Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Need For Internet Bill Of Rights


SCOTUS has ruled there is no exception to First Amendment protection for hate speech
Yet Twitter, Facebook and Apple believe that on hate speech the  First Amendment does not reach
Banning Alex Jones’ Infowars from their platforms for anti Muslim, transgender, and immigrant rants
A first step toward banning account holder’s with pro conservative slants
Senator Murphy applauding the ban of Infowars wants social media to do even more
So conservative views in the marketplace of ideas will face a closed door
A misguided view that all Americans should reject
Social media leftist CEO’s should not be allowed what views to select
SCOTUS has ruled that attacking Muslims, transgenders and immigrant is a protected right
Protecting speech that we hate is a true measure of this nation’s might
The internet has become the sidewalk to the internet malls
Which sell goods and services but also ideas which social media wishes to hinder or stall
Like actual sidewalk and actual brick and mortar mall free speech you cannot block
So the idea of an internet free speech right should not come as a shock
Alex Jones may be a hateful conservative conspiracy nut
But from the marketplace of ideas he must not be shut
His own rants and the readers’ responses will expose his ideas to be dismissed
But banning him is a slippery slope that leads to an anti free speech abyss
On social media as long as not violence urged let him rant and rave
The American public is smart enough to send his ideas to an early grave
© August 7, 2018 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
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