Ted Nugent has once again railed against large social-media companies that block users from their platforms.

The outspoken conservative rocker is an ardent supporter of former U.S. president Donald Trump who was famously suspended from his social accounts in January 2021 over public safety concerns in the wake of the Capitol riot.

Nugent repeated his unsubstantiated accusations that tech companies are censoring his speech during Wednesday’s (March 9) edition of “The Nightly Nuge”, a news-style clip in which Ted offers his take on the news of our world every night. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We believe that even though high tech is something relatively new and advancing constantly, it’s the new town square. It’s where the First Amendment should exist. It’s where free speech and open communication and dialogue and debate should run free. That’s the new town square in this electronic high-tech media. But not according to those leftists and the Marxists that run Big Tech. Because the thought that my precious sweetheart, almost like Mother Teresa, wife Shemane has been banned from Twitter is certainly a manifestation of a cultural abandonment, a cultural deprivation that Big Tech now represents.

“I had between 25 million and 36 million Facebook reach in 2016, before we got the outsider, the non-politician, the non-status quo guy elected president,” he continued. “But once Donald Trump, who was on the fast track to make things much better for America on every level; every policy that Donald Trump implemented made a better quality of life in the United States Of America, and quite honestly all around the world. We could name all those examples, but people who pay attention know what those examples are. And I went from between 25 million and 36 million Facebook reach within a few weeks of the [2016 presidential] election down to three and a half million Facebook [reach]. And right now on my Facebook, I get on every day and talk about every imaginable subject, because nothing is sacred and the First Amendment covers everything, and if I say something, like promoting hunting or promoting marksmanship or our Ted Nugent Kamp For Kids charity, teaching children safe firearms handling and archery and hunting, fishing, trapping, all of a sudden it goes from hundreds of thousands of reach to a few dozen. They probably have a gang of ‘fact checkers.’ ‘Fact checkers’ are anything but fact checkers. They’re opinionated little dirtbags that crush anything that is uncomfortable to the uncomfortably dumb in Big Tech.

“So, again, we the people, we’ve let this happen,” Ted added. “I hear a lot of squawking around the campfires, a lot of squawking around the water cooler, a lot of squawking at the bowling alley, a lot of squawking at the barbecue, a lot of squawking at church and at school and in the workplace. Don’t squawk. Call your elected employees and tell them that the First Amendment reigns supreme everywhere, including the ‘Zuck world’ of Big Tech and their dishonest, anti-American, anti-fact so-called fact checkers. But if we don’t speak up, this indecency, this dishonesty, this censorship will continue. Let’s raise more hell.”

Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have suspended or removed the accounts of prominent conservatives who have violated their terms of service.

Trump was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat following the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot that he was accused of inciting, adding to claims that conservatives are being unfairly treated. Twitter, along with Facebook and Instagram, pointed to their terms of service, which prohibit inciting violence on their platforms.

Defenders of the technology industry have repeatedly said that private companies cannot be forced to host speech they don’t agree with. They also argue that private owners should be able to do as they please with their own property. In addition, they note that social media companies can only decide what speech they host and present. Those unsatisfied with their choices can choose to read or contribute elsewhere.

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Gorged Afterbirth bring the slams and the samples on their new album, Got Gore?
The post Full Album Stream: Gorged Afterbirth – “Got Gore?” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

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AMON AMARTH frontman Johan Hegg has clarified his criticism of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), saying that Russian fighters should be banned from completing on upcoming cards in order to put enough pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin and his regime so that he will end his country’s war in Ukraine.

Earlier this week, Hegg took to his Twitter to say that he was boycotting the American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company as long as it was allowing Russian fighters “to compete and make money while children die in Ukraine.”

After a number of people objected to Hegg’s suggestion that Russian athletes must also be punished for their government’s aggression, the 48-year-old Swede returned to his social media to further explain his views while also criticizing Putin for creating “the biggest humanitarian catastrophe in modern history.”

Johan wrote: “I feel I have to clarify my point of view.

“I love watching @ufc , and I have nothing but respect for the skill and dedication of the athletes competing in the octagon.

“What is happening right now in Ukraine is a tragedy. It’s the biggest war we’ve seen in Europe since WWII.

