Silencing the opinion of others is anti-intellectual and dangerous

[Missouri_Mike]

Is it just him or all of his reporters? Some of his reporters were kicking ass. Alex maybe not so much but the people on the streets make the left look like the idiots they are

 

[Confounding]

Try going to any right leaning site as a lefty and see how many of your opinions or threads are moved or censored.

I did that once when I was a 22 year old liberal that knew everything. There was some tension, but I wasn't banned and I was allowed to express my opinions. I'm still a member there and post from time to time. I learned a lot, actually.

Try the same in reverse and see what happens. The left is more intolerant of opinions they don't like.

 

[McRocket]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

I am neither Dem nor Rep...but what are you talking about?

This is free enterprise in action...not lefty censorship/control. Heck, there is not even a lefty in the White House and ''righties' control both houses.

YouTube, Facebook, Spotify and Apple banned him. These are all (or owned by) multi-billion dollar corporations. And I bet you the majority of the shareholders of these corporations are not 'lefties'...they are probably mostly 'righties'.

They made a business decision. They decided that having Alex Jones content displayed within their companies was detrimental to their bottom line. Period.
Heck, Spotify is not even American - it's based in Sweden.

I love free speech and detest censorship.

But I also strongly encourage free enterprise...and feel that corporations should be free to have or not have whatever content they wish within their products/services.

And that is all this is, until I see unbiased, factual proof to the contrary...free enterprise.

 

[Confounding]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

I am neither Dem nor Rep...but what are you talking about?

This is free enterprise in action...not lefty censorship/control. Heck, there is not even a lefty in the White House and ''righties' control both houses.

YouTube, Facebook, Spotify and Apple banned him. These are all (or owned by) multi-billion dollar corporations. And I bet you the majority of the shareholders of these corporations are not 'lefties'...they are probably mostly 'righties'.

They made a business decision. They decided that having Alex Jones content displayed within their companies was detrimental to their bottom line. Period.
Heck, Spotify is not even American - it's based in Sweden.

I love free speech and detest censorship.

But I also strongly encourage free enterprise...and feel that corporations should be free to have or not have whatever content they wish within their products/services.

And that is all this is, until I see unbiased, factual proof to the contrary...free enterprise.

I'm not saying the companies aren't completely within their rights. I'm shaming the left for celebrating the silencing of opposition. They'd rather shut people down than deal with their opinions.

 

[whitehall]

Hillary managed to blame an obscure You Tube video for the planned (on the anniversary of 9-11) attack on the Benghazi embassy but nobody was ever silenced on you tube except a freaking right wing radio host. How does that work?

 

[candycorn]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

Where do you draw the line between informed dissent (or informed support) and flat out bad taste?

Answer that, will you?

Secondarily...do you feel that propagating the myth that Sandy Hook was a hoax, 9/11 was an inside job, that no plane hit the Pentagon, and OBL is still alive should use up a third party's bandwidth?

 

[Confounding]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

Where do you draw the line between informed dissent (or informed support) and flat out bad taste?

Answer that, will you?

Secondarily...do you feel that propagating the myth that Sandy Hook was a hoax, 9/11 was an inside job, that no plane hit the Pentagon, and OBL is still alive should use up a third party's bandwidth?

I don't care how outrageous his opinions are. I'm not a fan of his at all. That's beside the point. It's about principle.

 

[Coyote]

It is a really difficult decision to make, when it comes to free speech...but they ARE private platforms.

 

[skews13]

Try going to any right leaning site as a lefty and see how many of your opinions or threads are moved or censored.

I actually did that once when I was a 22 year old liberal that knew everything. There was some tension, but I wasn't banned and I was allowed to express my opinions.

Try the same in reverse and see what happens. The left is more intolerant of opinions they don't like.

I listen to progressive talk radio. It amazes me just how much time the hosts of those shows give right wingers that call in.

No right wing radio show i've listened to is even close in being equal.

But lets make sure we understand one thing here. Facebook is a private network, as this one is. I have no right here, as Jones has no right there. We can both be censured if we violate what is the agreed upon rules of participating.

