While I'm not new to the left, I am new to engaging online with these communities. And I'm kind of pissed of because I was banned for this defence of free speech in the socialism subreddit, which I don't think is even very radical:

• "I think all language should be allowed, and you should individually downvote people who you feel are carelessly throwing around words. Banning people for saying some idea are "lunacy" or "idiotic" is needless censorship and assertion of authority, and completely distracts from the real issues on hand." Lets be clear: our goals and efforts should be focussed on actual action against the way society in general treats the disabled. Having all this hullabaloo over the usage of words- even if doing so achieves some minor progress, is not very productive, and distracts from the major issues on hand. Censorship of this sort is essentially an attempt at thought control- in the sense that it tries to alter your way of thinking. Even if the goals are noble and the result is a fairer community, this is the exact justification and reasoning given by the despots that always leads eventually to totalitarianism. Members who believe in absolute freedom of speech- which is nothing if it does not support freedom to express ideas you find find personally abhorrent, are now being pushed away from the community. Show your distate at the use of words by downvoting, but let those comments remain at the bottom of the thread. Any truly socialist sub will not have a set of non-democratically elected moderators banning people at their will over arbitrary rules they created that a sizeable proportion of the community disagrees with. That is just a farce."

• When asked why I didn't raise any issues about bans on racism, sexism and homophobia, I replied:

• "Personally I am new to this place. I would in principle be against bans on sexist, racist and homophobic language as well. I understand that this sub has those in place, and I disagree with them. That is not to say that I condone such behaviour, but simply that freedom of speech- of any kind at all, is meaningless if it does not involve freedom to offend and to hold what society at large may see as abhorrent views. This should hardly be a controversial view, especially here. Everyone from Luxembourg to Chomsky has said it. Let those comments with insensitive language reside at the bottom of the threads. But they should remain, otherwise this community does not believe in freedom of speech of any kind. Any authoritarian society allows it's citizens to speak, but defines the limits. Their reasoning is always that these limits ensure a just and civil society. How is what this sub is doing any different?"

• I was then banned. I was preparing a reply to a comment which stated that the sub has never believed in absolute freedom of speech, which I modified and sent to the mods:

• "Wow, I was banned for defending freedom of speech. This might very well fall on deaf ears, but I was writing this in response to a comment anyway, and I'd like to hear the mods' perspectives if they care: I live in a society where if I question certain superstitions or dare comment on the legitimacy of religion, I can be thrown in prison or mysteriously assassinated because my opinions offend and hurt the religious majority. And that is true, it does. In some societies a woman wearing her choice of clothes is deeply hurtful to many people of faith, and if she comes from a religious family they see it as an attack on that family's dignity. Inter-religious elopements often result in the father of the bride killing himself in shame, so you can see why it is punishable by severe measures. You probably disagree with all this measures. But why? How is what you're saying any different from those authoritarian and distinctly non-socialist communities? Freedom of speech is what prevents a well meaning movement from devolving into tyranny. Freedom of speech, like socialism, does not promise a perfect society where no one is hurt. It promises and free and fair one. Again none of what I've said is particularly radical. Chomsky, for example, has defended the right of holocaust deniers to voice their opinions. Would his view get him banned from this sub? If so, are you sure your sub is heading down the right path? We share common aims and ideals. Do you think the socialist movement- already struggling for support at a time when it should be riding the wave of anti-establishment sentiment, is well served by casting out the millions of defenders of free speech like me?"

• To which I received this response from the mods:

"Political hegemony is the name of the game. For good or ill, legitimate or not. Socialism is authoritarian and bourgeoisie free speech isn't necessarily compatible with it.

And Fuck Chomsky."

Please tell me that this sub is different.