[mrtksn]

Of course they can talk about Gaza, its just that they may face the wrath of the US government in form of funding cuts like this: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/03/trump-admini...

TBF USA is very restrictive on speech, just less direct about it. All platforms are American and we can see that speech is strictly restricted through indirect means. Even here, I had my account rate limited so many times on political topics.

[econ]

Speech is now property.

[complianceowll]

Nah

[mrtksn]

I even have to be polite to you despite your attitude, if you were in Europe as well that would have been optional :)

[complianceowll]

Still nah :)

[aa-jv]

What you don't seem to be able to differentiate, not unusual for a Euro-centric view, is that you can indeed talk about whatever you want in public - but the platforms you despise are not public - they are privately owned and operated platforms which provide a degree of public discourse.

I can stand outside on the street corner in any street in LA with a sign in my hands that says "JAIL OUR WAR CRIMINALS" any time of day .. but if you try to do that in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, you will get a visit and told to move along.

I say this on the basis of direct personal experience in all cases. It is far, far harder to protest the Gaza genocide than it should be - in both the US and Europe, to be frank - but in the US I at least have the courts to resort to if someone comes and smashes my signs.

[mrtksn]

That's my point, US bans free speech through property ownership. Just because you banned speech through property ownership rights doesn't mean you have not banned it. Free speech is non-existent on US platforms and in US it is tucked away so it is impotent against the current ruling class.

In Berlin, Paris or Amsterdam you won't be visited by the police for a sign that says "JAIL OUR WAR CRIMINALS", you will be visited for one that says something like "Finish the work Hitler started" or "Burn the Mosques" and depending on the context nothing will happen or you may get fine or jail sentence.

In US you will have much more trouble for your undesired speech than in Europe, just more indirectly.

[aa-jv]

> Just because you banned speech through property ownership rights doesn't mean you have not banned it. Free speech is non-existent on US platforms and in US it is tucked away so it is impotent against the current ruling class.

No. You still have courts protecting your rights and if indeed there is suppression, the courts will defend you. The US Constitution is still a thing. There is no such recourse in Europe.

BTW, I concur with your cynicism, but the situation in Europe is far more dire - especially if you contrast the French vs. German vs. Dutch vs. Austrian results, which are in quite distinct conflict with the ideal we both wish for.

[mrtksn]

There are court in Turkey to protect you too, you stay anywhere from 30 days to 8 months in prison and then the court says you exercised your free speech rights. Similar stuff in US, people in control destroy your life and career then you are deemed actually innocent sorry for the trouble.

That's not free speech, just because eventually you might be acknowledged that you have right to say something doesn't at all mean that you can do it.

[aa-jv]

The price of freedom is constant alertness and constant willingness to fight the state.

>That's not free speech, just because eventually you might be acknowledged that you have right to say something doesn't at all mean that you can do it.

Yes it is, because once the speech is made, it is free to be propagated. That fascist elements use that free speech to attack you is one thing - and indeed, a government which does not protect its citizens' free speech in favour of other entities, is a repressive one.

But, that is the price of freedom - fight back with whatever tools the state gives you! The USA does, in fact, have tools for its citizens to protect free speech and there are an infinity of examples.

However, throughout history, it is proven: you lose a right once you stop exercising it.

So your totalitarian-defeatism is actually manifesting the thing you're complaining about, yo.