The tables have turned as Republicans, once opponents of censorship when it involved silencing right-wing viewpoints, complain about too much free speech as it pertains to public criticism of Israel's war on Gaza.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham stated at a recent hearing that "TikTok is being used to destroy the Jewish state. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said much the same to TikTok CEO Shou Chew, arguing that his platform is promoting "self-harm videos and anti-Israel propaganda."
Ted Cruz to TikTok CEO:
"If you look at what is on TikTok in China, you are promoting to kids: Science and math videos, educational videos ... In the United States, you are promoting to kids: Self-harm videos and anti-Israel propaganda." pic.twitter.com/io3jYe6CKf
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) January 31, 2024
Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton asked Chew if he has ever been a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), to which Chew responded that he is Singaporean. Cotton asked Chew a second time the same question, to which Chew reiterated that he is from Singapore, not China.
Tom Cotton: "Have you ever been a member of the Chinese Communist Party?"
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: "Senator, I'm Singaporean. No!"
Cotton: "Have you ever been associated or affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party?"
Chew: "No, Senator. Again, I'm Singaporean!" pic.twitter.com/5Wa72aJIr9
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) January 31, 2024
(Related: Israel's war crimes continue to mount after IDF soldiers were caught dressing up as fake Palestinian medics in order to KILL civilian patients at Ibn Sina Hospital in Jenin, West Bank.)
Supporting Israel is D.C.'s number-one priority
Graham, Cruz and Cotton are all notorious Republicans, albeit of the RINO (Republican in Name Only) variety, according to many. Still, they represent the face of modern-day conservatism, which is behaving unbelievably hypocritically now that Israel is the subject of free speech they do not like.
For years, these very same conservatives have been whining and complaining about how their own viewpoints are being censored across the Big Tech spectrum, calling for social media platforms like Facebook to be punished for silencing Americans' free speech. Their tone has completely shifted, though, now that some people are saying "mean" things about Israel.
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During his spiel, Cruz presented a so-called "intelligence report" from the "Network Contagion Research Institute" claiming that TikTok is censoring other content critical of China while allowing content critical of Israel to remain. It turns out that the so-called Network Contagion Research Institute is funded by the "Israel on Campus Coalition" and the so-called "Combat Hate Foundation," the latter of which especially is something that Cruz would have criticized prior to October 7.
Naturally, the "Intelligence Report" whose calculations Cruz cited here is a methodological joke, produced by a Serious-sounding outfit called "Network Contagion Research Institute," funded by the "Israel on Campus Coalition" and "Combat Hate Foundation" https://t.co/gnwomrOczj
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 31, 2024
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley also deserves a mention as he made an absolute fool of himself in trying to argue that Mark Zuckerberg, head of Facebook (Meta), is responsible for "killing" children with what he allows to be shared on the social media platform.
Josh Hawley just accused Mark Zuckerberg of being personally responsible for "killing" kids who purportedly committed suicide because of social media. Again, this isn't rational oversight of powerful corporations -- which could be productive -- it's blinkered emotional blackmail pic.twitter.com/KP75P6ghbU
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 31, 2024
These so-called conservatives could not care less about protecting the First Amendment. All they care about protecting is Israel, Americans' free speech rights be damned.
"These senators are complicit in the genocide of Gaza," one incensed commenter wrote.
"You need to pledge allegiance to Israel before having a contract with your own State," wrote another, referencing stories like this one that tell the ugly truth about American politics.
The latest news about the conservative effort to silence Israel's critics can be found at Fascism.news.
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