buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Joe Biden’s Kenosha Visit Did What Donald Trump’s Didn’t: Centered On The Community In Crisis

Biden 's trip to Wisconsin — his first to the state as a presidential candidate and a rare pandemic-era trip far from his home in Delaware — was intended as an obvious contrast to President Donald Trump 's visit to the city earlier in the week , when he barely spoke about Blake or the police shooting and instead focused on the violence and property damage that took place in the aftermath .
He spent a significant amount of his visit touring buildings damaged in violence after the protests .
“ I 've spoken to them a lot before , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with my wife , and he talked about how nothing was going to defeat him — how whether he walked again or not , he was not going to give up , ” Biden said of Blake as he addressed about two dozen people at the church .
The 15-minute call came as the Democratic presidential nominee gathered with several of Blake ’ s family members at the Milwaukee airport ahead of an event at a Kenosha church .
Joe Biden spoke by phone Thursday with Jacob Blake , the Black man who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wisconsin , last week , turning the city into a focus of both anti-racism protests and the intensifying presidential campaign .
Trump was often the focal point of his Tuesday trip — which included a roundtable event where administration and state officials flanked him , largely to thank him for his response when protests in the city turned violent .
Biden used much of his time in Kenosha to give a platform to people in the community and their feelings .
Biden spoke for long stretches but mostly listened .
Those invited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden heard from a woman upset about the looting and damage at her framing and art gallery during the protests .
He heard from a Black lawyer horrified by the video footage of Blake ’ s shooting .
And he heard a passionate plea from Porsche Bennett , an organizer for the group Black Lives Activists Kenosha .
“ I was told to go off this paper , but I ca n't , ” Bennett said as she discarded her prepared remarks .
( The Biden campaign told reporters any prepared remarks would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had nothing to do with the campaign . )
“ You need the truth .
And I 'm part of the truth .
And the truth of the matter is , we are heavily angry .
Not angry as to where people say , ‘ Oh , they 're protesting.
’ There is a difference between a protester and a rioter .
A very big difference .
We protest to get our voices heard.
” Bennett added , “ I 've seen enough within these last two years to say I 'm tired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oldest is 13 , my twins are 9 .
I do this because I want their future to be better than what I have right now , because my present is not good .
But I speak because I want the truth heard .
And I speak for the people in this city because I live in this city .
And I 'm out here with these people .
A lot of people wo n't tell the truth .
But I 'm telling the truth , and it 's not what a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We want the same exact rights as others .
We want to be treated just like everyone else.
” Bennett talked of Black job applicants being denied positions they ’ re overqualified for and Black neighborhoods being torn apart by gentrification .
Her comments appeared to move Biden , who for the first half of the meeting gave a recycled version of his typical campaign speech , with an emphasis on his brief time as a public defender .
After Bennett ’ s remarks , Biden , seated and wearing a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more personal response .
“ Even though I 've been involved with African American community and the civil rights movement since I 've been a junior in high school … I ca n't understand what it 's like to walk out the door , or send my son out the door or my daughter , and worry about just because they 're Black they may not come back , ” Biden said .
“ I can intellectually understand it .
But I can't— I ca n't feel it.
” Biden then segued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Video of the Aug. 23 shooting shows Blake was opening the driver ’ s side door of an SUV and had his back turned to officers — who were responding to a reported domestic incident — when he was shot at close range .
Blake ’ s family and lawyers say he is now paralyzed .
Tensions have been high since the shooting .
During a Black Lives Matter protest in the city last week , a teenage Trump supporter allegedly shot and killed two people .
“ Well , I think all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of people is they understand that fear does n't solve problems , ” Biden said .
“ Only hope does .
And you keep thinking about hope , or you might as well surrender .
There 's no real option .
And as we talked , I listened to [ Blake ’ s ] mom , she was on the phone .
… And what I came away with was the overwhelming sense of resilience and optimism that they have about the kind of response they 're getting .
His mom talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prayer , and his mom said a prayer .
She said , ‘ I 'm praying for Jacob , and I 'm praying for the policeman as well .
I 'm praying things change.
’ ” Biden moved into a brief critique of Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus and a “ confluence ” of other crises , tying it to his conversation with the Blakes and his response to Bennett .
“ I think the country is much more primed to take responsibility because they now have seen what you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's really not about me , ” he added , “ but if we have four more years [ of Trump ] , we 're gon na have four years of the exact same thing , only it 's going to impact us for a couple of generations , and the public kind of understands that now.
” For Biden , the trip was intended to show he , unlike Trump , can be a unifier .
At a news conference Wednesday , Biden said he believes police officers involved in Blake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And on Monday he described Trump ’ s rhetoric about the police shootings of Black people and the responsive protests as “ toxic , ” while also speaking forcefully against looting and rioting .
There is evidence that Trump ’ s efforts to make the race a referendum on law and order — and to blame Democrats for the protests , violent demonstrations , and overall crime trends in American cities — are not working in the president ’ s favor .
A Fox News poll this week found Biden leading Trump among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 42 % .
When asked whom they would trust to do a better job on policing and criminal justice issues , 47 % chose Biden , 42 % Trump .

Trump was often the focal point of his Tuesday trip — which included a roundtable event where administration and state officials flanked him, largely to thank him for his response when protests in the city turned violent. Biden used much of his time in Kenosha to give a platform to people in the community and their feelings.
Biden spoke for long stretches but mostly listened. Those invited to participate represented different points of view. Biden heard from a woman upset about the looting and damage at her framing and art gallery during the protests. He heard from a Black lawyer horrified by the video footage of Blake’s shooting. And he heard a passionate plea from Porsche Bennett, an organizer for the group Black Lives Activists Kenosha.
“I was told to go off this paper, but I can't,” Bennett said as she discarded her prepared remarks. (The Biden campaign told reporters any prepared remarks would likely have come from her organization and had nothing to do with the campaign.) “You need the truth. And I'm part of the truth. And the truth of the matter is, we are heavily angry. Not angry as to where people say, ‘Oh, they're protesting.’ There is a difference between a protester and a rioter. A very big difference. We protest to get our voices heard.”
Bennett added, “I've seen enough within these last two years to say I'm tired. I'm a mother. My oldest is 13, my twins are 9. I do this because I want their future to be better than what I have right now, because my present is not good. But I speak because I want the truth heard. And I speak for the people in this city because I live in this city. And I'm out here with these people. A lot of people won't tell the truth. But I'm telling the truth, and it's not what a lot of people think it is for us. We want the same exact rights as others. We want to be treated just like everyone else.”
Bennett talked of Black job applicants being denied positions they’re overqualified for and Black neighborhoods being torn apart by gentrification. Her comments appeared to move Biden, who for the first half of the meeting gave a recycled version of his typical campaign speech, with an emphasis on his brief time as a public defender. After Bennett’s remarks, Biden, seated and wearing a mask to comply with coronavirus protocols, offered a more personal response.
“Even though I've been involved with African American community and the civil rights movement since I've been a junior in high school … I can't understand what it's like to walk out the door, or send my son out the door or my daughter, and worry about just because they're Black they may not come back,” Biden said. “I can intellectually understand it. But I can't— I can't feel it.”
Biden then segued into his conversation with the Blakes. Video of the Aug. 23 shooting shows Blake was opening the driver’s side door of an SUV and had his back turned to officers — who were responding to a reported domestic incident — when he was shot at close range. Blake’s family and lawyers say he is now paralyzed. Tensions have been high since the shooting. During a Black Lives Matter protest in the city last week, a teenage Trump supporter allegedly shot and killed two people.
“Well, I think all of what's been unleashed with a lot of people is they understand that fear doesn't solve problems,” Biden said. “Only hope does. And you keep thinking about hope, or you might as well surrender. There's no real option. And as we talked, I listened to [Blake’s] mom, she was on the phone. … And what I came away with was the overwhelming sense of resilience and optimism that they have about the kind of response they're getting. His mom talked about — my wife asked to say a prayer, and his mom said a prayer. She said, ‘I'm praying for Jacob, and I'm praying for the policeman as well. I'm praying things change.’”
Biden moved into a brief critique of Trump’s handling of the coronavirus and a “confluence” of other crises, tying it to his conversation with the Blakes and his response to Bennett.
“I think the country is much more primed to take responsibility because they now have seen what you see,” he said.
“It's really not about me,” he added, “but if we have four more years [of Trump], we're gonna have four years of the exact same thing, only it's going to impact us for a couple of generations, and the public kind of understands that now.”
For Biden, the trip was intended to show he, unlike Trump, can be a unifier. At a news conference Wednesday, Biden said he believes police officers involved in Blake’s shooting should be charged. And on Monday he described Trump’s rhetoric about the police shootings of Black people and the responsive protests as “toxic,” while also speaking forcefully against looting and rioting.
There is evidence that Trump’s efforts to make the race a referendum on law and order — and to blame Democrats for the protests, violent demonstrations, and overall crime trends in American cities — are not working in the president’s favor. A Fox News poll this week found Biden leading Trump among likely Wisconsin voters, 50% to 42%. When asked whom they would trust to do a better job on policing and criminal justice issues, 47% chose Biden, 42% Trump.


buzzfeed--2020-09-03--Election Officials And Social Media Companies Are Begging You To Ignore Trump And Not Vote Twice

