Many of us grew up in a time when we were taught about our government in school. We all had to learn the Bill of Rights and understand what each of those amazing guarantees set down by our forefathers means to us as Americans. One of the most valued of those freedoms is the freedom of speech.

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Never before has that concept been tested the way it's tested today on social media sites like Facebook. On the pages of Facebook, you can find all walks of life represented and just as many different opinions on subjects as you can find stars in the sky. Many people believe that Facebook falls under the auspices of the United States Constitution and their free speech is protected.

It's not.

Facebook is a private company and they can deny anyone the use of their platform for reasons they don't have to disclose. That fact has angered more than a few of us, especially over the past several months and years.

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You're probably very familiar with the "banning" of former President Trump. But Mr Trump is not the only former President to feel the wrath of a Facebook ban. Believe it or not, the social media platform is now banning former President Ronald Regan. Well, sort of banning President Regan.

The group Heroes for Liberty was founded last year. Their mission was to illustrate and publish biographies of famous Americans for young readers. As for their first forays into the world of educational children's literature, the group decided to publish the stories of President Regan, scholar Thomas Sowell, and newly appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barret.

Youtube via Jacksonville University
Youtube via Jacksonville University
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Seems like there shouldn't be an issue, right?

Facebook, unfortunately, has found an issue and they have refused American Heroes the right to advertise on their platform. The group's advertising was pulled on December 23rd of last year. American Heroes appealed the decision but Facebook cited the stories as "disruptive content".

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CBS Sunday Morning via YouTube
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So in a roundabout way, Facebook has managed to ban former President Ronald Regan, or at least stories about his life and presidency from its pages.

Oddly enough the platform has allowed advertising from publishers who touted the works and words of President Barack Obama and the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Hmm, I wonder what the difference is between former President Obama and former President Regan?

I guess it's true, there is no "R" in Facebook.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg And News Corp CEO Robert Thomson Debut Facebook News
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Maybe it is time we looked at regulating the social media "airwaves" the same way we regulate the "broadcast airwaves". As long as people aren't screaming "fire in a theatre" we should be able to accommodate all sides of an issue. Speaking of sides, it certainly does appear as if at least a few social media sites have chosen theirs.

Hey, I bet if you remember Ronald Regan, you probably remember these stores too. I bet they aren't on Facebook either.

Do You Remember These 12 Stores?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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