it’s one of those DHS-sponsored “fusion centers” that started cropping up post-9/11. there are like 80 of them spread out all over the US.

one would think this might help people better understand what police actually exist to do, but here we are…

anyway, just remember that echo chambers certainly exist but we also don’t have to live in a 24/7 mosh pit. we can step outside and split a cigarette in the parking lot sometimes, too.

but when you treat journalism like a for-profit business instead of a constitutionally-protected building block of democracy, you naturally disincentivize nuance, complexity, and knowledge-building in favor of manufactured conflict for the sake of conflict.

you can absolutely write an interesting story about how universal healthcare is a moral imperative and here’s how we do it. but writing an interesting story about a horse race between “universal healthcare is a moral imperative” vs. “letting everybody die is good actually” is just so much easier.

the problem with the phrase “no one wants an abortion” is not the word “want.” the problem is the word “no one.” pregnant people who wish to be not-pregnant aren’t “no one.” maybe *you* don’t want an abortion *right now* but there are *somebodies* who do want abortions somewhere *all the time.*