John J.

Medium allowed me to write 14 pieces and to engage in civil discourse with other authors in the comment sections. But suddenly, my account was deemed "suspended" and "under investigation." No longer can my writing appear publicly on the platform, nor can I react to anyone else's columns. But that's not all...

The site's "Trust and Safety" team notified me by email of my suspension because something I'd written had been deemed "hateful." The team even sent me (via the same email) a very wordy section of its governing rules entitled "Hateful Speech."

As anyone would, I asked Medium politely in my email responses if they would simply cite the exact words that resulted in my censorship. After 11 such requests over about a month, they have not replied. Censorship seems to have been applied to me based on my views, not because of anything hateful. Meanwhile, there were quite numerous writers on the site whose retorts aimed at were meant to smear and insult me in childish fashion. There were both disagreements and reliable instances of my desiring to engage in discussion, but a rare few of these angry folks replied with anything substantive or content-rich. Almost everything toward me was derogatory.

The only response I've received from Medium is not easily explainable. An insufficient answer came in reply to my expressed desire to understand how my account's deactivation was considered fair by Medium with regard to the First Amendment. The reply stated the nonsensical attempted explanation that "We are a private company." Therefore, Medium provides what seems to be an open forum for public speech, but when it hears from writers with convictions they dislike, their staff claims that they are a private institution—as if this relieves them of the horrible responsibility of respecting the rights of all to speak freely.

Medium's judgment must be based on this grossly biased censorship. I pray for all this company's staff and for the wider generation of youth who care almost nothing for the Founders of the United States, for our Declaration or Constitution, or for the million-plus patriot warriors who gave their lives and limbs securing our freedoms. Medium's feelings-based ideology is the new Ten Commandments. Violate this policy, and punishment is sure to follow. While others are writing at a productive rate and earning money, I'm forbidden from sharing my views or experiences.

Blog elsewhere, my friends.