When I was a young person, too many years ago, there were books Roman Catholics weren’t allowed to read. Catholic officialdom had decreed that “error has no rights,” which is to say those who disagreed with dogma had no right to be heard.
Big Tech and the Progressive Left are taking a similar position in recent years. They are cancelling books, articles, and social media posts with which they disagree, labeling all such “disinformation.” Isn’t that merely another way of saying “error has no rights?”
My understanding of the First Amendment is that this position is unconstitutional. My concern is that the Supreme Court will not defend the First Amendment. Recently they’ve shown a distinct lack of backbone, of courage.
It takes no great bravery to defend speech with which you agree. What is needful, to maintain a marketplace in which all ideas can be heard, is defending speech with which you disagree. Even if doing so means feelings get hurt, or snowflakes get fearful.
