Elon Musk had three recent posts on X that are worth noting if you are opposed to censorship and cancellation.
The first was two cartoon panels with the question, “How do you tell who’s telling the Truth?” The next panel offered the answer: “The ones trying to silence other people are the ones lying.”
Just prior to that, Musk had reposted a post that reads, “President Trump’s State Department has announced it is coming to the defense of Elon Musk’s X after France labeled it an organized crime group and opened a criminal investigation. The State Department’s DLR [the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor] stated, ‘As part of a criminal investigation, an activist French prosecutor is requesting information on X’s proprietary algorithm and has classified X as an “organized crime group.” Democratic governments should allow all voices to be heard, not silence speech they dislike. The United States will defend the free speech of all Americans against acts of foreign censorship.’”
And just prior to that, Musk reposted a post from the conservative activist Mark Kern: “There is a full on attack on the Internet by the UK and EU, disguised as ‘for the children.’ The ID requirement is affecting even Discord users and X users. It is full on dystopian as they ramp up police to arrest people for speech.” Below that is a link to a Telegraph article with the headline “Elite Police Squad to Monitor Anti-Migrant Posts on Social Media.”
Multiple people I have spoken with in the U.S., the U.K. and the EU believe that Musk and his X platform represent the greatest single threat to the far left and its goal of pushing its narratives unchallenged across the globe. One way the left now seems intent on stopping Musk and X is by mimicking the various “lawfare” schemes rolled out against then-candidate Donald Trump prior to the 2024 election, which many Trump supporters saw as an unethical attempt to force him out of the race.
While that “lawfare” tactic failed — thanks in large part to Trump taking it head-on, day after day, while exposing it for what it was — activists in Europe and elsewhere believe the strategy can be refined and hardened for use against Musk and X in an attempt to intimidate, censor or silence them. Lest we forget, back in 2023, the European Union opened a probe into X for alleged “failure to counter illegal content and disinformation.”
Ah. The catch-all accusation frequently used by the intelligentsia on the left: “disinformation.” Recall the draconian COVID-19 dictates from the left enacted to combat “disinformation”?
Here is a January headline from ABC News: “EU politicians warn against Elon Musk’s incursions into European politics.” Of course, Musk might rightfully retort that his “disinformation” and “incursions” were not only protected free speech, but simply ways to point out severe double-standards and harmful policies that were having an adverse effect upon the majority of the citizens of those nations.
I wrote a piece for this site a year ago titled “Could Elon Musk actually be arrested and X cancelled?” I highlighted calls for Musk to be arrested for stating his opinions while anticipating that the personal animus directed against him, X and the internet by certain individuals and groups in Europe advocating for censorship and cancellation could grow. It now seems that I was correct.
All of which raises an obvious question:Why do so many on the left want to prevent people around the world from gathering as much information as possible on their own, then coming to their own conclusions based on their own research? Do they fear people thinking for themselves? Do they fear their own constituents, customers and neighbors?
Open minds open doors. I have always believed it imperative to listen to those I may disagree with. What if I am wrong and they are correct? What if they show me a truth I refused to believe out of ignorance, intolerance or indoctrination? Aren’t I the one getting a gift — one I could not receive if their voices were censored or canceled?
Alarmingly, many on the left in Europe — as well as in the U.S. — don’t seem to share my belief that we need to listen to those we disagree with. Note this April headline from The New York Times: “E.U. Prepares Major Penalties Against Elon Musk’s X.” The opening paragraph of the article spells it out: “European Union regulators are preparing major penalties against Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, for breaking a landmark law to combat illicit content and disinformation, said four people with knowledge of the plans.”
Once again, the left rolls out “illicit content and disinformation” against Musk, X and the internet. Of course, millions around the world who are against censorship and cancellation and strongly in favor of free speech might say this is a transparent attempt by some on the left to intimidate and censor a site and voices that expose their continual failures to billions of people around the world.
One person’s “disinformation” is another’s “irrefutable truth.” Don’t hide behind censorship. Let the people think for themselves.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official.
