There is a massive attack on free speech in America. Jullian Assange is in prison for his journalism, Steven Donizinger is in prison for suing Chevron, Danel Hale is in prison for exposing war crimes and big tech censorship has been ramping up by the day. But there is one massively anti-free speech case that has gotten almost no media attention and that is the case of Anarchist Dan Baker.
Dan Baker is a 34-year-old yoga teacher and medical technician trainee based in Florida with no criminal record. In January Baker was arrested by the FBI who claimed “Daniel Baker’s actions show that he is a dangerous extremist, and the law-abiding public is safer now that he has been arrested. We are, and will remain, on high alert and will take all appropriate actions against credible threats to the people of our district.” But a look at the tweets he posted is clearly a mix of supporting self-defense and hyperbolic humor. One of the tweets Baker was arrested for said “We need all Florida residents to rise up! Here in Florida, we must encircle terrorists who attack the Capitol! We will protect capital residents and civilians from armed racist mobs with every caliber available. This is an armed coup and can only be stopped by an armed community!” Whatever one thinks of Bakers politics this was clearly a call for self-defense against possible violence from far-right groups in Florida and not a call for armed violence. Another tweet cited as the reason for Bakers’ arrest was one that said “I swear on god y’all if I can’t raise this money I will start robbing the rich and pedophiles too,” in reference to a go fund me campaign. This is clearly humor and hyperbole that is often expressed on Twitter and obviously could not be perceived in good faith as any kind of threat. Baker was also accused of attempted kidnapping for a tweet saying leftists should drive violent right-wingers “out of Tallahassee with every caliber available!” I have no idea how that was perceived as a kidnapped threat as kidnapping was not even mentioned in the tweet. Journalist Natasha Lennard reported that other tweets he was prosecuted for included “ memes featuring Homer Simpson, Baby Yoda, and a picture of a kangaroo”. Again he is being sent to prison over Twitter jokes. She also, for an article in the Intercept contacted Baker who said from prison that the F.B.I. “criticized me for supporting Black Lives Matter, Feminist Liberation ideologies, Global Revolutionary movements, and direct democracy. … The government has made its stance clear throughout my hearings”. Despite the fact that Baker’s tweets clearly fall under the protection of the fist amendment Baker was sentenced to 34 months in prison and three years under probationary supervision.
This case shows the dangerous backlash effect on the left the new war on terror will have. I have made a similar argument about why the left should oppose online censorship if only for selfish reasons and am making the same argument about the new war on terror. The security state is clearly using the January 6th riots to gain new powers. Adam Schiff one of the most pro-security state democrats has been pushing for a domestic terrorism bill to go after right-wing extremists. But increased F.B.I powers will result in more cases like Bakers where leftists get arrested for supporting self-defense and using hyperbolic rhetoric online. The United States imposed a higher capital police budget after the January 6th riots. This led to a crackdown on leftist protest in Washington D.C. such as when activist Liv Romano was arrested for carrying a bat at a protest protecting Indigenous water or when capitol police arrested protestors peacefully protesting the end to the eviction moratorium at the capitol. I am not making the argument that only leftists’ civil liberties matter, I would be just as opposed to these policies if they only targeted right-wingers but I am pointing out that these policies will also always come back to bite the left.