We have previously discussed the troubling efforts to bar conservative speakers from college campuses and social media, particularly Breitbart Tech editor Milo Yiannopoulos who has become something of an icon for young conservatives. Twitter has long been criticized for banning or harassing conservative figures, including repeated suspensions against Yiannopoulos. Now, the company is under fire for permanently banning Yiannopoulos — just 20 minutes before his “Gays for Trump” event takes place at the Republican National Convention.
What is equally disturbing is that Twitter has remained silent about the reason for the permanent ban. The supporters of Yiannopoulos however cited a series of exchanges with Ghostbusters actress Leslie Jones on the site. Jones, who herself has been criticized for racially insensitive comments against whites, reportedly spoke with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey after she complained about “abuse” on the platform.
There is no question that Jones has been subject to disgusting and racists attacks on social media after the release of the highly unpopular Ghostbusters movie (It is highly disturbing that Jones, who is black, seems to have generated the most criticism rather than the other actresses). Supporters of Yiannopoulos insist that he is often blamed for the comments of others on these sites, which are often caustic and racist. I find the comments directed against Jones to be highly offensive and Jones ultimately quit Twitter. Yet, Jones is a celebrity and, in a free and open forum, there will be inevitable trolls and vile commentators. It is the cost of free speech that we often have to put up with a degree of garbage, including racists like some of those attacking Jones. On our own site, we have a civility rule and I try to catch racist or personal attacks but I also try hard to minimize deletions on a site committed to free speech. That results in commentary that I often dislike or find offensive. Yet, such hateful commentators are often shouted down by more mature commentators.
Moreover, when people like Jones are subjected to racist or obnoxious attacks, it serves to lay bare the serious racial problems that we continue to face in this country. Removing evidence of such views just forces these commentators under ground and turns them into victims. As difficult as the trolls must be for celebrities like Jones (and I do not belittle the emotional toll even for a celebrity), these postings expose the problem rather than scrub it away through bans and sanctions.
I remain very concerned about the increasing content-based censorship on Twitter, Google, and other sites. Yiannopoulos has objected that he is being punished for the comments or actions of fans and trolls as opposed to his own statements. Moreover, he has raised what he views as a double standard in the treatment of groups like Black Lives Matter and more conservative groups. The New York Times reports “Twitter barred one of the most egregious and consistent offenders of its terms of service, Milo Yiannopoulos, in an attempt to show that it is cracking down on abuse.” Yet, there are no examples of such violations or even a recognition by the New York Times of the free speech implications of such terms of service when used to target people on the basis of the content of their views.
Twitter does need to explain this action. We use Twitter as part of our blog but it would be difficult for a site committed to free speech to use a company that abridges free speech, if these allegations are true. Twitter has an obligation to not only establish clear guidelines but address controversies like this one.
I am not well versed in the writings of Yiannopoulos, but I do believe that he has been subjected to unfair and unequal treatment on campuses. I continue to believe strongly that, despite hateful or obnoxious speech on social media, we are far better off in maintaining a free and robust forum on the Internet than engaging in private censorship. The desire to silence critics can become insatiable as companies like Twitter sanitize their media through bans and sanctions. Whatever problems people have with Yiannopoulos, he remains a strong voice for young conservatives. Critics should answer him, not work to silence him.
What do you think?
Only “Twits” play on Twitter.
Get your seatbelts snug. Give it an extra tug. Buckle up for safety and get off Twitter. Or, you will get rear ended.
@NickS
You are right about SWM, I think. Let’s see, as a liberal she is supposedly anti-one-percenters, and Cruz was the one- percent candidate this go round. Sooo, she praises the one-percent candidate, and trashes the one guy who is shaking the establishment up to the point where a lot of the Chamber of Commerce Republicans like Romney, Kasich, and Jeb Bush don’t even show up. That’s who she trashes, while she supports the woman who gets $300,000 per speech from Wall Street, and won’t cough up the transcripts.
If life was a fairy tale, SWM would be one of the people telling us wonderful the Emperor’s New Clothes are! Some college educated white folks will believe anything, particularly if it strokes their own egos.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
@autumn
I am glad that I constantly amaze you. Kunstler has a site where he puts out one post a week, on Mondays. About 10:00 AM ish. He is hilarious, and I love his language. I think he is right about the energy, only he is about 2 centuries premature. In the meantime, it would not hurt to go to a more local economy just for safety’s sake if nothing else. Geeesh, but one good meteor strike, or super volcano eruption, or earthquake, or solar flare, or nuke attack, or pandemic, and our technological society is kaput for a few years, and maybe longer. Some of that stuff we may get a warning on, but some things could happen without any warning. I would sure hate to be in NYC with 8 million hungry people. And no guns.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
SWM is the classic Rodhamite. Her using Cruz and integrity in the same sentence caused some puke to come up in her mouth. But, it was a talking points email order, and Rodhamites follow orders like the Nazi’s did in WW2.
