The Damage of Far Right Lies

I don't know if I'd mentioned this on the blog, but one of the outcomes of the 2020 post-election madness - where trump claimed "rigged" or "stolen" voting happened, to incite his followers into acts of insurrection - was that one of trump's targets decided to fight back against the Fox News network for promoting trump's falsehoods.

Dominion, one of the companies that manufactures voting machines, got targeted with allegations of rigging their machines to where it cut into their ability to win contracts with states (and I believe other nations). So they filed a massive defamation lawsuit against Fox, and thanks to the discovery process of acquiring evidence to back their suit, revealed a lot of intraoffice scheming and plotting by the media corporation to shill trump's lies to keep their audiences and their profits.

To quote from Adam Serwer at the Atlantic (paywalled):

Fox News lies to its viewers. Its most prominent personalities, among the most influential in the industry, tell their viewers things they know not to be true. This is not accusation, allegation, or supposition. Today, we know it to be fact...

The most compelling example of Fox News consciously lying to its viewers, however, arrived yesterday with the evidence in the defamation lawsuits filed by the voting-machine company Dominion, over claims aired on Fox News echoing Trump’s lie that the 2020 election had been fixed by compromised voting machines. Dominion’s latest filing argues that privately, Fox News hosts admitted that the allegations of election fraud being floated by Trump allies were baseless, but they kept airing them, in part because they feared another right-wing network, Newsmax, was stealing their audience. The filing shows that when Fox News reporters shot down the allegations publicly, the network’s big personalities were livid, complaining internally that telling their viewers the truth was hurting the network’s brand.

“It’s remarkable how weak ratings make good journalists do bad things,” the Fox News executive Bill Sammon wrote to a colleague about the network’s coverage of the “fraud” conspiracy...

The Fox executives knew they were violating journalistic ethics - yes, those do exist - in pursuit of ratings.

The Dominion filing drives home a few points. One is that there is a Fox News propaganda feedback loop: The network inflames right-wing conspiracism, but it also bows to it out of partisan commitment and commercial incentive. Another is that despite the long-standing right-wing argument that conservatives distrust mainstream media outlets because they do not tell the truth, Fox News executives and personalities understand that their own network loses traction with its audience when it fails to tell the lies that the audience wishes to hear. There are infinite examples of the mainstream press making errors of omission, fact, or framing. But as the private communications in the Dominion filing show, the mainstream media’s unforgivable sin with this constituency is not lying, but failing to consistently lie the way conservative audiences want them to...

Not only is there a closed wingnut echo chamber, that chamber is bolted shut by an audience that wants to remain ignorant of the facts and angered by their own fears.

There is also a story here about how social media and analytics can compel even powerful media institutions to meet a strong demand for falsehoods. Fox News executives understood the election-fraud allegations were nonsense, and they also understood their audience wanted to hear them. Misinformation and propaganda are not novel problems, but modern technology renders the incentives to lie to an audience particularly clear, and the means to reach that audience particularly easy to access. There will always be a potentially profitable demand for self-flattering lies; ethical people and institutions resist supplying them. The ability of individual hustlers to amass an audience of sycophants by feeding them conspiracies puts pressure on more mainstream outlets to gently appease conspiracism, if not to fully capitulate to it.

This is where decades of Fox Not-News - and other Far Right media figures like Breitbart and Rush Limbaugh and James O'Keefe (who's not having a good month anyway) - twisted free speech protections to shill conspiracy instead of facts, lies instead of truth.

There shouldn't be a First Amendment right to lie, especially when those lies are malicious, designed to enrage a handful of followers into acts of violence driven by unfounded fear and hatred. We've seen the effects of conspiracy "replacement theory" racism towards Blacks and Jews that have led to mass shootings and constant harassment of innocent Americans.

What Fox Not-News does on a nightly basis - promoting fear, selling rage - has done legitimate harm to the American political discourse. This lawsuit by Dominion could well put a clamp on that harm, but we need to understand that the Far Right punditry will continue to shill that fear and rage until they can no longer profit from it.

We are long past due bringing out the big guns of fraud charges and going after that Far Right Noise Machine with professional malpractice laws. Go after Tucker Carlson's and Sean Hannity's wallets, people. Every penny they earn comes from lying, and no one should be allowed to profit from lies.

