Category: International

Free Speech, International

The Tower for Twitter? UK Minister Calls for Jailing Social Media Bosses Who Do Not Censor Speech

As previously discussed, after Musk decided to buy Twitter, Hillary Clinton called upon European countries to force social media companies to censor Americans.  The European Union quickly responded by threatening Musk and other executives. Now, Technology and Science Secretary Michelle Donelan has announced plans to jail social media executives if they fail to censor so-called “harmful” content on their websites. The government, of course, will determine what is deemed too harmful for citizens to see or hear. Continue reading “The Tower for Twitter? UK Minister Calls for Jailing Social Media Bosses Who Do Not Censor Speech” →

Academia, Free Speech, International

Sins of the Father: Theologian Fired by Bible College for Calling Homosexuality a Sin
Free Speech, International, Religion, Society

Canadian Student Suspended After Speaking Against Transgender Status and Rights

A Canadian high school student, Josh Alexander, 16, is at the center of a free speech fight in Ontario after he was arrested and criminally charged for attempting to attend class in violation of an exclusion order. Alexander was suspended from St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Renfrew, Ontario after expressing his religious views on transgender status and rights. Continue reading “Canadian Student Suspended After Speaking Against Transgender Status and Rights” →

Free Speech, International, Religion

British Minister Faces New Charges Under Counter-Terrorism Laws for Criticizing a Trans Woman

Today, a trial will begin for a French politician who was charged for criticizing immigration as a public danger. In the meantime, a Christian street preacher was reportedly facing criminal charges in the United Kingdom for declaring that a trans woman was really a “gentleman” and a “man in woman’s clothing.” The counter-terrorism unit arrested David McConnell, a Christian preacher who was already convicted last year for “harassment” in the incident last year. Continue reading “British Minister Faces New Charges Under Counter-Terrorism Laws for Criticizing a Trans Woman” →

Free Speech, International

French Politician Faces Criminal Trial for Immigration Criticism
International

Are Pro-Life Laws A Human Rights Violation? Roughly 200 Groups Petition the United Nations for Action

Roughly 200 human rights organizations are asking the United Nations to declare that the United States is a violator of “international human rights law” because some states have passed pro-life laws after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. Given that many countries ban and heavily restrict abortion, it is a pitch that is unlikely to gain traction at the U.N. However, the premise shows a significant escalation of rhetoric by groups like Amnesty International, the Human Rights Watch and other organizations. Continue reading “Are Pro-Life Laws A Human Rights Violation? Roughly 200 Groups Petition the United Nations for Action” →

Academia, International

Unmasking Prejudice? Professor Denounces Maskless People as “Racist, Ableist, and Classist.”

George Washington University (where I teach) this week became one of the last major universities to drop its mask mandate. Many students had long declined to follow the mandate, but the decision was met with relief by many at the school. Yet, some are vivid about the lifting of such mandates in various schools. One is a professor at the University of British Columbia who has participated in roundtable discussions as an expert with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.  Dr. Amy Tan is a Clinical Associate Professor in Palliative Care and Family Practice at UBC’s Faculty of Medicine and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary. She recently issued a blistering attack on those going maskless as being “racist, ableist, and classist.” The comments raise long-standing concerns that masks have become a vehicle for social and political rather than medical agendas.

Continue reading “Unmasking Prejudice? Professor Denounces Maskless People as “Racist, Ableist, and Classist.”” →

Free Speech, International

The Rise of the Woke Whangdoodles: English Company Rewrites Dahl Classics to Remove Offensive Words

Where are the Oompa Loompas when you need them. Willy Wonka’s helpers asked “who do you blame when your kid is a brat? Pampered and spoiled like a Siamese cat?” The same question could be asked about publishers after Puffin Books hired sensitivity readers to “update” portions of Roald Dahl’s classic books. The changes include dropping references to Augustus Gloop being “fat.”  Yet, unlike the Oompa Loompas, who found sanctuary “from hornswogglers and snozzwangers and those terrible wicked whangdoodles,” there is no safe place from woke whangdoodles today.

