The campaign to label all disagreement as “hate speech” is taking victims. My latest in PJ Media:
The Left is mounting an all-out assault against the freedom of speech, and is using Charlottesville as its Reichstag Fire moment to try to crush all dissent.
Several days ago, I received an email that set in motion a chain of events leading to my website, Jihad Watch, being dropped from PayPal. After an immense public outcry, the Jihad Watch PayPal account was restored — not that I ever intend to use it again. But this episode illustrates the Left’s determination to silence all of its foes rather than debate them, and these fascists won’t rest until no one dares oppose their agenda.
The email that started this incident has ominous implications far beyond the incident itself. Far-Left journalist Lauren Kirchner sent similar emails to other counter-jihad sites as well — here are her questions, along with the answers I sent her:
1) Do you disagree with the designation of your website as hate or extremist? Why?
Yes, certainly I do. For years, Leftists and Muslim groups with numerous ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood have smeared as “hate” all attempts to speak honestly about the motivating ideology behind jihad terrorism.
In reality, it is not hateful, racist or extremist to oppose jihad terror, and the claim that it is [is] not only libelous but insidious: the intent has clearly been to intimidate people into thinking it wrong to oppose jihad terror, and it has worked, as illustrated by the neighbors of the San Bernardino jihad murderers, who saw suspicious activity at their home but didn’t report them for fear of being “racist.”
2) We identified several tech companies on your website: PayPal, Amazon, Newsmax, and Revcontent. Can you confirm that you receive funds from your relationship with those tech companies? How would the loss of those funds affect your operations, and how would you be able to replace them?
The intent of your questions, and no doubt of your forthcoming article, will be to try to compel these sites to cut off any connection with us based on our opposition to jihad terror. Are you comfortable with what you’re enabling?
Not only are you inhibiting honest analysis of the nature and magnitude of the jihad threat, but you’re aiding the attempt to deny people a platform based on their political views. This could come back to bite you if your own views ever fall out of favor.
Have you ever lived in a totalitarian state, where the powerful determine the parameters of the public discourse and cut off all voice from the powerless? Do you really want to live in one now? You might find, once you get there, that it isn’t as wonderful as you thought it would be.
3) Have you been shut down by other tech companies for being an alleged hate or extremist web site? Which companies?
No. This is a new thing.
First came the ridiculous claim that opposing jihad terror was “hate,” and now comes the other shoe dropping: the attempt to cut out the ground from under the feet of those who “hate.” You can only hope that you aren’t similarly defamed one day; perhaps if that does happen, you will realize (too late) why the freedom of speech is an indispensable element of a free society.
4) Many people opposed to sites like yours are currently pressuring tech companies to cease their relationships with them — what is your view of this campaign? Why?
Nazis will be Nazis. Fascists will be fascists. Today they call themselves “Antifa” and the like, but they’re acting just like Hitler’s Brownshirts did, when they shouted down and assaulted anti-Nazi speakers. Now the violent thugs work in a more genteel fashion: they just pull the Internet plug on those they hate. You, Lauren Kirchner, are aiding and abetting a quintessentially fascist enterprise. Authoritarianism in service of any cause leads to a slave society despite the best intentions of those who helped usher it in.
I was trying to appeal to any residual sense of decency and fair play that Lauren Kirchner may have had, but it was to no avail. Last Saturday at 1:45 p.m., ProPublica published its hit piece, and it led off with me:
Because of its “extreme hostility toward Muslims,” the website Jihadwatch.org is considered an active hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. The views of the site’s director, Robert Spencer, on Islam led the British Home Office to ban him from entering the country in 2013.
But its designation as a hate site hasn’t stopped tech companies — including PayPal, Amazon and Newsmax — from maintaining partnerships with Jihad Watch that help to sustain it financially. PayPal facilitates donations to the site. Newsmax — the online news network run by President Donald Trump’s close friend Chris Ruddy — pays Jihad Watch in return for users clicking on its headlines. Until recently, Amazon allowed Jihad Watch to participate in a program that promised a cut of any book sales that the site generated. All three companies have policies that say they don’t do business with hate groups.
