Crash Course: Did we really need a Steve Bannon comeback?

Is prosecuting "Trump's brain" really such a great idea? none Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgphjlOdk2Geh_26Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). none Steve Bannon: He just had to make himself relevant again, didn't he? none “We're taking down the Biden regime,” onetime Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon told his endlessly delusional fan base via livestream — just before he turned himself in at a federal courthouse in Washington, where he faces charges of contempt of Congress. Much as liberals long to see factotums of the Trump regime prosecuted, Salon columnist Heather Digby Parton wonders whether, in this case, that's just giving Bannon and his fans what they want: more oxygen, and a sense of renewed relevance after a stint in the wilderness. Parton thinks it's unlikely that Bannon, for all his bluster, had any clear plan for what would happen last Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol, or any faith it would be enough to keep Trump in power. But that doesn't mean Bannon doesn't have long-term strategic goals: Steve Bannon is not a stupid person. I suspect his goals were less dramatic, more strategic — and possibly even more consequential. He said it right out: The Big Lie makes it hard for Biden to govern because it denies him legitimacy in the eyes of half the country. This isn't just about restoring Trump. It's about destroying Biden's presidency and delegitimizing democracy. It's about creating chaos. And Bannon's been agitating for that for many years. ... It's hard to know if Bannon has some kind of overarching plan or if he's just winging it. ... But it doesn't really matter. Bannon being a “political prisoner” martyr to the cause works for him either way. He can make a mockery of the law with his antics and potentially turn any trial into a spectacle in order to foment more chaos and disillusionment in the country while, no doubt, making a tidy profit at it. As I said, from his perspective, being indicted for defying Congress is the best thing that ever happened to him. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RwaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTUvc3RldmUtYmFubm9ucy1jcmltaW5hbC1pbmRpY3RtZW50LWlzLXRoZS1iZXN0LXRoaW5nLXRoYXRzLWV2ZXItaGFwcGVuZWQtdG8taGltL1cDc3BjQgphjlOdk2Geh_26Uht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Photo: Getty/Sylvain Lefevre) none none Can “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” be made, y'know, less completely disturbing? We hasten to assure you that Salon culture editor Hanh Nguyen is not here to deliver another episode in the endless debate over this venerable holiday classic is “a date-rape anthem” or could be considered (by 1940s standards) a feminist statement. Given the way we discuss 'power dynamics, manipulation and sexual coercion' these days, she observes, both interpretations have merit. Instead, Nguyen argues that the version you can see right now in the Netflix holiday rom-com “Love Hard” is the best reimagining of this Christmas chestnut ever crafted, and along the way offers a theory of exactly what allows some remakes to capture the intended spirit of the original and what makes others fall into creepy territory. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTUvYmFieS1pdHMtY29sZC1vdXRzaWRlLWxvdmUtaGFyZC9XA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo: Bettina Strauss/Netflix) none - Now evangelical Christians are literally trying to depict “social justice” [as the agenda of Satan](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTMvbm93LWV2YW5nZWxpY2Fscy13YW50LXRvLWRlcGljdC1zb2NpYWwtanVzdGljZS1hcy11bi1jaHJpc3RpYW4taS1ob3BlLWdvZC13aWxsLWZvcmdpdmUtdGhlbS9XA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). - A new documentary dares to envision the impossible: a [viable future for local news](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTUvaW4tdGhlLXBicy1kb2Mtc3Rvcm0tbGFrZS1hLXRpbnktaW93YS1wYXBlci1mb3ItdGhlLWZ1dHVyZS1vZi1oaWdoLXF1YWxpdHktbG9jYWwtbmV3cy9XA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Author N. Moss West on “un-tabooing” women's health — and [talking about infertility in public](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTUvaW4tdGhlLXBicy1kb2Mtc3Rvcm0tbGFrZS1hLXRpbnktaW93YS1wYXBlci1mb3ItdGhlLWZ1dHVyZS1vZi1oaWdoLXF1YWxpdHktbG9jYWwtbmV3cy9XA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Worried you can't feed four people for Thanksgiving — for $400? [Don't worry! We got you.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTUvd2FudC10by1tYWtlLWEtc2Vhc29uYWwtYW5kLXNwbHVyZ2Utd29ydGh5LXRoYW5rc2dpdmluZy1kaW5uZXItZm9yLTQwMC1oZXJlcy15b3VyLW1lbnUtZm9yLTQvVwNzcGNCCmGOU52TYZ6H_bpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Sandy Hook families' defamation lawsuits against far-right radio host Alex Jones [reach a strange conclusion](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTUvYWxleC1qb25lcy1mb3VuZC1ndWlsdHktbGlhYmxlLWluLWFsbC1mb3VyLXNhbmR5LWhvb2stZGVmYW1hdGlvbi1zdWl0cy1hZnRlci1jbGFpbWluZy1wc3ljaG9zaXMvVwNzcGNCCmGOU52TYZ6H_bpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RZaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmYW1wO2lkPTVkZWRhMmFhYTdXA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) to receive Crash Course. none none Republican panic attack over “critical race theory”: Not nearly as new as you might think The GOP attack line that apparently got