I will start out my blog with a warning for anyone who simply wants to enjoy my comic and not think about the outside reality. I’m going to speak about it because I have been enraged for days. This is your chance to stop reading and ignore all of that unpleasantness. Rest assured I will be here on Friday with more fictional adventures of made up people. I hope to see you then.

Also, if you intend to comment on the page I suggest you dont look at the other comments. I assure you it won’t be pleasant.

Now, for those of you still here…
I remember 2018. For me it’s not some far away land that we collectively flew over, seeing the large patches of color, but no real detail. No, I was on the ground floor as people were being deplatformed all around. I believe that the freedom of speech in America is first for a reason. At that time I said as much and was punished for it. Maligned for it. I took a financial hit from it amounting to hundreds of dollars, and I would do it again. I never made those losses back. I could have had 7 much better years if I had simply kept my mouth shut. I had the right to remain silent, but not the inclination. Now the tables have turned and the other side is weeping for voices who were silenced. Very briefly I would note… They aren’t saying “It’s a private company, they can do what they want” anymore. The hypocrisy. The utter, unmitigated, blatant, malicious, hypocrisy. I am sickened by it. You set the rules on engagement then bleat when they are followed. When the shoe is on the other foot you bemoan the march. Even so, I will still sit here and defend your right to say whatever ridiculous bullshit you like because I actually believe in something. Putting aside all the nuance of things, and if I believe what happened was fair according to the rules agreed upon, I still defend anyone’s right to say whatever they please if they be a citizen of the United States. I think all humans should have that right, but clearly many governments don’t. If the people who are governed by them want fewer freedoms then that is their choice. I want maximum freedom at all times. That said, I can understand how other people might not want you in their group if you go around saying you hate a particular kind of person, or murder is cool, or gif is pronounced gif. That is something that was thrown into stark contrast in 2018. What you say creates ripples in the pond and those ripples can come back to you in ways you don’t like. Actions have consequences. I am certain that a cadre of unprincipled people will seek to punish me for typing out these words, but I’m doing it knowing full well I bring suffering on myself for choosing to metaphorically speak. If you stand for nothing you shouldn’t be surprised when you are trampled. To my last breath I will defend even speech that I detest in the strongest possible terms. No artist should support the curtailing of free expression. Hearing the concerns of the opposition is vital. On this I will never be swayed.

If people are too afraid to speak how will we ever achieve compromise?

For those of you who made it through that without seeking to harm me, I salute you. Especially if you disagree with what I believe. I will never accept your position, but it is still your right to maintain it. Should the day ever come when censorship wins you should know I will oppose it until someone silences me permanently. I will be glad to go. I have no interest in living in a place where I am not free to speak my mind. The grave would be preferable and I’m sure there are people who would gleefully usher me to it.

On that note I hope to see you on Friday. May you come safely to me then. Until that time, listen for yourself. Don’t let others tell you what was said.

2886 Borderlands.

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