What gives? Cancel culture or pogrom? Political cleansing?

As the combined forces of mainstream media, the never-Trump branches of both old Parties, the deep state bureaucracy, multinational corporations, and big tech flex their muscles…

I guess I don’t really HAVE to ask what is going on. Part is so obvious, so clear. It is indeed political and cultural cleansing, with a touch of pogrom flavor added. Will a larger measure of holocaust soon follow?

Consider Ron Paul

I do not think that Ron Paul can be described as a partisan of The Donald. Any more than his son Rand can be.

Yet he posted this yesterday afternoon (11 JAN 2021), after Facebook did for him:

But it is OK because they are a private business. Right?

Hat Tip to the Mortar Girl and GFZ.

So the social media mob has risen up in its disgusting and hypocritical wrath to beat on Ron Paul. Because even though he isn’t for Trump, he is clearly against ALL of those that ARE Anti-Trump – and the attitude and disgusting behavior of many who ARE pro-Trumpers. He is an enemy of the state, an evil supporter of individual liberty and self-determination, and (despite his flaws as a minarchist) a thorn in the side of both Democrats and Republicans.

At the same time, he has NOT be confrontational or as vocal as so many others with a major following. His rEVOLution meme demonstrates that.

Is Ron Paul going to be our canary in the mine? Is he the first of the more-libertarian, less-conservative and fairly well-known political figures to be hammered on by the powers-that-be? Most believe he will not be the last, of course.

Like all lovers of liberty and most libertarians, I strongly believe that private companies and individuals have the God-given right to who to provide goods and services to, and who to deny services and goods to. F’book IS a private company. So are Twitter ad TicToc and all the rest. Even if they discriminate in whom they provide and deny these things. Even if that is “unfair” – it is their choice. Even if it were illegal because of anti-discrimination laws.

But we are not dealing with totally private entities now. And we must also take into account their motives and intentions. Not what we think they are, but what they have stated. We can’t read their minds but we CAN read their words.

First, I think we are dealing with entities that are AGENTS of government and factions of government. Not just the Democrats or the NeverTrumpers in the GOP. Not even just the “Deep State” permanent bureaucracy, but a coalition of ALL these factions. This is, to them, a work-around. Just as for decades the major TV networks and major radio networks and major newspaper chains were agents for government – whether voluntary or not.

(If we think that the rights given to us by God can be violated by private business, and that therefore those enumerated (and referred to) in the Bill of Rights, then it is just fine for government to hire and pay for shills. Things like private “judges” and private “police” and private military which can impose whatever tyranny they wish – and no recourse under law.)

Second, I believe that the goal of the managers (and certainly, majority owners) of these firms have clearly stated their goal. What is that goal? I believe it is to take away liberties from anyone whom they do not like – if not anyone and everyone. The actions that F’book and T’er and Amaz-eon are all taking is to take away freedom of speech and take away the free flow of information. In support of an authoritarian state.

In the past 30 years, the venues for spread of information, outlets for free speech, have exploded. This is courtesy of the development and exploitation of the Internet and advances in information technology. But at the same time, many of the avenues which were commonly available in the past have withered and died. Local and regional newspapers and magazines are nearly moribund – even those which are really locally controlled and not part of huge chains. How many people know what mimeographs and spirit duplicators (ditto machines) and hectographs are? Or what a truly stand-alone copier (NOT software based) is? The potential for samizdat (self-publishing) is actually less now IF the climate of business and government continues to shift.

In other words, if the Big Tech companies can deny services, then so can the manufacturers AND repairs of copiers, printers, AND other providers of internet services and goods (like paper, toner, ink, etc.) can deny services as well.

This is a war, a civil war. The people calling the shots at these organizations, including both government and government’s shills, are enemies of liberty. And culture, and traditional society.

We must recognize this before we can fight them – or even effectively work around them.