ketanji brown and the template of doom

submitted by penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable from boriquagato.substack.com

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[–]3andfro 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." (many attributions)

This is the inviolate bedrock of freedom of speech. Even a small chip into that foundation dooms that freedom.

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Not surprising that, like so many important things about our own history, this isn't taught anymore.

[–]kingsmegLiberté, égalité, fraternité 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

the purpose of the constitution and of the bill of rights is to protect us from government.

Unfortunately, execution of this 'protection' rests with the very government from which we are supposed to be protected by the amendment.

[–]3andfro 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Because self-policing is such a good idea in any sector....

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

If they don't uphold the Bill of Rights they're in violation of the Constitution, which is still the law of the land. They can choose that path but it makes their governance illegitimate, with all that implies.

[–]kingsmegLiberté, égalité, fraternité 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

the Constitution, which is still the law of the land.

'The Law' is merely a tool of the rich to formalize their control over the poor.

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

That's certainly how they use it, no argument there.

[–]kingsmegLiberté, égalité, fraternité 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Otherwise, SCOTUS would rule to uphold the 1st Amendment. This is the most open-and-shut case I have ever heard of regarding free speech. The fact that they even held public arguments on the case rather than ruling summarily 9-0 means they're looking for rationalizations to finally bury 'free speech' once and for all.

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You may be right but I hope you're wrong.

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

this is an incredibly important case, perhaps the most important first amendment case our our generation. at issue is whether the government can bully, prod, or require that social media ban or censor speech. do they get to decide what can and cannot be spoken in the modern day public square? because this is obviously their intent and they have been up to their necks in it for years.

as one of the ones who was decatformed for being right, this really hits home for me. so many of us were just following data, presenting results, checking one another, and allowing ourselves to be checked, but none of it mattered. only the answers mattered and if the answer was not to federal liking, defenestration from casa del bluebird followed.

but the a greater problem here is not “the censors were wrong” or “the censors lied” it’s that anyone granted them this frame to begin with where “maybe it would be OK so long as it served a good purpose.”

because it isn’t OK.

ever.

not even if they happen to be right.

this is a binary. allow your speech right to be taken for any reason and you do not have a right anymore, you have a negotiation about a privilege and it’s one you’ll always lose in the long run.

emergency power begets emergencies like jam begets ants.

it’s ALWAYS the same.

and this matters because several of the supreme court justices do not believe in rights. at all. they literally see the first amendment as “hamstringing the government.” it’s not enough for the government to speak, the government has a obligation to take steps to protect us and if it cannot impose a prohibition of speech, then how is it supposed to do that?...listen to it yourself. it’s chilling.

everyone should speak and the reputation economy should sort this out.

we should be judged by the insight of our ideas, not the quality of our state sanctioned credential.

[–]penelopepnortneyBecome ungovernable[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. - Thomas Jefferson

Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong.

So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men. - Voltaire

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. - William Pitt the Elder

Moral cowardice that keeps us from speaking our minds is as dangerous to this country as irresponsible talk. The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when it is unpopular is a true test of moral character. - Margaret Chase Smith

He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. - Thomas Paine

if M. de Becourt’s book be false in its facts, disprove them; if false in its reasoning, refute it. but, for god’s sake, let us freely hear both sides, if we chuse. - Thomas Jefferson

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln

Intolerance of ambiguity is the mark of an authoritarian personality. - Theodor Adorno

Once we assuage our conscience by calling something a 'necessary evil', it begins to look more and more necessary and less and less evil. - Sydney J. Harris

Contradiction is not a sign of falsity, nor the lack of contradiction a sign of truth. - Blaise Pascal

Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods. - Albert Einstein