Twitter Hounds Trump But Ignores Slate Tweet Calling Violence an 'Important Tool' for Protests
Twitter has yet to censor a tweet Slate posted Thursday morning claiming that violence is an “important tool” for activists who are trying to push for social changes.
Slate’s tweet links to a Wednesday podcast from the website extolling the supposed virtues of violence as a means of communication.
Non-violence is an important tool for protests, but so is violence. https://t.co/DD6gaLPKuF
— Slate (@Slate) June 4, 2020
Twitter has not responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment addressing whether the post violates the company’s rules against glorifying violence.
Historian Kellie Carter Jackson discussed on the podcast what she believes to be the important role violence has historically played in creating social change.
“Violence becomes the main way people can communicate their political, social, or economic grievances,” said Jackson, who posted a tweet on Wednesday quoting Slate’s comment.
Twitter has not responded to questions about Jackson’s tweet either.
I hope everyone will give this a careful listen. My latest for Slate…
Non-violence is an important tool for protests, but so is violence. https://t.co/z5nQG3oYki via @slate
— K Carter Jackson (@kcarterjackson) June 3, 2020
Twitter’s decision not to immediately nix the tweet differs from the company’s quick censorship of President Trump after he posted a tweet that said, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
….These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
In 1967, Miami Police Chief Walter Headley used the same phrase during hearings about crimes which many believe incited violence against black people.
The president’s tweet referred to the violent riots set off by the death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for roughly nine minutes.
The police officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired after the incident and now faces second- and third-degree murder and manslaughter charges.
Twitter immediately took action against the tweet, concealing it under a banner that reads: “This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public’s interest for the Tweet to remain accessible.”
Trump later clarified what the tweet was meant to convey, telling his Twitter followers in a May 29 tweet that looting often leads to gun violence, something the president said he hopes to avoid.
The president signed an executive order on May 28 calling for tech companies to be held liable for censorship.
Looting leads to shooting, and that’s why a man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Wednesday night – or look at what just happened in Louisville with 7 people shot. I don’t want this to happen, and that’s what the expression put out last night means….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 29, 2020
Slate has not responded to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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