When the White House press secretary says ‘your mom,’ it’s not a joke. It’s the message.; Poynter, October 21, 2025

 Ren LaForme, Amaris Castillo and TyLisa Johnson, Poynter; When the White House press secretary says ‘your mom,’ it’s not a joke. It’s the message.

"Late last week, after President Donald Trump said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, HuffPost correspondent S.V. Dáte reached out to the White House with a straightforward question: Who picked Budapest?

In 1994, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine and Russia met in Budapest, where Ukraine agreed to give up the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal in exchange for Russia’s promise to respect its sovereignty and existing borders, and to refrain from using force or coercion against it. Given that context, the choice of Budapest struck some as tone-deaf.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded, but not with an explanation. Instead, she replied: “Your mom did.” She later posted a screenshot of the exchange on X, called Dáte “a left-wing hack” and said he masquerades as a real reporter.

It’s another breach of the professionalism that once defined interactions between reporters and the White House, even in moments of tension. Every administration has had its spats with the press — Richard Nixon’s enemies list, Barack Obama’s leak prosecutions, Joe Biden’s limited-access strategy — but Trump’s team has turned that antagonism into a communications strategy.

Since January, the White House has taken direct control of the press pool from the White House Correspondents’ Association, censored pool reports before release, eliminated a wire reporter’s pool slot and reassigned the traditional first questions in briefings to friendly outlets. It has removed journalists from the president’s travel pool and restricted access to events that had long been open to the full press corps. (See our Press Freedom Watch for a running list of such incidents).

When a press secretary can respond to a reporter’s question with “your mom” and post it proudly online, it’s not a slip of decorum. It’s the message."

Pentagon calls Netflix's hit gay Marines show Boots 'woke garbage'; Out, October 16, 2025

Mey Rude, Out ; Pentagon calls Netflix's hit gay Marines show Boots 'woke garbage'

[Kip Currier: As the head of the Department of Defense-cum-War, Pete Hegseth's statements, reported in this article and other news stories, are disrespectful to the thousands of LGBT service members who have selflessly served and sacrificed for their country.

All people are entitled to dignity and respect. The divisiveness of Hegseth and others who denounce people and groups must not be normalized.

Thank you to all military service members, living and deceased, who have given so much for democracy, our nation, and the world.]

[Excerpt]

"Netflix's new show Boots is topping the streamers' viewing charts, but the U.S. military isn't as enthusiastic about the show as fans are.

The Pentagon now says in a statement that it does not endorse the new show, which stars Miles Heizeras a closeted young man who joins the Marines in a time when it was forbidden for gay recruits to serve.

"Under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos. Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn't care if you're a man, a woman, gay, or straight," a statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson to Entertainment Weekly says.

In the statement, Wilson says that officials "will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children."

Netflix has yet to respond.

Since becoming Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth has made several moves to erase LGBTQ+ people from the military. In June, he announced that a Navy ship named for gay rights leader Harvey Milk would be renamed. Hegseth also supports Trump's Executive Order 14183, which mandates the discharge of all trans service members and prevents new trans troops from enlisting."

Pete Hegseth Would Hate Netflix’s New Show. That’s Why I Loved It.; Slate, October 9, 2025

DAVID MACK, Slate ; Pete Hegseth Would Hate Netflix’s New Show. That’s Why I Loved It.

"“Becoming a man? What does that actually mean?” That’s the question posed at the start of Boots, Netflix’s new queer coming-of-age series set in a Marine Corps training program, but also one essentially posed by our new so-called Secretary of War Pete Hegseth just last week. Yet while Hegseth, onstage before the nation’s top military brass, tried to answer the question with chest-beating machismo, insisting on “the highest male standard” and decrying “beardos” and “males who think they’re females,” only Boots arrives at a coherent answer.

In an incredible bit of timing, Boots is also set in 1990—the year to which Hegseth said he wants to wind back military training and standards, declaring current guidelines “woke garbage.”"

Hegseth declares war on ‘fat’ generals, troops; The Hill, September 30, 2025

ELLEN MITCHELL , The Hill; Hegseth declares war on ‘fat’ generals, troops

"Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the U.S. military’s senior-most officers Tuesday that he no longer wants to see “fat generals and admirals” or overweight troops."

