Maren McGowan
@marenmcgowan.bsky.social
Educator, Advocate, Feminist
Interests: global social & climate justice; SSHL; neurodiversity; disability & chronic illness rights; folk, roots, & blues music; thrift stores; integrity in journalism; 🏳️🌈🇳🇴
Interests: global social & climate justice; SSHL; neurodiversity; disability & chronic illness rights; folk, roots, & blues music; thrift stores; integrity in journalism; 🏳️🌈🇳🇴
Reposted by Maren McGowan
I mean one of the ways the media has long protected Trump is by acting like the internet isn't real and refusing to place things said on-line in front of they're not on-line readers
also reporters are super lazy, and won't leave twitter for anything even posts by the President.
also reporters are super lazy, and won't leave twitter for anything even posts by the President.
December 27, 2025 at 3:44 AM
I mean one of the ways the media has long protected Trump is by acting like the internet isn't real and refusing to place things said on-line in front of they're not on-line readers
also reporters are super lazy, and won't leave twitter for anything even posts by the President.
also reporters are super lazy, and won't leave twitter for anything even posts by the President.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
How are these fits of presidential incontinence never covered as their own news events in NYT? Hours of sick hateful bile from the curdled joyless leader of the Christian nationalists sitting in the ruins of the tinsel trimmed White House he’s demolishing — seems like a story to me.
December 27, 2025 at 3:32 AM
How are these fits of presidential incontinence never covered as their own news events in NYT? Hours of sick hateful bile from the curdled joyless leader of the Christian nationalists sitting in the ruins of the tinsel trimmed White House he’s demolishing — seems like a story to me.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Contrary to Blanche’s insistence that the redactions are about protecting victims, the administration is actively doing the opposite — retaliating against and intimidating survivors who implicated Trump. And it is doing so in plain sight, quietly enough that almost no one has noticed.
Breaking: Evidence that Trump's DOJ is Actively Intimidating Epstein Survivors
A government that truly cares about victims would shield the vulnerable and expose the powerful. This one did the opposite.
open.substack.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Contrary to Blanche’s insistence that the redactions are about protecting victims, the administration is actively doing the opposite — retaliating against and intimidating survivors who implicated Trump. And it is doing so in plain sight, quietly enough that almost no one has noticed.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
NEW: Statement from some Epstein survivors:
"It is alarming that the United States Department of Justice, the very agency tasked with upholding the law, has violated the law, both by withholding massive quantities of documents, and by failing to redact survivor identities.."
"It is alarming that the United States Department of Justice, the very agency tasked with upholding the law, has violated the law, both by withholding massive quantities of documents, and by failing to redact survivor identities.."
December 22, 2025 at 3:58 PM
NEW: Statement from some Epstein survivors:
"It is alarming that the United States Department of Justice, the very agency tasked with upholding the law, has violated the law, both by withholding massive quantities of documents, and by failing to redact survivor identities.."
"It is alarming that the United States Department of Justice, the very agency tasked with upholding the law, has violated the law, both by withholding massive quantities of documents, and by failing to redact survivor identities.."
Reposted by Maren McGowan
CBS paid the president of the United States millions in bribe money and now they censor news reports so it does not annoy him. I don’t know how much plainer we can put this.
December 22, 2025 at 12:14 PM
CBS paid the president of the United States millions in bribe money and now they censor news reports so it does not annoy him. I don’t know how much plainer we can put this.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Leaders of the Democratic Party rarely talk about how corrupt the media is. That needs to change (mostly by changing who the leaders of the party are).
December 22, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Leaders of the Democratic Party rarely talk about how corrupt the media is. That needs to change (mostly by changing who the leaders of the party are).
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Paramount-owned CBS abruptly canceled a story exposing the Trump administration's brutal deportations.
The reporter called it a "political decision."
Paramount needs Trump’s backing to buy Warner Bros. — including CNN.
Is that just a coincidence?
This looks like corruption.
The reporter called it a "political decision."
Paramount needs Trump’s backing to buy Warner Bros. — including CNN.
Is that just a coincidence?
This looks like corruption.
December 22, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Paramount-owned CBS abruptly canceled a story exposing the Trump administration's brutal deportations.
The reporter called it a "political decision."
Paramount needs Trump’s backing to buy Warner Bros. — including CNN.
Is that just a coincidence?
This looks like corruption.
The reporter called it a "political decision."
Paramount needs Trump’s backing to buy Warner Bros. — including CNN.
Is that just a coincidence?
This looks like corruption.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Bari Weiss is bad at journalism, which everybody has known for a long time, but today proved that she's also bad at laundering propaganda, which is far more important for the people who gave her the job.
