We have previously discussed platforms like GoFundMe barring conservative groups and causes after cancel campaigns by activists to cut off financial support for opposing groups. The latest such controversy concerns Riley Gaines who was barred from using the ticketing company Eventbrite for an upcoming event on promoting biological women in sports.
As in the past, the free speech objections made to such censorship is not due to any affiliation or support for the underlying causes. Rather it is an attack on free speech values by platforms that should remain neutral on questions that divide us. These companies can facilitate national debates by allowing citizens to associate and speak on these issues.
While Gaines has become a lightening rod for the controversy over transwomen competing in women’s sports, various international sporting organizations have adopted more strict rules or outright bans on transgender athletes, including a recent ban for track and field competitions.
Once again, the adoption of such bans does not mean that they are correct or wise. Rather, the question is whether Eventbrite should be barring access for groups and individuals in holding such events. For example, would Eventbrite bar the track and field association from holding an event to explain and discuss its recent ban?
Gaines was prevented from promoting her November 3 speech at the University of California, Davis.
Eventbrite sent the following to the group institute in an email:
“Hello,
We’re reaching out regarding your event listing, Protecting Women’s Sports with Riley Gaines.
We have determined that your event is not permitted on the Eventbrite marketplace as it violates our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service, with which all users agree to comply. Specifically, we do not allow content or events that – through on- or off-platform activity – discriminate against, harass, disparage, threaten, incite violence against, or otherwise target individuals or groups based on their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, immigration status, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, age, or disability. As a result, your event has been unpublished. Please be aware that severe or repeated violations of our guidelines may result in the suspension or termination of your Eventbrite account.
Please reply directly to this email if you have any further questions. We appreciate your understanding and thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Best,
Eventbrite Trust and Safety”
The company has also banned events to discuss policies limiting access to bathrooms as “hateful.”
Critics have noted that pro-Hamas groups are allowed to use the site as are radical far left groups.
For years, many politicians and pundits have dismissed free-speech concerns by noting that the First Amendment only applies to the government. So long as corporations do the censoring, they contend, it is not a free-speech problem.
This obviously is wrong on several fronts.
The First Amendment is not the exclusive measure of free speech. Corporate censorship of political commentaries or news stories are denials of free speech that harm our democratic system.
Second, this is a First Amendment violation. The Twitter files have substantiated long-standing concerns over “censorship by surrogate” or proxy. As with other amendments like the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches or seizures, the government cannot use private agents to do indirectly what it cannot do directly. A federal court recently found precisely this type of agency relationship between the federal government and social media companies.
Transgender policies raise difficult and divisive issues for our nation. We need to be able to discuss these issues and seek common answers or approaches. Many citizens are divided. We can only reach a consensus through dialogue and debate.
What Eventbrite is doing is obstructing such efforts by imposing its own corporate values on its customers. I understand why transgender people would object to these events. I have transgender students who I want to feel safe and valued in our community. Yet, limiting free speech events is not the answer. For social media and event companies, it is important to allow views on both sides to be expressed if we have any hope for a national resolution of these questions.
“We have determined that your event is not permitted on the Eventbrite marketplace as it violates our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service… Eventbrite Trust and Safety”
Sounds like these close-minded PC censors get their inspiration from Robespierre’s Committee of Public Safety… how a propos. Wonder when the guillotines will be making their appearance on campus?
Why do we care about left wing nuts behaving stupidly ? if the left wants to bifurcate everything – fine. The right is far better at charity and this kind of stuff anyway.
As to Turley’s dodge about men competing in women’s sports. With extremely few exceptions where women actually have a biological edge, Universally a top 25% biological male while physically destroy a biological woman in any sports. The exceptions are incredibly rare.
Despite enormous preassure from the left and overall general sympathy with the left – most althletic organizations have either barred men from competing in womens sports or severely restricted it. Because the alternative is Men 100% dominating womens sports.
EVen a young and top ranked Billy Jean King at the peak of her carreer was only barely able to handle a 50 something year Bobby rigs
The very best women in almost every sport can not compete with merely good men. This is just reality.
Eventbrite alleges that it cancelled the Gaines event because it violates their “Community Guidelines.”
Those propaganda-driven companies (see also Facebook) always hide under the collectivist skirt of “Community Guidelines.” In reality, they are the Voice of “community guidelines.”
If they were intellectually honest, they would announce: We don’t like your event. We don’t like your opinions. We don’t like you. And we have every right to not do business with you. (And they do have that right.)
