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☆ The head of the Anti-Defamation League says Elon Musk's behavior is 'dangerous and deeply irresponsible' after he threatened to sue the non-profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The CEO of the Anti-Defamation League has called Elon Musk's behavior "deeply irresponsible." He remarked that Musk's "behavior is not just alarming nor reckless," but that "it is flat out dangerous and deeply irresponsible." Musk added that X's US advertising revenue has declined by 60%, saying this was "primarily due to pressure on advertisers by ADL." It has recorded increased hate speech on the platform since Musk's $44 billion takeover in October 2022. He responded to a post by YouTube streamer Keith Woods — previously accused by ADL of spreading antisemitic content — saying "ADL has tried very hard to strangle X/Twitter."

Persons: Musk, Elon Musk, Jonathon Greenblatt, Musk's, Greenblatt, Linda Yaccarino, Woods —, Nick Fuentes, Andrew Torba, Alex Jones Organizations: Defamation, ADL, Service, Defamation League, YouTube, Twitter Locations: Wall, Silicon, Florida

☆ ADL CEO says Elon Musk's insinuation to sue over defamation is merely a 'threat of a frivolous lawsuit'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk's recent comments insinuating that the real-time messaging service formerly known as Twitter could file a defamation lawsuit against the Anti-Defamation League is merely a "threat of a frivolous lawsuit," the nonprofit's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Tuesday. Musk said X, the company formerly known as Twitter, would have "no choice but to file a defamation lawsuit" if the ADL continues to allegedly pressure advertisers. X's attorneys alleged that the CCDH's studies were based upon "flawed methodologies" and caused advertisers to stop running promotional campaigns on the messaging service, thus damaging X's business. For instance, Nick Fuentes, a far-right livestreamer who has previously made antisemitic comments, urged his viewers to contribute to the #BanTheADL campaign. Watch: X Corp. CEO Yaccarino: We're keeping an eye on everything that Threads is doing.

Persons: Elon, Jonathan Greenblatt, Greenblatt, Musk, X, Linda Yaccarino, Nick Fuentes, Woods, Elon Musk, Andrew Torba, Alex Jones, Yaccarino Organizations: Anti, Defamation League, CNBC, Labor, ADL, Twitter, Digital, YouTube, X Corp Locations: Florida

☆ The CEO of far-right network Gab says AIs like ChatGPT are 'satanic' and floats creating a Christian one to fight back
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The CEO of the far-right social network Gab wants to build an explicitly Christian AI. Insider asked ChatGPT whether it thinks it is satanic, to which it said no. Insider asked ChatGPT if it's satanic, and this was its response. Screenshot/ChatGPTIn his article, Torba asked: "If the enemy is going to use this technology for evil, shouldn't we be on the ground floor building one for good?" Insider asked ChatGPT what it thought of Torba's article, and was told it was "misguided."

☆ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said 'like a lot of people' she had 'easily gotten sucked into some things I had seen on the internet' in regards to QAnon conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was stripped from committee assignments after joining Congress in 2021. Greene said Sunday her QAnon support was in the past and that she got sucked into things online. Host Howard Kurtz said Democrats stripped Greene of her committees in 2021 due to statements she made about conspiracy theories and her past support of QAnon. "Well, like a lot of people today, I had easily gotten sucked into some things I had seen on the internet," Greene said. Shortly after joining Congress, Greene was removed from committees due to statements she made related to violence against lawmakers and conspiracy theories.

On Thursday, Twitter accounts for at least nine journalists and one left-leaning political pundit were suspended. That is the real problem here.”According to Musk, Thursday’s suspensions were related to new rules around sharing real-time location information, which he tied to an alleged stalking incident. Musk said, “Any account doxxing real-time location info of anyone will be suspended, as it is a physical safety violation. On Wednesday, Musk tweeted that legal action would be taken against Sweeney. Andrew Torba, founder of the far-right social platform Gab, also criticized Musk and touted his company as an alternative to Twitter.

