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The early US had many people of the opinion that black people were inferior, more akin to animals than humans. Do you think that led to anyone not getting food or housing, or to anyone living in poverty?

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Indeed, and in that time people having the opinion that black people should be free would have been considered to have “wrong” and “dangerous” opinions that would cause great damage to society.

Would we be better off today if those in power then had been able to silence unpopular opinions?

We are best off when we acknowledge that "opinions" can and do deal deadly harm every day, and not avoiding that point when it is explicitly made.

Yes, the opinion that we need to demand the firing of people we disagree with does indeed impoverish them.

Today's valid opinion is tomorrow's invalid opinion and vice versa

It is pretty clear which opinions that are accepted by many people today well be unacceptable tomorrow. So why not examine that further? It feels like you're denying your conscience.

> had been able to silence unpopular opinions?

They definitely could, it just didn't matter because people spoke up anyway.

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