December 22, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Bari Weiss is bad at journalism, which everybody has known for a long time, but today proved that she's also bad at laundering propaganda, which is far more important for the people who gave her the job.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Bari Weiss is the logical endpoint of corporate media. This is what happens when people who hate journalism are in charge of it. The only way journalism works is when it’s independent from the power it’s supposed to hold to account, which means ownership can’t have anything to do with those in power
December 22, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Bari Weiss is the logical endpoint of corporate media. This is what happens when people who hate journalism are in charge of it. The only way journalism works is when it’s independent from the power it’s supposed to hold to account, which means ownership can’t have anything to do with those in power
Reposted by Maren McGowan
No one is going to tune in to CBS because they know it won’t be critical of Trump but lots of people will tune out for that reason. Spiking the CECOT story to curry favor is a terrible moral and journalistic decision — but it’s also a terrible business decision.
“We are trading 50 years of ‘gold standard’ reputation for a single week of political quiet.” www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
‘60 Minutes’ Pulled a Segment. A Correspondent Calls It ‘Political.’
www.nytimes.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:57 AM
No one is going to tune in to CBS because they know it won’t be critical of Trump but lots of people will tune out for that reason. Spiking the CECOT story to curry favor is a terrible moral and journalistic decision — but it’s also a terrible business decision.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
“These men risked their lives to speak with us. We have a moral and professional obligation to the sources who entrusted us with their
stories. Abandoning them now is a betrayal of the most basic tenet of journalism: giving voice to the voiceless.”
stories. Abandoning them now is a betrayal of the most basic tenet of journalism: giving voice to the voiceless.”
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 3:42 AM
“These men risked their lives to speak with us. We have a moral and professional obligation to the sources who entrusted us with their
stories. Abandoning them now is a betrayal of the most basic tenet of journalism: giving voice to the voiceless.”
stories. Abandoning them now is a betrayal of the most basic tenet of journalism: giving voice to the voiceless.”
Reposted by Maren McGowan
It’s great that 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi is coming right out swinging. Not having a second of this bullshit!
I think coddled hacks like Bari Weiss have no idea what to do with righteous fury like this except, if anything, somehow play victim. Let’s see!
I think coddled hacks like Bari Weiss have no idea what to do with righteous fury like this except, if anything, somehow play victim. Let’s see!
Again, from Michael Grynbaum, here is Sharyn Alfonsi's full email.
It must be read:
It must be read:
December 22, 2025 at 5:19 AM
It’s great that 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi is coming right out swinging. Not having a second of this bullshit!
I think coddled hacks like Bari Weiss have no idea what to do with righteous fury like this except, if anything, somehow play victim. Let’s see!
I think coddled hacks like Bari Weiss have no idea what to do with righteous fury like this except, if anything, somehow play victim. Let’s see!
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Let this sink in: Bari Weiss refused to fact check one goddamn thing Erika Kirk said while giving her an hour of prime time real estate last week. Meanwhile, she held a meticulously fact-checked investigative report because it was missing "critical voices."
December 22, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Let this sink in: Bari Weiss refused to fact check one goddamn thing Erika Kirk said while giving her an hour of prime time real estate last week. Meanwhile, she held a meticulously fact-checked investigative report because it was missing "critical voices."
Reposted by Maren McGowan
The thing about this is that there are some otherwise reasonable people out there who had not yet figured out that Bari Weiss is a tool of the Trump administration and this is, uh, gonna be a pretty big signal
Per NY Times’s Michael Grynbaum on X, this is Sharyn Alfonsi’s email to her “60 Minutes” colleagues in full:
December 22, 2025 at 4:40 AM
The thing about this is that there are some otherwise reasonable people out there who had not yet figured out that Bari Weiss is a tool of the Trump administration and this is, uh, gonna be a pretty big signal
Reposted by Maren McGowan
So Bari Weiss’s first real editorial intervention at CBS is to repress coverage of American concentration camps.
December 22, 2025 at 3:05 AM
So Bari Weiss’s first real editorial intervention at CBS is to repress coverage of American concentration camps.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Expect a "revolt" among 60 Minutes staff over Bari Weiss pulling the CECOT segment at the last minute, one network insider told me.
Another CBS News reporter added that a Rubicon had been crossed with this decision, which 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi called "political" and not editorial.
Another CBS News reporter added that a Rubicon had been crossed with this decision, which 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi called "political" and not editorial.
December 22, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Expect a "revolt" among 60 Minutes staff over Bari Weiss pulling the CECOT segment at the last minute, one network insider told me.
Another CBS News reporter added that a Rubicon had been crossed with this decision, which 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi called "political" and not editorial.
