Injustice Thomas has made it very clear that he would like to relook Sullivan vs. NYT, which is a cornerstone case establishing the modern understanding of freedom of the press. Before Sullivan, white racists would sue civil rights activists and media outlets that covered their activities and the resulting violent repression by southern states for libel, and win in state-run kangaroo courts, crippling both civil rights efforts and the efforts to report on them. Anthony Lewis's "Make No Law" is a great book about the Sullivan case. https://www.amazon.com/Make-No-Law-Sullivan-Amendment/dp/0679739394
No doubt Alito would like to sue every publication that questioned his right to fly insurrection flags while sitting on cases about insurrection. He and Thomas both need to be impeached.
Require people waking up and giving Democrats an overwhelming win not only the presidency but also of both the Senate and House in November. It would help if the media would put more focus on Republicans’, including Trump’s, threats to birth control access. That is what Thomas was referring to when he said we “might” need to revisit Griswold — the case that legalized birth control.
If the public wakes up to that very real danger the freak out will be even greater than it has been since the misogynists on our Supreme Court overturned Roe.
Freedom of speech is banned in all dictatorships. There is no "both sides of the argument" in a dictatorship. There's the leader's thoughts or the Party's orders. The media will need a license to exist. That license will include a loyalty oath from every person involved. This is not fiction. Once implemented, it will not be reversed.
Justices Alito and Thomas plan to destroy democracy, not sustain or expand it. Think of the vicious
resistence in the South when democracy was expanded to include African-Americans. Or the National Guard at Kent State. If Trump is elected, this will be the government and how it's enforced.
When it’s happening in another country, our journalistic elites congratulate themselves for cutting through authoritarian blather and pointing out what’s happening. In this country, they congratulate themselves for exactly not doing that.
Pretty sure Biden has never threatened to “come after” or “root out” anybody, but we’re not allowed to point out that discrepancy. It would be “biased.”
The executive editor of the NYT has gone on record saying that, based on polls (!), immigration and inflation are considered more important issues than democracy in the upcoming election. What he apparently fails to realize is that if Trump wins, THERE WILL NO LONGER BE A NYT AS WE KNOW IT.
This would be a great time for MSM to make a concerted effort to hold trump accountable for his 2020 election lies. Just quickly noting that there's no basis that the election was stolen after someone being interviewed repeats the lie just doesn't work. It's become background noise and so much of what has happened since then continues to rest on his lie. It's gone on too long and needs to be reversed. It would be great to make it a centerpiece of the first debate -- (I know that's not going to happen!) -- but still it could be a great way to get it out in the open, ask trump what proof he's been going on, why he continues to say it without proof, and also discuss pros and cons of getting rid of the electoral college, enacting mandatory voting, and restoring the voting rights act. Timothy Synder posted a great substack yesterday about the importance of children (and everyone) learning how to lose. A whole new generation is watching a president and his supporters regularly do the opposite and it's past time the media makes a bigger deal of the 'big lie'.
sc beerdoughboy, flaglover and rventhusiast had uncertain future at their nomination and might not have gotten on the throne were it not for indignancy of other generational doughboys and sadly Democrats accomodating. Sadly the reality of losing is for ordinary people and not privileged group who must win at any cost to anyone, never accepting loss in anything.
It seems MSM either doesn't understand the threat, or has calculated that performative neutrality is the best way to attract clicks. Like when Kasie Hunt defended Scott Jenning's right to spew misinformation on CNN, as if CNN journalists don't get it that they'll be the first ones thrown into Trump's gulag. If they don't catch on now, while there's time to speak up, they will become part of the threat.
I wish I could LIKE this a hundred times. Too many journalists are cowed even now, with the First Amendment still operational, afraid of pissing off their (usually anonymous) sources. And as A. J. Liebling so famously wrote, "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." Most of us recognize the problems when outfits like Sinclair and Fox dominate media, but WTH did it take our so-called mainstream media three years to report on the Alito household's flag-flying habits?
I posted this on the FaceBook group Scheer post. This is the one response I got. If you want to know about the state of journalism in America these days just look at what happens to journalists in the mainstream media if they voice a pro Gaza or Russia sentiment. Dissent on these issues is not allowed. This is under the Democrats. You should check out the Web Site. https://scheerpost.com/
I am curious. Are most reporters and editors on the staff of major media Journalism school graduates?
It appears they either are encouraged to or forced to write articles that give a both sides tone. This would drive the best most courageous writers to either quit, or be fired. Less talented or courageous writers would acquiesce as a way to keep their jobs. Thankfully those who leave media corporations can continue to inform us through writing in Substack.
