Jennifer Psaki openly applauds the White House's efforts to control the narrative, silence dissenters, and destroy their opposition. In a recent press conference, Psaki urged Spotify to do more to combat misinformation on behalf of Joe Biden's administration. Spotify has since deleted a number of episodes of The Joe Rogan Experience while artists continue to remove their content in protest.
The White House has officially gone too far, and it’s dangerous if we as Americans continue to stand down and allow them to infringe on our Constitutional rights. During a press conference on Tuesday, February 2, White House press secretary Jen Psaki applauded Spotify’s decision to include a disclaimer on “controversial” content, but encouraged the platform to do more to combat COVID misinformation.
What more can be done? Multiple musicians have removed themselves from the platform in protest to the Joe Rogan Experience. They forced Spotify into an ultimatum, and Spotify ultimately respected their decision to pull their content and cut their losses.
Perhaps Psaki is suggesting that Spotify remove Rogan’s controversial episodes such as the interviews he did with Dr. Robert Malone, Dr. Jordan Peterson, and Dr. Peter McCullough. What makes these episodes dangerous? Each guest freely questions the nationally accepted narrative, whether it be on race, COVID-19, or other topics that we’re not permitted to question.
Perhaps Psaki is suggesting that Spotify remove all controversial artists from their platform entirely. This would include anyone who questions vaccine efficacy, the government’s response to this national pandemic, or future government responses in time of crisis. Who defines what’s controversial? Apparently, the White House is ready to assume that role.
This isn’t the first time that the White House has openly admitted to coercing private platforms to censor more content. In July, Psaki admitted during another press conference that the White House has been directing privately owned social media platforms on content that negates the national narrative.
These actions from Joe Biden’s White House are in direct violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. While the amendment states that Congress shall make no law, multiple Supreme Court interpretations of the First Amendment have determined that any official government action abriding our ability to speak freely is unconstitutional.
Government actors are defined as those who receive tax dollars as part of their salary to fulfill their assigned duties. It is presumed that the money we pay towards taxes is utilized with respect to our constitutionally guaranteed liberties. If employees at the White House are aiding in private censorship efforts on behalf of Biden’s administration, they are abridging our ability to speak freely.
The fact that the mainstream media has remained silent on these efforts should be absolutely alarming to all Americans, regardless of political ideology. The First Amendment guarantees a right granted to us at birth. Freedom of speech is a human right protected by the constitution, not a constitutional right that can be ignored when convenient to the current administration.
These ongoing violations to our First Amendment rights should be particularly concerning to journalists defending a free press. During the 2020 election, both Facebook and Twitter limited the ability to distribute an article by the New York Post, directly interfering in the democracy they swear to defend and protect. The article wasn’t censored due to misinformation, though that was the original justification. It was censored because Facebook and Twitter determined that the content was obtained in a way that violates their community standards. Apparently, if you expose a Presidential candidate’s son for lewd, disgusting behavior, you have violated the terms of services on liberal social media platforms.
While it shouldn’t be a surprise that Biden has continued his censorship efforts upon being elected, it should concern any American with the ability to think for themselves. According to a Rasmussen Reports poll, 48% of voters likely to vote Democrat in 2022 believe that anyone who publicly questions vaccine efficacy should be fined or imprisoned. Imprisoned for exercising our right to speak freely? This doesn’t sound like the land of the free.
The White House’s censorship efforts won’t stop with Spotify and the Joe Rogan Experience. They are illustrating the desire to obtain the ability to control the information. Those who control the information control the narrative. People like Rogan, Peterson, Malone, and McCullough are to thank for preventing the federal government from having complete control.
It’s discouraging to see so many Americans applaud Neil Young’s ultimatum. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, Young attempted to use his celebrity to censor a nationally-enjoyed artist. Instead of recognizing that this over exaggeration to Rogan’s podcast is inherently evil, more artists joined Young in his protest.
We must open up the means of communication and have difficult conversations if we ever hope to achieve unity. Censoring artists in an effort to control the information is more divisive than the mainstream media is willing to recognize. The First Amendment to the Constitution exists to provide the people an outlet to peacefully protest. When the people feel like they lost the ability to have their voices heard, violence occurs.
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