Vox: “New college admissions data for the first group of admitted students since the US Supreme Court sharply limited affirmative action last year suggests that the decision has had a negative impact on Black enrollment at some universities. While some colleges have seen major fluctuations in the enrollment of students of color in the class… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Civil Liberties
In Tied Presidential Race, Harris and Trump Have Contrasting Strengths, Weaknesses
“Ahead of the scheduled Sept. 10 presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the presidential race is deadlocked. About half of registered voters (49%) say if the election were held today, they would vote for Harris, while an identical share say they would back Trump. With less than two months… Continue Reading
History of abortion ballot measures
BallotPedia: “As of September 9, 2024, 11 statewide ballot measures related to abortion were certified in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, and South Dakota for the general election ballot in 2024. This is the most on record for a single year. Since the 1970s, abortion-related policies have been a topic… Continue Reading
The information wars are about to get worse, Yuval Noah Harari argues
The Economist [unpaywalled]: “Let Truth and falsehood grapple,” argued John Milton in Areopagitica, a pamphlet published in 1644 defending the freedom of the press. Such freedom would, he admitted, allow incorrect or misleading works to be published, but bad ideas would spread anyway, even without printing—so better to allow everything to be published and let… Continue Reading
How the quiet war against press freedom could come to America
Opinion – Washington Post – By A.G. Sulzberger/New York Times [free link]: Some foreign leaders have ruthlessly curtailed journalism. U.S. politicians could draw from their playbook. “After several years out of power, the former leader is returned to office on a populist platform. He blames the news media’s coverage of his previous government for costing… Continue Reading
Your State-by-State Guide to the 2024 Supreme Court Elections
BOLTS – “Voters this year are deciding the fate of 82 seats across 33 states’ high courts. Cases involving abortion, democracy, and other critical issues hang in the balance. The Texas supreme court closed out 2023 by blocking an abortion during a medical emergency, forcing a woman to flee the state. Just days before Christmas,… Continue Reading
Major Publishers Sue Florida Over Banned School Library Books
“Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks have filed a lawsuit against Florida public officials, challenging sweeping book removal provisions of HB 1069, an education law that restricts books in school libraries. The additional plaintiffs joining the publishers are the Authors Guild, bestselling authors Julia Alvarez, Laurie… Continue Reading
Amanda Jones’ memoir recalls being branded ‘That Librarian’ by haters for calling out censorship
WBUR interview: “Host Deepa Fernandes speaks with Louisiana school librarian Amanda Jones. In her new memoir, “That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America,” Jones tells the story of the vitriol she received both in person and online after she spoke out against censorship at a public meeting.” Includes an Book excerpt: ‘That Librarian’ Continue Reading
Field Guide to Police Surveillance
“Welcome to the Field Guide to Police Surveillance. EFF’s Street-Level Surveillance project shines a light on the surveillance technologies that law enforcement agencies routinely deploy in our communities. These resources are designed for advocacy organizations, journalists, defense attorneys, policymakers, and members of the public who often are not getting the straight story from police representatives… Continue Reading
The Political Values of Harris and Trump Supporters
Pew Research Center: – “Wide differences over cultural issues, role of government and foreign policy. ” Some of the widest gaps between Harris and Trump supporters are on issues that have divided Americans for decades, such as the role of guns in society, race and the legacy of slavery. In addition, voters who back Harris… Continue Reading
Invisible Rulers – What Really Drives Online Content
Mark Scott, Digital Bridge, Politico: “After years of tracking online disinformation, propaganda and other digital nastiness, Renée diResta sees patterns where others see chaos. In her new book, “Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality,” the former Stanford University researcher tries to parse together a theory about why, seemingly out of the blue,… Continue Reading
What Elected Officials Say and Do
Polarization Research Lab – America’s Political Pulse – Resources and data to understand and halt the growth of partisan animosity. What Elected Officials Say and Do – Explore data on the speech, effectiveness, and campaign support for elected U.S. legislators. Using AI to assess the rhetoric of all 535 legislators in the House and Senate.… Continue Reading
