When asked about a recent statement by President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau paused for 21 seconds and then said: “We all watch in horror and consternation at what is going on in the United States.” I can empathize with both halves of this reaction. A pause, because I often feel it’s not yet my place to weigh in on issues in a country I’ve come to only recently. I grew up in Canada and lived there until moving to San Francisco two years ago to focus on Substack. I haven’t lived most of my life in the US and wouldn’t want to imply that my home country is either blameless or comparable. And then, even so, sometimes you need to know where you stand.
Thanks for this - it is truly important to highlight diverse voices writing exclusively about issues that impact all Americans, but those which negatively and disproportionate hurt people of color. But its also important that we don't fall into the trap of thinking that the best of analysis and coverage in these areas are the writers and publications with "social justice" in the masthead. Many of us have similar missions in areas of public health, finance, voting, sexual identity, environment, education and more.
While I am new to Substack, I have been a higher education writer focused on historically black colleges and universities for the past decade through my founding of the HBCU Digest (hbcudigest.substack.com) HBCUs are the research, cultural and social hubs for the work of giving black Americans full access to the promise of democracy, even while under existential threat of systematic racism since their founding.
I hope that this message speaks to the heart of what many of us as black people are feeling, what those of us as black activists are doing, and the diversity of our heartfelt compassion for this country and its future.
I live in small European country far from the epicenter of these dramatic events but there are no doubts the history is unfolding. This is right time to think and choose wisely. Thank you.
Thank you Substack, for your timely and honest statement. You don't have to agree with every writer on your platform to make known your position as a platform. Jack Dorsey is another example of this. We support you.
So I’m new to Substack as well, with just two posts and both this week and both in response to the protests etc. https://foramericans.substack.com/
And my viewpoint in general doesn’t look favorably upon what has transpired and for what it means politically in this country going forward.
And so reading this, and as has been voiced already by others responding to your message, I immediately began to wonder when the plug is going to be pulled on my Substack site/newsletter because I’m over here with a place called “For Americans” and an about page that indicates that I’m going to be coming from a place with a pretty fervent pro-American conservative-sounding perspective.
Which I will be. So that’s now a concern. Not saying it’s going to happen but what happens if my readership goes through the roof and I’m raking in the fat stacks but pissing off the San Francisco crowd.
Are you going to pull the plug on me?
And let’s face it. If I’m not pissing off the San Francisco crowd I’m going to consider my For Americans project a complete failure. ;-) So now you’ve got me worried.
What if I espouse something that sounds like nationalism? America First?
Have I wasted my time it putting up this site and putting my two pieces here?
Thing is, I’m actually a lifelong Democrat. Pacifica Radio/Noam Chomsky progressive. But times change, the party left me etc. and my belief now is that the American people are no longer represented by either of the two major political parties.
So I’m now railing against a political and economic landscape that reflects what I believe is happening around the abandonment of the people by the political elites and my aim is to put my voice out there and use whatever talent I have to push a perspective that puts the concerns of the other 98% out in flyover country first and foremost.
I think the need and the appetite for that content is there and I believe that the election of the last president indicates just how angry people are and I’m going to be writing from a perspective that they should be angry and this is what they need to think about all that.
A certain kind of politics coming from the coasts, from people who were born more fortunate than most Americans, is being shoved down their throats. I’m going to be articulating what I think is wrong about that in ways that so many of them aren’t able to articulate for themselves.
I’m going to be inflammatory. I’m going to say terrible things about the rich of California.
But now I’m wondering if I’m going to get the chance to do any of that here on Substack.
> my belief now is that the American people are no longer represented by either of the two major political parties.
I suspect you may not be the only one who feels that way...
A big part of why I believe in the Substack is that it lets readers connect directly with the writers they trust. We are not here to be your editor; your readers are the ones that hire and fire you. I'm happy that this helps people do work that's outside the mainstream narrative - even and maybe especially when they strenuously disagree with me and each other.
If people only wrote things on Substack that I personally agree with, then we'll have failed.
I get to speak my mind sometimes too though. If my post offends you too much, you own your list, and as another commenter points out you aren't stuck here.
Thank you Chris for clarifying this! Yeah, I don't think you offended anyone here by your post. I think Mr. Jones was more worried about the possibility of being deleted than anything! :)
I don't see that you have informed this person about the risk that you prohibit them from using Substack. It's a discussion important for any Internet user.
You raise a good point. But as mentioned - you own your own email list. That is crucial and says a lot about the authentic quality of Substack.
Even so, I hope they DO keep to that ethos and don't start making the mistake Patreon and Twitter of playing editor. Its easy enough to say they won't do that now when its provocative Burkean Conservatives letting rip in an articulate manner.
It will be interesting to see what kind of wrench a David Icke or Alex Jones type would throw into the works...or a Curtis Yarvin type on here, denouncing democracy and promoting absolutist monarchy.
If they got popular on here and the 'California coastline' set got to know about it the pressure may mount.
"newsletter website harbors Russian subversives and hate speech agitators and does nothing to police them'.
What I'm setting up on here is pretty politically vanilla and in a niche far away from such controversy (though lately even knitting has become a target for some political factions I'm none too keen on!).
Still its good to know the likes of you and Taibi could find a home on here. And I hope they navigate the 'Alex Jones' test if and when the moment comes.
Thank you, Louis. Seeing your perspective as the first comment here was reassuring enough to get me to speak up. If I hadn’t seen it I would assumed I was in the wrong place here on Substack and this platform would not be what I’d hoped it could be for me. Thank you.
I think it's great Substack is supporting these writers. Kudos. Curious, though: America is really divided on this issue and half of America is pro-Trump (believe it or not). Is Substack welcoming of the pro-Trump community?
Great read. It's always should be pace for black people, which makes the entire process exciting and hopefully worth it. This sounds divine. i wrote some content here https://baqro.com/
I would think its quite obvious that their 'stand' involves simply saying the things that are currently acceptable and seen as 'right' so they don't get targeted.
Maybe they'll get some 'corporate diversity training' whilst they're at it.
Whatever.. as long as they provide a platform for a variety of voices and don't get tempted (or pressured) into playing the censor. Time will tell..jury's out.
Jae - instead of talking about the problem, maybe you can offer them a few solutions. To be honest, I don't think the argument you're making is entirely fair to Substack but you might be more influential if you laid out your vision instead of just ranting on what you think is justice. Heck - I responded to your post before they did - so I'm acknowledging your opinion at least.
I meant you could be specific in how they could do more. If it is an influential idea....it could be adopted. If I was the CEO of this company I’d be terrified of responding to you and potentially being brought down a rabbit hole because I’d be limited in actual action. I’d have to balance my priorities, policies, and resources. There are consequences to just giving you everything you think is good for your cause. Maybe this is why you haven’t been responded to yet. So be specific. Be kind. And you might get an idea adopted.
OH NO! Listen, that "be nice" trope is not for Black people. Why do we owe that particular emotion to anybody? You need to read James Baldwin and not try to turn us into your version of a decent human being. We're not white, so why expect us to act white? Ummmmm...
We don't need that kind of help, John. You're being rather condescending & patronizing. Why? You folks aren't our saviors, and if you had any sense at all, you'd jump in the fight with your own sets of questions instead of thinking we need your help to do anything at all.
Louis - Substack has a great product but if conservative writers feel like they could be deleted because of outrage from progressives (NY Times publishing Senator Cotton being a good example), it's concerning! Maybe Substack's response will be: We support all writers but this is just our personal opinion. That would be smart for them to do. I mean, there is competition. Ghost.org just released a similar open-source product and they don't take 10% of your profits.
I don't understand your view - so elevating black writers means that equal time has to be given to pro-Trumpers? I could understand if Chris had mentioned pro-Biden writers, but I don't get your correlation between black pride and Trump enthusiasts? Are you saying Trump enthusiasts are the equal and opposite view of those writing for black equality? Would it shock you to know that Trump has been among the most productive presidents on HBCU funding over the last 50 years, and that I've covered it?
