I agree with you about the bounds and code of classical liberalism.

You can’t legislate morality and you can’t police thoughts. Nor should you try to.

But woke doesn’t deal with private space. It deals with what people make public because people have not protected civility in public space.

You’re right, a person has the right to sit and think all the racist, sexist, phobic, whatever vile thoughts they want.

They don’t have the right to pollute the public sphere with violence and vitriol without challenge. When there’s money involved, people have the right to critique. Let’s not kid ourselves that there’s not huge amounts of money being made off shock and rage.

So these aren’t private thoughts or meaningful discussions, they’re public propaganda and commercial ventures on both sides.

Neither one of those things has anything to do with classic liberalism.