As or b) - I don't see that there's some kind of grand superposition of opposites at play here like you do, so I'll largely pass. But more broadly: it seems beyond dispute that the the broader climate of public discourse has become more constrained and fear-driven in recent years. Not as bad as it's ever been, or compared to what certain groups have gone through. But compared to 20 or 30 years ago -- the mainstream climate has definitely deteriorated.
As or b) - I don't see that there's some kind of grand superposition of opposites at play here like you do, so I'll largely pass. But more broadly: it seems beyond dispute that the the broader climate of public discourse has become more constrained and fear-driven in recent years. Not as bad as it's ever been, or compared to what certain groups have gone through. But compared to 20 or 30 years ago -- the mainstream climate has definitely deteriorated.