The head of the North Carolina Board of Elections reminded voters on Thursday that double voting is illegal , a day after the president of the United States suggested citizens in the state try to do it as a means of testing their elections system .
`` It is illegal to vote twice in an election , '' Karen Brinson Bell said in a statement , explaining that double voting is a felony .
Her comments came after the president suggested during a trip to Wilmington , North Carolina , on Wednesday that people should try to test the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upcoming presidential election and then trying to vote in person on Election Day to make sure it 's counted — although it is illegal to vote twice .
`` So let them send it in , and let them go vote , '' said Trump .
`` If their system is as good as they say it is , obviously , they wo n't be able to vote .
If it is n't tabulated , they 'll be able to vote .
So that 's the way it is and that 's what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest comments come as part of a larger narrative he has constructed in recent months to cast doubt on the validity of mail-in voting and claim it is riddled with massive fraud , despite no evidence of that being true .
On Thursday , the president tried to explain his comments via social media , writing on Facebook and Twitter that people should go to their polling place to inquire if their mail-in vote has already been tabulated and , if not , try to vote again .
But current delays in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws in states on the date up until which mail-in ballots can be received , may mean some voters who follow the president 's advice might end up facing criminal action if they cast two ballots .
In an attempt to fact-check Trump , a compulsive liar who has continually displayed little understanding of how government works , Facebook moderators added a label to the president 's comments on Thursday .
`` Voting by mail has a long history of trustworthiness in the US and the same is predicted this year , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of its attempts to stop disinformation and misinformation .

The head of the North Carolina Board of Elections reminded voters on Thursday that double voting is illegal, a day after the president of the United States suggested citizens in the state try to do it as a means of testing their elections system.
"It is illegal to vote twice in an election," Karen Brinson Bell said in a statement, explaining that double voting is a felony.
Her comments came after the president suggested during a trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, on Wednesday that people should try to test the system there by voting by mail in the upcoming presidential election and then trying to vote in person on Election Day to make sure it's counted — although it is illegal to vote twice.
"So let them send it in, and let them go vote," said Trump. "If their system is as good as they say it is, obviously, they won't be able to vote. If it isn't tabulated, they'll be able to vote. So that's the way it is and that's what they should do."
Trump's latest comments come as part of a larger narrative he has constructed in recent months to cast doubt on the validity of mail-in voting and claim it is riddled with massive fraud, despite no evidence of that being true.
On Thursday, the president tried to explain his comments via social media, writing on Facebook and Twitter that people should go to their polling place to inquire if their mail-in vote has already been tabulated and, if not, try to vote again.
But current delays in the postal system, as well as differing laws in states on the date up until which mail-in ballots can be received, may mean some voters who follow the president's advice might end up facing criminal action if they cast two ballots.
In an attempt to fact-check Trump, a compulsive liar who has continually displayed little understanding of how government works, Facebook moderators added a label to the president's comments on Thursday.
"Voting by mail has a long history of trustworthiness in the US and the same is predicted this year," read a disclaimer added by Facebook as part of its attempts to stop disinformation and misinformation.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Facebook Said It Removed A Militia Event Page Threatening Violence In Kenosha. It Didn’t.

Facebook said it removed a militia event associated with the shooting of three protesters in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
It did n't .
Here 's what really happened , and why it could happen again .
Sandra Fiehrer thought she was helping Facebook enforce its own rules when she reported “ Armed Citizens to Protect our Lives and Property , ” an event being organized on the social network for the evening of Aug. 25 in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
The event , which was created by the Kenosha Guard , a self-proclaimed militia group , had hundreds of RSVPs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was already a hotbed of raucous discussion .
Members discussed plans to bring guns to 900 57th St. in Kenosha , defend public property , and potentially attack people protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake .
“ I fully plan to kill looters and rioters tonight , ” one person wrote on the event page , according to screenshots seen by BuzzFeed News .
“ I have my suppressor on my AR [ rifle ] , these fools won ’ t even know what hit them.
” But Facebook allowed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remain on its platform despite newly instituted policies banning militia groups .
On Tuesday the 25th , Fiehrer watched in horror as civil unrest led a 17-year-old gunman , who spent part of the evening with members of an unidentified militia , to allegedly shoot and kill two protesters and wound another .
Later that evening Facebook responded to her complaint : “ This event was reviewed ... it doesn ’ t go against one of our specific Community Standards.
” Fiehrer ’ s complaint was one of the 455 sent to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company ’ s policies .
Together , they inspired four manual and numerous automated reviews of the event page by Facebook ’ s content moderators , which all concluded it did not violate the company ’ s rules .
CEO Mark Zuckerberg would later tell employees it was “ an operational mistake.
” In those same remarks , which were made public after being reported by BuzzFeed News , Zuckerberg suggested to employees that the company had removed the event and militia page from the platform the next day .
But internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s not true .
The event was actually deleted the day after the shooting , not by Facebook , but by a page administrator for the Kenosha Guard .
Later that day , Facebook removed the Kenosha Guard page itself .
Interviews with Facebook users and employees , never-before-published comments from the Kenosha Guard ’ s event page , and internal company documents obtained by BuzzFeed News reveal that the company ’ s handling of the events in Kenosha was n't so much an “ operational mistake ” as it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The fact that Facebook took credit publicly for removing the event page shows Facebook is more concerned with reputation management than product safety , ” said Joan Donovan , director of the Technology and Social Change Research Project at Harvard ’ s Shorenstein Center .
“ The vengeful posts on the Kenosha Guard ’ s event page are not an isolated case though .
As I search through hundreds of pro-gun groups , the comments are rife with people fantasizing about becoming vigilantes and sharing Dirty Harry memes.
” “ Facebook didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to fail us all when they don ’ t exhibit the moral faculties and technical readiness to prevent this tragedy and the next one , ” she added .
Responding to questions from BuzzFeed News , Facebook said it had incorrectly claimed it had removed the event page .
“ When we responded to questions about our initial investigation into what happened in Kenosha , we believed we 'd removed the Event Page for violating our policies , ” Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remove the Kenosha Guard Page , the Event was removed by the organizer .
We apologize for the error . ''
Facebook said the alleged shooter was not a follower of the Kenosha Guard Facebook page and did not RSVP to the “ Armed Citizens to Protect our Lives and Property ” event .
But area residents who spoke to BuzzFeed News wondered whether he would have gone to Kenosha were it not for militia groups like the Kenosha Guard calling for people to do so .
Jordan , a 33-year-old mother who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full name not be used for fear of retaliation , reported the Kenosha Guard group page before the shooting .
She dismissed Facebook ’ s claim that the gunman had no connection to the Kenosha Guard or its event page , noting that it ’ s easy to be aware of and attend Facebook events without RSVPing to them via the social network .
The event was public and could be viewed by anyone .
“ The shooter knew there would be others with guns in the area , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ matters is not that the shooter was inspired by the Kenosha Guard ’ s call to arms , but rather that the Kenosha Guard was able to issue such a public call , and host violent threats , without consequence .
“ If that doesn ’ t violate rules , my question is : What does ?
” she asked .
“ They should be taking action against it before people get killed , not after.
” According to Facebook ’ s rules , the Kenosha Guard page should not have been allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 19 update to the company ’ s Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy explicitly forbids US-based militia organizations that “ have celebrated violent acts , shown that they have weapons and suggest they will use them , or have individual followers with patterns of violent behavior.
” Still , the Kenosha Guard page continued to operate , amassing more than 3,000 likes as a “ social club ” as of late August , according to screenshots provided to BuzzFeed News by nonprofit news organization Wisconsin Watch .
So when a Guard page administrator reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10:44 a.m. on Tuesday , Aug. 25 , urging people to “ take up arms and defend out [ sic ] City tonight from the evil thugs , ” the message reached plenty of people .
It was promptly followed by an event invitation called “ Armed Citizens to Protect our Lives and Property , ” according to a timeline outlined by the Atlantic Council ’ s Digital Forensic Research Lab .
The event gathered additional momentum after Alex Jones ’ conspiracy site InfoWars featured it in a story .
Late Tuesday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot three people , Liz Lahue , a bartender in Illinois , visited the Kenosha Guard ’ s Facebook event page and began reporting violent comments .
“ People were just talking about violence for no reason , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
“ Do not let these protestors get close to you .
Just keep them in line if they ’ re protesting , but if they are rioting and destroying things … pew pew pew time , ” wrote one person on the event page , making a thinly veiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead down , they will get the point eventually , ” said another .
“ There is only one punishment by law for treason , ” wrote still another , referring to the death penalty .
Lahue reported several comments to Facebook , including some by a man who made multiple death threats against protesters , and who later threatened her on the event page .
The company rejected all of her complaints .
It ’ s not clear if they were included in or additive to the 455 reports filed about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer that question .
As the night wore on and protesters flooded the streets of Kenosha , the Kenosha Guard page became an organizational hub .
People posted their locations , the type of firearms they were carrying , offers of backup , and bogus claims of inbound rioters .
“ Could someone drop me a location on where the heavy dense fighting area is ?
” “ Vet here with quite a few people to help and all the equipment we need .
We can take one of the more dangerous areas.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a call from my neighbors both of who [ sic ] are police officers .
They told me that a caravan full of rioters are headed to Salem and Paddock Lake.
” Some people urged caution and warned of deadly consequences .
“ I ’ m concerned that most of the people involved in this group are untrained civilians .
Once they get scared someone ’ s getting shot.
” At 10:38 p.m. , after reading what she described as obvious “ calls to violence , ” Jordan , the mother from Wisconsin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At that point , the 17-year-old gunman had already been filmed on a livestream standing in front of a car dealership with unidentified members of a militia .
“ Our job is to protect this business , ” he told a video producer with the Daily Caller .
After a skirmish at roughly 11:45 p.m. , the teen allegedly shot three people , killing two and wounding another .
Jordan didn ’ t see the news until the next morning .
At approximately the same time , she received a notification from Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the social network ’ s community standards .
After the shootings , chatter on the Kenosha Guard event page took on a celebratory tone .
“ Tried to attack business owners , got their azzes shot off .
MORE please… this needs to happen a LOT MORE , ” wrote one man .
“ 1 protester dead got shot in the head… then they tried to attack the guy and a couple more got shot .
Got ta love it , ” wrote a man who was labeled by Facebook ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in the group due to his frequent posting .
The comments continued to flow in the hours after the shooting .
Danielle , a woman who lives near Milwaukee , checked the event page around 3 a.m. and found a mix of people justifying the killings and others mocking the militia members .
“ There were some people already justifying the shooting when at that point it really was very unclear what had actually happened , who was at fault , ” she said .
Early Wednesday morning , a person running @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement about the shooting .
They said they were “ unaware if the armed citizen was answering the Kenosha Guard Militia ’ s call to arms , ” adding that “ we need all the facts and evidence to come out before we make a judgement.
” On Thursday , during a companywide meeting that can be viewed by all of Facebook ’ s more than 50,000 employees , Zuckerberg also seemed to credit Facebook for the removal of the Kenosha Guard ’ s “ Armed Citizens to Protect our Lives and Property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bunch of media reports asking why this page and event weren ’ t removed sooner , ” Zuckerberg said .
Calling it an “ operational mistake , ” he blamed moderators who were unfamiliar with Facebook ’ s new policy on militias .
“ On second review , doing it more sensitively , the team that ’ s responsible for dangerous organizations recognized that this violated our policies and we took it down , ” he said .
But it wasn ’ t Facebook that deactivated the event page .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees knew it .
“ I ’ m not sure why our external and internal comms have claims that we removed the Kenosha Guard event , ” one staffer wrote on Workplace , Facebook ’ s employee-only message board .
“ This is not true : the event was user deleted hours before we disabled the owning page .
I ’ m not sure where the mixup happened , but this is a pretty important distinction.
” In the days following Zuckerberg ’ s all-hands address , Facebook ’ s handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already frustrated by the company ’ s handling of issues around racial justice .
In other posts to Workplace , employees challenged company leadership to explain why the Kenosha Guard page and event were allowed on Facebook at all .
Others posted example after example of Facebook and Instagram posts celebrating the shooter , despite Zuckerberg ’ s public commitment to eliminate such content .
One employee asked why a meme showing one of the victims of the shooting overlaid with text that read “ Don ’ t be a thug if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been ruled non-violative by Facebook ’ s human moderators .
“ Shouldn ’ t this be part of our zero tolerance policy ?
” they asked .
Another worker asked the same question about a racist comment disparaging Black people as “ uneducated druggies ” who are “ killing their own kids.
” “ This is such flagrant and uncoded racism that I ’ m baffled that I even need to [ flag it ] , ” they wrote .
“ In no uncertain terms : we are making the world worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our platform.
” Sarah Roberts , an associate professor at UCLA and the author of Behind the Screen : Content Moderation in the Shadows of Social Media , said Facebook ’ s outsourcing of the critical function of moderation affords it an easy way to shift blame to contractors when things go wrong .
“ Here we have the CEO who 's sitting at the top of this incredibly lucrative and immeasurably powerful firm with a product used by billions of people , and [ he ’ s blaming ] unnamed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from Kenosha , Wisconsin , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
“ Whereas there 's absolutely no responsibility being taken by him.
” A former Facebook moderator , who worked for a third-party contractor called Cognizant in Phoenix , called Zuckerberg ’ s operational error remark and attempt to blame moderators “ ludicrous.
” Having served as a moderator for Facebook during the 2018 Parkland mass shooting , he said it ’ s difficult to keep up with the social media giant ’ s shifting moderation expectations and rules .
“ Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience — practical experience over a period of time before it ’ s really effective , ” he said .
“ Who is really to say what ’ s a militia and what is not a militia ?
” Some of his colleagues were woefully underprepared , the former moderator said , and often questioned Facebook ’ s guidelines .
Content moderation isn ’ t just an issue on Facebook ’ s public-facing platform ; it ’ s also becoming a challenge on the company ’ s internal Workplace message boards .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one employee published a now-deleted post asking colleagues to show their “ Support For Law Enforcement ” writing , “ mourning the death of those who serve our communities does not mean supporting injustice by anyone in society.
” The following day , in a post first reported by the Daily Beast , another worker asked his colleagues on Workplace to consider the “ well-intentioned law enforcement officers who have been victimized by society ’ s conformity to a lie.
” “ Law enforcement has no moral obligation to allow non-compliant criminals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wrote .
“ FBI data confirms that law enforcement is disproportionally more likely to be killed than the other way around.
” ( The poster did not include any data to back up this claim . )
“ What if racial , economic , crime , and incarceration gaps can not close without addressing personal responsibility and adherence to the law ?
” they added .
In the top-voted comment responding to the post , one Facebook staffer called the note “ openly racist.
” “ Saying that economic disparities are due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ is openly racist , ” they wrote .
“ This post is shameful.
” Earlier this week , the debate continued , with one Facebook staffer asking if the company would reverse its decision to remove the alleged shooter ’ s Facebook and Instagram accounts if it were proven that he was acting in self-defense .
By labeling the gunman “ an attempted mass shooter and banning users who support him , are we not pre-deciding his guilt ?
” the employee wrote , comparing the situation to George Zimmerman , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernard Goetz , the vigilante who shot four Black men on a New York City subway in 1984 .
“ It does not seem prudent to position the company firmly on one side of a brewing national debate , just as it begins , particularly when there is a non-zero chance his actions may yet be deemed lawful.
” His “ criminal guilt will be [ determined in court ] , ” one colleague responded .
“ In the meantime we can prevent additional harm from coming to people by keeping those will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AR-15s off our platform.
” Such internal vitriol has forced Zuckerberg to more aggressively wrangle outspoken employees and introduce new moderation policies .
Last month he threatened to fire those who violated the company ’ s respectful conduct policies and bullied others .
On Monday , he sent a note to employees saying that “ systemic racism is real ” and that the company is taking steps to “ better manage discussions in our workplace.
” “ The direction we ’ re headed is to have dedicated spaces on Workplace for discussing charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moderation , ” he wrote .
“ That means you won ’ t be able to post highly charged content broadly in open groups.
” On Thursday , Zuckerberg was scheduled to address employees at the company ’ s weekly all-hands meeting .
Had he done so , internal polls reviewed by BuzzFeed News show he would have faced tough questions about Kenosha and Facebook being used as a platform for radicalization .
Late Wednesday , however , Facebook canceled the meeting .
Employees still had the option to gather for another previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Robin DiAngelo , the author of White Fragility : Why It 's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism .
●

“What if racial, economic, crime, and incarceration gaps cannot close without addressing personal responsibility and adherence to the law?” they added.
In the top-voted comment responding to the post, one Facebook staffer called the note “openly racist.”
“Saying that economic disparities are due to a lack of ‘personal responsibility’ is openly racist,” they wrote. “This post is shameful.”
Earlier this week, the debate continued, with one Facebook staffer asking if the company would reverse its decision to remove the alleged shooter’s Facebook and Instagram accounts if it were proven that he was acting in self-defense.
By labeling the gunman “an attempted mass shooter and banning users who support him, are we not pre-deciding his guilt?” the employee wrote, comparing the situation to George Zimmerman, the man who killed Trayvon Martin, or Bernard Goetz, the vigilante who shot four Black men on a New York City subway in 1984. “It does not seem prudent to position the company firmly on one side of a brewing national debate, just as it begins, particularly when there is a non-zero chance his actions may yet be deemed lawful.”
His “criminal guilt will be [determined in court],” one colleague responded. “In the meantime we can prevent additional harm from coming to people by keeping those will [sic] kill multiple people with AR-15s off our platform.”
Such internal vitriol has forced Zuckerberg to more aggressively wrangle outspoken employees and introduce new moderation policies. Last month he threatened to fire those who violated the company’s respectful conduct policies and bullied others. On Monday, he sent a note to employees saying that “systemic racism is real” and that the company is taking steps to “better manage discussions in our workplace.”
“The direction we’re headed is to have dedicated spaces on Workplace for discussing charged topics, with clear rules and strong moderation,” he wrote. “That means you won’t be able to post highly charged content broadly in open groups.”
On Thursday, Zuckerberg was scheduled to address employees at the company’s weekly all-hands meeting. Had he done so, internal polls reviewed by BuzzFeed News show he would have faced tough questions about Kenosha and Facebook being used as a platform for radicalization. Late Wednesday, however, Facebook canceled the meeting.
Employees still had the option to gather for another previously scheduled event on Thursday: a talk by Robin DiAngelo, the author of White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. ●


buzzfeed--2020-09-03--New York City Republican Leaders Are Sticking By Trump’s Plan To Defund New York City

