Free-Speech & Censorship Aren't Just Government Concerns
In a corporate oligarchy like the U.S. corporations wield scary power over speech
I've had some good, clean fun laughing at Gina Carano the past day or so because sometimes it's cathartic to laugh at unrepentant bigots like her. She cares deeply about making fun of Trans people, about suggesting racism isn’t real, that the covid-19 pandemic isn’t all that big a deal, and about grossly mischaracterizing the Holocaust in a way that negates its victims’ suffering by somehow equating it to the minor backlash that wealthy celebrities like her receive for expressing hate speech.
So, you know, it is understandable for someone like me to find a small amount enjoyment in watching her finally face some amount of consequence as #FireGinaCarano began to trend on Twitter, ultimately leading to her reported firing by Disney. With that having been said, the situation also raises one of the most important issues of our day – corporate censorship.
Sure, a QAnon-styled bigot like Carano losing a cushy job is not exactly on the red alarm end of the corporate censorship spectrum of concern, but it’s on the spectrum nonetheless. And, in the 21st century, corporate censorship absolutely represents effective threats to our first amendment rights to freedom of speech, in the United States.
We live in a capitalist oligarchy, not a democracy. So, our corporate overlords are, effectively, state actors at this point, with many of their products being effective public utilities.
That means that, in practice, censorship isn't just about what governments do to us. The powerful, unaccountable corporations control our government through the legalized bribery systems known as lobbying and campaign contributions, and so they have the power to effectively censor us.
As a Leftist it is inconsistent to critique our political system as being under corporate capture and then act as though - in the 21st century - corporate censorship isn't as or more dangerous than government censorship.
It is also inconsistent for a Leftist to decry Google, and Facebook for targeting Leftist news & commentary outlets for digital disappearance or de-monetizing, but then say it's alright for those on the Right to have that happen to them.
Look, I don't think it's the worst thing in the world for people offended by celebrity bigotry to use market forces to make those celebs feel consequences for spreading lies and/or hateful views, but, what businesses do matters in a corporate oligarchy like ours. Disney didn’t #FireGinaCarano because they care about equity or are opponents of violence or hate speech (in fact, they’re a notoriously awful employer, and have directly or indirectly contributed to, benefited from, facilitated or allowed a great deal of misery in connection with their products).
It’s fine to enjoy a bigot getting some penalty for their hate speech. We all need catharsis sometimes.
Still, personally enjoying comeuppance for those who have repugnant beliefs we don’t agree with is not mutually exclusive to worrying about corporate censorship. History in this country tells us that, eventually, attacks on speech are always waged on the “good guys” as well as the bad ones.
That’s a choppy way of saying that ignorant hatemongers like Carano might be on the chopping block today, and it’s ok to enjoy that. Let’s just remember that tomorrow you or me might very well be next in line.