Latest Blog – Censorship on Steroids II

I naively asked last time what else could surpass the admission of unprecedented censorship by large agencies and corporations. It is an admission by a company that is completely small and, from a global perspective, completely insignificant.

Yesterday I received an email from the editor-in-chief of Aktuálně, Mr. Pazderka - that I was violating their blogger code and my blogs would be frozen.
It is unnecessary to publish his email here, because a completely identical letter arrived at the same time to Honza Hnízdil, and he sent it to him. already published.

The texts differ only in which of our blogs, according to Mr. Pazderka, violate the Aktuálně blogger code.
For me, the funniest part is that the censor didn't even bother to choose from the dozens of blogs I've written any "more spicy" text that could actually violate something, but instead chose my last blog. „Censorship on steroids”.

This blog presents ONLY facts from the BBC and Google with a list of phrases that are prohibited under their TNI agreement.

Here is the answer from Editor-in-Chief Pazderka to my question about where he sees the disinformation:

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Mr. Tomanek,
thanks for the quick reply, as an example from your blog I give a sentence: Because it is forbidden to inform that: „the approved vaccine against Covid-19 will cause death”. I repeat, I do not want to endlessly discuss with you the absolutely obvious facts, that there is no silent or overt censorship in the media you mentioned, that they only point out the importance of sticking to verifiable facts, that the other conspiracy theories you mentioned are not based on the truth... If it is not clear from this what I am talking about, then we are really moving on different planets and there is no point in discussing further.
I wish you all the best!
Josef Pazderka
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There are two funny things about this – the first is that it is an exact Google quote what is forbidden to talk about and the second funny thing is "I don't want to endlessly discuss completely obvious facts with you..."„

We've never discussed anything about my blog together before.

Oh well... the order was clear - just take those two and Nestling down!
I will definitely not wish all the best in such a cynical way, because if even small Czech media outlets remain silent and censor themselves like this, then nothing good awaits us in the future.

Jan Tománek

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One of the emails from a reader that I received in copy last night:

Dear Mr. Editor-in-Chief,

It was with sadness and great concern that I read message, that you are going to censor the blogs of Dr. Hnízdil and MgA. Jan Tománek. Your decision is clearly wrong and short-sighted.

If you think that this step will limit the reach of both gentlemen to the audience, you are fatally mistaken. Nowadays, you are not technically able to control the scope of communication, even though you may (at least uninformedly) think otherwise. On the contrary, you will grant both of them the “halo” of martyrs. Haven’t you noticed that it is precisely the discussions and sharp counterattacks of, for example, Dr. Honzák that provide the opportunity to see the arguments of one and the other side and thus form a judgment? Even reading an opinion that I disagree with helps me form my own opinion. This way, they will only move elsewhere, where there will be no more discussion. Perhaps the coordinated action (Facebook, YouTube, you) will be so successful that it will move so far out of reach that you will hardly be able to inform about it in a meaningful way. Moreover, it will always look like a “hit piece” from you. You will no longer convince anyone who would be open to considering the arguments that you want to present to the public as a medium. I don't suppose your only goal is to persuade those who have long been convinced?
An underground river is still a river, it has power and flows. After all, even a piped stream during a flood can cause very unpleasant surprises. Try to consider whether the state of our and global society is currently reminiscent of a beautiful, relaxing spring afternoon, or rather very cloudy weather with a rising wind and a purple-tinged horizon. And isn't it better to know where which stream flows and where a flood can be expected. Is it not appropriate to take some reasonable measures to prevent damage or at least to reduce it...

I cannot imagine that journalists of your caliber, and certainly your colleagues in the editorial office, did not know this and did not think about it. At the same time, I cannot imagine that after President Zeman's two victories in the elections, there was really no self-reflection on your side of the barricade... Do not underestimate the so-called "ordinary" people, they notice this coordinated censorship and will not just forget it. They also notice the many lies, such as the biggest one at the moment about the "infectivity" of those vaccinated against SARS-CoV2, declaimed in recent months like on a conveyor belt by the so-called serious media, they notice the disgusting sycophantic journalism that tries to please with uncritical parroting of politicians.

The second, much sadder, but unfortunately much more likely possibility, given your education and certainly high intelligence, which is by definition necessary to manage the editorial office, is that you are aware of all the above-mentioned phenomena and, on the contrary, you are doing it with the intention of further disrupting the tearing society and digging new and deeper trenches, because that is exactly what injustices do. Such actions, if intentional, are of course a treasonous crime. Do you not care about our country, for which our ancestors died when they fought for a free republic? Can freedom not only be our personal freedom, but also the joy of freedom? ALL our fellow citizens with something to balance? Money perhaps? “Fame?” A laudatory SMS from a minister or directly from the Prime Minister (“Scare the mutation and stick it in!“)?! Or are you just afraid that politicians or the owner will make fun of you? Is journalistic and civic bravery really dead?

Please consider your decision very carefully once again. Isn't the public exchange of opinions the best way to form public opinion? Why are you so afraid of so-called disinformation? A lie has no chance of standing up to truthful arguments. Why has there been such a personification of conflicts lately? Why is it impossible to distinguish that sometimes Hnízdil says nonsense, other times Flégr lets out madness, and other times, on the contrary, the same Hnízdil is right and the same Flégr suggests a good solution to a complicated problem. And even though Dr. Honzák constantly glosses over all this with a very indiscriminate vocabulary, it is good that he does so, because he is simply an interesting personality with great insight, despite the fact that he is sometimes mistaken in his assessment? For God's sake, let's not play some bad version of modern ostracism! How do you explain that it was possible to listen to German radio in the USA during World War II? Did Hitler win?! He doesn't shake anything at all with the truth. Yes, sometimes it takes a while to gain ground. However, he who defends the truth cannot be afraid of other opinions. He must especially love erroneous opinions, for they are the best way to demonstrate the beauty of truth and the fragility of error, untruth, or deliberate lies.

Your actions show, Mr. Editor-in-Chief, that you are not at all sure that the positions, facts, analyses and opinions presented by you are true. That they will not stand up to free discussion among free people. That is a serious matter. Another possible explanation could be a god-like belief that most citizens are idiots who need to be covered with so-called correct opinions, for their own good, of course... I don't know where you come from. I come from a village, I have known and know many simple people. Even simple people with a formally low IQ and low education know very well when they are treated with disdain. They also prefer to make their own decisions based on their own thinking. Do not underestimate the citizens of our country, otherwise it will backfire on us all very badly (again). As a society, we absolutely critically need open debate. Please cultivate it, analyze it, bring new ideas, give space and a voice to interesting thinking people with many different opinions and beliefs. But don't destroy the debate, don't censor, don't frame who is and isn't salonfaehig. Let people decide for themselves. By providing a space for public debate, especially for people with very different opinions and beliefs, you can do society a great service.

With respect and a request for a very thorough consideration of all the consequences of your decision on censorship and ideally a reassessment of its health

Stanislav Vinopal

PS Please don't waste your time on some nonsense like: "our blogger code etc. etc." You know that I know that you know... It's censorship (although perhaps some members of the editorial staff might have thought it was justified...). Censorship is always unacceptable, not only from the state, but from everyone.