Twitter bans political candidate for racist tweets

Roxxsmom · Feb 13, 2018

Paul Nehlan is one of the Republicans who is challenging Paul Ryan for his seat. He's also a frank and unapologetic white nationalist who has appeared on David Duke's show. The tweet that was in apparent violation of Twitter's new policy mocked Meghan Marckle, Prince Harry's bride-to-be.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo...nder-for-racist-tweet-targeting-meghan-markle

It's nice to see that Twitter will actually enforce their policies when politicians violate them, at least some of the time.

Nehlan's campaign will be filing a complaint in the Federal Election Commission. Evidently, he feels that being banned from Twitter for violation of their terms of use amounts to censorship.

Larry M · Feb 13, 2018

Apparently, he does not understand that the First Amendment does not apply to organizations like Twitter.

blacbird · Feb 13, 2018

This guy Nehlan is, essentially, an alt-right racist and fascist. As much as I dislike Paul Ryan, I fervently hope he wins the GOP primary in his district.

caw

Brightdreamer · Feb 13, 2018

blacbird said:
This guy Nehlan is, essentially, an alt-right racist and fascist. As much as I dislike Paul Ryan, I fervently hope he wins the GOP primary in his district.

caw

I've seen some of what's running for office under the red banner these days, and I fear those like Nehlan are the rising face of that party; the current guard paved the way to their own obsolescence by enabling the current regime's trajectory, and are now proving not extreme enough for the increasingly-rabid, increasingly-empowered red minority core. (That's what I fear is behind the apparent rash of "rats jumping ship" some have noted on the right - not that they fear a Blue Wave, but a deeper and nastier Blood-Red Tide. JMHO, though - can't prove it, but it's what I'm fearing, especially if the left can't keep up momentum and get themselves together...)

Roxxsmom · Feb 14, 2018

Brightdreamer said:
(That's what I fear is behind the apparent rash of "rats jumping ship" some have noted on the right - not that they fear a Blue Wave, but a deeper and nastier Blood-Red Tide. JMHO, though - can't prove it, but it's what I'm fearing, especially if the left can't keep up momentum and get themselves together...)

Me too, though I hope that if there is a red tide of white nationalist Republicans that the centrists will vote for the Democrats opposing them. Though nothing is certain these days. Dems have a history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

One ray of sunshine, a Republican-held district was flipped in a Florida special election today, and it was a district that voted for Trump in 2016. The margin was fairly substantial, too--seven points. Trump carried the district by five, and it is a district with more registered Republicans than Democrats.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/13/politics/democrats-flip-florida-house-seat/index.html

TCnKC · Feb 14, 2018

Trumps victory and continued actions while in office has no doubt gave these type of candidates the confidence(push) to step into the light(or run for office, etc.) The 2016 election proved that while the majority of the country may not agree with these type of people's beliefs there are a vast minority that do. Even if it's only 30-35% all it takes is for them to get 15% or so to hate the other side more and they can win. It's scary af.

Hopefully, this trend(or wave) of grass roots will continue to show that despite our own leadership not doing a d thing about the interference in our elections from foreign countries the people are so angry/passionate about what's going on that it won't matter and the blue wave will over this hatred we are seeing. If anything, this current culture may not be the end of America but the end of the Republican party's ability to win future elections with the people they are putting out there.

Twick · Feb 14, 2018

It's apparently been Nehlen's goal to get banned by Twitter so he can play to the Trump base as a "victim of political correctness." I saw the tweet he was banned for, and it was absolutely racist, with no possibility of being passed off as some sort of discussion of issues. It simply attacked Marckel for being part black.

Anyone who would vote for him after seeing the tweet is irredeemable.

Kjbartolotta · Feb 14, 2018

Twick said:
It's apparently been Nehlen's goal to get banned by Twitter so he can play to the Trump base as a "victim of political correctness.

The Roy Moore school of edgelording sounds like it might be becoming the new Southern Strategy. And as with Moore (and not to debate if Nehlen believes these horrible things, sure he does), I am quite certain Nehlen's main priority is to gain notority and turn this into his meal ticket.

Manuel Royal · Feb 14, 2018

Arthur Jones, who's likely to be the only Republican running for U.S. House from Illinois' 3rd, is, literally, a Nazi and a Holocaust denier.

Manuel Royal · Feb 14, 2018

Didn't there used to be a distinction between fame and infamy? Doesn't seem to matter anymore.

Roxxsmom · Feb 14, 2018

Twick said:
It's apparently been Nehlen's goal to get banned by Twitter so he can play to the Trump base as a "victim of political correctness."

He's certainly not the first white supremacist to use this tactic.

I saw the tweet he was banned for, and it was absolutely racist, with no possibility of being passed off as some sort of discussion of issues. It simply attacked Marckel for being part black.

Anyone who would vote for him after seeing the tweet is irredeemable.

I'm afraid so. It's impossible to play the "I'm not racist, but I voted for a racist because..." card in his case. From what I can tell, hate and intolerance is all he stands for. Not that this card is very convincing when anyone does it.

Roxxsmom · Feb 14, 2018

Twick said:
It's apparently been Nehlen's goal to get banned by Twitter so he can play to the Trump base as a "victim of political correctness."

He's certainly not the first white supremacist to use this tactic. Seems to be stock in trade these days, even in non-political organizations like the SFWA. Do something inexcusable, then scream "censorship" and "bias" when you're punished. As if bias in favor of basic decency and respect for human rights must be a political agenda. Evidently it is these days.

I saw the tweet he was banned for, and it was absolutely racist, with no possibility of being passed off as some sort of discussion of issues. It simply attacked Marckel for being part black.

Anyone who would vote for him after seeing the tweet is irredeemable.

I'm afraid so. It's impossible to play the "I'm not racist, but I voted for a racist because..." card in his case. Not that this card is very convincing when anyone does it.

Twitter bans political candidate for racist tweets

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido

Larry M

blacbird

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido

TCnKC

Twick

Kjbartolotta

Potentially has/is dog

Manuel Royal

Manuel Royal

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido