I actually have a different take on this. I'm in full agreement that freedom of speech is one of our most cherished rights, but so is my right to do what I want on my property. Freedom of speech means that the government can't tell me what I can or can't say - it doesn't apply to private businesses.
The irony here is that if bars, restaurants, shops, etc. aren't allowed to put up signs like this, then not only is their freedom of speech hindered, but their property rights are trampled on as well.
If I own a bar I should be allowed to make any rules I want as a precondition to let you get in or to let you stay. I should be allowed to ban you for race, age, sex, hair color, because you're taller than me or just because I don't like the way you look. I should be allowed to ban any words that I don't like and I should be allowed to make you say anything I want as a requirement to get in. I should be allowed to make you say "John Dickinson is my hero" or "I'm an idiot" or anything else I choose because that is MY establishment and not anyone else's. That doesn't affect your freedom of speech because you haven't been forced, and you never had a right to come onto my property to begin with.
The great thing about freedom is that I get to make the choices for my stuff (e.g. a bar) and you get to make choices for your stuff (i.e. your body and your money). If people don't like my rules they won't come to my place and eventually I'll probably have to shut down due to lack of money and/or public outrage.
Either way, I agree that freedom of speech is under attack and we need to work to preserve it. But it will never help to take away someone else's. Let's focus on the real enemy - the government - and "literally" just ignore the idiots that want to make poor business choices.
Very good point and thank you for the different approach to the topic. Establishments should have the right to set rules in to place but there are rules to setting rules. Such as you cannot discriminate against one group.
Freedom of speech is most definitely under attack and the Government is the enemy on this. In Canada they are fined or sent to jail by not using the correct gender that a person identifies with (and there a long list of gender identities there), if people do not watch it that will be the USA. We will not be able to say normal words without a government punishment.
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