My "favorite" part of being a Jew in 2023 is being told I'm anti-semitic by non-Jews when I explain why satire and even sincere attempts to debase "my people" (rolls eyes) should be allowed, since it helps others develop critical thinking so we don't need a special council of enlightened elders to make all our decisions for us while we wait for our daily SOMA pills... Thanks again, Matt! :)
I said this previously. If Roger Waters and C.J. Hopkins espoused an attitude towards the American Empire that was in line with the bootlicking German establishment, they could march around in the uniforms of SS Understraßenbahnpolizeifűhreren and nobody in the Prosecutor's office would give a shit. Not unless Germany also is going to prosecute Rammstein for its videos, not to mention Mel Brooks for making The Producers and Charlie Chaplin for The Great Dictator.
Like WWI in the United States, the populace is not all that keen on going to war for Ukraine, but the elites are all in. Therefore, the elites are especially concerned to crush any dissent, lest the masses start to get ideas.
Back in the age of reason, around eight years ago, three ideas were common: Vaccines generally prevented transmission; herd immunity was defined as about 85-93% of the population; and that people were free to choose their destiny regarding their bodies. It was always accepted that a certain percentage of the population would eschew the vaccine, and that society would absorb that. Herd immunity would prevail. But by breaking the first rule, lying about it, and then making free thought a crime, we’ve ended up on a long slide down the slope of reason.
I've said this before & I'll say it again -- I was an exchange student @ a British university in '80s, when the lefty student council (who I generally agreed with) made a motion to ban "racist and sexist speakers" from campus. Sounded good -- until I thought, wait a minute, who's gonna decide that? Sided with the Tory types, given my USA free-speech inclinations. This government-backed "hate speech" BS is that on steroids. And Roger Waters and "The Wall" (a top-five all-time album) -- are you f'ing kidding me? #HappyHumpDay
Is there something in German DNA that makes them authoritarian?
Anyone who countenances the concept of "hate speech" is either an idiot busybody who wants the state to enforce his prejudices (read: leftist), or someone angling for a position of authority in a bureaucracy designed to bend the collective discourse in favor of their faction's interests . . . like in the allegedly erstwhile Disinformation Governance Board.
The concept of "hate speech" is so obviously contrary to the letter and spirit of the First Amendment it has no chance here despite a few generations of university indoctrinated pussies wanting to censor harsh criticisms of their pet social engineering projects or token oppressed minorities.
What is it about the current Democratic Party that has turned them so authoritarian, to the point where they would go as Germany has gone?
Wokeness. Period. Call it applied neo-Marxism, cultural Marxism, or identity Marxism, it's the same totalitarian nightmare slopped into our collective reality by the universities and their graduates. The fact that the concept has been adopted by multinational corporations, including those belonging to the military industrial complex, makes the whole project, the "liberation of the culturally marginalized," appear surreal and sinister . . . the wolf in sheep drag on a civilizational scale.
It's big of you to admit your scepticism of those of us that resisted the "pandemic" narratives and who saw the totalitarianism impulse behind it. You would think many more journalists would have immediately done so. In hindsight it was so obvious, but even now, we slave under the lies and refuse to admit the truth, and our society crashes and burns. There's no coming back from the betrayls of the media, medicals, and politicians. Even future generations will be scarred.
This is yet another unbelievable example of mindless censorship. This likely has nothing to do about fascism and probably a lot to do about how global governments completely bungled the sordid COVID episode, the actual subject Mr. Hopkins addresses. Beyond the breathless incompetence most governments displayed, the tenacity with which they continue to suppress discussion of their handling of SARS-2-COVID makes me wonder if there are not more damning secrets of which we remain unaware.
" It was one component of the massive heartbreak that I experienced over the last few years… Basically 99% of my old theater friends, theater colleagues, some of them just went silent and disappeared. Others I had huge fights with and falling out episodes with."