“Two weeks ago Putin made an unprovoked attack on Ukraine. A democratic, sovereign nation. In doing so he caused the biggest humanitarian catastrophe in modern history. 1.5 million people has fled the war so far.

“Putin’s armies are committing war crimes such as shelling residential areas, hospitals and even firing on civilians trying to flee. So far over 30 children have been killed in this war. More than 70 wounded.

“Putin has repeatedly broken cease fire agreements, basically luring people out of their shelters only to hit them with artillery.

“Am I angry and frustrated? Yes.

“This war doesn’t only threaten and affect Ukraine. Putin has threatened to invade Finland and Sweden. He threatens the whole of Europe. Ukraine will not be able to export wheat and other crops during the invasion, which will have consequences for Middle Eastern and African nations that depend heavily on the Black Sea region for food. World Food Programme (WFP) executive director David Beasley has warned that the ‘world cannot afford to let another conflict drive the numbers of hungry people even higher.’ Putin has threatened the world, including the US with Nuclear weapons.

“Is it fair to target Russian fighters/athletes with sanctions? I think it is. It’s not that I want to hurt them personally, but there is no middle ground here. Athletes have influence. If they don’t want to speak up against this war, then why should they escape sanctions when people actually protesting the war in Russia, at the risk of being imprisoned or worse, do not?

“You don’t have to agree with me, I don’t expect everyone to do so, but in my opinion the world has to put enough pressure on Putin and his regime that he will end this war.”

Hegg apparently chose to make his views public after it was announced that UFC’s long-awaited return to the United Kingdom this month would be headlined by up-and-coming British prospect Tom Aspinall and Russian heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov.

Although the Russian fighter has reportedly received the necessary documents to compete in the U.K., the status of his bout against Aspinall remains unknown.

Hegg is an avid fan of combat sports, having previously enlisted ex-UFC champion Josh Barnett and former fighter Shanie Rusth to star in AMON AMARTH’s music video for the song “Mjölner, Hammer Of Thor”.

In a 2019 interview with MMAWeekly.com, Hegg said that it was his wife, Maria, who introduced him to combat sports. “She’s done some boxing in the past and is currently a yoga teacher and has developed a special kind of yoga for athletes,” he explained. “Currently she’s working with a couple of MMA fighters, Örebro Hockey, the local Swedish Hockey League team in our hometown, and a couple of other hockey players in Sweden. A few years back, my wife and I were in New York when I was promoting our previous album, ‘Jomsviking’, and there we met Josh and his girlfriend at the time, Colleen [Schneider], at a dinner. The day after, we met up with them at a gym, and they tried yoga with my wife, and in exchange they offered to train MMA with us the next time we were in L.A. So next time we were there we met up with them and trained, and I had a blast.

“I’ve played hockey and soccer, but honestly this is perhaps the most fun I’ve had training. I was never really into fighting or martial arts before. I mean, I had seen MMA fights and all, but I honestly wasn’t that interested, but training with Josh changed all that, and I’ve been training ever since. Now I follow both UFC and Bellator, as well as watch other organizations like Cage Warriors, if there is an interesting fight.”

Less than a week ago, Hegg denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has called for peace to be restored in Europe. He took to his Twitter to write: “My lyrics are often about glorious battles & brave warriors, but they’re just stories, sometimes based on history. That doesn’t mean I condone war as a matter of solving conflicts. War is never a solution to any dispute. It can only generate more animosity & hate between people.

“Right now Putin has invaded the Ukraine, a democratic, sovereign state, and though this is far from the only weaponised conflict in the world, it has affected me deeply. I thought we as Europeans were passed this, especially considering our troubled past.

“My hope is that Putin will end this attack on Ukraine, & that peace will be restored in Europe. My fear is that even if this happens, it will take a very long time for trust to return between Russia & the rest of the world. I stand with Ukraine & all Russians who oppose this war.”

On February 24, Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Putin made the announcement during a televised early morning speech, peddling accusations of Nazi elements within Ukraine to justify the attack on his western neighbor, a move that experts slammed as slanderous and false. (Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost three family members in the Holocaust.)

The Russian leader called for Ukraine’s “demilitarization and denazification” and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to “consequences they have never seen.”