That I could respect. They’d be wrong about her ideas. But at least I’d respect their honesty.
Honest or not, though: They still deserve the Bud Light treatment.
“They still deserve the Bud Light treatment.”
– Sam
________
Hear, hear!
Buy the other product!
Competition, not caterwauling, is always the solution in free America with its constitutional private property, free enterprises, and free markets.
Congress has no power to “claim and exercise” dominion over private property per the 5th Amendment, and Congress has no power to regulate anything – no enterprise, no industry, no process, no product, no service, no entity, etc. – other than “the value of money, commerce among nations, States, and Indian tribes, and land and naval Forces,” per Article 1, Section 8.
If regulation is necessary, regulation must be conducted by enterprises or industries themselves in order to protect consumers from defective products and services, and to protect enterprises and industries from costly, deleterious, and potentially terminal litigation.
Our spewing miscreants are right, no “connection to government”
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/technology-transformation-services-tts-32345787587
and there it is
“The US government uses Eventbrite as part of its TTS mission in the GSA.”
We are past the Rubicon. It’s gonna take the ppl to budlite these companies….yet they are incorporated somewhere. Delaware maybe? Besides the business judgement line of cases what makes it so speCiaL? How far does the business judgement rule extend? B4 the courts say false proxy statements and 10b violation?
Bg1.
Thinking of the creepy cognitive dissonance that those on the left have in promoting men in women’s sports they have a similar problem with race.
They froth at us claiming we support segregation and apartheid and unequal treatment of blacks, but it is they who actually do those things:
Race based and segregated graduations and ceremonies;
Race based and segregated living and eating facilities;
Race based and different standards of justice;
Race based and different standards for university admissions;
Race based and different standards on education;
And while it is approved to say any group is “too white” we never hear that any group or team is “too black”.
“Disparate Impact” is seen as a problem in the sciences and even orchestras because of the predominance of whites and Asians but is never called out for, say, basketball or rap because they are activities that are too black.
Recently an excellent TED talk favoring a ‘colorblind’ and equal society was slighted and not promoted as usual, and less viewed, because of the protests of some black employees.
As long as so many in the black and academic and media communities embrace different and segregated treatment we will have great difficulty in finding a colorblind society.
And what happens if we begin to decide that they have the right idea? Was Scott Adams onto something? I think we have already staggered blindly further down that road than we now allow ourselves to think.. But unacknowledged thoughts can still shape decisions.
Another logic fart by Turley. He writes: “Rather it is an attack on free speech values by platforms that should remain neutral on questions that divide us. These companies can facilitate national debates by allowing citizens to associate and speak on these issues.”
Eventbrite is not a “speech” platform in the way that X or Facebook, etc., are “speech” platforms. It is not selling it’s clients the opportunity to make public their opinion(s) — although that may be a side benefit, it’s not the primary service offered. Rather, it’s selling a specific product; the ability for their consumers to advertise a specific event. How is this substantively different behaviour from Masterpiece Cakeshop? SCOTUS properly ruled such a private business has a first amendment right to “discriminate” against a particular client’s request for service for what ever reason it wants. This is the essence of private property. And if I recall, Turley was foursquare behind SCOTUS in Masterpiece Cakeshop. While I agree this is probably silly behaviour on the part of Eventbrite, it is not a violation of Riley Gaines’s “free speech”. She is perfectly free to go elsewhere to advertise her product. Indeed, it’s an example of the owners of Eventbrite practicing their own first amendment rights.
“…[S]hould remain neutral…” would be a moral imperative.
Legally, it’s private property held and disposed of only by the owner, exclusive of every other individual.
Exactly!
“And now, class, here is Michelanglo’s “David”, finished in 1504:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_(Michelangelo)#/media/File:’David’_by_Michelangelo_FI_Acca_JBS_059.jpg
Brilliant but I think Bernini was the better sculptor. For example
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_and_Daphne_(Bernini
120 years later and to me, contrived. As to the point here, note the genital modesty.
Later need not be better. Consider our present artists. Bernini’s Ecstasy of St Theresa is remarkable, stunningly erotic, and his young David, ready with his sling, seems almost alive in his intense concentration. Come to think of it, I like Verochio’s equestrian statue of the mercenary, Colleoni. Look at the haughty expression on his face.
Bernini certainly had an extensive career:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Gian_Lorenzo_Bernini
Yes, incredible, like Brunelleschi in his many different endeavours.
