• News History

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 25, 2024

John Lewis Honored With Statue That Replaces Confederate Monument In Georgia

The John Lewis Memorial statue is now featured in the Atlanta suburb of Decatur.

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On Aug. 24, a new statue honoring late U.S. Congressman John Lewis was unveiled in the Atlanta suburb of Decatur. The statue replaces a former Confederate monument that once stood there.

According to CNN, the John Lewis Memorial, created by Jamaican sculptor Basil Watson, was installed in Decatur Square. The square, located in front of the Historic Decatur Courthouse, features a promenade of shops and restaurants for its residents. Now, its visitors will see the 12-foot statue of the civil rights hero with his hands over his heart. Many associated him with this frequently-used gesture, indicating his love for others.

Throughout his lifetime, Lewis was an activist and champion of racial equality and civil rights. The Freedom Rider rode segregated buses throughout the South in the 1960s to protest racial discrimination. As chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Lewis also helped organize the March on Washington and also faced his own incident of police brutality in 1965 while leading a civil rights march in Selma.

Since 1987, Lewis served as the U.S. representative for Georgia’s 5th district, which covers Decatur, for over three decades. Throughout his later years, he remained committed to promoting racial justice across the nation. Moreover, Former President Barack Obama commemorated his lifetime of service by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. He worked in Congress until he died in 2020.

Lewis’ legacy is storied within Georgia and in the country. Upon his death, a joint task force in the area began plans to create a tribute for the esteemed congressional leader. The plans to build the memorial gained approval in 2021. Now, his statue has taken over the spot of a 30-foot Confederate obelisk.

The United Daughters of the Confederacy inserted the monument in 1908, with ideals of the confederacy written throughout its base. The statue faced its removal in 2020 following the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, unknowingly making way for a tribute for Lewis.

The Lewis Memorial promotes values of equality and justice, while also remembering his dedication to uplifting Black people.

RELATED CONTENT: John Lewis Honored With Forever Stamp, Ceremony

• Sports

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 25, 2024

Man Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Thousands Of Dollars’ Worth Of Shoes From Penny Hardaway’s Home

Some of the shoes included a one-of-a-kind version of Hardaway's Nike Foamposite sneakers.

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Police have arrested a man for allegedly stealing multiple pairs of shoes from Penny Hardaway’s home in Memphis. The former NBA All-Star currently coaches men’s basketball at the University Of Memphis.

According to CBS Sports, the alleged perpetrator, Ronald James, stole the shoe boxes from Hardaway’s home on Aug. 8. A security camera caught the thief taking the items, many exclusive pairs, and leaving the scene with the stolen possessions in a shopping cart. The suspect was seen rolling the cart down the street, overflowing with boxes filled with 26 pairs of shoes.

Hardaway told WREG that the stolen sneakers included one-of-a-kind Nike Foamposites and shoes made for family and friends. Considering the four-time NBA all-star made the style his signature sneaker, these exclusive pairs would come with a much higher price tag.

Hardaway inked a partnership with Nike while he played a 14-year stint in the NBA. However, the collaboration remains ongoing as Hardaway continues a new era of his professional career.

In 2023, Nike released the Air Max Penny 1 Lester Middle School Editions. According to House of Heat, the shoe pays tribute to Hardaway’s middle school. Pairs can be found on resale sites such as Flight Club, ranging in price from $500 to over $2,000.

Moreover, the 53-year-old continues to develop more products with Nike as head coach for the University of Memphis’ Tigers. Upon retiring from the NBA, Hardaway began coaching for his alma mater in 2018. The Memphis native intends to enter another season with the team, who also retired his #25 jersey.

In February, the parties launched the “1 Cent” brand, bringing Nike apparel featuring the Tigers’ logo. The collaboration features an assortment of clothing from t-shirts to hoodies.

It remains unclear if the authorities recovered any of the coveted items allegedly stolen by Ronald James. Police have since charged James with theft of property.

RELATED CONTENT: Penny Hardaway Scores Big with Booming Business Portfolio

• Sports

by Daniel Johnson

August 25, 2024

Maya Moore, WNBA Star And Social Justice Advocate, Has Jersey Retired In Emotional Ceremony

Moore joins Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, Rebekkah Brunson, and Seimone Augustus in the Minnesota Lynx’s exclusive club.

