rant rant rant rant

I'm sorry, everyone, but an otherwise peaceful Monday has been interrupted by asshattery, and I need to rant (without giving specifics, so if you don't already know what set this off, you probably won't care...).

How fucking difficult is it to comprehend what 'freedom of speech" means, and what the First Amendment protects - and what it doesn't?

Hint: it doesn't restrict a private organization's right to say "we won't publish sexist, racist, or ableist material, as we do not feel that those things reflect well on who we are or the face we wish to show to the public."

(leaving aside the related but separate questions of "why do you think our professional publication should allow insulting-to-other-member comments go unreviewed?"  and "how do otherwise intelligent people not understand the word "censor" and "infringe?"  Because refusing-to-publish in one venue does not mean you can't take your words elsewhere.  It just means your words are not appropriate to that forum, thanks for submitting. Big writer panties time, kids. Pull 'em up.)

Looking at the names of the people who signed that petition, even assuming they never saw the original draft that's now circulating - it makes me sad.