You're leaving out the part where A whips up a real mob and lynches somebody.
And what do you think has a stronger chilling effect: the possibility of being fired or the possibility of being murdered?
And what do you think has a stronger chilling effect: the possibility of being fired or the possibility of being murdered?
Yeah because that hasn't happened, and if it did would be met with universal condemnation and be up against full weight of law enforcement and the legal system.
> And what do you think has a stronger chilling effect: the possibility of being fired or the possibility of being murdered?
If the possibility of being fired for ideas is highly likely while the possibility of being murdered for ideas is essentially zero, then the possibility of being fired has a stronger chilling effect.
Historical context alone does not make a direct threat. A direct threat is a direct threat, and right now being accused of racism (no matter the truth of it) is far more scary than racism itself.