Within hours, PayPal bowed to this defamation. At 6:02 p.m., I got an email from PayPal saying:
[D]ue to the nature of your activities, we have chosen to discontinue service to you in accordance with PayPal’s User Agreement. As a result, we have placed a permanent limitation on your account.
Inside my PayPal account was a further notice:
When you signed up for your PayPal account, you agreed to our User Agreement and Acceptable Use Policy. Because some of your recent transactions violated this policy, we’ve had to permanently limit your account … This limitation cannot be appealed.
These vague messages illustrated the Kafkaesque nature of this Leftist enterprise: PayPal, like the SPLC itself, was acting as judge, jury and executioner. No discussion, no debate, no opposing view, no appeal was possible.
The SPLC never contacts its targets to ask them to respond to charges that they are “hate groups”; it simply hands down its ruling, which the establishment media uncritically accepts. And that’s that.
William A. Jacobson notes at Legal Insurrection:
SPLC, presumably ADL, and ProPublica just don’t like Robert Spencer’s opinions about the practice of Islamism and Jihad. Yet as we have seen in other contexts, rather than winning the war of ideas, they seek to stifle free speech and, in this case, dry up sources of revenue for their political opponents.
They failed this time. PayPal restored my account Monday night after being inundated with emails from people canceling their accounts over PayPal’s fascism.
But this is no time for complacency: PayPal hasn’t suddenly become hospitable to conservative views. The Left’s anti-free speech initiative is not going to stop.
They won’t stop until Jihad Watch is shut down, my books are not offered for sale on Amazon or anywhere else, and no one will dare host a speech by me or anyone else who dares to break with their ideological lockstep.
These fascists — who call themselves “anti-fascists” — are totalitarian: they are determined not to allow their opponents to murmur the slightest whisper of dissent.
Therefore I may be out of action before too long. This initiative is advancing very rapidly, and those who should be standing up to it — the establishment Republicans and the Trump administration — don’t show any sign of even being aware it is happening….
Read the rest here.
John A. Marre says
I have almost all of Robert Spencer’s books. I bought them at Amazon.com. One way to show support for Spencer is to buy his books. The most recent one is on Freedom of Speech. It is an excellent book, and very pertinent to the current insanity.
The left wants to silence anyone who says the truth about the inherently violent nature of Islam.
Paul N Silas says
The truth will always slip out, no matter what Communism does to stop it. Mao tried to stomp out the Christian church in Red China, now The Faith is growing there.
Stand tall and be tough Brother Spencer!
Barry Sommer says
I just checked Amazon, and Robert, your books are still available there. I searched “Robert Spencer books amazon” and they came up. Maybe tomorrow your books will be gone, but as of now they are still for sale. Just thought you should know. BTW, I have all your books and recommend them to any and all who want to learn about Islam. Thanks.
Robert Spencer says
Thanks, no claim was made that Amazon had taken them down.
Richie says
In the UK free speech is just about gone. The US is just playing catch up
Heidi says
You said “they do not debate”. Well, I can tell you for sure, based upon what I see with the Antifa in Germany, the do not debate because they haven’t gotten the brains to debate and it isn’t their goal. Their goal is to scare people stiff, destroy, slander and attack. This is what they are up to, attacking the police, setting citizens’ cars on fire, looting and attacking people, mainly the security forces. The leftist political parties are firm on the side of the “activists” who are nothing less than terrorists and criminals. This was G20 in Hamburg. This is going to happen to the US if you don’t stop them NOW. If they gain foothold, freedom of speech will no longer be possible https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuNHsoJVjTE
RichardL says
Heidi, of course you are right, but in a way, those people in the picture are worse than the antifa.
The picture really speaks for itself.
