Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 3h

It takes lots of work.

How do you achieve racial justice in a highly unequal society?

Economic inequality and social inequality are deeply related.

1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 6h

the socialist proposition isn't that racism (sexism, etc.) doesn't exist or is unimportant

the socialist proposition has always been that class solidarity and participatory democracy are the best mechanisms for building a more equal society

1 4

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 7h

there was (and still is) a deliberate, concerted effort to recruit and radicalize alienated young men

it began in the early 2010s, picked up steam during Gamergate and the inception of the "alt-right" in 2013-2014, and went mainstream during Trump's 2016 campaign

1 1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 7h

I think it's the other way around: the openly Hitler-loving "alt-right" became Republicans

you wouldn't have found this stuff in a 2014 Republican chat because they would never have voluntarily joined a 2014 Republican chat

Micah @rincewind.run · 7h

I think two things are true:

1. young republicans were always terrible and racist

2. young republicans become openly hitler-loving groypers is in fact a new and alarming development that is worth paying attention to

1 1 1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 9h

bop your editor or whoever writes the headlines over the head with a cardboard tube

the clickbait-style headlines don't convey the idea that the piece has nuance and depth beyond what you'd see in a social preview card

(though this one isn't *too* bad)

1 1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 18h

it's kinda funny watching otherwise smart and well-informed people try to delude themselves into thinking IP law is their friend

IP law is only your friend if you're a big corporation. If you're not, then it exists to transfer money from you to big corporations.

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 18h

I guess that argument works if you're a big believer in intellectual property rights.

Not everyone is going to take the full "AI makes me mad, so now I think the RIAA was right all along and 'you wouldn't download a car' should have been taken seriously and not memed to death" leap though.

1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 1d

...and how much of that is impacted by all the inventive math? When OpenAI "pays" Nvidia to "pay" Oracle to "pay" Microsoft to "pay" OpenAI to "pay" AMD to "pay" OpenAI "$100 billion" for something involving chips, how much of that is recorded as economic activity?

3

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 1d

Not about this documentary (I haven't heard of it, and want to keep it that way) but just in general -

is it normal in the film industry not to pay people for their time and expertise? That doesn't seem like a good thing.

1 2

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 2d

a surprising number of politically active left-of-center folks are enamored with law enforcement and propose the "they're secretly just J6 militia!" theory so they don't have to deal with the idea that this is how lots of federal law enforcement officers *want* to behave

1 12

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 2d

lots of people with bad ideas are also charming

as a longtime resident of the south, I've met plenty of unrepentant white supremacists who are nice and cordial - folks who will greet a black customer with a smile and a "hello, sir!" and then throw n-bombs the moment they're out of earshot

1 7

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 2d

Poor reporting? From a Bari Weiss fan? Say it ain't so!

12

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 2d

Some experts believe Americans have the right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances. This village mayor thinks that's a bunch of baloney. The truth may lie in between.

- future NYT article

2

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 2d

Others want to argue that Israel's very existence is a crime against Palestinians' human rights, and use "Gaza is technically genocide" as the easier-to-defend bailey.

Talking about whether it is or is not technically genocide liberates folks from having to actually grapple with their own argument.

1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 2d

As far as I can tell, "genocide" is a motte-and-bailey argument for most folks who talk about it.

Some want to argue that Israel's activities are justified or acceptable, and use "Gaza is not technically genocide" as the easier-to-defend bailey.

1 1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 3d

you shine a light like that, you straight to jail, right away

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 3d

Schumer et al: "We have armed secret police kidnapping people off the street based on the color of their skin.

When we win: we will haul them before a Senate committee. The masks will come off. There will be bipartisan debate as we write special report on their hard work protecting our border."

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 3d

I choose to interpret their comment as shitting on the Titans, and I approve.

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 3d

"President Weiss awards Medal of Freedom to MetaTiktokGram CEO Barron Trump for 'outstanding defense of free speech against woke cancel culture'"

2

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 4d

Actually reading what "small government" advocates say supports this. When they call out examples of "big government", it's always government action on causes they disagree with.

They don't ever say "I'd rather not see two men kiss in public, but small government means we shouldn't prevent it".

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 4d

The simplest answer is that "small government" shouldn't be read too literally; it just means "government that only does things I want it to do".

Small government prevents your neighbor from dumping on your land. Big government prevents you from dumping on your neighbor's land.

1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 4d

(I'm not a lawyer - are they already obliged to hear cases where they have original jurisdiction?)

1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 4d

Would the USSC be barred from just denying cert without comment in those cases?

1

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 4d

True.

I think the US legal system is irreparably broken and needs a full reboot.

...which probably means the entire constitutional system needs to be redone, which is a problem because I can't imagine any legitimate way a new constitution gets written and accepted.

1 4

Fennec Fox Fanfare @fennecfoxfanfare.bsky.social · 4d

maybe the same for state attorneys general? though you can get the "one Ken Paxton brings a thousand cases for personal political gain" problem there too.

I think the Supreme Court would freak at not having a specific case's facts to fall back on

Sotek @sotekprime.bsky.social · 4d

(my answer is "allow any group of at least 20 Senators or 100 Representatives explicit standing to challenge the constitutionality of government actions".)

1