One-Sentence Observation About President Biden Visiting Ukraine Today

This is how the United States represents democracy and freedom to the world, by showing public support to a Ukrainian nation under siege by a corrupt Russian autocracy, as our President Joe Biden visits to honor the one-year anniversary of the full-scale invasion and commenting "One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands," rubbing it in the face of a broken Putin and making every pro-Putin apologist here in the U.S. throw a goddamn conniption, which is beautiful.

Photo provided by Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images

I Survived Bartow SyFy 2023, Except...

My city library tends to set up a booth every year - we missed a few due to the COVID Pandemic - for the annual SyFy street fair staged on Main Street. Previously, we'd set up a table to sell used or weeded Science Fiction / Fantasy novels to raise money for our Friends group. This year, we set up a portable Circ station to provide a library experience for any local families able to check out our circulating materials.

Most times, I go dressed as a Jedi - you've seen the outfit over the years - and so this year, lightsaber in hand, and sunglasses because it's Florida on a clear sunny day - I cosplayed as a Jedi Librarian.

Only much to my horror, about three hours into the event before lunch time, the right heel flapped off.

Another artist's booth nearby had duct tape to salvage the moment, but alas the boots I've worn for years - only on these cosplay moments - have finally rotted out.

(Plays the funeral dirge from "Return Of the Jedi" in the background)

So where the hell do I get Jedi boots anymore?

Just a Few Things To Note this February 2023

Still working on the -Isms book at the moment, but I needed to take care of a few items.

The big story - almost literally - over the past week or two has been the Chinese spy balloons flying over North American airspace. The developments getting out are that 1) this has apparently been going on for years, 2) our NORAD alert system has only recently been able to target these balloons more effectively, and 3) our habit of calling these balloons "unidentified" are mixing them up with actual non-terrestrial UFOs flown by innocent aliens looking for a concert hall to play in.

via GIPHY

A lot of this is playing out in the national media as yet-another-attempt by the Far Right to embarrass President Biden for cheap political points. It didn't matter what Biden did or didn't do to respond the minute it got out we had a big-ass balloon floating over Montana. At first the wingnut Republicans were screaming Biden was weak towards China for not shooting down the balloon. Then when the balloon flew over the safety of the Atlantic Ocean and Biden ordered the balloon shot down, those same wingnut critics started screaming about the balloon being a Chinese bioweapon and Biden was foolish for exposing us all to COVID death. /headdesk

As for other things that really matter, donald trump is facing growing pressure in Georgia's grand jury looking into his electoral interference as well as the likelihood of facing criminal charges in New York over the Stormy Daniels bribery affair. This weekend however revealed more damaging revelations that one of trump's PAC workers had a laptop with classified documents saved to files, hinting at the possibility that trump did share Top Secret materials in violation of espionage laws and increasing the odds that trump will face federal charges soon (HURRY IT UP, SPECIAL COUNSEL).

And for personal consideration, Infidel753 blogged an insightful article about "the exhausted majority" which may help with my -Isms book when I get to writing about the Moderate factions within American political dynamics. 

Oh, and I woke up this morning to yet another goddamn mass shooting, this time on the Michigan State University campus. Three dead so far, more wounded. Goddamn this nation for our Angry Guy With Guns bloodlust.

Taking a Break February 2023 Edition

I'm going to avoid blogging for this month of February so I can focus on a novel project I really REALLY want to get done: A book on American political ideologies (aka the -ISMs). I'm focused on this because  my nephews and niece are now in their 20s, and I'm a little worried their political belief structures are going to get overwhelmed in this age of misinformation.

That means I'm re-reading what I know about Liberalism and Conservatism, and gearing up to tear apart Libertarianism - I'll probably just quote verbatim from that book about bears - as well as a quick explanation why Socialism never worked out here in the states the way it did in Europe.

I'm going to have to figure out how to fit Moderate - which has a function in politics but not its own party - into a chapter. Can Moderatism (see, I get a redline spelling warning, that's not a real word dammit) fit into the -Ism model? Maybe conflate with Pragmatism?

I've already read through a number of books, but got about five more to crunch into the coming weeks. Busy already.

Stay safe out there, blog readers.

(Having promised this, watch as prosecutors in Georgia, New York, and DC file criminal charges on trump this month. ...sigh)

Update: Okay, yeah, the whole Chinese Spy Balloon Saga got waaaaaay too silly but what the hell, they'll be partying in Surfside Beach, SC this weekend celebrating the shootdown!

