Tucker Carlson tears into civil rights attorney over freedom in private conversations: 'Fascist!

Tucker Carlson on Friday night tore into civil rights attorney Brian Claypool, calling him a fascist for those who blow the whistle on private conversations that they find to be offensive.

Referring to actress Lena Dunham's Twitter rant against American Airlines — which saw Dunham accuse two of the airline's staff members of speaking ill of transgender people during a private conversation that she happened to overhear — Carlson angrily went off on Claypool, who defended Dunham's right to air her grievances against the airline in such a public way.

Dunham claimed that she overheard two flight attendants engaging in "transphobic" conversation, and called out the airline on social media.

After looking into the matter, however, American Airlines claimed that they were unable to substantiate the actress's claims.

Carlson called those who get employees into trouble for these reasons "fascists."

Claypool, however, argued that American Airlines should discipline their employees over transphobia, as their reported hate speech was "discriminating" against transgendered people.

This set off Carlson, and he called Claypool a "fascist" for wanting to prohibit the expression of differing viewpoints in "private conversations."

“These are two people talking to each other in private,” Tucker said. “This is an opinion, and I grew up in a country where you can have opinions that maybe you didn’t agree with but I can still not be punished for that.”

Carlson hit back at Claypool, and asserted that the civil rights attorney had probably also made points in private conversations that he wouldn't want to be made public knowledge.

Claypool acknowledged that he had, but had an explanation.

“Yes I have," Claypool said. "But I did it in my home."

Undeterred, Carlson intimated that there are no lines for private conversations, whether held in a public place or behind closed doors.

“They were walking and talking to each other,” Carlson said, referring to the airline staff members targeted by Dunham. “You’re saying 'You’re not allowed to have your own views or we’re going to hurt you.' And what I’m saying is I will fight you on that."

Carlson added, “When you tell me I’m not allowed to think certain things that’s too far. This is America, man!”

See the heated exchange in the video below.