WASHINGTON — Republican officials in New York City do not seem to have a problem with President Donald Trump ’ s new , legally questionable plan to defund their city .
The Trump administration announced plans Wednesday night to review federal funding to some cities where protests against police brutality and systemic racism have led to violence and destruction of public and private property .
As part of an ongoing rift between the administration and cities who have refused assistance from federal law enforcement , the memo would direct the budget director to issue guidance to restrict federal grants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” possibly including Seattle , Washington , DC , Portland , and New York City .
Republicans in New York , a city that is facing an economic crisis after being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic , are sticking by Trump ’ s plan to hit the city ’ s finances even harder .
“ President Trump is sending a clear message to Bill de Blasio and New York City ’ s left-wing elected officials ; you can ’ t break federal laws with radical far left policies and squander billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thrive NYC , then defund the NYPD with expectations that the federal government will bail you out , ” Nicole Malliotakis , a state lawmaker who is now running for Congress , told BuzzFeed News in a statement Thursday morning .
“ Federal dollars need to come with commitments and restrictions to ensure that the taxpayers ’ money is being spent on its intended purposes , ” she said .
Malliotakis , who is running against Rep. Max Rose in a district that covers Staten Island and a portion of Southern Brooklyn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the largely Democratic New York City .
Trump won the district in 2016 , but Rose , a Democrat , unseated the district ’ s Republican member of Congress in 2018 amid a citywide shift toward the left .
Staten Island , home to many of the city ’ s law enforcement officers , remains largely Republican .
Trump ’ s plan , which does not outline a specific legal authority and proposes shifting spending not authorized by Congress , came under immediate attack from New York Democrats .
“ These actions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fuel his base that never tire from his bigoted and dangerous policies , but New Yorkers and Americans of good conscience will reject his hateful agenda come November , ” New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams told BuzzFeed News in a statement .
“ Forget bodyguards , he better have an army if he thinks he ’ s going to walk down the streets in New York , ” Gov .
Andrew Cuomo told reporters Wednesday night .
“ Look , the best thing he did for New York City was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Good riddance , let him go to Florida , be careful not to get COVID.
” Joe Borelli , who represents Staten Island in the New York City Council , first texted “ I ’ m gunna pass ” when asked about Trump ’ s funding move .
He then compared the memo to Gov .
Andrew Cuomo threatening to stripe money from state police agencies who wouldn ’ t consider reform .
“ How is this any different for New Yorkers from when Andrew Cuomo threatened to pull funding unless cities enacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a text Thursday morning .
“ That was only a few weeks ago.
” Jerry Kassar , chair of the New York State Conservative Party , which is backing Trump ’ s reelection , agreed with the president ’ s decision to defund New York City because , he said , the city ’ s “ own actions drifted into lawlessness.
” Brendan Lantry , the Staten Island GOP chair , declined to respond to the question .
Staten Island Borough President Jimmy Oddo ’ s office did not respond to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan .

WASHINGTON — Republican officials in New York City do not seem to have a problem with President Donald Trump’s new, legally questionable plan to defund their city.
The Trump administration announced plans Wednesday night to review federal funding to some cities where protests against police brutality and systemic racism have led to violence and destruction of public and private property. As part of an ongoing rift between the administration and cities who have refused assistance from federal law enforcement, the memo would direct the budget director to issue guidance to restrict federal grants to what Trump is calling “anarchist cities,” possibly including Seattle, Washington, DC, Portland, and New York City.
Republicans in New York, a city that is facing an economic crisis after being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, are sticking by Trump’s plan to hit the city’s finances even harder.
“President Trump is sending a clear message to Bill de Blasio and New York City’s left-wing elected officials; you can’t break federal laws with radical far left policies and squander billions in tax dollars on pet projects like Thrive NYC, then defund the NYPD with expectations that the federal government will bail you out,” Nicole Malliotakis, a state lawmaker who is now running for Congress, told BuzzFeed News in a statement Thursday morning.
“Federal dollars need to come with commitments and restrictions to ensure that the taxpayers’ money is being spent on its intended purposes,” she said.
Malliotakis, who is running against Rep. Max Rose in a district that covers Staten Island and a portion of Southern Brooklyn, is one of few Republican lawmakers in the largely Democratic New York City. Trump won the district in 2016, but Rose, a Democrat, unseated the district’s Republican member of Congress in 2018 amid a citywide shift toward the left. Staten Island, home to many of the city’s law enforcement officers, remains more Republican than the rest of the city.
Trump’s plan, which does not outline a specific legal authority and proposes shifting spending not authorized by Congress, came under immediate attack from New York Democrats.
“These actions are unconstitutional and shameful, and simply meant to fuel his base that never tire from his bigoted and dangerous policies, but New Yorkers and Americans of good conscience will reject his hateful agenda come November,” New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams told BuzzFeed News in a statement.
“Forget bodyguards, he better have an army if he thinks he’s going to walk down the streets in New York,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters Wednesday night.
“Look, the best thing he did for New York City was leave,” Cuomo added. “Good riddance, let him go to Florida, be careful not to get COVID.”
Joe Borelli, who represents Staten Island in the New York City Council, first texted “I’m gunna pass” when asked about Trump’s funding move. He then compared the memo to Gov. Andrew Cuomo threatening to strip money from state police agencies who wouldn’t consider reform.
“How is this any different for New Yorkers from when Andrew Cuomo threatened to pull funding unless cities enacted his police reforms?” Borelli said in a text Thursday morning. “That was only a few weeks ago.”
Jerry Kassar, chair of the New York State Conservative Party, which is backing Trump’s reelection, agreed with the president’s decision to defund New York City because, he said, the city’s “own actions drifted into lawlessness.”
Brendan Lantry, the Staten Island GOP chair, declined to respond to the question. Staten Island Borough President Jimmy Oddo’s office did not respond to a request for comment about Trump’s plan.


buzzfeed--2020-09-03--Facebook Won’t Accept New Political Ads The Week Before The Election — But Older Ads With Lies Are S

Facebook Won’t Accept New Political Ads The Week Before The Election — But Older Ads With Lies Are Still OK

Facebook will stop accepting political advertising in the United States a week before Election Day on Nov. 3 , CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a post on Thursday .
But the social network will continue showing users all political ads that candidates or political action committees buy before that day , and continue to let these groups adjust who they target .
Candidates for political office will also still be able to run ads containing lies .
In Thursday ’ s announcement , Zuckerberg claimed he is adding the one-week ban on new ads prior to the election because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people could face while voting .
“ I ’ m also worried that with our nation so divided and election results potentially taking days or even weeks to be finalized , there could be an increased risk of civil unrest across the country , ” Zuckerberg said .
Social networks are facing increasing pressure to police political advertising on their platforms ahead of the US elections , and some critics have urged tech companies to stop running political ads altogether .
Last year , Twitter banned all political advertising from its platform , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on certain products .
Besides announcing that it would let people across Facebook and Instagram turn off political advertising altogether , however , Facebook hasn ’ t done much .
Earlier this year , the company declined to make changes to its policies around allowing politicians to lie in ads , saying that it didn ’ t think that “ decisions about political ads should be made by private companies.
” Critics have accused Facebook of accepting ad money from politicians who use its platform to spread misinformation and propaganda .
Last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video ad on Facebook that falsely claimed that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden offered a $ 1 billion bribe to officials in Ukraine to stop investigating his son .
Facebook declined to take the ad down saying that it did not violate the company ’ s policies .
In July , the Biden campaign wrote to Zuckerberg asking him , to revise the social network ’ s policies around free speech ahead of the November elections .
The company also hasn ’ t always been transparent about how it enforces its political advertising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wall Street Journal claimed that Facebook declined to act after it discovered that India ’ s ruling nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party was circumventing its policies that required political parties to disclose their identities .
In his post on Thursday , Zuckerberg wrote that Facebook would also take a series of steps to prevent voters from being misinformed about the elections through the platform , such as removing lies claiming that going to vote could get people infected with the coronavirus , and removing claims like “ you can send in your mail ballot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” that could cause somebody to lose the chance to vote .
Facebook will also try to slow down misinformation from spreading through Messenger , the company ’ s instant messaging app .
Starting this month , users will no longer be allowed to forward links to Messenger to more than five people , a rule that Facebook first put in place in WhatsApp , the company ’ s other instant messaging app , in countries like Brazil and India to slow down rumors and hoaxes .
Zuckerberg also claimed that Facebook would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against militias , conspiracy networks like QAnon , and other groups that could be used to promote violence in the weeks after the elections .
“ We have already removed thousands of these groups and removed the event more from being included in our recommendations and search results , ” he wrote .
Last week , however , a BuzzFeed News report showed that Facebook let a militia page advocating for followers to bring weapons to the Kenosha , Wisconsin protest , where a 17-year-old suspect allegedly shot and killed two protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by users to the company 455 times .
Facebook employees have been left frustrated at how the company is responding to political and civil unrest , including the violence in Kenosha .
For months , staffers have been speaking out as they reckon with the real-world effects the social media giant is having on democracies around the world .
“ Come November , ” Yaël Eisenstat , Facebook 's former election ads integrity lead , told BuzzFeed News in July , “ a portion of Facebook users will not trust the outcome of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with messages on Facebook preparing them to not trust it .
”

