Just Had To Get This Out...
I kinda can't stand when people throw the term "free speech" around to defend their acts of dickery. The First Amendment really isn't about that. It's about protecting people from persecution for openly criticizing the government or the president. It's about being able to debate and peaceably assemble. (And other stuff not relevant to this post.)
It's not about saying dickhead things to anonymous authors in exchange fests. I mean...legally, you can call your boss an asshole. That's protected speech. You still could get fired. Legally, you can tell your teachers that they're morons. That's protected speech. You can still get detention. You can spread the word around the office that the gift you got in the Secret Santa was awful. It's protected. It also makes you an ungrateful jerk.
Free speech doesn't really enter into it at all. You shouldn't call your boss an asshole or your teacher a moron, not just because it's rude, but also because there are consequences that could lead to losing your employment or education.
There's really not a good *real life* comparison to this issue in fandom. And my post really isn't about concrit in fests. Personally, I think it should be given when the author actually has an ability to do something about it or respond to it. My issue is using "free speech" to defend your right to be a dick.
Right now in Iran...the birthplace of my father, where my grandmother and family lives...people are getting thrown in jail, raped, and killed for doing the very things that our first amendment (aka "free speech") protects.
It was not to protect netiquette breaches or being a dick because you can hide behind your keyboard and yell, "FREE SPEECH" to allow for said dickery.
It really pisses me off to see the term "free speech" tossed out there so casually for such insignificant bullshit. I bet people in Iran can bitch anonymously about fanfiction, too, and get away with it.
Be grateful for it. It's not be used lightly, or to cover up your general asshattery. It's about having the freedom to not be jailed or hung for treason for saying things like "[our leader] is bad for our country."
It's not about saying dickhead things to anonymous authors in exchange fests. I mean...legally, you can call your boss an asshole. That's protected speech. You still could get fired. Legally, you can tell your teachers that they're morons. That's protected speech. You can still get detention. You can spread the word around the office that the gift you got in the Secret Santa was awful. It's protected. It also makes you an ungrateful jerk.
Free speech doesn't really enter into it at all. You shouldn't call your boss an asshole or your teacher a moron, not just because it's rude, but also because there are consequences that could lead to losing your employment or education.
There's really not a good *real life* comparison to this issue in fandom. And my post really isn't about concrit in fests. Personally, I think it should be given when the author actually has an ability to do something about it or respond to it. My issue is using "free speech" to defend your right to be a dick.
Right now in Iran...the birthplace of my father, where my grandmother and family lives...people are getting thrown in jail, raped, and killed for doing the very things that our first amendment (aka "free speech") protects.
It was not to protect netiquette breaches or being a dick because you can hide behind your keyboard and yell, "FREE SPEECH" to allow for said dickery.
It really pisses me off to see the term "free speech" tossed out there so casually for such insignificant bullshit. I bet people in Iran can bitch anonymously about fanfiction, too, and get away with it.
Be grateful for it. It's not be used lightly, or to cover up your general asshattery. It's about having the freedom to not be jailed or hung for treason for saying things like "[our leader] is bad for our country."