Censorship Confessions

Plus, moved out of homelessness.

August 29, 2024

The Flag

Good morning and Happy Thursday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:

  • US: Trump staffers reported over altercation at Arlington cemetery during photo op (The Guardian)

  • World: At least nine Palestinians killed as Israel mounts major West Bank operation (The Verge)

  • Business: 2 workers killed, 1 injured in tire explosion at a Delta Air Lines shop in Atlanta (NPR)

  • Technology: Midjourney says it’s ‘getting into hardware’ (TechCrunch)

  • Sports: Cowboys sign Dalvin Cook to practice squad (NBC Sports)

And of course, some good news: 5,000 Are Now Sleeping with Roof Over Their Head Thanks to Oregon Task Force Slashing Homelessness.

BECOME A FLAG BEARER

Did you miss the last Sunday newsletter about how an American town was accidentally bombed? If you did, click here to become a premium subscriber.

🌕 Sneak Peak: Think the U.S. capital was always Washington, D.C.? In this Sunday’s edition, uncover the twists and turns, from temporary homes to high-stakes negotiations, that led to the Potomac’s grand debut as the nation’s permanent capital.

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Hands Down Some of the Best Credit Cards for Balance Transfers

Did you know some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster? Yes, it sounds crazy. But it’s true. The secret: Find a card with a “0% intro APR" period for balance transfers. Then, transfer your debt balance and pay it down as much as possible during the intro period. No interest means you could pay off the debt faster. Check out the full list of cards you can use to do this here.

Left: Black Women: Past, Present & Future of Dem Party, Opoku-Agyeman, et al., The Nation

Right: What Do Voters Actually Care About? Jeffrey Anderson, The American Mind

Right: We're Going Through a Political Realignment, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Tucker Carlson Show

FREE SPEECH

Censorship Confessions

Today’s Top Story: On Monday, in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed that the Biden administration pressured the company to censor content about COVID-19 and Hunter Biden's laptop.

Reporting from the Left: Zuckerberg says Biden admin "pressured" Meta to censor COVID-19 content (Axios)

Reporting from the Right: Mark Zuckerberg Admits Biden-Harris Admin Pressured Facebook To Censor Content, Expresses Regret (Daily Caller)

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Not What It Seems

The Top Argument From The Left: Mark Zuckerberg’s letter about Facebook censorship is not what it seems., Adam Clark Estes, Vox: “…none of this information is new. It’s interesting that Zuckerberg decided to dive into the free speech snake pit this week. It’s also not surprising that Republicans, who have been on a book-banning spree at schools nationwide, are propping up old facts as if they were new revelations in their ongoing quest to blame Democrats for censorship. … As we enter the final two months before the election, there are fewer guardrails for misinformation in place on major social media platforms, and writing a letter about the Biden administration and censorship, Zuckerberg seems to be throwing Republicans a political grenade, something that can fire up the base and use to get mad about Democrats. In reality, though, Zuckerberg is probably just trying to keep his company out of more hot water and to continue revamping his own public image. To understand how Zuckerberg’s letter could do this, it helps to know why he sent it to Rep. Jordan in the first place. Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has singled out the Meta CEO in an ongoing investigation that alleges the Biden administration and tech companies colluded to censor free speech online. Jordan even threatened to hold Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress for ignoring a subpoena for documents. Zuckerberg now seems rather forthcoming.”

Honorable Mention #1: Mark Zuckerberg’s election-season gift to Republicans, Jon Passantino, CNN.

Honorable Mention #2: Mark Zuckerberg Rolls Over for MAGA in Groveling Letter, AJ McDougall, Daily Beast.

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Unintentionally Revealing

The Top Argument From The Right: The ‘Tell’ in Zuckerberg’s Letter to Congress, Philip Hamburger, The Wall Street Journal: “On the one hand, Mr. Zuckerberg concedes what by now is obvious—that there was much government pressure for censorship… On the other hand, he distances Meta’s censorship decisions from the government pressure… Mr. Zuckerberg isn’t denying that the government caused some of Meta’s censorship decisions. The letter is too carefully drafted to say something so obviously untrue. So in saying that it was ‘our decision’ whether to take down content, Mr. Zuckerberg doesn’t claim that such decisions were unaffected by the government pressure—that was the whole point of the pressure. … In fact, Meta’s decisions often were driven by government pressure…however, [it] sidesteps the causation question. It avoids any overt concession that the efforts to influence the company actually caused Meta to suppress speech. … Mr. Zuckerberg’s letter is unintentionally revealing. Although it belatedly acknowledges the repeated government pressure, it’s much too cagey, nearly silent, about the effect of that pressure in securing social-media censorship. Mr. Zuckerberg’s caution about causation speaks volumes about his fears (or those of his lawyers) that, if the truth were out, Meta would be legally vulnerable.”

Honorable Mention #1: Biden’s Social-Media Censorship Regime, The Editors, National Review.

Honorable Mention #2: Mark Zuckerberg admits censorship and vows to curb election donations, Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner.

FLAG THIS

Americans and Free Speech

Last year, polling from RealClear Opinion Research found that 90% of U.S. voters support the First Amendment's protections for free speech, with bipartisan agreement on this principle. However, views diverge significantly on related issues: 74% of Republicans and 61% of independents believe all speech should be legal, while only 53% of Democrats share this view.

Additionally, 52% of Democrats approve of government censorship of social media for national security, compared to just 33% of Republicans and independents, reflecting a broader divide on the balance between free expression and regulation (RealClear Politics).

Zuckerberg's letter was written...

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WATERCOOLER

Katrina, Pro Whistleblower, Duck Exchange

On This Day in 2005, Hurricane Katrina makes landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane. Despite being only the third most powerful storm of the 2005 hurricane season, Katrina was among the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. In the wake of the storm, there were over 50 failures of the levees and flood walls around New Orleans and its suburbs. The levee and flood wall failures caused widespread flooding.

Today I learned Jeep owners spread kindness by exchanging rubber ducks.

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Hands Down Some of the Best Credit Cards for Balance Transfers

Did you know some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster? Yes, it sounds crazy. But it’s true. The secret: Find a card with a “0% intro APR" period for balance transfers. Then, transfer your debt balance and pay it down as much as possible during the intro period. No interest means you could pay off the debt faster. Check out the full list of cards you can use to do this here.

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