[August 14, 2024] While I apologize upfront about the hyperbole “goose-steppers,” I originally erased the title. I restored it because few other words describe the heavy hand of the European Commission goose-steppers against free speech. We are fortunate in America that we have the 1st Amendment to the Constitution that guarantees free speech.1
Recently, Elon Musk did a live interview with Donald Trump on the X platform (Musk owns X/Twitter). A few hours before the event, the European Commission issued a threatening letter which can be read in its entirety here. This quote from the third paragraph is intensely bureaucratic but says much about the mentality of the EC.
“This notably means ensuring, on one hand, that freedom of expression and of information, including media freedom and pluralism, are effectively protected and, on the other hand, that all proportionate and effective mitigation measures are put in place regarding the amplification of harmful content in connection with relevant events, including live streaming, which, if unaddressed, might increase the risk profile of X and generate detrimental effects on civic discourse and public security. This is important against the background of recent examples of public unrest brought about by the amplification of content that promotes hatred, disorder, incitement to violence, or certain instances of disinformation.” – EC Letter, Brussels, 12 August 2024
Let me sum this up. “Bow at our feet, you knuckle-dragging twit.” Here’s what is at issue. Elon Musk is an American citizen, participating on his company’s platform in America, with a past American President. The EC needs to mind their own business.
The record of the EC and this letter should be a warning to all free nations. Please do not give up your sovereignty to any entity, no matter how benign, moral, or justified it may appear. Americans can learn an important lesson here: it will be easy to vote your way into an EC-like organization, but you will have to fight your way out. European nations are too weak, willingly too weak, to do anything about this monster they have created.
This is a warning. The EC censorship regime has expanded beyond its original charter and outside the borders of Europe. If America had a capable President, he would not stand for interference in free discourse, meddling in American affairs, redefining “misinformation” and “harmful speech,” and threatening a legitimate business operating across the globe.
Like Orwell’s story of Animal Farm, what we wish for is not something we will automatically get. This evil in sheep’s clothing has entered our highest institutions, and we cannot see it for what it is. Elon Musk should tell this authoritarian, pip-squeak, pantywaist twit to pound sand.
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- While the U.S. Constitution does guarantee free speech, many in our government, at all levels, from federal to local, have acted to the contrary.
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Please read my books:
This whole EU scam is not working out very well for the Europeans.
SHAME SHAME SHAME on the EU Commission that blatantly tries to suppress speech they don’t like and call it “hate speech.”
You got that right Judy. The creation of such an organization as the EU certainly was a great idea on paper. And while many argued that such an unaccountable organization might get out of control and become authoritarian, those voices were not listened to and told that such proclivities would never happen. Well, here we are and those giving such warnings were right on target. Now Europe has to deal with these wannabe dictators and their own trashed economies. Well. that is what happens when you want Socialism lite. Nothing good comes from Socialism. I can attest from a socialist Canadian’s standpoint.
If only America had strong leaders. Oh wait, we don’t even have a President today. ** Correction, you can find him on the beach sleeping.
Now this DSA (See letter linked in this article) is a sweeping assertion by EU political elites that they will control the global conversation, censor news, and silence critics. The U.S. Congress and President should send clear messages back to the EU that its interference against American businesses and citizens will not be tolerated. Instead we have Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in office, undoubtedly nodding their heads like trained, though low-IQ, seals—if they are even aware of the EU meddling.
Here they purport to instruct a major social network X/Twitter that it is not allowed to carry an uncensored interview with a former President and leading candidate, who, by the way, has perfectly reasonable majoritarian views, matched among EU citizens, on the major issues of the day—because of unspecified “harms”.
Is the European Union still part of the free world? Asking for a friend.
Please do not give up your sovereignty to any entity, no matter how benign, moral, or justified it may appear. Americans can learn an important lesson here: it will be easy to vote your way into an EC-like organization, but you will have to fight your way out. European nations are too weak, willingly too weak, to do anything about this monster they have created.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield nails it again. 👍
“Hate speech” doesn’t exist. Change my mind.
Good one Gibbie. Hate speech means whatever I don’t like about what you say. So, hate speech is about who is doing the defining. In this case, it is the European Commission and we don’t give a damn about them. What is up with these woke nutjobs in Europe anyway. And if you are an illegal immigrant there and rape and murder, they give you a cell phone, cash, and allow you to go free. But if you are a citizen and complain about it, you go to jail and pay a fine for ‘hate speech.’ Seems like it is about time for a revolution in Europe.
I think the French will be first in line.
Who cares what the European Commission says. Elon Musk should tell them to take a hike. Gen. Satterfield has the right idea here.
Gen. S., I got a big laugh at the title before I read your article and thought, ‘what the heck is he going to write about today.’ I was pleasantly but infuriatedly surprised that the European Commission – read that as EUROPEAN COMMISSION – was threatening an American citizen, in America, having a conversation with a recent American president, on that American’s company media platform. Now that EC commissioner or whatever sure has some balls to write such a letter. The justification is that people in the EU use this American’s app on their cellphones. Come on guys. Where is Kamala Harris? Oh yeah, she’s out walking around but not talking. Why? Becuase, like Joe Biden, she is weak and stupid and brain dead.
Gee Bernard, tell us what you think. I do have to admit that Harris is not exactly the cream of the crop here.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Ya gotta just love this 🤦♀️
Yep! This EC censorship game is the tip of the iceberg of what sovereign European nations let themselves in for when they delegated their own sovereignty to an “outside” governing body like the EC. It naturally follows that EC bureaucrats will do things that sovereign governments disagree with – and those sovereign governments will be told, “sorry, it’s the law and you have to obey it”. Sovereign no longer. They gave away their sovereignty, and they won’t get it back. Like Gen. Satterfield wrote, you can vote yourself into this but you will have to fight your way out.
HINT: Read Gen. Satterfield’s footnotes. #1. While the U.S. Constitution does guarantee free speech, many in our government, at all levels, from federal to local, have acted to the contrary. SCARY.
We fought the British once, we can do it again.
Hi Texas Jim, I think it’s more than the Brits but the entire European creature. They have created a monster and that monster has controlled them and now is attempting to control America. Like Gen. Satterfield says, if we had a strong president – we don’t have one now except in name only – he would tell them to flake off and not push our borders. But the weakness of the Biden-Harris administration invites this kind of totalarianism onto our shores.