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Judge rules Trump can't block twitter critics. ROFL. What's President Snowflake gonna do now?

posted 7 years ago by eYeDEF (5050)
38 replies | jump to latest

The King of Trolls who dishes what he can't take is in big trouble now.

I think there's a good chance his head will spontaneously combust.

“He is a thin-skinned charlatan,” said Will Fischer, an Iraq War veteran and director of government relations for the group @VoteVets the day they were blocked by @realDonaldTrump. “Donald Trump seeks to quell dissent and to surround himself only with sycophants who are going to shower him in praise and adoration.”

The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed suit last year on behalf of several Twitter users who’d been blocked by the President.

The First Amendment prohibits government officials from suppressing speech on the basis of viewpoint,” Katie Fallow, senior staff attorney at the Knight Institute, said in a statement responding to the ruling. “The court’s application of that principle here should guide all of the public officials who are communicating with their constituents through social media.”

http://thehill.com/regulation/389021-judge-rules-trump-cant-block-users-on-twitter
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oMvp6i0hIVnq7KCEB5LhRlv8fN_jTt9k/view

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

I'm confident he'll win on appeal.

[–] eYeDEF (5050) 7 years ago

On what grounds? They haven't filed an appeal yet Culburn.

The judge was pretty clear that twitter is a public forum and a public official cannot block a person from a public forum in response to the political views that person has expressed.

Trump's argument was that he should be able to block whoever he wants because he wasn't just some ordinary public official, but he was president of the United States.

But that argument didn't really move mountains because of the absence of justification. The judge ruled that the president's first amendment rights do not TRUMP everyone elses.

I'll be really interested to see what creative defense his lawyers try to use this time on appeal, assuming he does appeal.

[–] Thrillhouse (1509) 7 years ago

Because if Twitter is a public forum then they aren't allowed to ban people for hate speech? This was the issue Steve Bannon was trying to popularize about how the power and water utilities are not allowed to refuse to serve black people so why should Twitter be different? Twitter is blocking people from communicating to the president through their platform.

[–] eYeDEF (5050) 7 years ago

Not sure how you can label the civil dissent of the tweets from users Trump has banned as "hate speech", but regardless, it doesn't matter because the Supreme Court unanimously reaffirmed last year that there is no "hate speech exception" in the First Amendment. In other words, whatever one would call "hate speech" is protected.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2017/06/19/supreme-court-unanimously-reaffirms-there-is-no-hate-speech-exception-to-the-first-amendment/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.70a0b5c298ba

[–] legnadibrom (6520) 7 years ago

hate speech is when black people yell mean things at white men

[–] eYeDEF (5050) 7 years ago

BTW, Twitter the private company can ban whoever they want.

That's not what the ruling was about.

It was about Trump blocking accounts that he didn't want to read that responded to his tweets.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Just keep appealing till you get the judge & court that'll give you the verdict you want.

[–] PresidentJoffrey (396) 7 years ago

Maybe, but the orange megalomaniac won't be able to use his tried and tested method of bullying and outspending in court that has served him oh so well in civil cases.

The US government has more $$ and power than the orange troll, no matter what he thinks/says

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Every day that he is President proves you wrong.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

Melania weighed in on the situation today. She strode up to the microphone, perfectly coiffed and made up, wearing a $34,000 cream colored designer raincoat falling off her shoulders. With all the steel determination and courage she could muster, she said: “Be Best” . She then walked away to a room filled with befuddled looks and light applause.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

I'm confident he'll win on appeal.

Trump's White House declared his Twitter to be official government correspondence.

Blocking people from participating in that LITERALLY becomes government censorship and suppression of opposing viewpoints.

Trump wants his Twitter to be his personal Twitter AND be official correspondence at the same time, but it won't work.

Do you endorse censorship, Culburn, or do you endorse free speech?

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

I endorse stepping thru the ropes, san gloves & knocking blocks off till there are no more.

Fights commenced, Froggy, get to fighting, or, get away.

They drew first blood, Froggy. That king shit sheriff took the old man cross that bridge & let him out..."Have a nice day."

Trump cinched up his suit coat top button & followed king shit back across said bridge.

You ain't wiseguyiin' us out of this Presidency, nor are you going to rob it.

No. We did not go to all the trouble of busting Hillary's hole wide open just to hand it back over to you. No.

Get back on the trough & wait your turn.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

So, uh... No answer to my question?

Must be an inconvenient question.

=)

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Like I said, I endorse keeping this Presidency by any means necessary, Froggy.

This is war. The old man is a New York City street fighter. He had 2 choices 3 days after he'd been sworn, when they made it crystal clear that his Presidency would not stand, would not survive.

Choice 1: Flight.
Choice 2: Fight.

He chose [Fight.] I sided him. We'll go on to the end, shoulder-to-shoulder. You want to rob that Presidency...

..."You'll play Hell gettin' it done."

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

Trump is engaging in numerous Fascist concepts and practices.

That's what you're getting behind. Look at my topic I posted today where your President literally endorsed "Show patriotism or get out of the country."

If that's the kind of leader you want, then I fully understand your political views, and have zero respect for them.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Yeah, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah,,,[Fascist, Hitler, brown shirts, Tikee Torches on & on]. You drag that materiel out every time you get your ass in a sling. It ain't gonna work this time.

I expect you to have [zero respect.] This is an all out street brawl, make no mistake about it. You've been called. We'll see if you can stand the gaffe. But, we ain't walkin' away. "No sir. You couldn't drag me away."

He's gonna hit you with everything he's got. And I support him in this grailed quest every step of the way.

The 45th

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

I understand your view, you want Trump "at all costs."