Bernini and Michelangelo are both great. But behold the master: Cellini (and his Perseus)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_with_the_Head_of_Medusa
The US government uses Eventbrite as part of its TTS mission in the GSA.
This is just another example of the crap that women have had to endure over the centuries. What is ironic is how some feminists won’t speak up at the losses in liberties that were hard fought over the past century.
The men who play women’s sports are cowards and bullies. It is shameful and yet another example of how our nation has gone off the rails and hell bent for destruction.
O T (insurrection)
It appears that the Southern Poverty Law Center played a role in an anti-Israel demonstration several days ago that occupied the rotunda of the Cannon Building, ala’ the J6 protest. http://www.dailysignal-com.cdn.ampproject.org. Capitol police made over 300 arrests. Will any of the protesters be prosecuted for interfering with official proceedings, or even spend time in prison? Will the SPLC be accused of trying to overthrow the government?
Edward Mahl is the same creepy nerd who writes about two thirds of the comments on any given day.
He is also: Thinkthrough, Old Man From Kansas, James, Upstate Farmer, Estovir, N.N., Ralph Chappell, Guy Ventner, Shakdi, Margot Ballhere, Feldman and countless others.
No, I am
SpartacusEdward Mahl!BugAnon – you are way off on your numbers and your paranoia has gotten the better of you. Unlike you, I have never submitted a comment under any name except my own.
I agree.
She’s included me in that list, in the past….(its never the same)
My handle is only my thoughts.
Yesterday, Jewish students were locked inside Cooper Union school library in NYC due to belligerents Pro-Palestinians. It is instructive how the news item was covered. I did a search on google early this morning, 5:30 AM, with the key search terms: “jewish students cooper union library”.
CBS was the top search results, and it relates the story in banal terms.
CBS News: “Pro-Palestinian rally at Cooper Union leads to tense moments at school library”
The others news outlets that did cover it, according to the google search results, did so in alarming terms. News outlets as far away as India and Israel covered it. The usual American MSM did not appear in the Google results.
Had the students been blacks chased by White Supremacists…. we know the story.
In order of appearance for Google search results:
PIX11: Jewish students locked inside Cooper Union library during protest; told security they felt unsafe
NEW YORK
Fox News NYC college’s Jewish students seen locked inside library as anti-Israel protest moves through building
Times of Israel: Jewish students shelter in NY college library as demonstrators pound on doors, shout ‘free Palestine’
Jerusalem Post: Cooper Union Jewish students attacked by pro-Palestinian student group
Haaretz Jewish Students at NYC College Take Refuge in Library From pro-Palestinian Protesters
Jewish Telegraphic Agency Jewish students barricade in Cooper Union library as protesters chant ‘Free Palestine,’ on day of protest across NYC campuses
“It’s the [private property], stupid!”
– James Carville
__________________
Americans enjoy freedom of speech, opinion, choice, discernment, and discrimination.
The free American marketplace for platforms providing event management and ticketing services is open to all competitors.
Julia Hartz and eventbrite are engaged in free market competition while enjoying their freedom of speech, thought, opinion, choice, discernment, discrimination, etc., and their “pursuit of happiness” through the operation of their free enterprise, which is private property, over which only the owners may “claim and exercise” dominion.
What more could an American supporter of the Constitution want?
Elon Musk engaged in the highest form of direct competition in the free and open American social media platform marketplace and bought Twitter outright.
Now, only Elon Musk may “claim and exercise” dominion over X.
Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado had the same right to “claim and exercise” dominion over its private property, “in exclusion of every other individual.”
The 5th Amendment right to private property is qualified by the amendment itself, allowing no further qualification, causing the right to private property to be absolute.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“[Private property is] that dominion which one man claims and exercises over the external things of the world, in exclusion of every other individual.”
– James Madison
___________________
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
– Declaration of Independence, 1776
________________________________________
1st Amendment
Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech [thought, opinion, choice, discernment, discrimination, etc.]…
Precisely. And nicely stated btw. I posted my comment (above) before I read this otherwise I probably wouldn’t have. Like minds, I guess.
There may be a “lawsuit solution” to the actions companies like eventbrite. If the terms of service are a contract between the customer and eventbrite, then the customer can bring suit against eventbrite for violating their own terms of service by denying services to customers who are NOT in fact “targeting” Trans People (assuming there are such people). The company will then called upon to clarify the meaning of its words and
the application of those words to actual situations. The responses of these nitwits would be amusing.
Yes, that’s what I suggested in an earlier comment.