Cornhusker copyright? Getting the facts on the name of Nebraska's new ICE detention facility; KETV, August 20, 2025

  

Waverle Monroe, KETV; Cornhusker copyright? Getting the facts on the name of Nebraska's new ICE detention facility

[Kip Currier: How crass and unnecessarily demeaning it is for ICE to use the name Cornhusker Clink to refer to a detention facility. This administration, unsurprisingly given its past actions, continues to be more focused on alliterative branding and merchandising opportunities (recall Alligator Alcatraz) than modeling professionalism in the ways it communicates a commitment to treating all detainees with dignity and respect.]

[Excerpt]

"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security dubbed the new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility as the "Cornhusker Clink." 

You can't hear the word Cornhusker without thinking of the University of Nebraska.

Many on social media questioned the legality of using the name Cornhusker for the facility. Now KETV is helping you get the facts."

Marines investigating social media post that appears to mock potential recruit; Task & Purpose, August 18, 2025

 JEFF SCHOGOL , Task & Purpose; Marines investigating social media post that appears to mock potential recruit

[Kip Currier: This is a really interesting story on several levels. I wouldn't have necessarily expected the Marine Corps to take such a strong stance against what is clearly an example of cyberbullying, given the Corps' reputation as the nation's elite fighting force. It's encouraging to see such an unequivocal response against bullying. When you consider the challenges that most military branches have had with meeting recruitment goals in recent years (see here and here), though, it makes practical sense that this kind of social media bullying would be viewed as counter-productive, as well as unethical.

Given Pete Hegseth's stated intent to instill "warrior culture" and both Hegseth and Trump 2.0's "war on wokeness", which I can imagine them arguing this stance against bullying would exemplify, it will be interesting to see if Hegseth comments on this incident or overrides the statement by Captain Hardin (see below).]

[Excerpt]

"Marine Corps officials are investigating whether a Marine derided a poolee on social media for not completing the Corps’ Delayed Entry Program, which allows potential recruits to prepare to ship out to boot camp. (Civilians in the Delayed Entry Program for the Marine Corps are colloquially referred to as “poolees.”)

An image shared on the unofficial Marine subreddit page appears to be a screenshot of an Instagram post showing a picture of a young man standing in front of a wall with the Marine Corps’ Eagle, Globe and Anchor emblem with the word “Quitter” superimposed over him.

Underneath the picture is a description about how the Marine Corps is not for the “weak minded,” and how the Delayed Entry Program is meant to “get rid of the weak and to help others who want it grow to their full potential.”

The post, which appeared over the weekend, “did not reflect the values and standards” of the Marine Corps and included language that “was inconsistent with the supportive and professional environment we strive to maintain,” said Capt. John Hardin, director of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Communication Strategy and Operations Office.

“We are investigating the incident thoroughly and taking appropriate action to ensure that our recruiting personnel uphold the highest standards of conduct,” Hardin said in a statement to Task & Purpose."

Seventy Years Ago, Johnny Cash Recorded ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and Became a Folk Hero for the Ignored and Downtrodden; Smithsonian Magazine, July 30, 2025

Raj Tawney, Smithsonian Magazine; Seventy Years Ago, Johnny Cash Recorded ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and Became a Folk Hero for the Ignored and Downtrodden

"Throughout his five-decade career, Cash performed for thousands of incarcerated people across the country, appearing in-concert at over 30 prisons, where he’d always include “Folsom Prison Blues” in his set. By showing them his respect, the inmates often felt he was one of their own and treated him in kind. Though he’d been arrested seven times for minor offenses, some due to his struggles with substance abuse, he never served prison time. Yet somehow, he found a way to relate to and empathize with prisoners while the rest of society turned their backs on them. He even testified before a U.S. Senate subcommittee on prison reform in 1972 and continued to advocate for prison conditions with six sitting presidents."

Comply to Fly? How Airport Travelers Experience TSA’s Facial Recognition Experiment; Algorithmic Justice League, July 29, 2025

Algorithmic Justice League; Comply to Fly? How Airport Travelers Experience TSA’s Facial Recognition Experiment

"TSA is expanding its facial recognition program to airports across the United States, yet little information is known about how travelers are experiencing the program. The Algorithmic Justice League launched the TSA Scorecard to conduct the first comprehensive study based on travelers' experiences with airport face scans, and the results are ready to share!

