Brett D - OKC
@brettdokc.bsky.social
Founder/Editor of Oklahoma City Free Press, freepressokc.bsky.social. He/him. Lifelong Oklahoman and resident of Oklahoma City. This is my personal account. Opinions and viewpoints expressed do not represent OKC Free Press or sponsors.
This is the beefiest thread I’ve seen in a while and well worth your time. Some of the salient convos off of it are informative, too.
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
November 29, 2025 at 2:57 PM
This is the beefiest thread I’ve seen in a while and well worth your time. Some of the salient convos off of it are informative, too.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
Columbia and Northwestern are the academic homes to the most prestigious journalism schools in the country and they are the two universities that caved to the Trump administration’s extortion demands that are directly connected to the First Amendment. Just gonna sit with that for a while.
November 29, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Columbia and Northwestern are the academic homes to the most prestigious journalism schools in the country and they are the two universities that caved to the Trump administration’s extortion demands that are directly connected to the First Amendment. Just gonna sit with that for a while.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
The reason the top 10% of income earners pay more than half of all tax revenue is NOT because they are taxed more than ever.
Their tax rate has been cut FIVE times in the last 25 years.
They are paying more because their INCOME has increased astronomically, where the income of the bottom half has
Their tax rate has been cut FIVE times in the last 25 years.
They are paying more because their INCOME has increased astronomically, where the income of the bottom half has
November 29, 2025 at 12:23 PM
The reason the top 10% of income earners pay more than half of all tax revenue is NOT because they are taxed more than ever.
Their tax rate has been cut FIVE times in the last 25 years.
They are paying more because their INCOME has increased astronomically, where the income of the bottom half has
Their tax rate has been cut FIVE times in the last 25 years.
They are paying more because their INCOME has increased astronomically, where the income of the bottom half has
How mass media TV will interview anyone as a reliable source as long as it juices an already sad story. Is an ex-boyfriend a reliable source? This is bullshit, not reporting.
Sarah Beckstrom's ex-boyfriend told NBC News she dreamed of becoming an FBI special agent.
She didn't want to deploy to D.C.
"She hated it. She cried about it."
But she started visiting monuments and museums and started enjoying it.
May she rest in peace.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
She didn't want to deploy to D.C.
"She hated it. She cried about it."
But she started visiting monuments and museums and started enjoying it.
May she rest in peace.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
National Guard member killed in D.C. shooting remembered for 'heart of gold'
The slain soldier’s former boyfriend recalled her empathy and generosity. “She doesn’t even have to know you and she’ll do anything for you,” he said.
www.nbcnews.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:11 AM
How mass media TV will interview anyone as a reliable source as long as it juices an already sad story. Is an ex-boyfriend a reliable source? This is bullshit, not reporting.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
What proportion of Americans know that anti-Zionism — far from constituting antisemitism — is a longstanding, principled tradition within Jewish communities themselves?
Remarkable that so many insist anti-Zionism is intrinsically antisemitic when Haredi and Hasidic rabbis have argued for over a century that Zionism redefines Jewish identity as racial or national rather than religious, thereby replicating antisemitic tropes that Jews constitute an alien nation.
November 29, 2025 at 1:14 AM
What proportion of Americans know that anti-Zionism — far from constituting antisemitism — is a longstanding, principled tradition within Jewish communities themselves?
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
😏
November 29, 2025 at 1:17 AM
😏
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
😏🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
November 29, 2025 at 1:31 AM
😏🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
In another era, the political media would be shoveling dirt onto Trump's political grave as a hopeless lame duck and shifting their focus to the 2028 Presidential race. But in this era they'll keep rooting for the Reichstag Fire or other event to keep pretending he's popular
New Gallup poll shows Trump's approval hit a new low for his second term:
-36% approve
-60% disapprove
His approval among Republicans went from 91% in January to 84% in November
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
-36% approve
-60% disapprove
His approval among Republicans went from 91% in January to 84% in November
news.gallup.com/poll/699221/...