I feel I have to clarify my point of view.
I love watching @ufc, and I have nothing but respect for the skill and dedication of the athletes competing in the octagon.
What is happening right now in Ukraine is a tragedy. It’s the biggest war we’ve seen in Europe since WWII.
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

Two weeks ago Putin made an unprovoked attack on Ukraine. A democratic, sovereign nation.
In doing so he caused the biggest humanitarian catastrophe in modern history.
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

1.5 million people has fled the war so far.
Putin’s armies are committing war crimes such as shelling residential areas, hospitals and even firing on civilians trying to flee.
So far over 30 children have been killed in this war. More than 70 wounded.
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

Putin has repeatedly broken cease fire agreements, basically luring people out of their shelters only to hit them with artillery.
Am I angry and frustrated? Yes.
This war doesn’t only threaten and affect Ukraine.
Putin has threatened to invade Finland and Sweden.
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

He threatens the whole of Europe.
Ukraine will not be able to export wheat and other crops during the invasion, which will have consequences for Middle Eastern and African nations that depend heavily on the Black Sea region for food. World Food Programme (WFP) executive…
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

director David Beasley has warned that the “world cannot afford to let another conflict drive the numbers of hungry people even higher.”
Putin has threatened the world, including the US with Nuclear weapons.
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

Is it fair to target Russian fighters/athletes with sanctions? I think it is. It’s not that I want to hurt them personally, but there is no middle ground here. Athletes have influence. If they don’t want to speak up against this war, then why should they escape sanctions…
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

when people actually protesting the war in Russia, at the risk of being imprisoned or worse, do not?
You don’t have to agree with me, I don’t expect everyone to do so, but in my opinion the world has to put enough pressure on Putin and his regime that he will end this war.
— Johan Hegg ?? (@AmonJohan) March 9, 2022

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It starts with a burst of excoriating, abstract noise. As much as they have been hyped and praised by all kinds of notable people, HO99O9 are clearly not in the business of compromising to make their music more appealing. The first of 12 bewildering but utterly mesmerizing slabs of mutant sonic terrorism, “Nuge Snight” is a massive jolting dose of sound that seems to incorporate noise, hip-hop, industrial and unhinged electronica into one streamlined but eminently unpredictable whole. “Battery Not Included” is even better, as jagged thrash riffs collide with punishing, robot beats and the duo’s psychotic vocal attack. Midway through, a bittersweet, soulful melody emerges from the storm, before morphing into a hateful chug-fest that ends as abruptly as it began. Again, HO99O9 do not sound particularly interested in writing hits, and this is so exciting and against the grain that it sells itself.

“The World, The Flesh, The Devil” is evil, stressed-out trap-core, with dysmorphic voices skimming across thudding, dubbed-out beats, culminating in a bug-eyed, punk rock climax. “Bite My Face”, featuring a demented cameo from Corey Taylor, is what happens when electro goes straight to hell, its rolling pulse and metal-through-the-mincer onslaught bringing the noise and the funk. Everything sounds more focused and streamlined than on the band’s 2017 debut, “United States Of Horror”, but this is an arguably nastier and heavier record than its predecessor. Even the most overtly hip-hop moment on the record, “Slo Bread” (featuring UGK legend Bun B), is texturally dirty as hell and woozy and menacing as a result. Meanwhile, when HO99O9 really lose their minds on the scattershot twitch-up of “Protect My Bitch Pt. 2”, we are so far away from any notion of mainstream music that it’s hard not to rise and applaud.

Not that “Skin” has no accessible moments. “…Speak Of The Devil” is as distorted and ugly as anything else here, but it’s glacial gait and spooky synths bring a certain restrained melancholy to the table. Likewise, “Devil At The Crossroads” is a shuffling, electro-rock detour with one foot firmly on the dance floor. But in every other respect, this is a profoundly fucked up and fiery record. From “Skinhead”, with its glitchy hybrid of punk, rap, sludge and spoken word from polymath poet Saul Williams, to the closing “Dead Or Asleep?” , which switches from filthy trap beats and noirish paranoia to vicious, flailing alt-metal freakout, this is the real antidote to all that polished and sterile, faux-alternative crap that people get so excited about. Audacious and heroically noisy from start to finish, “Skin” will hurt your ears.

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