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What changed in 2020? Do you not remember the Dixie Chicks getting blacklisted for speaking against George Bush, Janet Jackson being deplatformed from record la

What changed in 2020? Do you not remember the Dixie Chicks getting blacklisted for speaking against George Bush, Janet Jackson being deplatformed from record labels for showing a nipple on television, the LA DNC in 2000 cordoning off protesters into "free speech zones" 4 blocks away from the convention, gangsta rap and heavy metal being censored in the 80s and 90s, pushes for civil rights being met with dogs and firehoses in the 60s, Lenny Bruce being imprisoned for stand up comedy, interracial marriage being illegal, teachers being fired for being gay, American citizens having all of their property confiscated because they were ethnically Japanese? We had anti-sedition laws passed within 22 years of the Constitution being ratified. Most of these things that aren't a matter of private freedom of association for platform owners tend to eventually get struck down because the Supreme Court can somewhat reliably be counted on to eventually respect the Constitution, but the general public and elected politicians have never supported free speech or free anything. I would say almost the exact opposite of what you said. People only claim to love free speech when something they want to say is unpopular or suppressed. Almost nobody just supports it generally. The ACLU used to be pretty reliable about this, i.e. defending the KKK and Nazis, but I'm not even really sure where they stand any more. The average citizen doesn't give a crap about any abstract ideals at all. They just want to live their lives and possibly raise a family in an atmosphere not dissonant with their own cultural traditions and beliefs. Allowing people with other traditions and beliefs to spread those via public advocacy, art, or any other means that may lead to them being mainstream or even dominant is antithetical to that.

brandonmenc 5y ago
> What changed in 2020? Liberals started doing it.
- ThrowawayR2 5y ago
  > "Liberals started doing it." Let's be precise; the left started doing it. We are literally discussing how big parts of the political left in the US is moving away from the liberal ideals and philosophy that it once embraced and championed.
  - jessaustin 5y ago
    There should be a term for this, when conservatives in USA have so little exposure to actual leftists that they confuse MSNBC, the Democratic Party, and censorious anklebiters with "the Left". Here's a hint: actual leftists aren't cheering on the persecution of Assange, like everyone on MSNBC is.
    - gremIin 5y ago
      The term exists and it is called the Overton Window. It has been an intentional tactic and it is happening across several political spectra. For example, being against illegal immigration now gets you labelled anti-immigration. Wanting the police to be held accountable for their actions is now considered leftist instead of normal. Being anti-vax is considered a personal choice worthy of consideration instead of a fringe/lunatic view. I would be very happy if I were Russia/China.
      - amanaplanacanal 5y ago
        We could get rid of illegal immigration instantly just by changing immigration law. But I’m guessing that folks that say they are only against illegal immigration wouldn’t be happy with that outcome either. So I wonder what it is that they are really against?
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]
    - ThrowawayR2 5y ago
      No true Leftist, hmm? Okay, I'll humor you, what should we call "MSNBC, the Democratic Party, and censorious anklebiters" (sic) and the rest of the broad coalition to the left of the American center, if not the left? Aside from that, if you're suggesting I'm a conservative (no worries, it's a common mistake; it's tough being politically homeless), I'm a liberal unhappy with the broad coalition that used to be called the left. If that makes me a "conservative" in your eyes, well, there probably should be a term for that too.
- adamrezich 5y ago
  you're going to continue to be downvoted but it's the truth. when Jon Stewart was going against the grain of the widely-accepted political narrative of the Bush administration, it was easy to agree with him calling out bullshit. when the political pendulum swung the other way, however...
- CheezeIt 5y ago
  Tipper Gore and FDR weren’t liberal?

brandonmenc 5y ago

> What changed in 2020? Liberals started doing it.

ThrowawayR2 5y ago
> "Liberals started doing it." Let's be precise; the left started doing it. We are literally discussing how big parts of the political left in the US is moving away from the liberal ideals and philosophy that it once embraced and championed.
- jessaustin 5y ago
  There should be a term for this, when conservatives in USA have so little exposure to actual leftists that they confuse MSNBC, the Democratic Party, and censorious anklebiters with "the Left". Here's a hint: actual leftists aren't cheering on the persecution of Assange, like everyone on MSNBC is.
  - gremIin 5y ago
    The term exists and it is called the Overton Window. It has been an intentional tactic and it is happening across several political spectra. For example, being against illegal immigration now gets you labelled anti-immigration. Wanting the police to be held accountable for their actions is now considered leftist instead of normal. Being anti-vax is considered a personal choice worthy of consideration instead of a fringe/lunatic view. I would be very happy if I were Russia/China.
    - amanaplanacanal 5y ago
      We could get rid of illegal immigration instantly just by changing immigration law. But I’m guessing that folks that say they are only against illegal immigration wouldn’t be happy with that outcome either. So I wonder what it is that they are really against?
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - ThrowawayR2 5y ago
    No true Leftist, hmm? Okay, I'll humor you, what should we call "MSNBC, the Democratic Party, and censorious anklebiters" (sic) and the rest of the broad coalition to the left of the American center, if not the left? Aside from that, if you're suggesting I'm a conservative (no worries, it's a common mistake; it's tough being politically homeless), I'm a liberal unhappy with the broad coalition that used to be called the left. If that makes me a "conservative" in your eyes, well, there probably should be a term for that too.
adamrezich 5y ago
you're going to continue to be downvoted but it's the truth. when Jon Stewart was going against the grain of the widely-accepted political narrative of the Bush administration, it was easy to agree with him calling out bullshit. when the political pendulum swung the other way, however...
CheezeIt 5y ago
Tipper Gore and FDR weren’t liberal?