Millionaire comic strip creator Scott Adams feels persecuted about his recent cancellation. California Congressman Eric Swalwell, who counts Adams among his constituents, sent Adams a lesson about law and capitalism in response.
Adams, whose Dilbert cartoon has had a successful three-plus decade run, believes he should be able to say whatever he pleases. Swalwell agrees with him.
Adams thinks there shouldn’t be any consequences pertaining to his “free speech.” Here Swalwell disagrees, explaining the situation in terms of straight market capitalism. “Yes, you have a right to say anything you like,” Swalwell writes, “Equally, people you’ve contracted with have a right to fire you.”
Snowflakes like this constituent of mine don’t realize free speech is a two-way street. Yes, you have a right to say anything you like. Equally, people you’ve contracted with have a right to fire you. #TheMoreYouKnow https://t.co/N0KXV2Gmcx
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) February 26, 2023
Adams isn’t angry about being subject to legal action for his self-expression, as Swalwell’s scolding underscores, only about the purely capitalist cause and effect that ensued. It’s like this: After some of what Adams said was deemed to be racist by people and companies that pay for his popular Dilbert comic, some decided not to run Dilbert anymore because they don’t want to be perceived as backing Adams or racism.
[Note: In lashing out against his “censorship,” Adams got so angry he brought up the high price of eggs, a hot button political issue that people blame politicians for, despite the fact egg prices are high mainly because more than 49 million chickens have died or been culled in the US since early 2022 due to an avian influenza epidemic.]
Swalwell explains why he believes Adams’s anger misses its mark: “Snowflakes like this constituent of mine don’t realize free speech is a two-way street.”
Snowflake, of course, is a denigration which characterizes someone as reactionary and oversensitive — easily offended, melting down (like a snowflake) — because things don’t go their way.
