As everyone knows, Twitter has permanently banned Donald Trump from using its platform to express his views because, as it announced on January 8, of “the risk of further incitement of violence.”
Meanwhile, in Tehran, the Supreme Leader continues freely to tweet his threats to destroy Israel, and his calls to murder Iranian dissidents, and demonstrates his vivid oriental imagination in his conspiracy-theorizing about the coronavirus and vaccines. On the same day – January 8 — that Twitter banned Trump for life, Khamenei continued to post his far more dangerous tweets. Twitter, to avoid being charged with blatant double standards, decided that when the Khamenei account posted a tweet that day in which the Iranian Supreme Leader called the coronavirus vaccines produced by the U.S., and Britain “completely untrustworthy” and accused the Western powers of trying to “contaminate” other nations – and especially Iran — by offering to send them presumably ineffective or even dangerous vaccine, decided it was time to act. (Never mind that the charges were absurd on their face – the vaccines which Khamenei said were dangerous were the very same vaccines that the Western countries were using to inoculate as many of their citizens as fast as possible.) So Twitter removed that particular tweet by the Supreme Leader.
The unfairness remained. Tweeter decided to act, but only in the most minimal fashion. Did it ban Khamenei for life? No. Did it perhaps ban him for “as long as the pandemic still rages” because of his consistently misleading and dangerous-to-Iranian-health conspiracy theorizing? No. Did it ban him for even a week? No. All Twitter did this time — as it did when in the past Khamenei upheld in a tweet Ayatollah Khomeini’s fatwa against Salman Rushdie was to remove that single tweet. Not nearly good enough.
This extraordinary privileging of Khamenei’s tweets is reported on here.
Iranian journalist and dissident Masih Alinejad urged Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Friday to permanently ban all accounts associated with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Alinejad, a women’s rights activist and founder of the My Stealthy Freedom/White Wednesday campaign, told The Jerusalem Post in a statement that “a close review of these accounts in multiple languages which include Persian, English, Spanish, and Arabic, shows that Khamenei has repeatedly violated Twitter rules. Even today, @Khamenei_ir account announced a ban on COVID-19 vaccines from the US and the European companies.
By tweeting his ban on the vaccines of Pfizer, Moderna, and Astra-Zeneca, and having previously stated, among other preposterous charges, that these vaccines may have been deliberately created by their makers in the U.S. and U.K., to affect badly those with “the Iranian” genetic makeup, Khamenei has made it impossible for his own people to obtain what are clearly the most effective vaccines now available.
Alinejad tweeted on Friday that “In 2019 I called on Twitter to shut down Khamenei’s accounts for not only inciting violence but ordering the murder of 1,500 peaceful protesters. Some opposed this campaign, Now the same people are cheering that Trump has been suspended. It’s shameful.”
How does Khamenei’s record compare with that of Trump? In his thousands of tweets, did Trump ever call for murdering dissidents? Of course not. Did he order the shooting down of protesters, as Khamenei did in 2019, when 1,500 peaceful protesters in Iran were murdered on his orders by the country’s security forces? No. Khamenei has called for the destruction of the Jewish state and its Jewish inhabitants. Has Trump ever issued a single death threat, much less called for mass murder? Again, no. Yet Trump has been banned for life from Twitter, while Khomeini tweets insidiously away to his heart’s content, in Persian, with his tweets immediately translated and posted in English, Arabic, and Spanish as well. Only a handful of his thousands of tweets have ever been taken down.
Twitter “permanently suspended” President Donald Trump on Friday, claiming the micro-blog wants to prevent Trump from inciting violence.
Alinejad asked Twitter’s CEO: You’ve suspended the account of @realDonaldTrump, but you’ve not suspended the account of @khamenei_ir, who used the @Twitter platform to issue death threats. He’s imprisoned various twitter activists while banning Iranians from freely accessing Twitter. Why?”
The world’s greatest living chess player, Garry Kasparov, retweeted a tweet from Alinejad, urging Twitter to suspend Khamenei’s account for spreading dangerous lies about the pandemic.
Khamenei originally insisted that the U.S. had created the coronavirus, using genetic data of Iranians, thereby implying an attempt to kill millions of Iranians. He also has continually understated the number of Iranians infected, and the number of deaths, to make it appear that Iran has the pandemic under control. For a long time this led to insufficient measures being taken – with fewer lockdowns being ordered, and less funding devoted to test kits, PPE, ventilators, and ICU beds. Many deaths might have been avoided in Iran had Khamenei been truthful about the rates of infection and death, and impressed upon the Iranian people the need for social distancing, hand-washing, and mask wearing. Instead, his chosen method of dealing with the pandemic was to consistently understate its presence and mislead his own people. And his lies about Western vaccines have resulted in scaring many Iranians from trusting any vaccine.
