Parler.com needs to find a new web hosting service, and get back on the internet. Twitter users who get themselves booted off need to find a new platform.
I know, I know, what people use these services to say is often reprehensible. They spread lies. They are rumor mills for the right wing and Donald T***p.
But many right-wingers believe that their First Amendment right to freedom of speech is being threatened. And do you know what? They're right - in a way. In reality, these people violated the Terms of Service - parler.com with Amazon Web Services, and individual users with Twitter (although I'm not really sure about Twitter - is it against Twitter's TOS to lie? to foment discord? To spout conspiracy theories? to have an unpopular opinion? I doubt it.) The TOS are within the purview of the owners of Amazon and Twitter, though. Just as with newspapers, it's the publisher who has freedom of speech. But when someone is censored from a popular web-based platform, I'm sure to the individual it feels like their freedom of speech has been trampled on.
Now of course, illegal activities should not be tolerated on any web-based platform, nothing from inciting an insurrection of the U.S. government, to child pornography. But unless there's a law preventing it, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and even T***p, should be able to talk about QAnon and voter fraud all they want. Unfortunately there will always be suckers and stupid people who believe them. But please may there always be good people who are willing to stand up and prove them wrong.
Freedom of speech in a democratic society is important. Suppression of speech is what dictators and communist governments do. Even wackos need to express themselves. By allowing them to do so, we help ensure that all voices can be heard - no matter what the current popular opinion is. (I feel kind of stupid even writing this last paragraph. You don't need a Civics lesson from me.)
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To hear an interesting podcast that led me to write about this, check out some dissenting voices on
'What Kind of Message is That?' How Republicans See the Attack on the Capitol from
The Daily podcast by the
New York Times. It's short, only about 20 minutes.