You can say anything on the internet. But sometimes the things you say have serious consequences…just ask Rosanne Barr.
Sometimes, the things you say will just mean that you’ll either have to defend saying something stupid, or walk back your comment and admit it was dumb.
Let’s say you decide to say something stupid. Something like: “the Earth is flat.”
You are, of course, free to say this, and you are free to believe it. But you are not free to be right about it.
What’s more, you don’t get closer to being right by pointing out a physical attribute, sexual orientation, or other non-sequitor about the person making the counter argument that the Earth is a sphere.
In an exchange of ideas, you win a debate on the merit and accuracy of your ideas. You do not win by knocking the pieces off the board and claiming that the game isn’t fair.
The internet is a strange place and its inhabitants are a strange bunch. It’s often wise to move slowly and deliberately and choose your words wisely. Always be ready to defend your ideas. However, if you do find yourself defending a bad idea, do us all a favor and maybe just walk it back and admit you were wrong. I promise to do the same.