There are no First Amendment rights.

But that's a foregone conclusion. The right isn't engaging in an honest debate on first amendment speech. They are pushing the envelope in an attempt to make slander, defamation, hate speech, inciting of violence, and shouting fire in a crowded theatre acceptable.

And in no way should any medium allow that to happen, and should engage in very strict censurship to send a loud and clear message, that your voice can be controlled as easily as an unruly child can be removed from the classroom when they misbehave.

If you want a country with absolute freedom of slander, defamation, and inciting to violence. Feel free to go start one.

Here, we have societal norms, and your speech tantrum can be curbed as one of those norms, and that is a very good thing.

Being an asshole is accepted.

Being a violent perpetrator is not.

Even if you're the President.

Of which, the current asshole that is, will soon find out.

Along with his magamite minions.

 

[Confounding]

Try going to any right leaning site as a lefty and see how many of your opinions or threads are moved or censored.

I actually did that once when I was a 22 year old liberal that knew everything. There was some tension, but I wasn't banned and I was allowed to express my opinions.

Try the same in reverse and see what happens. The left is more intolerant of opinions they don't like.

I listen to progressive talk radio. It amazes me just how much time the hosts of those shows give right wingers that call in.

No right wing radio show i've listened to is even close in being equal.

But lets make sure we understand one thing here. Facebook is a private network, as this one is. I have no right here, as Jones has no right there. We can both be censured if we violate what is the agreed upon rules of participating.

There are no First Amendment rights.

But that's a foregone conclusion. The right isn't engaging in an honest debate on first amendment speech. They are pushing the envelope in an attempt to make slander, defamation, hate speech, inciting of violence, and shouting fire in a crowded theatre acceptable.

And in no way should any medium allow that to happen, and should engage in very strict censurship to send a loud and clear message, that your voice can be controlled as easily as an unruly child can be removed from the classroom when they misbehave.

If you want a country with absolute freedom of slander, defamation, and inciting to violence. Feel free to go start one.

Here, we have societal norms, and your speech tantrum can be curbed as one of those norms, and that is a very good thing.

Being an asshole is accepted.

Being a violent perpetrator is not.

Even if you're the President.

Of which, the current asshole that is, will soon find out.

Along with his magamite minions.

Alex Jones is an idiot but I really don't think he's dangerous. I guess you could argue that some of his opinions are dangerous. I'm not disputing the right of those platforms to silence him; I just don't think it's right, and I'm just shaming the left for celebrating it. I felt the same way when the left was celebrating over that right wing talk show lady losing her sponsors over what she said on her show. They want people to get shut down and removed from the equation.

 

[Skylar]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

He’s not silenced. He can post whatever he likes on his own website, or anyone else’s website that agrees to host him.

The idea that Alex Jones is now “silenced” is simple nonsense. You can watch his videos right now if you’d like.

 

[Confounding]

It is a really difficult decision to make, when it comes to free speech...but they ARE private platforms.

The truth is places like Facebook and Youtube are dominated by young left leaning people. They made a business decision; I get it.

 

[Coyote]

It is a really difficult decision to make, when it comes to free speech...but they ARE private platforms.

The truth is places like Facebook and Youtube are dominated by young left leaning people. They made a business decision; I get it.

Agree.

 

[Skylar]

Try going to any right leaning site as a lefty and see how many of your opinions or threads are moved or censored.

I actually did that once when I was a 22 year old liberal that knew everything. There was some tension, but I wasn't banned and I was allowed to express my opinions.

Try the same in reverse and see what happens. The left is more intolerant of opinions they don't like.

I listen to progressive talk radio. It amazes me just how much time the hosts of those shows give right wingers that call in.

No right wing radio show i've listened to is even close in being equal.

But lets make sure we understand one thing here. Facebook is a private network, as this one is. I have no right here, as Jones has no right there. We can both be censured if we violate what is the agreed upon rules of participating.

There are no First Amendment rights.

