The Republican National Committee (RNC) is unhappy with social media companies for daring to ban some members of their party from platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, but the RNC’s insistence that there should be “freedom of speech” on private platforms that are owned by companies and governed by terms of service every user agrees to when they sign up wound up getting the party an online lecture in what is and isn’t protected by the First Amendment.
Apparently still upset that some social media sites have upheld bans on former President Donald Trump, the RNC fired off this tweet Friday:
Freedom of speech should not be a partisan issue. Big Tech should be held accountable.
— GOP (@GOP) May 7, 2021
Wow! Has anyone at the RNC actually bothered to read the First Amendment? It reads:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
They key word there is right at the front of the amendment: Congress. A newspaper has the right not to publish a letter to the editor, just as a magazine has the right to edit an article written by one of its reporters. Congress cannot make those decisions, but the New York Times or Time magazine can. So can Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
Also, why do Republicans want businesses to have the right to discriminate against people based on sexual orientation (i.e. the baker that refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding), and yet they want to force social media companies to allow right-wingers to spread seditious lies and conspiracy theories without any consequences? That’s one hell of a double standard.
The RNC was quickly taken to school for their complete lack of understanding regarding the Constitution:
Note … it does not say Facebook. pic.twitter.com/pzmOA3wuoK
— Tom 🇺🇸 (@1920Thomas) May 7, 2021
Big Tech is privately owned! If a bakery can’t be forced to bake a cake for a same sex wedding, Twitter, FB, etc, can’t be forced to provide a platform for RWNJs to spew their lies and hate! You can’t have it both ways!
— Jay Jack (@JayJack2568) May 7, 2021
People don’t havre a right to a Facebook account nor a Twitter account
— Rick Hennig🇺🇸#WearaMask😷 (@rick_hennig) May 7, 2021
“Big Tech” has nothing to do w/free speech. They’re private companies who can choose who they allow to use their platforms. Violate their TOS and you get the boot. Facebook is a privilege. NOT a right. And the 1A only pertains to the US government making no laws to stop speech.
— Tonya Bailey 🏳️🌈🇺🇸 (@tbailey1976) May 7, 2021
Freedom of speech is about the govt, not the private sector. Please use the money you grifted from credulous Americans to buy a few copies of the Constitution.
— Tom 🇺🇸 (@1920Thomas) May 7, 2021
Read your damn constitution. They are private businesses and can do whatever they want. How about you take note of how you’re trying to squash the right to vote.
— Suzi sez ETTD (@suziferg0806) May 8, 2021
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