“Comply to Fly? How Airport Travelers Experience TSA’s Facial Recognition Experiment” by Dr. Joy Buolamwini, Sushma Raman, and Andrea Dean gives the traveling public, policymakers, and agency officials missing insights on the real-world impact of facial recognition technologies in US airports. Two years of real traveler feedback on TSA’s facial recognition experiment revealed concerning gaps in the program’s transparency, travelers’ ability to consent, and the treatment of travelers by TSA agents. Key takeaways: 🔍 Many travelers across 91 US airports experience the TSA Facial Recognition Program as mandatory, even though it’s presented by agency officials as voluntary. 🔍 Informed Consent is not consistently achieved by the TSA Facial Recognition Program - many travelers are not informed they can opt out and/or given the opportunity to do so. 🔍 Some travelers face verbal abuse, hostile body language, increased scrutiny, and other injuries to dignity and respect when attempting to opt out. Download the full report to learn more ➡️ www.ajl.org/flyreport "

Following Trump cut to LGBTQ youth suicide hotline, California steps up to fill the gap; Governor Gavin Newsom, July 16, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom; Following Trump cut to LGBTQ youth suicide hotline, California steps up to fill the gap

"Just weeks after the Trump administration announced that they would eliminate specialized suicide prevention support for LGBTQ youth callers through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, California is taking action to improve behavioral health services and provide even more affirming and inclusive care. Through a new partnership with The Trevor Project, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) will provide the state’s 988 crisis counselors enhanced competency training from experts, ensuring better attunement to the needs of LGBTQ youth, on top of the specific training they already receive.

This partnership builds on existing collaborations, like those under California’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, and reflects a shared commitment to evidence-based, LGBTQ+ affirming crisis care. Callers to 988 will continue to be met with the highest level of understanding, respect, and affirmation when they reach out for help.

“To every young person who identifies as LGBTQ+: You matter. You are not alone. California will continue to show up for you with care, with compassion, and with action,” said Kim Johnson, Secretary of CalHHS. “Through this partnership, California will continue to lead, providing enhanced support for these young people.”

“There could not be a more stark reminder of the moral bankruptcy of this Administration than cutting off suicide prevention resources for LGQBT youth. These are young people reaching out in their time of deepest crisis—andI’m proud of California’s work to partner with the Trevor Project to creatively address this need. No matter what this Administration throws at us, I know this state will always meet cruelty with kindness and stand up for what’s right,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

California’s crisis call centers

Across California, twelve 988 call centers remain staffed around the clock by trained crisis counselors, ready to support anyone in behavioral health crises, including LGBTQ youth.

f you, a friend, or a loved one are in crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call, chat, or text 988 and be immediately connected to skilled counselors at all times. Specialized services for LGBTQ youth are also available via The Trevor Project hotline at 1‑866‑488‑7386, which continues as a state-endorsed access point...

Why this matters

LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and without affirming services, their risk increases dramatically. Since its launch in 2022, the 988 LGBTQ+ “Press 3” line connected more than 1.5 million in crisis.

How to get help 

Call, text or chat 988 at any time to be connected with trained crisis counselors.

Call 1-866-488-7386, text START to 678678, or chat at TheTrevorProject.org/GetHelp to reach Trevor Project specialists.

Visit CalHOPE for non-crisis peer and family support."

Trump posts AI-generated photo of himself as pope, drawing internet outrage; Reuters, May 3, 2025

Andrea Shalal , Reuters; Trump posts AI-generated photo of himself as pope, drawing internet outrage

"President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated photo showing himself as the pope ahead of this week's gathering of cardinals to choose a new leader of the 1.4-billion-strong Catholic Church, and just days after he joked he would "like to be pope".

Trump, who is not a Catholic and does not attend church regularly, posted the image on his Truth Social platform late on Friday, less than a week after attending the funeral of Pope Francis, who died at 88 last month. The White House then reposted it on its official X account."

Pentagon webpage for Black Medal of Honor winner restored after outcry; The Guardian, March 17, 2025

Maya Yang, The Guardian; Pentagon webpage for Black Medal of Honor winner restored after outcry

[Kip Currier: Speaking out against injustice can work: The Department of Defense has restored the webpage honoring Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers and has removed the pejorative "DEImedal" label that had been added to the webpage, after enough people apparently called out Pete Hegseth et al.

• How many other people like Maj. Gen Rogers, though, are being "disappeared" and made invisible? 
• Whose histories and struggles and achievements are being purged from historical records?
• How many other websites are being removed?

Recent examples tell us that that number is likely to be many, many people. For example, only after a similar outcry when the U.S. Air Force removed a video about the Tuskegee Airmen and Women's Airfare Service Pilots (WASPs) from a military training course "after President Donald Trump issued a sweeping order barring DEI programs from the federal government and military", did the Air Force reinstate the materials about the Airmen and WASPs.