Heidi says
Here is another free-speech suppressor http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4815654/Valerie-Plame-Wilson-buy-Twitter-ban-President-Trump.html
Wellington says
As much as a menace Islam is to freedom, Leftism is an even greater menace because it functions within Western Civilization as a cancer slowly killing the civilization that pioneered freedom like no other civilization ever has. Minus Leftism, Islam, which is pure spiritual fascism just as Leftism is pure secular fascism, could be dealt with firmly and accurately, and thus contained with relative ease. With Leftism as an ally however, Islam is made much more powerful. And the combination of Leftism and Islam may very well end up destroying the greatest civilization mankind has ever constructed.
Verdict still out.
David says
+1(000). Excellent point. So true and insightful
Richard Paulsen says
Strange companies and different organisations obeying those doing like she against others.
She and they are insulting the freedom and those who gave us freedom and free speech within reasonable limits.
Missing on the peace loving female on the photo above the bracelet recommended by police in Sweden against rapes.
Otherwise she seems very accustomed to all symbols being used regarding peace and against violence.
boakai ngombu says
please don’t forget the acid bath freely given
Ric says
I have dealt with those of an extreme leftist/Communist bent for decades; however, not successfully as I would like. Admittedly, I am not an expert deprogrammer; obviously, this would be a prime prerequisite to be fruitful. Since the 60s and 70s, the extreme-leftist/Communist indoctrination of our youth was in its infancy. Over the subsequent decades, the intelligentsia of Marxism has learned from the failures of their predecessors.
Today’s extreme left the so-called leftist progressives are better led and indoctrinated to the point, thinking beyond the said leftist diktat is unlikely. The leftist/Communist propagandists, the intelligentsia, and the handlers are savvier in the mastery of rewiring the malleable minds of our youth, and others seeking a cause within the context of their meaningless lives. The Western leftist movement of today is not the left of decades past; they are hell-bent on turning the Western Democracies, including this Constitutional Republic into a totalitarian utopia. .The Communist Overlords have borne a naivete, gullibility, brazen civil-disorder, intolerance, and disdain for the Constitution within these drone-like true believers. Those of us daring to speak of a diverse political or social doctrine are perceived, condemned as enemies, a threat to their endeavor, a Socialist/Communist, collectivist state.
John A. Marre says
“Hate speech = murder”
So when Muslims yell their hate for Christians and Jews, it’s murder.
PRCS says
I imagine that would make no sense to the idiot holding that sign.
Keys says
I hate what you are saying, above pictured confused woman !
Have you dropped dead yet ?
Oh well, my hate speech must be malfunctioning.
Loison Helmer says
It’s happening in Canada too. The PM just called people who have concerns about illegals coming into Canada are racist and intolerant. Trying to shut down a number of conservative outlets as well. Just recently the Elementary Teachers of Ontario has called for the removal of offensive names from public schools including Sir John A. macDonald our first prime minister and Father of Confederation. Since we did not have slavert they are trying to link everything to our natives.
John Forbes says
I still am unable to comprehend the LOGIC behind ANTIFA ! They seem to be out to DESTROY DEMOCRACY ?
Makes no sense to me at all ?
I also cannot understand how Hillary Clinton agreed to :”side Step ” around the First Amendment & allow & work towards an end to Free Speech in the US ?
MUSLIM JUSTIN IN CANADA – I understand the alliance between SOROS & His Muslim Brotherhood Liberals & their aim to flood Canada with like Minded Muslims & then demand SHARIA
JUSTIN is a NEW & ENTHUSIASTIC CONVERT & is a VERY WEALTHY & SPOILED AIR HEAD who has been fed a lot of MARXIST RUBBISH from old MARXIST TRUDEAU & Brother SASHA the IRANIANS friend ( does documentary films for The AYATOLLAHS of IRAN & is also enamoured with SHIA ISLAM ! )
Actually here it would be interesting if the WAHABI SUNNI & IRANIAN SHIA had a falling out in their BANK & HOME BASE of EASTERN CANADA !!
shoehorn says
Hippy chicks decide what’s hate now?
shoehorn says
Australian Andrew Bolt likens the Left to the Taliban (because of their war on statues).
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/the-taliban-lefts-crazy-war-on-statues/news-story/eba60a5d37316d6b53fa3ea7e4e20322
PRCS says
Really good analogy!
