Blocking Trump supporters doesn't stifle discourse – it helps set boundaries

Why shouldn't a Muslim American block a Facebook friend for bringing Islamophobia into their personal space?

I once read that a Facebook account is like a living room. My front door is unlocked, and anyone can come sit for a spell, have a conversation or just listen to the dialogue already going on. If, however, someone comes in and starts hurling epithets or insulting my other guests, I can ask them to leave. Immediately.

I thought of this metaphor upon reading Caitlin Dewey's recent Washington Post piece, in which she argues (with substantial statistical evidence) that unfriending Donald Trump supporters (or in conservatives' case, unfriending feminists) is unwise and only serves to further polarize an increasingly partisan America, keeping us from any meaningful progress. I've certainly unfriended a handful of people over the past few years. When it's happened, it's usually because the person has said something rude and intolerant in my living room, and when asked to stop, they've refused. (Most of those people just happen to also like Trump's fan page.)