HegemonicDistortion (profile), 1 Nov 2017 @ 5:40am
The causality here is entirely reversed. These troll ads didn't "sow discord," they were "successful" precisely because of great extant discord. The idea that racial disharmony, or antipathy toward the political establishment, was started or influenced by Russians is on its face absurd.
This "influence campaign" narrative has evolved with changing facts. At first they were said to clearly be about supporting Trump. Then when that was exposed as false it was changed to "sowing discord," a term so meaningless as to be utterly useless. When Facebook found that some of these posts were just about puppies, people like Clint Watts hilariously tried to spin that as ominous unknown future operation.
What it really shows, though, is that any Russian trolls were taking advantage of discord and puppy cuteness to drive ad clicks and shares. There's a reason they're a troll farm.
Scratch just below the surface of these pro "Russia influence campaign" pushers and you'll find neocon hawks (like Max Boot, Bill Kristol, etc.), clueless Hollywood liberals (like Rob Reiner), and Hillary campaign officials and cultists. It's an especially appealing narrative for the last two groups, because it conveniently explains away their electoral loss and allows comfy white (neo-)liberals to feel righteous while avoiding any need for more fundamental reform needed to confront racism and economic inequality. These are the very tactics used in the 50s and 60s to undermine civil rights and pro-worker advocates.
HegemonicDistortion (profile), 19 Oct 2017 @ 3:26pm
Re: Old technique, new technology
Or so was always inferred to discredit anti-war activists, which brings us back to present problem: ridiculous claims of practically magical Russian propaganda effectiveness to try to de-legitimate criticisms of our corporatist establishment.
Russians didn't even budge Americans' deep divisions. The rifts have been growing especially the 90s, and they've especially become sharp due to the rocketing inequality that both major parties have facilitated.
Well, no, neither of them threw them out for the world to see. Snowden handed them off to journalists, and Manning to Wikileaks, which in turn collaborated with journalistic outlets to write the stories. Wikileaks even warned the State Department when they became aware that the cables were about to be published. (Video of that is in Laura Poitras's film *Risk* )
The problen w.r.t. what Harvard did in her case, though, is to have rescinded her acceptance because of what Fox News, etc. might say. They should have done so because she killed the child, which seems like a reasonable reason to reject an applicant to me. IMO, though she's been released from prison, she's not entitled to redemption from others.
Manning's case is different. What she has to offer the people of the Kennedy School of Government has nothing to do with her prison term, or her pardon, per se. It's about truth, citizenship, the Constitution, the rights of the people in a democratic society to know what their government and military are doing, etc.
HegemonicDistortion (profile), 30 May 2017 @ 11:04am
One gets the sense that Mr. Furchtgott-Roth is simply stupid. These "arguments" sound like something Marsha Blackburn would offer -- just random free-market talking points (bonus: national security/"terrism" points!) welded onto whatever topic is at hand. It's Sarah Palin with better syntax. Even Forbes should be embarrassed to run something this lacking in basic reasoning.
HegemonicDistortion (profile), 23 Dec 2016 @ 6:51pm
Legalisms
Any legal types who can tell us what Backpage would have to show to demonstrate malicious prosecution by Harris? Or a ยง1983 suit? Is there a criminal analog to either of these?
HegemonicDistortion (profile), 10 Dec 2016 @ 9:40am
Re: Re: Re:
Don't think you're reading my comment right: Marsha is even more facepalmy than most of TN's elected officials (the federal ones anyway), and that she's a very superficial thinker, no deeper than platitudes, bumperstickers, and conservative bromides. Palin-league, in other words.
HegemonicDistortion (profile), 9 Dec 2016 @ 7:02am
Re:
As a Tennessean, we have so much to facepalm over when it comes to our elected officials, but Marsha is on a level of her own. Anyone capable of thinking beyond bumpersticker platitudes can run circles around her on the Sunday shows or in a debate, but her district is carved to give her a constituency of the willfully ignorant, so...
HegemonicDistortion (profile), 22 Nov 2016 @ 5:46pm
Why in the world doesn't the church just sell the trademark to Adidas, for, say, 10 grand? That's way more than they'll ever make unless they've got a 1000 year plan for return-on-investment. The trustees of the church should really question how the leadership is spending church -- i.e. charitable -- resources.