Those costs are going up every day, and one day you're gonna look back at the huge bill you've accrued and then realize your mouth has been writing checks your ass can't cash.

I call out Fascism when I see Fascism, and I point out why it's Fascism. If you want to be willfully blind to it based on pure obedience to your Emperor Orange Julius, then have at it.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

I don't need your blessing to soldier, Froggy.

This is why the 2nd Amendment exists. (They) warned us about the gov't becoming too powerful, too corrupt. If we give you our guns then when you arrive to remove "Trump" you'll succeed. You'll think twice now and you'll stay off the fuckin' grass.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

Also, thank you for confirming very strongly that my original question was very inconvenient for you.

You've done a noble job of dodging it.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Horseshit. You're mad because he made President. You'll grudge him...not until he's no longer President, but, till your dying day, Froggy.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

You talk a good fight, but one question makes you tremble in fear and sends you scrambling to hide in the shadows.

I know what that is.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Don't get cryptic with me, Froggy. You got something on your chest beside your chin get it off.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

What that is, is shame.

There's an element to answering that question, a temptation of a power of suppression that you WANT to endorse, yet at the same time you know it's wrong and you know you shouldn't get behind that.

It's tearing you in two. Basic cognitive dissonance.

Thus, you refuse to answer and wildly change the subject.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

I call horseshit. I answered your query numerous time.

You had no shame when you had the con forever. Now, NOW, now you want to play according to Hoyle. No, uh, uh. Then you'll win. If we play by the rules you'll win. You know that. That's why you go back to the rule book now. Now it serves you, you can be bothered with it.

Uh, uh. This is a fight for survival of this Presidency. And we're going to use every tool, legal, or, illegal at our disposal to sustain it. I got nary problem with that strategy.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

And we're going to use every tool, legal, or, illegal at our disposal to sustain it. I got nary problem with that strategy.

Good to know, I'll note that for the future.

[–] Culburn (3638) 7 years ago

Marked.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

https://www.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/52/MPW-26164

=)

[–] Gd5150 (11965) 7 years ago

Wow this issue will surely carry the pathetic demokkkrat party over the top in November. Lmao!!!!

#TrumpOrange

[–] ThreeTenToYuma (922) 7 years ago

Ridiculous ruling.

[–] dlancer (2036) 7 years ago

I really wish Twitter would just kick him off the platform already. Not because he's violated their TOS, but because it'd be soooo interesting to see how he deals with it.

[–] eYeDEF (5050) 7 years ago

Oooh, that doesn't sound like it'd be safe.

Having to endure watching him go through twitter withdrawal.

Actually, it's pretty predictable what would happen next. He'd start making threats at twitter to reinstate him, threaten to sue, declare twitter a foreign enemy of the state, and if that didn't work he'd threaten them with financial ruin and devastation. It'd be like the shit he tried to pull on Bezos but with 100x the desperation.

It'd be very ugly watching that public meltdown. But of course the pro-business party of stooge Republican hypocrites would of course stand behind him and support him the whole way.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

but how would he do that without twitter to twit on?

[–] eYeDEF (5050) 7 years ago

Great question!

I can imagine him breaking out in cold sweat in the middle of the night, going through convulsions from not getting his twitter fix. LOLOL!

I can even see him try to start another account. That would be hilarious to see a @SuperDuperRealDonaldTrump pop up and try to convince the masses he was the president before twitter got wind of it and banned him again! haha.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

This also needs to lead to libel lawsuits against Trump. Since he declared his Twitter account to be official government correspondence last year after the election, every time he tweets that a news media is "fake news," he is opening himself up to another libel lawsuit.

Furthermore, it can be seen as attempted government suppression of opposing viewpoints and news media.

That's the problem with electing a businessman as President, he is accustomed to being a dictator and he wants that brought into his public office. One big problem I've seen with his supporters is that they LIKE that part about him, they think it's refreshing and that he's "strong" but they don't realize that it's pure Fascism.

This is how it starts. This is how Democracy slides into Dictatorship.

Furthermore: "The True Damage of Trump’s ‘Fake News"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/04/opinion/trump-washington-post-amazon.html

[–] eYeDEF (5050) 7 years ago

Yes exactly. A free press is one of the essential pillars of "checks and balances" necessary for a functioning and healthy democracy. Its role is to provide public oversight of government power.

If Trump's goal is to undermine democracy and establish autocracy, this is a textbook playbook of how its done. First undermine and weaken the democratic institutions of checks and balances designed to prevent tyrannical presidential power. Those are congress (which has already been co-opted with GOP majorities unwilling to act in their role of oversight), the judiciary (packing the courts with friendly judges, which he's well on his way to doing. If Kennedy retires this summer, we're even more fucked), and the free press.

With his allies in conservative media he just needs to delegitimize all unfavorable media, which he does when he cries "fake news". The battle cry strengthens his base because they believe him that all negative coverage of him is fake. That serves to isolate them in their bubble from the rest of the world by making them impervious to legitimate sources of news.

It's how Erdogan in Turkey did it to transform his supporters into fanatical diehards before he became so powerful he was able to start jailing members of the press he deemed responsible for negative coverage.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 7 years ago

http://money.cnn.com/2018/04/20/media/james-comey-trump-jail-journalists/index.html

James Comey, the former FBI director, said he laughed when President Donald Trump suggested he might have to jail journalists to send a message about unauthorized leaks

[–] Rorikon (18389) 7 years ago

Only going forward though. He can't block new users but he can keep the one's he's already blocked before the court ruling took in effect.

[–] atarofker (344) 7 years ago

That's what you get for being a racist piece of shit.