Just sent this to SCF [Strategic Culture Foundation]Patrick Armstrong blogs here at his own site and at Col. Patrick Lang's site, Turcopolier. Presumably, he will continue to publish at this venues.
As you can see from this, the threats that have silenced many of your American contributors will be coming to Canada soon.
I will no longer contribute to Strategic Culture Foundation. Thank you for your honourable behaviour and honesty. I am sorry to do this but it’s a case of force majeure. I’m too old to want to fight it.
Please give any remaining honorariums to this charity supported by the Rotary Club of St Petersburg.
Thank you.
GOODBYE TO SCF
Patrick Armstrong, retired analyst and diplomat (2008) serving in the Canadian Department of National Defence specializing in the USSR/Russia from 1984 and a Counsellor in the Canadian Embassy in Moscow in 1993-1996.
Patrick Armstrong, retired analyst and diplomat (2008) serving in the Canadian Department of National Defence specializing in the USSR/Russia from 1984 and a Counsellor in the Canadian Embassy in Moscow in 1993-1996.
By omitting specifics, he's not doing his readers in Canada a service.
ReplyDeleteWait for Trumps thing (due next quarter) and then move over there….
ReplyDeleteBy omitting specifics, he's not doing his readers in Canada a service.
ReplyDeleteAsk and you shall receive.
https://patrickarmstrong.ca/2021/12/16/csis-comes-to-call/
Wait for Trumps thing (due next quarter) and then move over there….
ReplyDeleteIf they go after Pat Lang's site where he also publishes, the curtain has already come down. There won't be any safe venues.
Col. W. Patrick Lang, US Army (ret.)
A visit by a spook doesn't qualify as a threat. I've had to deal with worse than that.
ReplyDeleteMaybe there is something in his past employment that they threatened him with. For example, if he held security clearances.
If they go after Pat Lang's site where he also publishes, the curtain has already come down. There won't be any safe venues.
ReplyDeleteSomewhat ironically, Alex Jones' Infowars site would be a safe venue.
Trumps thing,,,
ReplyDeleteWhat is Trumps thing?
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid to search Google Images for it...
MAGA cohort is in process of creating a parallel economy…. Trump supposed to stand up a microblogging service (Twitter) next quarter and Rumble (YouTube) is already operating…
ReplyDeleteJust go over there if you are being censored…
https://www.truthsocial.com/
“ If they go after Pat Lang's site”
ReplyDeleteWho is “they”?
Let’s not start with the conspiracy theory again…
The people administering these sites take it upon themselves to delete content that they personally disagree with politically…
Trump policy (alleged) is not to censor unless there is some sort of criminal activity… we’ll see…
This is MAGA on Rumble talking about Ukraine situation e.g…. Rumble is not going to take this down… supposedly…
ReplyDeletehttps://rumble.com/vqyhav-crooked-cabal-of-kiev.html
Who is “they”?
ReplyDeleteIn the US the fines are imposed by the Treasury as a legal way to get a round government censorship. (Whether the courts would agree is moot since so far people are complying. The visit is by a government official who informs you about your exposure. The fine in the US is 300K for being in violation. So far those involved have other venues that are safe at the moment. The US government is not shutting down US sites, only fining Americans that publish on site the US government determines are operated by Russian intelligence.
Armstrong was visited by a member of Canadian intel.
This is all covered in previous posts here at MNE.
Matt, I don't see this as a conspiracy theory. The facts are simple. Treasury institutes a policy and a government official shows up to inform someone they are potentially in violtion and therefore subject to an onerous fine if they continue. Simple.
ReplyDeleteWhere I do see a "conspiracy" of sorts is in the ploy to evade censorship by government by getting targets excluded from tech platforms for reason's like spreading disinformation. This is already happening and Facebook and Twitter in particular have been involved. It's a pretty big deal when a sitting POTUS is excluded from using tech platforms by leaders of the private sector. This clearly cost them $, so one wonders how this enhanced shareholder value, and therefor what was actually behind it. Now they face Trump setting up a competitive platform that will decrease their reach. Was this all on MZ and JD, or were they pressured. IF so, what did the pressure, involve?
There is a backstory here that not clear.
A fine?
ReplyDeleteSo why doesn't he mention it?
Well if they are getting paid to be a foreign agent then they have to register as one then I think there is no problem because you have registered and disclosed that you are a foreign agent…
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that sometimes the people don’t disclose … then this is some sort of legal violation and authorities can impose penalties etc..,
This is normal…
They just want you to register so they can keep an eye on your activity.. I don’t see the problem..
I think it is the FARA act…
https://www.justice.gov/nsd-fara
“ The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) was enacted in 1938. FARA requires certain agents of foreign principals who are engaged in political activities or other activities specified under the statute to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts and disbursements in support of those activities. ”
If people are doing this they have to disclose it…
Enforcement of the FARA Act is not a conspiracy theory… it’s simple law enforcement..
Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill…
They just want you to register so they can keep an eye on your activity.. I don’t see the problem..
ReplyDeleteMatt, that option was not offered. The message was, post on SCF and receive a 300K fine. Full stop.
Tom sounds like all the guy has to do is start publishing his personal analysis on the Russia situation on a neutral platform if he doesn’t even want to be directly paid by an organization…
ReplyDeleteHe could just go to Locals or Trump or Rumble where you get paid based on subscription or page views or however they structure content provider compensation..,
Sounds like they have designated that SCF thing as an unregistered foreign agent so what is the problem?
ReplyDeleteHere is Tulsi on Locals I am one of her subscribers:
ReplyDeletehttps://tulsi.locals.com/
Just go over there…
Locals just merged with Rumble I think Dave Rubin is a principal at Locals maybe Scott Adams…
ReplyDeleteRubin is moving to Florida now that is where Rumble just redomiciled from Canada… Rumble is Peter Theil and Dan Bongino…
Trump thing is in Florida..,
Joe Rogan moved to Texas..,
This is all coming together in Florida and Texas not NY and LA which were previous media centers…
imo this whole bifurcation is investable…
Matt, that option was not offered. The message was, post on SCF and receive a 300K fine. Full stop.
ReplyDeleteBullshit. Nowhere does he state he was threatened with a fine.
Perhaps he doesn't have anything important enough to say for a publisher to cover his supposed legal expenses.
As Matt write, mountain out of a molehill.
Same with Alex Jones... he has to pay his own bandwidth costs, but he's thrived since being censored.
Alex Jones is in Texas … Joe Rogan Just moved there too…
ReplyDeleteIt’s all going to Florida and Texas…
Jimmy Dore is on Rumble:
ReplyDeletehttps://rumble.com/c/TheJimmyDoreShow
Are ISPs regulated by the state?
ReplyDeleteThe available options to censor the big fish are FCC regulations or imprisonment. But then they could set up shop overseas...
Everyone is leaving the FAANGs and moving over to Trump….
ReplyDeleteIf the guy is legitimate then just tell him to go over to the neutral Trump thing and post there…
By that point, civil unrest is inevitable.
ReplyDeleteHe should go on RT - much bigger audience.
ReplyDeleteThe media firms are doing the censoring themselves it’s not the government…
ReplyDeleteJack Dorsey and his management team are leftist and don’t like trump so they kicked him off Twitter… it’s that simple…
Government not involved.,,
In Toms situation here there seems to be a legal problem brewing with that organization perhaps..
There are many other places to go… if you are legitimate..
Steven Crowder moving from YouTube to Rumble you tube kicked him off this week…
ReplyDeletehttps://rumble.com/c/StevenCrowder
Has 6M subs at you tube and 500k subs at Rumble.. this has potential to reverse……
Yes, the major platforms are sterilizing their offerings, but in this case we're talking about independent media whose relationship is with their server hosts. Their hosts can also be pressured, and that would likely come at the behest of government regulators.
ReplyDeleteTo sterilize the internet, go after the ISPs and abolish net neutrality.
With digital IDs or ISP authentication, they could also abolish anonymity.
ReplyDeleteThe Trump thing is doing their own ISP… in fact eventually they plan on competing with AWS and Azure for general cloud business …
ReplyDeleteIf you have a MAGA oriented business you run the risk of deplatforming from AWS or Azure etc… so you’d want to go with the Trump thing…
Tesla has plans for their own cell phone… nobody trusts any of the current arrangements and with good reason…
imo there is a large potential here… basically half of any current market share… country is split…
I wish them success. The alternative is ugly.
ReplyDeleteBullshit. Nowhere does he state he was threatened with a fine.
ReplyDeleteYou are confusing different cases. The fine applies to US citizens.
U.S. Blacklists Strategic Culture Foundation in Attack on Independent Journalism and Political Dissent
PA is Canadian. His first post was reporting on a visit from CA intel, which he shrugged off. The second post is an abrupt breaking ties with SFC with no indication of exactly why. Clearly, something happened in the interim.
Tech firms, including ISPs, are private entities. They do not fall under the the censorship rules on the US government through law and court precedent. They can do as they please as long as regulators don't come down on them. They give some excuse based on violating their policy. It's so prevalent there are terms for it, like "ghosting" and "de-platforming." It's happening.
ReplyDeleteFTR Trump says he’s not going to do it.., but I guess we’ll have to see how it goes,,,
ReplyDeleteYou are confusing different cases. The fine applies to US citizens.
ReplyDeleteWhat case are you referring to?
The article that PA links to mentions two writers, neither of which have given in to the threat of fines:
Lazare is in the process of seeking legal advice about the government threats. Averko said he was considering it and believes it would probably be best for all SCF contributors who received the letter to work together on any possible legal claim, though he’s aware of at least one who is unwilling to do so.