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The Minnesota Lynx honored former point guard and franchise legend Maya Moore after their game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever by hanging Moore’s number 23 jersey in the rafters of the Target Arena. 

Moore became just the fourth Minnesota Lynx player to have her jersey retired and all four played critical parts in building the Lynx dynasty that won four WNBA titles during the 2010’s. Moore joins Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, Rebekkah Brunson, and Seimone Augustus in the Lynx’s exclusive club.

According to ESPN, Moore was emotional in front of the Lynx home record crowd of 19,023 and she also received honors in the form of gold pairs of her shoes and a letterman-style jacket from the Jordan Brand, which made her the brand’s first-ever female athlete signed by the company in her 2011 rookie season. 

“My life is an example of what it looks like when we love a little girl well,” Moore said to the crowd. “There is no way we’re watching that [ceremony] without love. So many people having a hand in my life to show me what life is about. That’s what I tried to bring every day: life and joy. Because I’ve been a recipient of life and joy.”

“The journey that I had was not expected, but it was exactly the journey that I was supposed to go on,” Moore continued. “And so the way my life was going and the amount of effort and presence that was required from where I was going, as each year went along, it didn’t look like I could shift back, but I just wanted to stay in the moment and also just keep things open until I was really sure. I kind of don’t want this night to end. Some of my favorite people in the world are here with me.”

In her speech, Moore referenced her time away from the WNBA, which she used to help free her now-husband Jonathan Irons, who was wrongfully convicted and released from prison in 2020 after serving 23 years for a crime he did not commit. Because of that effort, and her family with Irons, she chose not to return to the WNBA at the height of her basketball career. 

According to The New York Times, Moore led the Lynx’s Black Lives Matter protests in 2016, and in 2019, she announced that she would be stepping away from basketball in large part to help with Irons’ case. Moore ended up taking a two-year hiatus, getting married to Irons in 2020, and starting a family with him in 2022. 

Moore officially retired almost exactly a year ago, and on multiple occasions she has reiterated that she is not returning to basketball. Now, it becomes official with her jersey retirement on a night that highlights her basketball legacy.

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark spoke to CNN ahead of the game, referring to Moore as the biggest influence on her desire to play basketball as a young girl.

“She was the person for me growing up,” Clark said. “Those are the type of people you want your young daughter to idolize. And it’s crazy that I get to play in this building. I played in this building in college and then playing here now, as a pro. It kind of comes full circle. But Maya (Moore) was definitely that person for me and she was obviously tremendous.”

Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier, who grew up in the same town and went to UConn like Maya Moore, has been having an incredible season, and were it not for the incredible play of Aces forward A’ja Wilson this season, would be the prohibitive favorite to win MVP. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who also coached Moore, told ESPN that another piece of Moore’s legacy can be found in Collier’s success in Minnesota. 

“The impact of Maya Moore is that Napheesa Collier got to dream of one day being like Maya Moore,” Reeve said. 

RELATED CONTENT: Former WNBA Player Maya Moore Celebrates Birth of Baby Boy With Husband She Helped Free From Prison

• History

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

August 25, 2024

President Biden Designates Site Of 1908 Springfield Race Riots A National Monument

The site designation will ensure the remembrance of the race riots and their place in Black history.

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President Joe Biden has officially made the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riots a national monument. The designation will ensure the remembrance of of the riots and those it impacted.

Biden signed a proclamation on the site’s new federal status on Aug. 16, as reported by CNN. The site’s designation recognizes its importance in Black history, especially amid the ongoing movement to not teach the darker parts of America’s past.

“Over 100 years ago this week, a mob not far from Lincoln’s home unleashed a race riot in Springfield that literally shocked the conscience of the nation,” Biden said. “A lot of people forgot it. … We can’t let these things fade.”

The moment coincided with the riots’ 116th anniversary. From Aug. 14 to 16 in 1908, the Black residents of Springfield, Illinois, lost their homes and businesses after a white mob attacked. The race riot, initiated by a white woman’s claim that a Black man raped her, also resulted in the lynchings of two Black men. NPR reported that the woman later admitted to lying about the assault.