On the post: Russia Threatens To Go To War With Google Over Stupid Comments By Eric Schmidt
Re:
On the post: As The FCC Guts Net Neutrality, Comcast Again Falsely Claims You Have Nothing To Worry About
It's almost like they're bullshitting us.
On the post: Spinoff: Whatever The Reports About Russian Trolls Buying Ads Is Initially, It's Way, Way Worse
This "influence campaign" narrative has evolved with changing facts. At first they were said to clearly be about supporting Trump. Then when that was exposed as false it was changed to "sowing discord," a term so meaningless as to be utterly useless. When Facebook found that some of these posts were just about puppies, people like Clint Watts hilariously tried to spin that as ominous unknown future operation.
What it really shows, though, is that any Russian trolls were taking advantage of discord and puppy cuteness to drive ad clicks and shares. There's a reason they're a troll farm.
Scratch just below the surface of these pro "Russia influence campaign" pushers and you'll find neocon hawks (like Max Boot, Bill Kristol, etc.), clueless Hollywood liberals (like Rob Reiner), and Hillary campaign officials and cultists. It's an especially appealing narrative for the last two groups, because it conveniently explains away their electoral loss and allows comfy white (neo-)liberals to feel righteous while avoiding any need for more fundamental reform needed to confront racism and economic inequality. These are the very tactics used in the 50s and 60s to undermine civil rights and pro-worker advocates.
On the post: New Whistleblowers Highlight How Russia's Information War On U.S. Was Larger Than Initially Reported
Re: Old technique, new technology
Russians didn't even budge Americans' deep divisions. The rifts have been growing especially the 90s, and they've especially become sharp due to the rocketing inequality that both major parties have facilitated.
On the post: Moral Muppets At Harvard Cave In To The CIA; Rescind Chelsea Manning's Fellowship
Re: Re: Really?
On the post: Moral Muppets At Harvard Cave In To The CIA; Rescind Chelsea Manning's Fellowship
Re: Re:
On the post: Moral Muppets At Harvard Cave In To The CIA; Rescind Chelsea Manning's Fellowship
Re:
Manning's case is different. What she has to offer the people of the Kennedy School of Government has nothing to do with her prison term, or her pardon, per se. It's about truth, citizenship, the Constitution, the rights of the people in a democratic society to know what their government and military are doing, etc.
On the post: Former FCC Commissioner Uses Manchester Bombing As A Prop To Claim Net Neutrality Aids Terrorism
On the post: UK Government Using Manchester Attacks As An Excuse To Kill Encryption
On the post: FBI Arrests Creator Of Remote Access Tool, Rather Than Those Abusing It To Commit Crime
On the post: Just Prior To Hearing Over NSL Gag Orders, Court Allows Cloudflare & CREDO Mobile To Be Named As Plaintiffs
On the post: Malcolm Gladwell's Ridiculous Attack On Ed Snowden Based On Weird Prejudice About How A Whistleblower Should Look
On the post: Merry Christmas: Kamala Harris Files Brand New Criminal Charges Against Backpage Execs After Last Ones Were Tossed Out
Legalisms
On the post: Rep. Marsha Blackburn Says Internet Service Providers Have 'An Obligation' To Censor 'Fake News'
Re: Re: Re:
On the post: Rep. Marsha Blackburn Says Internet Service Providers Have 'An Obligation' To Censor 'Fake News'
Re:
On the post: Rep. Marsha Blackburn Says Internet Service Providers Have 'An Obligation' To Censor 'Fake News'
Careful what you wish for, Marsha
Hmm, just like practically everything Marsha Blackburn says.
On the post: Adidas Can't Trademark 'Adizero' Because A Small Chicago Church Sold Two 'Add A Zero' Hats To Someone In Wisconsin
On the post: Trump Formally Picks Two Net Neutrality Opponents To Head FCC Transition
Mark Jamison goes even farther
...and basically says that there's no need for the FCC at all.
His blog post: http://www.techpolicydaily.com/communications/do-we-need-the-fcc/#sthash.sX3GmJDZ.dpuf
On the post: President Obama Claims He Cannot Pardon Snowden; He's Wrong
On the post: Charter Says Its Sneaky, Unnecessary Fees Are A Consumer Benefit
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