TheDifrntDrmr

Free Speech, As Long As You Don’t Offend The King

Jimmy Kimmel said the right thing. MAGA wants an apology. This isn’t about decency — it’s about demanding submission and eliminating criticism.

“You have the right to free speech

As long as you’re not

Dumb enough to actually try it.”

– The Clash, “Know Your Rights”

I once learned the hard way that free speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences, even when you think you’re among friends.

Years ago, one of the employees on my team was the stepson of a colleague I didn’t get along with. Over the years, we had bonded, often venting over the issues we had with his stepfather.

One day, he walked into a conversation I was having with coworkers about the stepdad. Trying to break the tension, I joked, “I won’t hold it against you because of who your mother’s sleeping with.”

It was an offhand remark, dumb and in poor judgment. Word got back to the stepfather, and I ended up in HR. Their message was clear: “We want you to apologize and tell him you didn’t mean it.”