Mary🌸I Choose Freedom

love my life. I Choose Freedom

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

Would you agree?

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

An excellent piece on J.D Vance....Will he stay true to his conviction or get swallowed up by Washington 🤔

The Elegant Hillbilly https://t.co/LKEkVnBniP

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@IrishInquiry @HMcEntee should be ashamed to call herself a woman when she clearly doesn't stand up for them 🤬 To think 4 rapists are walking our streets ,alleged or not, the victim should be allowed to give video evidence

[Senator Rónán Mullen @RonanMullen]

The 'Disinformation Strategy Consultation' needs to hear from you and they're not giving you much time. Funny that.

The National Counter Disinformation Strategy Group has provided a brief window for public consultation until 20 October 2023.

This comes at a time when the EU is making active use of the new Digital Services Act, requiring social media platforms to censor political speech in line with their demands. Last month the concern was pro Russia propaganda, now it is the Middle East crisis, but always – and here is the problem – it is what some EU official designates as ‘disinformation’or ‘hate speech’, guided in that task by billionaire-funded ‘disinformation experts’.  This week, the target is the free-speech platform X and the extensive coverage it has given to both sides in the Middle East conflict.

Over the past six months the National Counter Disinformation Strategy Group has published – on a hard-to find-website – pro forma minutes of its meetings, together with details of presentations received. The Strategy Group established three sub groups early in the summer and, voilà, by late September it had three strategy documents produced comprising almost 100 pages of complex disinformation strategy!

Their industriousness is to be commended.

The general public has now been provided with a noticeably narrow consultation window – from 25 September to 20 October 2023. Responses can be submitted via an online survey. Full details and the consultation questionnaire are available on https://t.co/3TQknLF4BL

The Strategy’s stated aim is to balance the rights of big tech, legacy media and governments. The five principles as outlined in the online survey seem sensible on their face.

But to read the draft Strategy document is to feel less reassured. Although it starts from a concern about truth and the accessing of truth, this concern morphs into one of protecting people from (undefined) harm, including from information that is lawful but harmful (again undefined). Similarly, concern initially around disinformation (false information that intends to deceive) drifts to include misinformation (simple false information).

For me, however, the moment when the mask may have slipped was when the glossary decided to include 'malinformation' (that is, true information, with intent to deceive!). So, for example, true accounts about the Middle East conflict might be deemed by some administrator in the EU as being better left unsaid and thus censored, and/or its propagators silenced.

Of course, there is always a responsibility on people to communicate not just truthfully but in context. For example, “Israel is bombing civilian areas in Gaza” doesn’t suffice on its own. It must be accompanied by “Israel claims that terrorists are shielding themselves in civilian areas.”

But it should be axiomatic that the censorship of truth is almost never appropriate in a free society (unless perhaps when a country is in state of war), however suspect the motives of the ‘truth-teller’ might be.

And while expressing support for quality journalism and fact-checking the Strategy document does not acknowledge the valuable work done by citizen journalists on social media or the view that these citizen journalists might have an important role to play in society. The Strategy document, by contrast, seems not to have any problem with fact-checking organisations being funded by international NGOs with vested political interests. And it fails to consider the democratic community model of fact-checking adopted by the social media channel X.

The Strategy has all the hallmarks of ‘Big Brother’ in action, out to silence awkward voices which may have inconvenient truths to tell. While claiming to defend the individual citizen the Strategy document appears more like a charter to defend the State and ‘approved’ powerful vested interests. Much like the ‘Hate Speech’ Bill it doffs the hat to freedom of expression, but because ordinary people cannot be trusted to make judgments for themselves, insists that some paternalistic power broker must be there to make the decision for the great unreliable masses.

The few examples from the Irish context of the need for the proposed strategic actions are so underwhelming as to be not worth mentioning. I am afraid, however, that among the people most likely to cause genuine election interference are some of the groups being lauded in these documents – not the minnows which the drafters of this Strategy document may have in mind.

In the end, lies are best combated by simple truth. The vast majority of people know who and when to trust, based on past experiences. If a State agency lies to you, it rightfully loses your trust. Yes, social media may amplify some badness, and people may go down rabbit holes, but even many of those who do go down those rabbit holes actually know what they are doing. It is not so much that they are deceived, but that they wilfully choose a narrative that reflects their prejudices and preferences. Something like the decision to buy the Guardian or the Telegraph – only more extreme and less tempered by opposing perspectives.

Censorship of democratic, contrary, voices undermines efforts to find truth. But it enables progressive politics to advance because, frankly, there a lot of bad ideas out there gaining currency because there is not the balanced analysis within mainstream media with the western journalistic class, like the western academic class, being mostly partisan and deaf to contrary argument.

The incentive for EU leaders to censor is enormous, because disparate voices are necessarily unsettling in diverse societies. This Strategy is part of reducing the burden on EU leaders, but the implications for democracy and freedom of expression may be extreme.

I am concerned that Ireland’s ‘Hate Speech’ Bill with its non-definition of ‘hatred’ and its conflation of ‘gender’ with ‘gender identity’ will find further amplification under the measures in this draft strategy.

And what of the rush with this consultation process? Is it that we want to be the best boys and girls in the European class by setting a template for a code of conduct for the Digital Services Act across Europe?

My biggest concern about this is that Irish citizens do not let an administrative elite advance this project without at least hearing from them. Political viewpoints and public discussion should not be censored. Well-meaning ‘Big Brothers’ tampering with the communication of ideas are not what we need. So please insist on the primacy of freedom of expression being upheld over any code on disinformation. Maybe you could also request a few public participative hearings on some specific topics in the Strategy to really establish what it is about? That would get citizens thinking and talking, which is what the Strategy Group should want.

