RIP, First Amendment
Such electronic propaganda has sadly become characteristic of the world’s oldest consensual government.
In America we once believed our First Amendment prevented a government monopoly on information. But in the age of globalization, the Internet, and social media, the state has become the enemy—not the protector—of free speech.
One obvious sign is that the Biden Administration keeps trying to create new sorts of ministries of truth or “Disinformation Governance Boards.” It alleges such Orwellian censors must combat “disinformation” and “misinformation.” In fact, these bureaucracies are designed to criminalize unwanted free expression while also advancing state propaganda.
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Certain topics have become taboo on social media and government-sanctioned monopolies—most egregiously any discussion of alternative COVID-19 policies and treatments deemed antithetical to those advanced by Drs. Fauci or Deborah Birx.
To suggest that January 6 was not an insurrection but a buffoonish riot of a few violent idiots who stormed the Capitol chambers (dwarfed in magnitude by 120 days of continuous looting, rioting, arson, and violence that killed 35-40, injured 1500 police officers, and accounted for $2 billion in damage) was punished by denial of the right of communication. To suggest that the 2020 election was essentially decided in Spring 2020 when left-wing fusion groups, against the laws of state legislatures, changed the voting laws in swing states under the pretense of the COVID pandemic, earned cancellation.
More specifically, the twin monopolies of Twitter and Facebook both helped to suppress the truth and spread the lie about the provenance of the Hunter Biden laptop and thereby warped the 2020 election news coverage.
Progressive Molly Ball’s infamous Time braggadocious essay boasted of the fusion efforts to ensure a Biden victory in 2020 (e.g., “There was a conspiracy unfolding behind the scenes”). Indeed, she gushed, the conspiracy “both curtailed the protests and coordinated the resistance from CEOs.” And of that media-government-left-wing fusion, Ball further bragged, “That’s why the participants want the secret history of the 2020 election told, even though it sounds like a paranoid fever dream–a well-funded cabal of powerful people, ranging across industries and ideologies, working together behind the scenes to influence perceptions, change rules and laws, steer media coverage and control the flow of information.” (Emphasis added).
The full article is long but is Prof. Hanson explaining things as he does best. It is certainly worth the time!
FR Index of his articles: Victor Davis Hanson on FR
Town Hall: Victor Davis Hanson on Town Hall
American Greatness: Victor Davis Hanson on American Greatness
His website: Victor Davis Hanson
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As a reminder, Professor Hanson has asked that we do not post the full article of his writings. Thank you for following the link to finish his article.
As always, thanks for the ping.