Thanks for this - it is truly important to highlight diverse voices writing exclusively about issues that impact all Americans, but those which negatively and disproportionate hurt people of color. But its also important that we don't fall into the trap of thinking that the best of analysis and coverage in these areas are the writers and publications with "social justice" in the masthead. Many of us have similar missions in areas of public health, finance, voting, sexual identity, environment, education and more.
While I am new to Substack, I have been a higher education writer focused on historically black colleges and universities for the past decade through my founding of the HBCU Digest (hbcudigest.substack.com) HBCUs are the research, cultural and social hubs for the work of giving black Americans full access to the promise of democracy, even while under existential threat of systematic racism since their founding.
I hope that this message speaks to the heart of what many of us as black people are feeling, what those of us as black activists are doing, and the diversity of our heartfelt compassion for this country and its future.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. There’s a lot to like about what you wrote. Thanks also for sharing these writers.
I live in small European country far from the epicenter of these dramatic events but there are no doubts the history is unfolding. This is right time to think and choose wisely. Thank you.
Bravo! Thank you for taking a stand. I support you 100%.
Thank you Substack, for your timely and honest statement. You don't have to agree with every writer on your platform to make known your position as a platform. Jack Dorsey is another example of this. We support you.
So I’m new to Substack as well, with just two posts and both this week and both in response to the protests etc. https://foramericans.substack.com/
And my viewpoint in general doesn’t look favorably upon what has transpired and for what it means politically in this country going forward.
And so reading this, and as has been voiced already by others responding to your message, I immediately began to wonder when the plug is going to be pulled on my Substack site/newsletter because I’m over here with a place called “For Americans” and an about page that indicates that I’m going to be coming from a place with a pretty fervent pro-American conservative-sounding perspective.
Which I will be. So that’s now a concern. Not saying it’s going to happen but what happens if my readership goes through the roof and I’m raking in the fat stacks but pissing off the San Francisco crowd.
Are you going to pull the plug on me?
And let’s face it. If I’m not pissing off the San Francisco crowd I’m going to consider my For Americans project a complete failure. ;-) So now you’ve got me worried.
What if I espouse something that sounds like nationalism? America First?
Have I wasted my time it putting up this site and putting my two pieces here?
Thing is, I’m actually a lifelong Democrat. Pacifica Radio/Noam Chomsky progressive. But times change, the party left me etc. and my belief now is that the American people are no longer represented by either of the two major political parties.
So I’m now railing against a political and economic landscape that reflects what I believe is happening around the abandonment of the people by the political elites and my aim is to put my voice out there and use whatever talent I have to push a perspective that puts the concerns of the other 98% out in flyover country first and foremost.
I think the need and the appetite for that content is there and I believe that the election of the last president indicates just how angry people are and I’m going to be writing from a perspective that they should be angry and this is what they need to think about all that.
A certain kind of politics coming from the coasts, from people who were born more fortunate than most Americans, is being shoved down their throats. I’m going to be articulating what I think is wrong about that in ways that so many of them aren’t able to articulate for themselves.
I’m going to be inflammatory. I’m going to say terrible things about the rich of California.
But now I’m wondering if I’m going to get the chance to do any of that here on Substack.
> my belief now is that the American people are no longer represented by either of the two major political parties.
I suspect you may not be the only one who feels that way...
A big part of why I believe in the Substack is that it lets readers connect directly with the writers they trust. We are not here to be your editor; your readers are the ones that hire and fire you. I'm happy that this helps people do work that's outside the mainstream narrative - even and maybe especially when they strenuously disagree with me and each other.
If people only wrote things on Substack that I personally agree with, then we'll have failed.
I get to speak my mind sometimes too though. If my post offends you too much, you own your list, and as another commenter points out you aren't stuck here.
Thank you Chris for clarifying this! Yeah, I don't think you offended anyone here by your post. I think Mr. Jones was more worried about the possibility of being deleted than anything! :)
*why I believe in the Substack model
I don't see that you have informed this person about the risk that you prohibit them from using Substack. It's a discussion important for any Internet user.
I'd like to discuss e.g. data management with you. I invite you to this conversation: https://medium.com/julian-dumitrascu/building-a-relationship-6d7bf1e3c502
You raise a good point. But as mentioned - you own your own email list. That is crucial and says a lot about the authentic quality of Substack.