I Survived a Bruce Springsteen Concert

Good Lord.

The Boss never took a fucking break.

I was just standing there for most of the concert and *I* was the one who ended up with a leg cramp. Or was that a pulled muscle? Either way, I was fatigued.

I went deaf in my left ear. I woke up this morning with it still ringing. Anybody got a cure for that?

It was a goddamn religious experience.

It was the opening night of the E Street Band's tour, starting in my backyard of TAMPA FLORIDA HOME OF THE TOM BRADY LED BUCCANEERS, FIRE THEM CANNONS (oh God, time for another rebuild /cries).

So, in the interests of preserving history for future generations, I documented much of the night.

Outside the hockey arena (TAMPA IS A HOCKEY TOWN DAMMIT)
with my SIL Karen. She's not A Karen, she's sweet and polite
and never demands to see a manager.

This was the crowd getting in to the show. 
Traffic actually more backed up than I-4!

Brother Phil with Karen, in line at the security check-in

I'm usually not a fan of orange, but of the tour t-shirts for sale
this had IMHO the best look, the best style.
I need to wear Friday at work to prove I was here.

Settling in for the show

HOLY SHEET, IT'S SPRINGSTEEN.
BRRRRUUUUUUUUCCCCCEEE.

A cleaner picture of this would work
as cover art for a live album.
...Is it just me, or should EVERY Bruce Springsteen concert
be released as a live album...?

Do they make smartphones with better than 4x zoom?!
Asking for a friend who'll wear earmuffs to the next concert.

During the encore part of the concert.
Actually, there was no encore, the E Street Band just kept playing.
Like I said earlier, there were no breaks. The only time the band left the stage
was when Bruce did his only solo performance of the night with
"Last Man Standing."

Hell, I need to share you the playlist for the Tampa show. Not as many songs from Bruce's latest albums - Western Stars, Letter to You, Only the Strong Survive - but a lot of early years stuff, especially from Darkness On the Edge of Town, which is a personal favorite of mine. (EDIT: A quick review of the songlist revealed Letter to You album DID get prominent play, my bad. I need to go re-listen to that CD). When Max starting off the opening cymbal riff for "Candy's Room," I squeed and hopped up and down. Maybe that's where I got the pulled muscle/cramp.

SET LIST

21 SONGS

1 NO SURRENDER

2 GHOSTS

3 PROVE IT ALL NIGHT

4 LETTER TO YOU

5 THE PROMISED LAND

6 OUT IN THE STREET

7 CANDY’S ROOM

8 KITTY’S BACK

9 BRILLIANT DISGUISE

10 NIGHTSHIFT

11 DON’T PLAY THAT SONG

12 THE E STREET SHUFFLE

13 JOHNNY 99

14 LAST MAN STANDING

15 HOUSE OF A THOUSAND GUITARS

16 BACKSTREETS

17 BECAUSE THE NIGHT

18 SHE’S THE ONE

19 WRECKING BALL

20 THE RISING

21 BADLANDS

ENCORE

7 SONGS

1 BURNIN’ TRAIN

2 BORN TO RUN

3 ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT)

4 GLORY DAYS

5 DANCING IN THE DARK

6 TENTH AVENUE FREEZE-OUT

7 I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS

I am now moved to write up a HARK! review of Springsteen albums later this month. Once my ears stop ringing.

...Seriously, that performance should be released as a live album. It'll give me a chance to lower the volume on the headphones when I re-listen to AAAAH NOPE STILL TOO LOUD ACH MY EARS...

Update: I uploaded a video from the opening moments of the concert, when the band emerged to play "No Surrender." And... well... I am not happy with the video quality. :( I need a smartphone with a better zoom and camera. Sigh. Anyway, ONE TWO THREE FOUR:

The Hostile Destruction of Florida Education

Update: Thank you Batocchio for including this article on Crooks & Liars' Mike's Blog Round-Up this morning! 

It's been noted before that Florida's current Governor Ron "Pander Away" DeSantis is waging a war against "Wokeness," the current catch-all phrase by Far Right wingnuts describing anything that exposes our nation's history of racism, sexism, and bad behavior by conservative elites.

