GoFundMes $10M shutdown of Canadian truckers shows its time to rein in Big Tech – New York Post

When GoFundMe shut down funding Friday for the truckers Freedom Convoy, it didnt just clobber Canadian rig drivers. It dealt a blow to the rights of Americans. Silicon Valley executives are trying to limit the causes Americans support, favoring leftist ones and canceling conservatives.

Canadian truckers launched a convoy to Ottawa last month, to protest Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus vaccine mandate on all rig drivers. Never mind the absurdity of requiring a truck driver alone behind the wheel for 18 hours a day to be vaccinated.

The convoy set up a fundraising site on GoFundMe to pay for fuel, food and lodging. Many Americans rushed to support it. It had reached $10 million in donations when GoFundMe pulled the plug.

Nearly one-quarter of Americans donate on crowdfunding sites, according toPew Research. GoFundMe is the largest. Its the public square for fundraising, and it should be open to all, regardless of their politics.

Yet GoFundMe shuts down fundraising for causes the left doesnt like. Thats as dangerous to our democracy as when other Silicon Valley tech giants like Facebook and Twitter silence viewpoints.

We Americans have a constitutionally protected right to donate money to whatever causes we choose, the Supreme Court ruled inBuckley v. Valeo. Money funds political activity, and limiting where we can donate is like gagging our speech.

The Freedom Convoy reached Ottawa Jan. 29 and has clogged the citys streets with 18-wheelers and demonstrators calling for health-care freedom and an end to overreaching government COVID mandates.

GoFundMe claims it shut down the truckers and wont release their funds to them because of reports of violence and other unlawful activityviolating the companys terms of service.

Thats a joke. Even CNN reports no bloodshed.The New York Times concedes the worst issnarled traffic and blaring truck horns.

As of Friday evening, when GoFundMe permanently shut the site down, there had beenonly three arrestsdespite thousands protesting. As of Sunday, police reported more arrests and investigations, but the number is still minuscule overall.Ottawa Mayor Jim Watsons biggest complaintis that the truckers are showing insensitivity by creating noise and turning it into a party.

Compare that with the mayhem and violence in Portland, Ore., in 2020. Truth is, GoFundMe had no problem with that disorder.The site raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Portland General Defense Committee to defend rioters who set fire to police stations, vandalized city hall, wielded weapons and injured police officers.

Even now, GoFundMe is raising money forBlack Lives Matter NYCto engage incivil disobedience and disruption. GoFundMe likes BLMs brand of civil disobedience.

The framers of the Constitution banned government from censoring, but they didnt anticipate Big Tech. Democrats are happy to deputize Silicon Valley lefties to muzzle the deplorables and prevent an exchange of ideas. And money.

Democrats in Congress insist Big Tech should stamp out misinformation. Trudeau slammed the truckers for spreading misinformation.

Who decides whats misinformation? Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said the best test of truth is whether it survives in the competition of the market. Silicon Valley is snuffing out competition.

There are two remedies. The first is for Congress to regulate Big Tech like public utilities or common carriers, compelling them to serve all customers without viewpoint discrimination. Water companies and railroads cant deny service to customers with unpopular opinions. Big Tech should operate by the same rules.

Unfortunately, such legislation is unlikely to pass.About half of Democratic members stock holdings are in Big Tech, compared with only 14% for Republicans.

The second remedy is the Supreme Court. Its possible the majority will limit Big Tech censorship when a case arises.

In April 2021, Justice Clarence Thomas warned, in a concurring opinion, that the CEOs of the social-media giants a mere handful of executives have the power to exclude even a president of the United States from the digital public square.

Thomas appears poised to rule that the First Amendment bans censorship not only by government but also by social media.

GoFundMes attack on the Freedom Convoy is the latest red flag that Silicon Valleys power over us has to be stopped.

Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York.

Twitter: @Betsy_McCaughey

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GoFundMes $10M shutdown of Canadian truckers shows its time to rein in Big Tech - New York Post