News

Twitter suspends conservative columnist for ‘inciting violence,’ but take a look at these posts…

September 22, 2016 | | Print Article

Even as the folks from Black Lives Matter continue to post some of the most vile threats imaginable, Twitter decided to suspend a conservative columnist because of a Tweet he made during the Charlotte riots.

Shocker: Freedom of speech doesn’t exist on social media–but it should.

On Wednesday, University of Tennessee law professor and USA Today columnist Glenn Reynolds was so disgusted by the rioting in Charlotte that he somewhat immoderately posted a tweet showing a photo of Charlotte rioters shutting down a highway with the caption “run them down.”

After that tweet, Reynolds’ highly trafficked Instapundit Twitter account was shut down by the social media giant.

For his part, Reynolds went to his popular Instapundit blog and accused Twitter of stifling conservatives.

Blocking the interstate is dangerous, and trapping people in their cars is a threat. Driving on is self-preservation, especially when we’ve had mobs destroying property and injuring and killing people. But if Twitter doesn’t like me, I’m happy to stop providing them with free content.

Reynolds recieved support…

Other Twitter users pointed out all the racist, hate-filled tweets posted by Black Lives Matter followers to which Twitter had paid no attention at all.

Of course, Twitter summarily suspended the Instapundit account without any discussion with him first but did finally contact Reynolds after a ruckus was kicked up online about the suspension. Twitter offered to reinstate the Instapundit account if Reynolds promised to delete the tweet Twitter claimed is “inciting violence.”

Reynolds, though, says he was not the one inciting anything. It was the rioters doing all that.

As Reynolds explained on his blog:

I’ve always been a supporter of free speech and peaceful protest. I fully support people protesting police actions, and I’ve been writing in support of greater accountability for police for years.

But riots aren’t peaceful protest. And locking interstates and trapping people in their cars is not peaceful protest — it’s threatening and dangerous, especially against the background of people rioting, cops being injured, civilian-on-civilian shootings, and so on. I wouldn’t actually aim for people blocking the road, but I wouldn’t stop because I’d fear for my safety, as I think any reasonable person would.

“Run them down” perhaps didn’t capture this fully, but it’s Twitter, where character limits stand in the way of nuance.

 

Still, Twitter has reinstated Reynolds’ account.

Now the famed conservative blogger and columnist is mulling over whether or not he’ll delete his account and leave Twitter altogether.

*UPDATE*

On Friday, September 23, Professor Reynolds posted an apology at USA Today where he is a columnist.

He apologized for not living up to his own high standards for communication.

‘I didn’t live up to my own standards, and I didn’t meet USA TODAY’s standards. For that I apologize.’

Wednesday night one of my 580,000 tweets blew up. I didn’t live up to my own standards, and I didn’t meet USA TODAY’s standards. For that I apologize, to USA TODAY readers and to my followers on social media.

I was following the riots in Charlotte, against a background of reports of violence. Joe Bruno of WSOC9 interviewed a driver whose truck had been stopped by a mob. Trapped in her cab, she “feared for her life” as her cargo was looted. Then I retweeted a report of mobs “stopping traffic and surrounding vehicles” with the comment, “Run them down.”

Those words can easily be taken to advocate drivers going out of their way to run down protesters. I meant no such thing, and I’m sorry it seemed I did. What I meant is that drivers who feel their lives are in danger from a violent mob should not stop their vehicles. I remember Reginald Denny, a truck driver who was beaten nearly to death by a mob during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. My tweet should have said, “Keep driving,” or “Don’t stop.”

I have always supported peaceful protests, speaking out against police militarization and excessive police violence in my USA TODAY columns, on my website and on Twitter itself. I understand why people misunderstood my tweet and regret that I was not clearer.

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

$10
$15
$25
$50
Other
$
Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Warner Todd Huston
Latest posts by Warner Todd Huston (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles