We previously discussed how Twitter’s growing censorship program has targeted former New York Times journalist and author Alex Berenson who is an outspoken critic of the government’s scientific claims and response to the pandemic. Berenson was previously suspended for merely expressing an opinion over the need for a “pause” on any federal mandates on Covid-19 as new research is studied. Twitter also suspended a journalist for posting CDC information that was deemed as critical of its own official line on vaccines. Now he is permanently suspended after his criticism the vaccine and possible side effects. Twitter has again showed that it will silence those who dare to disagree or even question its approved narrative and that of government.
On his Substack page, Berenson posted a brief message titled, “Goodbye Twitter.” He then posted the following as the tweet that was the final straw with Twitter.
“Don’t think of it as a vaccine,” he continued. “Think of it – at best – as a therapeutic with a limited window of efficacy and terrible side effect profile that must be dosed IN ADVANCE OF ILLNESS.”
That is an opinion that many share and one that can be debated. I do not agree with Berenson on the vaccine but I would like to hear his views and see the response to them. Like many, I do not want to simply read corporate or government approved viewpoints. Rather than respond to Berenson with reasoned debate, people demand that he be removed from platforms to prevent others from making up their own minds.
The most chilling aspect of this story is how many on left applaud such censorship. A new poll shows roughly half of the public supporting not just corporate censorship but government censorship of anything deemed “misinformation.”
As previously discussed, the poll reflects the move among Democratic politicians for years in calling for censorship. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey appeared at a key hearing in which he followed up his apology for censoring the Hunter Biden story by pledging more censorship. One of the most chilling moments came from Delaware Senator Chris Coons who demonstrated the very essence of the “slippery slope” danger.
Dorsey: Well, misleading information, as you are aware, is a large problem. It’s hard to define it completely and cohesively. We wanted to scope our approach to start to focus on the highest severity of harm. We focused on three areas, manipulated media, which you mentioned, civic integrity around the election, specifically in public health, specifically around COVID. We wanted to make sure that our resources that we have the greatest impact on where we believe the greatest severity of harm is going to be. Our policies are living documents. They will evolve. We will add to them, but we thought it important that we focus our energies and prioritize the work as much as we could.
Coons: Well, Mr. Dorsey, I’ll close with this. I cannot think of a greater harm than climate change, which is transforming literally our planet and causing harm to our entire world. I think we’re experiencing significant harm as we speak. I recognize the pandemic and misinformation about COVID-19, manipulated media also cause harm, but I’d urge you to reconsider that because helping to disseminate climate denialism, in my view, further facilitates and accelerates one of the greatest existential threats to our world. So thank you to both of our witnesses.
Instead of then raising concerns over censoring views and comments on the basis for such an amorphous category, Coons pressed for an expansion of the categories of censored material to prevent people from sharing any views that he considers “climate denialism”
There is, of course, a wide array of views that different people or different groups would declare “harmful.” Indeed, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal seemed to take the opposite meaning from Twitter admitting that it was wrong to censor the Biden story. Blumenthal said that he was “concerned that both of your companies are, in fact, backsliding or retrenching, that you are failing to take action against dangerous disinformation.” Accordingly, he demanded an answer to this question:
“Will you commit to the same kind of robust content modification playbook in this coming election, including fact checking, labeling, reducing the spread of misinformation, and other steps, even for politicians in the runoff elections ahead?”
“Robust content modification” has a certain Orwellian feel to it. It is not content modification. It is censorship.
This call has now been picked up by academics and members of the media. Faculty and editors are actively supporting modern versions of book-burning with blacklists and bans for those with opposing political views. Columbia Journalism School Dean Steve Coll has denounced the “weaponization” of free speech, which appears to be the use of free speech by those on the right. So the dean of one of the premier journalism schools now supports censorship.
The rise of corporate censors has combined with a heavily pro-Biden media to create the fear of a de facto state media that controls information due to a shared ideology rather than state coercion.
Once again, I resolved these questions in favor of taking the vaccine at the earliest possible date, as did my family. However, voices like Berenson’s are important to our having an informed and vigorous debate. Most importantly, Berenson has never tried to silence others. He wants to have a debate so debate him or ignore him but do not silence him. These advocates of private and government censorship are only undermining faith in vaccines with their aggressive pursuit of anyone expressing doubts or challenging policies.
Big pharma and big brother are hand in hand . Never let a good crisis go to waste when it is either manufactured for the ends or aides their means to such ends. This scamdemic and this horribly failed toxic blue jab…. and how it’s being and has been manipulated for greater control of the sheeple by goobermint is not without it’s missteps.The silencing of doctors , and a myriad of medical professionals , now investigative journalists is not going how they would envision. The truths are becoming evident…. people are waking to this deadly fraud.
Zappa wrote this (I’m the Slime) about television, but it may be even more appropriate for “social media:
I am gross and perverted
I’m obsessed ‘n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little has changed
I’m the tool of the Government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you
facebook/instagram has suspended the account of a Gold Star Mother, for criticizing Biden. He experience with Biden’s horrific attempt at empathizer in chief, following his disastrous, and deadly withdrawal, has been a very public reveal of Biden’s true decline and failings. Her post was not vulgar or x rated. They were very critical of the President.
Thats what happens when the real tyrants are in power.
If you cant understand how a life long politician, that never showed any signs of leadership, and has been suffering from dementia since before the primaries, got elected, this is how. All public criticism of Biden has been censored, or been flacked by the media or big tech.
eat some horse pills
And Iowan was wrong?
I have no idea what the horse pill comment means, but it was up when my post appeared. So not aimed at me.
