Marx’s insight—”The ruling ideas of each age have ever been the ideas of its ruling class”—perfectly captures the hypocrisy of free speech under the Trump administration. While they denounced censorship when the Biden administration silenced voices questioning pandemic policies, they now weaponize state power against those protesting the war in Gaza. This contradiction reveals that their defense of free speech is not based on principle but on political utility—protecting narratives that serve their interests while suppressing dissent that threatens their agenda. By framing pandemic skepticism as truth-seeking while branding anti-war activism as dangerous, they manipulate public discourse to maintain control rather than uphold genuine democratic values. This selective enforcement isn’t new; it’s a recurring pattern in power structures, where the ruling class dictates which ideas are legitimate and which must be silenced.
Tag: Double Standards
JD Vance Speaks at Rod Dreher’s ‘Live Not by Lies’ Screening in DC + More
JD Vance Speaks at Rod Dreher’s ‘Live Not by Lies’ Screening in DC
“The ruling elite of the societies have become actively hostile to some of the very ideas that those countries were founded on in the first place,” Vance said before an audience of about 100 people at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. In addition to Vance’s speech, the by-invitation-only event featured a screening and discussion of the first episode of the film series Live Not by Lies released April 1, by Angel Studios.
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Bangladesh’s Constitution reform: Sweeping changes in the constitution
Constitution reform: Sweeping changes in constitution
Expanding the fundamental rights to include food, clothing, shelter, education, internet, and vote, the Constitution Reform Commission proposes replacing nationalism, socialism, and secularism with equality, human dignity, social justice and pluralism as fundamental principles of state policy.
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Modifying, the much discussed article 70, the commission recommends that parliamentarians be allowed to vote against party line except finance bills.
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The constitution commission recommends deletion of the constitutional provision that stipulates inclusion of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s speech of March 7, 1971, his declaration of independence and the proclamation of independence, which are included in the 5th, 6th and 7th schedules respectively.
FYI, it was written by International IDEA, which is funded by USAID, Open Society Foundations, and several Western governments.
Related:
Leaked files expose covert US government plot to ‘destabilize Bangladesh’s politics’
Atlantic Council’s Ali Riaz to lead commission on constitutional reforms for Bangladesh
Trump antisemitism executive order invokes anti-KKK law and targets ‘leftist, anti-American’ universities
President Donald Trump’s executive order on antisemitism encourages the attorney general to use a federal law created to target the Klu Klux Klan, and will direct federal agencies to tell colleges and universities to “monitor” and “report activities” by foreign students, staff and faculty for activities related to terrorism, according to a draft of the order obtained by the Forward.
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In addition, it says that the attorney general is “encouraged” to use the federal “conspiracy against rights” law “to combat antisemitism.” The measure was originally passed to combat KKK violence in the aftermath of the Civil War, and has since been used to prosecute civil rights violations related to elections. Trump himself was charged with violating the law in relation to his alleged attempt to subvert the results of the 2020 election.
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The Anti-Defamation League has called for more aggressive action against students protesting Israel, including asking school presidents to investigate Students for Justice in Palestinechapters for providing material support to terrorist organizations. The Secure Community Network — the main organization providing security advice to synagogues and Jewish organizations in the United States — recently called for the country to “expel any non-citizen alien who supports terrorism,” including protesters.
Republicans have focused almost all of their attention on what they believe is antisemitism coming from left-wing activists and critics of Israel. The Heritage Foundation released a blueprint for the Trump administration to fight antisemitism called Project Esther that discussed how to dismantle a “Hamas Support Network” composed of progressive advocacy groups and foundations, while the author of that report said that he was not concerned with addressing the threat posed by white supremacists.
RAND and SeaLight Part 3b: Four Ways China Is Growing Its Media Influence in Southeast Asia
05-10-2022: Four Ways China Is Growing Its Media Influence in Southeast Asia
China’s most straightforward method of media outreach is directly broadcasting or publishing its state media content in target ASEAN countries. Xinhua, China’s official state media agency, has print bureaus in every Southeast Asian country. TV news channels CCTV-4 and the English-language CGTN likewise operate in nearly every country in the region, while China Radio International airs multilingual content in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Xinhua is a ministry-level agency directly under the State Council, while the other media organizations all operate under the Chinese Communist Party Publicity Department.
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Democrats join Republicans in passing fascistic “Crucial Communism Teaching Act” + More
Protected: Personal: Yikes! ⚠️
Zelensky’s wear and tear
Zelensky’s wear and tear (original)
For more than two and a half years, war has been the raison d’être of the Ukrainian state. The budget presented by Kyiv this week allocates more than 50% of the budget to the defence sector – to which must be added the cost of veterans – something that has been repeated since 2022. Maintaining the front, avoiding its collapse and ensuring that there is still enough support to continue fighting until the objectives are achieved is the priority of the government team, which has set aside practically all other obligations of the state, which today depends entirely on foreign subsidies that make it possible to pay salaries and pensions. One of the aspects that has completely disappeared under the cover of the unity demanded by the war is precisely domestic politics. The Russian invasion gave Zelensky’s team the opportunity to create for the president the image of a war leader, the representation of the nation, a savior capable of achieving what he sets out to do, the only person capable of rescuing the country from certain ruin.
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Brazil’s role in BRICS: “Forewarned is forearmed”
Lula’s ‘veto’ against Venezuela’s entry to BRICS is a continuation of his general policy.
Brazil’s Performance in BRICS: “An Announced War Doesn’t Kill Soldiers”
Google translates the original title “La actuación de Brasil en Brics: ‘Guerra avisada no mata soldados’” as “Brazil’s role in BRICS: ‘Forewarned is forearmed.’” “Forewarned is forearmed” is a proverb meaning that one gains a tactical advantage if they are aware of potential threats or issues beforehand.
Previously:
Venezuela Rejects Brazilian Government Interference [Amorim has served US imperialism for decades]
Brazil’s Lula toes the Western line and opposes Venezuela’s and Nicaragua’s membership in BRICS
The Kims Are Coming!
After a few cat and mouse days of Defense Secretary Lloyd “Raytheon” Austin’s denials, the Pentagon finally yesterday affirmed that there was evidence of a North Korean military presence in Russia. Asked what they were doing in Russia, Austin replied, “What exactly they are doing? Left to be seen. These are things that we need to sort out.”
Previously:
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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