Silencing Those with which you Disagree

One way to deal with people with which you disagree is to try to silence them. This is done in politics all the time by people of all parties. It's a strategy that is very effective and at the same time very un American.

In this country we are given, among other freedoms, the Freedom of Speech. You're supposed to be able to say whatever you like about whomever you wish. This does not carry over into all areas of our lives of course. We can go tell our boss that he is ugly and mean. We have the right to do that without risk of jail time, but there would probably be OTHER consequences. Being fired because someone else sneaked around at work and told your boss you said such a thing when you didn't would be another situation and very sleazy.

For the same reason there are certain rules to follow on a forum such as this. There are penalties for not following them.

It would seem that in order to preserve the Freedom of Speech for yourself, it would be only fair that it be preserved for those with which you do not agree as well.

I would not work toward seeing that ANYONE on this forum was banned. If the moderators and powers that be decide that on their own so be it, but my ethics would not allow me to lobby for such a thing to happen, or throw gasoline on such a fire.