Unrest in the UK

Plus, arboreal resilience.

August 09, 2024

The Flag

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

  • US: Tim Walz's military record under scrutiny as he joins Kamala Harris on Democratic ticket (CBS News)

  • World: Israeli minister says it may be ‘moral’ to starve 2 million Gazans, but ‘no one in the world would let us’ (CNN) + Palestine urges ICC arrest warrant for Smotrich over call to starve Gaza (Al Jazeera)

  • Business: Boeing’s new CEO is already making an overdue change his first day on the job (CNN)

  • Technology: Apple’s next Mac Mini could be as small as an Apple TV (The Verge)

  • Sports: White Sox fire Pedro Grifol, name Grady Sizemore interim manager (ESPN)

And of course, some good news: How Lahaina's more than 150-year-old banyan tree is coming back to life after devastating fire.

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🌕 Sneak Peak: Did you know the U.S. Army once employed cames? A forgotten chapter of American history reveals a bold 19th-century experiment where camels replaced horses in the military. Discover how these desert creatures fared in the harsh terrain of the Southwest—and why the project didn’t last.

POWERED BY MONEY

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Right: With Shapiro Snub, Leftists Display Their Antisemitism, Tzali Reicher, The Federalist

Right: Vance Comes Into His Own as Trump Attack Dog, W. James Antle, Washington Examiner

Left: Can Walz Help Unite the Democrats? Zack Beauchamp, Vox

Left: Dreaming Big Again, Robert Kuttner, American Prospect

UNITED KINGDOM

Unrest in the UK

Today’s Top Story: On July 29 in Southport, a seaside town in England, a 17-year-old attacked a Taylor Swift-themed children's dance class, resulting in the deaths of three young girls. Despite limited information about the suspect due to legal restrictions for minors, misinformation falsely identifying him as a Muslim asylum seeker sparked racially motivated far-right riots and nationwide unrest. On Wednesday, anti-racist counter-protestors across the nation flooded the streets in a show of solidarity against the far-right.

Reporting from the Right: Britain remains on alert for further unrest, even after anti-racism campaigners face down far right (Fox News)

Reporting from the Left: Anti-racist protesters flood U.K. streets in show of solidarity against far-right riots (NBC News)

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

British Government’s at Fault

The Top Argument From The Right: English riots underline failure of welfare state, James Rogan, Washington Examiner: “The rumors were not true. The protesters don’t care. The tragedy provided them with an excuse for engaging in public violence. They revel in nihilism and blame others for their own failings. Central to the broader problem here is the U.K. welfare system. While it is true that immigration has put increased pressure on housing, jobs, and access to the socialized medical system, that system is a total failure regardless of these pressures. The youth unemployment rate in the country approaches 14%. Almost half of young people in Britain are jobless and not looking for work. The British government confiscates from the private sector almost half of the annual GDP. Most of the money is flushed down the economy toilet. People do not escape poverty. The British National Health Service, the jewel of the country’s welfare state, is in a disastrous state. Queues to see cancer specialists are the longest on record. Waits for ambulances and emergency care are catastrophically long. People die unnecessarily. The state education system also fails the poor. Britain’s greatest universities, which are among the world’s best, are dramatically underfunded. Most damning, economic growth in the U.K. has been almost stagnant for the past 15 years. Britain is in relative economic decline.”

Honorable Mention #1: The Riots In Britain Represent The Total Failure Of Britain’s Governing Class, John Daniel Davidson, The Federalist.

Honorable Mention #2: Anti-immigration riots are coming here if we don’t speak up, Ian Haworth Washington Examiner.

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Far-Right Elites Fanning the Flames

The Top Argument From The Left: The far right promised violence and mayhem last night – but decency took back the streets, Polly Toynbee, The Guardian: “Slapping instant sentences on the violent, their faces and names plastered on screens while warning that hundreds more would follow them into jail, helped to do what the state must do, beyond all other duties: safeguard its people. How very close we came to the unspeakable horror of hotels full of terrified migrants incinerated by mobs of haters. If things are calmer today, let’s not forget what has passed. Riot hovers ever-present just beneath the veneer of civilisation, a layer of male violence ready to erupt in exuberant hate. This time, and not for the first time, it was encouraged by shameless leaders nowhere near the streets themselves. Building through the Brexit years, increasing in toxicity, the right and their press allies have singled out group after group as ‘the enemies of the people’. From those who have agitated on social media to a home secretary now gone who talked of a migrant ‘invasion’, they have given the hooligans cause to target ‘others’. It’s par for that course. Go as far back as you like and it’s usually the ‘elite’ and their press barons who ignite the fight. … What we learned last night and what we told the world was that the rightwing media…do not represent a country that just elected a social democratic government with a huge majority.”

Honorable Mention #1: Trying to Capitalize on Anti-Migrant Riots Could Backfire on U.K.’s Far Right, Amanda Taub, The New York Times.

Honorable Mention #2: After a week of U.K. riots, thousands fill the streets to decry racism, William Booth and Karla Adam, The Washington Post.

FLAG THIS

What Are the Brits Saying?

A YouGov survey reveals that 85% of Britons oppose the violent unrest at protests, with only 7% in support. The broader protests themselves are only supported by 34% of the public, while 54% are opposed. Opposition to the riots is widespread across all demographics, with the highest support coming from Reform UK (a right-wing populist party) voters at 21%, though 76% of them are also against the violence. Among other political groups, support for the riots is minimal, with just 9% of Conservatives, 3% of Labour voters, and 1% of Liberal Democrats in favor (YouGov).

WATERCOOLER

Ford Ascends, Fresh Flower Tips, Pigeon Seekers

On This Day in 1974, in accordance with his statement of resignation the previous evening, Richard M. Nixon officially ended his term as the 37th president of the United States at noon. Minutes later, Vice President Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States in the East Room of the White House.

Today I learned the U.S. Coast Guard once trained pigeons to spot people lost at sea.

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Our Best Pet Insurance list can help you find affordable coverage starting at just $10 a month so you can focus on what matters most – your furry friend's well-being.

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