Another CBS News reporter added that a Rubicon had been crossed with this decision, which 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi called "political" and not editorial.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Via @liamjscott.bsky.social at the other site here’s the full email from 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. She’s putting her career on the line by fighting here. And she’s fighting for all of us.
December 22, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Via @liamjscott.bsky.social at the other site here’s the full email from 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. She’s putting her career on the line by fighting here. And she’s fighting for all of us.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Bari Weiss censoring "60 Minutes", protecting Trump and El Salvador's dictator.
But she's such an amateur that it's all exposed, she's caught, as reporter's harsh letter goes public. CBS is crashing.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
But she's such an amateur that it's all exposed, she's caught, as reporter's harsh letter goes public. CBS is crashing.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
‘60 Minutes’ Pulled a Segment. A Correspondent Calls It ‘Political.’
www.nytimes.com
December 22, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Bari Weiss censoring "60 Minutes", protecting Trump and El Salvador's dictator.
But she's such an amateur that it's all exposed, she's caught, as reporter's harsh letter goes public. CBS is crashing.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
But she's such an amateur that it's all exposed, she's caught, as reporter's harsh letter goes public. CBS is crashing.
Free link.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/21/b...
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Never forget this: The GOP’s nonsensical culture war is meant to distract you from corporate corruption, worker oppression, and staggering wealth inequality.
December 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Never forget this: The GOP’s nonsensical culture war is meant to distract you from corporate corruption, worker oppression, and staggering wealth inequality.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Journalists don't actually have to choose photos that push the administration's propaganda
December 20, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Journalists don't actually have to choose photos that push the administration's propaganda
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Highly recommend that journalists visit some local grocery stores tomorrow to get voter reax to these false claims about food prices…
December 18, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Highly recommend that journalists visit some local grocery stores tomorrow to get voter reax to these false claims about food prices…
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Drinking Liberally Minneapolis recommends that this evening, Dec. 17th, at 9 PM Eastern and 8 PM Central, that you stream either Stand By Me or the Princess Bride, and not whatever happens to be on broadcast teevee.
You will be happier -- and healthier -- for it.
You will be happier -- and healthier -- for it.
December 18, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Drinking Liberally Minneapolis recommends that this evening, Dec. 17th, at 9 PM Eastern and 8 PM Central, that you stream either Stand By Me or the Princess Bride, and not whatever happens to be on broadcast teevee.
You will be happier -- and healthier -- for it.
You will be happier -- and healthier -- for it.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
I keep thinking—as a historian—that it’s rare when doing research to find a politician who reveals his nasty innards so blatantly—with no sense of self or shame.
Future historians who didn’t live through this will be absolutely open-mouthed.
Future historians who didn’t live through this will be absolutely open-mouthed.
Per @garretthaake.bsky.social, the extremely tacky "presidential wall of fame" that lines the colonnade to the West Wing now has obviously-Trump-penned plaques insulting or praising the presidents.
December 17, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I keep thinking—as a historian—that it’s rare when doing research to find a politician who reveals his nasty innards so blatantly—with no sense of self or shame.
Future historians who didn’t live through this will be absolutely open-mouthed.
Future historians who didn’t live through this will be absolutely open-mouthed.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
Trump says we need to go after drug cartels.
Meanwhile, he disbanded a DOJ task force that took them on.
And he pardoned a former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking.
Trump doesn't care about drugs — he wants to be able to declare war on anyone he labels an enemy.
It's a power grab.
Meanwhile, he disbanded a DOJ task force that took them on.
And he pardoned a former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking.
Trump doesn't care about drugs — he wants to be able to declare war on anyone he labels an enemy.
It's a power grab.
December 17, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Trump says we need to go after drug cartels.
Meanwhile, he disbanded a DOJ task force that took them on.
And he pardoned a former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking.
Trump doesn't care about drugs — he wants to be able to declare war on anyone he labels an enemy.
It's a power grab.
Meanwhile, he disbanded a DOJ task force that took them on.
And he pardoned a former Honduran president convicted of drug trafficking.
Trump doesn't care about drugs — he wants to be able to declare war on anyone he labels an enemy.
It's a power grab.
Reposted by Maren McGowan
These professions have to misleading impression of scale too. One top 5%er can write articles that millions read. But you actually need the other 95% to teach classes, to attend the county board of supervisors, to grind out the midrange pubs that constitute a body of literature.
One of the worst developments of the last ~20 years has been that in certain professions, 5% are superstars and 95% eat cat food for dinner.
Society depends on a broad and comfortable middle path.
Society depends on a broad and comfortable middle path.
December 16, 2025 at 8:47 PM
These professions have to misleading impression of scale too. One top 5%er can write articles that millions read. But you actually need the other 95% to teach classes, to attend the county board of supervisors, to grind out the midrange pubs that constitute a body of literature.