We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Short form, Jefferson (like all educated men of his day) used Aristotle's definitions. For Aristotle, happiness meant "living as you were intended to live" or "living virtuously" (his definition of virtue was also different than ours though.) All ancient and Medieval philosophers and political theorists recognized that happiness and pleasure were different things, sometimes working at counter purposes to each other. (Porn brings many men pleasure, but it doesn't promote their happiness.) No one from Aristotle until the 19th century would have ever thought "the pursuit of happiness" meant "a right to do whatever brings you pleasure". That's an invention entirely of John Stuart Mill.
Imagine if the unalienable rights granted by the Creator read "life, liberty, and the pursuit of virtue". That is almost certainly what Jefferson intended.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Another wonderful article! I always think of Caitlin Flanagan’s quote: “Abigail Shrier is the smartest and most courageous reporter in the country.” Couldn’t agree more!
Censorship is not a government fetish but a ruling class fetish in general. So Zuckerburg can pretend he will not allow the govt to tell him what to do... because he knows the decisions he and his ilk make will be the same as what the govt ruling class wants. Because he and they see the world the same way.
That is why the ruling class is pulling out all the stops to destroy Elon Musk. Because unlike Zuckerburg, Musk is showing evidence of being a partial class-traitor, and class traitors must be maximally punished. Narrative preservation requires it.
Great post Abigail! I don't know if Zuckerberg had a change of heart but it is unlikely he will repeat the same mistake, for other reasons, one being he believes Trump will be president again. Kamala Harris has some sort of God complex. Why is she the arbiter of who should be banned from what platform and for what? The hubris is beyond. Kamala may try to put pressure on the social media companies but I don't think she will have that chance. Thank goodness Elon bought Twitter/X and knows how to stand up to bullies which is exactly what the Democrat party has become--a bunch of bullies. We need to keep pointing it out! sabrinalabow.substack.com
When Democrats start being censored for the same behavior (misinformation) and for not abiding by "community standards," things will begin to change. Imagine the same "community" standards applied to Democrats for misinformation.
I'm a Democrat and my accurate sex realist (i.e., anti-trans) comments would never see the light of day on social media because the companies have been captured by trans rights advocates and their allies. Comments that are critical of orthodox gender ideology get suppressed. It sucks. Social media are very badly broken in ways that affect just about everyone sooner or later.
Murthy v. Missouri was remanded back to the lower court. It’s not dead. Additionally, The Court later ruled that RFK Jrs case does have standing. Now that Zuckerberg sent that letter to Jim Jordan, it will be very helpful as this case is further litigated.
“ ‘I wouldn’t tell one of my clients to kick over that hornet’s nest. If they’re threatening or intimidating you, there’s probably a thousand things they can do to you that are visible and invisible to you,’ the lawyer said. “
Which is pretty much proof-positive that the “government” has crossed the rubicon from representative democracy to totalitarianism.
Always good stuff Abigail. A democracy trusts that its citizens will make informed decisions . Not always good decisions but without free speech you can’t make any meaningful decisions on anything . Clearly these politicians who encourage censorship hide behind keeping us safe. Tyrants always use that. They don’t believe we are capable of making decisions on our own and smelling bullshit. We are . And they reek of it
“ Clearly these politicians who encourage censorship hide behind keeping us safe. Tyrants always use that.”
I disagree. The leftists who encourage censorship hide behind the fact that the mainstream media and Big Tech are all on their side. Which is why they hate what Musk has done with Twitter.
Thanks for the expose` of Kamala Harris and Walz. Apparently they think the Bill of Rights is the Bill of Privileges; such privileges to be handed out or withheld by the government of course.
The Supreme Court's ruling on Murthy v Missouri (Missouri v. Biden) was on a preliminary junction. Since then, it has been enjoined with Kennedy v. Biden (the cases have been combined). The Circuit Court ruled that Kennedy and CHD do have standing with regards to the Supreme Court's ruling on the original preliminary injunction. So, there is now another preliminary injunction that is working its way back up through the courts. So, that case is far from over.
In addition, Berenson v. Biden is also very much an active case.
Enforcing government bureaucrats' version of truth is the Communist version of free speech. Their lies about COVID have all been called into question, yet they persist in repeating their lies.
Well written article. Harris and Walz are collectively a train wreck for civil liberties. The DNC, the self proclaimed vanguard of democracy, has done more to undermine that than almost any other admin in American history. The idea that there is a meaningful possibility that these two might win sickens me. How guano do you have to be to consider they’d be a good choice? Maybe somewhere out there in the multiverse but it sure ain’t here
Fantastic article. Great to see you on TFP. Walz is a baizuo who wants to censor us like his CCP masters: https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/tim-walz-baizuo-court-eunuch-useful-idiot
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
For July 4th, I wrote a post about how the word "happiness" was intended in the Declaration.
https://brianvillanueva.substack.com/p/phil-101-the-pursuit-of-happiness
Short form, Jefferson (like all educated men of his day) used Aristotle's definitions. For Aristotle, happiness meant "living as you were intended to live" or "living virtuously" (his definition of virtue was also different than ours though.) All ancient and Medieval philosophers and political theorists recognized that happiness and pleasure were different things, sometimes working at counter purposes to each other. (Porn brings many men pleasure, but it doesn't promote their happiness.) No one from Aristotle until the 19th century would have ever thought "the pursuit of happiness" meant "a right to do whatever brings you pleasure". That's an invention entirely of John Stuart Mill.
