Politics Is Downstream From Discourse

GabFam,

Thank you.

Our team is humbly grateful for your support this month. We had our best month on record for revenue and covered 100% of our operating costs. This was only possible because of people like you.

Gab’s only special interest group is our users, who are our customers and not a product being sold. We faced some tremendous challenges this month, including getting blacklisted from Visa. That didn’t stop this community. You all stepped up in a big way and used eCheck, bitcoin, and handwritten checks mailed to our PO Box to support us.

Visa is not only trying to silence Gab, they are trying to silence you. How you choose to spend your money is an expression of your speech. In many ways it is an inherently political expression of speech. Think of the boycotts for “canceled” companies or going out of your way to support businesses and causes you believe in.

These actions–and transactions–are an expression of your political speech.

The Supreme Court ruled that spending money is essential to disseminating speech in Buckley v. Valeo. The court found that “restrictions on spending for political communication necessarily reduces the quantity of expression and is therefore a violation of the first amendment. “

The left has figured out that politics is not downstream from culture.

It’s downstream from discourse.

Discourse is what happens on Gab. A recent study showed that Gab is not an echo chamber like Facebook and Twitter. Ideas disseminate and flow freely on Gab. In this type of environment, the best ideas rise to the surface and win.

This is why Gab is attacked from every angle. It’s why we aren’t allowed on both App Stores. It’s why Visa blacklisted us this month. It’s why Gab is not embraced, but mocked by the establishment left and shunned by the Conservative Inc right.