comments. Tell me what I am missing here –
I’m trying to define the past, present and future process of the decay of our First Amendment rights:1. We begin with constitutionally protected free speech and free expression
for all.
2. Social propriety forbids certain subjects to be discussed in
“polite company”, but even those matters can be openly discussed in smaller, private groups appropriate to the subject.
3.
Political correctness extends social self-censorship to public forums.4.
Cancel culture physically enforces political correctness when non-state actors ruin reputations, end careers and generally exclude people from public debate by public pressure on employers and organizations.
5.
Speech bans extend cancel culture when private and public non-state entities codify rules that forbid the use of certain language and expression of certain ideas.
6.
Tyranny begins when the state begins creating and enforcing laws and regulations expressly forbidding the public expression of certain words, phrases, or ideas.
7.
Indoctrination begins when only non-banned speech and ideas can be taught in state funded and controlled schools.
8.
Oppression is the final stage when the state begins to police speech and people fear to write, speak, or think in ways prohibited by law, even in private settings."
