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Excessive free speech is a breeding ground for more Trumps
The Globe and Mail ^ | March 21, 2024 | LAWRENCE MARTIN

Posted on 03/21/2024 7:46:10 AM PDT by packagingguy

There was a bit of good news about the future of public discourse this week. The United States Supreme Court, even though stacked with right-wingers, sounded like it was ready to give the Biden administration the go-ahead to try to persuade social-media platforms not to put out content promoting nonsense about the presidential election, conspiracy theories about the pandemic and other assorted bilge and crackpottery...

When other communications revolutions like the printing press, radio, and television came along, they were still largely controlled by the elites. But when the internet came along, regulatory bodies like Canada’s CRTC backed off. It was open season for anything that anyone wanted to put out. No license needed. No identity verification.

What a far cry from the days when the masses had no outlets save things like “man-on-the-street” interviews or letters to the editor or protest placards. We moved from one extreme to the other.

The masses were finally weaponized – not with arms, but with a communications instrument that empowered them against establishment forces like they had never been empowered before. The change represented one of history’s significant power shifts...

The internet undermined the established newspaper business model, greatly reducing the number of papers and coverage and creating a void for Mr. Trump and the like-minded to fill. His cries of fake news had the impact – it’s charted well in former Washington Post editor Martin Barron’s book, Collision of Power – of compartmentalizing the media landscape into left-right silos, which helped bring on the extremes of polarization.

The way to reverse the trend is with rigid regulation, but the free speech lobby in the United States is as fierce as the gun lobby.

(Excerpt) Read more at theglobeandmail.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; banglist; canada; canadianfascist; collisionofpower; dinomedia; dissent; districtofcolumbia; enemieslist; enemyofamerica; eurotrash; fascistjournalist; freespeech; globeandmail; humanrightsviolation; jeffbezos; lawrencemartin; martinbarron; nra; secondamendment; trump; unitedkingdom; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost
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To: packagingguy

Lawrance Martin seems to fully indulging in excessive free speech her/him self.


41 posted on 03/21/2024 8:18:36 AM PDT by crazyhorse691 (Who knew that an elected official is a demi-god waiting to happen?)
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To: packagingguy

>>>The way to reverse the trend is with rigid regulation, but the free speech lobby in the United States is as fierce as the gun lobby.<<<
I’ll bet this guy wouldn’t dig it if the “Rigid regulation” bounced him off the internet.


42 posted on 03/21/2024 8:19:05 AM PDT by Don@VB (THE NEW GREEN DEAL IS JUST THE OLD RED DEAL)
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To: sjmjax

They are blinded by the smokescreen of Climate Change (fear) and Wokeism (Shame). I am so glad that I see right through it but many do not to a Republic’s demise.


43 posted on 03/21/2024 8:21:01 AM PDT by NeverTyranny
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To: packagingguy
Well, the headline is correct.

Trump speaks the truth. And, given that free speech encourages people to speak the truth, more free speech is bound to lead to more Trump-like people.

44 posted on 03/21/2024 8:22:04 AM PDT by RoosterRedux (A person who seeks the truth with a closed mind will never find it. He will only confirm his bias.)
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To: Leaning Right

What these Brit snobs need is a hearty American “F you!”


45 posted on 03/21/2024 8:22:51 AM PDT by Ban Draoi Marbh Draoi ( Gen. 12:3: a warning to all antisemites)
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To: sjmjax

Watch a few videos of any conservative organization asking questions on college campuses on free speech, giving illegals benefits, capitalism vs. socialism/communism, etc. It’s depressing and stunning, as well as infuriating. Many don’t know who attacked us at Pearl Harbor nor do they even know where Pearl Harbor is located. Many don’t know who attacked us on 9/11. Many are locked into the thought that capitalism is evil.

Peach


46 posted on 03/21/2024 8:24:20 AM PDT by CarolinaPeach
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To: OttawaFreeper

Just think, back in those days the Globe and Mail (”affectionately” referred to as the Mop and Pail) was considered a conservative newspaper! Lawrence Martin doesn’t realize that at some point, in some place, at some time, they will come for him. Hope he enjoys the thirty pieces of silver he’s being paid.


47 posted on 03/21/2024 8:26:50 AM PDT by howlinhound (Tagline in the shop for repairs.)
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To: packagingguy
The internet undermined the established newspaper business model, greatly reducing the number of papers and coverage and creating a void for Mr. Trump and the like-minded to fill. His cries of fake news had the impact – it’s charted well in former Washington Post editor Martin Barron’s book, Collision of Power – of compartmentalizing the media landscape into left-right silos, which helped bring on the extremes of polarization.

That happened long before Trump. He was reacting to a polarization that was already in the country and in its media.

Canada was always the part of North America that rejected liberty. Now that rejection is getting serious. But it's not like we're that far behind.

48 posted on 03/21/2024 8:29:34 AM PDT by x
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To: packagingguy

Not the Bee.


49 posted on 03/21/2024 8:31:17 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: abb

Seek help.


50 posted on 03/21/2024 8:35:19 AM PDT by one guy in new jersey
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To: packagingguy

Who is this turdblossom Lawrence Martin?


51 posted on 03/21/2024 8:36:35 AM PDT by sauropod (Ne supra crepidam.)
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Canada


52 posted on 03/21/2024 8:38:58 AM PDT by mykroar ("It's Not the Nature of the Evidence; It's the Seriousness of the Charge." - El Rushbo)
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To: ClearCase_guy; GOPJ; Chode

It’s dangerous for homeowners to take month long vacations now because squatters will move in, and if the the owner tries to expel them, cops arrest the homeowner, using COVID-inspired anti-eviction laws.


53 posted on 03/21/2024 8:39:02 AM PDT by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Re-imagine the media!)
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To: packagingguy

The left always said that they wanted “power to the people”.

What they meant was “power to people we like, no power to people we hate”.


54 posted on 03/21/2024 8:39:52 AM PDT by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
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To: packagingguy

Not sure if this idiot is begging to be Ruled by his betters... or if he was PAID to put out pure agitprop to create the impression that being “ruled” is a good thing and is being parroted by fellow travelers and “algorithms” to stifle dissent...


55 posted on 03/21/2024 8:39:58 AM PDT by Dead Corpse (A Psalm in napalm...)
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To: packagingguy

Democrats: “We need to have limits on free speech”
Us: “OK let’s outlaw porn”
Democrats: “First Amendment! First Amendment!”


56 posted on 03/21/2024 8:43:04 AM PDT by AppyPappy (Biden told Al Roker "America is back". Unfortunately, he meant back to the 1970's)
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To: packagingguy

Brit newspaper. This is why we had a revolution against the king.


57 posted on 03/21/2024 8:43:40 AM PDT by wjr123 (Gaza)
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To: packagingguy

My written response to this swill would be:

“Excessive 1984-style fascism is a breeding ground for more Lawrence Martins”.


58 posted on 03/21/2024 8:46:09 AM PDT by sauropod (Ne supra crepidam.)
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To: packagingguy

Brit newspaper. This is why we had a revolution against the king.


59 posted on 03/21/2024 8:47:26 AM PDT by wjr123 (Gaza)
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To: Leaning Right

Override paywall:

https://archive.is/0DK5g

The writer sound like half Stalin and half Adolph.


60 posted on 03/21/2024 8:50:24 AM PDT by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
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