Facebook will stop accepting political advertising in the United States a week before Election Day on Nov. 3, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a post on Thursday.
But the social network will continue showing users all political ads that candidates or political action committees buy before that day, and continue to let these groups adjust who they target.
Candidates for political office will also still be able to run ads containing lies.
In Thursday’s announcement, Zuckerberg claimed he is adding the one-week ban on new ads prior to the election because he is “concerned” about the challenges people could face while voting.
“I’m also worried that with our nation so divided and election results potentially taking days or even weeks to be finalized, there could be an increased risk of civil unrest across the country,” Zuckerberg said.
Social networks are facing increasing pressure to police political advertising on their platforms ahead of the US elections, and some critics have urged tech companies to stop running political ads altogether. Last year, Twitter banned all political advertising from its platform, and Google restricted micro-targeting of political ads on certain products.
Besides announcing that it would let people across Facebook and Instagram turn off political advertising altogether, however, Facebook hasn’t done much. Earlier this year, the company declined to make changes to its policies around allowing politicians to lie in ads, saying that it didn’t think that “decisions about political ads should be made by private companies.”
Critics have accused Facebook of accepting ad money from politicians who use its platform to spread misinformation and propaganda. Last year, the Trump campaign released a 30-second video ad on Facebook that falsely claimed that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden offered a $1 billion bribe to officials in Ukraine to stop investigating his son. Facebook declined to take the ad down saying that it did not violate the company’s policies. In July, the Biden campaign wrote to Zuckerberg asking him, to revise the social network’s policies around free speech ahead of the November elections.
The company also hasn’t always been transparent about how it enforces its political advertising policies. A Sunday report in the Wall Street Journal claimed that Facebook declined to act after it discovered that India’s ruling nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party was circumventing its policies that required political parties to disclose their identities.
In his post on Thursday, Zuckerberg wrote that Facebook would also take a series of steps to prevent voters from being misinformed about the elections through the platform, such as removing lies claiming that going to vote could get people infected with the coronavirus, and removing claims like “you can send in your mail ballot up to 3 days after election day” that could cause somebody to lose the chance to vote.
Facebook will also try to slow down misinformation from spreading through Messenger, the company’s instant messaging app. Starting this month, users will no longer be allowed to forward links to Messenger to more than five people, a rule that Facebook first put in place in WhatsApp, the company’s other instant messaging app, in countries like Brazil and India to slow down rumors and hoaxes.
Zuckerberg also claimed that Facebook would continue to “ramp up enforcement” against militias, conspiracy networks like QAnon, and other groups that could be used to promote violence in the weeks after the elections. “We have already removed thousands of these groups and removed the event more from being included in our recommendations and search results,” he wrote.
Last week, however, a BuzzFeed News report showed that Facebook let a militia page advocating for followers to bring weapons to the Kenosha, Wisconsin protest, where a 17-year-old suspect allegedly shot and killed two protesters, remain on the platform despite being reported by users to the company 455 times.
Facebook employees have been left frustrated at how the company is responding to political and civil unrest, including the violence in Kenosha. For months, staffers have been speaking out as they reckon with the real-world effects the social media giant is having on democracies around the world.
“Come November,” Yaël Eisenstat, Facebook's former election ads integrity lead, told BuzzFeed News in July, “a portion of Facebook users will not trust the outcome of the election because they have been bombarded with messages on Facebook preparing them to not trust it.”


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Nancy Pelosi Called Video Of Her Visit To A Hair Salon Despite Coronavirus Rules "A Setup"

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called video footage of her visit to a San Francisco hair salon `` a setup '' and refused to apologize for receiving a service that was prohibited under city rules because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Instead , Pelosi suggested the video of her visit to eSalon on Monday and the ensuing controversy was somehow orchestrated against her , but she refused to explain why .
`` I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighborhood salon that I 've been going to over the years many times , '' she said at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turns out , it was a setup , so I take responsibility for falling for a setup . ''
The security video , first reported by Fox News , shows the House speaker walking between rooms of the salon with wet hair and a mask hanging under her face .
The salon visit violated local health restrictions at the time , although they have since been changed to allow for outdoor appointments .
Fox News spoke with the owner of the salon , Erica Kious , who said one of Pelosi 's staffers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointment .
The stylist on Sunday told Kious via text that Pelosi was coming in for the appointment the next day .
`` It was a slap in the face that she went in , you know , that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in , and I ca n't work , '' Kious told Fox News .
`` I was like , 'Are you kidding me right now ?
Do I let this happen ?
What do I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she rents chairs to stylists , but she `` ca n't control '' what they do .
She did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment from BuzzFeed News .
In a statement sent through his attorneys , the stylist , Jonathan DeNardo , said he rang Kious the day before the appointment to seek her approval .
He said she had been allowing such in-store appointments since April and that she made `` several vitriolic and incendiary comments about Speaker Pelosi '' on the call .
`` The fact that Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s presence at eSalon , and from a simple surface-level review of Ms. Kious ’ political leanings , it appears Ms. Kious is furthering a set-up of Speaker Pelosi for her own vain aspirations , '' DeNardo said .

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday called video footage of her visit to a San Francisco hair salon "a setup" and refused to apologize for receiving a service that was prohibited under city rules because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, Pelosi suggested the video of her visit to eSalon on Monday and the ensuing controversy was somehow orchestrated against her, but she refused to explain why.
"I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighborhood salon that I've been going to over the years many times," she said at a news conference. "As it turns out, it was a setup, so I take responsibility for falling for a setup."
The security video, first reported by Fox News, shows the House speaker walking between rooms of the salon with wet hair and a mask hanging under her face. The salon visit violated local health restrictions at the time, although they have since been changed to allow for outdoor appointments.
Fox News spoke with the owner of the salon, Erica Kious, who said one of Pelosi's staffers contacted her stylists on Sunday for an appointment. The stylist on Sunday told Kious via text that Pelosi was coming in for the appointment the next day.
"It was a slap in the face that she went in, you know, that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in, and I can't work," Kious told Fox News. "I was like, 'Are you kidding me right now? Do I let this happen? What do I do?'"
Kious told Fox News she rents chairs to stylists, but she "can't control" what they do. She did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment from BuzzFeed News.
In a statement sent through his attorneys, the stylist, Jonathan DeNardo, said he rang Kious the day before the appointment to seek her approval. He said she had been allowing such in-store appointments since April and that she made "several vitriolic and incendiary comments about Speaker Pelosi" on the call.
"The fact that Ms. Kious is now objecting to Speaker Pelosi’s presence at eSalon, and from a simple surface-level review of Ms. Kious’ political leanings, it appears Ms. Kious is furthering a set-up of Speaker Pelosi for her own vain aspirations," DeNardo said.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--People Are Grinding Their Teeth Down With Nail Files On TikTok, So This Orthodontist Spoke Out About

People Are Grinding Their Teeth Down With Nail Files On TikTok, So This Orthodontist Spoke Out About It

Lastly , Dr. Winters said to remember that `` quick fixes '' are rarely worth it .
`` I see @ @ @ @ @ trying to take shortcuts with their teeth .
You only get one set !
You @ @ @ @ @ how important they are until they ’ re gone , and then you 'll wish @ @ @ @ @ everything you could have to take care of them !
My first responsibility is to @ @ @ @ @ general public safe .
And , unfortunately , as quick and easy as it seems @ @ @ @ @ structure off — especially without guidance — is the opposite of that ! ''

Lastly, Dr. Winters said to remember that "quick fixes" are rarely worth it. "I see people every day who regret trying to take shortcuts with their teeth. You only get one set! You don’t really realize how important they are until they’re gone, and then you'll wish that you would have done everything you could have to take care of them! My first responsibility is to keep my patients and the general public safe. And, unfortunately, as quick and easy as it seems, grinding your own tooth structure off — especially without guidance — is the opposite of that!"


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--17 Tried-And-True Remote Learning Tips For Parents Of Kids With Special Needs

`` My daughter has SPD , vision tracking issues , anxiety , ODD , and dyslexia .
Pinterest is very @ @ @ @ @ and made several Montessori math materials so she gets a lot of movement and hands @ @ @ @ @ helpful with her form of dyslexia and memorizing and transposing numbers and letters .
We @ @ @ @ @ lots of small chunks of work time with breaks for walks and other gross motor @ @ @ @ @ to her or have her answer questions while she jumps on a ( very small @ @ @ @ @ —Ehch

7. Lean on routines.
"Routine is key for us — it's been the most important and nurturing way to help our kiddo navigate through this. We will take breaks often to help our son reset and get back to feeling like he can deal with what comes next. And patience! It's not only a virtue but a must in times like these. Explain and repeat yourself as often as necessary." —Bethann Jauron


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Opened Up About Having Coronavirus And What It's Been Like

`` We are counting our blessings right now , because we are well aware that it is n't always the @ @ @ @ @ the other end of COVID-19 .
Some of my best friends have lost their parents @ @ @ @ @ to this virus that is so incredibly relentless and unforgiving and it is insidious .
@

He continued, "There's going to be new rules that I'm implementing, and I pass this on to you guys: If you guys are having family and friends over to your house — you know them, you trust them, [and] they've been quarantining just like you guys — you still never know. So take an aggressive measure."