☆ Trump, Kanye West, and Nick Fuentes pushing antisemitism to the forefront of the GOP could pull the Christian nationalist movement apart
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

But they also exposed a darker side of Christian nationalism that was always there, experts say. Americans who support Christian nationalist ideas may not identify as Christian nationalists. Andrew Whitehead, a sociologist at IUPUI and co-author of "Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States," has found similar connections between Christian nationalism and antisemitism. Additional research has also found close connections between Christian nationalism, antisemitism, QAnon followers, and supporters of Trump. Greene has said the GOP should be the party of Christian nationalism and even sells merch adorned with the term.

☆ Prayers, the pledge of allegiance and culture wars: Inside a Doug Mastriano rally in the final days of his long-shot bid for governor of Pennsylvania
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

A Doug Mastriano rally in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, featured praying and wading into culture wars. National and state Republican donors and groups have offered little support to his candidacy. "He's just been there the whole time," a Mastriano voter in Bucks County who only identified himself as Jeremy, told Insider. "You can't get your message out one-on-one to voters," Josh Novotney, a Pennsylvania GOP strategist, told Insider. "It's a different tactic and I pray it works," Joe Vichot, chairman of Lehigh County's GOP, told Insider.

☆ We read the Gab founder's how-to guide to Christian nationalism. The book is part of a new trend of conservatives openly embracing the ideology.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"Christian Nationalism: A Biblical Guide For Taking Dominion And Discipling Nations" was written by Torba and Andrew Isker, a pastor from Minnesota. Christian nationalism can generally be boiled down to the belief that Christianity should have a privileged position in American society. Torba's book demonstrates this, as his description of Christian nationalism differs in some ways from academic understandings of it. Phelan M. Ebenhack, File/Associated PressThe public embrace of a somewhat taboo conceptScholars of Christian nationalism, and Christian nationalists themselves, are quick to point out these ideas are not new. "We're now definitely well past the 'Christian nationalism doesn't exist' and the 'Christian nationalism is fringe' arguments to full-on 'Christian nationalism is the only way forward.'"

☆ GOP gubernatorial nominee Doug Mastriano's new ad uses same stock footage as Russian propaganda
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

An ad posted by the Doug Mastriano campaign uses footage previously featured in Russian propaganda. The stock footage of two young girls appears to have come from a videographer in Belarus. In July, a Russian embassy used the footage in an ad encouraging people to move to Russia. Twitter/Russian Embassy in SpainIt is not the first time that the campaign appears to have used stock footage from the site. The allure of stock footage — especially, of course, the free variety — is money.

☆ Doug Mastriano accepts $500 donation from the founder of Gab, a self-styled Christian nationalist who says Jews are unwelcome in his far-right movement
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Pennsylvania Republican Doug Mastriano accepted $500 from Andrew Torba, the CEO of Gab. Torba is a self-styled Christian nationalist whose Gab website is favored by far-right extremists. Mastriano paid Gab $5,000 to promote his campaign but later said Torba "doesn't speak for me." Sign up for our newsletter to receive our top stories based on your reading preferences — delivered daily to your inbox. He has also said even conservative Jews are unwelcome, flatly stating, according to Media Matters: "We don't want people who are Jewish."

☆ Veterans criticize Doug Mastriano for wearing 'the uniform of traitors' after a photo of him in a Confederate outfit surfaces
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nearly 60 veterans signed a letter criticizing Doug Mastriano for wearing a Confederate uniform. Mastriano, a Pennsylvania Republican, wore the uniform in a faculty photo for the US Army War College. As Reuters reported in August, Mastriano — a state senator running for governor – chose to wear the Confederate uniform for a faculty photo at the US Army War College. Mastriano has battled claims of extremism since winning the GOP nomination with the help of former President Donald Trump. Mastriano paid the site $5,000 and praised its founder, Andrew Torba, an anti-Semite who identifies as a Christian nationalist.

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