Roll the dice and speak up, or else lose your rights and freedoms

BY STEVEN KASZAB

When you write something, particularly online, or in social media circles one needs to walk on glass it seems. Facebook for example is threatening to throw me off again for being critical of Israeli actions in Gaza and my apparent personal attack upon Israeli President Netanyahu, their Commander in Chief.

Is social media a place to raise your opinions about daily life and even global happenings, or is it a place where we must wear rose colored glasses ,while watching what we say and how we say it? There seems to be a global awareness of the influence of social media’s owners upon how their organizations manage and rule online participation. If you support someone like Trump, go ahead and scream bloody murder, but if you support an alternative better watch out folks. The online coppers are looking straight at you.

Special well-organized lobbyists and social groups have taken the act of victimhood to a whole new level. Say you are critical of the gay lifestyle, Black gangster culture, or the Roman Catholic Church. Speak up and face the consequences it seems. I was critical of the Catholic Churches treatment of the Aboriginal peoples, mentioning some of the churches leadership and bam off Facebook was I.

Special interest groups have professionalized their ability to turn someone’s criticism into racist, or hurtful/hateful speech. Saying Israeli responses to the Hamas attack is wrongly carried out is considered: hateful, antisemitic, and wrongful minded. If you are a religious person who believes the gay lifestyle is biblically wrong and you say so, you’re considered: harmful, homophobic, and close minded. We hear the word “hateful or mean spirited” a lot, but words like “democratic, or truthful” within public venues not so much.

The democratic principles of free speech have been attacked within our schools of higher learning, both social and print media, and even in the offices of our leaders who tell us what we can say, think, and do. Are we a democracy folks? Can our institution survive the public’s criticism?

Social media has become an institution within our society. It has been managed by its owners just like a weapon, weaponized against those who disagree with the 1% who control our economy and political institutions. Free speech cannot survive the artificial intelligence revolution. All our devices are and soon will be managed and policed by A.I. programs. We may never be able to speak out or express our opinions for fear of breaking some law initiated by the authorities to protect others.

Perhaps expressing the truth as we see it may be the only way beyond the up and coming totalitarianism of political high tech. Going to court with the ability to prove your point may be the only avenue left to a free person.