'FIRST AMENDMENT BLOCKING CONTROL OF FREE SPEECH'

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry has faced heavy criticism for lamenting that the First Amendment right to free speech gets in the way of a so-called 'democracy' where a select few determine policies for millions of people.

Kerry, formerly the US Special Presidential Envoy on Climate (2021-24), made these remarks at the recent World Economic Forum 'Sustainable Development Impact Meetings' on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York. 

Kerry proposed a truth arbiter to regulate speech under the pretext of combating 'disinformation,' saying this approach would help so-called democracies (or capitalist dictatorships) convince their populations to accept top-down policies. 

However, it looks to be too late for Kerry's tears. A 2023 Pew research poll found only 16 per cent of US citizens trust their government to do what is right 'just about always,' while a June 2024 Washington Post-Schar School poll in six swing states (those US states whose populations have not voted consistently for Democrats or Republicans) found that 7 in 10 voters don't trust the media to report on politics objectively.

Since softer measures to ensure oligarchic control thus far have not worked, the imperialist establishment has de-platformed independent media outlets like ours, African Stream. In the past two weeks, we have been banned by Meta (Facebook, Instagram and Threads), Google (YouTube and Workspace [email accounts and files]), and TikTok. The bans came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken falsely accused us on 13 September of being 'Kremlin propagandists.'

Your voice matters in strengthening the dam against tyranny flooding the world. Join our Patreon, Rumble, Telegram and X (Twitter) pages to help keep the flame of free speech burning for Africans trying to free our continent and our diaspora kin of colonialism.

Video credit: World Economic Forum (@wef on X)