Short rant

Too many people in our society fear controversy. Corporations are run by yes-men, demonstrations are shut down by riot police, and forum moderators silence arguments lest anyone get their feeeeeelings hurt (not that feelings aren't important, they very much are, but they are the sole responsible of their feeler IMO). I'm often called a troll because of my somewhat adversarial stance toward authority figures, but I am never trying to create an argument; I am trying to oppose what I see as the oppression of free expression, as I consider freedom to be the absolute superlative human value, especially here in America - more important than safety, or happiness, or prosperity, or whatever else the rest of the world seems to prefer. Though I sympathize with a distaste for noise, I'm not amused by those who would rather silence others than join in a chorus of shouts; the world is changed by those with the courage to speak up, and I'm tired of seeing these voices quashed, most especially my own.