Why I joined Parler
“Parler is a social media platform for Trump supporters, conservatives and Saudi nationals”. (Wikipedia). It’s the kind of place that is inhabited by conspiracy theorists and Waco fascists. So why would I, an anti-Fascist, non-Trump supporter join it? Because I don’t allow Wikipedia and the fear of being accused of being right wing to determine what I do.
Parler was started two years ago by two University of Denver John Matze and Jared Thomson. It has grown this year from 100,000 users to over 2.5 million – still a drop in the ocean compared with Twitter and Facebook, but nonetheless not insignificant – which of course has got the liberal progressives who dominate and control social media, somewhat worried. Hence the endless smears.
Here is an interview with the founder, John Matze.
So why have I joined Parler?
Because I don’t want to be censored by liberal progressive tech millionaires in California. ( I have already been banned twice by Twitter). And I expect that to happen more and more. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter have increasingly moved from being open platforms to being tightly controlled. You have to accept the new morality, or you are out. Saying that Donald Trump should be executed is fine. Saying that a man cannot become a woman is not. But more than this is the way that Twitter and others are now censoring political opinions. They refuse to allow posts which are contrary to many of their political stands.
This week gave a classic example of the way that they behave. The New York Post ran an article which claimed to show that Joe Biden was lying when he said he knew nothing about his sons’ connections with Ukraine. This article was banned from Twitter and Facebook. Why? Dominic Green summed it up best in this article – https://spectator.us/hunter-biden-big-tech-information-coup/
“The internet was supposed to democratize information, but we now see that it has privatized it”.
I don’t want the Tech billionaires determining what I can and cannot say according to their political beliefs.
What about it being right-wing?
It’s only as right wing as the people who use it. I was introduced to it by a left-wing atheist! People like the theologian Peter Williams are on it. It is only ‘right wing’ in the sense that a piece of paper is right wing. It’s not the paper that’s right wing – it’s what is written on it that makes it right (or left) wing. Besides which – I am a tolerant person – I am quite happy to have all kinds of different views displayed and I don’t think or expect that every view will be in accord with my own. And I don’t have to follow those I strongly disagree with or dislike. In addition to that I find it a little ironic that people who say they won’t go on Parler because there might be people who express distasteful views go on to Twitter – where racist, misogynistic, anti-Christian, abusive, blasphemous, lewd etc posts are frequently available.
I should also point out the obvious truth from a Christian perspective that the more Christians who join Parler, the more Christian it will be. On Twitter that is more difficult as they seek to censor more and more Christian opinions.
I also like the rules – its’ not a complete free for all..neither should it be…
“avoid language/visuals that are sexual in nature
do not use language/visuals that are morbid or degrading
do not use language/visuals that are offensive and offer no literary, artistic, political, or scientific value
avoid language/visuals that is non-satirical when claiming to be a satire account.”
The difference between Parler and Twitter is that on Parler I can say what I want and block whom I want; whereas on Twitter I can block who I want but can’t say what I want. Going by the current trajectory I fully expect to be blocked from Twitter and Facebook for simply teaching what the Bible teaches. So, I have joined Parler in preparation. Feel free to join me! It’s free. It’s free speech. And we need an alternative to the Big Tech giants. It may not work….it may all go wrong…but lets give it a go….All are welcome….(and if you want to shout nonsense, abuse and rubbish – you are welcome….but I won’t be listening). Let’s Parley!
(Here is my ‘handle’….@theweeflea)
Dear Twitter – Why Have You Banned Me?