In yet another blatant example of big-tech censorship, Twitter has suspended conservative commentator and founder of the Blexit movement Candace Owens (shown). Owens was suspended for a Friday tweet criticizing Michigan governor and vice-presidential hopeful Gretchen Whitmer’s authoritarian handling of the coronovirus in the state.
Owens referred to Whitmer as a “dictator” and encouraged Michiganders to defy the governor’s orders and go back to work. Whitmer has faced large-scale protests over her strict orders prohibiting work and travel in the state.
“Apparently [Whitmer] believes she is a duly elected dictator of a socialist country,” Owens wrote. “The people of Michigan need to stand up to her. Open your businesses. Go to work. The police think she’s crazy too. They are not going to arrest 10,000,000 people for going to work.”
A search for the tweet yields only the message: “This Tweet is no longer available.”
A representative for Twitter told the Washington Examiner that Owens’ tweet violated a COVID-19 specific guideline which states no one can, “[Deny] … government body recommendations to decrease an individual’s likelihood of exposure to COVID-19 with the intent to influence users into acting contrary to recommended guidance.”
Owens’ account will not be reinstated until she removes the offending tweet — something she has refused to do, thus far. Owens told the Washington Examiner that she stands by her comment.
“I unequivocally stand by every word of my tweet,” Owens said. “If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez can use Twitter’s platform to encourage workers to walk out and boycott — I should be allowed to encourage lawful citizens to resume work. The only person breaking any laws is governor-turned-dictator Gretchen Whitmer, who is impoverishing millions, ignoring the votes of her state legislature, and as a result, rolling over the constitutionally protected rights of Michigan citizens.”
It’s not the first time Owens has run afoul of the Silicon Valley thought police. Last year, Facebook temporarily shut down her account for posting poverty statistics in fatherless homes and encouraging African-Americans to think for themselves instead of blindly following liberal policies.
“Black America must wake up to the great liberal hoax,” Owens wrote. “White supremacy is not a threat. Liberal supremacy is.”
Originally meant to be a one-week suspension, Facebook backed down after a few hours and reinstated Owens’ account due to severe internet backlash. Thus far, Twitter is sticking to its guns.
Some of Owens’ other tweets bashing the coronavirus response remain viewable. On Friday, she tweeted:
To all of you frauds who claimed shutting down the nation was about helping the “front line” doctors and nurses.
Now thousands of healthcare workers are unemployed as their empty hospitals are facing financial ruin.
That is the price of your #coronavirus grand-standing.
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 1, 2020
She also bashed the Democrats’ vote-by-mail scam:
Can we skip to the part in this pandemic when journalists will claim the virus has returned deadlier than ever—and Democrats will mount a demand for a full mail-in Presidential election so they can attempt to rig it.
We all know where this is going. Let’s just get there already
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 1, 2020
In all three of her tweets, Owens hits the nail on the head. Democrats, while not responsible for the virus, are using it as a tool to, as Representative James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said, “restructure things to fit [their] vision.” And it’s galling.
Twitter is a private company. Sure, it can legally suspend someone for his or her point of view, but in this case, it’s unethical. If a Christian baker refuses to bake a cake for a gay wedding, they are pilloried for it on Twitter with no consequences. But Twitter itself stifles the First Amendment and the Left applauds it.
Owens may be right. Perhaps the only way to get the country moving again is for the people to say, “enough!” and begin to go to work again. Governments — federal, state and local — have acted in authoritarian and unconstitutional ways in their efforts to “keep us safe.” Maybe it’s finally time to let them know that we can watch out for ourselves.
Photo: AP Images
James Murphy is a freelance journalist who writes on a variety of subjects, with a primary focus on the ongoing anthropogenic climate-change hoax and cultural issues. He can be reached at [email protected]