Injustice Thomas has made it very clear that he would like to relook Sullivan vs. NYT, which is a cornerstone case establishing the modern understanding of freedom of the press. Before Sullivan, white racists would sue civil rights activists and media outlets that covered their activities and the resulting violent repression by southern states for libel, and win in state-run kangaroo courts, crippling both civil rights efforts and the efforts to report on them. Anthony Lewis's "Make No Law" is a great book about the Sullivan case. https://www.amazon.com/Make-No-Law-Sullivan-Amendment/dp/0679739394
No doubt Alito would like to sue every publication that questioned his right to fly insurrection flags while sitting on cases about insurrection. He and Thomas both need to be impeached.
Require people waking up and giving Democrats an overwhelming win not only the presidency but also of both the Senate and House in November. It would help if the media would put more focus on Republicans’, including Trump’s, threats to birth control access. That is what Thomas was referring to when he said we “might” need to revisit Griswold — the case that legalized birth control.
If the public wakes up to that very real danger the freak out will be even greater than it has been since the misogynists on our Supreme Court overturned Roe.
Elito
Freedom of speech is banned in all dictatorships. There is no "both sides of the argument" in a dictatorship. There's the leader's thoughts or the Party's orders. The media will need a license to exist. That license will include a loyalty oath from every person involved. This is not fiction. Once implemented, it will not be reversed.
Justices Alito and Thomas plan to destroy democracy, not sustain or expand it. Think of the vicious
resistence in the South when democracy was expanded to include African-Americans. Or the National Guard at Kent State. If Trump is elected, this will be the government and how it's enforced.
When it’s happening in another country, our journalistic elites congratulate themselves for cutting through authoritarian blather and pointing out what’s happening. In this country, they congratulate themselves for exactly not doing that.
Pretty sure Biden has never threatened to “come after” or “root out” anybody, but we’re not allowed to point out that discrepancy. It would be “biased.”
The executive editor of the NYT has gone on record saying that, based on polls (!), immigration and inflation are considered more important issues than democracy in the upcoming election. What he apparently fails to realize is that if Trump wins, THERE WILL NO LONGER BE A NYT AS WE KNOW IT.
This would be a great time for MSM to make a concerted effort to hold trump accountable for his 2020 election lies. Just quickly noting that there's no basis that the election was stolen after someone being interviewed repeats the lie just doesn't work. It's become background noise and so much of what has happened since then continues to rest on his lie. It's gone on too long and needs to be reversed. It would be great to make it a centerpiece of the first debate -- (I know that's not going to happen!) -- but still it could be a great way to get it out in the open, ask trump what proof he's been going on, why he continues to say it without proof, and also discuss pros and cons of getting rid of the electoral college, enacting mandatory voting, and restoring the voting rights act. Timothy Synder posted a great substack yesterday about the importance of children (and everyone) learning how to lose. A whole new generation is watching a president and his supporters regularly do the opposite and it's past time the media makes a bigger deal of the 'big lie'.
sc beerdoughboy, flaglover and rventhusiast had uncertain future at their nomination and might not have gotten on the throne were it not for indignancy of other generational doughboys and sadly Democrats accomodating. Sadly the reality of losing is for ordinary people and not privileged group who must win at any cost to anyone, never accepting loss in anything.
sorry.....former president!
It seems MSM either doesn't understand the threat, or has calculated that performative neutrality is the best way to attract clicks. Like when Kasie Hunt defended Scott Jenning's right to spew misinformation on CNN, as if CNN journalists don't get it that they'll be the first ones thrown into Trump's gulag. If they don't catch on now, while there's time to speak up, they will become part of the threat.
There is a reason that CNN’s ratings are so bad and that exchange is a perfect example.
I wish I could LIKE this a hundred times. Too many journalists are cowed even now, with the First Amendment still operational, afraid of pissing off their (usually anonymous) sources. And as A. J. Liebling so famously wrote, "Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one." Most of us recognize the problems when outfits like Sinclair and Fox dominate media, but WTH did it take our so-called mainstream media three years to report on the Alito household's flag-flying habits?
I'm impressed you know who Liebling is or was
I'm an editor, writer, and occasional journalist and I turn 73 on Saturday. Next question? <g>
There is no question right now
If people are telling you not to panic, definitely panic. They've lulled themselves into a false sense of security.
I posted this on the FaceBook group Scheer post. This is the one response I got. If you want to know about the state of journalism in America these days just look at what happens to journalists in the mainstream media if they voice a pro Gaza or Russia sentiment. Dissent on these issues is not allowed. This is under the Democrats. You should check out the Web Site. https://scheerpost.com/
I am curious. Are most reporters and editors on the staff of major media Journalism school graduates?
It appears they either are encouraged to or forced to write articles that give a both sides tone. This would drive the best most courageous writers to either quit, or be fired. Less talented or courageous writers would acquiesce as a way to keep their jobs. Thankfully those who leave media corporations can continue to inform us through writing in Substack.
“My” White Rose students understood this fully. They intended to establish an independent, credible newspaper after the war.
Hitler truly went after newspapers first. We see this pattern every time an autocrat or dictator wishes to establish a stranglehold on his nation.
Another trenchant take. Thank you.