Today Gawker Media closes it’s doors after Hulk Hogan and billionaire Peter Thiel had their feelings hurt by the website and effectively were successful in killing off the enterprise. Not that I necessarily condone Gawker’s initial editorials on Thiel’s private life or care to see Hulk Hogan’s exposed penis as he has sex with his former best friend’s wife. But the only thing Gawker’s demise does is open up pandoras box for further nonsensical litigation that totally takes a dump on the first amendment.
But would you expect anything less from a guy like Thiel who supports a guy like Donald Trump who’s in total favor of ‘opening up’ the libel laws?
What does this also say about our legal system? Because Thiel is a billionaire with what seems a limitless supply of funds (relatively speaking to us coming people) he was essentially able to outspend Gawker and get what he wanted? And with his backing of Hulk Hogan the former pro-wrestler had to feel unstoppable.
What kind of message does this send the public? Nothing more than the billionaire one-percent continue to run the country and if they feel slighted by the media they’re going to do what they can to take them down.
So as Gawker dies and the first amendment gets cast aside, here’s some people sharing their favorite stories for the soon-to-be defunct website.
Favorite Gawker stories? I will start with an obvious one: @caityweaver’s TGIF endless apps masterpiece https://t.co/feg7QWcm1i
— Shan Wang ☃ (@shansquared) August 18, 2016
this is my favorite @gawker story of all time. long live gawkerism.https://t.co/nKdv2R6qDt
— Bryanna Cappadona (@brycappa) August 19, 2016
One of my all time favorite gawker pieces https://t.co/o0xjB4YSQ7
— memefan2000 (@memefan2000) August 19, 2016
I am bummed to see @gawker go. My favorite post of all time? This one by @caityweaver about 300 Sandwiches lady https://t.co/NqEbU88Hoo
— David Chen (@davechensky) August 19, 2016
And yet Breitbart lives on…