This is the current president threatening a university’s funding because students refused to have a violent racist and sexist (milo yiannopoulos) on their campus, this is unacceptable.
I hate this notion that universities need to let literally anyone speak or else you’re stifling knowledge. Here’s something that stifles knowledge: having to explain very basic things over and over. If you let someone barge into a medical laboratory and yell “everyone stop what you’re doing and prove to me that germs exist”, that’s stifling knowledge. Shutting everything down so that a neo-nazi can calmly ask whether black people are people does not enrich a learning environment in any way, It drags everything down and exhausts everyone. Free speech absolutism is crude and unsophisticated, we need to acknowledge that sometimes speech has deleterious effects on the free speech of others.
Too long for tags, because this this this this. Also, things that are *not* protected by or covered under the First Amendment, and we should stop pretending that any of them are:
–Speech intended to make a person kill themselves (that’s a manslaughter charge, actually, and fuck you)
–Fighting words, defined as “words which would likely make the person whom they are addressed commit an act of violence”. Basically, if you’re antagonizing a person/group personally, and they punch you for it, that’s not protected free speech. (This is not the same as words someone just disagrees with and they can’t handle disagreement. I.e., “I’m gay” or “I don’t believe in your god” are not fighting words, but “well then you deserve to burn in hell forever in graphic torment because your existence as a human is wrong” arguably would be if we didn’t live in a pseudo-theocracy).
–Sexual harassment, including some forms or escalations of catcalling in some states
–Intentionally causing chaos or danger to the people around you (i.e. the classic example of yelling “bomb” in a crowded theater)
–Personal and immediate threats of violence (while not generally applied to online threats or harassment because police aren’t caught up and don’t know how to handle it, it really should be).
–Doxxing, or sharing the private information of an individual with the broader public without their consent. This should (if we didn’t live in a pseudo-theocracy) include things like Mi/lo outing a transgender student at their own university, because that fucking happened.
–A platform. You have a right to scream your words to the sky on your front porch. Do what you want. You do not have a right to speak to an audience in your local sports stadium, or any other private venue, including private universities. They are private; they set their own rules (within anti-discrimination laws, obviously). You also do not have a right to speak to an audience at a public venue like a state university, particularly not at special events like graduation ceremonies or at the expense of students and taxpayers. No one is required to pay for your speech or give you a podium to speak behind.
(On a related note, anyone that was trying to argue the super-pacifist side of the “should you punch a Nazi” argument that was going around a while ago by questioning/saying we shouldn’t equate speech with violence can miss me with that bullshit and go look up anything relating to emotional/mental abuse, its effects on victims, and its illegality. It’s just another way of trying to say “sticks and stones” and not acknowledge that words can and do leave lasting impacts on the psychological health of individuals and can in fact constitute forms of violence.)
This is all reallyimportant.
I think it’s also important to point out that freedom of speech, even speech that is 100% protected and doesn’t fall into any of these categories, is not the same as freedom from the consequences of speech in terms of the people around you. Just because the government can’t stop you from saying awful, bigoted things doesn’t mean that when people around you find you disgusting you can say “freedom of speech!” and have them go oh, okay then. Because 1) they’re not the government and 2) the freedom to say appalling things doesn’t mean that no one gets to call you out on them, dislike you for saying them, etc.
I have seen people cry “Freedom of speech!” like it should silence anyone who tells them they’re being racist/sexist/homophobic/whatever. It doesn’t work like that. Just because you have the freedom to say something doesn’t mean anyone has to listen to you say it, and it doesn’t mean no one is going to argue with you or point out when you’re spouting bullshit.
Today I shared a video of a pentagon meeting where they talk about how they’re going to kill the “religious fanatics” with a vaccine. The following screenshot is the email that I got, and although I am pissed that my work is gone, I now know for sure that the dictators that run the world do not want Christians alive. When I sent the email screenshot to my other email, it was labeled as “dangerous”, which has never happened before. If after this post this blog is gone also, at least let someone out there remember this as the beginning of the end. Fuck you too, satanists. Let’s see for how long you can laugh at the ignorance of the masses. Misinformation my ass, you just feel threatened. If the video I shared was so stupid you wouldn’t have been that quick. And how is “misinformation” about a bunch of elites dangerous?? No one has died from believing lies, after all, everyone who trusts the news is doing well???
