So, Donald Trump’s Twitter account has been reactivated.
Because everyone should be free to speak in the ‘digital town square’?
No.
Because if the majority of people in the square want to hear what you have to say, you should be able to say it?
Yes.
Seriously, self-described ‘free speech absolutist’ Elon Musk put up a poll, and because 51.8% of respondents wanted Trump’s account reactivated, it was reactivated.
Musk said: The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei.
So presumably, if just over half of the respondents wanted Trump to remain silenct, Musk would have listened to God’s voice, and kept the account closed.
Anyway, all those people who are afraid of being canceled on Twitter can now breathe easy. If you can win a poll of your fellow tweeters, you can stay.
And that’s the 2022 version of Free Speech Absolutism in a nutshell. It’s not some elite group of self-appointed guardians who will censor you. It will be democracy itself!