After Alinejad and others protested Khamenei’s tweet alleging false data about the US, French and British vaccinations against COVID-19, Twitter deleted Khamenei’s tweet in English.
This was one of the very few times that one of the Supreme Leader’s tweets has been deleted. The last one, before this, was in 2019, when Khamenei reminded his twitter followers that Khomeini’s fatwa condemning Salman Rushdie to death remained valid. A little something for devout Muslims to add to their To-Do List.
Alinejad said, however, “the Khamenei account tweeted the same message in Persian. This is rather ironic as Islamic Republic has banned ordinary Iranians from using Twitter but allows regime officials to use this platform to spread their misinformation.”
Why did Twitter remove only the English version of Khamenei’s tweet, and not the Persian, Arabic, and Spanish versions? Could it be because Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s founder and CEO, thought no one would check to find out if the offending tweet, in those other languages, had also been removed? He apparently was going to placate, by removing Khamenei’s tweet in English, only his English-speaking critics. They were the ones he had to shut up. The discerning English speakers must be accommodated by removing Khamenei’s tweet, while those whose native languages are Persian, Arabic, and Spanish need not be, given how many of them, especially Persian and Arabic speakers, would support Khamenei’s wild charges.
She added that “Khamenei also ordered the crackdowns on peaceful protests that resulted in the killings of 1,500 people in November 2019 and he turned off the Internet for the whole country during the crackdown. Using Twitter is a crime in Iran.”
Michael Lipin, a reporter for the US government outlet Voice of America, wrote: “The greater severity of Twitter’s action against the @realdonaldtrump account, compared with the social media company’s treatment of Khamenei, prompted both critics and supporters of the US president to post dozens of Twitter messages accusing the platform of double standards.”
Lipin cited a tweet from the chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, who showed screenshots of antisemitic tweets from Khamenei, including calls for the obliteration of the Jewish state.
Pai tweeted: “Serious question for @Twitter: Do these tweets from Supreme Leader of Iran @khamenei_ir violate ‘Twitter Rules about glorifying violence?”’
Last July, Israelis in the Knesset who met with a representative of Twitter asked why Trump’s tweets were being censored, while those of Ayatollah Khamenei were not. Here is some of what was reported at the time:
“We have an approach to world leaders that presently say that direct interactions with fellow public figures, comments on political issues of the day, or foreign policy saber-rattling on military and economic issues are generally not in violation of our Twitter rules,” the spokeswoman responded.
Stunned lawmaker [member of the Knesset] Michal Cotler-Wunsh interrupted: “So calling for genocide is OK?”
Calling for genocide on Twitter is OK, but commenting on political situations in certain countries is not OK?” she continued.
A clip of the exchange was shared on Twitter on Wednesday by former acting director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell who wrote: “This should be something the US media reports. Wow.”
Iran’s leader has repeatedly shared tweets calling Israel a “deadly, cancerous growth” to be “uprooted and destroyed” — all going unchecked by Twitter.
The long-lasting virus of Zionism will be uprooted thanks to the determination and faith of the youth,” Khamenei wrote as recently as May.
Those remarks by Khamenei were protected, according to Twitter’s spokeswoman speaking to members of the Knesset, because they were legitimate “commentary on political affairs.” Is calling Israel a “deadly, cancerous growth” that needed to be “uprooted” (i.e., destroyed) really “commentary on political affairs”? Isn’t it, rather, a threat and a call to engage in violence against the Jewish state? Do we have any reason to believe that some people – among the million of is followers on Twitter – might actually take such words to heart? We do, indeed we do. Just look at the number of terror attacks Israel has had to endure in the last few decades, from two terror groups, Hezbollah and Hamas, that are both allied to, and backed by, the Islamic Republic. But what does Twitter care about that?
Trump’s statement on January 6 neither glorified violence (“Stay strong” or “be strong” do not glorify violence), nor has he ever called for mass murder as Khamenei routinely does, without fear of being banned. The Supreme Leader routinely does both. Perhaps Jack Dorsey would like, in the interests of fairness and to do his bit to maintain our collective sanity, to reconsider his decision to allow Ayatollah Khamenei to continue his murderous tweets, directed at Israel, Iranian dissidents and America, and his continuing stream of damaging misinformation about coronavirus vaccines. His tweets are absurd, but not humorously so. As Mr. Bennet famously said on another occasion, with his “Tweets From Tehran,” the Supreme Leader has “delighted us long enough.”
Buraq says
Google the English meaning of ‘twit’. That’s what Dorsey is – a twit! He’ll destroy his own company by booting out the content creators.
clayusmcret says
Because the twitter/facebook/google bans have nothing to do with banning violent speech. They have only to do with banning conservative speech. As Dorsey was recorded saying, it’s not stopping with Trump and will go on for a long time.
