In a Sunday article shockingly not marked “opinion,” a New York Times reporter accused conservatives of “weaponizing” the First Amendment.

The story by Adam Liptak titled “How Conservatives Weaponized the First Amendment” made it onto the front page of Sunday’s paper and was presented as a straight news story rather than an opinion piece.

Within just four paragraphs, the author claimed that conservatives have used free speech to justify “discrimination against gay couples” and “unlimited campaign spending.” The article went on to suggest that conservatives are only interested in protecting free speech because it advances their policy goals and that free speech disproportionately benefits the powerful in society.

“How Conservatives Weaponized the First Amendment” You’re telling me that’s an objective, verifiable fact, NYT? Are you kidding me? — Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) July 1, 2018

Everyone is correct about how bad this anti-free speech NYT piece is, but the larger question I have is: why is being run as *an article*? It’s rather clearly an op-ed. https://t.co/kKX7KLLdp2 — Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) July 1, 2018

How Use of the Passive Voice Was Weaponized by the Left in Portraying Free Speech as a Conservative Weapon Rather than a Shield Against Progressive Ideological Tyranny pic.twitter.com/alwFNtof4m — Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) July 1, 2018

This NYTimes op ed about “weaponized” free speech somehow manages to crudely misrepresent every opinion on free speech held by every faction in play in American politics. It is a diamond of failure glinting horribly from every perspective.https://t.co/Z3qWWtHOBg — Rob Beschizza (@Beschizza) July 1, 2018

NOTHING is funnier than a super-biased media outlet complaining about “weaponized” free speech. Ahem: your flop sweat is showing. https://t.co/l7ItvHUhCL — Brent Bozell (@BrentBozell) July 1, 2018

“How Free Speech Is Being Used as a Weapon by Conservatives”

I can’t believe this is a real headline in @nytimes. Really, whatever happened to the free speech absolutism of @ACLU, NYT, and others? And the notion that the best antidote to bad speech is more speech? — Melissa Braunstein (@slowhoneybee) July 1, 2018

When I saw this headline on twitter, I assumed it was opinion. Nope. And it’s on the front page. pic.twitter.com/hn9TAXEqjq — Matt Lewis (@mattklewis) July 1, 2018

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