But that's a foregone conclusion. The right isn't engaging in an honest debate on first amendment speech. They are pushing the envelope in an attempt to make slander, defamation, hate speech, inciting of violence, and shouting fire in a crowded theatre acceptable.

And in no way should any medium allow that to happen, and should engage in very strict censurship to send a loud and clear message, that your voice can be controlled as easily as an unruly child can be removed from the classroom when they misbehave.

If you want a country with absolute freedom of slander, defamation, and inciting to violence. Feel free to go start one.

Here, we have societal norms, and your speech tantrum can be curbed as one of those norms, and that is a very good thing.

Being an asshole is accepted.

Being a violent perpetrator is not.

Even if you're the President.

Of which, the current asshole that is, will soon find out.

Along with his magamite minions.

Alex Jones is an idiot but I really don't think he's dangerous. I guess you could argue that some of his opinions are dangerous. I'm not disputing the right of those platforms to silence him. I'm just shaming the left for celebrating it. I felt the same way when the left was celebrating over that right wing talk show lady losing her sponsors over what she said on her show. They want people to get shut down and removed from the equation.

The folks held at gun point by a man trying to prove one of the batshit conspiracy theirs that Jones makes his living shilling......might disagree.

 

[McRocket]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

I am neither Dem nor Rep...but what are you talking about?

This is free enterprise in action...not lefty censorship/control. Heck, there is not even a lefty in the White House and ''righties' control both houses.

YouTube, Facebook, Spotify and Apple banned him. These are all (or owned by) multi-billion dollar corporations. And I bet you the majority of the shareholders of these corporations are not 'lefties'...they are probably mostly 'righties'.

They made a business decision. They decided that having Alex Jones content displayed within their companies was detrimental to their bottom line. Period.
Heck, Spotify is not even American - it's based in Sweden.

I love free speech and detest censorship.

But I also strongly encourage free enterprise...and feel that corporations should be free to have or not have whatever content they wish within their products/services.

And that is all this is, until I see unbiased, factual proof to the contrary...free enterprise.

I'm not saying the companies aren't completely within their rights. I'm shaming the left for celebrating the silencing of opposition. They'd rather shut people down than deal with their opinions.

Fair enough...but I see nothing wrong with celebrating this. His ideas were whacked.

Now, if this had come from government - I would be 100% in agreement with you. I DESPISE censorship. It is for the weak. That is why I hate the crap that Trump is spewing forth about the press that he does not like being 'enemies'.

But this Alex Jones stuff is purely free enterprise (again, unless I see unbiased, factual evidence to the contrary).

Now, I myself will not 'celebrate' this. But I am not sorry it happened either. I think he got what he deserved.

 

[Confounding]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

He’s not silenced. He can post whatever he likes on his own website, or anyone else’s website that agrees to host him.

The idea that Alex Jones is now “silenced” is simple nonsense. You can watch his videos right now if you’d like.

His brand was dealt an extremely serious blow. The left is celebrating it. I think that's kind of shitty, but unlike most of the left I'm somebody that's against restricting the opinions of others in all instances. I don't dispute the right of Facebook and others to do what they did.

 

[Confounding]

Try going to any right leaning site as a lefty and see how many of your opinions or threads are moved or censored.

I actually did that once when I was a 22 year old liberal that knew everything. There was some tension, but I wasn't banned and I was allowed to express my opinions.

Try the same in reverse and see what happens. The left is more intolerant of opinions they don't like.

I listen to progressive talk radio. It amazes me just how much time the hosts of those shows give right wingers that call in.

No right wing radio show i've listened to is even close in being equal.

But lets make sure we understand one thing here. Facebook is a private network, as this one is. I have no right here, as Jones has no right there. We can both be censured if we violate what is the agreed upon rules of participating.

There are no First Amendment rights.

But that's a foregone conclusion. The right isn't engaging in an honest debate on first amendment speech. They are pushing the envelope in an attempt to make slander, defamation, hate speech, inciting of violence, and shouting fire in a crowded theatre acceptable.

