People Are Slamming Elon Musk for Banning Kanye

Self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist” and new Twitter owner Elon Musk is facing blowback for banning Ye, aka Kanye West, from the platform on Thursday.

SO WHAT

The right is having a free speech reckoning.

WHAT HAPPENED

Twitter suspended West’s account after he posted an image of a swastika within a Star of David, a symbol apparently belonging to the Raelian movement, a faith group that believes aliens created humanity using advanced technology.

Looks like Twitter has already taken down Kanye's swastika tweets — including the one showing an apparent text exchange between Ye and Elon Musk. pic.twitter.com/6Kf8nGDWEV

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) December 2, 2022

West, a rap mogul, also tweeted out apparent screenshots of text messages between him and Musk and a photo meant to mock the tech billionaire.

• For the most part, mainstream conservatives and free-speech advocates supported Musk’s decision to suspend Ye, who has lately been on an anti-Semitic media bender.
• In a tweet, Musk explained the move, saying, “I tried my best.”
• According to Musk, the rapper violated Twitter’s rules against inciting violence.

WHAT THEY SAID

But critics on the right and left accused Musk of betraying his oft-stated commitment to freedom of speech.

On the right: Scott Adams, the “Dilbert” creator and popular Twitter personality, accused Musk of blowing smoke.

If the limit to free speech is "inciting violence," free speech is an illusion.

If Elon Musk gets to decide how much you incited violence with your free speech, are you free?

Not even close.

It doesn't matter who decides. It isn't a practical standard in a woke world.

— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) December 2, 2022

On the left: Ken “Popehat” White, a former federal prosecutor turned legal commentator, called Musk’s free speech rhetoric “increasingly transparent” B.S.

. . . . Elon’s still trying to stick with his “free speech hero fighting cancel culture” routine, even though it’s increasingly transparent bullshit, this time by saying that Kanye’s posts were “inciting violence” (which they weren’t, unless you make up a definition). Moreover…

— Popehat (@Popehat) December 2, 2022

WHAT ELSE

Under Musk, Twitter has reinstated the accounts of a number of previously banned conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, and Republican members of Congress have seen a boost in their followings on the platform.

• But West’s suspension wasn’t the first time Musk has fallen short of his purported free speech absolutism.
• Critics have pointed out that Musk’s new content moderation policy isn’t all that different from the previous Twitter regime’s, which he criticized as censorious.

Free speech absolutism is a “fantasy,” liberal philosopher Sam Harris said earlier this week on his “Making Sense” podcast.

• The right’s hostility toward content moderation isn’t realistic, he added.
• “Contrary to what most people think it’s legal to shout ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre, but wouldn’t we want the owner of that theatre to remove someone who was shouting that over and over again?”