• chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    1·
    21 hours ago

    I’m not saying they couldn’t be stronger. There is a huge problem with abusing deportations this way, and other forms of legislating speech by enforcement. But please consider how much worse things can get, and what barriers still remain between here and there. That it isn’t a crime to say “Free Palestine”, that it isn’t a simple matter of declaring it a racist slogan to make it a crime, does mean something.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      20 hours ago

      But please consider how much worse things can get, and what barriers still remain between here and there.

      The barriers are largely logistical. And I believe Trump’s allies in Silicon Valley are closing the gap between what they want and what they can practically achieve.

      That it isn’t a crime to say “Free Palestine”

      If you can be targeted, arrested, and deported for doing a thing, it is a crime in every way that matters.

      I guess its nice they didn’t subject him to torture, indefinite detention, or summary execution. But given how many people are being sent to international black sites and concentration camps, that’s hardly a given.

      The question isn’t whether things can get worse. The question is whether there are any avenues left for things to get better. I’m increasingly pessimistic, given the current state of play.

      • chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        1·
        19 hours ago

        If you can be targeted, arrested, and deported for doing a thing, it is a crime in every way that matters.

        To the extent that this does not apply to citizens at scale, there are many more people who are not effectively silenced. If they pass laws that are upheld and able to effectively silence everyone, that would be objectively a big step towards crushing dissent. There are relatively recent laws by conservative states attempting to regulate social media that have been blocked for 1st Amendment reasons. I don’t see a reason to consider the legal barriers useless, they pretty clearly matter a lot here.

        And I believe Trump’s allies in Silicon Valley are closing the gap between what they want and what they can practically achieve.

        We’re here, on a network not controlled by those companies. Free speech protections are a big part of what makes that possible.