It's my assertion that people act/react mostly due to how they feel not how they think, Republicans being just as capable of this as those on the left. After all, there is no cogent thought process that finds Donald Trump to be a good candidate for President, and yet, he has a rabid following because of how he makes some people feel. Only 2% of thought is conscious. The rest is coming from the gut (subconscious).

Of course, everyone has the right to disagree with someone else if they can present facts, data, or personal experience that shows another side, but if someone is telling others that racism or homophobia isn't really that bad or that harmful it's not a valid opinion that is protected by a kind of "right to speech", since it's objectively, measurably, demonstrably not true and also extremely disrespectful and in iteself causing further pain and harm. Of course, legally, it is protected, by it's uncivil and rude.

Some guy tried to tell me a couple of weeks ago that I was out of line for telling him that his opinions about what Black people ought to be prioritizing and considering offensive was condescending and wrong, (because a White guy doesn't get to tell Black people what actually hurts them). They get to decide that for themselves (which is when I got the idea for this story). I wasn't "allowing" him to have his opinion, so I was wrong. My response to that is essentially FU! Your "opinion" is still rude and condescending. The top of the DH is used to controlling the narrative and I get it that it feels uncomfortable when that's no longer taking place, but too damned bad.

I don't mean to be flip, but Medium is under no obligation to provide you with the content that you'd most enjoy or to support you expressing views that many people find offensive and demonstrably false. You have 100% control over what you read and engage with. Free speech doesn't entitle you to say whatever you want with no consequences, particularly when it flies in the face of well-documented dynamics.

You know I appreciate your friendship, but I'm not entirely sure why you keep reading these kinds of stories that just cause friction in your life. You seem to be doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, which is one of the definitions of insanity. 😉