Dear Supporters,
Another week has gone by. It’s been a tough one in the U.S., with increasing fascism and white nationalism from the White House, law enforcement, and their vigilante allies. I’m going to skip the usual intro and updates and get right into our news roundup, which will mostly focus on these issues.
Thank you as always for your interest in OptOut. All articles, podcasts, and videos below come from our media partners; please consider supporting them!
Read
Discourse Blog: What 'law and order' really means
Discourse Blog’s Jack Mirkinson explains that “law and order” is code for suppressing Black people so white folks feel comfortable. He delves into how Joe Biden is bowing to conservative pressure by condemning violence and property destruction at protests.
Also on law and order:
Jacobin’s Luke Savage explores how Biden and his campaign are playing on Trump’s turf by, among other things, launching a $45 million ad campaign with the Democratic nominee lecturing us on what is and is not protesting.
But given Trump’s strategy for reelection and the state of public opinion vis-à-vis the issue of crime, the Democratic campaign’s apparent decision to pivot toward a law-and-order message of its own is as strategically foolish as it is morally contemptible.
Also at Jacobin:
- OptOut adviser Peter Sterne writes that law enforcement and vigilantes like Kyle Rittenhouse are different sides of the same coin.
Image credit: ABC
What’s Left: Could the riots help Trump?
Zeeshan Aleem offers an interesting analysis of protest violence and the presidential election, arguing that “Democratic hand-wringing over riots in Kenosha throwing the election to Trump may be overblown.”
The nature of public discourse on this matters quite a bit. Wasow—in both in his study and his remarks to me—has made the case for why news narratives are pivotal in shaping national consciousness, and there’s part of me that wonders if too much fretting by influential liberals in the run-up to the election could be a self-fulfilling prophesy.
WhoWhatWhy: Trump can’t send troops to the polls, but he really wants to
Trump and the GOP are planning a massive voter intimidation operation on Election Day, right out of the Jim Crow era. But while Trump might want to bring in armed troops to scare the shit out of liberal voters, WhoWhatWhy’s Gabriella Novello writes that, legally, he can’t.
More on Trump doin’ crimes:
Just because it’s illegal doesn’t mean Trump can’t do it, however. Harry Cheadle, the creator of our new partner, What Went Wrong, analyzes why Trump gets away with breaking the law time and time again.
Image credit: DHS
Eyes on the Ties: Cuomo fundraises with Finger Lakes billionaires as austerity cuts drive upstate NY cities towards crisis
Welcome to our new partner Eyes on the Ties, an excellent investigative reporting shop that exposes the role that corporate power plays in shaping public policy!
In non-cop news, Rob Galbraith details New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s tradition of palling around with billionaires and gladly accepting their hefty campaign donations. Cuomo attended a recent fundraiser at the family compound of the Sands brothers, who run the liquor and cannabis conglomerate Constellation Brands.
Cuomo’s most recent feting by the billionaire brothers comes as the Governor stridently opposes implementing new taxes on the state’s ultra-wealthy, opting instead for draconian cuts to state spending in the absence of federal aid.
Image credit: MTA
Listen
Behind the News: 9/3/20
Doug Henwood brings on the Brennan Center’s Mike German to discuss white supremacists and cops and talks with Hadas Thier about Marxist economics.
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | KPFA
Donate to Doug through his Left Business Observer.
The Red Nation: Fascism, freedom, fiction with Arundhati Roy
Nick Estes talks with author Arundhati Roy about her new book of essays, Azadi.
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Libsyn
Struggle Session: OnlyFans with Rara Imler
Comedian and online sex worker Rara Imler joins Struggle Session to discuss Bella Thorne's brief stint with OnlyFans and the policies of the site itself.
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Watch
Tim Black: Ice Cube's Contract With Black America
The Humanist Report: American Right-Wingers Think Property Matters More Than Human Lives
Ring of Fire: Independent Creators Team Up To Take Down Corporate Media
Big thanks to Farron Cousins for having me on OptOut partner Ring of Fire to discuss this project!
Did you know OptOut also has original content?
Listen to this week’s episode of Gilded Age, the podcast about how and why we’re f*cked. We put out a special mid-week episode: a conversation with Guardian reporter and extremism expert Jason Wilson about the killings at protests, white vigilantes working alongside the cops, and the sensational rightwing media that are all part of Trump's fascist campaign strategy. Here’s an excerpt:
Thank you for reading, and please check out our other partners’ content as well—and stay tuned for more of our top picks!
Event: The Katie Halper Show X Struggle Session II
OptOut partners The Katie Halper Show and Struggle Session join forces for a virtual live event on Thursday, Sept. 10! A portion of the proceeds of the show will benefit the Brooklyn venue Littlefield and Make the Road New York.
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Please consider supporting us as we move forward with OptOut. We appreciate you!
