August 16, 2017
Now that Mr. Trump has equated people protesting racism with Nazis and white supremacists, let’s return to a time like 1947, when the government encouraged citizens to fight prejudice: “Don’t Be a Sucker,” by the US War Department. Via Nathan Englander, who has a good op-ed in this morning’s New York Times about the anti-semitism he thought was gone. / Twitter, The New York Times
“Neo-Nazis may be expressing hated views, but they are still white, and law enforcement, the courts, and the state will treat them accordingly.” In an appraisal of free-speech absolutism, a brief comparison of Ferguson and Charlottesville. / Quartz
Baltimore hauls away four Confederate statues overnight to avoid a repeat of Charlottesville. / The Baltimore Sun
The first master distiller at Jack Daniels was a slave—a story the company has only lately embraced. / The New York Times
Indie band Belle & Sebastian forget their drummer in a North Dakota Wal-Mart bathroom. / Pitchfork
“The belief that America is somehow better than its white-supremacist history is sometimes an excuse masquerading as encouragement, and it’s part of the reason why the K.K.K. is back in business.” Former UVA student Jia Tolentino on the downplaying of racism that’s specific to Charlottesville. / The New Yorker
Admittedly, we’re late to this, but hey: Marlon Sassy draws “Gangster Doodles” on Post-It notes. / Gangster Doodles
CNN doesn’t plan to run Trump’s new ad attacking CNN. / Buzzfeed
Firefighters struggle to combat a blaze inside Yosemite National Park, now estimated at 1,700 acres. / Sierra News Online
Duct tape gets a fashion makeover from designer Raf Simons—black tape printed with “WALK WITH ME”—for $250 a roll. / It’s Nice That
Trump’s rhetorizing on removing Washington and Jefferson statues was probably inspired by Fox News the night before. / BuzzFeed
Some congressional Democrats have asked a Yale psychiatrist to help form a panel to advise on Trump’s mental health. / STAT
“This is not about the personality of an individual and his or her flaws. This is about men who organized a system of government to maintain a system of slavery and to destroy the American union.” In comparing Jefferson to Lee, Trump shows he doesn’t—or doesn’t want to—comprehend the reason for the controversy. / The New York Times
Court rules Texas’s congressional districts intentionally discriminate against minorities, and must be redrawn. / Dallas Morning News
Residents of Beaumont have lost hope that Exxon will ever stop spewing carcinogens—federal offices have done zilch. / The Intercept
Rejecting agency experts, Trump nixes requirement for federal buildings to incorporate protections against flooding. / Quartz