Prior to reading this post, you need to know that:
#1. I did NOT vote for Trump, Hilary, or Biden in any Presidential Election
#2. I do not care what side of the political spectrum you come from as long as you are allowed to share your opinion freely and never attempt to silence those in which you disagree.
#3. The hurting of other people and/or the destruction of private property should NEVER be tolerated, regardless of your political affiliation, your skin color, your sex, whom you sleep with, your pronoun preference, etc.
#4. Individuals that are destructive to people and/or property should be held accountable and their actions should not tarnish the movement they seem to represent.
The “Free Speech” Photo Credit goes to: Newton Graffiti
Dont Hurt People and Don't Take Their Stuff (-Kibbe)
In my opinion, what made our country great is that we lived by the motto of “Life, Love, Liberty, and Property.” Meaning, that citizens respect the Lives of others and let them live the way they choose without interference... that we Love our neighbors, our communities, and are allowed to Love whomever we choose, free of interference… that we have the Liberty to be free within society from control or oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views… that citizens, businesses, etc. have the right to own Property and are empowered with laws that protect Private Property ownership.
2020: The Year Extreme Rioting became Acceptable
Over the past year, protests have become an almost everyday occurrence. People are upset and not just in the USA, all over the world. Racial Justice, National Sovereign Rights, the Police State, and the most important one, Economic Disparity, have all been recent motives for protesting. For those that were unaware, there is actually a Global Protest Tracker where you can research active protests around the globe and better understand why they are occurring.
Whether you actively participated in, supported, or viewed any of the protests, it has become clear that violence towards people and property is becoming more acceptable and in some cases, promoted as necessary. Common Sense should tell society that protests are always ok, but once they become destructive to people and/or to property, that is the line that cannot be crossed; however, even that is now open for discussion. Extremists on the left and right call for an ever increasing degree of violence in order to “be heard” or to “get their point across.” I view the idea that society is becoming more tolerant of violent protests as one of the greatest threats to our way of life. If a group of individuals is allowed to roam free to hurt people and/or destroy property, we are doomed as a society to descend into anarchy and tyrannical governance.
Individuals who view media-violence on a regular basis are more likely to exhibit antisocial behavior, ranging from imitative violent behavior with toys to criminal violence, acceptance of violent behavior, increased feelings of hostility, and desensitization toward violent behavior.
The common thread among all of these protests is the connection to social media and the lack of varying opinions contrary to their own. The Capital Protesters sit in echo chamber basements plotting against fascist democrats, racial justice protestors rant and rave against the President and anyone that does not look like them, and both of them lack opinions that could contradict their current beliefs because of the hyper focused companies gathering data and trying to sell them $hi*!
It Starts with Censorship...
On Tuesday, 1/12/21, I saw a Tweet from Fee.org that Ron Paul had been removed from Facebook, but was not sure why.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Facebook Suspends Ron Paul Following Column Criticizing Big Tech Censorship. Via: <a href="https://twitter.com/miltimore79?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Miltimore79</a> /t.co/W4HmkgObqT">https://t.co/W4HmkgObqT— FEE (@feeonline) https://twitter.com/feeonline/status/1349092542151798788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2021
If you are not familiar with the man, you should be. He is similar to Bernie Sanders in that his message has not changed in 40+ years in politics and he could be everyone’s slightly crazy great uncle. I greatly respect the man and decided to look into why he was censored from one of the main social media platforms. This is what I found... The following article is taken from the Ron Paul Liberty Report from Monday, January 11th, 2021.
*Last week’s massive social media purges – starting with President Trump’s permanent ban from Twitter and other outlets – was shocking and chilling, particularly to those of us who value free expression and the free exchange of ideas. The justifications given for the silencing of wide swaths of public opinion made no sense and the process was anything but transparent. Nowhere in President Trump’s two “offending” Tweets, for example, was a call for violence expressed explicitly or implicitly. It was a classic example of sentence first, verdict later.
Many Americans viewed this assault on social media accounts as a liberal or Democrat attack on conservatives and Republicans, but they are missing the point. The narrowing of allowable opinion in the virtual public square is no conspiracy against conservatives. As progressives like Glenn Greenwald have pointed out, this is a wider assault on any opinion that veers from the acceptable parameters of the mainstream elite, which is made up of both Democrats and Republicans.
Yes, this is partly an attempt to erase the Trump movement from the pages of history, but it is also an attempt to silence any criticism of the emerging political consensus in the coming Biden era that may come from progressive or antiwar circles.
After all, a look at Biden’s incoming “experts” shows that they will be the same failed neoconservative interventionists who gave us weekly kill lists, endless drone attacks and coups overseas, and even US government killing of American citizens abroad. Progressives who complain about this “back to the future” foreign policy are also sure to find their voices silenced.
Those who continue to argue that the social media companies are purely private ventures acting independent of US government interests are ignoring reality. The corporatist merger of “private” US social media companies with US government foreign policy goals has a long history and is deeply steeped in the hyper-interventionism of the Obama/Biden era.
“Big Tech” long ago partnered with the Obama/Biden/Clinton State Department to lend their tools to US “soft power” goals overseas. Whether it was ongoing regime change attempts against Iran, the 2009 coup in Honduras, the disastrous US-led coup in Ukraine, “Arab Spring,” the destruction of Syria and Libya, and so many more, the big US tech firms were happy to partner up with the State Department and US intelligence to provide the tools to empower those the US wanted to seize power and to silence those out of favor.
