Twitter Banishment "is what they do in China"

[larryc]

Deplatform fascists.

Why is this even a question?

[dismalist]

First they came for the fascists. Then they came for the conservatives, and then the democratic leftists. But I was none of these. And when they came for me ... .

[marshwiggle]

Deplatform fascists.

Why is this even a question?

The sticky point is how to define "fascists". To groups like ANTIFA, anyone who didn't participate in the BLM protests is a fascist.

From Britannica.com:

Although fascist parties and movements differed significantly from one another, they had many characteristics in common, including extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the rule of elites, and the desire to create a Volksgemeinschaft, in which individual interests would be subordinated to the good of the nation.

While "contempt for electoral democracy" would certainly apply to Trump, the "rule of elites" brings up the question of why the richest people, i.e. tech billionaires, mostly support the Democrats, and the society where " individual interests would be subordinated to the good of the nation" fits much more with the progressive agenda than with the far right, who in the US tend to be extremely distrustful of governments.

So to identify any significant group as "fascist" pretty much requires picking and choosing what characteristics to include and what to leave out. The term doesn't readily apply to any significant group.

[Caracal]

In addition to the Trump ban, mainstream conservatives are being stripped of their Twitter followers by the thousands right now, according to multiple mainstream conservative outlets. I would provide non-partisan evidence, but, of course, there is no such thing as a non-partisan news source anymore, and no progressive source will cover the story. It's frustrating.

They aren't being "stripped" of their followers. Twitter has been banning people who post violent threats, or are associated with groups who do. So, basically people are complaining that they are losing their violent, fascist followers.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Conservatives: Private companies can discriminate against whoever they please! It is a core tenet of freedom!

Also conservatives: Private companies that discriminate against us are mean and bad and this is what they do in China!

[Puget]

Conservatives: Private companies can discriminate against whoever they please! It is a core tenet of freedom!

Also conservatives: Private companies that discriminate against us are mean and bad and this is what they do in China!

This. Also add to the second line "and the government should stop them from doing it!"

See also: Trying to overthrow a free and fair election and then complaining that impeachment will "divide the nation". The hypocrisy is truly stunning.

[downer]

Conservatives: Private companies can discriminate against whoever they please! It is a core tenet of freedom!

Also conservatives: Private companies that discriminate against us are mean and bad and this is what they do in China!

This. Also add to the second line "and the government should stop them from doing it!"

See also: Trying to overthrow a free and fair election and then complaining that impeachment will "divide the nation". The hypocrisy is truly stunning.

We now have this strange category of statements from the far right (Trump, Cruz, FoxNews, etc) that are entirely predictable and routine but are also stunning.

Since the movement is entirely one that seeks to promote certain people and groups and is without any other principles, it makes no sense to engage in argument with them. A better goal is simply to point out to people who might be tempted to listen to them that their speech consists entirely of bullshit, in the technical sense.

[mamselle]

Deplatform fascists.

Why is this even a question?

The sticky point is how to define "fascists". To groups like ANTIFA, anyone who didn't participate in the BLM protests is a fascist.

From Britannica.com:

Although fascist parties and movements differed significantly from one another, they had many characteristics in common, including extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the rule of elites, and the desire to create a Volksgemeinschaft, in which individual interests would be subordinated to the good of the nation.

While "contempt for electoral democracy" would certainly apply to Trump, the "rule of elites" brings up the question of why the richest people, i.e. tech billionaires, mostly support the Democrats, and the society where " individual interests would be subordinated to the good of the nation" fits much more with the progressive agenda than with the far right, who in the US tend to be extremely distrustful of governments.

So to identify any significant group as "fascist" pretty much requires picking and choosing what characteristics to include and what to leave out. The term doesn't readily apply to any significant group.

There is no such thing as Antifa. It's a straw-person invention used to stir up demsgogues' idolaters.

M.

[marshwiggle]

Deplatform fascists.

Why is this even a question?

The sticky point is how to define "fascists". To groups like ANTIFA, anyone who didn't participate in the BLM protests is a fascist.

From Britannica.com:

Although fascist parties and movements differed significantly from one another, they had many characteristics in common, including extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the rule of elites, and the desire to create a Volksgemeinschaft, in which individual interests would be subordinated to the good of the nation.

While "contempt for electoral democracy" would certainly apply to Trump, the "rule of elites" brings up the question of why the richest people, i.e. tech billionaires, mostly support the Democrats, and the society where " individual interests would be subordinated to the good of the nation" fits much more with the progressive agenda than with the far right, who in the US tend to be extremely distrustful of governments.

So to identify any significant group as "fascist" pretty much requires picking and choosing what characteristics to include and what to leave out. The term doesn't readily apply to any significant group.

There is no such thing as Antifa. It's a straw-person invention used to stir up demsgogues' idolaters.

M.

Wikipedia would disagree:

Antifa is a left-wing anti-fascist and anti-racist political movement in the United States. It is highly decentralized and comprises an array of autonomous groups that aim to achieve their objectives through the use of both nonviolent and violent direct action rather than through policy reform.

And how about the Congressional Research Service?:

This In Focus discusses the background ofthe U.S. antifa
movement, whether or not members and their actions may
be categorized as domestic terrorists and domestic
terrorism,respectively, and issues around designating
domestic groups as terrorists