Today's Liberal News

Kaepernick strikes deal with Disney to ‘elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers’

NFL teams have been strong in their commitment to keeping Colin Kaepernick off the field, but the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback continues to expand his influence and voice as a civil rights activist. Walt Disney announced a new deal with Kaepernick’s production company Monday morning, starting with an ESPN documentary on Kaepernick’s life. Former ESPN Jemele Hill will be involved in that project.

But the deal doesn’t stop there.

Listen: How the Coronavirus Affects Kids

Early on in the pandemic, it seemed as if kids were spared the worst effects of the coronavirus. But in May, a mysterious illness emerged that affected children and appeared to be linked to the virus. As parents now look to send kids back to school and daycare, how should they think about these risks? What do we now know about this new syndrome?James Hamblin and Katherine Wells are joined on the Social Distance podcast by staff writer Sarah Zhang to discuss.

Voters in coronavirus hot spots know who to blame

The renewed spread of coronavirus across the United States—and, in particular, into battleground states—is not doing Donald Trump any favors. That’s appropriate, since Trump’s early refusal to treat the pandemic seriously and his repeated failures since have gotten us to this point. It’s almost like Trump may face a consequence at some point.

Shock doctrine in action: Trump friends, former staff cash in on COVID-19 crisis

It’s all grift all the time in Trump world. And very, very swampy. A Public Citizen analysis has uncovered 40 Trump-connected lobbyists—including five former administration officials—securing more than $10 billion in coronavirus aid from the federal government and says that former administration officials lobbying violates Trump’s own ethics policy. (I know, right? Trump and ethics in the same sentence.

Virginia still showing the good consequences of elections

Virginia continued to demonstrate the critical importance of state houses and governorships with a handful of new, progressive laws passed by the Democratic legislature and signed by a Democratic governor that came into effect July 1. Abortion rights, LGBTQ+ civil rights, the decriminalization of pot, an end to incarcerating juveniles for life—all happened in the state because of Virginia’s 2019 flip of the legislature to Democrats.

The Atlantic Daily: The Coronavirus Blame Game

Every weekday evening, our editors guide you through the biggest stories of the day, help you discover new ideas, and surprise you with moments of delight. Subscribe to get this delivered to your inbox.SHUTTERSTOCK / NIH / THE ATLANTICWith confirmed cases again on the rise—this time like never before—Americans can feel justified in their coronavirus angst.

How J. K. Rowling Became Voldemort

It has taken two decades, but I am finally ready to admit that I was the world’s most annoying teenager. My parents are Catholic, and I used to delight in peppering them with trollish questions, preferably several hours into a long car journey. “Why does the Mass service refer to God as ‘he’ and ‘father’?” was a favorite.

Egyptian Activist Laila Soueif on the Jailing of Her Children & the Fight Against Authoritarianism

Egyptian authorities have arrested scores of people, including doctors, medical workers, journalists, lawyers and activists, as the country grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. “Unlike nearly every other country in the Middle East, Egypt has not released thousands of prisoners as a precaution against the coronavirus. Instead, it’s arrested more people and cut off communication,” says Democracy Now! correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous.

Indigenous Historian Nick Estes on Toppling Statues, Racist Team Names & COVID-19 in Indian Country

President Trump’s visit to Mount Rushmore comes after months of escalating coronavirus infections in Native communities, but Indigenous scholar and activist Nick Estes says South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, like many of her Republican counterparts across the U.S., has taken a “hallucination-based approach to the COVID-19 pandemic,” and notes she refused to enforce social distancing at this weekend’s event that attracted thousands of people.