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“A big subject today at the White House Social Media Summit will be the tremendous dishonesty, bias, discrimination and suppression practiced by certain companies. We will not let them get away with it much longer. The Fake News Media will also be there, but for a limited period.”
This, of course, is not a social media summit — and here’s how you know: none of the major social media platforms, such as Twitter or Facebook, are invited to attend.
For many on the left and in the establishment press, this is an unsavory cast of characters — a group of unserious instigators and ne’er do wells whom the President of the United States should not be elevating.
This consternation is somewhat understandable — some of these figures are truly loathsome internet trolls who serve no purpose other than to harass, antagonize, provoke and spread misinformation. Some others have pushed hateful speech and racist memes. Still others are merely annoying gadflies.
But there also are a number of reasons this event should not get us all worked up.
For starters, who is remotely surprised by this? These are Trump’s peeps, his bros, his ride or dies. Most of these folks have devoted some or much of their careers to protecting and promoting him, for some to their considerable professional detriment. As Reagan was fond of saying, you dance with the one that brung ya. Well, these are the ones that brung him, and Trump wants to reward them with some face time before the election ramps up.
He also, without a doubt, wants to get a rise out of us. Mission accomplished.
These are also not the first controversial guests to be invited to this White House or others.
Finally, there are actually real issues confronting conservatives and social media. I hope they’re addressed or at least raised in serious ways on Thursday, and not merely just the window dressing for a Trump pep rally.
More likely, though, the “summit” is just a front for the President’s fan club to get together and complain about the “fake news” press and how they’re so put upon, and brag about owning the libs. This is not something to fear, folks — it’s something to pity.
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