[HoneyBadger]

I'm an American. I know we have a lot of people here from other countries, and I'm certain that you have your own noble heritages that stem from a patriotic view of those countries, and the symbology that each country stands for, and represents.

As an American, I have the right to freedom of speech, but I also have the responsibility to defend it. Freedom of speech has been under attack by not only special interests, but a more general public, for probably half my lifetime. Even our current President has attacked it, publically, on more than one occasion. He's already rewritten the Constitution, so it's no idle threat.

Right now I have a wife I love, a home I love living in, a job that satisfies me, friends, family, health, and stuff. In other words, a life I don't mind living. A life I enjoy, that holds hope and promise for a better future. I've never served in the Military-I'm not physically fit nor philosophically inclined to do so. My family has a proud military tradition, though, and we've given a member to every single just American war, since the Revolution-and if we should ever have another just American war, I'd be proud to serve in it. I'm proud of our soldiers who do serve, and I tell them whenever I meet one-which is fairly often in my line of work. If this country were ever attacked, I would defend it to the utmost, and I would absolutely defend my personal interests-my wife, my home, my family, etc, to the utmost-but that's as far as it goes. I like my peaceful life, and I don't enjoy conflict or confrontation outside of Dominions 3 or a sparring ring for boxing, martial arts, fencing, what have you.

I *would* defend freedom of speech with my life. I would give my life, and give up everything that I love, cherish, or own, in order to preserve that. To me, freedom of speech is *being* an American. That's what it means, that's our tradition, that's what I stand for, with every cell in my body and thought in my head, with 300 years of my family's history to add it weight.

I understand that Shrapnel Games isn't particularly concerned with the freedom of speech question, that it's a business with image concerns-in that, it's just like any other business-and that I and anyone else is perfectly free to go say whatever we want someplace else if we don't like it. I get that, and I have no plans of leaving, so I *will* follow the rules to the best of my ability.

But don't look for, and don't expect, that I'll quit defending freedom of speech. It might not apply on these forums in a physical way, but I'd say the same things to a citizen of any other country where freedom of speech doesn't apply. I'll follow the rules and laws while I'm on these forums, just like I would if I were a guest in another country, but that doesn't alter who I am, and it doesn't change freedom of speech from being a beautiful ideal that I'm proud to fall under, nor my willingness to uphold it with every fibre of my being.

I am not condemning you, Edi, or for your actions. I understand them, and the necessity behind them. I want you to know that. If I were in your place, as a representative of a company, I might do the same thing.
I'm defending Jim, and the things I personally believe in and hold sacred- not attacking you, or Shrapnel Games.