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--21 Pictures That Show What Social Distancing Looks Like In Different Parts Of The World

This burger stand uses a system of slides to keep distance from their customers — slip your money down the @ @ @ @ @ get your food from the ramp on the right .

1.
This burger stand uses a system of slides to keep distance from their customers — slip your money down the ramp on the left, get your food from the ramp on the right.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Everything You Need To Know About Demisexuality

Demisexuals fall into the subcategory of `` graysexuals '' , or people who are on the asexuality spectrum and still @ @ @ @ @ occasions .
`` Because of that fluidity , demisexuals may engage in partnered sexual activity @ @ @ @ @ out of a desire for intimacy , rather than sexual need or desire , '' @ @ @ @ @ like any spectrum , sexual desire can vary quite a bit for both demisexuals and @ @ @

To sum up? When it comes to sexual identity and orientation, says Hall, the most supportive and inclusive thing you can do is to simply trust that people know what they want (or don’t want) in their own individual relationships.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Trump Made Fun Of Politicians Wearing Masks During A Crowded Rally Where Many Didn’t Wear Masks

LATROBE , PENNSYLVANIA — President Donald Trump made fun of two political opponents for wearing face masks in the course of a long and scattered campaign rally in Pennsylvania Thursday night , where many in the packed crowd did not wear masks .
“ I 've never seen a man who liked a mask more , ” Trump said of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , to some laughs .
And he mocked Sen. Mitt Romney for having “ a lot of mask on ” when he joined Black Lives Matter protesters in a June march .
Trump has fluctuated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the coronavirus and falsely suggesting masks are somehow unsafe .
When the Centers for Disease Control formally recommended mask use in early April , as the coronavirus pandemic was first peaking , Trump emphasized that wearing a mask was only voluntary and that he himself would not wear one .
He wore a mask in public for the first time in early July , in a visit to Walter Reed , and soon after called wearing one “ patriotic.
” Many of the attendees at the rally , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palmer Regional Airport , didn ’ t wear masks and many who did wear them wore them improperly on their chins or without covering their noses .
Some confidently said face coverings do n't protect from the coronavirus .
“ I don ’ t believe in the mask , that ’ s all , ” Tony Germaine , a Trump supporter at the rally , told BuzzFeed News .
“ I do n't care , I just do n't believe in it .
Because I do n't understand what good it 's really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a high-risk area like a nursing home or a hospital .
I think the left is playing the mask thing to the hilt all the way to the election .
In my opinion , they ’ re trying to steal the election.
” Recent scientific research , including some recently pushed by the CDC , suggests mask use can be very effective in limiting the spread of the coronavirus , especially when paired with other measures like social distancing .

LATROBE, Pennsylvania — President Donald Trump made fun of two political opponents for wearing face masks in the course of a long and scattered campaign rally in Pennsylvania Thursday night, where many in the packed crowd did not wear masks.
“I've never seen a man who liked a mask more,” Trump said of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, to some laughs. And he mocked Sen. Mitt Romney for having “a lot of mask on” when he joined Black Lives Matter protesters in a June march.
Trump has fluctuated between suggesting Americans wear masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus and falsely suggesting masks are somehow unsafe. When the CDC formally recommended mask use in early April, as the pandemic was first peaking, Trump emphasized that wearing a mask was only voluntary and that he himself would not wear one. He wore a mask in public for the first time in early July, in a visit to Walter Reed, and soon after called wearing one “patriotic.”
Many of the attendees at the rally, which was held in a hangar at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, didn’t wear masks and many who did wear them wore them improperly on their chins or without covering their noses. Some confidently said face coverings don't protect from the coronavirus.
“I don’t believe in the mask. That’s all,” Tony Germaine, a Trump supporter at the rally, told BuzzFeed News. “I don't care. I just don't believe in it. Because I don't understand what good it's really going to do, unless you're in a high-risk area like a nursing home or a hospital. I think the left is playing the mask thing to the hilt all the way to the election. In my opinion, they’re trying to steal the election.”
Recent scientific research, including some recently pushed by the CDC, suggests mask use can be very effective in limiting the spread of the coronavirus, especially when paired with other measures like social distancing.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--COVID-19 Is Causing Heart Damage In Many Patients, Not Just Football Players

A Penn State official retracted saying a third of Big 10 football players with coronavirus infections had suffered heart injuries .
But experts confirmed they are seeing heart muscle injuries in many patients .
Coronavirus infections can cause heart problems in patients , according to experts — yet another unexpected , serious consequence of COVID-19 that has been underlined by reports of such injuries among college football players .
On Thursday , Penn State ’ s football team doctor Wayne Sebastianelli walked back earlier comments that 30 % to 35 % of Big 10 football conference players who had COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rate was actually lower , around 15 % .
( Penn State also told ESPN none of its players have the condition . )
The fumbled figures attracted a lot of attention , but did n't surprise epidemiologists , like Columbia University ’ s Mitchell Elkind , president of the American Heart Association , who told BuzzFeed News that from 20 % to 30 % of hospitalized COVID-19 patients seem to have symptoms of heart injuries , including myocarditis , an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by viruses .
“ Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection are only now coming into focus because enough time has passed by to see them , ” said Elkind , particularly among “ long-hauler ” patients still suffering all sorts of lasting injuries from the pandemic virus .
As of Friday , more than 6.1 million cases of COVID-19 and nearly 187,000 deaths have been recorded across the US , leaving many recovered patients with long-term injuries with an unknown resolution , because the disease has been around for less than a year .
Initially seen as a respiratory disease , COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and brain , as well as causing blood clots and a bewildering array of other long-term symptoms in some patients .
“ It seems that COVID-19 inflammation of the heart is different from classical myocarditis , ” which causes an irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath , said cardiologist Christof Burgstahler of Germany ’ s University Hospital and Medical Faculty Tübingen , whose team reviewed some of the first cases .
It ’ s too soon to tell whether that ’ s good or bad for patients , he added by email .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ death in elite athletes , according to the American College of Cardiology , explaining the attention around the Big 10 football players , a conference that last month canceled its fall football season .
Essentially , football players and other patients will have to be monitored by doctors for signs of irregular heartbeat and blood markers showing signs of continuing damage to heart muscle .
Some myocarditis patients require medication to maintain a regular heartbeat .
Other viruses — including some flus , for example — also cause heart inflammation , seen in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients , Elkind said , but the incidence in COVID-19 seems significantly higher , perhaps 10 % to 15 % even in patients without major symptoms .
“ This is a serious , deadly disease that does more than just kill people , but leaves others with potential long-term consequences they may have to live with for a long time , ” he said .
“ This is all just one more reason to wear a mask , wash your hands , take care of your neighbors .
”

The fumbled figures attracted a lot of attention, but didn't surprise epidemiologists, like Columbia University’s Mitchell Elkind, president of the American Heart Association, who told BuzzFeed News that from 20% to 30% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients seem to have symptoms of heart injuries, including myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by viruses.
“Some of these long-term consequences of a coronavirus infection are only now coming into focus because enough time has passed by to see them,” said Elkind, particularly among “long-hauler” patients still suffering all sorts of lasting injuries from the pandemic virus.
As of Friday, more than 6.1 million cases of COVID-19 and nearly 187,000 deaths have been recorded across the US, leaving many recovered patients with long-term injuries with an unknown resolution, because the disease has been around for less than a year. Initially seen as a respiratory disease, COVID-19 also strikes the heart, kidneys, and brain, as well as causing blood clots and a bewildering array of other long-term symptoms in some patients.
“It seems that COVID-19 inflammation of the heart is different from classical myocarditis,” which causes an irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath, said cardiologist Christof Burgstahler of Germany’s University Hospital and Medical Faculty Tübingen, whose team reviewed some of the first cases. It’s too soon to tell whether that’s good or bad for patients, he added by email.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Opened Up About Having The Coronavirus And What It's Been Like

He continued , `` There 's going to be new rules that I 'm implementing , and I pass this @ @ @ @ @ If you guys are having family and friends over to your house — you know @ @ @ @ @ , [ and ] they 've been quarantining just like you guys — you still @ @ @ @ @ an aggressive measure . ''


buzzfeed--2020-09-05--Things I Wish I Knew About Breastfeeding Before Having A Baby

For any mother who wants to breastfeed but finds it does n't come easy , it really can take a village .
So it 's critical to surround yourself with experts who can help .
That can begin at the hospital , where many have lactation consultants who will pop into your room after birth .
( In some cases you might have to request a consultant more than once .
I delivered at a major hospital in Los Angeles right before the pandemic and I still had to ask four or five times to see one because they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also provide postpartum support .
The lactation consultants on staff can assist you after with telehealth appointments .
But know that not all lactation consultants can get you breastfeeding with no issues ( more on that below ) .
In addition to a lactation consultant — if you 're able to afford it — a postpartum doula can be the most wonderful thing .
Not only do they help with taking care of the mom , rather than just the baby after birth , they often have breastfeeding tips and tricks they 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network of midwives and lactation consultants to get advice from as things come up .
Then there 's mom friends and , now , virtual mom groups .
It can be the most wonderful thing having other moms in the same stage of the newborn journey to consult with .
You can pick up a lot of hacks there too .
Lastly , know where to find solid info online .
Kelly Mom is an excellent resource for breastfeeding and pumping .