If you have any issue accessing this survey, or if it all seems a bit complex, go ahead an email [email protected] in your own terms. I am sure they’ll accept it. Ignoring your citizen voice just wouldn’t look good.

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

Result 👍

[eToro eXposed 🔍 @RTETakingLs]

A college lecturer in the US sued his employer after he was disciplined for 'misgendering' a student. The court ruled this burdened his rights to freedom of speech and religious expression.

He was awarded $400K damages and no longer has to refer to students by their 'preferred pronouns'.

The US Constitution is the single greatest document in human history.

#BinTheBill
#RepealGRA
#AdoptTheFirstAmendment
#FreeEnoch

https://t.co/zzVAhbsNrn

[Niall Boylan @Niall_Boylan]

The current method of politics and leadership in Ireland needs to radically change. We are heading towards another election where you don’t need to be a psychic to predict it will be a Fianna Fáil/Sinn Fein/ a few independents coalition. That means five more years of the same if not worse. Sinn Fein so far have been the worst opposition in history as they are just a cheek of the same government arse. Watch Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael blame the Greens on everything next year and the Greens will be obliterated. The real danger is if Soc Dems or PBP manage to slip into the coalition. The people need to demand real change and real promises.
🔹Cap and regulation on immigration.
🔹HSE overhaul
🔹Increase support for mental health services.
🔹Complete overhaul of family law and family law courts.
🔹Cap on energy bills
🔹Overhaul social welfare to eliminate generational dependency.
🔹Increase minimum wage to a proper living wage with reduced employer PRSI.
🔹Reverse all climate change restrictions on farming.
🔹Bin the hate speech bill.
🔹Abolish Green taxes.
🔹Acceleration on social housing building.
🔹Defunding of majority of NGOs.
🔹Ban puberty blockers for under 18s
🔹Protect women’s spaces and insure no biological men use their spaces.
🔹Demand politicians recognise “women” and not pander to woke NGO’s and demand they define “woman” as a person born biological female.
🔹Public consultation on SPHE in schools.
🔹Increase standard non contributory pensions
🔹Abolish television licence, sell 2FM & relocate RTE.

The list is endless with many more to add but these are the basics and people should demand change from their representatives at the front door.

[MichaeloKeeffe @Mick_O_Keeffe]

Sinn Fein will be standing against women tomorrow in Dublin.

Despite the "powerful women" image they project with Marylou and Michelle leading the party they actively mobilise to stop women speaking.

#LetWomenSpeakDublin

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@BenGilroyIRL @KOL5551 Bring back St Patrick ! There's a few snakes we need to rid this country of 🤬

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis @DrLoupis]

How to fight climate change.

[Niall Boylan @Niall_Boylan]

This has been going on in Ireland for years. I am possibly the only conservative voice left on Irish radio. On my own podcast and national radio show I have talked about how the government are manipulating media to accuse anybody who questions them as right wing as a way of insulting and silencing them. During Covid our own government paid a private company monthly to monitor social media and report back with names of all those who disagreed with government policy. Ex-Twitter policy advisors were directly involved in the private company. Twitter Verification was automatically denied to anybody who was not on the government’s side or the left. We were shadow banned, ghost banned, suspended and much more. If you want more information regarding the reports I can share these with you. Ireland is now set to sign into law one of the most Orwellian pieces of legislation that will destroy freedom of expression. Twitters (X) EU headquarters has never had #TwitterFiles type investigation but I really believe the last few years may need thorough examination. Our next elections will be fought online and those dissenting voices will be silenced again. I will be speaking about this with @shellenberger and others in Dublin next month. You should join us on the night .@elonmusk

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@acalpy @PaulTreyvaud He didn't get in on last one either but there he is with pinky and perky destroying our country 🤷‍♀️

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@BoyceM141 @BenGilroyIRL 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[MichaeloKeeffe @Mick_O_Keeffe]

8 years ago @Paschald tried to force water charges on Ireland.

Now he wants to force speech restrictions on us.

Pashcal has to go.

#ResignPaschal

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

😡😡😡😡👇

[Tweed Cap @CapTweed]

These people are here to please Brussels. Not you. You’re not their priority.

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@TonyConway12 @BenGilroyIRL 🤣🤣🤣🤣🐑🐑🐑

[gript @griptmedia]

'God's children are not for sale.': The smash-hit movie, Sound of Freedom, whose success has taken the Hollywood establishment by surprise, will come to Ireland next month.

#gript

https://t.co/PLoRiv7Rl0

[Eddie Hobbs @RealEddieHobbs]

Lesson to Irish public here, to watch from afar, a 4th Estate in action while we bury data that exposes the truth

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@Ben_Scallan Was in Rhodes last month, local said July Aug gets up to 50 degrees EVERY year! The temperatures weren't even that high Arson a definite possibility Then there's the issue of the scaremongering, fires were confined to one particular area not whole island 🙄

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@rtenews Pack of lies was in Rhodes last month and local told me that 50 degrees is normal in July- August what was unusual was the wind they were getting 🙄

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

@AlfieHarnett Always think of you when I hear 'Nothing Compares to You 'Alfie, remember you loved that song so very very sad 💔 but hopefully she is at peace with her son🙏

[Mary🌸I Choose Freedom @Lee66marilee]

#IRISHFARMERS