I think he agreed to the terms and conditions when he opened his account. If he did not follow them, they can ban him. After all, a contract is a contract. If he wants true freedom of speech, he can do it on his own platform (blog etc). Personally I think the twitterverse should have had at him with the same vile filth he spewed. What goes around comes around justice 🙂
Squeek,you constantly amaze me. You read Kunstler? I have his book “The Geography of Nowhere” sitting on my bookcase. He has written great things about urbanscapes but I did not know he is opining about politics. Will have to check his site out.
@KCFleming
There are millions of people just like me out there. We are tired of being manipulated by corporations.
@Squeek
I am an Independent sick of the whole “two” party system where we get to choose Pepsi or Coke, Ford or Chevy, etc. We need more parties IMO. I live in SC which will definitely go for Trump so my vote for Jill Stein is not wasted. As far as the Demoncrats creating the horrid system of poverty — I think both parties benefit from it as it divides people.
@PrairieRose
What’s wrong with Trump? Let’s see, he says we have too much illegal immigration. Well we do. Mexico doesn’t let people just stream into Mexico. India doesn’t. Japan doesn’t. Nobody does but us, and maybe Europe, and if we don’t throw the doors wide open, we get called racisssts!
But geeeesh, if we have tons of unemployed and unskilled people, mostly blacks, then why in the world would we want to bring in millions of more unemployed people? It’s absurd. I know why, and both parties ought to have their leadership on a guillotine for it. The Republican leadership loves cheap labor. The Democratic leadership loves poor people because they can buy their votes. There is only one person who calls BeeEss on that. Trump.
We have allowed our 1%ers to arbitrage the cheap labor overseas (China for egs.) for more profit. Why??? There is only one person who calls BeeEss on that. Trump.
We are 19+ trillion in actual debt, and more like 100 trillion in real debt if you add in unfunded liabilities. The Rich 1% might like cheap labor and a big population base because frankly, 350 million of us who are getting older can’t repay that debt. But neither can 500 million people at the wages we have. But the Rentier Class does not want to write off the bad debt. Trump will. He knows what is going on, and is the only person who calls BeeEss on it. The debt must be restructured.
Sooo, I don’t understand why there is all the animus against Trump. There is a guy named J. H. Kunstler who I read every week, and he understands all the financial games I just lined out. He says Trump is a clown, but I can not find any articulable reason in his writings for that belief. For him, I just think it is a “class” thing. He can’t seem bring himself to think that a plain spoken conservative person could be right about things, even if they are mostly the same things Kunstler believes in.
Go figure. Our country may nosedive because of a bunch of college educated white snobs.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky,
Because there is no “none of the above” button. Perhaps I’ll write that in.
I realize my action could land HRC in the WH with Bill as First Husband (blech!), but I can hardly stomach Trump. I am still very much undecided. I have been voting “lesser of two evils” for far too long. I am tired of voting for the least awful choice. I would like to have a chance to vote for “the best choice” at some point, but I cannot honestly say that about any of the contenders.
@Prairie Rose
I actually like Jill Stein, and believe a lot of what she says. But, why waste a vote that might help Hillary get in???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Well, bless you Autumn if you maintain your steadfastness.
I hope you prove me wrong.
@Autumn
Then just vote for Trump! If Hillary gets clobbered, then the DNC can rebuild as a real party of the people. As it is, the Democratic Party leadership loves poor people and will never do anything to improve their lives. They need poor people, and barefoot pregnant people to keep them in power so they can stay rich. If there was any honesty, the Dems would get rid of the donkey, and use a wife-beater tee shirt as their logo.
FWIW, I am an ex-Dem.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I’ve posted this before but here it is again: Orwell vs Huxley
https://biblioklept.org/2013/06/08/huxley-vs-orwell-the-webcomic-2/
Tim Canova was on the Tim Black show tonite. He is going up against that uber Zionist POS Debbie Wasserman Schultz who heads the DNC convention currently. We are all working towards throwing her out. We will donate money or time phonebanking for Tim. Step by step tearing down the Establishment.
I will never vote for HRC. I’d rather see Trump as prez -don’t like the guy or the RNC platform but still IMO less dangerous than her. Still hoping the Demoncrats come to their senses and nominate Bernie. Otherwise Jill Stein for this gal
@kkcd
Yep. The Sanders people will vote for an establishment crook like Hillary because. . .uh…eh…er….she isn’t a Republican!
FWIW, I am kind of a progressive person myself on some issues. But most of them can’t think worth squat.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
You will fall in line, Autumn, you most certainly will.
KCFleming with all due respect you are wrong. Check out #bernieorbust, #neverhillary or #demexit
We will NEVER cave and vote for HRC
Ted Cruz showed some integrity and refused to endorse Trump.