This is absolutely defending Breitbart.
Notice the appeal to free speech—a good thing. (Don't you want good things?)
Notice the way it scrubs what Breitbart actually *is* by reframing around "diverse views."
Notice the way it never contemplates Breitbart's targets.
Notice the appeal to free speech—a good thing. (Don't you want good things?)
Notice the way it scrubs what Breitbart actually *is* by reframing around "diverse views."
Notice the way it never contemplates Breitbart's targets.
Notice the subtle shift from this being Facebook's responsibility ("if you really want a platform of our scale to make decisions...") to being something that is the challenger's ideological bugbear ("do you care more about advancing your views than preserving freedom...?).
The only freedom Facebook cares about is freedom from any responsibility for Facebook.
But Facebook is an massive news aggregator. Their standards are theirs to own.
And choosing not to discriminate against a fascist org isn't a neutral decision. It's a pro-fascist decision.
But Facebook is an massive news aggregator. Their standards are theirs to own.
And choosing not to discriminate against a fascist org isn't a neutral decision. It's a pro-fascist decision.
The appeal to neutrality is such a common dodge b/c it allows one to paint oneself as reasonable—neither fascist nor antifascist—rather than the truth: a quiet pro-fascist lacking even the courage of convictions, who wants the spoils but not the blame.
You can see it so easily.
Saying "contempt is the problem," without investigating "contempt of what?"
•The concentration camp guard has contempt for his victims.
•The victim has contempt for the guard.
If somebody says "contempt is the problem," what does that mean?
Saying "contempt is the problem," without investigating "contempt of what?"
•The concentration camp guard has contempt for his victims.
•The victim has contempt for the guard.
If somebody says "contempt is the problem," what does that mean?
The freedom a "both sider" seeks isn't freedom of expression, but rather the freedom to not give a shit about abusive power that benefits them, without being thought of as somebody who doesn't give a shit that they benefit from abusive power.