That won’t work. The terms of service require that any disputes must go thru arbitration.
Men, women, and babies are from Earth. Feminists are from Venus. Masculinists are from Mars. Social progressives are from Uranus. War of the worlds. That said, all’s fair in lust and abortion.
The conservation of women’s rights does not include trans/homosexual females, but is limited to trans/neo-females or men with simulated feminine gender attributes. Also trans/socials or men in feminine clothing.
OT,
Major bombshell!
Prosecutor says Biden bribery claim was credible enough for further investigation, but FBI resisted
“Brady’s testimony emerged the same day that Sen. Chuck Grassley revealed that the FBI had more than 40 informants providing evidence of possible criminality by the Biden family dating back years but that most leaders were shut down, particularly by the FBI’s Washington field office or its New York counter-intelligence office.”
https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/federal-prosecutor-biden-bribery-claim-credible-enough-further
“FBI resisted”
+++
Of course. They are dirty.
“Zuckerberg tells Rogan FBI warning prompted Biden laptop story censorship 6 August 2022”
Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook restricting a story about Joe Biden’s son during the 2020 election was based on FBI misinformation warnings. The New York Post alleged leaked emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop showed the then vice-president was helping his son’s business dealings in Ukraine. Facebook and Twitter restricted sharing of the article, before reversing course amid allegations of censorship.
Zuckerberg said that getting the decision wrong “sucks”.
“When we take down something that we’re not supposed to, that’s the worst,” Zuckerberg said in a rare extended media interview on the Joe Rogan podcast.
The New York Post story was released just weeks before the presidential election between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, which Mr Biden won. It claimed that a laptop, abandoned in a repair shop by Hunter Biden, contained emails which included details of Hunter introducing a Ukrainian energy tycoon to his father and arranging a meeting. There is no record on Mr Biden’s schedule that such a meeting ever took place. Critically, it fed into long-running unproven allegations about corruption on Joe Biden’s part to ensure his son’s business success in Ukraine. In that context, the New York Post story, based on exclusive data no other news agency had access to, was met with scepticism – and censored by social media outlets.
Zuckerberg told Rogan: “The background here is that the FBI came to us – some folks on our team – and was like ‘hey, just so you know, you should be on high alert. We thought there was a lot of Russian propaganda in the 2016 election, we have it on notice that basically there’s about to be some kind of dump that’s similar to that’.”
– BBC
I watched rogan interview him, and I do not believe his story that it was a vague warning.
We still don’t have exposure on the extreme depths of the demoncrats and their government agent mobsters silencing everyone right of way left.
The corruption is so bad after Musk half exposed twitter, the silence about the same and worse on every other social media platform came quickly.
Now you never hear a peep anymore, so they can keep 90% of the crimes in place, active, and doing worse right now.
They also no doubt scoured their internal histories, deleting like mad.
FBI IS ABJECTLY CORRUPT AND CORRUPTED ABSOLUTELY
_______________________________________________________________
“Special counsel John Durham concludes FBI never should have launched full Trump-Russia probe”
Special counsel John Durham concluded that the FBI should never have launched a full investigation into connections between Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia during the 2016 election, according to a report compiled over three years by the Trump-administration appointee and released on Monday.
Durham’s 300-plus page report also states that the FBI used “raw, unanalyzed, and uncorroborated intelligence,” to launch the “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation into Trump and Russia but used a different standard when weighing concerns about alleged election interference regarding Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
– CNN https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/15/politics/john-durham-report-fbi-trump-released/index.html
Upstate, right about now this blog’s reality deniers are conflicted as to which reality story they should be trying to deny.
OLLY,
In light of this evidence, likely they are running around in circles, fingers in their ears, eyes wide shut yelling,
“LALALALALALALALALALALALLALA! It is not real! It is not real!”
And yet how many times have we been applauding females playing male sports. Women thought is was so awesome to see girls playing little league taking a spot from a boy, but are horrified to see it played out the other way. They also forced BOYscouts to accept girls. Well, here we are folks…. Enjoy what you created.
Mmmmm, clever, but the logic doesn’t wash. If a 17-year-old kids is good enough at baseball to play in the minors, does that mean every minor league grown man can now join a high school team and dominate the younger kids?
Maybe to some there are difficult questions, but there are easy answers. If you have a peepee you play sports on the boys teams and you use the little boys room…. or your don’t play sports or go to the bathroom at school. If you are born with a weewee you play sports on the girls teams and use the little girls room… or you don’t play sports or go to the bathroom at at school.