However, the mob’s looting and burning of the Black-owned business in Springfield severely stunted the area. The lynchings also resulted in Black Americans creating the NAACP as the fight for racial justice grew. The organization’s current President, Derrick Johnson, also attended the ceremony at the Oval Office.

“It was a catalyst, not only for the creation of the NAACP… but the catalyst to recognize that the political tool of race and ethnic difference and othering is more harmful to our democracy than it should be,” said Johnson prior to the historic signing.

The Vision 1908 project also works to recognize those who endured this tragedy. The project gained traction following the 2014 discovery of homes impact by the riots. Teresa Haley, a former president of the NAACP’s Springfield Chapter, believes the site designation will allow many to find healing.

“The people in Springfield can truly begin to heal because it’s been a deep, dark secret that no one wanted to talk about except for those of us in the Black community who were directly impacted by the 1908 riots,” expressed Haley.

She added, “It’s going to allow people to say, ‘Oh my God, this happened right here in Springfield on the ground in which I’m standing.’ This is Springfield’s history, it’s Illinois history and it’s American history.”

The city continues to deal with racial tensions, currently reeling from a white officer’s killing of Sonya Massey in July. An investigation into her death remains ongoing. In the meantime, Haley plans to further recognize the riots’ history with a monument in the area.

RELATED CONTENT: Mass Grave Found During Search for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Victims

• News

by Daniel Johnson

August 25, 2024

Court Permanently Blocks Environmental Civil Rights Protections For Black Communities In Louisiana

EarthJustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, said the ruling gives companies carte blanche to pollute predominantly Black and Latinx communities in Louisiana.

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The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana has issued a permanent injunction barring the EPA and the Department of Justice from using Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to influence Louisiana’s regulation of polluting facilities.

According to the Louisiana Illuminator, James Cain, an appointee of former president Donald Trump, issued a permanent injunction against both the Department of Justice and the EPA, blocking the entities from controlling how the State of Louisiana regulates pollution.

EarthJustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, said in a statement that the ruling essentially gives companies that pollute in predominantly Black and Latinx communities carte blanche to poison those communities.

“Louisiana has given industrial polluters open license to poison Black and brown communities for generations, only to now have one court give it a permanent free pass to abandon its responsibilities,” Patrice Simms, EarthJustice’s vice president for healthy communities, said. “Louisiana’s residents, its environmental justice communities, deserve the same Title VI protections as the rest of the nation.”

The EPA, meanwhile, released a statement expressing that both it and the DOJ would continue to enforce civil rights law in accordance with the court’s order.

According to Grist, the EPA did not attempt to resolve most of the complaints it received from the organization’s inception in 1970 until 2015 when EarthJustice sued them for that practice and won. 

In 2020, after President Joe Biden won the election, the EPA’s federal regulators finally resolved some complaints and announced an investigation into Louisiana’s Cancer Alley, a predominantly Black swath of land stretching from the lower Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, containing over 150 chemical plants that pump carcinogens into the air. 

The federal government had begun making some significant progress with Louisiana officials, that is, until then-Louisiana Attorney General and current Gov. Jeff Landry sued the EPA to block it from pursuing their disparate impacts, which Cain agreed with. 

According to Debbie Chizewer, an attorney at EarthJustice, the EPA and the DOJ could choose to appeal the ruling and cautioned that were another court to be petitioned using Landry’s theoretical argument, “if another state filed a case using the same theories, they will point to this case as persuasive authority for another court to consider.”

RELATED CONTENT: EPA Finishes Civil Rights Investigation Into Louisiana’s Power Plants

• Legal

by Daniel Johnson

August 25, 2024

Second Officer Pleads Guilty To Violation Of Tyre Nichols’ Civil Rights

Emmitt Martin was one of the officers who beat Nichols to death during a traffic stop.

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Emmitt Martin, the second of five officers set to go on trial over the 2023 beating and subsequent death of Tyre Nichols in 2023, pleaded guilty on Aug. 23 to violating Nichols’ civil rights during the traffic stop. 

