““We’ve seen an epidemic of these lately,” he said.”
Well, gee Neil - do you think that has something to do with picking RepubliQans as judges in higher courts who shouldn’t be there? Do you think maybe it is a result of stacking the SC will Reich-wing Justices and everybody expects them (you) to piss on the USA?
Supreme Court Justices Balk At Red States’ Free Speech Absolutism In Social Media Case“
Back in the late 20th century I taught Evolutionary Biology at the college level at a small liberal arts college. The faculty in general were encouraged not to shy away from any social issues that our disciplines might have but to feel to address them straightforwardly should we feel so inclined. At that time Fundamentalist Protestants were trying to counter the teaching of evolution in the public schools by inserting their “Creationist” beliefs as an intellectually and scientifically legitimate alternative (it is not, it is a narrow sectarian religious view.)
In my syllabus for the class I reserved a date toward the end of the term to discuss “Scientific Creationism” (which is of course an oxymoron or contradiction in terms.) The three Religious Studies majors in the class urged me to invite a Religious Studies professor to join us that day. The professor, a New Testament scholar and ordained Presbyterian minister, accepted the invitation in what turned into what may be the most compelling academic class I ever experienced either as a student or professor.
In my conversations with him, he said he thought the most basic intellectual divide in America is between those with an absolutist mindset, who see the world in black and white, and those who have a more pluralistic mindset, who are able to see the world not only in the extremes of black and white, but in shades of gray.
Just like falsely shouting “Fire” in a crowded theater is not protected free speech, because it endangers people, Social
Media also operate in a public space and their actions being controlled by malign foreign entities can and do sometimes endanger the public at large. That many of the Social Media and their content does appear to be controlled by malign foreign interests does justify governmental intervention, absolutist but really superficial ‘free speech’ appeals notwithstanding.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson raised a hypothetical where kids are participating in a social media trend by jumping out of windows at increasing heights, injuring and even killing themselves.
Nah, they have always been there, but down in the hold below decks. Now, TSF has allowed them to pop the hatch covers and lay it all out for us all to “sea”. (Okay, I confess to the one pun … )
This case is fascinating to me because it reveals the lack of sincerity and philosophical continuity on the Republican side. Here’s what I mean: if you believe that the greatest problem in the federal government is the “deep state” or the concept of a bureaucratic class that does not answer directly to the president, and it’s required to approach its actions with no regard for the politics of the situation, then you would not use the court system to reinforce this class. Regardless of the outcome of this case, and outcome which is pretty clear, the people making the appeal, simply by making this case, or recognizing that what they call the deep State is necessary, and needs to be maintained by law. By recognizing it, in short, they undermine their argument.
If you truly believe that the deep state needs to be controlled by the president, then you would want to encourage political activity by government employees. This is because you believe that the government is a political body, designed simply to execute the whims of the executive. If that’s the case, you would certainly support the executives speech priorities.
So if someone posts on a platform that some should doxx or wack Louisiana Solicitor General Benjamin Aguiñaga ®, the Solicitor General would say "Free speech?
Things have come to a pretty pass when Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Roberts are united in favor of letting the administration do something opposed by the Right Wing. (Or the Wrong Wing, if you prefer. Not yet the Broken Wing, unfortunately.)
I’m happy to have them on my side as long as they understand that I’m not on their side. But this case is so egregious — I suppose it’s just as well that they can’t simply up and fire these offending district and circuit judges, or we outselves might see some viable accurate honest legal system go away.
It’s perhaps more accurate to say that the administration persuaded the sites to remove incorrect information that might injure or kill their visitors.
The fact that it was lies from the right is why this case made it to the SC…if it was lies from the left this case would have gone nowhere. That’s really the problem, only right wing nonsense is getting a hearing, and sometimes winning in ways that damage the nation for the rest of us.
Wow, you’re older than you look. Your personal memory must significantly predate the halcyon days of the Red Scare and Sen Joe McCarthy, which were clearly racist, misogynistic, and violent and conservative…