There’s Nothing Righteous About Vandalizing Teslas

Source: Persuasion
by Ben Cohen

“I understand the anger many feel toward Musk. He’s become a symbol of everything broken in corporate capitalism — a billionaire who uses his wealth to dismantle public institutions while enriching himself. His flirtation with authoritarian politics, alliance with Donald Trump, and near-constant stream of conspiratorial rhetoric on X have only deepened the sense that he’s actively working against democracy. … It is easy to see why the rage has boiled over into real world acts of vandalism and violence. How else do you hit back at the world’s richest man? But the destruction of private propert — —and the physical threats now facing ordinary Tesla owners — reflects something deeper and more troubling in segments of left-wing activism.” (04/02/25)

https://www.persuasion.community/p/theres-noting-righteous-about-vandalizing

Thomas L. Knapp

State Bars Need to Stop the Bleeding

Source: Liberal Currents
by Adam Gurri

“Millbank is the latest Big Law firm to make a deal with Trump in response to an executive order targeting their business. This brings the current count to four, with many more accommodating the administration’s whims in big ways and small. Trump is doing battle daily with federal judges, but they, at least, have a somewhat secure institutional perch that they exercise their authority from—in as much as any institution is secure these days. But while some firms are trying to hold the line, most have bandwagoned into a position of accommodation. … If we’re to have any legal system to speak of come 2026, we need to stop these firms from bandwagoning now. State bars have the power to make this happen by threatening any prospective defectors. If you are a lawyer yourself, please consider raising this issue with your state bar as soon as possible.” 904/02/25)

https://www.liberalcurrents.com/state-bars-need-to-stop-the-bleeding/

Thomas L. Knapp

Turkey: Police Abduct 11 Over Opposition-Led Economic Boycott

Source: US News & World Report

“Turkish police have detained 11 people as part of an investigation into social media calls for an economic boycott backed by the opposition following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, state media reported on Thursday. Prosecutors launched the probe on Tuesday, saying they were investigating individuals promoting economic boycotts on social and traditional media. The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office said the calls sought to prevent a segment of the public from engaging in economic activity, citing potential violations of ‘laws against hate speech and inciting public hostility.'” (04/03/25)

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-04-03/turkish-police-detain-11-over-opposition-led-economic-boycott

Thomas L. Knapp

US regime reportedly negotiating minerals deals with conflict-hit Congo

Source: SFGate

“A Trump administration official said Thursday the United States is in talks with conflict-plagued Congo on developing its mineral resources under a deal that the Congolese president has said could help make his country safer. U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, did not provide details of the potential deal following talks with Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa, but he said it could involve ‘multi-billion-dollar investments’. ‘You have heard about a minerals agreement. We have reviewed the Congo’s proposal,’ Boulos said. ‘I am pleased to announce that the president and I have agreed on a path forward for its development.’ American companies would be ‘operating transparently’ and ‘would stimulate local economies’. Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, a mineral used to make lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and smartphones. It also has substantial gold, diamond and copper reserves.” (04/03/25)

https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/us-is-negotiating-a-minerals-deals-with-20257083.php

Steve Trinward

Is the Trump Administration SNAFU or FUBAR?

Source: Foreign Policy
by Calder Walton

“The Signal scandal that engulfed Washington last week constitutes a major breach of US national security. To say that it was an egregious error to invite a national security reporter into deliberations of a National Security Council (NSC) group discussing US strikes on foreign soil is an understatement, though acknowledging it as such is not something that the Trump administration has yet managed to do. In fact, it is much worse than a mistake: it has clear costs for national security and counterintelligence. … But this is not the first time that senior White House officials have accidentally disclosed classified information to US journalists. From a historical perspective, accidental release of classified information is, as the military like to say, Situation Normal All F*cked Up (SNAFU).”

https://archive.is/8xSDU

Thomas L. Knapp

Colombia: Regime steals nearly 49 tonnes of China-bound smartphone mineral

Source: South China Morning Post [Hong Kong]

“Colombian police said Wednesday they had [stolen] nearly 49 tonnes of tin and coltan, a mineral used in smartphones, that had been illicitly extracted by leftist rebels and readied for shipment to China.
They valued the [theft], one of the biggest of illegally mined coltan in Colombia in years, at US$1.2 million. The police said the minerals, which are mined together, were extracted by dissident members of the now-defunct rebel Farc army in the jungle near the Venezuelan border.” (04/03/25)

https://archive.is/jMw5O

Thomas L. Knapp