Trump guts the First Amendment: signs Executive Order suppressing criticism of Israel

[enhanced_deficit]

Despite some social media comparisons, still not convinced that Karma narrative really fully applies here; the two situations may be like apples and oranges.

Dec 22, 2019
Trump guts the First Amendment: signs Executive Order suppressing criticism of Israel



Jan 8, 2021
Twitter and Facebook both banned Trump from their platforms
Here's why that doesn't violate the First Amendment

• Twitter suspended President Donald Trump's personal account permanently on Friday, a day after Facebook banned him indefinitely, in the wake of pro-Trump rioters storming the US Capitol.
• Trump quickly tried to use the official presidential Twitter account to accuse the company of violating the First Amendment, before Twitter blocked those tweets as well.
• But "the First Amendment is a constraint on the power of government," Daphne Keller, an internet law expert at Stanford University, told Business Insider. "It doesn't apply to Twitter."
• Here's why Twitter and Facebook are on solid legal ground when it comes to banning Trump, his allies, or any other users.

What is the First Amendment?
The First Amendment to the US Constitution says: "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" [emphasis added].
In other words, it bans the government from infringing on free speech (with some limited exceptions).
businessinsider.com/why-trump-bans-from-twitter-facebook-dont-violate-first-amendment-2021-1

Amazon, Apple and Google Cut Off Parler, an App That Drew Trump Supporters

The companies pulled support for the “free speech” social network, all but killing the service just as many conservatives are seeking alternatives to Facebook and Twitter.
Jan. 13, 2021
nytimes.com/2021/01/09/technology/apple-google-parler.html

Such sweeping restrictions on free speech and expression of MAGA supporters could radicalize and push underground communication channels of a growing segment of population.


Irony here is that in an apparent stunning reversal, some high profile pro-Israel figures seem to be behind the drive to muzzle Trump and his supporters:

Trump antagonizes GOP megadonor Adelson in heated phone call
politico
Aug 8, 2020 — Adelson's allies say it's unclear whether the episode will dissuade the Las Vegas mogul — long regarded as a financial linchpin for Trump's ...

Time will tell but they have plenty other troubles to handle right now after their 'treacherous' leader (incidentally also funded by Adelson) stabbed MAGA in the back at the worst time. With exception of a small far right fringe of its lobbies that has gone quiet, big part of its lobbies appear to be supporting/funding impeachment effort. It's a stunning development, not too long ago Trump's richest top donor ( Adelson's Israeli wife) had called for "Book of Trump" to be added to Bible.
MAGA was in deep treacherous waters, he took money from globalist deep pockets but didn't fully deliver. Chances of any Iran war play to defend our democratic allies in mideast in next 9 days are of course 0% now. And all signs suggest he will be made an example of for a combination of reasons.

Trump Has a $259 million Reason to Bomb Iran
lobelog
Jun 22, 2019 — Sheldon Adelson... Much analysis of Trump's slide toward war with Iran has focused on his hawkish national ...

Fracturing of perpetual-insecurity-driven pro-interventions/pro-wars/pro-occupations lobbies appears pretty severe, has MAGA coupled with outcome of Forever Wars done irreparable damage to Deep Neocons? Time will tell but this will be consequential.

Seems that only 'crazy wing' of old GOPA/Zionism lobbies (extremist Lara Loomer types) is still with MAGA but big part (mainstream) has turned on him and is in full "backstab" mode trying to punish MAGA. Widely respected zionism movement leader who held fund raisers for Israeli military with Trump's top donor Adelson and other showbiz figures says "media should cut off Trump to stop divisions":
finance.yahoo.com/video/influencers-andy-serwer-haim-saban-110000035.html

Friends of IDF raise record $60 million at LA gala
Saban, Trump top donor Adelson and other media figures with IDF soldiers

Influencers with Andy Serwer: Haim Saban

Thu, January 14, 2021, 6:00 AM

ANDY SERWER: Do you agree that he should leave office before January 20, impeached by Congress or resign, perhaps?

HAIM SABAN: What I really believe is that after what he did and after the way he treated the very loyal lieutenant, I really think that Pence should call for the 25th Amendment. That's what I believe. It would make sense for him to go play golf in Florida and leave us alone. That's what I believe. But apparently, Pence is not ready to do that. So there is no reason-- no rhyme or reason-- to have somebody who committed a crime-- to let that person off the hook. I don't see the reason.

ANDY SERWER: Do you think that Donald Trump is going to continue to play a dominant role in the Republican Party after this, Haim?

