Elon Musk, the soon-to-be new owner of Twitter, issued a press release upon his purchase of the platform and he garnered a plethora of responses from those who are melting down, like “All In The Family” star Rob Reiner.
“Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated,” he said. “I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spambots, and authenticating all humans. Twitter has tremendous potential – I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it.”
🚀💫♥️ Yesss!!! ♥️💫🚀 pic.twitter.com/0T9HzUHuh6
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2022
That simple tweet, Which made the purchase official, only added to the absolute meltdown of people who appear to be terrified of a platform that allows free speech.
“Looks like I’m about to say goodbye to Twitter as well. I’ve been pulling back a bit from social media anyway. This will be just the push I need to go all the way on this app,” New York Times writer Charles M. Blow said.
Looks like I’m about to say goodbye to Twitter as well. I’ve been pulling back a bit from social media anyway. This will be just the push I need to go all the way on this app. https://t.co/QkwIsYy6zS
— Charles M. Blow (@CharlesMBlow) April 25, 2022
Actress Yvette Nicole Brown joined Blow and said she was leaving to join another network hardly anyone has ever heard of.
“I’m leaving too friend. I joined a site called http://counter.social it appears to be fighting against what @twitter is about to become,” she said.
I’m leaving too friend. I joined a site called https://t.co/9N5UIwfEUd it appears to be fighting against what @twitter is about to become.
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) April 25, 2022
“I will not stay on Twitter if Elon Musk owns it,” former New York Times editorial board member Mira Kamdar said.
“the willingness of Twitter’s board to engage with Mr. Musk, the world’s richest man, represents a step forward.” And a step toward my leaving this platform. I will not stay on Twitter if Elon Musk owns it. https://t.co/ppmwLRe2wV
— Mira Kamdar (@mirakamdar) April 25, 2022
Former World Wrestling Entertainment World Heavyweight Champion Mick Foley also showed his snowflake side.
“I’ll be giving some serious thought to leaving @Twitter for good in the near future. I do not have a good feeling about where this platform is heading,” he said before making several more tweets about where he is going to be appearing next.
I’ll be giving some serious thought to leaving @Twitter for good in the near future.
I do not have a good feeling about where this platform is heading.
— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) April 25, 2022
Actor and director Rob Reiner had a total meltdown thinking that Musk may allow former President Donald Trump on the platform.
“Now that Elon Musk is buying Twitter, the question for all of us is: Will he allow a Criminal who used this platform to lie and spread disinformation to try to overthrow the US Government to return and continue his Criminal activity? And if he does, how do we combat it?” he said
Now that Elon Musk is buying Twitter, the question for all of us is: Will he allow a Criminal who used this platform to lie and spread disinformation to try to overthrow the US Government to return and continue his Criminal activity? And if he does, how do we combat it?
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) April 25, 2022
And then there was racial activist Shaun King. Who has since deleted his Twitter account, who accused Musk of purchasing the company for white supremacy.
“At its root, [Elon Musk] wanting to purchase Twitter is not about left vs right,” he said. “It’s about white power.”
“The man was raised in Apartheid by a white nationalist,” the activist said. “He’s upset that Twitter won’t allow white nationalists to target/harass people. That’s his definition of free speech.”
“Elon Musk has openly called himself a ‘free speech absolutist’ and said that he wants to create a space where anything can be said about anyone,” he said. “That’s why white nationalists are giddy today. Here on Twitter and other platforms that I track daily. It’s dangerous.”
“And listen, I don’t even like the Democratic Party,” he said. “So for me, this isn’t about left vs right. Not at all. It’s about how the richest man in the world, a son of Apartheid, raised by a white nationalist, wants to be sure his speech, and that of other white men, isn’t censored.”
Former CEO Jack Dorsey had an optimistic view of the purchase.
The idea and service is all that matters to me, and I will do whatever it takes to protect both. Twitter as a company has always been my sole issue and my biggest regret. It has been owned by Wall Street and the ad model. Taking it back from Wall Street is the correct first step.
— jack⚡️ (@jack) April 26, 2022
“I love Twitter. Twitter is the closest thing we have to a global consciousness,” the former CEO said. “The idea and service is all that matters to me, and I will do whatever it takes to protect both. Twitter as a company has always been my sole issue and my biggest regret. It has been owned by Wall Street and the ad model. Taking it back from Wall Street is the correct first step.”
“In principle, I don’t believe anyone should own or run Twitter. It wants to be a public good at a protocol level, not a company. Solving for the problem of it being a company however, Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness,” he said. “Elon’s goal of creating a platform that is “maximally trusted and broadly inclusive” is the right one. This is also @paraga’s goal, and why I chose him. Thank you both for getting the company out of an impossible situation. This is the right path…I believe it with all my heart.”
Authored by Carmine Sabia via Conservative Brief
ThinkCivics researches, examines, and reports on issues that matter most. We deliver explanative, fearless, and insightful analysis for public consumption.
