In the wake of Alex Jones’ content being banned on platforms including YouTube, Facebook, and Apple, individuals on the right side of the aisle are left wondering about what that means for their future. This is a worthwhile concern since the criteria for the removal centered around the very subjective idea of “hate speech.” The subjective definition of “hate speech” varies greatly from person to person.
As frustrating as it is at times, private companies have every right to remove content as they see fit. Thankfully, these decisions are still not made by legislatures. We all should hope that similar determinations stay in the hands of companies and away from the government.
[More: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey won’t ‘succumb’ to outside pressure, ban Alex Jones and InfoWars]
Increasingly, there is a quest to find solutions to combat this censorship. What conservatives, Republicans, and others should never do is ask that government be involved. These areas should be off-limits to politicians of all political persuasions. A much more constructive approach involves the creation of separate social media sites that cater to a more diverse clientele. While a few options exist, none are as popular as the previously mentioned social media giants. Frankly, it’s difficult to see how anything will ever be able to compete with those titans.
Since government involvement and tech domination are either ill-advised or currently wishful thinking, nonleftists have only one weapon in their arsenal: to work from the inside out. It is imperative that we don’t view those like Alex Jones, who peddle in fear-mongering and lies, as harmless. In fact, we should actively call out such appalling behavior even if those in question are considered closer to “our side.”
Thankfully, the majority of nonleftists, a group that has more than just Republicans or conservatives, do not seriously consider someone like Jones a credible source for anything. He deals in delusions and his audience of conspiracy theorists waits for each new, putrid offering with bated breath. A large portion of his appeal is his ability, such as it is, to “own the Libs.” Whether something is true or not doesn’t seem to matter to his onlookers. So long as he provides even fictitious support for their prejudices, they are satisfied. That’s a dangerous product.
[Also read: Media see slippery slope on social media after Alex Jones ban]
Unfortunately, the desire to win at any cost has become a bit of a mantra for nonleftists in the post-Obama era. For too long, we’ve been under the shadow of creeping progressivism. It makes sense that we would want to fight it at every turn. As a conservative, I understand that. I share it, too. But we’ve begun to compromise in ways that would have seemed especially inappropriate to us only a few years ago. Liberty must be coupled with responsibility. Preaching freedom with no constraints or borders is not wise, either. In addition, the desire for a “big tent” approach to politics can often do more harm than good. Inviting anyone and everyone into said tent will become an issue sooner or later. If we don’t have clear lines indicating what is acceptable and what is not, we’re asking for trouble.
While I don’t believe that Alex Jones is widely accepted in conservative circles, there remains a fair number of people who are willing to give him some attention, in case he stumbles across something of supposed importance. Furthermore, there seems to be a hurry to defend him, the man who believes Sept. 11 was an inside job and the Sandy Hook massacre never happened. His statements are willfully misleading and utterly painful. His brand does much damage.
We should never wait around for the Left to come in and clean up our side. We should do that ourselves. Individuals like Jones who manufacture outrage and spread falsehoods should find that the market on the Right for their wares is minuscule. The best way to do that is to not only loudly condemn the behavior as it presents itself but show that truth is our aim. That way, we’ll naturally root out the Alex Joneses before they can fully materialize.
Censorship that seeks to ban everything that one disagrees with will eventually affect us all. When it does, we either have to move on completely or create a new environment where we can share our ideas. As of now, all we can control are the standards by which we measure legitimacy. If we want to change the nonleftist arena for the better, those standards must remain high.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a senior contributor at RedState.com.
