You probably know Parkland mass shooting survivor Ryan Deitsch — he’s the red-headed Parkland student who’s always pictured on those magazine covers with David Hogg and Emma Gonzalaz, and he was also the content creator for the March for Our Lives.
On Saturday, Deitsch passed along a Newsweek article to Rick Scott, Ron DeSantis, and Marco Rubio (to whom the students showed zero respect during CNN’s hasty “town hall”).
This idea could potentially save lives.
Please consider this for Florida.
It could have aided in preventing the Parkland shooting given the disturbing recorded social media history of the shooter.
CC: @ScottforFlorida @RonDeSantisFL @marcorubio https://t.co/dg26I5ipHy
— Ryan Deitsch (@Ryan_Deitsch) November 24, 2018
So what’s the idea? Newsweek reports that a proposed bill in New York State would make it so that “anyone wanting to buy a pistol or renew their permit will be subject to a review of their internet history and social media accounts going back up to three years.”
OK, so the people who are actually paid to monitor Twitter can’t even figure out whom to ban and for what reason other than “hateful language” — so we don’t put much faith in New York’s government to do any better rummaging through three years of tweets and Facebook posts.
If the bill passes, investigators would be able to look for posts or searches that contain threats to the health or safety of others; intentions to carry out an act of terrorism; or commonly known profane slurs or biased language describing the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person.
In order for investigators to access personal accounts, applicants would have to give over their login details to social media platforms such as Facebook Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram.
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Did you catch that? Profane slurs describing the sexual orientation of a person? So if Twitter will ban you for calling Chelsea Manning “Bradley” because it’s hateful, what standard will New York State follow?
The Broward Sheriffs Department had 40+ warnings about the shooter. Their lack of access to his Youtube comments was not the problem.
But sure, let's make government approval of our social media posts a condition for exercising our constitutional rights. What could go wrong? https://t.co/p8BUUxXh7u
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) November 24, 2018
Remember that the FBI had access to his YouTube comments, but couldn't figure out what "I want to be a professional school shooter" meant.
— Charles Hoskinson (@cehoskinson) November 24, 2018
They say the best way to understand an issue is to make a strong, not straw man argument against it. Ryan I suggest you try that. Spend some time contemplating why this may be a bad or unconstitutional idea and how it may go bad. You might change your mind.
— Jim Young (@jimyoung2817) November 24, 2018
The true disconnect here is that people think that giving away someone else's rights is a solution. They fail to understand that once you set a precedent that taking away rights to achieve "security" it doesn't end with other people's rights. Governments will abuse power.
— FLmope (@FLMOPE) November 24, 2018
No. If the FBI had acted on the call from the shooters family or Broward County had put student safety over the feel good BS of the Promise program, Parkland doesn't happen. Stop advocating rights erosion when the the laws on the books now are not properly enforced.
— Captain Tendertosterone (@thepocketgeek) November 24, 2018
You know what also could’ve changed the outcome in parkland? Having @FeisJohanna’s brother armed
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) November 24, 2018
The sad truth they want to ignore. They are more concerned with keeping ALL guns out of everyones hands(even heroes like Aaron, Chris), than they are about protecting kids. We now know from the videos that Feis was within feet of him and could have taken him out.
— Louis (@ascorbated) November 24, 2018
No. not even a remotely good idea. Besides who decides whats a problem and whats not? Seems rather authitorian honestly.
— Matt Munson (@geekymutt) November 24, 2018
Such a law violates the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 14 Amendments. Putting the Constitution through a paper shredder will not stop mass murderers.
— ?/K/aitilyn?? (@kitty_Kaiti) November 24, 2018
This is an insane idea and violates multiple Constitutional rights.
— Steve Easterling (@grim_prime) November 24, 2018
Perhaps we should also have the government review social media posts to determine who should have the right to free speech? If your posts are too stupid and unconstitutional perhaps you shouldn't be granted the right to speak?
— Krista (@iamkristaleigh) November 24, 2018
Are you high?
— Pete???? (@usafss74) November 24, 2018
Absolutely ridiculous.
— Daniel Bobke (@DanielBobke) November 24, 2018
I am from NY. I am all for common sense gun reform . I have children and want them safe. I am not in favor of this bill. I looked up the text. As it stands I see no provision for confidentiality in this & it is left to local law enforcement to carry out. It covers (continued)
— Heather Quattrone (@HCQuattrone) November 24, 2018
Social media, electronic devices and search engine. Logins are an invasion of other people’s privacy who share information with you privately. I see no provision for confidentiality in the bill.
— Heather Quattrone (@HCQuattrone) November 24, 2018
Authorities failed miserably in preventing this shooting despite plenty of actionable information murderer was unstable. Now you want to give them more power intrude into the lives of people who didn’t do it Oppression and tyranny arise from thinking such as this.
— Aware & Uncompliant (@RoadbikeRon) November 24, 2018
It's a dystopian and authoritarian proposal.
So of course I'm not surprised to see today's left embrace it.
— Stephen Delucchi (@StephenDelucchi) November 24, 2018
They should just quarter government watchers in our homes in case we say something without posting it.
— Phillip J Hubbell (@PJHubbell) November 24, 2018
Related:
So many red flags: More than 30 people didn’t report Parkland shooter’s disturbing behavior https://t.co/OjYAELI2e6
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) November 18, 2018
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