Nation

Texas Gov. Abbott proposes legislation to ban social media censorship

Published

2 years ago

March 6, 2021

While many complain about censorship, Gov. Greg Abbott is looking to take real action against big tech censorship in the state of Texas.

Abbott held a press conference Friday where he proposed new legislation to prohibit social media sites from censoring viewpoints.

Gov. Greg Abbott announces effort to ban social media censorship in Texas https://t.co/vzFbQQjjnb
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) March 6, 2021

As reported by the Blaze, Abbott held the conference with state senator Bryan Hughes to discuss a new bill, Senate Bill 12, which “will help prohibit social media companies from censoring Texans based on the viewpoints they express.”

I joined @SenBryanHughes to announce a bill that would prevent social media companies like Twitter & Facebook from censoring conservative speech & beliefs.

Silencing conservative views is un-American, it's un-Texan and it's about to be illegal in Texas.https://t.co/JsPam2XyqD
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 6, 2021

“Conservative speech will not be canceled in the state of Texas,” Abbott said Friday. “We see that the First Amendment is under assault by the social media companies, and that is not going to be tolerated in Texas.”

The governor called out social media platforms for seeking to censor conservative viewpoints.

#SB12 will allow Texans to participate on the virtual public square free from Silicon Valley censorship.
Thank you Gov. @GregAbbott_TX for coming to #EastTexas and thank you for your support. #FreeSpeech #txlege https://t.co/xY998zjBuA
— Senator Bryan Hughes (@SenBryanHughes) March 6, 2021

“Senator Hughes’ bill, Senate Bill 12, protects Texans from being wrongfully censored on social media, making sure that their voices are going to be heard and not canceled or silenced,” he said.

Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have now become a “modern-day public square,” he said yet they are controlling what people here and who gets a voice.

Read the Senate bill here.

Featured

Trump: Tanks to Ukraine could escalate to use of ‘NUKES’

Published

8 hours ago

January 26, 2023

Alexander Carter

Former President Donald Trump stated bluntly on Truth Social, “FIRST COME THE TANKS, THEN COME THE NUKES. Get this crazy war ended, NOW. So easy to do!”

Trump was referring to the escalation of war in Ukraine. He, like many other commentators and lawmakers, are warning that the decision to continue sending weapons – and now tanks – could potentially lead to the use of “nuclear weapons.”

It’s mission creep and it’s dangerous, they say.

Why? Because Russian President Valdimir Putin has indicated in two different speeches that he would use nuclear weapons to defend Russia, if needed. Those warnings are not just bluster but a very real possibility.

And the escalation of war is visible.

Russia launched 55 missiles strikes across Ukraine Thursday, leaving 11 dead. The strikes come one day after the United States and Germany agreed to send tanks to Ukraine in an effort to aide the country. 47 of the 55 missiles were shot down according to Ukraine’s Air Force command.

Eleven lives were lost and another 11 were injured additionally leaving 35 buildings damaged in the wake of the attacks. According to The New York Times, Denys Shmyhal, said in a post on Telegram. “The main goal is energy facilities, providing Ukrainians with light and heat,” he said.

Ukraine is now demanding that they need F-16 fighter jets. In a post on twitter Ukrainian lawmaker, Oleksiy Goncharenko said, “Missiles again over Ukraine. We need F16.”

Morning. Missiles again over Ukraine. We need F16.

— Oleksiy Goncharenko (@GoncharenkoUa) January 26, 2023

The US has abstained from sending advanced jets in the chances that a volatile decision could foster more dangerous attacks like former President Trump’s post on Truth referred to. If the US did authorize the decision to lend Ukraine the F-16 jets Netherlands’ foreign minister, Wopke Hoekstra, would be willing to supply them. According to The New York Times, Hoekstra told Dutch lawmakers, “We are open-minded… There are no taboos.”

F-16 fighter jets are complex to work on, they are not the average aircraft that can be learned in a matter of weeks. It can take months for pilots to learn how to fly these birds. European and US officials have the concern that Ukrainian forces could potentially use the jets to fly into Russian airspace and launch attacks on Russian soil.

Western allies are trying to avoid such a provocation, because that could lead to nuclear warfare in reference to what Putin has said he would do to defend his country.