This week our cover reports on the attack on free speech. More governments are turning repressive, jihadists and criminals are using violence, and pretty much everyone has come to believe that they have a right not to be offended. Yet free speech is the bedrock of all liberties and the best defence against bad government and timid ignorance
the left spent, like, three years trying to explain ‘black lives matter’ to an obstinate group of privileged, mean-spirited bigots, smug people who smirk and almost take pride in their profound misunderstanding. the internet made infographics and analogies and everything it could think of to break down, in the simplest terms–embarrassingly simple–how the statement works and, importantly, how it doesn’t.
and now we have to do this again with 'free speech’?
When the NBA came down on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling with the punishment of a lifetime NBA ban and a move to force him to sell the team today, I was honestly a bit shocked. I was expecting a slap on the wrist, which is usually the norm in any and all of these situations. “You mean the bad racist rich man is actually going to lose this time?” I thought. “Incredible.”
The dumbest thing I’ve heard in defense of Donald Sterling and his racist comments was courtesy of everyone’s favorite dumbass Donald Trump. It’s hard to top Donald Trump claiming Donald Sterling was SET UP by an evil woman who recorded Sterling’s private (racist) comments.
However, when you put a challenge forth like topping the idiocy of Donald Trump, many will accept that challenge, unknowingly, and attempt to accomplish such a thing.
I bring you: people who think the “Constitution,” “freedom of speech,” “first amendment,” any phrase that they use in an attempt to sound knowledgable, protects Donald Sterling and he cannot be punished.
Small tiny little teeny weeny note before we continue here: The First Amendment protects Donald Sterling from government censorship. For example, Donald Sterling cannot be jailed for his racist comments. However, the Constitution does NOT force a private entity, such as the NBA, to continue working with you after you say something extremely racist.
Without any further ado…
Mark, when you find it, be sure to read it and let me know what it says.
No, freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences.
I assume Hannah doesn’t actually know what the first amendment is and this is not meant to be a rhetorical question.
No it won’t.
lmao this dude has it all backwards and is calling for the players to break their contracts.
Thanks for clarifying that you are not a fan of racist comments.
You?
Moving on, there’s these two great conversations @YesYoureRacist had over on Twitter trying to explain to these fools that the first amendment does not apply to a private entities rules and regulations. Sadly for the sake of us all, they just do not get it:
lmao
He sure does get the “specifically the rich and powerful” part right, though.
Next up, we have the white people who believe this is just another example about how the United States of America holds the WHITE MAN down…
Poor white people. :(
White people never get to speak out. :(
You’re welcome to all the white people for giving white man’s plight a platform here.
Some of my favorite tweets were from Conservatives who hate big government complaining that…a private company is allowed to create whatever rules they’d like inside their own private organization? What…
Does anyone know what “legal progressive scum weather” is? Is it a rainstorm? A Hurricane? Weather created by HAARP? A haboob?
And finally, my favorite of the bunch. The tweet in itself may not be much different from the others…
…but you’ll see why it’s extra special when you take a look at Martin’s bio…
Publishers, authors, and bookseller groups have joined the Unite Against Book Bans campaign
The American Library Association this week announced that more than 25 major organizations, including a host of publishers and author and bookseller groups, have joined its Unite Against Book Bans campaign, an effort to help communities defend the freedom to read.
Launched in April, the group aims to raise awareness about the surge in book bans and related legislation emerging around the country, reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer.
Among the groups declaring their support for the effort are the American Booksellers Association Free Expression Initiative, the American Federation of Teachers, as well as major publishers such as Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster.
“Awareness is a big part of the mission—but you’d have to be pretty out of the loop not to be aware of what’s going on here,” says Albanese.
“Awareness alone does not protect your freedom to read. This is one of those things where you need to show up—show up to your school board and library board and city council meetings, and get involved,” he tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally.
Join the Special Collections Research Center next Tuesday (8 February) at 4 pm EST for our next After Hours virtual open house of the term celebrating the launch of Ed Yellin and Jean Fagan Yellin’s book, In Contempt: Defending Free Speech, Defeating HUAC. In writing this book, the authors drew heavily upon materials that are now part of the Labadie Collection. Registerto join us via Zoom. Read more!
Happening tonight, 8 Feb 2022! Registration is free!
Join the Special Collections Research Center next Tuesday (8 February) at 4 pm EST for our next After Hours virtual open house of the term celebrating the launch of Ed Yellin and Jean Fagan Yellin’s book, In Contempt: Defending Free Speech, Defeating HUAC. In writing this book, the authors drew heavily upon materials that are now part of the Labadie Collection. Registerto join us via Zoom. Read more!