Nichols, a Black 29-year-old father from Sacramento, California, who worked at Fed-Ex, was allegedly beaten by five Black Memphis Police Department officers so severely that it resulted in his death. The autopsy report declared the cause of his death was homicide caused by blows to the head, and it also described brain injuries as well as cuts and bruises to his head and other parts of his body. 

According to NPR, Martin initially pleaded not guilty before changing his plea in U.S. District Judge Mark Norris’s courtroom in Memphis following a deal he struck with prosecutors. The prosecutors agreed to seek no more than 40 years in prison for the former officer in exchange for a guilty plea on charges of excessive force and witness tampering. According to the outlet, Martin’s sentencing has been set for Dec. 5. 

Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, said in a press conference following the hearing that it was both “very emotional” and “bittersweet” and indicated that although it was a step in the right direction, she would not be satisfied until the officers who killed her son are brought under the heel of justice. 

“Tyre was just coming home. He was just minding his own business. I will never have my son back. I will never hear his voice again,” Wells told reporters at the press conference. “They murdered my son for nothing. And until we get justice for all of them, I won’t be content.”

In November 2023, another former Memphis officer, Desmond Mills, Jr., worked out a similar deal with the prosecution. He also changed his plea to guilty in exchange for an agreement that would not extend his prison sentence beyond 15 years. 

According to NPR, both Mills and Martin could be called as witnesses in the trials of the other officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith. All three officers are charged with federal civil rights violations, but they have all pleaded not guilty so far. 

Judge Norris has set an Aug. 26 deadline for any more plea agreements in the case, but it is unclear if the remaining defendants intend to file any plea deals. All five of the former officers accused in the death of Nichols have also been charged separately in state courts on second-degree murder charges, but those trials have been paused pending the completion of the federal trials. 

RELATED CONTENT: Memphis Police Officer Changes Plea In Tyre Nichols Murder Case

• Business

by Mary Spiller

August 25, 2024

New Jersey Small Black And LGBTQ Businesses Awarded $1.2M In Grants

The grant money has been split between restaurants, education centers, and community spots in Newark.

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A group of small businesses owned by people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community in Newark, New Jersey, have been named as recipients of about $1.2 million in grants under the Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative.

The Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative was created to help build the retail sector and support new businesses in the area. According to city officials, the grants will serve to help promote the city’s increased downtown development. 

Mayor Ras J. Baraka said in a statement, “This initiative spurs our progress toward infusing Newark’s downtown with the energy of diverse, local retail entrepreneurship. We are not only enhancing the economic vitality of our city but also creating spaces that reflect the rich culture and community spirit of Newark. Together, we are building a brighter, more inclusive future for residents and a dynamic mecca for travelers.”

In an announcement on Aug. 21, Invest Newark President and CEO Marcus T. Randolph explained that the grants were investments in the community’s future. 

Randolph said, “Each of these companies brings something unique to Newark.”

Baraka and Invest Newark created the Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative in September 2023. The program was equipped to award grants to diverse small businesses up to $650,000, with the amount determined by factors such as square footage. The grants are available to restaurants, shops, or other types of retail establishments that open in currently vacant downtown storefronts. The only requirement of the Newark Retail Reactivation Initiative grant is that applicants’ businesses must be open at least five days a week, at least five hours a day, as well as have already signed a lease. 

The state Urban Enterprise Zone program finances the grants themselves, and the award can be used for exterior improvements to equipment purchases. 

So far, seven grant recipients have been named this week; there are four restaurants and three “education or entertainment-related businesses.” 

This round’s recipients and their awards include Melba’s Restaurant with an award of $650,000, Mediterranean Grill & Thrill with an award of $149,600, and Caribbean restaurant Isle 15 with an award of $127,060. Aside from the restaurant, “edutainment” space Bricks 4 Kidz Essex County was awarded $112,000, nonprofit glass art studio GlassRoots was given a grant of $110,000, Honeypot Montessori was granted $60,620, and Sweet Jeans Kitchen & Espresso Bar was given $38,500.  

