Posted on 03/01/2021 1:32:15 PM PST by Wish2Post
SEATTLE—As state and federal lawmakers consider drafting new legislation to counter big tech censorship of dissenting political voices, few seem to realize that an anti-discrimination law already on the books could spell big trouble for big tech companies that engage in political censorship.
Ironically, the law was enacted by one of the most politically progressive cities in the country: Seattle.
Unlike most political jurisdictions in the United States, Seattle expressly forbids discrimination on the basis of “political ideology.” Seattle defines political ideology expansively as
any idea or belief, or coordinated body of ideas or beliefs, relating to the purpose, conduct, organization, function or basis of government and related institutions and activities, whether or not characteristic of any political party or group. This term includes membership in a political party or group and includes conduct, reasonably related to political ideology, which does not interfere with job performance.
Seattle’s sweeping ban on discrimination based on political ideology doesn’t just apply to employment or public accommodations. It also includes a “Fair Contracting Practices Ordinance” banning discrimination in contracting.
This is important because contracting includes almost anything a business does when interacting with consumers and other businesses. Whenever a business sells a product or a service to customers, it is contracting with those customers to provide something.
The potential reach of Seattle’s law is breathtaking.
....
(Excerpt) Read more at mindmatters.ai ...
i am sure looking in to the intent of the law makers at the time, this law was not about protecting conservative thought.
Leftist Orwellian judges will interpret the law as applying only to conservatives.
But no one has any standing, so [shrug].
This is why this will not work. The companies will just say claiming election fraud, denning climate change, that there are only two genders or that facts don't care about your feelings are not "REASONABLE".
“Leftist Orwellian judges will interpret the law as applying only to conservatives.”
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Yes, the muzzling of Patriots and Conservatives will be found to be equivalent to a tax and thus constitutional. /sarc
This would only apply if you’re a resident of Seattle or the offending company was Seattle based.
Who thinks that law will be used for anything real in Seattle?
When I saw ‘Bring To their knees’ I had two thoughts. Buttplug or commie-lah “fweedumb” hawiss.
This law was intended for when the leftist were out of power. Now it is clearly unconstitutional.
California just legalized racism for the convenience of the woke.
Expect Seattle will ditch this law on short order for same reasons.
First one would have to find all three of the conservatives in Seattle and persuade them to sue...
It’s just a local law, easily circumvented.
The law is too vague imo. In other words, I question if law was written to give liberal judges a license to interpret it any way that they want to, weaponing it against religious expression for example.
And speaking of weaponized state powers, Seattle people who value their 1st Amendment-protectons should get up to speed with their 14th Amendment (14A), Section 1 protections just in case.
Excerpted from the 14th Amendment:
"Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States [emphasis added]; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article."
Note that 14A was “successfully” applied to free speech case at UC Berkeley awhile back.
UC Berkeley settles landmark free speech lawsuit, will pay $70,000 to conservative group (12.14.18)
The problem is that I suspect that taxpayers, not state actors at UC Berkeley who suppressed free speech, probably paid settlement.
The govt you fight is the govt that determines whether you have standing.
Good find!!!
Thanks for posting.
This article is from a couple of weeks ago. Any updates on whether any of the mentioned platforms have attempted to utilize this law?
Contracting not what someone thinks or understands.
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