The more I read and learn about this man, the more impressed I am. I don’t agree with Jordan Peterson about everything, but I respect the man for standing up for his own, and ours for that matter, basic rights such as freedom of expression. Mandated speech is censorship, period. We need to have the right to offend if we want to search for truth, and to take away the right to offend limits our ability to seek and find our own truths. That is censorship, and why I agree with the stand Dr. Peterson is taking.
I agree with this statement 1000%. If someone tells you not to question something, our natural response should be to question the fuck out of it.
Asking questions should never be taboo, as that’s how new science and new discoveries are made. Questioning the status quo leads to progress, so those who don’t want us to question anything is against progress.
Not being allowed to ask questions isn’t science, its religion. Science should be allowed to stand up to skepticism, or it isn't’ allowed to be science.
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevitch would just be another three punk rockers playing to small crowds if it weren’t for a little thing called Free Speech. These three members of a Russian protest band called Pussy Riot have become international symbols in the fight against repression. Just sentenced to two years in a labor camp for criticizing the government, these women have never given up on their beliefs. And they have done it all with their own unique style. For taking the Push Girl revolution to Red Square, for speaking up where others remain silent, and for making the balaclava the must-have fashion accessory of the season … we proudly join you with our fists in the air.
Tell your friend they’ve got a little Pussy Riot in them. Reblog now to give them a little push.
lol #gab is down because it’s full of #criminals and #extremism. They are also jealous of the “verified twitter nobodies.”
They lie. They are known for hate and fundamentalism. That “80% agree” is actually likely 80-90% disagree. Worldie would have taken that group down if criminal activity seen.
#Futuristic, All-In-One Social Network instead. Now we can get ethics and freedom.
The freedom to think is opposed first of all to civil compulsion. Of course it is said that the freedom to speak or to write could be taken from us by a superior power, but the freedom to think cannot be. Yet how much and how correctly would we think if we did not think as it were in community with others to whom we communicate our thoughts, and who communicate theirs with us! Thus one can very well say that this external power which wrenches away people’s freedom publicly to communicate their thoughts also takes from them the freedom to think - that single gem remaining to us in the midst of all the burdens of civil life, through which alone we can devise means of overcoming all the evils of our condition.
Hello, beloved followers. These are dark, dark times for the Tumblr community and while I have been not as active as of late. I was planning on a nice December posting for you. The holidays were always my favorite time to post for you. I am shocked with the changes to the “Terms of Service” and what it means to this blog and the ones that I follow and love.
I have looked at my previous posts and only about ten percent have been flagged and hopefully will remain after December 17.
Captions4Losers has had a no nudity policy as a creative decision from the beginning and should not be in violation in regards to nipples and genitals. Any “Adult Content” in this blog would be a result of the “erotic” nature of my words.
I stand by what I have written and my right to write as an expression of free speech.
And will continue either here or somewhere else.
I have challenged the majority of my flagged posted with Tumblr that I do not believe contain images that violate the new “Terms of Service.” Posts that would be in violation of the “nipples” and “genitals” term have been removed by myself
Hopefully I am successful and this little blog of my is still allowed on Tumblr on December 18 then I get to decide if I want to continue providing Tumblr with my content.
I believe in marriage between Man and Woman. I am against abortion of any kind! I do not support the idea of indoctrinating our children into the idea of sexuality of any kind before age 13. I believe in the right to bear arms and defend myself. I believe in the right to worship as I may! I believe in free speech. I am disgusted by the behavior of Muslim Men in Europe and abroad who engage in sexually assaulting young children and women and killing them! I’m disgusted at the silence around the world at what is becoming of our world! I believe in God and His Mercy and His Justice! I belive that Jesus Christ will come again and fix this mess!
Companies such as Twitter and Facebook will sometimes make content moderation decisions that seem hypocritical, inconsistent, and confusing. But private failure is better than government failure, not least because unlike government agencies, Twitter has to worry about competition and profits.
![ACAB [All Cops Are Bastards]. Brent Pruitt, illustration, 2020 Available on Redbubble, because it’s](https://64.media.tumblr.com/424d222f7855bb16d3d48eb3a4e08df0/a4461b14aa7c5d7a-11/s1280x1920/f53230f22832e8620c9d30ea95daecd3548a8e75.jpg "ACAB [All Cops Are Bastards]. Brent Pruitt, illustration, 2020 Available on Redbubble, because it’s")
