Someone I know, a relative in fact, posted a complaint that “free speech” was being inhibited or censored when a number of social media outlets decided to remove the outgoing President of United States bully pulpit. They did not do this because they were all simply democrats who didn’t like something he was saying. After all, for 5 awfully long years, every Tweet and utterance was permitted, no matter how vile. But after an insurrection at the Capitol of the United States, orchestrated and encouraged by the President and based solely on lies and fabricated allegations, and resulting in the death of 5 people, well, suddenly, some platforms developed a backbone and perhaps even a moral compass.
But some people seem to have a problem with this, claiming he, like all of us, has an unalienable right to free speech. And he does, without question. But he does not, nor does anyone, have the right to speech with incites, condones, encourages, and spearheads violence. You cannot yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater unless there is, in fact, a fire. If you do, and the ensuing stampede kills someone, then you are liable for murder.
As a reminder, Charles Manson killed no one and yet was originally sentenced to death for murder (ultimately converted to life in prison when the death penalty was declared unconstitutional). Manson spent 46 years in prison for murder until his death in 2017. Perhaps, in a world where all free speech regardless of consequence, is acceptable, what he did, by indoctrinating and brainwashing and commanding his minions to kill at his behest would be acceptable. After all, it would have been his right to say whatever he wanted to in that world of no consequence. But that is not the case in the here and now.
The President of the United States, based on false information and outright lies, yelled fire repeatedly where there wasn’t one. He stoked the flames of a malleable group of people who had been primed for months with repetitive claims of a rigged and stolen election – even before the election happened. He knew exactly who he was manipulating, and he knew exactly how to orchestrate and direct that rage against his perceived enemies. This was, after all, never about an election loss. It was about him and his need to stay in power.
The social media platforms are absolutely within their rights to deny his access. If someone is unable to play by the rules there are consequences. We don’t change the rules because you are President. And trust me, this President has been given every latitude up to this point because of the office he holds. Many people I know have gone to Facebook jail for far less incendiary utterances.
I may find myself disowned by this relative because of this post. I hope not although we are on opposite sides of the political spectrum. But I would say this: I choose a world where we don’t promote violence and insurrection. I am also a fan of free speech and non-violent protest and civil disobedience. Our democracy depends on different points of view being expressed, even with protest if that’s what’s necessary to bring attention to an issue. But what I heard, and the resulting violence and wanton destruction and defilement of the very institution which houses our leaders who oversee this democracy, was not free speech. Words have consequences.
Namaste 🙏
~jwb~