Irene Brekelmans says
Why aren;t American people more informed about all this, “We the people are strong by number”
It is because they keep the people uninformed, for ages already and all governments do it. I just hope ,
that the next generation is a better and more honest bunch. I would like to live in a world which is normal and honest, but governments are no example of honesty, so people start to follow governments and that will be the downfall. All the old systems and the “old friends will fall.” in the end. But the question is: what and when will the end arrive. If there is an end, but something has to give.
If we are totally honest about history, every nation has butter on their head, but there has to come an end to all killing and hate, OTHERWISE WE WILL DESTROY OURSELVES and it will be the end of our planet,and then we have to go back hundred thousands of year to wait even to get a new planer and start all over again. Nobody believes that, for me that does not matter at all if you believe it or not, there are certain things that are known, but think about it, everybody, what are your choices?
A Lee says
Oddly, I don’t recall hearing of PayPal cancelling anyone’s account because of anti-Semitic speech. Double standard much?
Michael Casmer says
the picture of the hippy chick looks like something from the 60’s. Even the chants are the same. “Hey ho, hey ho., (somebody’s name) has gotta go”. or “What do we want?” When do we want it”? Nothing new or original.
Hugo Hackenbush says
The look on the woman’s face in the photo that accompanies the article says “I’m a brain-dead virtue-signaling IDIOT”. In my opinion that is.
I urge everyone interested in defending against creeping Islamization of the west to read ALL of the foundational materials of Islam (Koran, Hadiths, Biography of Muhammad) for themselves rather than rely on the analysis of others (including Mr. Spencer or Mr. Warner). I can tell you from personal experience NOTHING matches the power of looking someone in the eye and explaining that you have read the source materials for yourself and admonishing them to do the same. This is particularly true when a 3rd party is witnessing the exchange and they are truly interested in understanding reality. By having read the materials for yourself you cannot be dismissed as simply parroting the utterances of some “Islamophobe”.
Lydia says
Yes, this is a Reichstag Fire incident for sure. And like the burning of Rome and nero, and things like that. The Orlando incident was this way too.
They are just a bunch of bullies, but we won’t be intimidated.
I will never back down. Ever. I will oppose their agenda till the last breath.
And they are the haters.
Don’t wait for Trump to wake up and smell the coffee.
And yes, they want to suffocate all the organizations that stand against them.
It is a stranglehold. They don’t want any opposition.
A similar thing has occurred in the church. All the books that are published have to go through the ‘Christian’ publishers to get any publicity. But, if they don’t align with the apostate agenda, they are not accepted. That is how Lighthouse Trails Publishing Company came into existence, to publish books that are still Biblically sound and warn of the impending apostasy in the church, false religion creeping in, etc.
The same thing with social media. Many Christians, like me, have been banned from facebook for not lining up with the gay agenda and things like that. So one guy started a new ‘facebook’ type social media site for Christians, with Christian rules. It is called ‘Social Cross’.
If possible, that would be one way to go, until they come for all of it.
Create your own of whatever you need, if possible.
Yes, it is like the holocaust.
Praeceptor Maximus says
The left is attempting to destroy western civilization piece by piece, one statue at a time, one book at a time, one thought at a time. WE HAVE TO STOP THEM NOW. We have to protest en-mass against them. We have to protest en-mass against google, against corrupt and fake media, against the moronic academia that is brainwashing the youth. If we don’t, we will lose our freedom. We cannot rely on any politician to do this job for us. Because any politician who dares to stand against the establishment will be truncated by the establishment. We have seen what is happening with Trump. The call for his impeachment on account of him not being sane or whatever. This is our fight, the fight of people with sane minds and so we have to take up the fight everywhere in America, Australia, Canada and Europe.
