Patrisse Khan-Cullors is a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter organization and, in her own words, a “trained Marxist.” This has not stopped her from benefiting from her capitalist ventures, profiting well from the sale of two books and being paid handsomely by Warner Bros to produce programming for broadcast, cable and streaming. Khan-Cullors has come under criticism as a hypocrite for her recent purchase of a $1.4 million home in a secluded section of Los Angeles where the population is reportedly less than 2% Black. The criticism, in my mind, is well deserved. Activists who organize for Marxist principles and claim to be concerned about inequality and racial justice ought not be consumed themselves by values they claim to fight against.

Jason Whitlock is an African-American sportscaster who has been critical of the BLM organization, calling it a scam and even comparing it to the KKK. Whitlock tweeted his criticism of Khan-Cullors, calling her out as a hypocrite. This did not sit well with the social media gods who control Twitter, and they promptly censored Whitlock, making his tweet unavailable.

This is troubling, because Khan-Cullors is a public figure and, by all rights, subject to praise or criticism by the public forum. The fact that Twitter cancelled a legitimate criticism of her by another public figure means that Twitter has decided that certain persons are not subject to critical analysis. Why? Because of their political views, or because of the political views of those who criticize them? Either way, it’s troubling and contrary to the American tradition of free speech and comment on public figures.

I do not now and never have had a Twitter account. Neither do a plan on opening one. My only social media presence is this blog and my Facebook page. But, if social media giants like Twitter are going to be taken seriously and expect to be trusted and continue to be preferred by people, they need to remember that their mission is to create a public forum for the free expression of ideas and not to be the arbiter of what ideas may be expressed.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.