Gateway Pundit Returns to Twitter Same Day That Olbermann, Left-Wing Journalists Suspended
While suspending prominent left-wing journalists for violating Twitter’s terms of service, Elon Musk has also decided to reinstate several conservative accounts that were unfairly banned from the platform.
On Friday, the Twitter account for conservative news site Gateway Pundit had their previously banned Twitter account reinstated.
In an email to The Western Journal, Jim Hoft, founder, and editor of Gateway Pundit hailed Musk’s decision saying, “We are happy to be back on Twitter. And hope this is a new chapter in true freedom of speech. Elon Musk claimed civilization is at risk today. We thank him for his courage.”
This move comes on the heels of a decision by Musk to temporarily suspend the Twitter accounts of several prominent left-wing journalists who doxed his real-time location, in violation of Twitter’s terms of service.
Reporters covering Elon Musk being nuked:
Donie O’Sullivan, @CNN
Drew Harwell, @washingtonpost
Ryan Mac, @nytimes
Aaron Rupar, independent pic.twitter.com/1x9oJijobA— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) December 16, 2022
Those suspended included Aaron Rupar, CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, and progressive extremist Keith Olbermann.
In explaining his decision, Musk said that the journalists had directly violated Twitter’s terms of service by doxing his location and that from now on, journalists would be bound by the same rules on Twitter as everyone else.
Accounts engaged in doxxing receive a temporary 7 day suspension
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 16, 2022
At the same time, Musk has reinstated several prominent conservative Twitter accounts. In addition to the Gateway Pundit, Mike Lindell and James O’Keefe have also returned to Twitter.
I’m back!! Thank you @elonmusk and by the way MELT DOWN THE ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES AND TURN THEM INTO PRISON BARS!
— Mike Lindell (@realMikeLindell) December 16, 2022
I’M BACK ON TWITTER LIKE I NEVER LEFT #VERITAS pic.twitter.com/Mq5Kxygi3v
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) December 16, 2022
Needless to say, this latest move by Musk to actually enforce Twitter’s terms of service has not gone down well with many, especially those on the left, who claim that free speech is now under attack on Twitter.
Interestingly, it is not just the radical left that is complaining about this. Even traditional liberals seemed concerned with the move.
Journalist Bari Weiss, who has long been an ally of conservatives in fighting for free speech, expressed concern about the move, saying that Musk seemed no different than the old Twitter regime when it came to banning people.
Musk responded to Weiss by pointing out that free speech does not include doxing someone’s location, potentially putting them in danger.
What should the consequence of doxxing someone’s real-time, exact location be? Assume your child is at that location, as mine was.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 16, 2022
And therein lies the point. Musk is banning people not because they express an opinion that he disagrees with, but because they are actually violating Twitter’s terms of service. This is the difference between him and the old regime, the old regime banned accounts simply because they expressed a view that they disliked.
The left complaining about Musk now supposedly attacking free speech on Twitter is quite rich, given that they spent the last few years calling for conservative accounts to be banned even though they did not violate Twitter’s rules.
Through his ownership, Musk is showing that in a truly free society, the rules need to apply equally to everyone. Journalists and leftists do not have special rights on Twitter anymore, the playing field is now leveled.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
