This might seem odd coming from a person a person who has labored in the ether for nearly all of this century, but somethings – often – all-too-many of the denizens of the internet scare the shit out of me.

I’m not about to make one of those mindless pleas for civility. We have no universal standards for such, and what offends some is thought to be outspoken and necessary to others. When it comes to freedom of expression, I am such an absolutist that I think banning cigarette commercials from the airwaves is in opposition to the First Amendment. No, I do not smoke cigarettes, nor do I believe corporations have the same rights as do actual human beings. But, you will note, I do capitalize the initial letters in the term “First Amendment.” For some, the First Amendment guarantees our largely unenforced freedom of religion provisions. For me, the First Amendment is my religion.

But I am making a plea for people owning up to the courage of their convictions. Say what you want but take responsibility for your actions. We misquote Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ statement that you can’t shout fire in a theater. What Holmes wrote was “the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic” (emphasis mine).

Besides, that was overturned in 1969. You are free to say what you want, but that freedom doesn’t take you off the hook from taking responsibility for what you say. Call me a child molester and I’ll sue you into the next reboot.

Which brings me to Batwoman. Well, more to the point, to actor Ruby Rose who will be playing Batwoman in the CW’s Arrowverse teevee shows. Immediately after Ms. Rose’s assignment was announced, the internet went batshit.  Continue reading “Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mind #007: People Are Scary” →