Tag: poetry

Anti-Defamation League Chickens Out!

On By southwerkIn Corporate Social Responsibility, corruption, Editorial

ADL Caves to Demands by Elon Musk and Prominent Rightwing Accounts

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/01/anti-defamation-league-removes-extremism-research

The Anti-Defamation League, one of the most prominent Jewish advocacy and anti-hate organizations in the US, removed over a thousand pages of extremism research from its site on Tuesday night following online backlash from rightwing influencers and Elon Musk.

The ADL’s now-deleted “glossary of extremism” contained over a thousand entries that gave background information on groups and ideologies connected to racist, antisemitic and otherwise hateful incidents. Its pages on neo-Nazi groups, militias and antisemitic conspiracies now redirect to the landing page for its extremism research.

Musk and prominent rightwing accounts on X had targeted the ADL in recent days over the glossary, which included an entry on slain far right activist Charlie Kirk’s organization, Turning Point USA. Musk also attacked the group for its page on Christian Identity, responding to posts on X that falsely conflated that extremist movement with Christians as a whole. In reality, the term refers to a movement which believes in a racial holy war against Jews and other minorities.

Nick Robins-Early wrote this article for the Guardian.

(A vanishing species, an American with courage standing up for what he believes.)

Seeing this kind of cowardice and moral bankruptcy is painful.

This is a case of massive organizational failure. What are they supposed to be doing if not discouraging defamation? Should they change their name? How about “On Rare Occasions We Oppose Lies and Misleading Information?” I have to admit this isn’t very catchy. But since they gave up on that anti-defamation stuff, what’s left?

Since the rise of Donald Trump, we have seen more and more of this institutional cowardice and a complete lack of a moral and ethical backbone. Universities, Businesses, Law Firms and Media Companies rushing to pay money and give up their principles for a little safety and a little relief.

We see it again and again. The bully shows up, demands the lunch money, and he gets it. What happened to American courage and honor?

I really don’t get it. Wasn’t the ADL supposed to call out these people instead of cravenly surrendering?

How do they live without honor, decency or courage?

It must be a bleak existence to surrender up your basic principles in the face of the every people you were supposed to be keeping an eye on.

Every true American should be sickened by this pitiful display. What cowards!

James Alan Pilant

Newsmax Settles Lawsuit

On By southwerkIn Business Ethics

The good guys, the guys in the white hats, our modern Hop-Along Cassidy’s, do not win many victories these days what with the scoundrels running the government but sometimes the good guys win one. And today is one of those days.

Here is the headline, the link and a quote.

Conservative network Newsmax agrees to pay $67M in defamation case over bogus 2020 election claims

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/newsmax-agrees-pay-67m-settlement-154603217.html

The conservative network Newsmax will pay $67 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of defaming a voting equipment company by spreading lies about President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss, according to documents filed Monday.

The settlement comes after Fox News Channel paid $787.5 million to settle a similar lawsuit in 2023 and Newsmax paid what court papers describe as $40 million to settle a libel lawsuit from a different voting machine manufacturer, Smartmatic, which also was a target of pro-Trump conspiracy theories on the network.

If you have a genuine enjoyment of humor, go down further in the article and read how Newsmax claims that they did nothing wrong. “We stand by our coverage as fair, balanced, and conducted within professional standards of journalism.” I can’t help but think that paying sixty-seven million dollars certainly gives one the impression that someone did some wrong-doing.

Will the Right Wingers ever accept the 2020 elections as legitimate after an unbroken stream of court losses of which this one is just the latest? Not a chance. Their self identity demands victimhood and not just victimhood but giant international conspiracies to justify their foul language and overwrought histrionic emotions.

It is a real pity that the court results have a limited effect in this strange world of politics we live in.

But still a good win, a great victory.

You can make a strong argument that those who had to pay out all this money are being punished although Newsmax claims otherwise. I would bet you real money they are more judicious in their language in the future.

James Alan Pilant

It is very, very simple. These Individuals are Criminals.

On By southwerkIn business ethics

https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-bragged-fed-officer-mob-163846410.html

Jack Wade Whitton, Capital Rioter

I write about ethics and morality. When you write about basic right and wrong, words are important. And in the case above the words are very important, indeed.

From the article:

“Whitton looked for opportunities to attack: In his three documented assaults, he was either a leader or a solitary actor,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing. Videos show that contemporaneous attacks on police by Whitton and a co-defendant, Justin Jersey, “ignited the rageful onslaught of violence that followed” on the Lower West Terrace, prosecutors said. “As Whitton and Jersey commenced their assaults, the tenor of the crowd audibly changed,” they wrote. “Other rioters surged towards the Archway and joined the attack, throwing objects at the officers and striking at them with makeshift weapons such as a hockey stick, a pieces of wood, a flagpole, and a police riot shield.”

This was a very active member of a riot, we see words and phrases like “attack,” “rageful onslaught,” “throwing objects,” and there are some more. There were terrible acts that resulted in harm to policemen. And this particular individual has been sentenced for these crimes.

So, now you are asking (and you should), “James, where is your ethical issue? Why are we talking about this?”

To my disgust and astonishment, individuals like this fellow just sentenced have been described without any attempt at satire or irony as “hostages” and “political prisoners.”

No, these are criminals.

They were members of a violent mob hell bent on stopping the certification of 2020 election. That and the associated acts of violence and vandalism are all crimes.

These criminals deserve the penalties of the law that they broke. Period.

James Alan Pilant

stand strong (via lazywednesdays)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Some poetry for you day and mine.

James Pilant

close the door stand strong don't give in to their chants and songs noisy excessive din be bold take control you have a job to do You won't be moved to their weakness no surrender stand up tall give your all their cries and pleas contagious disease look at them down there pathetic we are united you and I together we will make history we will change history Listen to me their fears and concerns will soon pass with them they'll forget what you did … Read More

via lazywednesdays