It's odd that I've heard "Freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences." enough times over the last few years that the very words make me want to bang my head on my desk while nobody is talking about whether or not the consequences for actual, physical battery are proportional.
I've made my position clear that I condemn Will Smith's actions against Chris Rock. I do think that consequences are necessary lest people get the impression that slapping comedians for telling jokes that you find personally offensive is morally justifiable.
Still, Smith's choice to gracefully remove himself from the Academy is well more than enough for me. I don't even think he should have felt compelled to do that. I applaud him for taking that responsibility on his own shoulders.
Yet, even after that, Netflix is considering dropping a movie that they were supposed to make with him. We seem to be in the fledgling stages of a movement to cut Smith out of numerous future projects.
I would ask that we not do this.
I'm far from the biggest Will Smith fan; but, that doesn't matter to me from an ethical standpoint. This is nothing more than another story of people virtue signalling by trying to show that they're more offended by an event than the actual victim.
If Chris Rock can get along with his life after the slap, nobody is doing anybody any good by dwelling on the incident anymore or attempting to continue to try to punish Smith.
I think that most men have been slapped or worse in their lives - I know I have - and let it go with a certain amount of grace and dignity. Let's let this go with some grace and dignity.