3. Build your team.
For any mother who wants to breastfeed but finds it doesn't come easy, it really can take a village. So it's critical to surround yourself with experts who can help. That can begin at the hospital, where many have lactation consultants who will pop into your room after birth. (In some cases you might have to request a consultant more than once. I delivered at a major hospital in Los Angeles right before the pandemic and I still had to ask four or five times to see one because they were so in demand.) Hospitals can also provide postpartum support. The lactation consultants on staff can assist you after with telehealth appointments. But know that not all lactation consultants can get you breastfeeding with no issues (more on that below). In addition to a lactation consultant — if you're able to afford it — a postpartum doula can be the most wonderful thing. Not only do they help with taking care of the mom, rather than just the baby after birth, they often have breastfeeding tips and tricks they've picked up. They also have a network of midwives and lactation consultants to get advice from as things come up. Then there's mom friends and, now, virtual mom groups. It can be the most wonderful thing having other moms in the same stage of the newborn journey to consult with. You can pick up a lot of hacks there too. Lastly, know where to find solid info online. Kelly Mom is an excellent resource for breastfeeding and pumping.


buzzfeed--2020-09-05--Paris Hilton Opened Up About Her Physically Abusive Ex-Boyfriends And What That Taught Her About Rel

Paris Hilton Opened Up About Her Physically Abusive Ex-Boyfriends And What That Taught Her About Relationships

`` They all seemed like such nice guys and then the true colors would show .
They 'd get jealous @ @ @ @ @ try to control me .
And there would come a point where they would become @ @ @ @ @ emotionally abusive . ''

"They all seemed like such nice guys and then the true colors would show. They'd get jealous, or defensive, or try to control me. And there would come a point where they would become physically, verbally, and emotionally abusive."


buzzfeed--2020-09-05--Everything You Need To Know About Demisexuality


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--A Federal Judge Plans To Order The Trump Administration To Stop Detaining Immigrant Children In Hote

A Federal Judge Plans To Order The Trump Administration To Stop Detaining Immigrant Children In Hotels

A federal judge on Friday said she intends to order the Trump administration to stop detaining immigrant children in hotels before quickly expelling them back to their home countries under pandemic-related border restrictions .
Since March , private contractors working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) have been detaining hundreds of children who arrive at the border without their parents or legal guardians in a system of hotels .
The children are then quickly sent back to their home countries without being able to access the nation ’ s immigration system under a coronavirus pandemic order .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31 , at least 660 children have been detained in hotels by ICE , and 577 of them were unaccompanied immigrant children .
Attorneys have called the hotels `` black sites '' because of how difficult it is to get information about immigrants once they ’ re put into the system .
US District Judge Dolly Gee 's order is expected to be issued later on Friday , although the government could seek a stay .
Under a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention order , the government has been quickly sending immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries without the ability to start an immigration claim in the US .
The order has effectively blocked immigrants from staying in the country , citing the need to stop the spread of COVID-19 .
US border agents have been immediately sending single adults back to Mexico or Canada .
Unaccompanied immigrant minors and some families with children have been sent to hotels before being flown to their countries on an ICE deportation flight .
Typically , for someone to be formally deported from the US , they would first have to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CDC 's coronavirus order has cut immigrants off from that process .
Previously , immigrant children who traveled to the border alone and apprehended by border authorities would have been allowed to seek protection in the US .
The use of hotels to detain children has been widely criticized by immigrant advocates and attorneys .
And a report filed in federal court revealed that the hotel system is larger than previously thought , with unaccompanied minors having been detained in more than 25 hotels in three states , including Texas and Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unaccompanied minors certain benefits , among them the ability to make an asylum claim in the US to an officer instead of a judge .
The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act ( TVPRA ) , which establishes care , release , and due process rights for unaccompanied immigrant children , also grants minors access to legal counsel while in government custody .
Immigrant children who traveled to the US border alone before the COVID order would also be housed while officials vetted sponsors , usually a family member or in some cases friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to stop detaining immigrant children in hotels before quickly expelling them back to their home countries under pandemic-related border restrictions.
Since March, private contractors working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have been detaining hundreds of children who arrive at the border without their parents or legal guardians in a system of hotels. The children are then quickly sent back to their home countries without being able to access the nation’s immigration system under a coronavirus pandemic order. The government has also been detaining some children with their parents in hotels.
According to court documents, as of July 31, at least 660 children have been detained in hotels by ICE, and 577 of them were unaccompanied immigrant children. Attorneys have called the hotels "black sites" because of how difficult it is to get information about immigrants once they’re put into the system.
US District Judge Dolly Gee ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop placing children in hotels by no later than Sept. 15. Gee made an exception for one to two-night stays while children are in transit or before being put on flights.
Gee also ordered US immigration authorities to transfer all immigrant children, whether they arrived at the border alone or with a parent or guardian, currently detained at hotels to licensed facilities "as expeditiously as possible."
Under a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) order, the government has been quickly sending immigrants, adults and children, apprehended at the border back to their countries without the ability to start an immigration claim in the US. The order has effectively blocked immigrants from staying in the country, citing the need to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Friday's order does not stop the Trump administration from continuing to quickly expel immigrant children back to their home country and the practice is expected to continue.
Judge Gee oversees a 1997 court settlement known as the Flores agreement that limits how long the government can detain children for and sets standards for the conditions under which they can be held. The issue over whether the government can detain immigrant children in hotel falls under her purview, Gee said, the legality of quickly expelling them to their countries does not.
The pandemic may require temporary emergency changes to the immigration system, said Judge Gee, but “That is no excuse for DHS to skirt the fundamental humanitarian protections that the Flores agreement guarantees for minors in their custody, especially when there is no persuasive evidence that hoteling is safer than licensed facilities.”
An independent monitor overseeing the conditions under which the US detains immigrant children in a report issued last month said detaining unaccompanied minors in hotels is not an appropriate way to care for kids of different ages and developmental stages.
US border agents have been immediately sending single adults back to Mexico or Canada. Unaccompanied immigrant minors and some families with children have been sent to hotels before being flown to their countries on an ICE deportation flight.
Typically, for someone to be formally deported from the US, they would first have to go through the immigration system. However, the CDC's coronavirus order has cut immigrants off from that process.
Previously, immigrant children who traveled to the border alone and apprehended by border authorities would have been allowed to seek protection in the US.
The use of hotels to detain children has been widely criticized by immigrant advocates and attorneys. And a report filed in federal court revealed that the hotel system is larger than previously thought, with unaccompanied minors having been detained in more than 25 hotels in three states, including Texas and Arizona.
A 2008 human trafficking law gives unaccompanied minors certain benefits, among them the ability to make an asylum claim in the US to an officer instead of a judge. The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), which establishes care, release, and due process rights for unaccompanied immigrant children, also grants minors access to legal counsel while in government custody.
Immigrant children who traveled to the US border alone before the COVID order would also be housed while officials vetted sponsors, usually a family member or in some cases friends, who would take them in.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Facebook Says Trump’s Misleading Post About Mail-In Voting Is OK. Employees Say It’s Not.

Facebook employees are outraged over the company ’ s “ shameful ” and “ unconscionable ” decision not to remove a post from President Donald Trump spreading voting misinformation that could lead to people voting twice .
On Thursday morning , Trump , a frequent source of false and misleading information about mail-in voting and voter fraud , posted potentially unlawful advice to voters on Facebook and Twitter .
“ On Election Day , or Early Voting , go to your Polling Place to see whether or not your Mail In Vote has been Tabulated ( Counted ) , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you will not be able to Vote & the Mail In System worked properly .
If it has not been Counted , VOTE ( which is a citizen ’ s right to do ) .
If your Mail In Ballot arrives after you Vote , which it should not , that Ballot will not be used or counted in that your vote has already been cast & tabulated .
YOU ARE NOW ASSURED THAT YOUR PRECIOUS VOTE HAS BEEN COUNTED , it hasn ’ t been ‘ lost , thrown out , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice is illegal and Trump ’ s comments were condemned for offering advice that could cause people to break the law and create confusion and delays at polling stations .
`` The president 's idea is a great one for people looking to go to jail , ” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement .
Do you work at Facebook or another technology company ?
We 'd love to hear from you .
Reach out at craig.silverman @ buzzfeed.com or via one of our tip line channels .
Hours before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced new policies intended to protect the upcoming US election from disruption .
Zuckerberg said the company had expanded its voter suppression policy to forbid content containing explicit and “ implicit misrepresentations about voting.
” Some Facebook employees felt Trump ’ s post contained , at the very least , implicit misrepresentations about the voting process .
Roughly an hour after Trump ’ s post appeared , an employee flagged it on the company ’ s internal discussion forum , Workplace .
“ Seems like this already violates our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how or when to vote .
Intentionally voting twice is a felony , right ?
” they wrote in a Workplace group focused on policy and communications issues .
A person on Facebook ’ s policy team responded to say Trump ’ s post was being reviewed by the company ’ s “ Voter Interference subject matter expert [ s ] .
” Multiple employees expressed confusion that the post hadn ’ t already been deemed violative and removed .
“ This is voting misinformation , ” said an employee .
“ Your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track if your vote had been received .
”