RELATED CONTENT: Heinz Reaffirms Commitment To Black-Owned Restaurants With $1M Grant

• Sports

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 25, 2024

NFL PLayer Cam Jordan Becomes Little Caesars Franchise Owner

'This collaboration aligns perfectly with my commitment to community, entrepreneurship, and fostering growth opportunities,' said Jordan.

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New Orleans Saints defensive end Cam Jordan was recently announced as the newest partner in several Little Caesars franchises.

The company announced that the NFL Pro Bowler is a partner with Little Caesars franchisees Andrew Feghali and Michael Khalil. Jordan has already appeared in numerous commercials for the fast food chain and has always touted being a regular customer of Little Caesars while growing up in Chandler, Arizona.

“I am excited to announce my partnership with Little Caesars as a franchise investor,” said Jordan in a written statement. “This collaboration aligns perfectly with my commitment to community, entrepreneurship, and fostering growth opportunities. I am thrilled to join a business that has had such a longstanding impact in my life.”

Jordan joins with Feghali, who owns several franchises across the United States, including Dave’s Hot Chicken and Jersey Mike’s.

“Cam is our ideal partner; we both share a deep passion for the Little Caesars brand and a strong commitment to serving our communities. I am thrilled to welcome him aboard as we continue to grow our footprint with Little Caesars,” said Andrew Feghali, franchisee and CEO of AMF Restaurants.

Last year, Jordan signed a two-year, $27.5 million extension to stay with the Saints. The defensive player was set to enter the last year of a three-year, $52.5 million extension he signed in 2019 when he agreed to stay with the team until the 2025 season.

The latest Little Caesars franchise owner has been to the Pro Bowl eight times and is a three-time All-Pro selection. The nine-time captain is the Saints’ all-time sack leader, with 117.5 sacks as he enters his 14th season in the league. He is currently No. 23 on the list of NFL all-time career sack leaders.

Jordan also gives back to the community through his Cam Jordan Foundation, which focuses on impacting children’s lives and improving the community through resources, youth development, and innovative experiences.

RELATED CONTENT: How To Fund The Franchise Business You’ve Always Wanted

• Technology

by Daniel Johnson

August 24, 2024

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Revealed As Investor In Elon Musk’s Twitter/X Takeover

In the court order mandating that the social media platform release a list of non-redacted names, the court maintained that Twitter/X had put itself into the position that it now found itself in.

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Following a federal lawsuit over Elon Musk’s alleged failure to pay arbitration fees after his purchase of Twitter/X, the company was forced to disclose its list of shareholders. The list includes entities connected to Sean “Diddy” Combs, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal al Saud, as well as billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the filing, which resulted in a victory for the plaintiffs, provides a peek into who financed Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter in October 2023.

The company, of course, fought to hide the names of its investors, citing that “[n]o publicly held corporation owns 10% or more,” but a journalist and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press argued that Twitter/X’s position in the global marketplace of ideas necessitated understanding the financial motives that could potentially shape the platform. 

In the court order mandating that the social media platform release a list of non-redacted names, the court maintained that X had put itself into the position that it now found itself in. The platform, however, decided to move the case to the Northern District of California federal court, which has rules about disclosing entities with a financial stake in the lawsuit. 

According to the federal judge’s ruling, “Here, respondents have presented little more than conjecture in support of their position,” the judge wrote. “The disclosure statement does not contain any scandalous information or trade secrets. On the record before it, the court is unable to discern a factual basis for sealing the disclosure.”

According to Fortune, Jacob Silverman, the journalist who worked with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, told the outlet that it was important for the public to know who was potentially influencing the platform. 

“Simply, it’s about transparency, disclosure, and free speech—on behalf of the public and X’s users,” Silverman said, before continuing, “It’s important that the public knows who owns the platform, who might influence its governance, and who Musk owes.”

The Washington Post was the first outlet to release a full list of the stakeholders, and according to its reporting, a fund linked to Combs was among the investors in Musk’s bid to purchase Twitter/X. It also noted that many of the funds listed on the filing are controlled by the same firm or person. In addition to Combs and the Saudi Crown Prince, other investors include venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, Twitter founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey, and 8VC, a venture capital firm started by Joe Lonsdale, the co-founder of an intelligence contractor and data analysis platform, Palantir. 

