In the Soviet Union, those wanting to get around state censorship relied on clandestine methods to copy and distribute banned literature and news. It was termed "samizdat". Today, the primary route around state censorship--our samizdat--is social media, particularly sites like X (fka, Twitter). That is the primary route, for instance, that most people have learned of the many ways the government has interfered with private rescue and disaster relief operations in areas devastated by Hurricane Helene, such as the deliberate "rotor wash" by a North Carolina National Guard Helicopter of a supply hub set up the Cajun Navy, which overturned and blew around supplies and equipment.
- "Brian Trascher of United Cajun Navy Confirms a Blackhawk Did 'Rotor Wash' a Western NC Resource Site"--Red State.
- "News Briefs – 10/09/2024"--Anonymous Conservative. Collecting posts to X by the NC National Guard admitting that it was their helicopter, although claiming it was an accident.
It is this ability to bypass government censors that has powerful Democrats calling for increased censorship of social media. Hillary Clinton, for instance, recently "called for a government crack down on social media," telling "CNN host Michael Smerconish Saturday that leaders could 'lose control' if they don't take serious action to censor digital content".
'[I]f the platforms, whether it’s Facebook or Twitter/X or Instagram or TikTok, whatever they are, if they don’t moderate and monitor the content, we lose total control,' she said.
Clinton, as is usual for the left, tried to cloak government censorship as a means to protect children. But back in September, according to the article, "Clinton called for more controls on online activity, specifically against Americans who were paid by foreign countries to spread online propaganda," rolling out the tired "Russia, Russia, Russia" hoax.
“There’s a lot of discussion now on how to curb those entities to guarantee accountability on facts,” Kerry said. “But if people go to one source that has an agenda and puts out disinformation, our First Amendment stands as a major block to just hammer it out of existence.”
Kerry noted that the problem of disinformation is unique to democracies, where no single leader has the authority to define what constitutes factual information. He suggested that the upcoming elections in November could lead to changes, depending on the outcomes for Congress and the White House.
“What we need is to win the ground, win the right to govern, by hopefully winning enough votes that you’re free to implement change,” he said.
(You should carefully note that he does not see the Constitution as an impediment to "implementing change" if the Democrats hold on to power in this election cycle).
It is this desire to crush dissent that is probably behind the Biden Administration's and FAA's efforts to destroy SpaceX, which Robert Zimmerman discusses in his article, "FAA and the Biden administration proves it is out to destroy SpaceX." Because, they probably reason, if they can crush Elon Musk and regain control over X, it will be the end of anyone outside of the state reaching any widespread audience.
And he's embarrassed them by making NASA look like fools.
ReplyDeleteHe is pretty much making anyone involved in the space launch industries look like fools.
Delete