DeSantis has escalated his efforts across every level of education our state can offer. Not only are the classrooms at our public schools been emptied of every book so that DeSantis' foot soldier censors can refuse whichever titles they fear, but DeSantis is happily plugging in conservative political hacks into leadership roles at every major state university (via Ian Hodgson, Divya Kumar, and Lane DeGregory at the Tampa Bay Times (paywall)):

Carrying signs and wearing stickers and buttons Tuesday, hundreds of students, faculty and alumni filled the courtyard outside the building where the six new trustees appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to New College’s board of trustees were to meet for the first time.

“Jesus would not have wanted this,” one sign said. Others declared: “Stop the Steal,” “Queer Lives are Welcome Here,” and “Are we too woke or do you need to wake up?”

They rallied to save their school from what New College President Patricia Okker later called a “hostile takeover” by the new conservative appointees. They didn’t know that a key decision had already been made.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat, told protestors she was “damn proud to stand with them,” and led a chant to “reject fascism and protect freedom.” Then she dropped a bomb: Okker was to be replaced by Richard Corcoran, the former education commissioner and Florida House speaker, who would serve as interim president...

It should be noted that Corcoran was rejected as a candidate for the Florida State University President opening a few years back, because the hiring committee considered him a straight-up political hack whose own educational background is dubious at best. This time around, DeSantis rigged the New College's board of directors first, and then got them to fire Okker to make room for Corcoran.

If any of this feels the same as the situation leading to University of Florida - a flagship institution that had become one of the top universities in the nation - hiring an unqualified political hack like Ben Sasse earlier this school year, don't be shocked.

This is essentially a hostile takeover, not just by DeSantis but also by Far Right Republicans obsessed with dismantling higher educational systems they fear are too liberal.

The six DeSantis-appointed trustees asserted their presence early, proposing to rid the school of its diversity office and talking about the “crisis” that needed to be solved. But confusion over procedural matters and their unfamiliarity with some issues took up more than an hour...

Earlier in the day, (Christopher) Rufo accompanied DeSantis at a news conference in Bradenton, just north of the New College campus. The governor pledged an infusion of $15 million at New College to be spent on hiring new faculty and scholarships for students, with an extra $10 million every year thereafter. As a part of a larger plan to reform higher education, he also denounced diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at state colleges and universities, saying they would no longer be funded...

DeSantis is essentially saying that things like civil rights and Title IX protections won't be upheld at state universities. Segregation and racial discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile workplaces, hostile classrooms... all of this will become the norm in DeSantis' Florida.

This is all echoed in DeSantis' efforts to shut down ANY discussion of "Critical Race Theory" essentially meaning our state cannot teach one iota of Florida's history regarding racism, slavery, Jim Crow, Civil Rights marches, all because Republicans are terrified that White People's Feelings (tm) will be hurt if we teach the facts that Yes Goddammit racism happened and keeps happening. He's just making sure that college students will be kept ignorant as much as our K-12 students.

Rufo is, by the by, a wingnut conservative hack actively campaigning to shut down public education of any kind in an obsessive desire to privatize something for greed and racism. DeSantis, desperate to win over 2024 Republican primary voters, is giving Rufo the opportunity to wreak havoc on Florida's educational system.

Goddamn Rufo. Goddamn DeSantis. Goddamn this wingnut Culture War that's committing serious acts of censorship against our children's' collective right to a fair and informed education, and an assault on our state's ability to promote higher education at all.

If I were a student today, at University of Florida (Alum 1992) or University of South Florida (Alum 1994), I would be walking the fuck out. I do not want the value of my college degree to turn into shit, all because a partisan hack of a Governor is weakening the quality of my university so he can score cheap political points for a 2024 Presidential run.

I am calling on all Florida college students: Just walk the fuck away. Yes, many of you have college loans to pay off, but you can start GoFundMe campaigns to help pay those down. Apply to out-of-state universities that won't go Red-State apeshit on you. Empty out the classrooms across Florida so that DeSantis has to live with the embarrassment of having our state's high-quality institutions void of any students. I know in some respects DeSantis would revel in the images of empty classrooms - "Look," he will say to his rabid anti-education voting base, "They would rather quit than learn a Godly conservative education!" - but he is going to have to live with the reality that he oversaw the dismantling of a statewide university system, something that has never happened to any other governor before him.

At some point, the shame of killing off Florida's educational system from kindergarten to doctorate ought to slap DeSantis in the goddamn face.