Anyone who has experienced the outrage of being silenced for speaking or writing his or her opinions learns the value of freedom of speech very quickly. I am hopeful Mr. Abunimah himself has now learned this lesson. Perhaps in the future it will prevent him from playing the role of Policeman of Correct Ideas next time he dislikes what someone else says and writes. We can make up our own minds about people and issues. We don't need Mr. Abunimah to blot out, interpret, or protect us from, the words of people we can read and judge for ourselves.
Free speech is about the exchange of ideas.
One person says something, other people respond and so forth. Criticizing someone else's arguments or rhetoric is an integral part of free political discourse. One is under no obligation to hand anybody else a carte blanche to be immune from having others take exception to their ideas or the way those ideas are phrased. It is precisely an exchange of opinion that the marchers and the police in Chicago sought to prevent using the authority of the state. What a few people seem to be asking for in effect is not a free exchange of opinion but for some people to be immune from criticism, above reproach, and exempt from the normal standards of scrutiny.