Early in the Trump years, to keep up with what progressives in my State were thinking, I signed on to Action Together Connecticut, a progressive Facebook group. Until recently, my own posts seemed routinely approved. Then, a couple of days ago, I offered my post on re-opening schools and was greeted by an apparently new general announcement that the site would not accept criticisms of politicians it (whoever constitutes “it”) supports. I then wrote the following (slightly edited here), to which I’ve received no reply.
What has happened to progressive standards of free (civil) speech and open debate? It’s one thing to require reliable sources for a claim or demand civil exchanges (I’ve seen far too many social media vitriolic attacks even from people with whom I like to think I share political goals); it’s another to reject civil disagreements because someone or a cadre of people doesn’t like them.
This (new?) standard reminds of the sectarianism and dogma that has appalled me all my life on the political left. And how does it differ from the kind of behavior we hate in our enemies?
When I signed onto this group (because I wanted to see what other progressives in CT were thinking during the Trump years), did I fail to see that the group is a bastion for selecting and then protecting the “right” candidates? What will constitute a violation of this rule? Criticism of Joe Manchin? Of moderate, non-progressive Democrats? Will non-Democrats not be allowed (in which case, please let me know so I can withdraw)? Indeed, is this a Democratic Party site?
Did I miss an open consultation of members of this group about enacting this policy? How exactly was the decision made?
And who moderates a moderator’s decisions?
Is constructive criticism (which I hope this is, though I’m sure my anger peeks through my formal prose) no longer a value?
Will this post itself be censored?
d onto this group (because I wanted to see what other progressives in CT were thinking during the Trump years), did I fail to see that the group is a bastion for selecting and then protecting the “right” candidates? What will constitute a violation of this rule? Criticism of Joe Manchin? Of moderate, non-progressive Democrats? Will non-Democrats not be allowed (in which case, please let me know so I can withdraw)? Indeed, is this a Democratic Party site?
Did I miss an open consultation of members of this group about enacting this policy? How exactly was the decision made?
And who moderates a moderator’s decisions?
Is constructive criticism (which I hope this is, though I’m sure my anger peeks through my formal prose) no longer a value?
Will this post itself be censored?