I identify so completely with CJ's comment here. I lost almost all of my "friends" when I was fighting against my unlawful foreclosure in 2010. How dare anyone speak out against the way the mainstream presents the "facts." And then the final nail in my coffin of friendship was the way I went against the mainstream as far as Covid disinformation disseminated by the mainstream. I lost my last "friend" over those ideas.
Thankfully, I have found new friends. Conservatives. Who would have ever thought that my freedom to think the way I want to think would be championed by the conservatives. Wasn't being "liberal" all about "open to new ideas and opinions"??? Apparently not.
I’d like to just extend my thanks and deepest gratitude to both Matt and CJ. Your reporting, reason and wit has been much appreciated, and needed. Long may it prevail. I do my little bit to support your substacks etc across the pond here in the UK ;)
It's over. Art is dead. Freedom of expression has been obliterated by the new religious inquisition. We are all heretics forced to deny reality, science, language and reason. Satire is dark humor with a strong, sometimes shocking message. Take that away, and we are in trouble. We've been muzzled. We must fall in line with our captors, for they know what's best for us. Like our idilic parents. If there are hate speech laws , we no longer have freedom of speech, and we no longer live in a Democracy. Maybe we never really did?
In hindsight it’s incredible how many of us swallowed the notion that people who didn’t take the shot were “terrorists,” and needed the incentive of ever-harsher “consequences” to repent of their “violence.”
Yes, well. I fell under suspicion in 2021 by (former) friends and colleagues when I failed to wrap my social media profile pics in the I-got-vaxxed virtue ribbons. Sealed the deal, and am now a known subversive, after openly acknowledging my decision not to take the shots. The pressure to do so was enormous, the consequences an education about what America had become. Glad I did it, and glad I did it for the reasons I did it. Whatever you believe, now is the time to stand up.
"What’s more dangerous than outlawing hate speech? Giving someone the authority to define hate speech. "
Sums it up right there. The downward spiral continues.
My "favorite" part of being a Jew in 2023 is being told I'm anti-semitic by non-Jews when I explain why satire and even sincere attempts to debase "my people" (rolls eyes) should be allowed, since it helps others develop critical thinking so we don't need a special council of enlightened elders to make all our decisions for us while we wait for our daily SOMA pills... Thanks again, Matt! :)
I said this previously. If Roger Waters and C.J. Hopkins espoused an attitude towards the American Empire that was in line with the bootlicking German establishment, they could march around in the uniforms of SS Understraßenbahnpolizeifűhreren and nobody in the Prosecutor's office would give a shit. Not unless Germany also is going to prosecute Rammstein for its videos, not to mention Mel Brooks for making The Producers and Charlie Chaplin for The Great Dictator.
Like WWI in the United States, the populace is not all that keen on going to war for Ukraine, but the elites are all in. Therefore, the elites are especially concerned to crush any dissent, lest the masses start to get ideas.
Anyone cowering in terror of COVID in 2023 is either completely ignorant or a slavish devotee to the State.
Anyone convinced the government has the best interest of the individual anywhere near the center of motivation is too far gone to rescue.
Back in the age of reason, around eight years ago, three ideas were common: Vaccines generally prevented transmission; herd immunity was defined as about 85-93% of the population; and that people were free to choose their destiny regarding their bodies. It was always accepted that a certain percentage of the population would eschew the vaccine, and that society would absorb that. Herd immunity would prevail. But by breaking the first rule, lying about it, and then making free thought a crime, we’ve ended up on a long slide down the slope of reason.
I've said this before & I'll say it again -- I was an exchange student @ a British university in '80s, when the lefty student council (who I generally agreed with) made a motion to ban "racist and sexist speakers" from campus. Sounded good -- until I thought, wait a minute, who's gonna decide that? Sided with the Tory types, given my USA free-speech inclinations. This government-backed "hate speech" BS is that on steroids. And Roger Waters and "The Wall" (a top-five all-time album) -- are you f'ing kidding me? #HappyHumpDay
I have a simple rule. If a book gets banned, I buy it. Here are the new normal Reich's new German words: https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/how-to-speak-german
The entertainment industry has recreated the Blacklist and inflicted it on itself. Wild times.
Is there something in German DNA that makes them authoritarian?
Anyone who countenances the concept of "hate speech" is either an idiot busybody who wants the state to enforce his prejudices (read: leftist), or someone angling for a position of authority in a bureaucracy designed to bend the collective discourse in favor of their faction's interests . . . like in the allegedly erstwhile Disinformation Governance Board.
The concept of "hate speech" is so obviously contrary to the letter and spirit of the First Amendment it has no chance here despite a few generations of university indoctrinated pussies wanting to censor harsh criticisms of their pet social engineering projects or token oppressed minorities.
What is it about the current Democratic Party that has turned them so authoritarian, to the point where they would go as Germany has gone?
Wokeness. Period. Call it applied neo-Marxism, cultural Marxism, or identity Marxism, it's the same totalitarian nightmare slopped into our collective reality by the universities and their graduates. The fact that the concept has been adopted by multinational corporations, including those belonging to the military industrial complex, makes the whole project, the "liberation of the culturally marginalized," appear surreal and sinister . . . the wolf in sheep drag on a civilizational scale.
It's big of you to admit your scepticism of those of us that resisted the "pandemic" narratives and who saw the totalitarianism impulse behind it. You would think many more journalists would have immediately done so. In hindsight it was so obvious, but even now, we slave under the lies and refuse to admit the truth, and our society crashes and burns. There's no coming back from the betrayls of the media, medicals, and politicians. Even future generations will be scarred.
This is yet another unbelievable example of mindless censorship. This likely has nothing to do about fascism and probably a lot to do about how global governments completely bungled the sordid COVID episode, the actual subject Mr. Hopkins addresses. Beyond the breathless incompetence most governments displayed, the tenacity with which they continue to suppress discussion of their handling of SARS-2-COVID makes me wonder if there are not more damning secrets of which we remain unaware.
" It was one component of the massive heartbreak that I experienced over the last few years… Basically 99% of my old theater friends, theater colleagues, some of them just went silent and disappeared. Others I had huge fights with and falling out episodes with."
I identify so completely with CJ's comment here. I lost almost all of my "friends" when I was fighting against my unlawful foreclosure in 2010. How dare anyone speak out against the way the mainstream presents the "facts." And then the final nail in my coffin of friendship was the way I went against the mainstream as far as Covid disinformation disseminated by the mainstream. I lost my last "friend" over those ideas.
Thankfully, I have found new friends. Conservatives. Who would have ever thought that my freedom to think the way I want to think would be championed by the conservatives. Wasn't being "liberal" all about "open to new ideas and opinions"??? Apparently not.
You go get 'em, CJ!
I’d like to just extend my thanks and deepest gratitude to both Matt and CJ. Your reporting, reason and wit has been much appreciated, and needed. Long may it prevail. I do my little bit to support your substacks etc across the pond here in the UK ;)
It's over. Art is dead. Freedom of expression has been obliterated by the new religious inquisition. We are all heretics forced to deny reality, science, language and reason. Satire is dark humor with a strong, sometimes shocking message. Take that away, and we are in trouble. We've been muzzled. We must fall in line with our captors, for they know what's best for us. Like our idilic parents. If there are hate speech laws , we no longer have freedom of speech, and we no longer live in a Democracy. Maybe we never really did?
In hindsight it’s incredible how many of us swallowed the notion that people who didn’t take the shot were “terrorists,” and needed the incentive of ever-harsher “consequences” to repent of their “violence.”
Speak for yourself, Matt
Yes, well. I fell under suspicion in 2021 by (former) friends and colleagues when I failed to wrap my social media profile pics in the I-got-vaxxed virtue ribbons. Sealed the deal, and am now a known subversive, after openly acknowledging my decision not to take the shots. The pressure to do so was enormous, the consequences an education about what America had become. Glad I did it, and glad I did it for the reasons I did it. Whatever you believe, now is the time to stand up.