Criticizing Israel’s Treatment of Palestinians Can Ruin the Careers of Journalists: The Case of Katie Halper

Matt Taibbi interviews Katie Halper, recently fired from The Hill. An excerpt:

The controversy began when Michigan Democrat Rashida Tliab spoke at an online seminar on September 20th and said, “It has become clear that you cannot claim to hold progressive values, yet back Israel’s apartheid government.” Tliab gave her talk in the wake of the shooting of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed in the West Bank City of Jenin in May. Abu Akleh’s family met with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in July, and asked the International Criminal Court to open a case two weeks ago, simultaneous to Tlaib’s seminar.

Tliab’s comments inspired an immediate reaction from the Anti-Defamation League, which deemed them anti-Semitic. CEO Jonathan Greenblatt ripped Tliab for ostensibly telling “American Jews they must pass an anti-Zionist litmus test to participate in progressive spaces.” The ADL reaction got wide play on stations like CNN.

Katie’s “Radar” argues Tliab’s comments laid bare what has long been a source of tension among self-described progressives, who often tiptoe around the subject of occupied Palestine. As you’ll see above, she approached her subject with great care, leaning on statements from groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Agree with her or not, her editorial certainly wasn’t fake news, or flippant, or gratuitous. It’s what the media business normally wants: a decisive, well-argued opinion.

However, the Hill thought otherwise, and what makes the situation unusual is a media company saying the proverbial quiet part out loud. When editors refused to run the “Radar,” Katie asked flat-out if the problem was the subject of Israel. Though there was some hemming and hawing (at one point she was told the problem was that the show’s focus was on domestic and not foreign policy, despite running content about Brazilian elections, Italy’s new prime minister, and multiple Ukraine pieces that week), eventually they just told her that was, in fact, the case. The next day, she was let go via a curt email ending, “We wish you all the best.”

Continue ReadingCriticizing Israel’s Treatment of Palestinians Can Ruin the Careers of Journalists: The Case of Katie Halper

PayPal and Etsy Cancel Colin Wright Because He Teaches Basic Biology in his Writings

Biologist Colin Wright explains how PayPal and Etsy banned him for taking the position that there are only two sexes and that they are biologically grounded. He explains the PayPal actions at about the ten-minute mark.

Consider also the context: Colin Wright's background as a Ph.D student studying biology:

Min 8:04:

"I had maybe 100 applications out actually turned my my twitter I locked it down for maybe six months while I was applying for jobs um and when I was writing this one essay the first one I wrote for Quillette called "The New Evolution Deniers." I sent it to my advisor at the time and some of my mentors. They both came back and they said, "This is a fantastic essay. I agree with everything it's completely right, but you cannot publish this. This will ruin your career. If you do publish it don't put your name on it."

To me when the first thing they said was "this is fantastic and it's true." Then, to me, everything after the "but." If I would have not went ahead and published it, that would have just been--every reason that I wanted to get into science in the first place and to be a scientist to pursue truth, to pursue what's real about biology and the natural world--all of a sudden it seemed like academia really wasn't what I wanted it to be like. Do I want to work in an environment that is not going to allow me to say completely obviously true, things is that male and female exist? So really I no longer even wanted to have that job anymore given how much it's changed, since I had gone into it you know 12 years ago now at this point um so yeah so I was actually okay with it destroying my career um because I wanted to to be able to speak the truth."

Continue ReadingPayPal and Etsy Cancel Colin Wright Because He Teaches Basic Biology in his Writings

When Someone Asks for Your Pronouns

On Twitter, Melinda Richards asked: “If someone asks me for my pronouns…what’s my best response?”

Here are some of the suggestions she received:

  • "Go with your gut." (Colin Wright)
  • “I’m not normalizing this ideology by giving you my pronouns” (Eyes Wide Open)
  • 'Why do you want to know?' (Geoffrey Miller)
  • “Your Majesty, of course.” (Pierre Chenekoala)
  • “The normal ones.” (Gyno Chad)
  • “I no speaka de wokie.” (Lou Rider)
  • “I identify as a donkey. My pronouns are hee/haw.” (Ryan Rally)
  • “Traditional” (MostlyInitTogether)
  • “I don’t recognize your religion.” (Lorraine Braddock)
  • "You're a bright kid. You work it out." (Dick Nalton)
  • “Just say ‘Treat me as a normal person and use the ones you have used 2 years ago.’” (Oliver Reed)

One more ...

“Point is, 'pronouns' are not used to "address" people - only when talking *about* someone. e.g. "he/she did such&such" When addressing someone, you use their name or title (Doctor, Professor etc), or sir/madam/miss if you don't know their name. So, their 'pronouns' are superfluous.” (Boomerang1)

See also, Colin Wright's article on this topic at the Wall Street Journal.

Continue ReadingWhen Someone Asks for Your Pronouns

PayPal: Not a Friend to Free Speech

Let this sink in. PayPal has the power and inclination to wreck the Free Speech Union. Report by FIRE:

Two weeks ago, PayPal shuttered the account of the Free Speech Union, a London-based organization founded by social commentator Toby Young to advocate for free expression. PayPal also closed Young’s personal account and that of his news and opinion website, The Daily Sceptic.

On Tuesday, PayPal reinstated the accounts, but only after sustained public criticism of the company’s apparently viewpoint-discriminatory actions.

“Forgive me if I don’t leap for joy,” Young told The Telegraph newspaper. “The last two weeks have been a nightmare as I’ve scrabbled to try to stop The Daily Sceptic and Free Speech Union going under. PayPal’s software was embedded in all our payment systems, so the sudden closure of our accounts was an existential threat.”

In typically murky fashion, PayPal initially gave Young no reason for the bans other than to say that the accounts violated the company’s vague acceptable use policy. However, a PayPal spokesperson told the press, “Achieving the balance between protecting the ideals of tolerance, diversity and respect for people of all backgrounds and upholding the values of free expression and open dialogue can be difficult, but we do our best to achieve it.” Other reports indicate PayPal’s decision to close the accounts had to do with alleged COVID-19 misinformation.

Continue ReadingPayPal: Not a Friend to Free Speech