Filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza and billionaire entrepreneur (and self-proclaimed “Chief Twit”) Elon Musk offered an explanation on Tuesday for why leftists weren’t being allowed back on Twitter — or if they were, why no one was talking about it.
In a brief exchange on Musk’s recently-acquired platform, the two men came to the conclusion that leftists were not being allowed to come back to Twitter largely because they had not been banned in the first place.
“We don’t hear much about Democrats and leftists being let back on Twitter. Why? Because they were never kicked off in the first place. Their lies and misinformation simply escaped all scrutiny. Censorship has been deployed as a one-way operation against conservatives,” D’Souza tweeted, tagging Musk in his post.
We don’t hear much about Democrats and leftists being let back on Twitter. Why? Because they were never kicked off in the first place. Their lies and misinformation simply escaped all scrutiny. Censorship has been deployed as a one-way operation against conservatives @elonmusk
— Dinesh D’Souza (@DineshDSouza) November 21, 2022
A number of Democrats responded to his tweet, arguing that conservatives were more likely to get banned because they were more likely to violate Twitter’s rules or to engage in “hate speech.” Others argued that banning conservatives was acceptable because Republicans were the only party involved in an alleged attempt to overthrow the government.
But Musk appeared to be on the same wavelength as D’Souza, replying simply: “Correct.”
Correct
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2022
Musk has been under fire in recent days for allowing certain accounts back on the platform — among them Dr. Jordan Peterson and satire site The Babylon Bee — moves that clearly provoked the ire of NBC reporter Brandy Zadrozny.
Zadrozny, speaking about the shooting that took place on Saturday night at LGBTQ space Club Q in Colorado, argued like many Democrats in media and on Capitol Hill that hateful rhetoric from the right had brought about the shooting.
“Hateful and violent online rhetoric targeting LGBTQ people has been ratcheting up for months. Now, just hours after a deadly mass shooting at #ClubQ, the worst of these hate accounts, LibsofTikTok is targeting another drag event in Colorado,” Zadrozny tweeted.
Hateful and violent online rhetoric targeting LGBTQ people has been ratcheting up for months. Now, just hours after a deadly mass shooting at #ClubQ, the worst of these hate accounts, LibsofTikTok is targeting another drag event in Colorado.
https://t.co/K7vDqVvHvK pic.twitter.com/ak0aQwxKFy— Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) November 20, 2022
She then took her screed a step further, claiming that by reinstating accounts like Peterson’s and The Babylon Bee’s, Musk was actively facilitating the hate speech that she claimed inspired such violence.
“A lot of folks suggesting Elon Musk should ‘do something’ about hate and harassment against LGBT people. But he has. Two days ago, he reinstated Babylon Bee and Jordan Peterson, seemingly reversing policy against hate and harassment targeting trans people,” she said.
A lot of folks suggesting Elon Musk should “do something” about hate and harassment against LGBT people. But he has. Two days ago, he reinstated Babylon Bee and Jordan Peterson, seemingly reversing policy against hate and harassment targeting trans people. https://t.co/vNhsqLZh2C https://t.co/0vTs2cY4pf
— Brandy Zadrozny (@BrandyZadrozny) November 20, 2022
But Geoff Ingersoll, editor-in-chief at The Daily Caller, argued that Zadrozny had it entirely backward. “Bee named an incompetent trans public official ‘man of the year’ and Peterson deadnamed a celebrity in the course of criticizing elective surgery,” he said. “Suspending folks from the public square for criticizing the most privileged people in our society is anti-democratic, flat out.”
In other words, as Ingersoll pointed out, the only “crimes” committed by Peterson and The Bee boiled down to speaking an unpopular opinion aloud — and Twitter had wielded the power of censorship against them.