Is that someone Pat Lang?
As far as I can figure out, Matt was asking about PL.
PL doesn't contribute to SCF. He has his own place that also publishes former military and intel officials.
ReplyDeleteAntiWar, US Government Threatens Writers With Heavy Fines if They Continue To Write for Sanctioned Russian Outlet by Natylie Baldwin Posted onDecember 07, 2021
ReplyDeleteAntiWar, Ongoing Smear Campaign Against the Strategic Culture Foundation
ReplyDeleteby Michael AverkoAntiWar, Ongoing Smear Campaign Against the Strategic Culture Foundation
by Michael Averko
In a similar vein, Google, which owns YouTube, is booting some and cutting off the revenue stream of others.
“ if They Continue To Write for Sanctioned Russian Outlet”
ReplyDeleteThen just stop writing for this sanctioned Russian outlet and just write for themselves at any number of services where you can do that…
The problem isn’t what they are writing it’s who they are writing for…
The Commie Bernie Sanders literally honeymooned in the Soviet Union for crying out loud and he’s a US Senator… commie DeBlasio worked with Central American commies and now he’s Mayor of NYC… John Brennan voted for Gus Hall…
Those anti American activities pale in comparison to somebody today simply writing about wtf hijinks in post Soviet Russia… nobody is going to stop them as completely independent journalists… if they are indeed independent…
This is a developing story. If they have the money for lawyers, call the government's bluff and take it to court. But they can't do that if SCF won't publish their articles.
ReplyDeleteWritten by Finian Cunnighmam on November 18th:
ReplyDeleteLazare is one of several U.S.-based writers who formerly published regular columns with Strategic Culture Foundation. Our online journal greatly appreciated their intelligent insights and analysis of U.S. and international politics. Sadly, we will no longer be able to publish their columns because of the threat levied on them by the U.S. federal authorities who accuse SCF of being an influence operation directed by the Kremlin. The allegations and threats are baseless and draconian.
An example of folding like a cheap suitcase.
“” U.S. federal authorities who accuse SCF of being an influence operation directed by the Kremlin.”
ReplyDeleteThen ofc he says they are “baseless” … how the hell does he know what the authorities know?
The FISA stuff is not public information.. so you have to trust the authorities….
Which is why what they did to Trump (falsified and lied to FISA court for partisan political purposes) is so dangerous to the country (impugned the whole counter intelligence community) and all those involved need to get capital punishment if it’s available…
Just go write independently…
Glen Greenwald left the intercept and went out on his own… there are numerous examples…
https://greenwald.substack.com/
ReplyDeleteTom you have a lot of bias towards institutions…
ReplyDeleteWhat’s important here? The institution or the information?
There are numerous non-institutional approaches to publish information globally these days…
What’s important here? The institution or the information?
ReplyDeleteThe information, of course. Institutions provide funding. One can say "Substack" or "Patreon" and that is just another type of institutions. To get information out on the net and get paid for the work pretty much requires going through some platform that can potentially dump you.
This goes for unpaid info too, e.g., getting de-platformed or ghosted at FB or Twitter.
I view it as a type of censorship.
Substack is not as vulnerable as YT or other large platforms.
ReplyDeleteMy Locals is similarly not as vulnerable.
This is an advantage of a subscription model.
As a payment processor, Patreon is vulnerable.
Censors are hitting walls that can't be breached.
I recall back in the day that the only venues that were available was the "free press," which was a network of community news flyers put together and funded by volunteers and distributed freely. Otherwise, it was a total shutout.
ReplyDeleteThis was presaged by samizdat in the USSR, which which used mimeographs distributed under cover.
Could it go back to that level? Who woulda thunk that POTUS could be kicked off social media?
Whoever controls the infrastructure controls access.
ReplyDeleteAn ISP is the equivalent of computer hardware.
A platform = an operating system
Easier to change an OS than a computer. Eventually, a computer or mobile device becomes an appliance, at which point you have about as much freedom as watching TV.
The smell of a fresh mimeograph takes me back to elementary school :)
None of the current platforms were founded upon the principle of free speech… Facebook was a sexist system where male geeks could rate the attractiveness of fellow female students.. Jack Dorsey looks like he has psychological problems…
ReplyDeleteTrump is saying he is founding his on the principle of free speech…
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/former-harvard-chemistry-chair-admits-taking-tens-thousands-dollars-china
ReplyDeleteSame thing and the guy denied it… he is in deep shit…
You have to disclose this stuff if you want to work for foreign governments.. doesn’t sound too hard to do…
Back then, free speech was taken for granted. The internet was a wild west, where one could shoot from the hip.
ReplyDeleteThis is why Kevin Costner did what he did in Dances with Wolves.
To experience it, while it was still there.
Now free speech online finds itself on small islands in a big ocean. Islands that few will ever care to visit.
Boomers still watch TV. Difficult for non-Boomers to fathom.
ReplyDelete