“Who watches the watchmen?” is a classic question advanced in the “Watchmen” graphic novel series. Similar concerns have been advanced by great sci-fi authors such as Bradbury, Asimov, Orwell, and Huxley. One of the current watchmen in our culture is James O’Keefe of Project Veritas. His Twitter account has been removed after the undercover expose of a CNN director (projectveritas.com). The arbitrary removal of a voice from social media (Twitter has vague “rules” and “standards” without so much as an explanation of how those rules and standards are applied) should matter to everyone. [The “Twitter is a business” trope is a vain attempt to cover the obvious bias of such actions; I have spoken to these ideas in past writings here and elsewhere.]
Now some might think, “Good enough for him! His kind of ‘lies,’ ‘misinformation,’ and ‘whistle-blowing’ need to be shut down!” I say to us all, *beware.* Every time you utter such thinking not only do you marginalize another person’s voice, not only do you become an arbiter of what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong,’ but you begin to limit your own FREEDOM OF SPEECH. [I have made it clear from the outset of my social media platforms that I will always speak on behalf of pro-life and pro-freedom.] The narrowing of others’ voices will someday narrow your own.
Perhaps this has already occurred for you. You find yourself careful not to speak to certain topics or utter certain opinions because you are afraid of the blowback at your workplace or in the marketplace. [I am not speaking here of the classic biblical rejoinder “be quick to listen and slow to speak” James 1.19.] Ask yourself,
(1) Do I self-censor because I am in any way fearful of what others may think or say about me?
(2) Do I have no concern for others, for their point of view being heard?
(3) Do I care about knowing when journalistic bias may be true of my favorite news source?
I say to all of us, if we do not care, if we do not speak up, if we do not defend the rights of others to speak their perspective, it may not be long before our voices will be silenced for standing up for free speech. And, again, be wary that your views of what may be ‘misinformation’ may itself be based on misinformation. “Who watches the watchmen?” is a question that should concern us all.
Posted on my Facebook page, 16 April 2021
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