In short, US government elites have been partnering with “Big Tech” overseas for years to decide who has the right to speak and who must be silenced. What has changed now is that this deployment of “soft power” in the service of Washington’s hard power has come home to roost.
So what is to be done? Even pro-free speech alternative social media outlets are under attack from the Big Tech/government Leviathan. There are no easy solutions. But we must think back to the dissidents in the era of Soviet tyranny. They had no Internet. They had no social media. They had no ability to communicate with thousands and millions of like-minded, freedom lovers. Yet they used incredible creativity in the face of incredible adversity to continue pushing their ideas. Because no army – not even Big Tech partnered with Big Government - can stop an idea whose time has come. And Liberty is that idea. We must move forward with creativity and confidence!*
After publishing this post that was critical of Big Tech, Ron Paul was censored from Facebook for unspecified violations of “community standards.” Is this what happens when you question the powers that be?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">With no explanation other than "repeatedly going against our community standards," <a href="https://twitter.com/Facebook?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Facebook</a> has blocked me from managing my page. Never have we received notice of violating community standards in the past and nowhere is the offending post identified. /t.co/EdMyW9gufa">pic.twitter.com/EdMyW9gufa— Ron Paul (@RonPaul) https://twitter.com/RonPaul/status/1348694943905308672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021
This led me to look into why the President got banned..
Until 1/12/21 I had not previously seen the Trump Tweets that got him banned, but was able to find them here at the Trump Twitter Archive. For those that do not want to click the link, here are The Donald’s most recent Tweets. Some Tweets were deleted, cannot be viewed, and were not included in the list below.
PHOTOGRAPH: JIM WATSON/GETTY IMAGES
Jan 8th 2021 - 10:44:28 AM EST
To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th.
Jan 8th 2021 - 9:46:38 AM EST
The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!
Jan 6th 2021 - 6:01:04 PM EST
These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!
Jan 6th 2021 - 3:13:26 PM EST
I am asking for everyone at the U.S. Capitol to remain peaceful. No violence! Remember, WE are the Party of Law & Order – respect the Law and our great men and women in Blue. Thank you!
Jan 6th 2021 - 2:38:58 PM EST
Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!
Here are a few links that also reported on the Trump Tweets and banning: Wired Magazine; Courier Journal; NY Times; BBC
Here is Twitter's “official” response to the banning:
After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence.
Based on the above listed Tweets alone, I see no reason why the way something COULD be “interpreted” should be the reason for banning anyone.
Even Elon Musk is hesitant about the "West Coast" being the arbiter of free speech.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A lot of people are going to be super unhappy with West Coast high tech as the de facto arbiter of free speech</p>— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) /twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1348688644173934593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8">
Private Company Decisions
As a private company that is publicly traded and owned by its shareholders, Facebook is allowed to ban users that violate their terms of service. Facebook also enjoys not being classified as a “publisher” and therefore is not directly liable for posts on its platform. Publicly, Facebook claims to not be a publisher, but in court, it says it is. Seem contradictory? I thought so too.
My Common Sense
Social Media Repair
I was recently told by a left leaning friend that Facebook is a private entity and should be allowed to ban whomever they choose. I find it comical that this friend used the same reasoning I used for the Cake Baker’s decision in Colorado to defend Facebook when they disagreed with the Cake Baker outcome. You cannot have it both ways.
I see 2 ways of fixing the “echo chamber” issue online:
#1. Facebook is reclassified legally as a “publisher” and can be held liable for anything that is published on its platform. Once users know this, will they move to another site that is actually a public forum? Facebook can have full control over its platform without legitimate controversy over free speech.
#2. Facebook is actually a public forum and is no longer allowed to ban anyone except if a user breaks the law. You may look at me like I am crazy but there are very simple ways to make that happen. First, have everyone verify their identity just like you would be able to do if they were standing in front of you. Second, enforce the laws that are already on the books that protect folks from verbal threats, assaults, slander, etc. Third and to protect the kids, create an adult side and an everyone side. If you post something on the everyone side that is for adults only, “you are the weakest link... Goodbye.”
Facebook, IG, Twitter, and the like cannot continue to be private entities that are legally protected as a “public forum.” By opening up the market to less liability protections, the market will determine whether their business models are sustainable.
The bigger issue beyond social media banning is the idea that I mentioned in my previous Cake Baker post, privately owned businesses should be able to pick and choose with whom they do business. If the business is a government entity or one that is government funded, they must serve everyone. Since publicly traded companies have annual shareholder meetings, topics like “banning” could be easily voted on and implemented if they are indeed classified as a “publisher.”
Labeled as Extremist
As our country and world continue to combat actual injustices and those that are perceived, I continue to get this strange feeling that things are going to get much worse before they get better and that reasonable people with common sense will be labeled as extremist. Anyone that allows all opinions to be considered and more importantly, discussed, is progressively becoming “crazy talk.”
Most local people that know me and have interacted with me physically have told me that I have very reasonable opinions and appreciate my “common sense.” This is one of the main reasons I love where I live. People in North Georgia still respect everyone regardless of whether we agree on everything; however, over the past few months, I have felt more cautious in putting my written opinions into the public domain. My recording partner and I recently decided to shut down our podcast “Nick & Dan Predict the Future” because of the fear that putting out opinions contrary to the current media narrative could become socially and economically threatening.
I plan to continue putting out what I believe to be (un)Common Sense and if you would like to participate in the blog or start a podcast, please reach out to me via email at dan@thrailkil.us.
If you want to have a constructive conversation about this topic or any others, reach out to dan@thrailkill.us, and let's grab coffee or a beer.
Have a good one,
Dan