CNN media guy Oliver Darcy blocked Twitchy after we began looking into his seemingly single-minded crusade to have InfoWars’ Alex Jones — and only Alex Jones — banned from Twitter. When Twitter claimed that Jones hadn’t broken the terms of service, Darcy and CNN themselves scrubbed through Jones’ timeline to find examples of where he had.
Two things we found odd: first, that a cable news network that’s always crying about attacks on free speech was so adamant to get someone “deplatformed,” and second, that the sole focus was Alex Jones, and not, say, Louis Farrakhan.
Now Facebook has banned Jones and Farrakhan, whom The Washington Post described as a “far-right leader” in its headline, and President Trump has taken notice. As Twitchy mentioned earlier, he tweeted Friday that he was “so surprised to see Conservative thinkers like James Woods banned from Twitter, and Paul Watson banned from Facebook!”
CNN hall monitors Darcy and Brian Stelter published a piece Saturday about Trump tweeting his support for “far-right figures.”
Trump tweets support for far-right figures banned by Facebookhttps://t.co/x7dckbKNo0 pic.twitter.com/DkEUHsBzy8
— CNN (@CNN) May 4, 2019
Check out this shocker from Friday:
I am continuing to monitor the censorship of AMERICAN CITIZENS on social media platforms. This is the United States of America — and we have what’s known as FREEDOM OF SPEECH! We are monitoring and watching, closely!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2019
And this follow-up on Saturday, echoing Sen. Ted Cruz’s tweet:
How can it be possible that James Woods (and many others), a strong but responsible Conservative Voice, is banned from Twitter? Social Media & Fake News Media, together with their partner, the Democrat Party, have no idea the problems they are causing for themselves. VERY UNFAIR!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2019
This just happened. The President retweeted @prisonplanet and @Lauren_Southern. pic.twitter.com/kL5d5ZaebE
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 4, 2019
This is the greatest timeline.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 4, 2019
Watson is an Alex Jones protege who among other things has trafficked in 9/11 conspiracy theories. https://t.co/VuUnMduqlQ
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 3, 2019
Maggie Haberman is a George Soros protege who among others have trafficked Russian collusion conspiracy theories for the past two years. https://t.co/GVbLuPrQsH
— Catturd (@catturd2) May 4, 2019
This is rich coming from someone who trafficked in Russian collusion conspiracy theories for the past two years. But hey, we can all open our bakery right?
— Katie Scarlet (@Katiescarlet2) May 4, 2019
Good!!
— againststupid (@againststupid1) May 4, 2019
Good. Free Speech!!!
— Rbf (@rbfinnwa) May 4, 2019
God bless our President. He's a wonderful man.
— Bryon Ingle (@bryon_ingle) May 4, 2019
He supports free speech seems to me…
— Rebeckahtx ✝️ (@Rebeckahtx) May 4, 2019
He’s supporting free speech
— Kevin Haig (@ski01kev) May 4, 2019
Trump tweets support for free speech, whether it be far right or far left. @OANN @FoxNews
— Martin Renteria (@CheckmateInv) May 4, 2019
Good! Someone has to stand up for free speech because we all know @CNN won't.
— The Mueller Report (@TheMuellerRepo) May 4, 2019
Alternate headline: Trump defends free speech because @CNN won't.
— Nuclear Herbs (@NuclearHerbs) May 4, 2019
Defending free speech. What a President should do.
— Zachary Rice (@zjrice90) May 4, 2019
He should. We have freedoms to say whatever you want whether anyone agrees or not. You also have the freedom to disagree. It ends there and you carry on.
— Action Albert (@Dgner8Gamblers4) May 4, 2019
I don’t agree with a lot of people. You can be a racist, with a hateful message. As long as it’s just speech. I don’t care. I don’t have to listen. Your words cannot break me.
— Private Protection (@SoloProtection) May 4, 2019
I know that most people hate this guy… but let's be honest HE HAS A POINT ! No one should be banned from any kind of social media just for expressing his/her point of view.
— Miriam Hany (@MiriamHany1) May 4, 2019
Is “Learn to code” still considered “targeted harassment” of journalists and worthy of a Twitter time-out?
Just so I’m clear… Define “far-right”.
And while you’re at it, do the same for “far-left”.
— Wilhelm (@herrwhitfield) May 4, 2019
“far-right” = everybody that CNN dislikes.
— João Fonseca (@JHFonseca) May 4, 2019
Far right= anyone not radical left
— julia (@juliaajohnson_) May 4, 2019
I mean if you consider Louis Farrakhan far right, then I agree with you. ??♂️
— $its $ (@Sits_Racha) May 4, 2019
Free speech is important. Unless you don't ever want to quote "far left" politicians like AOC, Bernie and MANY others of late ever again.
Practice what you preach or get down from off of the soapbox.
— Honorary American (@honoraryamerica) May 4, 2019
Every American should be worried about the banning. What happens when they ban your point of view?
“They won’t do that because my view is good and pure and clean”… you’re a sheep if you think this. “Views” change all the time. Just a matter of time.— Quintus A. Nonous (@uncommonsenz) May 4, 2019
Now I know CNN is just trolling Trump supporters and proponents of free speech.
— Scott Francis (@nscottfrancis71) May 4, 2019
CNN is becoming like a call in program with a limited viewership of Trump haters. Not helping your ratings.
— Andre.Haughto (@AndreHaughto) May 4, 2019
cnn a “news” organization is oddly opposed to free speech.
— Jfarf (@Jfarf2) May 4, 2019
Again, this piece was co-written by a guy who makes a living in the news business who made it his personal mission to have Alex Jones banned from Twitter … no wonder CNN is happy to have alternative views banned.
You clowns on the right really need to have a better understanding of censorship and free speech.
— Colin Loves Corgis (@ColinCorgi) May 4, 2019
Conservatives understand it very well https://t.co/5Zf47lytFs
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) May 4, 2019
Related:
CNN's Oliver Darcy still not satisfied with Facebook's handling of 'fake news' sites like InfoWars https://t.co/5u7NXZOZ0K
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 12, 2018
