David Mamet files short story in defense of Texas' social media censorship law - Chron

In his latest literary work, American playwright and vocal Donald Trump supporter David Mamet has filed a short story about a lost airplane pilot as a legal brief in support of Texas' controversial social media censorship law. Known as House Bill 20, the law prohibits large social media platforms from censoring users "based on their political viewpoints."

The measure, signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 9, was blocked from implementation in December but still awaits a conclusion. In an amicus brief filed on March 9, Mamet writes in favor of limiting First Amendment rights of private social media companies using a short story within the amicus brief titled "Lessons from Aerial Navigation."

In the two-page brief, Mamet describes an off-course pilot trying to get his bearings by using a map, which symbolizes the Internet. However, he can't find his position on it as it doesn't correlate with his current observations.

"The map is not the territory," Mamet wrote. "The territory is the territory. The pilot's answer to the question 'where am I?' lies not on the map, but out the windscreen. That's where he is. It doesn't matter where he calculated he should be, the territory below him is where he is."

Mamet continues, at one point even referencing Greek mythology for his argument, writing that if the pilot just worked from his observations, he might discover he can't find his position on the map. Instead, he might find a "good country, in which there was little actual poverty, scant racism, and no 'systemic' racism, where minorities and women, rather than being discriminated against were treated preferentially."

In his conclusion, Mamet writes "A pilot in this situation might conclude he'd simply picked up the wrong map. But what if the government and its privileged conduits prohibited him from choosing another?"

Mamet has also claimed a copyright for the content in the brief. Despite its efforts, the filing contains no legal references or arguments, and therefore would not likely hold merit in court.

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source: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/David-Mamet-Texas-social-media-law-Greg-Abbott-17008997.php

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