But only because we understand the math here. We all must honor her request or else forfeit our own ability to speak in the public square. After all, she presented herself as Black and wanted to be considered Black - how dare Twitter users question her authenticity. But by Twitter’s rules for Babylon Bee, any publication that criticized Dolezal for claiming that identity should have been banned. I have no way of assessing how authentically Ms.

Rachel Dolezal, a white woman who presented herself as African American and became a chapter president at the NAACP, was subject to nearly unanimous condemnation for claiming an identity to which many feel she was not entitled. The fact that I don’t take astrology seriously doesn’t diminish the validity of others who swear by it.Ĭonsider a more poignant example. Obviously, gender identification and sex assignment are far more nuanced than astrology. The notion that he could have a valuable platform-and a media company’s ability to reach many thousands of people via the only real mass-market short form social network is very valuable-unilaterally taken from him is outrageous. Suppose that I identify as a Scorpio and some smart aleck tweeted that I actually exhibited the characteristics of a Libra. Growing up in Chicago, I used to love how the Tribune said I was a Scorpio while the Sun-Times called me a Libra. Press play to hear a narrated version of this story, presented by AudioHopper. It’s the same thing.īut the banning of Babylon Bee-and the Stalinist public apology that’s being demanded of them before Twitter will allow them back-is particularly insidious. The same people applauding Twitter’s decision to ban Babylon Bee are denouncing Florida’s Parental Rights in Education act as a “Don’t Say Gay” bill. While I don’t find misgendering to be the “assault” that its most hysterical opponents claim, I also, like Hannibal Lecter, find discourtesy unspeakably ugly.īut where are the classical liberal values? What the hell has happened to the left that they no longer understand their obligation to defend speech with which they disagree? Why do they no longer realize that the instant you normalize blocking distasteful speech you have paved the way for your own speech to be blocked. I want to state that I personally am of the opinion that it’s generally better to be kind to everyone, and call people by whatever name and pronouns they prefer. But because efforts by a de facto monopoly company to squelch ideas with which it disagrees cut across the soul of America’s founding ideals. Not because the Babylon Bee’s joke was appropriate, or even funny. Twitter’s banning of the Babylon Bee over its tweet naming transgender Biden administration official Rachel Levine its “man of the year” is an outrage.

Those questioning that identity have been banned by Twitter. Rachel Levine, four-star admiral and US assistant secretary for health, identifies as a woman.

Twitter bans babylon bee