Continue reading “The Rise of the Woke Whangdoodles: English Company Rewrites Dahl Classics to Remove Offensive Words” →

International, Media, Politics

The National Endowment for Democracy To Cut Off Further Support for the Global Disinformation Index

I have been writing about “the Global Disinformation Index” produced by a British group funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which itself is funded by the federal government.  That includes a recent column in The Hill. The NED receives a massive $330 million budget through the U.S. State Department. The NED contacted me today after the column ran and informed me that it will no longer fund the GDI. Continue reading “The National Endowment for Democracy To Cut Off Further Support for the Global Disinformation Index” →

International, Torts

Calling Abbe Lowell: The Chinese Make Familiar Claim Over Mysterious Balloon [Updated]

Various intelligence and defense figures including former Defense Secretary Mark Esper have suggested trying to capture the Chinese surveillance balloon to analyze its equipment and any content. China admits that this may be its balloon but denies that it is used for surveillance. It says that it was lost accidentally due to weather. So the balloon may be ours but it was lost. However, the government is likely to oppose anyone collecting or using information from the balloon. That sounded vaguely familiar. Indeed, Abbe Lowell may have a new client (Indeed, a client with past dealings with his current client, Hunter Biden).

Update: After the United States shot down the balloon, China appeared to send out a Lowell-like message that “China will resolutely uphold the relevant company’s legitimate rights and interests, and at the same time reserving the right to take further actions in response.”

Continue reading “Calling Abbe Lowell: The Chinese Make Familiar Claim Over Mysterious Balloon [Updated]” →

Academia, Bizarre, International

“Tragedy … Might be Triggering”: British Universities Add Warnings for Greek and Shakespearean Plays

The problem with universities overwhelmingly controlled by faculty on the left is that there are few to offer a dose of reality or rationality. Left to their own devices, some faculty seem to search for new ways to demonstrate woke priorities. British universities have long been ridiculed for policies controlling speech or symbols. Now, The Telegraph is reporting that British universities are adding trigger warnings to Greek and Shakespearean tragedies to protect students from being triggered by tragedy. Indeed, there are now warnings on other classics for everything from “ableism” to “depictions of rural life.”

Continue reading ““Tragedy … Might be Triggering”: British Universities Add Warnings for Greek and Shakespearean Plays” →

Free Speech, International, Military, Politics

Turkey Blocks Sweden from Joining NATO Due to Sweden’s Free Speech Protections

Flag of TurkeyTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long been one of the most anti-free speech leaders in the world, particularly demanding the censorship and the arrest of those who insult Islam. Now Erdogan is blocking Sweden from NATO membership because it refuses to curtail free speech. It is a tragically ironic moment for an alliance based on what were viewed as shared Western values. It is now held hostage by one of the most authoritarian leaders in the world. Continue reading “Turkey Blocks Sweden from Joining NATO Due to Sweden’s Free Speech Protections” →

Free Speech, International, Media

Sulzberger: Disinformation is the “Most Existential Problem” Facing the Planet Today

There has been much coverage over the resurfacing of former CNN host Brian Stelter as the host for a panel at the World Economic Forum on alleged disinformation and “hate speech.” Stelter previously called for censorship under a “harm reduction model” and led a panel at a conference where Democrats discussed how to shape the news. He was confronted over his own dissemination for false stories targeting Republicans on CNN. Yet, I was most struck by a statement from New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger who described “disinformation” as the “most existential” problem the world is facing today. Sulzberger insisted that disinformation is the reason why there is a loss of “trust” today. He ignores his own history in eroding that trust in the media through flagrantly biased decisions at the New York Times.

Continue reading “Sulzberger: Disinformation is the “Most Existential Problem” Facing the Planet Today” →

Columns, Free Speech, International, Politics, Religion

Without a Hope or a Prayer: Why the Arrest of a British Woman Outside of Abortion Clinic is a Wake-Up Call for Free Speech

This week, the arrest of British Catholic woman for ‘praying’ outside an abortion clinic has attracted international attention. However, the jailing of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, director of anti-abortion group March for Life UK, is neither surprising nor particularly rare as a denial of free speech in Great Britain. While this form of “protest” is uncommon as the basis for an arrest, free speech has been in a free fall in the UK for years. It is also a cautionary tale for those in the United States, which is facing arguably the largest anti-free speech movement in its history. Continue reading “Without a Hope or a Prayer: Why the Arrest of a British Woman Outside of Abortion Clinic is a Wake-Up Call for Free Speech” →

Free Speech, International, Media, Politics

EU Threatens Musk With Sanctions Over Suspending Media…After Ignoring Media Bans Under Old Twitter

Twitter Logo

Despite my support for Elon Musk’s continuing efforts to reduce censorship and restore free speech protections on Twitter, I have been critical of some of his moves from his use of polls on restoring certain posters to the suspensions of media figures this week. However, this morning, I was struck by the European Union (EU) rushing into the controversy to threaten, again, sanctions against Musk. The EU is apparently aghast that Twitter could suspend media even temporarily after ignoring the bans on conservative media for years under the old management. Continue reading “EU Threatens Musk With Sanctions Over Suspending Media…After Ignoring Media Bans Under Old Twitter” →

Res ipsa loquitur – The thing itself speaks