My grandfather, professor Heaps, once said to me ‘Never argue about facts.’ There are facts in play here but Berenson wants his own facts. There can be no debate. Bereson is a dangerous fool. Twitter’s decision was correct.
How many people have to die before you would agree with Berenson. Vaers reported 16,000, suits have been filed by Mr.Renz for people that have died 3 days after the second shot, 45,000 of them. You want to take the spike protein shots, good for you, but don’t criticize people with opinions other than yours.
“Berenson wants his own facts. There can be no debate.”
Since you are so knowledgeable about Berenson’s reporting, perhaps you can cite examples of where he has reported false or incorrect information.
His Substack is at https://alexberenson.substack.com/ in case you would care to read any actual Berenson reporting.
So much for freedom of speech. This country and many of the people in it are a disgrace. I served 26 years in the military protecting our freedom and people just want to be lemmings and give it all up.
i almost completely love national treasures Jonathan Turley and Alan Dershowitz. (The “almost” is because they shamefully call themselves “liberals” and vote Dimtard-o-rectumcRat.) […Perhaps due to an adult-onset case of Dengue Fever, Typhus, Lyme disease or PROCCEPT (Prefrontal-Lobe-Occipital-Lobe-Conservative-Cortices-Eating-Pathogen-Thingy….]
…BTAIM … this article was a great take by Jonathan (as just about always). …Big Tech, Big Business, Big Pharma, and … BIG BROTHER (!) … are exponentially (!) suppressing/taking away/jibber-DEATH-JABB-ing our liberties, freedoms and rights (!) … RIGHT BEFORE OUR VERY EYES!!!!!
…C’mon precious beloved American sheeple … stop wearing your brain-suffocating Covid mask when-you’re-by-yourself-in-the-car (!!!) … and stop blindly taking THE DEATH JABB (!!!) to score points with your woke brain-suffocated family and friends!!!!!
…AND … while I’m in the mood of being gracious, loving, thoughtful and caring … kindly allow me to pass this heartfelt piece (peace, brother) of madvice:
… PRAY TELL Jonathan and Alan – PLEEEEASE stay out of the closet with your True-Conservative/Libertarian values and principles AND START VOTING REPUGNANTCAN!!!!! (…It ain’t much … but at least it’s 952 LEVELS ABOVE (!!!!!) the “DemoniCrap-o-Dotardputzes”….)
Professor Turley calls himself a Democrat?
Everyone calls out the problem. Demands that it stop and that people should stand up and do so but no one declares exactly what can be done by ordinary people. We cannot physically reach these oligarchs. They are immune to letters, email, even their own creation twitter. Boycotts wouldn’t work as there are too many who will support them or don’t care.
The courts have proven unable or unwilling (or both) to stop the blatant censorship of citizen thought. The politicians cry and moan but do nothing and with a Democrat majority they cannot do much. WHAT exactly can anyone do to stop this? I stopped my Facebook account, I stopped my Twitter account. So far they’re still in business. Thankfully I don’t miss it but some people would. And some actually need it for their daily business.
It would be wiser to get away from any tool that works against you and soon more will realize what’s happening but will it be soon enough? Will they back off from their canceling other opinion? Why? They’ve succeeded so far with little opposition and they’ve not paid any price. At least here in the USA.
Careful, Professor Turley, as you may be their next target for merely questioning their censorship activity … and that would be a shame as I enjoy reading your tweets. You are very thorough in examining each issue and a fair man as a liberal, which is getting pretty rare these days. Twitter (and Facebook, Google and Instagram) are doing the Democrat Party’s, i.e., our current government’s bidding and that is FASCISM plain and simple! I’d hate to lose your wisdom for the sake of our country but these high tech fascists don’t give a hoot about free speech!
Social media only wants you to read comments allowed by the great inquisitor.
During this mornings interview with Doc Gottlieb, Joe Kernan, specifically asked about the Israeli study and the expanded durability of, natural immunity. Since Doc Gottlieb agreed with much of what Berenson opined, the gangsters at CNBC , edited out those questions and Gottlieb’s responses. Hopefully , Berenson’s lawyers can get the complete transcript of this mornings interview.
“I tell you, Winston, that reality is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else. Not in the individual mind, which can make mistakes, and in any case soon perishes: only in the mind of the Party, which is collective and immortal. Whatever the Party holds to be the truth, is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party.”
1984: George Orwell
Professor – no doubt your rapidly moving up the blacklist with posts like this…
So, stop using Twitter. Or Facebook. Or Google. Or instagram (which is controlled by Facebook). Or YouTube (which is controlled by Google). Without you, they don’t exist. Literally. I abandoned social media writ large for this very reason ten years ago. At this point, social media is not a ‘public square’; it is pretty much just a free tool, that isn’t philosophically and often literally, free that people use in hopes of becoming rich/and or famous for showing their a** or its presumed material equivalent. if you want to be a human and get real news, enrich your life, grown your business, look elsewhere. You don’t need a single one of these Silicon Valley Harpies. Not really.
Telegram has NO censorship as it was founded by a Russian exile and its much better than anything big tech has come up with!
That is the future for us. I hope to promote a book about natural healing shortly. I will record it as an audiobook instead of cutting down trees. Mainstream will not allow me to tell how I healed myself of malignant cancer in 1975 by follow Oriental theories of healing. I do bash Big Pharma for their poisons which have been killing people for years. Just telling the truth. So, I will shout my story from Mountain tops to people who live in self-sustaining lifestyles already. jillaynschneider.com
Jill Ann, make sure your tent pole isn’t made of wood.
Jill Ayn must not be told that Gavin Newsom is building five new natural gas plants. If Jill Ayn does hear of Newsom’s plan keep her away from all sharp objects.