I think those that defended freedom of speech were in fact very consistent as they argued from principle. It is projection again, since people now complain that the argument "you have a right to free speech but no right to a platform" didn't think that position through to the end and now it bites them back.

And the ACLU has consistently have separated from defending freedom of speech and now is more or less a different institution. It isn't synonymous with most liberal positions on freedom of speech anymore.