Words are not violence, But do Words Matter?

[Fry Guy]

But words are not violence and feeling bad or insulted or offended is not a crime and it is in these times and these things said that ought to be protected. No point protecting the things you agree with but controversial and confronting language should be protected.

I disagree with this premise. Words absolutely have power, in fact they are more powerful than any weapon mankind can create. Because words convince. Words coerce. And words spur action. Fryguy is speaking like words have no power because, like most of us, his words have little influence over the world.
But the words of the powerful, as we are currently witnessing, can create peace or chaos at will. The Rwandan genocide in the 90's was created purely from radio broadcasts. The German Holocaust was the result of years of propaganda. Our own current situation is the direct result of talking idiots like Alex Jones and Bill O Rielly.

Words have power in the right circumstances. Never doubt.

Of course I never said words do not have power and only an idiot would imply that I said that words have no power.

You are not implying that I am sure.

Words are not violence. There is really not much of a argument here it also makes NO position about the power of words.

Free Speech and free expression is worth protecting and not just for nice things but for bad things and bad ideas. Let the marketplace of ideas be vast and people exposed to all of them. Let the better ideas rise and the bad ideas fall.

If you think THAT is confronting, look at what would be happening if you try to limit it and whatever rationale you decide on speech and whatever arbitrary rule you put on it, someone else "ups the ante" and THEIR interpretation or understanding of what should be limited is more severe, because it is all subjective right? Slowly you march lockstep to censoring different ideas, thoughts BUT it is not YOUR fault you only suggested you limit it a bit but the next person was not responsible he just limited it a bit more, and so on.

Bad idea.

None of this suggests a thing about words having no power either.

In fact nothing I said suggests that. Only an idiot would say so or even imply it.