How many people, not organizations, do you trust to determine the truth for you? Do you need or want anyone automatically “fact-checking” what you read? Does every free thought need to be fact-checked by a third party? Is this the pretext for censorship?
Related: Fighting Facebook and their Fact-Checkers
Media outlets and social media platforms are invoking the fact check tactic. They are using it to silence and shut down debate. But because they are monopolies with government sanction this is dangerous. It is an intentional skirting of the First Amendment.
Facts do not matter… conformity matters
Anything that qualifies as an op-ed is going to draw attention. The problems with this attention are material at this point. Whether or not a position expressed is complete and correct is seldom the issue. Anything not in conformance with the cancel culture’s positions du jour draws fire. Failure to conform and submit to the collective narrative does draw backlash.
It happens on Facebook and via Twitter, in all manner of media.
Criticism on the merits is perfectly acceptable. The commentary ought to be on the merits, the argumentation, and the logic. But Leftists instead indulge in defamatory rhetoric of the highest order. For example, mention, that there may have been fraud in this election and others in the past. It will not matter if you cited credible work on the subject work and supporting data.
But the Leftist belief structure is intolerant and inflexible. It is a blind belief. The opposition has little to do with the quality of the thought, the position or the individual. Rather, the author must conform and submit. That is all that matters. Standing out is no longer excellence… it is non-conformance and therefore unacceptable. Everyone must conform and submit to the collective.
Examples
This war extends to The New York Post, America’s oldest newspaper. It recently had its story on Hunter Biden censored on social media. Those questioning Big Tech’s decision to restrict the story were subjects of a smear campaign. They are Russian puppets don’t you know. This is just one example of Big Tech abusing its power.
Then there was the case of Sen. Tom Cotton created for the editorial board at The New York Times. He wrote an op-ed titled, “Send In the Troops.” In it, he dares to suggest President Donald Trump use the military to quell protests. After “rushing” the editorial process, The New York Times editorial page editor, James Bennett, chose to resign. The Left eat their own. Any violation of dogma shall be fatal.
The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a headline, “Buildings Matter, Too.” It was about the buildings receiving damage during protests. The newspaper’s longtime editor, Stan Wischnowski, resignation submittal came immediately after the backlash over the headline. We are experiencing a normalization of intolerance to those with non-conforming views.
Then there is the situation of Austin Tong. He is a student at Fordham University under attack on social media. Tong’s commemoration of those killed at Tiananmen Square contains a caption “don’t tread on me.” He was holding a rifle in support of the Second Amendment. These days that is not cause for debate and discussion. It is reason enough to cancel you and to ruin your life.
Frequency, intensity, inflexibility, and intolerance
These instances are becoming more prevalent. We are seeing a common theme. Whether questioning credible sources or the intentions of the author cancellation is growing. We live in a society that moves quickly to censor, especially when you question the prevailing narrative. This inflexibility and intolerance is as dangerous as it is unwelcome in a civil society. Do we have a civil society?
No one should have to face this intimidation. We should all be free to give our opinion. Most importantly; we must stand up and speak out… don’t give in… Live Free or Die.