Freedom of speech dies on the lips, especially if we have to walk around being hypersensitive that something we might say might egoically offend someone’s poor ego and limited tolerance. The small, limited, narrow-agenda-ed sensitives now rule the Western world and if they don’t like something they hear or see, there is always the Thought Police (is this really any different that 1984′s TP?) of the provincial Human Rights Commissions of various provinces to ride shotgun, coughing up legal fees to assist the complainer, right or wrong against the often innocent, unexpected accused. Automatically assumed guilty before crime is proven for offending some twit’s power-deluded ego.
For a long time, political correctness has reigned in Canada and, ironically, discriminated against thousands of people. For example, men have been considered guilty by virtue of just being male and innocent white folks have been accused, unfairly, of exercising ‘white privilege’. Just about anyone who holds a contrary or different view is liable to be shouted down or hashtagly bullied, vilified, or intimidated online. Far from advancing free speech and open-minded opinion, the ‘net has been a playground for bigotry, hate, ignorance, and the advancement of discriminatory agendas.
Intimidation and disrespect are now the (dis)order of the day and times. Despite whatever “I am Charlie” hindsight-declarations, the mass of men and women are fearful and on edge. We live in a crazy, violent world, and if someone doesn’t like you or doesn’t understand you or irony, you could simply be dead meat. Yeats was right–“The best lack all conviction, while the worst/are full of passionate intensity”. Welcome to our agenda-ed intimidation world.