And in no way should any medium allow that to happen, and should engage in very strict censurship to send a loud and clear message, that your voice can be controlled as easily as an unruly child can be removed from the classroom when they misbehave.

If you want a country with absolute freedom of slander, defamation, and inciting to violence. Feel free to go start one.

Here, we have societal norms, and your speech tantrum can be curbed as one of those norms, and that is a very good thing.

Being an asshole is accepted.

Being a violent perpetrator is not.

Even if you're the President.

Of which, the current asshole that is, will soon find out.

Along with his magamite minions.

Alex Jones is an idiot but I really don't think he's dangerous. I guess you could argue that some of his opinions are dangerous. I'm not disputing the right of those platforms to silence him. I'm just shaming the left for celebrating it. I felt the same way when the left was celebrating over that right wing talk show lady losing her sponsors over what she said on her show. They want people to get shut down and removed from the equation.

The folks held at gun point by a man trying to prove one of the batshit conspiracy theirs that Jones makes his living shilling......might disagree.

There are lunatics everywhere. Left, right, center...people are fucking crazy.

 

[Skylar]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

I am neither Dem nor Rep...but what are you talking about?

This is free enterprise in action...not lefty censorship/control. Heck, there is not even a lefty in the White House and ''righties' control both houses.

YouTube, Facebook, Spotify and Apple banned him. These are all (or owned by) multi-billion dollar corporations. And I bet you the majority of the shareholders of these corporations are not 'lefties'...they are probably mostly 'righties'.

They made a business decision. They decided that having Alex Jones content displayed within their companies was detrimental to their bottom line. Period.
Heck, Spotify is not even American - it's based in Sweden.

I love free speech and detest censorship.

But I also strongly encourage free enterprise...and feel that corporations should be free to have or not have whatever content they wish within their products/services.

And that is all this is, until I see unbiased, factual proof to the contrary...free enterprise.

I'm not saying the companies aren't completely within their rights. I'm shaming the left for celebrating the silencing of opposition. They'd rather shut people down than deal with their opinions.

Fair enough...but I see nothing wrong with celebrating this. His ideas were whacked.

Now, if this had come from government - I would be 100% in agreement with you. I DESPISE censorship. It is for the weak. That is why I hate the crap that Trump is spewing forth about the press that he does not like being 'enemies'.

But this Alex Jones stuff is purely free enterprise (again, unless I see unbiased, factual evidence to the contrary).

Now, I myself will not 'celebrate' this. But I am not sorry it happened either. I think he got what he deserved.

With you 100%. If the government had moved to block Jones content, I’d be shoulder to shoulder with that batshit monger, defending his right to free speech.

But a Facebook ban has nothing to do with free speech. Jones can say whatever he’d like on his own website. He has no right to use anyone else’s.

 

[Confounding]

Fair enough...but I see nothing wrong with celebrating this. His ideas were whacked.

I don't think it's a principled and intelligent reaction to what happened. Those companies may be within their rights, but that doesn't make the situation right in my opinion. Outrage from the left arm twisted these companies into shutting him down. They got what they wanted and then they celebrated.

 

[gipper]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

Alex Jones is not insane, if he were he'd be just another nut on a street corner soapbox. What he is is a very successful modern snake oil salesman.

The only difference is the snake oil guy was selling an actual product, claiming actual benefits. All Jones does is spread wacky stories.

Wacky stories...kind of like CNN and MSLSD does every day....right?

 

[deannalw]

I happen to think Alex Jones is somewhat insane, but I am disgusted by the left's celebration of the silencing of his message. Controlling dialogue is fine as long as it's beneficial to your world view, right? Maybe you need to reassess that view if the opinion of others is making you so uncomfortable that you feel the need to have them silenced.

I think it might be time that someone stood up and actually said "Here's the line between truth and fiction." The right wingers are doing their damndest to make sure that line no longer exists, but there are actual facts and then there are endless "what if's" and "maybe this" stories.

Oh bullshit