Friends, we are getting far afield from the original post which was about people who's seeming agenda is to be disruptive rather than helpful to the group. Yes, individual rights are important. We should be allowed to criticize. But criticism of something you have NO experience is invalid. It becomes even more invalid when you imply that someone is a liar, based solely of some idea you have without any experience with that item or others based on the same principle of operation. Then it becomes more ridiculous when you imply that science backs up your assertion, all the while not having done one second of observation yourself. The same applies when you base an opinion on scientific inquiry which has never addressed the validity of said product. But it gets even more ridiculous when the skeptic is backed into a corner where science cannot rescue him/her who then says that science is ever changing. Well duh! You cannot have it both ways. But they try because its not about finding truth. Its about submission to their rigid rules Scientism where they have deemed truth to align with their thinking only. Then they call on free speech when they are called out as if they do NOT attempt to shut down every opinion which they disagree with.!!
So the problem again comes down to who's ox is being gored. This is where the double standard comes in. Many will willfully gore someone's ox because they disagree with the owner of the ox who like the color of his ox. . Yet they often cry the loudest when their ox gets gored by the other in a defensive move. Kinda like they are crying due to the OP.
Free speech CANNOT be sustained where double standards become the norm. We see this in our society at large and of course that has spilled over into everyday life. This is the offense which the OP, myself and others are pointing to. Its NOT the Opinion which needs to be silenced. It’s the childish double standard in which the opinion is expressed. A child may be broken of such offensive mannerisms and taught better. But it is reprehensible coming from grown people. And the offense is further exacerbated when those who are offensive, try to justify their treachery and act as if they are the victim, when in fact, they are the aggressor.. So again, Share your opinion, but do so without being offensive
FWIW I don’t need to agree with someone to respect them. If you teach me something you have helped me. That is a friendly move. But when you slander me and call me a liar, when you have no proof is far from being helpful to anyone. And is against forum rules.