Trump's Approval Rating Drops to 36%, New Second-Term Low
President Donald Trump's job approval rating has slipped to a new second-term low point and is approaching his all-time low of 34%.
news.gallup.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
In another era, the political media would be shoveling dirt onto Trump's political grave as a hopeless lame duck and shifting their focus to the 2028 Presidential race. But in this era they'll keep rooting for the Reichstag Fire or other event to keep pretending he's popular
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
If you want to read the full @propublica.org investigation into CIA-backed Afghan Zero Units, here's Lynzy Billing's award-winning piece from 2022:
November 28, 2025 at 5:12 PM
If you want to read the full @propublica.org investigation into CIA-backed Afghan Zero Units, here's Lynzy Billing's award-winning piece from 2022:
For Shooting Suspect, a Long Path of Conflict From Afghanistan to America www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
For Shooting Suspect, a Long Path of Conflict From Afghanistan to America
www.nytimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 5:49 PM
For Shooting Suspect, a Long Path of Conflict From Afghanistan to America www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
The fucking irony of this Jew to cape Third Reich white supremacist talking points BECAUSE his grandparents could assimilate into US culture when whiteness expanded just enough for them.
(One day he might find that this same conditional whiteness he was granted is more conditional+ less secure.)
(One day he might find that this same conditional whiteness he was granted is more conditional+ less secure.)
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 3:14 PM
The fucking irony of this Jew to cape Third Reich white supremacist talking points BECAUSE his grandparents could assimilate into US culture when whiteness expanded just enough for them.
(One day he might find that this same conditional whiteness he was granted is more conditional+ less secure.)
(One day he might find that this same conditional whiteness he was granted is more conditional+ less secure.)
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
It’s important to note that every single one of these Chicago ICE/ CBP stories DID receive massive coverage by our local media. It was local press together with vigilant residents that documented & then unraveled nearly every lie about the incidents as well.
Ask yourself why there wasn’t this level of wall to wall coverage for this shooting wgme.com/news/local/i...
ICE agent who shot woman in Chicago drove Border Patrol vehicle back to Maine
An unnamed ICE agent, who shot and injured a woman in Chicago, is now back in Maine after driving the Border Patrol vehicle he was in 1,100 miles.
wgme.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:47 AM
It’s important to note that every single one of these Chicago ICE/ CBP stories DID receive massive coverage by our local media. It was local press together with vigilant residents that documented & then unraveled nearly every lie about the incidents as well.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
The DC shooting story is really getting to me because we literally trained this man as a child soldier for a death squad in a forever war and Stephen Miller et al want to blame it on other cultures? It's our culture, American culture, that killed that woman.
November 28, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The DC shooting story is really getting to me because we literally trained this man as a child soldier for a death squad in a forever war and Stephen Miller et al want to blame it on other cultures? It's our culture, American culture, that killed that woman.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
Four of Trump's five children have an immigrant mother, and the one who doesn't is married to the son of two immigrants.
Trump makes the outrageous claim that “most” immigrants, which include over 25 million U.S. citizens, “are on welfare, from failed nations, or from prisons, mental institutions, gangs, or drug cartels.”
As insulting as the “deplorables” comment, and on Thanksgiving day no less.
As insulting as the “deplorables” comment, and on Thanksgiving day no less.
Trump calls Tim Walz “seriously retarded”
November 28, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Four of Trump's five children have an immigrant mother, and the one who doesn't is married to the son of two immigrants.
If so, guess who would benefit the most. It won't be workaday people.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday his administration may slash income tax completely over the next couple of years because of government revenue generated from tariffs.
Trump says he may cut income tax 'completely' because of tariff income
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday his administration may slash income tax completely over the next couple of years because of government revenue generated from tariffs.
reut.rs
November 28, 2025 at 5:20 AM
If so, guess who would benefit the most. It won't be workaday people.
I've found that when other reporters in the room follow any attack with the same question, then the attack looses power. It reinforces that the question was legit and the attacks don't matter. It's about the only thing that works. Reacting with outrage furthers the distraction they are looking for.
Look at these men. They are ashamed of themselves as they should be. They are standing here while the president calls their professional colleague a “stupid person.”
I don’t care if you think you’ll lose access. You need to speak up. Decent Americans are tired of this and disgusted with all of you.
I don’t care if you think you’ll lose access. You need to speak up. Decent Americans are tired of this and disgusted with all of you.
