Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Zeeshan Aleem

@zeeshanaleem.bsky.social

9.2K followers 740 following 920 posts

Political columnist and editor @MSNBC Daily. Say hello: [email protected] Sign up for my free politics newsletter: http://zeeshanaleem.substack.com/subscribe

zeeshanaleem.substack.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · Nov 12

an intro note to pin to my profile:

Hello! I’m a political columnist & editor. I have left-wing views but I value independence and critique actors and ideas across the political spectrum — including those on my side. It's okay if you don't always agree with me; I often don't agree with myself.

23 3 84

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 1d

New free speech standard just dropped: don't say anything irritating.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump: "We took the freedom of speech away because that's been through the courts and the courts said you have freedom of speech, but what has happened is when they burn a flag it agitates and irritates crowds."

2 4

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 1d

this is what a "politically undistracted" DoD looks like
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Hegseth’s sprawling hunt for Charlie Kirk critics spans nearly 300 investigations

The inquiry, resulting in a smattering of disciplinary action so far, follows an extraordinary directive aimed at silencing criticism of the slain activist and Trump supporter.

www.washingtonpost.com

2 4

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 4d

Van Jones has been on a very weird trajectory for a long time, but I don't see how one could see this mocking and gaslighting style of genocide denial as coming from someone who belongs on the left.

1 6

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 5d

A jaw-droppingly stupid meeting of the minds.

Bill Maher: "Critical race theory" explains how the left thinks about the Middle east.

Van Jones: No, no -- pro-Gaza sentiment can be explained by Qatar and Iran hijacking TikTok with a secret campaign to ... show us dead children in Gaza.

Trita Parsi @tparsi.bsky.social · 5d

Van Jones is giving us a preview of the campaign Bari Weiss and Oracle will run to justify their coming censorship of CNN, CBS News, and TikTok.

>>

1 6 12

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 6d

After some backlash she tried saying this was merely a new art form like puppeteering, which, lol.

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 6d

A Dutch AI entrepreneur has said that she wants her AI "actress" Tilly Norwood to be "the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman" and says she's getting interest from talent agents who want to cast her AI creation in movies. Hollywood is freaking out. My thoughts: www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | AI 'actor' Tilly Norwood is an innovation nobody asked for

A new AI "actor" is piquing the interest of talent agents. This spells disaster for cinema.

www.msnbc.com

2 1

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 6d

what is the controversy over?

Reposted by Zeeshan Aleem

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 6d

A guy who churns out a new memoir every few years may not be the right person to offer a broader historical perspective that does not feature his experiences in some way

1 6 110

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 6d

hahahaha honestly fucking nailed it.

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 6d

I also just think a lot of it derives from being historically illiterate. Like you can think whatever you want about 2020 - there's room for valid critique - but constantly positing that it is the origin point of censorship or illiberal tendencies in american culture is comically ignorant.

1 4 82

Reposted by Zeeshan Aleem

Andrew Couts @couts.bsky.social · 6d

NEW: ICE is planning to hire a team of nearly 30 people to surveil social media 24/7, build dossiers on people, and flag them for arrest and deportation. @dell.bsky.social has the scoop: www.wired.com/story/ice-so...

ICE Wants to Build Out a 24/7 Social Media Surveillance Team

Documents show ICE plans to hire dozens of contractors to scan X, Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms to target people for deportation.

www.wired.com

790 4.9K 6.5K

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 6d

This is exactly right. And it also explains a lot of the people who are like "MAGA merely learned from the only other period of mass censorship in American history: cancel culture."

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 6d

there is a real “guy who has only seen the boss baby” aspect to TCW’s work. the 2020 protests appear to be his only frame
of reference for the world, and so everything must be made to fit into his (incredibly stupid) idea of what they were.

