Facebook.... You're Fired!

I had one ear on the radio news yesterday, and I heard a phrase which always gets my blood pumping - "hate speech".  Not two seconds later, the radio belched another phrase which elicits a similar response - "protected category of people".  As is the norm, the two phrases were being used in the same story.

In this case, it was about Facebook, the "social media" company.  It seems some "protected category of people" had their panties in a wad about "hate speech" running amok on Facebook.

Have none of these spineless, worthless pieces of warm jello ever heard the phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"?

Apparently Facebook has not.  So, in response to the wadded panties, they're working feverishly on a new Hate Speech policy.  The nuts and bolts of it are in a single sentence - 

 While there is no universally accepted definition of hate speech, as a platform we define the term to mean direct and serious attacks on any protected category of people based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or disease.

 How do you have a "direct and serious" attack with a keyboard unless someone is swinging it at your head?  And we're not talking about libel, we're talking about mean things being said about someone.

Seriously, grow a pair (metaphorically if it's physiologically impossible).

Still, I'm not firing Facebook (our precious metals store has a FB business page) because they're a bunch of simpering, politically correct bed-wetters.  It's because they're discriminatory in the application of their Hate Speech policy.

Against me.

You see, I am one of the people not included on the, "protected category of people" list.  I'm a White Heterosexual Male (I know.... ghastly, ain't it?).

As such, I can be verbally shit upon with impunity.  Hell, it's even encouraged in some circles.

And that's OK.  I'm a big boy.  If I don't like what someone from a protected class is saying to me, I can stop reading them.  If someone comes here and slithers under the incredibly low bar for discourse on this site, I can ban them.

I gots options.

I don't need the Facebook Polizisten to fight my battles for me.  But I will not be a part of a group that grants privileges and benefits to a chosen few in the group - especially when those benefits are not based upon merit or accomplishment, but upon the color of their skin, their gender or other "membership qualifications" over which they have no control.
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I know, I know.  I live in a fantasy world.  Like, "not the color of his skin, but the content of his character," and "equal justice for all," will ever be the real law of our land.

Facebook has every right in the world to discriminate against or pander to any group they wish.  We, as individuals, can decide if their standards are complimentary to our standards.  If they are, we can join.  If they're not, we can look to find others we'd like to join.

Obviously, the rub is when government starts picking favorites.

We already see it in "Hate Crimes" - the opening act for the Thought Crimes Traveling Circus.  The protected classes are afforded additional protections - or more accurately, harsher penalties are imposed upon the unprotected classes.

If I'm beaten to death by a member of the protected class, and they're screaming at the top of their lungs, "Die!  You white, cracker, honkey mutha fucka!" as they crush my skull, no additional penalty will be applied.

If I am the one administering the beating, and "Chink", "Fag", "Spic" or "Nigga" is fairly whispered, I get bonus points added to my sentence.  God Bless America.

In both of these cases, aren't we both equally dead?  Does it matter if I'm beaten to death for my gold wedding ring or because of the color of my skin?

Not to me, and not to my grieving family.  Dead is dead.  It's the outcome, not the motivation that should matter in America.
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Now, without so much as the assistance of a Ouija Board, I confidently predict that our government will capitulate like Canada and virtually all of Europe, and enact Hate Speech laws.  It will be illegal to say something offensive about a protected class or to one of its members.

The bleating masses will have been so programmed to believe that the protected class have no ability to protect or act for themselves that we need the Long Arm Of The Law to make things right.  To make things fair.

The first amendment will be warped and twisted and finally, interpreted correctly - it was written by misogynistic, slave owners dontcha know - to mean that free speech is allowed, as long as it's the right kind of free speech.

Wrap it up in a flag, and sell the hell out of it.  Yep.  God Bless America.  God.  Bless.  America.

Accept The Challenge

Clearly, in the grand scheme of things, me firing Facebook won't mean one damned thing to the success or failure of the company.

It's about principle.  I won't stay at a Harrah's because of their CCW rules. I won't eat at Pizza Hut for similar reasons (delivery drivers are forbidden from legally carrying guns).  I won't drink Miller Beer because of their financial support for Illegal Alien Immigration (the fact that Miller tastes like watered down donkey piss soaked in soiled boxers makes this one really easy).

And now I won't use Facebook because of their discriminatory practices.

We all have choices to make each day about what products and services we use.  We can, "Go along to get along" - don't make any waves.  But that's just not the way I'm built.  I'm a pig-headed SOB, especially if I think what you're doing is wrong.

I try to vote with my feet and my pocketbook, 'cause my voting in the booth has not been particularly successful, especially here in California! 

Do what's right.

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