I have been banned from Twitter (and that might actually not be that bad).

Dear formerly known as Followers

So, here we are, at the very beginning of the year 2020 and I was kicked off from Twitter. 

Before I explain what happened (because this is what you all want to know, is‘n it?) let me lay out some interesting surrounding facts, that facilitated my ban from Twitter.

The decision to ban my account was not taken in Silicon Valley, not by Jack or Mrs. Jones – the decision was taken in Germany. Yes, in Deutschland! 

For some strange reasons, I (and anyone else in Switzerland who uses Twitter or Facebook) is subjected to the German Internet law, the so called (and much criticized) Netzdurchsetzungsgesetz, or in short NetzDG.

The NetzDG was initially designed to combat "Fake News" and "Hate Speech" on the Internet and Social Media. While a law like this, in principle, can introduce a general sanitation to the discourse, this tool, given into the wrong hands, can easily be turned into a weapon to censor opinions and silence dissent.

Here is a screenshot from the footer of a Feedback sent to me by Twitter on an earlier occasion where one of my Tweets got reported. 

We have examined the reported content and could not rule any violation of the Twitter Rules (https://support.twitter.com/articles/18311)) or German laws. That is why we have not become active.

Now, last time I checked, I was a Swiss citizen under the jurisdiction of Swiss laws, respectively Russian laws, since I reside mostly there for business reasons. As a matter of fact, the Tweet deemed by Twitter as a "break of their Rules", was fired into the Internet by me from Moscow (even with Love. But more on that in a Minute).

So in other words, Twitter has outsourced the policing of its Plattform to some obscure company or organization in Germany. And in a good old tradition, they imposed their law on the neighboring country because it happens that the majority there share their language. And it wouldn’t surprise me at all, if they did the same with Austria. 

I believe this is a complete and utter scandal that should be looked into by the appropriate people. Not only are other countries subjected to a German law they never voted for (yes, in Switzerland, laws are subjected to the people’s vote, something unheard of in Germany) but also subjected to the German mentality dominated by a Schuld-Kult, that is about to be passed on to the fourth Generation of Germans since World War 2, and which has basically rendered a whole Nation to become boneless apologizers, 75 years after the Horror ended, while you still wait for an apology for Vietnam and countless other Horrors perpetrated by different actors.

Hey, your Schuld-Kult is none of my business. I am Italian by origin whose family opposed Mussolini and was predominantly communist back then. Some went even to jail for it. I was born in Switzerland, that had nothing to do with your Blitzkriegs. So don’t make your unsorted identity problem a problem for me!

Now, let's move on to what happened prior to my ban from Twitter. (Because that’s the only reason you are still reading, aren’t you? ;-) 

OK. Here is the short version: I took it up with Bill Browder.

Yes. That Browder. The Browder from the Magnitsky Act Scam. Those not familiar with the case, google it. And if you find an online bootleg version of the excellent documentary film directed by the Russian (Anti-Putin!) Journalist Andrei Nekrasov  „Magnitsky Act – Behind the Scenes“ – watch it! It will give you an idea of what kind of a walking freak show this Browder is. 

However. For some strange reasons, one of his Tweets got flushed into my timeline, where he made a remark regarding a story about some alleged Russian Spies in Davos during the WEF who apparently masqueraded as plumber.

To be honest with you, I have no Idea what this story was about, since I was in the middle of transferring from Moscow to South East Asia for a prolonged business trip and was not following the latest gossip from the "Russian spies everywhere" beat.

Nevertheless I felt compelled to react on his Tweet, since he is an asshole and since his Tweet was awash with his usual hateful anti-russian venom.

Because the subject was spies masquerading as plumber, my first association was pipes. You get it? Plumber – Pipe. 

So I retweeted his Tweet with a comment (a technique on Twitter I refer to as „shitting on someone’s head“) with:

So now it comes. The Germans assessed my Tweet as follows:

You must not participate in the targeted harassment of users or encourage others to do so. To wish someone else physical harm or to express hopes in this direction are part of such behavior.

Jesus. Fucking. Christ. In what kind of world did we end up?

With these people in charge of policing Twitter, if  Monty Python's Flying Circus were still around, they would be banned from Twitter a thousand times a day! Where in heaven was this a targeted harassment? And where is the encouragement for others? Did these monkeys really believe I expected somebody to shove Bill Browder a pipe up his ass for real? Not that I would bother if…but…really?!

OK, one could argue that I was rude. Well, my answer to this is: So fucking what? It‘s not rude where I grew up in my working class neighborhood. That was standard street talk then – on the polite side, that is.

And who are you to decide for me what is rude or isn’t? I tell you what, grow some balls, do yourself a favor, go spend a weekend in East London and start some arguments with, say, ordinary cab drivers, and you will be surprised how many things could potentially go up your ass. But it doesn't mean it eventually will, you pack of humorless Krauts!

That said, people like Bill Browder deserve no kindness or politeness in any form or way. People like him are the enemies of humanity and deserve to be bitch slapped every twenty minutes, 24/7 – with one lunch break a day, simply as a courtesy to the Charta of human rights. These people are scum!

So. Here we are. The reason why I was banned from Twitter. Judge for yourself.

People are asking me if I will return to Twitter. Well, Twitter offered me an appeal and out of principle I filed an appeal. But I won’t fight for it.

Why?

Why would I desperately want to be a Member of a Social Media Plattform that imposes a foreign law on me? Also, being in my early fifties, I am way too old to be bullied and schooled about what is polite and what isn’t by some deranged snowflake with acne, that I never met in person. No way.

And if the people at Twitter believe that the way to „improve“ their service and „the experience“ on it is by hiring catholic nuns or Eunuchs to police their user generated content, then they gladly can grab their little blue bird and shove it up their asses!

Finally, I want to thank all of you who got upset about my ban and showed support on Twitter. Especially Max Blumenthal and Dan Cohen, among others of course, who have been strongly vocal about it. 

The strange thing is – and here is a report from the other side of the rim – even though you are banned, you can still see the mentions and who supports you on your account. Like somebody once described: It’s like watching your own funeral.

Let me close my rant with a poem that I have as a Tattoo on my left arm (for a good reason): 

I am wounded,

but I'm not slain.

Lay me down to bleed a while,

and then I‘ll rise and fight again.

It was a privilege to fight alongside with all of you. Stay strong, stay focused. And keep kicking the asses who deserve to be kicked. 

Yours truly,

Marcel Sardo

PS: If you want to catch up with me, I am regrouping on VK.com – the „Russian Facebook“. Same name, same Avatar. You will find me there if you have an account. The last Bastion of free speech (go figure!) with a fast growing western user base. They even tolerate Ukrainian Neonazis on this Plattform. Not that I would endorse that. But freedom of speech is, and always has been, a double edged sword. Deal with it or stay out of the kitchen.