HAIM SABAN: It depends on the media. If the media gives him the platform they gave him before the election, worth billions of dollars of exposure, and if they caught him off, like all the online entities cut him off-- Facebook and Twitter-- if-- outside of Fox News-- Fox News is a special animal within itself. But if all the other media-- television media-- simply don't give him a platform-- you give him a platform, he's going to continue with his shenanigans, from birther all the way to inciting this group of Meshuganas to go up on the Hill. You know, so he's going to continue. And if he's cut off from the media, you know, he won't be able to have the same impact.

ANDY SERWER: Meshuganas is Yiddish for crazy people?

HAIM SABAN: That's-- I thought that everybody knows what meshugana is, including in Georgia and Mississippi. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't know.

ANDY SERWER: Probably the case. Let me ask you about President-elect Biden because I know you've been a supporter of his, Haim. And he's talking about unifying the country. Is that still possible when a significant portion of the opposition party questions the legitimacy of the Democratic system?
HAIM SABAN: Well, it questions the legitimacy because they believe Trump. If Trump stood up and said, OK, we had a fair election, it is a legitimate election, he is the next president, we wouldn't see any of that. They are just following Trump. Yes, the 74 million people who voted for him, yes, 70% of those 74 million people believe the election was stolen because he says so-- because he says so.
So if he has no platform to continue spewing all these lies, then, you know, we're not going to have this kind of-- and there will always be division. There's always have been divisions but not at that level and not divisions that manifest itself-- a division that manifests itself with violence, the way we saw last Wednesday. So if Trump is cut off from the media, we're going to see that division, you know, really calm down, and there will be no one to fan those flames.

Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) co-chair Haim Saban, politician/actor Arnold Schwarzenegger


Arnold Schwarzenegger Compares Pro-Trump group Proud Boys/Capitol Hill Mob to Nazis


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhUxguC159o

A member of the Proud Boys holds a sign saying “Anti-Semite Left (Commies) Go Home! Proud To Defend Jews” while speaking with a Trump supporter at the counter-protest.

It's sad how this anti-MAGA "coup" has unfolded and has left many in mainstream MAGA movement without clear direction or leadership.

 

[enhanced_deficit]

Potentially bad news for already in turmoil GOP-Adelson wing's future funding and political future:


Federal court says Georgia BDS law violates First Amendment

The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit that was filed against the state by journalist Abby Martin.
By Michael Arria May 25, 2021

Abby Martin (center) in a press conference detailing the lawsuit, along with representatives of CAIR and PCJF (Photo: Empire Files/Youtube)

A federal judge has ruled that Georgia’s anti-BDS law is unconstitutional. The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit that was filed against the state by journalist Abby Martin.
Martin, a longtime advocate for Palestinian rights and director of the film Gaza Fights for Freedom, was invited to give a talk at Georgia Southern University as part of a media conference in 2020. Shortly before the event the school sent her a contract to sign and, because of the state’s anti-BDS law, it contained a loyalty oath to Israel. By signing the contract Martin would have promised not to boycott the country. The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund filed a lawsuit challenging the law on behalf of Martin.
On May 21 District Court Judge Mark Cohen blocked the state’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. Cohen’s 29-page decision asserts that the Georgia law “prohibits inherently expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment, burdens Martin’s right to free speech, and is not narrowly tailored to further a substantial state interest.”

https://mondoweiss.net/2021/05/federal-court-says-georgia-bds-law-violates-first-amendment/


Related

Abby Martin: Kushner invested in settlements, Israeli soldiers shot Palestinians in genitals

 

[Pauls' Revere]

Are you allowed to criticize Zionism?

You can, but only if you can afford to lose your job.

https://news.yahoo.com/mark-ruffalo-apologizes-israel-hamas-154500381.html

Actor Mark Ruffalo's apology for social media posts that he said suggested Israel was "committing 'genocide'" amid the recent fighting with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is drawing praise and backlash — highlighting the delicate and fraught nature of the longstanding conflict.

Ruffalo, an outspoken Emmy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated actor, tweeted Monday that he had "reflected & wanted to apologize for posts during the recent Israel/Hamas fighting that suggested Israel is committing 'genocide'" and that "it's not accurate, it's inflammatory, disrespectful & is being used to justify antisemitism here & abroad."

It's unclear what posts Ruffalo was apologizing for, but he suggested in a May 11 tweet that Israel's actions were comparable to apartheid in South Africa and that sanctions could similarly work against Israel.

"1500 Palestinians face expulsion in #Jerusalem. 200 protesters have been injured. 9 children have been killed," he wrote.

While some Twitter users are thanking Ruffalo, who previously told The Hollywood Reporter that he grew up in a Roman Catholic Italian family, for trying to tamp down the rhetoric surrounding the sensitive subject, others questioned if he is being "intimidated into silence" and "backtracking."