Philip Bump @pbump.com · 6d

my guy thinks the floyd protests were about floyd

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 7d

As defensive (and idiotic) comedian statements continue to come out, a reminder I wrote about "comedy washing" and why I think it's worse than sportswashing when it comes to Saudi Arabia: www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Opinion | America's top comedians are helping launder a brutal autocracy's reputation

American comedians are helping launder a brutal autocracy's reputation by playing by its rules.

www.msnbc.com

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 7d

And I suppose the Free Press will get more money to expand after the forthcoming acquisition, which I suppose is the part of the deal that's more influential.

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 7d

...altering the DNA of old legacy institutions associated broadly with neutrality.

1 5

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 7d

My low-confidence take at the moment is that Bari Weiss' reported coup at CBS matters less in terms of cultural impact, because CBS isn't a major player anymore for influencing the culture, and matters more in terms of the precedent it's setting, with tycoons buying their way into ...

1 3

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 7d

Dave, thank you, this is so brave. Curious how KSA would've reacted if he made fun of, say, the crown prince, or Mecca?

The Hollywood Reporter @thr.com · 7d

Dave Chappelle criticized the status of free speech in the United States while on stage at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia.

Dave Chappelle Criticizes Free Speech in America at Saudi Arabia Comedy Festival

Dave Chappelle criticized the status of free speech in the United States while on stage at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia.

bit.ly

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 7d

Watching legacy media just repeat the same bullshit narratives over and over and over again, unchanging in response to Zohran's actual positions, polling data, voter data, and international law, is just an insane spectacle. Thank god Zohran knows how to joust with them.

Razzball @razzball.bsky.social · 8d

Zohran Mamdani calling it a genocide on The View and getting applause.

Reposted by Zeeshan Aleem

Dave Weigel @daveweigel.bsky.social · 7d

"Bari Weiss to become CBS News EIC" has been leaked/rumored a few times but this feels more concrete: nypost.com/2025/10/02/m...

Exclusive | Bari Weiss to be named editor in chief of CBS News as part of major Paramount Skydance shakeup: sources

Weiss will report directly to Paramount Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison as she helps set the editorial direction at the third-place CBS News, a source close to the situation said.

nypost.com

53 26 240

Reposted by Zeeshan Aleem

Adam S. Hersh, Ph.D. @ahecon.bsky.social · 7d

Welcome to the occupation, #PDX: youtu.be/PrR6qQ3I4e0?... @voodoodoughnut.bsky.social #ORpolitics #Oregonpolitics

2 1

Reposted by Zeeshan Aleem

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 7d

this is the worst I've seen happen to someone in a panel and I am an analytic philosopher

erik-pbg.bsky.social @erik-pbg.bsky.social · 7d

Time to post the video where an ex of hers is on a C-SPAN panel with her and calls her a sadist to her face

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAIT...

Todd Seavey and Helen Rittelmeyer on C-SPAN2 BookTV

YouTube video by C-SPAN

www.youtube.com

37 63 450

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 8d

Yes - and one could argue that the (reasonable) narratives about autocracy and fascism to some extent eclipse systematic appraisals of plutocracy.

1 3

Reposted by Zeeshan Aleem

elias isquith @eliasisquith.blog · 8d

and isn't that really the story of our time? (mostly) men with unfathomably and toxic levels of unaccountable wealth & power systematically — yet also absent-mindedly — destroying the institutions that generations of people built for the sake of the greater good?

4 9 57

Reposted by Zeeshan Aleem

elias isquith @eliasisquith.blog · 8d

i joke b/c it's easier than crying but it is genuinely tragic—and so reflective of life in the era of the big tech robber barons—to see bezos take an institution like the WaPo, something that aspired towards (and sometimes achieved) our highest collective ideals for democracy, and just wreck it.

2 20 130

Zeeshan Aleem @zeeshanaleem.bsky.social · 8d

layers of cowardice www.reuters.com/world/us/fbi...

FBI cuts ties with Anti-Defamation League, FBI director says

The FBI said on Wednesday it had cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish group that tracks antisemitism, after Republicans criticized the group for including slain activist Charlie Kirk's organization in a glossary on extremism.