Steve Kelman on Politics, Culture and Life
9.29.2021
Fox obsessed with mask mandates
Had missed Fox for three days because my TV was not getting all the channels. Back this morning, it's as if I had never left. During 45 minutes, three different stories dealing with people who didn't want to comply with mask mandates.
This really is anti-Semitism
Bret Stephens notes in his column today in the Times that Rashida Tlaib in a recent speech criticized people "behind the curtain" who "make money" by oppressing people "from Gaza to Detroit." I cannot think of a more overtly anti-Semitic statement made by an American elected official since Huey Long in the thirties. As a side embarrassment, the speech was made to the democratic socialists of America, an organization with which I I had an association many many years ago but which has descended into an anti democratic abyss.
People in China paying police to arrest enemies
I am almost done with a book called Red Roulette, which was discussed recently recently by The New York Times technology editor. I will write something about it when I'm done, but one little anecdote I just came across is fascinating, namely that, at least in the relatively recent period discussed by the book, business people would sometimes pay the police to arrest people they would were having disputes with.
Vaccinated employee fired by Christian broadcasting network
The article in The Times today on covid and partisanship is a treasure trove of information. Ends by discussing the case of somebody who wrote in USA Today about his decision to get vaccinated and was then fired by his employer, an association of Christian broadcasters.