Imagine if the unalienable rights granted by the Creator read "life, liberty, and the pursuit of virtue". That is almost certainly what Jefferson intended.
❤️❤️❤️❤️ Another wonderful article! I always think of Caitlin Flanagan’s quote: “Abigail Shrier is the smartest and most courageous reporter in the country.” Couldn’t agree more!
Censorship is not a government fetish but a ruling class fetish in general. So Zuckerburg can pretend he will not allow the govt to tell him what to do... because he knows the decisions he and his ilk make will be the same as what the govt ruling class wants. Because he and they see the world the same way.
That is why the ruling class is pulling out all the stops to destroy Elon Musk. Because unlike Zuckerburg, Musk is showing evidence of being a partial class-traitor, and class traitors must be maximally punished. Narrative preservation requires it.
Great post Abigail! I don't know if Zuckerberg had a change of heart but it is unlikely he will repeat the same mistake, for other reasons, one being he believes Trump will be president again. Kamala Harris has some sort of God complex. Why is she the arbiter of who should be banned from what platform and for what? The hubris is beyond. Kamala may try to put pressure on the social media companies but I don't think she will have that chance. Thank goodness Elon bought Twitter/X and knows how to stand up to bullies which is exactly what the Democrat party has become--a bunch of bullies. We need to keep pointing it out! sabrinalabow.substack.com
When Democrats start being censored for the same behavior (misinformation) and for not abiding by "community standards," things will begin to change. Imagine the same "community" standards applied to Democrats for misinformation.
I'm a Democrat and my accurate sex realist (i.e., anti-trans) comments would never see the light of day on social media because the companies have been captured by trans rights advocates and their allies. Comments that are critical of orthodox gender ideology get suppressed. It sucks. Social media are very badly broken in ways that affect just about everyone sooner or later.
Who will do this censoring? Dream on.
The global scale and civil war level seriousness of the threat from the Censorship Industrial Complex must not be underestimated.
Murthy v. Missouri was remanded back to the lower court. It’s not dead. Additionally, The Court later ruled that RFK Jrs case does have standing. Now that Zuckerberg sent that letter to Jim Jordan, it will be very helpful as this case is further litigated.
“ ‘I wouldn’t tell one of my clients to kick over that hornet’s nest. If they’re threatening or intimidating you, there’s probably a thousand things they can do to you that are visible and invisible to you,’ the lawyer said. “
Which is pretty much proof-positive that the “government” has crossed the rubicon from representative democracy to totalitarianism.
Always good stuff Abigail. A democracy trusts that its citizens will make informed decisions . Not always good decisions but without free speech you can’t make any meaningful decisions on anything . Clearly these politicians who encourage censorship hide behind keeping us safe. Tyrants always use that. They don’t believe we are capable of making decisions on our own and smelling bullshit. We are . And they reek of it
“ Clearly these politicians who encourage censorship hide behind keeping us safe. Tyrants always use that.”
I disagree. The leftists who encourage censorship hide behind the fact that the mainstream media and Big Tech are all on their side. Which is why they hate what Musk has done with Twitter.
If you need further evidence of my claim below, see this absurd example here:
https://benthams.substack.com/p/rich-lowry-gets-cancelled-for-not
Thanks for the expose` of Kamala Harris and Walz. Apparently they think the Bill of Rights is the Bill of Privileges; such privileges to be handed out or withheld by the government of course.
“Based on her record: Not great.”
Nice piece.
My only quibble is how you could rate the chances as *high* as “Not great”, based on everything you wrote…
The Supreme Court's ruling on Murthy v Missouri (Missouri v. Biden) was on a preliminary junction. Since then, it has been enjoined with Kennedy v. Biden (the cases have been combined). The Circuit Court ruled that Kennedy and CHD do have standing with regards to the Supreme Court's ruling on the original preliminary injunction. So, there is now another preliminary injunction that is working its way back up through the courts. So, that case is far from over.
In addition, Berenson v. Biden is also very much an active case.
So good to know. I also thought it was over. Thanks for doing my homework for me.
Enforcing government bureaucrats' version of truth is the Communist version of free speech. Their lies about COVID have all been called into question, yet they persist in repeating their lies.
Well written article. Harris and Walz are collectively a train wreck for civil liberties. The DNC, the self proclaimed vanguard of democracy, has done more to undermine that than almost any other admin in American history. The idea that there is a meaningful possibility that these two might win sickens me. How guano do you have to be to consider they’d be a good choice? Maybe somewhere out there in the multiverse but it sure ain’t here
“Any platform that sues the administration invites the IRS or FCC or SEC to take a keen interest in its filings. “
For certain, the one agency that will never come calling on any social media platforms as long as the Democrats are in power is the FEC.
What are they going to threaten? An investigation into $Billions of unreported in-kind campaign contributions to the Democrats?
I think not!