A magnificent read ... underscores the significance of the first amendment

Like many reporters, Fang has always viewed it as part of his job to ask questions in all directions. He’s written critically of political figures on the center-left, the left, and “obviously on the right,” and his reporting has inspired serious threats in the past. None of those past experiences were as terrifying as this blitz by would-be colleagues, which he described as “jarring,” “deeply isolating,” and “unique in my professional experience.” 

To save his career, Fang had to craft a public apology for “insensitivity to the lived experience of others.” According to one friend of his, it’s been communicated to Fang that his continued employment at The Intercept is contingent upon avoiding comments that may upset colleagues. Lacy to her credit publicly thanked Fang for his statement and expressed willingness to have a conversation; unfortunately, the throng of Intercept co-workers who piled on her initial accusation did not join her in this.

https://taibbi.substack.com/p/the-news-media-is-destroying-itself

Among many great points in this piece, it underscores the essential nature of the first amendment - imagine if politicians could dictate what could or could not be said and issue punishments ....

Models are not reality and are not much better at predicting reality than a human is

Scientific American sought to dismiss such concerns in an April 15 article headlined “Climate Science Deniers Turn to Attacking Coronavirus Models.”While not exactly defending the methodology used in the models, the article said they were wrong “because millions of Americans responded to pleas for social distancing.” It then invoked newer models that would also prove to be wrong – forecasting only 60,000 U.S. deaths; there are now more than 107,000 – before defending the original alarmist numbers with what almost sounds like an argument for the politicization of science from the coronavirus to climate change: “Health experts say the models worked the way they were supposed to -- by providing a glimpse into a dire future that was partially averted because of collective action.”

https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2020/06/04/covid_vs_climate_modeling_cloudy_with_a_chance_of_politics_123891.html

It Takes Courage

To speak away from the majority. Thank you Mr. Steele.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/06/08/shelby_steele_al_sharpton_is_asking_what_black_americans_can_get_out_george_floyds_death.html

"White America's live under this accusation that they're racist, they need to prove that they're not racist. In order to prove that you're not racist, you need to take over the fate of black people and say, go with us, we'll engineer you into the future, we'll engineer you into equality.

"Life doesn't work like that. We have to engineer ourselves. Period. There is no other way. It -- unless you can rewrite the rules of the human condition. There is no circumstance in history where people can -- no matter -- no matter how much guilt they have over the oppressive majority, there is no -- there's no indicated -- indication anywhere that you can somehow get them to lift your -- lift you up and get you out of your -- the condition that you're -- it's not a possibility."

Yes, Dr. Sowell, we are at that point

The redoubtable Thomas Sowell also is an inspiration. He tweeted this morsel of clarity yesterday: “Have we reached the ultimate stage of absurdity where some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, while other people are not held responsible for what they themselves are doing today?”

https://www.theepochtimes.com/a-new-silent-majority-is-coming_3386854.html

That silent majority ... we'll see

Figure the Odds ...

Fascinating, and hopeful.

https://scholar.harvard.edu/fryer/publications/empirical-analysis-racial-differences-police-use-force

Prayers for the innocent

A heartbreaker, sending a prayer

https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/family-of-injured-metro-officer-says-he-is-paralyzed-tentatively-accepted-to-spine-rehabilitation-center/

Does Poverty Exist in the US?

https://townhall.com/columnists/walterewilliams/2020/06/03/some-facts-worth-knowing-n2569839

A recent study by Just Facts, an excellent source of factual information, shows that after accounting for income, charity and noncash welfare benefits such as subsidized health care, housing, food stamps and other assistance programs, "the poorest 20% of Americans consume more goods and services than the national averages for all people in the world's most affluent countries." This includes the majority of countries that are members of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, including its European members. The Just Facts study concludes that if the U.S. "poor" were a nation, then it would be one of the world's richest.