The take-away: we need people to continue to raise the alarm when instances are spotted like those above.

And we need to then spread the word quickly and demand that such purges be remedied and the original information restored.

History is NOT the possession of one group or movement.

History -- accurate, genuine, unexpurgated, accessible history -- is the collective birthright and legacy of all the American people and peoples of the world.

Censoring or eliminating the story of one person diminishes the entire chronicle of humanity.]

[Excerpt]

"The US defense department webpage celebrating a Black Medal of Honor recipient that was removed and had the letters “DEI” added to the site’s address has been restored – and the letters scrubbed – after an outcry."

Pentagon cuts off Hegseth town hall webcast after transparency pledge; Navy Times, February 7, 2025

 Stephen Losey, Navy Times; Pentagon cuts off Hegseth town hall webcast after transparency pledge

"The Pentagon cut off a webcast of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s first town hall with troops and department employees Friday as soon as questions began, and shortly after Hegseth promised to be transparent with service members and the public.

Hegseth delivered about 15 minutes of opening remarks, which touched on issues such as grooming standards, readiness, border security and the administration’s desire to root out diversity, equity and inclusion programs from the military, before opening the floor to questions...

The broadcast ended less than two minutes after Hegseth pledged to be open with service members and the public.

“I appreciate the service so many of you give,” Hegseth said. “I know so many people watching. It’s the honor of a lifetime to come alongside you. No one will work harder. No one’s going to be more — attempt to be more transparent with the American people and with you.”

When asked a follow-up question about why the department stopped broadcasting when questions began, the Pentagon’s press office said, “The [defense secretary’s] opening remarks were televised to allow a larger audience. The Q&A portion was open to in-person participants only.”

It does not appear the Pentagon broadcast any portion of town halls held by Hegseth’s predecessor, Lloyd Austin.

However, the Pentagon did not indicate in its Friday morning email announcing Hegseth’s town hall that the questioning portion would not be broadcast. The webpage with the town hall feed originally indicated the broadcast was scheduled to run for about an hour and a half...

Hegseth said one of his top priorities is “restoring the warrior ethos,” before harshly criticizing the Pentagon’s previous focus on improving diversity in the ranks.

“I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is, ‘Our diversity is our strength,’” Hegseth said. “I think our strength is our unity. Our strength is our shared purpose, regardless of our background, regardless of how we grew up, regardless of our gender, regardless of our race. In this department, we will treat everyone equally, we will treat everyone with respect and we will judge you as an individual by your merit and by your commitment to the team and the mission.”

The Trump administration views diversity, equity and inclusion programs — referred to as DEI — as efforts to divide the military instead of uniting it, Hegseth said.

But the Pentagon’s initial efforts to comply with the administration’s DEI orders have been rocky."

Lawyers weigh strength of copyright suit filed against BigLaw firm; Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly, January 29, 2024

 Pat Murphy , Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly; Lawyers weigh strength of copyright suit filed against BigLaw firm

"Jerry Cohen, a Boston attorney who teaches IP law at Roger Williams University School of Law, called the suit “not so much a copyright case as it is a matter of professional responsibility and respect.”"

'Real MVP': A professor gives a shout out to the student who nods along in class; NPR, December 18, 2023

 Autumn Barnes, Kristin Wong, NPR; 'Real MVP': A professor gives a shout out to the student who nods along in class

"The moment also gave her an idea about how she could pass the kindness along. 

"We sit in meetings for work all the time. We can now think about what little gestures like nodding may mean to someone presenting material to us," Middlewood said...

Later that semester, Middlewood thanked her unsung hero in a tweet by saying, "To the student in my Monday morning class, who nods as I talk, please know that you are the backbone of this class. You're the one keeping us going. Real MVP.""

Her tribal regalia was banned at graduation. So she worked to change the law.; The Washington Post, May 23, 2022

 Cathy Free, The Washington Post; Her tribal regalia was banned at graduation. So she worked to change the law.

"Last month, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed HB30 into law, making it illegal to prevent Indigenous students from wearing cultural regalia at school ceremonies.

Utah now joins states such as Arizona, Oklahoma, Oregon, Minnesota, Washington, South Dakota and North Dakota in legalizing the practice...

“For Native communities, it’s not just about the regalia — this has a symbolic and spiritual element as well,” said Romero of Salt Lake City.

It’s about their families and it’s about honor and respect,” she said. “No Native student should have to face barriers in honoring their culture and their spirituality.”

