A Free Press Shouldn't Capitulate
CBS settles with felon over Harris interview, fear for US democracy & rising antisemitism
CBS—through parent company Paramount—is the latest broadcast network to reach a settlement agreement with the convicted felon. Why, you ask? For the mere fact that he was upset with their 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Is this really something that was worth suing over? And suing for $20 billion in damages?!? Was his reputation so sullied by Vice President Harris that he had to throw a temper tantrum?!?
The agreement in principle, proposed by a mediator, includes plaintiffs’ fees and costs and — except for fees and costs — will be allocated to Trump’s future presidential library, Paramount Global said in a statement late Tuesday.
Most notably, their statement featured no apology or regret over airing the interview. CBS is just the latest network. Disney reached a settlement over ABC coverage and I’m trying to remember if Comcast did the same with NBC. But if you ask me, these are nothing more than frivolous lawsuits filed by a failed businessman with an inflated ego. He shouldn’t be holding office and now that he’s back, he’s screwing the country in the worst way.
America’s free press should not be under attack in this way. The FCC is threatening to take away broadcasting licenses because, again, this man-child wants to have it his way or the highway. He is a bully. He is not presidential. It’s going to take a lot of work to restore everything that made America the leader of the free world come January 20, 2029. That’s if and only if Americans don’t screw it up again. Of course, we’ll have to get through the midterms first.
Immigrants—even those without any criminal charges—are being sent to detainment centers (although based on reporting, concentration camps may be a more accurate definition here)—some aren’t even in American borders—and treated in harsh conditions, so much that the term Alligator Auschwitz is being thrown around. Personally, I wouldn’t use that term and it hits a nerve to see non-Jews throwing it around, especially those who have done absolutely nothing to fight back against the surge of antisemitic hate in this country, especially on the left.
Nothing about this is normal. It’s certainly not American. It’s all because the creators of Project 2025 want to remake America as a White Christian country. I don’t even know if American democracy will exist come the midterms in 2026. I really don’t. This should be scaring everyone!
I’m paying close attention to what’s happening with the budget bill because I am seriously worried that I will end up losing my health insurance. I put in plenty of hours per month in terms of self-employment but I don’t track the amount of time that I spend writing reviews or transcribing interviews. Why should I? That’s even more work. None of this is helping my stress at the moment.
The Supreme Court is taking up two cases related to transgender athletes during its next term. I already feel sick in my stomach about it, especially with how poorly things went during the most recent term. We’re going to see more cases making their way through state courts as federal courts wish to make this a state’s rights matter.
State courts in Ohio and Texas have rejected equal protection challenges to bans on certain medical treatments for trans minors and on the participation of female trans students on female sports teams. But courts in Montana, Utah and Iowa have struck down various laws targeting transgender people because they violated state equal protection or privacy rights.
But seeing as way too many anti-trans laws have passed in nearly 30 states since 2022, I’m wondering when I need to start putting together my forms and start the process of making Aliyah. I shouldn’t have to be forced into making Aliyah and moving from the country of my birth. Nothing about federally mandated transphobia is fun. Supposedly, the administration is ignoring a court order related to transgender passport applications and renewals. It wouldn’t be the first time.
While I expect to know something about TIFF credentials either in July or August, yesterday provided some not-so-great news. My original Airbnb reservation was suddenly cancelled, meaning I had to rush and find a new location. BH, I found a new one but as far as my original reservation is concerned, it’s definitely adding more to my TIFF budget than I originally planned back in April when I booked it.
I have zero plans at this time to start up a GoFundMe when it comes to shoring up my TIFF budget. I’d rather do things the old-fashioned way, by earning the money through my writing via newsletter subscriptions or ad revenue. You’ll probably see more newsletters during the next two months for this reason as I hope to pick up 50 new paying subscribers by the end of July.
My main site is monetized and some months are better than others. June was a very good month, but May was adequate. There’s no way of knowing how July is going to turn out. Even when I think a review will get traffic, that’s not always the case. It sucks, but that’s just how things are. My most visited pieces aren’t even my reviews, but other pieces that only run during the back half of the month and that’s if and only if Google Discover picks them up.
There’s no universe in which a January 6 rioter, who encouraged killing police officers, should ever be hired by the Department of Justice but here we are. If anyone wants to talk about DOJ being weaponized, it didn’t happen under the Biden administration. It’s happening right now as we speak.
In New Jersey, a legislative hearing turned into a hate-filled rant against Jews. Antisemitism is not a complex issue and shouldn’t ever be seen in that way.
A Democratic candidate for Congress in California has said that anti-Israel extremism has “decimated the Democratic Party.” The sad part? I don’t think they’re wrong. Look at what’s happening in North Carolina. It’s not much better there.