Even so, I hope they DO keep to that ethos and don't start making the mistake Patreon and Twitter of playing editor. Its easy enough to say they won't do that now when its provocative Burkean Conservatives letting rip in an articulate manner.
It will be interesting to see what kind of wrench a David Icke or Alex Jones type would throw into the works...or a Curtis Yarvin type on here, denouncing democracy and promoting absolutist monarchy.
If they got popular on here and the 'California coastline' set got to know about it the pressure may mount.
"newsletter website harbors Russian subversives and hate speech agitators and does nothing to police them'.
What I'm setting up on here is pretty politically vanilla and in a niche far away from such controversy (though lately even knitting has become a target for some political factions I'm none too keen on!).
Still its good to know the likes of you and Taibi could find a home on here. And I hope they navigate the 'Alex Jones' test if and when the moment comes.
Thank you, Louis. Seeing your perspective as the first comment here was reassuring enough to get me to speak up. If I hadn’t seen it I would assumed I was in the wrong place here on Substack and this platform would not be what I’d hoped it could be for me. Thank you.
I think it's great Substack is supporting these writers. Kudos. Curious, though: America is really divided on this issue and half of America is pro-Trump (believe it or not). Is Substack welcoming of the pro-Trump community?
Extraordinary read. It's consistently should be pace for individuals of color, which makes the whole cycle energizing and ideally justified, despite all the trouble. This sounds divine. I kept in touch with some substance here. https://thepinsa.com/best-victoria-secret-perfume/ & https://baqro.com/best-conditioners-for-dreadlocks/
Great read. It's always should be pace for black people, which makes the entire process exciting and hopefully worth it. This sounds divine. i wrote some content here https://baqro.com/
I was considering using substack but I won’t anymore
I would think its quite obvious that their 'stand' involves simply saying the things that are currently acceptable and seen as 'right' so they don't get targeted.
Maybe they'll get some 'corporate diversity training' whilst they're at it.
Whatever.. as long as they provide a platform for a variety of voices and don't get tempted (or pressured) into playing the censor. Time will tell..jury's out.
Jae - instead of talking about the problem, maybe you can offer them a few solutions. To be honest, I don't think the argument you're making is entirely fair to Substack but you might be more influential if you laid out your vision instead of just ranting on what you think is justice. Heck - I responded to your post before they did - so I'm acknowledging your opinion at least.
I meant you could be specific in how they could do more. If it is an influential idea....it could be adopted. If I was the CEO of this company I’d be terrified of responding to you and potentially being brought down a rabbit hole because I’d be limited in actual action. I’d have to balance my priorities, policies, and resources. There are consequences to just giving you everything you think is good for your cause. Maybe this is why you haven’t been responded to yet. So be specific. Be kind. And you might get an idea adopted.
OH NO! Listen, that "be nice" trope is not for Black people. Why do we owe that particular emotion to anybody? You need to read James Baldwin and not try to turn us into your version of a decent human being. We're not white, so why expect us to act white? Ummmmm...
I think I’ve just helped you advance your cause .01%.
We don't need that kind of help, John. You're being rather condescending & patronizing. Why? You folks aren't our saviors, and if you had any sense at all, you'd jump in the fight with your own sets of questions instead of thinking we need your help to do anything at all.
Louis - Substack has a great product but if conservative writers feel like they could be deleted because of outrage from progressives (NY Times publishing Senator Cotton being a good example), it's concerning! Maybe Substack's response will be: We support all writers but this is just our personal opinion. That would be smart for them to do. I mean, there is competition. Ghost.org just released a similar open-source product and they don't take 10% of your profits.
You’re nailing it, Louis.
I don't understand your view - so elevating black writers means that equal time has to be given to pro-Trumpers? I could understand if Chris had mentioned pro-Biden writers, but I don't get your correlation between black pride and Trump enthusiasts? Are you saying Trump enthusiasts are the equal and opposite view of those writing for black equality? Would it shock you to know that Trump has been among the most productive presidents on HBCU funding over the last 50 years, and that I've covered it?