Peter says
I could not agree more, but I must also say that the left is by far not as powerful as it seems, they are not going full berserk now, because they are ready for it and the time is right, NO they are doing that out of desperation, so we are dealing with a mighty enemy, but by far not as mighty as we are, we must also do more than protest, we must boycott and we must do a general strike, just all stay away for one day all at the same time, lets see how the elite is doing after that! Call it a day without patriots, or a day with out free spirits….
davej says
“This decision cannot be appealed”
Demonstrating the arrogance and power brokering of the Leftist social media sites.
Screw them, let’s start payment services and gossip sites that don’t try to tell you what to think. Facebook and Paypal are un-American and Orwellian little dictatorships.
Peter says
… and THAT is the reason why the LEFT and NOT islam is the number one threat to the West!
I do hate islam and I am disgusted by Jihad and islamic terror and those scum bags who support and carry it out, all that said, its the left, the democRATS, the neo-marxists, who are the real enemy.
Islam is weak, if the west were united and solely made up of free nation states, Islam could not infiltrate at all, but the EU wants to destroy the souvreign and free nation states, yet another piece of the neo-marxist jigsaw puzzle, the EU too is trying very hard to stiffle free speech and now big business such as Amazon, PayPal and Google openly censor opinions they dont like, or they think could hurt their image!
We have the best and the smartest ppl in our midst, we MUST find alternatives to those thugs from Payspal, Google, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and so on, is there nobody who could write a better search engine algorhythm than google, or come up with a better and most of all free faceboook sort of thing? The answer is yes, but we must change our thinking, you can NOT reason with the left, nor with islamists, the only thing you can do is to defeat them, scratch that, to UTTERLY Defeat them, just like the US and its allys utterly defeated Nazi-Germany and Imperialistic Japan, that is the only way to end this civil war, defeat the left and as a side product defeat islamist in one go!
How to do that?
Boycott all companies, no exceptions, who are against free speech!
Replace those companies and/or find already existing companies and plattforms who are not anti free speech, for example, replace Paypal with wesearchr.com, they helped out Base Stick Men with collecting money for his legal defense, there are others out there, FIND THEM!
Organize huge Rallies in neo-marxist and globalist oasises, like Berkely, Washington DC, Baltimore, Austin (the most socialist town in Texas) and many others, rally in front of Maxine Waters 2 Million dollar home, go to Vermont and rally against Bernie “Sovjet Secretary” Sanders etc…..
Organize a Gerneral Strike, set a date and ask all Patriots not to go to work, to either take a vacation day, or to act as if sick and unable to work, or simply not show up, prepare a legal fund in case somebody looses his, or her job over that!
I think if only 1 % of all who voted for Trump will not work on a special Strike Monday, that would be over 600.000 ppl not working all on the same day, the left will see how small it is and the rest of America will see that it has lived in fear of the left for no good reason. The vaste majority of the Blue Collar American workers are on OUR side, they all reject islamism, neo.-marxism and the men-made-climate change lie, they all reject all of the leftist ideas, from Transgender BS to cultural appropriation, all of those things are hated by the regular American Worker, which is the majority of all Americans, so lets get started!
PS. The Left has never been as weak as RIGHT NOW, this is a golden oppertunity to free 2-3 generations from its evil influendce, or maybe even for good. Over 1200 Parliment-, Senate-, Mayor-, Gouverneur Seats the left has lost since 2010 and then on top of all that Trump wins the presidency, the left is down and just like a cornered and hurt animal wildly biting at everything they see, NOW it is the time to end them, it will be long until we have such a great chance again, the window is still open, we got a couple of years, maybe even 4 years, but we have to start now, this will not be easy, but it is doable.
Questina says
Bravo, Peter. This is a great beginning of a plan of action that can turn things around and show them that we are not intimidated. That all their money and power will not be enough to defeat us. The principles on which America was founded are stronger than fascists virtue-signaling in white hats. There is no reason why we can’t back or create a better Paypal, Google, Facebook, YouTube, New York Times. And there is no reason why we can’t employ the power of a nationwide strike, or hit them in their pocketbooks. They must be called out and countered at every turn. We must speak out. Every day. Against every instance of fascistic behavior. We must dare them to debate. We must demand reasons for their totally illogical demands that put our country and our lives at risk.