(The opinions expressed in guest op-eds are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.)

On April 25, Elon Musk—who describes himself as a “free speech absolutist”—purchased Twitter, the world’s primary marketplace for the exchange of ideas and information, for $46.5 billion.

Shortly after the announcement went public, Musk said, “Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”

He continued:

“I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans. Twitter has tremendous potential – I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it.”

Expectedly, Musk’s takeover of Twitter, which has been the antithesis of a free speech platform for the past several years, was a very triggering experience for many on the left, who apparently abhor freedom of speech.

Yet, instead of debating Musk (or anyone who supports a robust freedom of speech atmosphere on Twitter), many on the far left have resorted to ad hominem attacks and playing the race card.

For instance, leftwing media darling Shaun King tweeted this completely baseless attack:

“At its root, Elon Musk wanting to purchase Twitter is not about left vs right. It’s about white power. The man was raised in Apartheid by a white nationalist. He’s upset that Twitter won’t allow white nationalists to target/harass people. That’s his definition of free speech.”

King then posted a series of tweets decrying Musk as a racist who “created a work environment” similar to “Jim Crow.” And, that Tesla is wrought with “overt racism and bigotry within the company.”

As per usual, King offered zero evidence to substantiate his outlandish accusations of racism. Some might say King is guilty of spewing “misinformation.” Others, who believe in free speech, would say he is merely expressing his opinion.

However, King was far from the only leftist media acolyte parroting the racism card against Musk. MSNBC host Joy Reid said Musk purchasing Twitter is akin to “a racist taking over Twitter.” Like King, Reid lobbed her vile attack into the Twitter universe sans any evidence.

Make no mistake, these are but a few examples of the abhorrent attacks many on the leftwing Twitterati have spewed since Musk’s purchase became public.

Even more interestingly, in the days leading up to Musk’s takeover bid, the left’s big guns came out in full force pleading for more censorship on Twitter.

Hillary Clinton, who has been known to tell a tall-tale or two in her day, tweeted on April 21:

“For too long, tech platforms have amplified disinformation and extremism with no accountability. The EU is poised to do something about it. I urge our transatlantic allies to push the Digital Services Act across the finish line and bolster global democracy before it’s too late.”

Not to be outdone, former President Barack Obama made a rare public speech on the same day as Clinton’s tweet, in which he described Twitter’s “disinformation problem” as an ail to democracy and a threat that “tears at the fabric of our world.”

Who knew free speech was so despised by a former president of the United States, who took the oath of office to uphold the Constitution?

Like Clinton, Obama implored for more government oversight of social media platforms, saying, “regulation has to be part of the answer.”

Alas, it seems as if the left’s pro-censorship monopoly over social media could be in its dying days. This is a terrific development for any and all Americans who believe in the First Amendment and long for an open and honest civil discourse.

On the other hand, Musk’s takeover of Twitter represents an existential threat to the left’s heretofore unfettered reign atop social media. Such is why the left is in full panic mode, resorting to the lowest common denominator of lobbing racial epithets at Elon.

Chris Talgo ([email protected]) is senior editor at The Heartland Institute.