RocketBoySep 19, 2025

I don’t think The People understand the Constitution and The Bill of Rights. Let’s look at The First Amendment of the US Constitution:

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This Amendment restricts the federal government from creating laws (which they have and we allow), but does not provide protection from the consequences of said freedom of speech from your employer, family, friends or society in general.

Show threadMichael HSep 19, 2025

@RocketBoy *cracks knuckles* It's been a while since I've had a meaty internet politics discussion thread, so here it goes!

I think that understanding of the 1st Amendment is pretty darn clear. The outrage are the petty intimidation and threats from the current administration regarding content they find disagreeable vis-à-vis the licensing & enforcement powers of the FCC.

Or, let's bring it here. What if I received a threatening letter from the FCC or FTC or whomever, saying that I was allowing speech or content disagreeable to the current Administration? And in that letter, they threatened all sorts of nasty shit that could cost me $$$ by taking me to court, fining me, or something else?

They don't have to "ban" me - they just need to make the continued operation of this site so intolerable that I have no choice but to shut it down.

The point is, the gov't - especially the Federal gov't an immense enforcement power that, when used in an arbitrary and mendacious manner, is literally the opposite of the intent of 1st Amendment with regard to free speech.

Show threadMichael HSep 19, 2025
@RocketBoy ...and, if it was a Democratic administration telling me that your opinions (which, I've gathered are a bit to other side of the political spectrum compared to me) shouldn't be allowed on theATL.social, I'd defend your right to speech and freedom from gov't interference in that.
Show threadRocketBoy

@michael My understanding is both NexStar and Sinclair Broadcasting told Disney they were going to drop Kimmel’s show because of his comments. He’s been doing this for years - making all kinds of comments from the Hollywood Bubble. It was a matter of time.

As for the FCC and the current administration. I don’t agree with the messaging. Businesses have rights like people have rights. The Government can make things hard for the citizens or they can follow the Constitution. The Bill of Rights was included to assure the anti-federalists that individual liberties would not be compromised. We have fallen far from that.

Sep 19, 2025 at 1:39amWeb
Show threadMichael HSep 19, 2025

@RocketBoy I'll wait to comment until there is a clearer understanding of the facts regarding what the FCC Chair said or did not say, and what Trump also said (or did not say).

If, in fact, this was ABC's own customers telling them they didn't want Kimmel, and that decision wasn't made under duress due to a gov't diktat, then yes, I agree that that action does not fall under the 1st amendment.

edit: spelling

Show threadRocketBoySep 19, 2025
@michael I’m am just right of center politically and work as a federal contractor. I’m regularly conflicted 😐. The promise of platforms like Mastodon is to allow the digital version of the “town square”. Freedom of speech and the open expression of ideas. Hopefully that comes without bans and doxxing. I also have a computer background and appreciate the work you all do to keep theatl.social running.
Show threadMichael HSep 19, 2025
@RocketBoy Thank you for your kind note! I believe in that vision too, and I appreciate your contributions to the community - I'd rather be in a community where folks can respectively debate with each other than one where everyone has the same opinions!
Show threadMichael HSep 19, 2025

@RocketBoy - I wanted to follow-up. Reading the latest comments, it's pretty darn clear that this is government interference in speech.

Between Brandon Carr's "we can do this the easy way or the hard way", and Trump comments from AF1 explicitly stating that he's going to retaliate for bad coverage against him - I don't know how much clearer you can get for government interference.

I just want to call a spade a spade on this one - there's absolutely no nuance to what's going on.

--

And, where our philosophies differ is on the role of government. It's easy to hand-wave and say that a minimalist gov't is all that's needed. Until we factor in things like non-tainted food, not dying of preventable diseases, being able to have one's basic needs met, and the real human need for health care.

What's the point of even having a government if we're all sick or dead, living in misery from paycheck to paycheck, etc?

Watching news and listening to opinions is the point - that's politics, and that's how democracies make decisions.

I'd rather live in a country with polarized opinions than one that must only regurgitate the gov'ts opinions.

cc: @DecaturNature

Show threadRocketBoySep 19, 2025

@michael @DecaturNature I’m not looking for anarchy. We need laws, regulations and rules for society to function. I’m just in the belief that resources are better used closer to where the people actually are vs in the hands of bureaucrats.

As for the FCC chairman and Trump administration, yeah we are seeing the blatant over use of government.

Charlie Kirk did not deserve to be killed. Putting myself in position of authority, having someone I knew murdered publicly, I’d probably react similarly. I’m not saying that is right or even good, but somewhat understandable.

So back to my original post. We have the US Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Amendments to be the guide when we have politicians who polarize the citizenship for personal or ideological purposes.

Show threadNundrumSep 19, 2025

@RocketBoy @michael @DecaturNature
It's so much worse than Kimmel.

https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/fbi-readies-new-war-on-trans-people

FBI Readies New War on Trans People

“We’re looking at the entire spider web”

Ken Klippenstein
Show threadMichael HSep 19, 2025

@Nundrum @RocketBoy @DecaturNature Yeah, I fear (and unfortunately expect) that the bad folks are testing the boundaries of what they can get away with.

...which makes opposition to that all the more important.

Show threadRocketBoySep 20, 2025
@michael @Nundrum @DecaturNature Keep your eyes open and your mind clear. There are forces that want to trigger a resistance, counter revolution or civil war between our citizens. They can’t weaken us, but from within. Don’t let them.
Show threadMichael HSep 20, 2025

@RocketBoy @Nundrum @DecaturNature with all due respect, I and many others are engaging in one of the oldest and most cherished traditions of this country: non-violent civic participation and engagement.

From whatever forces are trying to tear us apart (which, in my opinion, are more internal than external at this point), the best counter to that is organizing good people to come together, elect officials we believe can offer a better future, and build community in the process.

The only weakness that can occur is when people to get too cynical to want to participate in our democracy.

And the one thing that would stop tearing us apart would be if the executive branch of our federal government stops criminalizing speech that is clearly and unambiguously protected by the First Amendment.