There’s been a lot of confusion in the last week about the definition of censorship. Here’s a simple breakdown: If the government restricts your speech, it’s censorship. If a private company, like Twitter, deletes your account because you broke its rules, it’s not. But many on the right are proudly ignorant of this distinction. One of them is newly sworn in representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. And during the hearing that ended with Donald Trump receiving his second impeachment, she wore a mask bearing the word “censorship”…while in the House of Representatives…braodcast on live television.
Speaking from the House floor on national television, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-QAnon) is wearing a “CENSORED” mask pic.twitter.com/bRSXxvVaGJ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 13, 2021
Greene is one of the more famous new faces in the House, and for good reason: She’s a proud and well-documented supporter of the conspiracy theories, from QAnon to “Pizzagate,” which nearly got innocent people killed. She’s also now representing Georgia’s 14th district, as a member of one of the most powerful governmental bodies on Earth.
Greene likes to wear her political beliefs on her face: As per The Cut, she’s previously worn masks with the words “TRUMP WON,” “STOPE THE STEAL,” and “MOLON LABE” — the latter a Greek phrase that means “come and take [them],” which has been co-opted by 2nd Amendment advocates.
But the mask Greene wore on Wednesday, while railing against Democrats and Black Lives Matter and defending the outgoing president, was not met so kindly as the others.
Yes, Marjorie Taylor Greene is wearing a mask that says “CENSORED” as she speaks into a microphone on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/i7401gseIU
— Jessie Opoien (@jessieopie) January 13, 2021
Imagine wearing a face mask that says “Censored” while having the microphone in the literal US Capitol…. pic.twitter.com/I2tIsqgL9i
— Alp Ozcelik (@alplicable) January 13, 2021
Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is wearing a mask that has “censored” on it as she speaks in the House chamber to millions of viewers. pic.twitter.com/uFVc9Nctd9
— Yashar Ali
(@yashar) January 13, 2021
Wearing a “censored” mask while speaking on the house floor which is being broadcast live by multiple broadcast and cable news outlets and on the web is something something else.
— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) January 13, 2021
In a perfect metaphor for cancel culture, Marjorie Taylor Greene is wearing a face mask that says CENSORED while literally speaking on the House floor.
— Matt Ford (@fordm) January 13, 2021
Wearing a mask that says “CENSORED” while you’re giving a televized speech on the floor of Congress as a sitting U.S. House member, and a week after you refused to wear a mask while on lockdown, really is something. (This is Marjorie Taylor Greene, of course.)
— Taniel (@Taniel) January 13, 2021
Irony is dead as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green wears a mask emblazoned with the word “CENSORED”….as she speaks on the House Floor and on national television. pic.twitter.com/BSveOzRArv
— Ashish Malhotra (@amalhotra2) January 13, 2021
dude have u ever been so censored that you get to get to talk to congress whenever you want on TV pic.twitter.com/x09CnPVhlB
— i will block every account (@blockeveryacct) January 13, 2021
To some, Greene’s mask was reminiscent of hacky comedians.
Marjorie Taylor Greene testifying in a CENSORED mask has big comedian posing for a headshot with caution tape over their mouth in 2011 energy.
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) January 13, 2021
And others pointed out that Greene is fine with censoring others.
help i have been censored pic.twitter.com/hsLHbxIg20
— blaire erskine (@blaireerskine) January 13, 2021
If you’d like to watch Greene’s entire House speech in defense of outgoing president Trump, you can do so in the video below, starting around the five-hour-and 27-minute mark. (It was a long day.) Or you don’t have to. It’s a free country.
(Via The Cut)