According to Rolling Stone, The New York Times reporters Kate Conger and Ryan Mac detail an anecdote in their forthcoming book, Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter, regarding Elon Musk trying to assure Datavio Samuels, the CEO of Revolt, that the surge in racist content wouldn’t alienate Black users due to the surge in hate speech on the platform. 

“I don’t know if you know this, but Puff [one of Combs’ former stage names] is an investor in Twitter.” Musk told Samuels, “You know, he’s a good friend of mine. We text a lot.”

According to their reporting, Fidelity Investments, a financial services company, provides the clearest picture of the potential loss for those who invested in Musk’s purchase of Twitter. The company cut its initial $20 million valuation to approximately $5.6 million, representing a 71.5% loss.

RELATED CONTENT: Don Lemon Calls Out Elon Musk For Fraud And Breach Of Contract In $1.5M Lawsuit

• News

by Daniel Johnson

August 24, 2024

World Bank Pulls Advertising From Twitter/X Over Ads Appearing Under Racist Content

The World Bank pulled its ads from Twitter/X after a CBS report showed its content appearing alongside white supremacist content.

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The World Bank has pulled all of its paid advertising from X, formerly known as Twitter, after a report from CBS News indicated that its promoted content was above racist content from white supremacist accounts who also paid to advertise on the application.

CBS News reported that the account, which they are not publicly identifying, has more than 115,000 followers and regularly posts white nationalist and neo-Nazi content. The World Bank’s official X account has 3.8 million followers.

According to a statement given to CBS News by a spokesperson for the World Bank on Aug. 23, the group was already working with the platform to ensure strong safety protocols, but this latest incident was the last straw, and they have pulled their advertising entirely. 

“The World Bank Group had already reduced its paid marketing on X while working with the platform to implement the strongest safety protocols X offers for our content. This latest incident is entirely unacceptable, and we are immediately ceasing all paid marketing on X.”

According to CBS News, the account has been populating on X over numerous businesses underneath multiple posts from the account sharing neo-Nazi content, including a video of Adolph Hitler, captioned, “We defeated the wrong enemy.”

Through its investigation, the outlet indicates that several “blue-check” accounts regularly post racist content and have their promoted content appear in the comments section of recognizable brands. The accounts seem to violate X’s terms of service, which state, in part, that users “may not attack other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.”

The terms of service also indicate that X prohibits the targeting of people or groups through media that depicts either the Holocaust or any “symbols historically associated with hate groups, e.g., the Nazi swastika.”

In March, Wired reported that in stark contrast to the stated terms of service, Elon Musk, the owner of X, allegedly suspended or banned accounts that revealed the identity of a neo-Nazi cartoonist known as Stonetoss after the cartoonist directly appealed to Musk.

Among those who had their accounts suspended for posting Stonetoss’ real name, Hans Kristian Graebener, were Jared Holt, a senior research analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Hannah Gais, a senior research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Steven Monacelli, an investigative reporter for the Texas Observer.

Monacelli told Wired before X changed its privacy policy to prohibit posting “the identity of an anonymous user, such as their name or media depicting them,” that “According to X’s terms of service, posting someone’s name does not constitute doxing, but, many accounts, including my own, have been made to delete posts that merely mention the name of the racist and antisemitic cartoonist Stonetoss. I’ve never seen enforcement like this before.”

In June, NBC News reported that Twitter/X was placing promoted ads with hashtags commonly used by white supremacists, which came nearly 18 months after Musk promised to demonetize hateful posts on the platform. 

At the time, X stated to NBC News via email asserting its rules around violent and hateful speech. 

“X has clear rules in place relating to violent and hateful speech, and robust protections in place for advertisers. One of our enforcement tools is to limit the reach of posts, which is not reflected in this research.” 

However, according to Megan Squire, a deputy data director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, the platform’s enabling of extremist accounts to monetize and promote their content contradicts its attempts to become a cultural power player.

“It shows that it’s not top of mind, and it’s not on anyone’s to-do list for the week,” Squire told NBC News. “It’s a choice. They can’t have it both ways. If you’re going to have the power to weigh in on cultural issues, then that extends to the responsibility to use that power for good.”

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