Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in The Swamp.
The Internet Is a Lie
Welcome to the Age of Misinformation. In the days leading up the United Kingdom’s 2016 vote on Brexit, it became increasingly clear to British authorities that a foreign national had interfered with the referendum through a tactical social media attack. The foreign national, using social media data gathered from a third party statistics company, had spread misinformation about the vote using automated social media accounts (bots). The foreign country wanted to advance its own interest by dividing the United Kingdom amongst political lines while also advancing policies that softened British policy towards the foreign actor. If this at all sounds familiar, it is. The same thing happened in the 2016 United States election. The same country, Russia, perpetrated the act of interference. And yet Russia does not deserve 100% of the blame.
By Matthew Williams6 years ago in The Swamp
Marching with Ghosts
This year marks the bicentennial of the Peterloo Massacre. On Monday August 16th, 1819, a crowd of over 60,000 people gathered peacefully at St. Peters Field in Manchester to hear speeches in favour of parliamentary reform. They gathered to demand fairer representation in parliament for the industrial North and the extension of the vote to more working-class men. The peaceful protest turned to horror when the 15th Hussars Cavalry were ordered to disperse the crowd. What followed was a barbaric cavalry charge on unarmed civilians, resulting in 18 deaths and over 400 injuries, amongst the dead was two-year-old William Fildes, who was knocked from his mother's arms and trampled by oncoming horses. The tragic day was dubbed ‘Peterloo’ in mock reference to the Battle of Waterloo, which was fought five years earlier. Peterloo was to become the catalyst for political reform in the early 19th century. It paved the way for the Great Reform Act of 1832, which heralded the partial extension of the vote, the creation of new MPs to represent the booming—yet neglected—industrial Northern towns and cities and laid the foundations upon which a century of struggle for democracy, fair votes and universal suffrage could be fought.
By Shaun Ennis6 years ago in The Swamp
Video Blames
The horrific mass shootings of the past couple of days are about to enter the well-known cycle of public discourse meant to account for their existence. People have to talk about these events to make sense of them, to account for why they happened, and to make sense of them—that is, to make sure they do not disrupt the normal order of the country. As usual, video games and the internet are taking a lot of the blame. But something is different this time.
By Steve Llano6 years ago in The Swamp
Move Nancy, Get Out the Way!
They are corrupt. We know that. They are sycophantic. We know that. What we don’t know is what will be done about it. Here’s what won’t do a damn thing—hurling tweeted insults at it. We’ve had it up to here with you Nancy. How long should we wait?
By The Disruptors6 years ago in The Swamp
The Gun Control Lie
There were two horrific shootings within 19 hours of each other this weekend. This is a tragedy and no one should have to endure this in their lifetimes. The fact that the media and the left are trying to get you to think this is an "alt-right" radicalist. The problem is they have only told you the bits and pieces that further their agendas. The question that should be asked is why are there only excerpts from the note being read on the news? Now once more let me state, I am neither left nor right. I am unaffiliated and I am more than capable of making up my mind. That being said sure I lean more right of center than left of center, but the fact remains I can make up my mind for myself.
By Bradley Perry6 years ago in The Swamp
Review of 'The Loudest Voice' 1.6
That's what Roger Ailes says in The Loudest Voice 1.6—"television has replaced the political party." I'm not so sure. I mean, I believe Roger Ailes certainly thought that and likely said that. But I'd say Twitter more than television is the most significant political medium in this Trumpian age. Maybe 2016 was a little too soon for anyone, even Ailes, to recognize that. Maybe Ailes was constitutionally incapable of recognizing the Twitter revolution, given his running the engines of television for politics, going back to Nixon.
By Paul Levinson6 years ago in The Swamp
Reforming British Police Organization
A few things most will agree with; Britain is a relatively small geographic area. Britain has a relativity large population. The population of Britain is largely concentrated in specific high density locations, i.e. cities. Vast amounts of police time and cost is devoted to paperwork and administration, both of the police force itself and the administration of court systems. The existing police forces have to cover a very wide range of legal and social issues, from terrorism to racial discrimination; from cars doing 5mph over a specified limit to illegal traveller camps; from domestic violence to multimillion pound frauds; from huge scale drug dealing to children riding bicycles on the pavements; from minor traffic accidents to nuclear melt down at a power station.
By Peter Rose6 years ago in The Swamp
Make America Great (Again?)
A lot of my batch-mates and friends from the school time have moved to the USA in search for a better future—and it's a great step towards a rewarding life. However, whenever I have a conversation with almost any of those friends, I sense the hint of pride in their tone—almost obnoxious, narcissistic pride. It's a good move to move to a different country, but that does not mean that the people you left back in your home country, or the people who live in some other country are somehow beneath you. It is not healthy, quite frankly.
By Hitarth Raval6 years ago in The Swamp
