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Last week’s revelation that Facebook took orders from the Biden Administration to censor even accurate information about Covid is the latest example of the U.S. government’s disregard for our Constitution. Thanks to Rep. Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, we now know the extent to which the Biden Administration went in its proxy war against the First Amendment.
Getting the information wasn’t easy. It was only after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was threatened with being held in contempt of Congress that he relented and shared information with the Judiciary Committee about Biden Administration pressure to censor Americans on Facebook who disagreed with White House policy on Covid.
What we have discovered thus far is disgusting. For example, in April 2021, a Facebook employee sent a message to top executives in the company complaining that, “we are facing continued pressure from external stakeholders, including the [Biden] White House” to remove posts. In another example, senior executive Nick Clegg complained that Andy Slavitt, a Senior Advisor to President Biden, was “outraged…that [Facebook] did not remove” a particular post, according to Rep. Jordan’s report.
Rep. Jordan revealed that the “offending post” that the Biden Administration wanted removed was simply a joke making fun of possible vaccine injury down the road. The Biden Administration even wanted to “protect” us from jokes that it didn’t like.
The Administration did not stop at targeting what it called “misinformation.” As Constitutional Law Professor Jonathan Turley noted in a recent column, “the administration also demanded the removal of ‘malinformation’ that is ‘based on fact, but used out of context to mislead, harm, or manipulate.’” So the Biden Administration wanted to “cancel” even truthful information counter to its own preferred narrative.
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This level of contempt for our Constitution is shocking. As Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. – who was himself censored at the behest of the Biden Administration – testified recently before Congress: “A government that can censor its critics has license for every atrocity. It is the beginning of totalitarianism.”
Who knows how many thousands of Facebook accounts were banned or restricted at the behest of the Biden White House. Early last year I received notice that my own Facebook Page was “restricted” for 90 days because I pointed out that the CEO of Pfizer once claimed that his Covid shot was “100 effective” but later changed his story. The post was completely accurate but still my page was targeted.
Although some are using this information for partisan gain against the Democrats in power, Americans should not delude themselves: left unchecked, there is little reason to believe a Republican Administration would show any more respect for the Constitution than the Biden Administration. Both parties have shown themselves to be selective in their pledged oath to uphold and defend the US Constitution.
It is just as unconstitutional – and thus illegal – for the U.S. Government to violate the First Amendment by proxy – through so-called private companies – as if the government directly attacked our free speech. We must remember that the unprecedented US government censorship of Americans during Covid was just the test run. Be assured that when the next “crisis” comes – and it will – the authoritarians in charge will again ramp up the censorship machine unless we do something about it.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Ron Paul is a former U.S. Congressman from Texas and the leader of the pro-liberty, pro-free market movement in the United States. His weekly column – reprinted with permission – can be found here.
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7 comments
Rest assured a Republican administration would not have that luxury. The MSM would not sit by blindly and let that happen like they are with the Democrats.
Why do Republicans confuse facts with a huge conspiracy out to get them?
It’s called being wrong.
It’s called fear of being disabused of a world view they’ve been sold for years for the benefit of a political party and its donors. It’s kind of odd. The lies they were told makes them hateful and afraid, but there’s comfort in it because it explains how all of the problems in the world are actually the fault of others. They don’t have to think too much into it or do anything out of the ordinary beyond being a good tree and voting for the axe.
Eventually, Republicans, or whatever that means now, will have to rejoin reality and except that normal Americans don’t go for all this weird internet conspiracy stuff.
I understand Ron Paul is fully owned by Putin, but he sounds like a tin foil hat wearing crazy old man. Much like the rest of the GQP crowd…including this blog.
Trying to figure out who is more stupid….
wRONg Paul or the Perlow Alexander goof?
Ron and Rand successfully created an audience from which they can grift. Pre-loaned Alexander is one of the rubes they grift. Classic hierarchy of dum-dums.
Just let us lie! Lying is really important for us! It’s the most patriotic use of the first amendment, any Republican will tell you!