Comment by frankfrankfrank | Hacker News Reader

Comment by frankfrankfrank | Hacker News Reader

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frankfrankfrank

Am I the only one that is even slightly concerned about where all of this is heading?

What happens if you decide that in fact it is not good that Biden instigated a war with the next brown country that is going to get it because the American war machine has lust in its eye and psychopathic military brass needs a promotion for a fatter pension and benefits that depends on killing people somewhere, anywhere?

So is this the paradigm for when protests happen that the government and corporations don't like and just want to shut down? No, I know, they would never shut down your righteous cause and protest because you are the good bois.

They'll simply not let you board a plane (maybe even put you too on a no fly list?)? Not rent a car to you? Deny you a hotel/airbnb, possibly for life? Your apps/phones stop working within a geofence around any government building? You can't eat in a restaurant? You cannot buy anything by payment processor/visa/MC? The only left over mega corporations will not take cash?

People who have done this, which is overwhelmingly on the "left" side of the spectrum, should really take a pause and think really long and really hard about what they have unleashed here; because no matter what I don't see how this demon will be put back into pandora's box without full collapse. Once you have relinquished control over your life to the government/corporate fascist type alliance, you can ask nicely all you want, you aren't getting that power over your life back from these types of people by any peaceful means. History is replete with the proof after proof for how this will all play out unfortunately.

Can't waste a good crisis. Its the same way every time. You only have to look back at terrorist events and see the long-term impact on our freedoms and how it was used to push an agenda. And I say this as neutrally as possible.

Attempting to topple the legitimately elected US president comes with consequences. No matter the reasoning. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Edit: It is interesting to see my comment downvoted. Taking part in such acts and not expecting consequences is naive at best.

Just because a group of morons did something does not mean corporations should take it upon themselves to police the free travel of the citizenry.

Why didn’t they shut down operations across the country when COVID became a known, valid threat? They facilitated the spread of the disease.

No, this is the paradigm when there’s an armed crowd attacking the Capitol and making plans for further attacks, encouraged by the President and a big chunk of Congress. That is not a “protest”. And history is indeed replete with how that scenario plays out.

If the “left side of the spectrum” does any of that, feel free to cancel their credit cards too.

> the "left" side of the spectrum, should really take a pause and think really long and really hard about what they have unleashed here

You seem to be forgetting the immediate cause - the insurrection. Individuals (both left and right leaning) lose ground while entrenched power (both left and right flavored) gains - but these events were set in motion by the political right.

I'm dreading the knee-jerk heavy-handed responses, but after what has occurred they're inevitable. The surest way to get congresscritters to unilaterally act is to directly threaten their own personal safety. Furthermore, bringing organized violence to the table completely changes the game - those social media bans are better seen as a reaction to novel criminal liability rather than a mere escalation of the section 230 battle.

As a libertarian, what's truly disappointing is seeing what was probably our last chance at direct rebellion get wasted to assuage one proto-fascist simpleton's ego with a fake narrative of a stolen election. That's not the kind of movement that could possibly gain momentum by demonstrating its justness. I've always believed that personal computing is a better hope for freedom than expecting any herd of people to move in a productive direction, and these events just hammer it home.

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