Glenn Youngkin elected as Virginia's next governor has sometimes been perceived in mainstream media as a brand new tactic, or a less confrontational “Trump lite,” with the overt nastiness toned down. Salon's Chauncey DeVega has having none of it: Attacks on CRT come straight out of the long-term right-wing campaign to destroy public education, he argues: “They are just another manifestation of decades-old or centuries-old narratives of white supremacy, updated and recycled for the 21st century.” The racial panic conjured up by the Republicans' entirely imaginary notion of “critical race theory” is a familiar tune, DeVega says, played on a haunted record player in a horror movie: Some unfortunate person finds the record player and turns it on. The scratchy old record from the 19th century that plays first is about the threat of “Negro domination” and the “colored vote,” and about “black rapists” who are coming to ravish white women, invade “safe” neighborhoods and destroy “respectable” white society. Over the decades, that record player morphs into new forms of media, and the song it plays is constantly updated and remixed, becoming more artful and sophisticated. But the underlying rhythm, and the basic message, remain the same. [Read more](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTQvdGhlLXJldm9sdXRpb24tb2YtMjAyMC1ob3ctYmlnLWxpZS1yZXNoYXBlZC1oaXN0b3J5LWFmdGVyLTIyMC15ZWFycy8_dXNlcl9pZD0qfEVNQUlMfCpXA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) none - “Robert Moses and the racist parkway bridges,”[Â](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3Rvbmlhbi5jb20vMjAyMS8xMS8wOS9ob3ctZ2VuLXotYW5kLXRoZS10aWt0b2stZ2VuZXJhdGlvbi1hcmUtYmVjb21pbmctc3BpZXMvVwNzcGNCCmGOU52TYZ6H_bpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)[Washington Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzLzIwMjEvMTEvMTAvcm9iZXJ0LW1vc2VzLXNhZ2EtcmFjaXN0LXBhcmt3YXktYnJpZGdlcy9XA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - It's the 30th anniversary of U2's greatest album, [Rolling Stone](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucm9sbGluZ3N0b25lLmNvbS9tdXNpYy9tdXNpYy1uZXdzL3UyLWFjaHR1bmctYmFieXMtMzB0aC1hbm5pdmVyc2FyeS01MC10cmFjay1kaWdpdGFsLWJveC1zZXQtMTI1Nzk4OS9XA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - As COVID cases surge, Germany and Austria impose new restrictions, [NPR](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0ScaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9zZWN0aW9ucy9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1saXZlLXVwZGF0ZXMvMjAyMS8xMS8xNS8xMDU1ODM5NzI3L2F1c3RyaWEtYW5kLWdlcm1hbnktaW1wb3NlLXJlc3RyaWN0aW9ucy1vbi11bnZhY2NpbmF0ZWQtcGVvcGxlLWFzLWNvdmlkLWNhc2VzLXN1VwNzcGNCCmGOU52TYZ6H_bpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Japanese princess and her husband move into Manhattan 1BR apartment, [New York Post](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RTaHR0cHM6Ly9ueXBvc3QuY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTUvamFwYW5zLWZvcm1lci1wcmluY2Vzcy1tYWtvLWFycml2ZXMtYXQtbnljLWFwYXJ0bWVudC9XA3NwY0IKYY5TnZNhnof9ulIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Meet “Supersaurus,” the longest dinosaur ever discovered, [Live Science](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGl2ZXNjaWVuY2UuY29tL3N1cGVyc2F1cnVzLWxvbmdlc3QtZGlub3NhdXItb24tcmVjb3JkVwNzcGNCCmGOU52TYZ6H_bpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) none Football's hidden epidemic: The deaths of Black youth players When a Nigerian immigrant and walk-on football player at the University of California named Ted Agu died during a conditioning workout in 2014, athletic officials at the most famously liberal public university in the world presented the event as an unavoidable tragedy. But as Salon contributor Irvin Muchnick demonstrates in a detailed report, it wasn't. Agu had sickle cell trait, which is not the same thing as the disease sickle cell anemia, and is found in nearly 10% of Black people in the United States. That made him unusually susceptible to critical illness or sudden death from overexertion, which is exactly what happened. And his tragic death — which could absolutely have been avoided — was not an isolated event. There have been 31 known deaths of football players attributed to “exertional sickling,” or ES, but the real number is probably much higher: There's a broader question here about the persistence of a largely-unaccounted subset of youth football deaths among Black players. ... Because of cover-ups similar to Cal's but across a longer period, and because of generally poor awareness of sickle cell trait and ES, there may have been many additional deaths that were inaccurately ascribed to 'random' heart attacks and the like. [Oklahoma athletic trainer Scott Anderson] has documented scores of conditioning deaths in college football this century. There could be scores more at lower levels of the sport, all the way down to Pop Warner and pee-wee leagues. [Read more.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTEvMTMvZm9vdGJhbGxzLXVua25vd24tZXBpZGVtaWMtd2hlbi1ibGFjay1wbGF5ZXJzLXN1ZGRlbmx5LXRoZS1jb3Zlci11cC1iZWdpbnMvVwNzcGNCCmGOU52TYZ6H_bpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, 19801 DE [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjdiJSP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmGOU52TYZ6H_bpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2021 Crash Course, All rights reserved. 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