Quodlibet
Defaced Irish
by J. Douglas Johnson
No individual in the history of the world has ever wielded a fraction of the control over what mankind sees and hears that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wields. At this point in the game, it is hardly possible to win any vote in any nation without Zuckerberg's permission.
At the Aspen Ideas Festival in June 2019, Zuckerberg revealed that, the year before, in the run-up to Ireland's national abortion referendum, he had used his power to prevent anyone in Ireland from seeing Facebook campaign ads placed by American-based pro-life groups.
But lest anyone get the idea that Zuckerberg is going full Stalin on the world now, not to worry—he got permission first! He "went to the Irish and asked folks" what they wanted him to do, since they have no laws that could have stopped him from influencing the outcome of their referendum. "The Irish," Zuck said, told him to go ahead and "make whatever decision you want to make."
Oh, so that's what happened. "The Irish" all gathered together and gave you the green light, huh, Zuck?
J. Douglas Johnson is Executive Editor of Touchstone.
Get six issues (one year) of Touchstone PLUS full online access including pdf downloads for only $39.95. That's only $3.34 per month!
Get a one-year full-access subscription to the Touchstone online archives for only $19.95. That's only $1.66 per month!
bulk subscriptions
Order Touchstone subscriptions in bulk and save $10 per sub! Each subscription includes 6 issues of Touchstone plus full online access to touchstonemag.com—including archives, videos, and pdf downloads of recent issues for only $29.95 each! Great for churches or study groups.
Transactions will be processed on a secure server.
more on Abortion from the online archives
19.1—January/February 2006
on Death & Seven of the Last Words of Socrates by Graeme Hunter
26.1—Jan/Feb 2013
on Abortion as a Matter of National Welfare by W. Ross Blackburn
30.3—May/June 2017
on the Misuse of Property Rights to Justify Slavery & Abortion by Robert Hart
more from the online archives
18.3—April 2005
on Being a Free Narnian & the Joy of Subordination by Donald T. Williams
29.1—Jan/Feb 2016
Secular Credibility Is a Devilish Temptation by James Hitchcock
31.4—July/August 2018
Labels & the Ecumenism of Discipleship by James M. Kushiner
calling all readers
Please Donate
"There are magazines worth reading but few worth saving . . . Touchstone is just such a magazine."
—Alice von Hildebrand
"Here we do not concede one square millimeter of territory to falsehood, folly, contemporary sentimentality, or fashion. We speak the truth, and let God be our judge. . . . Touchstone is the one committedly Christian conservative journal."
—Anthony Esolen, Touchstone senior editor
