NYT Op-Ed Claims Internet ‘Threatens Democracy’ by Bypassing the Establishment Class

Breitbart ^ | March 3, 2017 | By Allum Bokhariy

[Brad from Tennessee]

The New York Times has published an article from opinion columnist and academic Thomas B. Edsall blaming the Internet for the collapse of establishment authority.

Arguing that the Internet “threatens Democracy,” Edsall openly concedes that he believes the freedom unleashed by the Internet to be a threat to the establishment; to its norms and language codes

"As the forces of reaction outpace movements predicated on the ideal of progress, and as traditional norms of political competition are tossed aside, it’s clear that the internet and social media have succeeded in doing what many feared and some hoped they would. They have disrupted and destroyed institutional constraints on what can be said, when and where it can be said and who can say it."

This is a rare moment of honesty from a mainstream commentator: up until now, the panicked, clumsy attempts to roll back freedom of speech on the web have advanced in disguise. Campaigns to reintroduce the language codes in the anarchic realm of the web have been concealed behind seemingly neutral concerns about “online harassment,” “trolling,” and “abuse.” Edsall, by contrast, doesn’t obfuscate. He straightforwardly admits that it’s really free speech on the web that concerns him. Good for him. . .

[ptsal]

Who appointed Thomas Edsall?

Seems like everyone puts their pants on one-leg-at-a-time.

[Fiddlstix]

[EagleUSA]

“...blaming the Internet for the collapse of establishment authority....”

Yeah, freedom of speech is a real b!tch for dictators...

[Rashputin]

Riiiight. What a surprise, they agree with their Mexican owner that the Nobility has the inherent right to tell the serfs how to think and what to do.

Naturally the NYT reflects the ideas of the Mexican Noble who owns them.

[abb]

Basically, the same thing Pope Leo X said about Martin Luther in 1518.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_X#Protestant_Reformation

In response to concerns about misconduct from some indulgence preachers, in 1517 Martin Luther wrote his Ninety-five Theses on the topic of indulgences. The resulting pamphlet spread Luther’s ideas throughout Germany and Europe. Leo failed to fully comprehend the importance of the movement, and in February 1518 he directed the vicar-general of the Augustinians to impose silence on his monks.[3]

[LostInBayport]

Edsall openly concedes that he believes the freedom unleashed by the Internet to be a threat to the establishment; to its norms and language codes

He's right. And I and millions more Americans who love freedom couldn't be happier about it!

Just look how Hillary's "fake news" meme (remember, she was one of the first to use it against the right at Hairy Reed's retirement ceremony) got taken over, turned around and fired right back at the left. That was Twitter (and a certain user), the internet and new media.

The establishment controlled the media, but the media isn't just printed on fishwrap and broadcast over airwaves anymore.

[JBW1949]

Yeah...Damn internet keeps us from telling you peasant underlings what to think...

[arthurus]

Democracy Oligarchy.

[sergeantdave]

The retrograde 1930s goosesteppers at the NYT are admitting that they’re losing on the battlefield of a free and open American press.

Stick it up your butts, you lying propaganda pricks.

[Axenolith]

Now that those DSEs realize we’re calling their BS they’re barking out grasp at straws fascist nonsense to keep the game going...

[Enlightened1]

Now they want to control the Internet because they are losing.

[Stand W]

The internet allows us to see the so called elites for the incompetent corrupt rent seekers they are

[Organic Panic]

“’Our Job’ Is to Control ‘Exactly What People Think” -Mika Brzezinski

[Luke21]

And there is no outrage to this. Amazing. This Bolshevik lunatic pines for the old days when they could run Nixon and thwart Reagan with nobody challenging them.

[Jim Robinson]

Long live the Internet!

[Vaquero]

Elitist Scum!!

[BenLurkin]

Well, if by “democracy” someone means World Government by a global oligarchy...then yeah.

[GraceG]

[Will88]

So, to sum up: The Internet has removed “constraints on what can be said.” It has meant that the mainstream media and party establishments have “lost most of their power.” Legacy institutions can no longer “set bounds” on us.

Definitely a cause for celebration and thanksgiving.