Read on Twitter
In an effort to limit the spread of misinformation, Twitter doesn’t erase, but adds a label. Trump’s response? Threatening to shut down all social media for all citizens, violating the 2nd amendment he’s “protecting”.
But this is more than further evidence of his aspirations of being a dictator, modeling or mimicking Putin, Duterte and, in this case, Xi Jinping. This is far more insidious and dangerous. At a time when racial divides and outright racism have been exposed and made welcome...
Through the normalization of hate speak or, at the very least, the encouragement and support by this administration of right wing elements (“very fine people on both sides”), it is abundantly clear that people of color are still not treated as equal citizens in this country.
Only the viral spread of videos showing public and police racism & brutality (and yes I know not all police are racists) offers the rest of us (read: white people) the real state of the union. Twitter and YouTube have become the few avenues for POC to protest.
And protest in a way that holds up evidence for judgment in a way that may invite a backlash, but at least affords the poster safety in the act of doing so. Something it is patently clear is rarely possible in today’s America.
Remember: local police did nothing with video of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder. Only social media brought due attention. Control or remove social media? You control or remove a Black Person’s right to self defense. This is the silencing of voices of color & their access to any justice.
