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I will add to that, I believe that in order for a democracy to properly function we need free speech, truly free speech that is. Democracy is not designed to a

I will add to that, I believe that in order for a democracy to properly function we need free speech, truly free speech that is. Democracy is not designed to allow the morally righteous side to win power, it is designed to allow the popular majority to win power regardless of what they believe in and the morality of their beliefs. In the U.S. we have a large majority of the public that believes in one thing and another that believe in something radically different and I don’t think we should silence either of them if we want to keep the U.S. truly democratic. The argument that Parlor incites violence is irrelevant in my opinion since violence in this case is the result of free speech which ultimately serves the greater purpose of having a democracy. We should be prepared for the fact that the majority believe in something different than us, even if that something is radically different from what we believe in, and we must accept that and let their voices be heard as well. If we cannot accept what other people are saying than we cannot say the U.S. is truly a democracy since the foundation of that are free speech without limitations.

pbourke 6y ago
I’ve been reflecting on this lately as well. 75M people voted for Trump just two months ago, and now he’s been deplatformed from the major social media networks, and the alternate network that some of his supporters were moving to is effectively shut down for weeks/months. I think you’re right in that the health of a democracy is closely linked to the ability of diverse voices to make themselves heard. I don’t know what effect these moves will have but I suspect it will not have the intended one.
- nindalf 6y ago
  > the ability of diverse voices to make themselves heard. This is the paradox of tolerance. If you tolerant violent, discriminating voices like say, the Proud Boys, that intimidates other diverse groups from participating. Their intolerance becomes mainstream, making society less tolerant over time.
- akie 6y ago
  These guys have been brainwashed for decades by Fox News, which always claimed the "I can lie about everything because free speech" defense. This is not about diversity of opinions anymore. Their side besieged key democratic institutions such as the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Vice President, with the intention to overthrow the government and to kill democratically elected politicians. This is not about diversity of opinions anymore. The people who did this need to be persecuted and receive lengthy jail sentences, whoever aided and abetted them needs to be sentenced, and there need to be real and actual consequences. Because if we don't do that, we only show that we are weak, and that you can storm the Capitol without any consequences. What is the lesson you think they will take from that? You think it stops here? Are they encouraged, or discouraged? If nothing happens to them, what do you think they'll do next? This isn't over. The people who are fanning the flames need their megaphones taken from them. If whole platforms exist for the purpose of encouraging hatred and sedition, these platforms need to be banned. It's not rocket science. Fucking ban Fox News. Block Breitbart. Or drown them in lawsuits and persecute them for every lie they tell. It's either that or fascism. You choose.
  - pbourke 6y ago
    I am in complete agreement that there must be consequences for the Capitol riot. > You think it stops here? Are they encouraged, or discouraged? If nothing happens to them, what do you think they'll do next? This isn't over. I don’t think it stops here. That’s sort of what I was getting at. Will censorship result in less violence or more violence? The assumption is that it turns the temperature down, but where is the precedent for that? “Free Speech” - not just the technical definition but the culture of it - is a core American value. Having it suppressed so quickly and broadly may actually result in more violence. I fear that we’re at the beginning of the American “Troubles”
    - akie 6y ago
      You will appreciate this article then https://eand.co/they-werent-rioters-they-were-fascists-it-wasn-t-an-insurrection-it-was-a-coup-fa9b28c5b704 https://eand.co/they-werent-rioters-they-were-fascists-it-wa...

pbourke 6y ago

I’ve been reflecting on this lately as well. 75M people voted for Trump just two months ago, and now he’s been deplatformed from the major social media networks, and the alternate network that some of his supporters were moving to is effectively shut down for weeks/months. I think you’re right in that the health of a democracy is closely linked to the ability of diverse voices to make themselves heard. I don’t know what effect these moves will have but I suspect it will not have the intended one.

nindalf 6y ago
> the ability of diverse voices to make themselves heard. This is the paradox of tolerance. If you tolerant violent, discriminating voices like say, the Proud Boys, that intimidates other diverse groups from participating. Their intolerance becomes mainstream, making society less tolerant over time.
akie 6y ago
These guys have been brainwashed for decades by Fox News, which always claimed the "I can lie about everything because free speech" defense. This is not about diversity of opinions anymore. Their side besieged key democratic institutions such as the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Vice President, with the intention to overthrow the government and to kill democratically elected politicians. This is not about diversity of opinions anymore. The people who did this need to be persecuted and receive lengthy jail sentences, whoever aided and abetted them needs to be sentenced, and there need to be real and actual consequences. Because if we don't do that, we only show that we are weak, and that you can storm the Capitol without any consequences. What is the lesson you think they will take from that? You think it stops here? Are they encouraged, or discouraged? If nothing happens to them, what do you think they'll do next? This isn't over. The people who are fanning the flames need their megaphones taken from them. If whole platforms exist for the purpose of encouraging hatred and sedition, these platforms need to be banned. It's not rocket science. Fucking ban Fox News. Block Breitbart. Or drown them in lawsuits and persecute them for every lie they tell. It's either that or fascism. You choose.
- pbourke 6y ago
  I am in complete agreement that there must be consequences for the Capitol riot. > You think it stops here? Are they encouraged, or discouraged? If nothing happens to them, what do you think they'll do next? This isn't over. I don’t think it stops here. That’s sort of what I was getting at. Will censorship result in less violence or more violence? The assumption is that it turns the temperature down, but where is the precedent for that? “Free Speech” - not just the technical definition but the culture of it - is a core American value. Having it suppressed so quickly and broadly may actually result in more violence. I fear that we’re at the beginning of the American “Troubles”
  - akie 6y ago
    You will appreciate this article then https://eand.co/they-werent-rioters-they-were-fascists-it-wasn-t-an-insurrection-it-was-a-coup-fa9b28c5b704 https://eand.co/they-werent-rioters-they-were-fascists-it-wa...