In a world where accused KKK members are not allowed legal representation, the mere (unsubstantiated) accusation of being a ideological member of such a group becomes a weapon to end all discussion and silence the out group.
Applying mob rules (as seen on Twitter and other social media) to the legal world is most certainly a step backwards from a civil liberties perspective.
If only that were true, because pretty much everyone accused of being a bigot seems to still possess the ability and willingness to spout hatred and bigotry all over the TV, Internet, and the halls of Congress. Having your Twitter privileges taken away from you - if that happens to you at all - is hardly the end of the matter.
We are not yet in a society where such people are denied legal representation, so I'm not sure what bearing that such people still existing has on such a hypothetical world?
If you are saying that there still exists a number of actual racists acting racistly on social media, I would agree, but a not-insignificant number of them have been banned!
Social media isn’t the only place to get your message across. And even if a few have been banned, there’s an infinite number of copycats who share their views and who haven’t been deterred from expressing themselves.
Yeah, the American right is definitely silenced in today's media landscape. I can think of dozens of people banned from every appearing on Fox News becasue they were accused of racism.
Applying mob rules (as seen on Twitter and other social media) to the legal world is most certainly a step backwards from a civil liberties perspective.