November 28, 2025 at 5:16 AM
I've found that when other reporters in the room follow any attack with the same question, then the attack looses power. It reinforces that the question was legit and the attacks don't matter. It's about the only thing that works. Reacting with outrage furthers the distraction they are looking for.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
There will be a flood of conspiracy theories from both sides about what the DC National Guard shooting "really" was. Except nobody knows exactly what happened or if anyone died, and there are no details about the shooter. Sometimes the proper response is not to respond for a while.
November 26, 2025 at 9:53 PM
There will be a flood of conspiracy theories from both sides about what the DC National Guard shooting "really" was. Except nobody knows exactly what happened or if anyone died, and there are no details about the shooter. Sometimes the proper response is not to respond for a while.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
The big question in my mind: How big of a player was Scripps by 2025 that their shares were $7?
Terrible news.
Broadcast giant Sinclair makes bid to buy out EW Scripps for $7 per share
apnews.com/article/sinc...
Broadcast giant Sinclair makes bid to buy out EW Scripps for $7 per share
apnews.com/article/sinc...
Broadcast giant Sinclair makes bid to buy out EW Scripps for $7 per share
Sinclair has submitted a bid to buy out E.W. Scripps for $7 per share, in a deal that could bring further consolidation across America’s local TV news landscape.
apnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:21 PM
The big question in my mind: How big of a player was Scripps by 2025 that their shares were $7?
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
It's important to remember why this is true. The president's command of the armed forces comes only from the Constitution. He has no magical authority beyond it. And the Constitution also says that Congress has the power to "make rules for the government and regulation" of those armed forces. 1/1
November 26, 2025 at 1:51 AM
It's important to remember why this is true. The president's command of the armed forces comes only from the Constitution. He has no magical authority beyond it. And the Constitution also says that Congress has the power to "make rules for the government and regulation" of those armed forces. 1/1
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
I don't have children or student loans, and I bought a house with money left to me when my mother died, and I never leave those three things out of the "how did you transition into freelancing full time" conversation because otherwise it is WILDLY disingenuous to talk about how writing pays my bills
And the folks who are actually writing full-time generally only got there after years of day jobs, family support, or both.
The point of sharing this is not to demoralize anyone, but to let emerging writers know they're not failing if they can't make a living off writing alone. Almost no one can.
The point of sharing this is not to demoralize anyone, but to let emerging writers know they're not failing if they can't make a living off writing alone. Almost no one can.
almost every novelist you read who's not from the airport fiction or bestseller sections is working a full on day job, including multi-award winners and absolute legends, or they have a spouse or trust that supports them. virtually across the board. just normalize in your mind that's how it works.
November 26, 2025 at 12:09 AM
I don't have children or student loans, and I bought a house with money left to me when my mother died, and I never leave those three things out of the "how did you transition into freelancing full time" conversation because otherwise it is WILDLY disingenuous to talk about how writing pays my bills
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday started his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, to the surprise of many in the South American nation who doubted he would ever end up behind bars.
https://to.pbs.org/4pDcRaN
https://to.pbs.org/4pDcRaN
Jair Bolsonaro begins 27-year prison sentence for Brazilian coup attempt
The far-right leader had been under house arrest since August and was taken to federal police headquarters Saturday after trying to break his ankle monitor.
www.pbs.org
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday started his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, to the surprise of many in the South American nation who doubted he would ever end up behind bars.
https://to.pbs.org/4pDcRaN
https://to.pbs.org/4pDcRaN
Reposted by Brett D - OKC
The more damning, and likely more accurate, moral of this set piece of the Nuzzi affair is that this was, and remains, the business model of Olivia Nuzzi’s public career—together with the bloated and corrupt enterprise of Beltway journalism writ large.
The Nuzzi Siege of Power
The journalist’s rise and fall and rise again looks like a performance of tabloid drama. But really, it’s Beltway access reporting taken to its natural extreme.
www.thenation.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The more damning, and likely more accurate, moral of this set piece of the Nuzzi affair is that this was, and remains, the business model of Olivia Nuzzi’s public career—together with the bloated and corrupt enterprise of Beltway journalism writ large.