Facebook employees are outraged over the company’s “shameful” and “unconscionable” decision not to remove a post from President Donald Trump spreading voting misinformation that could lead to people voting twice.
On Thursday morning, Trump, a frequent source of false and misleading information about mail-in voting and voter fraud, posted potentially unlawful advice to voters on Facebook and Twitter.
“On Election Day, or Early Voting, go to your Polling Place to see whether or not your Mail In Vote has been Tabulated (Counted),” Trump wrote. “If it has you will not be able to Vote & the Mail In System worked properly. If it has not been Counted, VOTE (which is a citizen’s right to do). If your Mail In Ballot arrives after you Vote, which it should not, that Ballot will not be used or counted in that your vote has already been cast & tabulated. YOU ARE NOW ASSURED THAT YOUR PRECIOUS VOTE HAS BEEN COUNTED, it hasn’t been ‘lost, thrown out, or in any way destroyed.’”
Voting twice is illegal and Trump’s comments were condemned for offering advice that could cause people to break the law and create confusion and delays at polling stations. "The president's idea is a great one for people looking to go to jail,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement.
Do you work at Facebook or another technology company? We'd love to hear from you. Reach out at craig.silverman@buzzfeed.com or via one of our tip line channels.
Hours before Trump’s post, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced new policies intended to protect the upcoming US election from disruption. Zuckerberg said the company had expanded its voter suppression policy to forbid content containing explicit and “implicit misrepresentations about voting.”
Some Facebook employees felt Trump’s post contained, at the very least, implicit misrepresentations about the voting process. Roughly an hour after Trump’s post appeared, an employee flagged it on the company’s internal discussion forum, Workplace.
“Seems like this already violates our extended policies on voter suppression by misrepresenting how or when to vote. Intentionally voting twice is a felony, right?” they wrote in a Workplace group focused on policy and communications issues.
A person on Facebook’s policy team responded to say Trump’s post was being reviewed by the company’s “Voter Interference subject matter expert[s].”
Multiple employees expressed confusion that the post hadn’t already been deemed violative and removed.
“This is voting misinformation,” said an employee. “Your polling place will not be able to track if your vote had been received.”


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Trump, Who Definitely Called John McCain A Loser, Is Denying Calling John McCain A Loser

President Donald Trump is lashing out at a report he disparaged US soldiers who died in wars , suggested wounded veterans not participate in military parades because of their amputations , and angrily resented that flags were lowered to half-staff after the death of Sen. John McCain .
The claims were made in a bombshell report in the Atlantic by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg on Thursday , citing multiple unnamed sources described as being firsthand witnesses to Trump 's comments .
Two military sources later confirmed some of the president 's comments to the Associated Press .
On Friday afternoon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the reporting , citing two former senior Trump officials .
According to the Atlantic , Trump declined to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in 2018 to mark the centenary of the end of World War I because he did n't want to get his hair wet in the rain and because the graves were full of `` losers '' who had been `` suckers '' for getting killed in battle .
At the time , and again on Thursday night after the story was published , Trump said poor weather prevented him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Service officials were not prepared to drive him there .
( Both the leaders of France and Germany did attend the event , as did then–White House chief of staff John Kelly . )
`` Now all of a sudden somebody makes up this horrible story that I did n't want to go , and then they make up an even worse story , an even worse story , calling certain names to our fallen heroes , '' he told reporters on Air Force One on Thursday , as he traveled back from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a disgrace that a magazine is able to write it . ''
`` I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes , '' he insisted .
Other Trump White House staffers also denied hearing the president make any such comments .
But at least part of the president 's denials about the Atlantic story was a lie .
In a Twitter thread late Thursday night , he denied that he had ever called McCain a loser , despite the Atlantic reporting he did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funeral when he died in 2018 .
`` What the fuck are we doing that for ? ''
the Atlantic quoted him as telling senior staff , citing three sources .
`` Guy was a fucking loser . ''
`` I never called John a loser , '' Trump wrote on Twitter , saying he had approved of the state funeral arrangements despite not being `` a big fan '' of McCain .
But Trump , of course , famously did call McCain a loser .
`` He lost [ the 2008 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much after that because I do n't like losers , '' Trump said in 2015 as he ran for president in Iowa .
`` He 's not a war hero .
He 's a war hero because he was captured .
I like people that were n't captured . ''
At the time , Trump even reshared his comments on Twitter .

President Donald Trump is lashing out at a report he disparaged US soldiers who died in wars, suggested wounded veterans not participate in military parades because of their amputations, and angrily resented that flags were lowered to half-staff after the death of Sen. John McCain.
The claims were made in a bombshell report in the Atlantic by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg on Thursday, citing multiple unnamed sources described as being firsthand witnesses to Trump's comments. Two military sources later confirmed some of the president's comments to the Associated Press. On Friday afternoon, a Fox News reporter also confirmed much of the reporting, citing two former senior Trump officials.
According to the Atlantic, Trump declined to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in 2018 to mark the centenary of the end of World War I because he didn't want to get his hair wet in the rain and because the graves were full of "losers" who had been "suckers" for getting killed in battle.
At the time, and again on Thursday night after the story was published, Trump said poor weather prevented him from flying via helicopter and that Secret Service officials were not prepared to drive him there. (Both the leaders of France and Germany did attend the event, as did then–White House chief of staff John Kelly.)
"Now all of a sudden somebody makes up this horrible story that I didn't want to go, and then they make up an even worse story, an even worse story, calling certain names to our fallen heroes," he told reporters on Air Force One on Thursday, as he traveled back from a Pennsylvania rally. "It's a disgrace that a magazine is able to write it."
"I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes," he insisted.
Other Trump White House staffers also denied hearing the president make any such comments.
But at least part of the president's denials about the Atlantic story was a lie.
In a Twitter thread late Thursday night, he denied that he had ever called McCain a loser, despite the Atlantic reporting he did not want to support the Arizona senator's funeral when he died in 2018. "What the fuck are we doing that for?" the Atlantic quoted him as telling senior staff, citing three sources. "Guy was a fucking loser."
"I never called John a loser," Trump wrote on Twitter, saying he had approved of the state funeral arrangements despite not being "a big fan" of McCain.
But Trump, of course, famously did call McCain a loser.
"He lost [the 2008 election], so I never liked him as much after that because I don't like losers," Trump said in 2015 as he ran for president in Iowa. "He's not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured."
At the time, Trump even reshared his comments on Twitter.


buzzfeed--2020-09-04--Election Officials And Social Media Companies Are Begging You To Ignore Trump And Not Vote Twice

The head of the North Carolina Board of Elections reminded voters on Thursday that double voting is illegal , a day after the president of the United States suggested citizens in the state try to do it as a means of testing their elections system .
`` It is illegal to vote twice in an election , '' Karen Brinson Bell said in a statement , explaining that double voting is a felony .
Her comments came after the president suggested during a trip to Wilmington , North Carolina , on Wednesday that people should try to test the system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upcoming presidential election and then trying to vote in person on Election Day to make sure it 's counted — although it is illegal to vote twice .
`` So let them send it in , and let them go vote , '' said Trump .
`` If their system is as good as they say it is , obviously , they wo n't be able to vote .
If it is n't tabulated , they 'll be able to vote .
So that 's the way it is and that 's what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest comments come as part of a larger narrative he has constructed in recent months to cast doubt on the validity of mail-in voting and claim it is riddled with massive fraud , despite no evidence of that being true .
On Thursday , the president tried to explain his comments via social media , writing on Facebook and Twitter that people should go to their polling place to inquire if their mail-in vote has already been tabulated and , if not , try to vote again .
But current delays in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws in states on the date up until which mail-in ballots can be received , may mean some voters who follow the president 's advice might end up facing criminal action if they cast two ballots .
In an attempt to fact-check Trump , a compulsive liar who has continually displayed little understanding of how government works , Facebook moderators added a label to the president 's comments on Thursday .
`` Voting by mail has a long history of trustworthiness in the US and the same is predicted this year , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of its attempts to stop disinformation and misinformation .

The head of the North Carolina Board of Elections reminded voters on Thursday that double voting is illegal, a day after the president of the United States suggested citizens in the state try to do it as a means of testing their elections system.
"It is illegal to vote twice in an election," Karen Brinson Bell said in a statement, explaining that double voting is a felony.
Her comments came after the president suggested during a trip to Wilmington, North Carolina, on Wednesday that people should try to test the system there by voting by mail in the upcoming presidential election and then trying to vote in person on Election Day to make sure it's counted — although it is illegal to vote twice.
"So let them send it in, and let them go vote," said Trump. "If their system is as good as they say it is, obviously, they won't be able to vote. If it isn't tabulated, they'll be able to vote. So that's the way it is and that's what they should do."
Trump's latest comments come as part of a larger narrative he has constructed in recent months to cast doubt on the validity of mail-in voting and claim it is riddled with massive fraud, despite no evidence of that being true.
On Thursday, the president tried to explain his comments via social media, writing on Facebook and Twitter that people should go to their polling place to inquire if their mail-in vote has already been tabulated and, if not, try to vote again.
But current delays in the postal system, as well as differing laws in states on the date up until which mail-in ballots can be received, may mean some voters who follow the president's advice might end up facing criminal action if they cast two ballots.
In an attempt to fact-check Trump, a compulsive liar who has continually displayed little understanding of how government works, Facebook moderators added a label to the president's comments on Thursday.
"Voting by mail has a long history of trustworthiness in the US and the same is predicted this year," read a disclaimer added by Facebook as part of its attempts to stop disinformation and misinformation.