Portside

Fash in DC; ACLU in Transition; Bookstore Wreckers; QAnon and its Discontents; Three Books on White Supremacy

Many noble old ideas about free speech don’t compute in the age of social media. The notion that a “marketplace of ideas” will elevate the truth is flatly belied by the virality of fake news and the fact that the marketplace is no longer public.

Leaders and members from twenty organizations will be barred entry into Israel. This also further isolates Palestine, since entry to Palestine is via Israel. One group, AFSC said: Our response to the Palestinian BDS call is in line with our similar support for divestment from apartheid South Africa and boycotts during the civil rights era." Here are statements from the banned groups: Joyce Ajlouny, Rebecca Vilkomerson and Ariel Gold.

'Making America Stupid Again': Outrage Over Forbidden 7 Words You Can't Say at Trump's CDC The existence of a list of reportedly banned words—including "vulnerable," "entitlement," "diversity," "transgender," "fetus," "evidence-based" and "science-based"—was described by Sen. Kamala Harris as "downright ridiculous."

SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) are not new. What is relatively new is the decision by companies to ramp up the potential impact of their cases by bringing charges under the federal racketeering statute called RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), a law which facilitates suits against sprawling criminal enterprises.

Reader Comments: The Long Arc of Protest; DACA; Korea; KKK Terror; Differing views: How Should We Protest Neo-Nazis; Fukushima Leak; The Health Plan that We Need, With No Copays; Spam Filtering is a free speech issue; Resources: Healthcare Sector is Growing, But Workers Aren't Sharing; Children's Book Celebrating Labor Movement; Anti-BDS legislation impacts You; Announcements: Conversation: "The Color of Law"; 60 Years of Peace Action; and Union Day of Action - Oct. 19

If we want to get to a new world, we must face the truth about what we do every day to support white supremacy and what we must do to destroy these practices. If this is a defining moment, we must insist that we define ourselves and refuse to release that power to our enemies. In this spirit of resilience, we offer the following recommendations as we prepare for white supremacists, Neo Nazis, and alt-right supporters to march in communities across the country.

When it comes to protecting the speech of people who are most vulnerable to being intimidated into silence — like people of color and gay people — conservatives either are suspiciously quiet or drive further intimidation with wildly negative news coverage.

Net neutrality is one of the defining workers’ rights and civil rights issue of our time. We all know the internet is driving changes in culture, politics and the economy. It is also one of the key spaces where workers can organize—and where mass movements for racial and economic justice blossom and build power.

Reader Comments: Paris Climate Agreement - Withdrawing is a Crime; Free Speech on Campus; Ivanka's Shoes in China; The Unexpected Afterlife of American Communism; Jews Against Settlements; Hate Crimes; Wonder Woman; Whole Foods; Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor Attacked; Resources: Labor Activism; Immigration politics; Announcements: Union-Worker Coop - tomorrow; Webinar: Korea, Labor and Anti-Militarism; Women's March to Ban the Bomb; and more...