,
12 tweets,
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1/ So, word is the #CovingtonCatholic kids are lawyering up to sue people 4 accusing them of being racists. A few thoughts. First, anyone who believes in free speech (including conservatives who claim 2b "free speech activists") should be horrified by this move (but won't be)
2/ Fact is, this is simply an attempt to stifle legitimate opinions about the actions of ultra conservatives...an attempt to shut down anti-racist commentary by subjecting those who discuss racism to potential lawsuits. It's a deliberate right wing strategy to stifle dissent..
3/ While one can disagree with the assessment of the students in question as racist, to suggest that believing them to be such is an essentially illegal opinion for which people should be financially punished is legal insanity...
4/ How often, after all, have white conservatives accused people of color of being racist just for mentioning white privilege, or in the case of President Obama for simply criticizing white police officers or imposing a small tax on tanning bed visit (yes this happened)...
5/ While those arguments are absurd, I cannot imagine anyone on the left suggesting that the people who say such things should be sued…If you disagree with those statements you argue it out in the court of public opinion like adults, you don't sue...
6/ Fact is those criticizing the #CovingtonCatholic kids did not claim they'd committed a crime. We simply suggested their behavior manifested racial bias against indigenous peoples (tomahawk chops and war chants aimed at an indigenous elder)...
7/ Whether or not one agrees with that assessment, it is surely not so far removed from the bounds of the reasonable as to constitute slander or libel...
8/ These are simply right wingers who want to sue people for calling them out for what they did. They want to proclaim innocence even though they're far from it. I am saying it: these boys are either racists OR supremely indifferent to the experiences of people or color..
9/ ...And either way they're assholes...and me calling them assholes is not libel or slander either, so if any of the shitty law school-degree having attorneys they've retained wanna come at me for calling their clients names, have at it. I will wreck you...
10. And once we're done, not only will we have struck a blow for free speech but I'll countersue and take literally all the money these little boys and their families have. We'll drag their school, their moms and dads, the law firm repping them...everyone. Seriously, try me...
11/ I look forward to deposing these boys and grilling them about their opinions about black people, Latinx folks, indigenous people, etc so we can determine their beliefs and racial biases...I'm sure they'll do great in such a setting...
12/ I'm sure their historical explanations for their MAGA gear will be illustrative and enlightening...can't wait...seriously, y'all might wanna just rethink this shit and move on....