Atmospheric scientist loses honor, membership over ethics violation; The Washington Post, April 8, 2022

Kay Nolan, The Washington Post; Atmospheric scientist loses honor, membership over ethics violation

American Meteorological Society expels physicist Timothy Dunkerton after offensive tweet as professional science groups grapple with how to confront harassment, discrimination

"The Post obtained a copy of an email sent privately by AMS Associate Executive Director Stephanie Armstrong to society members who had filed a formal complaint about the physicist’s behavior.

That email names Dunkerton and says he “violated two components of the AMS Code of Conduct: 1) Members shall carry out their activities with integrity and the highest ethical standards. 2) Members must treat all individuals with respect. Members must refrain from all forms of discrimination, harassment, and bullying in their professional encounters.”...

Erika Marín-Spiotta, a University of Wisconsin geography professor who holds “bystander training” workshops — which teach people ways to intervene when they see harassment or bullying — stressed the importance of disclosing incidents of misconduct to the broader community.

It “is important so that the community is aware that these behaviors are happening, they are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” she said.

Oltman-Shay, Dunkerton’s former boss, said this week: “I applaud the AMS for continuing to review their code of ethics. … It’s my hope that this will become an example to serve as caution to those who bully.”"

About WBUR's Ethics Guide; WBUR, March 10, 2022

WBUR; About WBUR's Ethics Guide

"The committee approached the guidelines from the vantage point of WBUR journalists and journalism — while acknowledging the importance of the ethical guidelines and standards that need to be understood and embraced by everyone who works or is associated with WBUR.

The committee used the NPR Ethics Handbook as a structural model and source text, adopted with a WBUR voice. They also addressed ethics issues from a 2021 perspective, recognizing that much has changed in the public media and journalism field since the NPR Handbook was first written a decade ago."

WBUR Ethics Guide PDF: https://d279m997dpfwgl.cloudfront.net/wp/2022/03/WBUR-Ethics-Guidelines.pdf  

MapLab: The Case for a Cartographer’s Code of Ethics; Bloomberg, March 9, 2022

Marie Patino, Bloomberg ; MapLab: The Case for a Cartographer’s Code of Ethics

"In 2017, Kent spearheaded the drafting of the first and only known professional code of cartography ethics for the British Cartographic Society (BCS) while he was the president of the organization. The code upholds five principles: Honesty, integrity, competence, respect and responsibility. It also warns of potential sanctions that can be taken against members if they don’t follow these principles, including being banned from the BCS — though Kent says this hasn’t happened yet.

“There’s an increased sense of responsibility that goes with the idea of mapmaking.” Kent says. “I think cartographers have for too long not really grasped the idea that what they’re doing has immense power to change the way how people see the world.”

Now, momentum for ethical guidelines may be picking up...

Buckley, who created a user group at Esri to discuss best practices and ideas for mapmaking ethics, is planning ethics discussions at other map gatherings this year. “Having good examples, I think, is what we need to move towards next,” Buckley said. “After we come up with a code of ethics, the statements have to be supported by resources that people can look at to understand how to enact ethical practices.”"

A.I. Regulation Is Coming Soon. Here’s What the Future May Hold; Fortune, October 24, 2019

David Meyer, Fortune; A.I. Regulation Is Coming Soon. Here’s What the Future May Hold

"Last year Angela Merkel’s government tasked a new Data Ethics Commission with producing recommendations for rules around algorithms and A.I. The group’s report landed Wednesday, packed with ideas for guiding the development of this new technology in a way that protects people from exploitation.

History tells us that German ideas around data tend to make their way onto the international stage...

So, what do those recommendations look like? In a word: tough."

‘It was getting ugly’: Native American drummer speaks on the MAGA-hat wearing teens who surrounded him; The Washington Post, January 19, 2019

Antonio Olivo and Cleve R. Wootson Jr., The Washington Post; ‘It was getting ugly’: Native American drummer speaks on the MAGA-hat wearing teens who surrounded him

"The images in a series of videos that went viral on social media Saturday showed a tense scene near the Lincoln Memorial.

In them, a Native American man steadily beats his drum at the tail end of Friday’s Indigenous Peoples March while singing a song of unity for indigenous people to “be strong” in the face of the ravages of colonialism that now include police brutality, poor access to health care and the ill effects of climate change on reservations.

Surrounding him are a throng of young, mostly white teenage boys, several wearing Make America Great Again caps, with one standing about a foot from the drummer’s face wearing a relentless smirk."