Truly, I need this.

https://twitter.com/StevenBeschloss/status/1127583834579451904?s=20

You can find this quote a million places on the web, 850,000 of them being beautiful images which cannot be text-searched. I choose to pin this one, repeated by a well-known presidential biographer. (At least, that’s how I think of him.)

Steven Beschloss (@StevenBeschloss) Tweeted: The truth of this from Elie Wiesel is especially clear now:

“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.”

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/these-disinformation-researchers-saw-coronavirus-infodemic-coming-n1206911

So… we need curated debunking sites that we pay for? Are there such things already? Where are they? How do I find them?

«The early notion that users could be both producers and consumers of information has turned platforms into information landfills, where people are forced to sift through increasingly dangerous garbage in the search for real information.»

«”More people intentionally — because they want to mislead or due to their own confirmation biases — are picking and choosing information that is misleading and spreading information that may be leading us away from the best collective understanding of what’s going on.”

….
Conspiracy theories are powerful because, unlike science, they are uncomplicated and explain a chaotic world in a way that gives the believer a feeling of control.»

Ok, this is cool, after googling “curated debunking”: https://www.dw.com/en/fact-checking-a-curated-guide-to-resources-and-ideas/a-54509776

And, yes, I already knew about snopes, but it always seemed aimed at some particular piece of crazy chain email your Republican aunt forwarded you.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1334741531912261632.html

Of interest. Civility at work pays.

https://twitter.com/RepsForBiden/status/1299363781408153602?s=20

ASSUMING HE WINS…

Republicans for Joe Biden (@RepsForBiden) Tweeted: What’s the first thing you want President Biden to do on the first say in office?

Good question, actually. Let’s see…

• End the Muslim travel ban
• End the policy that puts children in cages
• Start finding those kids’ parents (and tee up therapy/counseling for those kids and families)
• End the rest of Trump’s Executive Orders that actually had any effect
• Accept the resignations of/fire all Trump executive branch appointees (including federal prosecutors)
• Begin prep for Infrastructure Week (start looking for shovel-ready projects?)
• Begin assisting the various regional state efforts to combat covid
• Wear a stylish mask (black-on-black paisley or something, I dunno)

I might be modifying this list as time goes by.

… And, sure enough (based on other replies to that tweet):

• Rejoin Paris Climate Accord
• Rejoin WHO
• Submit TPP ratification to Congress
• Replace troops pulled out of Germany
• Begin discussions with Europe on enforcing Iran nuclear agreement
• Instruct DOJ, ATF to begin investigations of domestic terrorism and anti-government extremists
• Revoke Trump family security clearances (that’s a gimme, though, right?)
• Remove the barriers around Tinyman Square
• Fix the Rose Garden
• Begin discussions with China on ending tariffs
• End DOJ efforts to repeal ACA
• Nominate as many new Cabinet heads as he can (Day ONE)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-keeps-touting-new-jersey-fraud-case-to-attack-mail-voting-local-leaders-say-hes-not-telling-the-whole-story/2020/07/26/480466de-ca99-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html

I guess I’m going to have to dig this up in a few weeks.

https://twitter.com/Noahpinion/status/1284276042916491265?s=20

“Rabbit = good friend” Smith 🐇 (@Noahpinion) Tweeted: Remember, because we let CBP operate with near impunity within 100 miles of “the border”, and water counts as “the border”, CBP can operate with near impunity in most of the nation’s big cities. https://t.co/kJGTRWOnNV

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/14/us/politics/trump-cdc-coronavirus.html

When you can’t control the disease, control the data.

I need to make this a banner image somewhere.

https://www.wired.com/story/russia-secondary-infektion-disinformation/

I feel like I should save this article for use in a future discussion.

«”…it’s honestly a bit disconcerting to realize how slow we are to piece back together the broader picture of Russian information operations. There are still things that we don’t really know.”»