Aastra says
the same twitter wont ban leftists abusing non islamic religions in whatever way they want but will ban anyone asking questions to the leftists. yet no one filed case on twitter.
Infidel says
Dunno about in India, but in the US, Twitter is protected by Sec 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which pretends that Twitter is a platform rather than a publisher. That’s a part of the big debate going on right now about Big Tech
mortimer says
Twitter is run by people who hate America and want to bring it into a fanciful globalist, no-borders SHANGRI-LA !
Utopia literally means ‘NOT a place’.
You cannot argue that a future, envisioned utopia is no good, because it doesn’t yet exist.
Contrariwise, it is easy to criticize the obvious lack of perfection of the present.
Clive Delmonte says
Twitter should be de-platformed indefinitely.
Tom says
So far Twitter and Facebook have lost 51 Billion dollars since banning Trump. It won’t take much to utterly destroy platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Google once they start their censorship of anyone who is right of Lenin or Marx in their politics.
Money talks and withholding it by unsubscribing will kill their advertising revenue and their businesses. We have the final say on their irrelevance.
Brian Hoff says
They didnot. Lose 51 bllion doar
James Lincoln says
Brian Hoff,
At least do a basic web search before you post – and use a spellchecker:
“Twitter, Facebook Lose $51 Billion in Value After Booting Trump”
https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/facebook-twitter-stock-investors/2021/01/13/id/1005467/
Infidel says
How was it split b/w those 2? Twitter’s market cap today is ~$36 billion, while Fakebook’s is ~$715 billion
somehistory says
Birds of a feather…twit together. dorsey does not disagree with the anti-Israel threats.
Mr. Trump used the media to communicate with the public, even when his speeches were blocked by ‘reporters.’ So, it was conspired to silence him.
They couldn’t keep him from going to the sidewalk and giving a speech, so they made claims that it was inciting violence.
But, they don’t want to silence the moslims and their violent hatred from getting out to their ‘soldiers’ wherever they may be lurking and working their evil.
Infidel says
Both Twitter and Facebook are way overvalued, when one considers their business model of selling their subscribers to advertizers. Not much way you can do it if you start banning your subscribers, as Twitter has done
Even though Parler is down, people who used Twitter or Facebook should go to Gab, and those who use Youtube should go to Rumble. OANN found itself banned by YouTube and move to Rumble, and I’ve seen more recognizable people on Gab than I did just a month ago. Hopefully, Parler will be back up and running on their own hardware, rather than a linguini-spined web host who’d fold the moment the mob turns on them. It’s good to have both Gab and Parler, so that there’s competition
In the meantime, JihadWatch should add Gab and Rumble to the social media that they link to: don’t be surprised if Dorsey responds to the likes of Pocahontas and cancels you!
A Gnostic Agnostic says
Twitter is owned/operated by the Islamic Deep State – along with everything else.
Infidel says
On a separate note, Israel should indeed ban Twitter from appearing on Israeli ISPs. Do exactly what Uganda and that Idaho ISP are doing
job says
Twatter is our enemy. It should be shut down.
gravenimage says
Robert Spencer is on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jihadwatchRS?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Mojdeh says
Queen of London Loves Ayatoolahs .. I ask please have new instragram and # ban all Ayatoolahs , # Ban all IRGC, Quods Army can some one help me. Yes i am agree 1000 percent we must bring down all accounts of belong to Ayatoolahs in a peacefull way. Not Black Hat it? His photo is like dead man walking?
Mojdeh says
https://iconnectfx.com/view/2707242b-7258-eb11-9979-00505682f257 Israel News Live Steve Denoon
Martial Law for USA and until sunday according to him if Trump will own it or Joe Biden owns it. Please stay home safe watch everything live here. If they catch you with weapon you will be in FEMA CAMP for long Time? I was in Evin Prision in Evin Fema Camp. Disclaimer always apply. I do not endorse steve Denoon nor deny him or any way or shape Jihad Watch endorse it or deny it. Cyrus the Great free Jewish people paid them UBI at that time told them you are free go make your home tall and safe. We are childrens of Korosh Kabir , and practice freedom of thought , expression, and press. There is Hamvee was stolen in USA one of states more on that in tomorrow news… If you see any Hamvee alone do not get involved call 911 only ASAP you may get 10K?
Walter Sieruk says
Ayatollah Khamenei is allowed to post on Twitter because he’s an evil man and tyrant who brutally oppresses the Iranian people.
By contrast President Trump is banned from posting on Twitter because he’s a good man and a splendid American President.
H Archytas says
We might have to nationaqlize their database as it contain an image of the spirit of the nation and so it can’t be let into teh hand of foreign hand.
gravenimage says
What?
Walter Sieruk says
Joe Biden when he enters the oval office and sits in the chair of the President ,he will prove himself to be, by his own actions, politics and policies, a curse and disaster upon America.