It's different because the Overton window is real, and it matters. And for too long the right has allowed the left full control of the window.
You absolutely 100% should lose your livelihood and reputation for saying certain things. The question is, what are those things? You cannot have a society that has absolutely no shared values, and not being murdered for holding an opposing belief is a pretty obvious value.
Take note, I did not say that the government should be the one to take your job from you for speech. But if we societally can't agree that supporting the murder of innocent people is not an acceptable view to hold, and as such, a disqualifying view from civil participation, then we do not have a society.
The more extreme examples of this are on full display in Europe right now. But if we don't get a handle on it, we will follow them.
We do not have 350 million philosophers in America. People by and large adopt the views of those around them, and express them only if they believe it is safe to do so. Technology has made it possible for citizens to be exposed to ideologies that we didn't used to have to worry about. We are operating as though the lunatics amongst us are limited in their reach to a soapbox on a street corner. That is just not the case anymore.
Absolutely humiliating anyone who promotes the idea that Charlie Kirk, or anyone like him, should have been killed, will dramatically reduce such discourse, and as a result, dramatically reduce the spread of these poisonous beliefs. And yes, for the most extreme violations of the Overton window, getting punched repeatedly in the face is on the table.
We need to stop pretending like the miracle that is the United States was created through a tortured definition of freedom of thought or expression that the framers never intended.