270 Comments

I won’t be smiling until it becomes a crime for any form of media to make remarks that are knowingly false or that inspire hate towards others. I’m all for freedom of speech but since people have chosen to abuse that freedom by causing others harm then it must be curtailed. If they can charge women and physicians with murder for abortions, which had been totally legal for decades, then people can also be charged for inciting acts of violence or intentionally causing someone harm. We have allowed these behaviors to go unchecked for far too long. Now we are going to have a President who is a convicted felon. Our country’s moral values have gone downhill. We value guns, sex, and sensationalism above all else. We need to value education, science, healthcare and peace. We must make the needed changes to bring justice, reason, kindness, equality and compassion back. Let our media focus on that, and perhaps we can change for the better.

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Please run for office. Wherever you are, your platform sounds like decency and respect for the rule of law - laws that most Americans want.

Freedom from bigoted Bible freaks ruling over those who believe in science, medicine and compassionate care.

Freedom from WMDs in the hands of haters...

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We just had a very qualified woman run for office on this platform. The American people unfortunately chose otherwise.

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Indeed! And we are a tottering republic on the brink of dictatorship as a result.

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Scary and sad and so very unnecessary that we're in this situation right now.

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As The Onion might say, "America was only just saved from a Communist-Marxist takeover by a female candidate who would've mandated the forced sex-change of our children, and forced a re-alignment from of our Biblical values to those based upon objective scientific enquiry."

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I agree with you but isn't it interesting that she never said anything like that.

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There is currently considerable RW hysteria over Trans youth being "forced" to transition by evil woke Democrats. Normal hetero children going to school as one gender--and returning home, mutilated, as another. Presumably brainwashed by nefarious unionized liberal school staff.

Conservatives seriously believe this shit.

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Oh, I certainly hope you're not serious because that is flat-out not true.

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Because they despise women, especially women of color

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And I don’t feel like laughing about a fucking thing right now. I am mad as hell!

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They're afraid of women.

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Afraid of the peace, community, prosperity, fairness, truth, health and safety that we'd want to mold the USA into.

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Many were women. That is shameful and must be kept plainly in view.

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I’d pay to subscribe if I could. I lost ALL my assets paying for extensive healthcare including an organ transplant. Listen to Bernie Sanders about this healthcare. ACA was a literal drop in the very big bucket. Nice try, Barack

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And the last who lost to this misfit of a human being was a person who's qualifications to be our President outshined all others for this position.....Hillary Clinton. Sad to say, our white males are mostly to blame for this (in my humble opinion)

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You are absolutely correct. What the heck is wrong with this country? Fifty percent of voters prefer a lying, cheating, traitorous, demented jack-ass to a qualified woman. Oh, I forgot, emails. She had emails.

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Very true, Bill. Unfortunately time and age is not with Mr. Rather. He is 92/93. Otherwise the nation needs stalwarts like him and Ralph Nader in the White House.

True patriots and men of steel.

Except for his voice of reason, everything is really a dirty joke being played on us.

Thank you

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Thanks, but I was replying to Ilene :)

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Thanks but I’m in my 70’s. I seem to have a lot of opinions but have never been involved with politics until 2016. I always voted but I never got involved. I tried to get more involved recently but the Democratic Party seemed to lack cohesiveness, ambition, and conviction where I live. Unfortunately the Republican Party did. We must unite and speak out loud and often if we want to be heard.

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Speaking out is futile. Action must begin. Lawsuits must be brought against a long list of people.

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Speaking out everyday for 8 years worked for Trump. I believe speaking out can influence people if it’s done often enough.

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I am sorry, no wonder people call me dumb, lol.

Happy Sunday

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Rajiv, my dear, it’s a wonder any of us can follow these modern ways of communicating. Certainly not an indication of dumbness. Somehow those faint lines they inserted don’t always do the trick. Happy Sunday wherever you are.

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🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻. Thank you, likewise to you as well.

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Nah… I would never call you dumb. But… but… recall that the bloated-head Ralph Nader ran on the Green Party in 2000 and took 90,000 votes away from, remember that guy, President Al Gore

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Yes, true, Bill. How are you ? The other way to look at it. If enough people were to vote for Ralph Nader, the two corrupt party system would have been broken. Between the two, in politics, it’s always the lesser evil. 2024 is an exception. A sickening exception.

Thank you

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Not to throw a spanner into the works, Bill, but it depends on where those 90,000 votes were.

Someone said yesterday, for example, that mango man only won by 1.5% of the vote this time, and because Stein got 1.9% of the vote overall, she cost Harris the election. That's not how it works, however.

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Rajiv, please don’t demean yourself for an error. It’s people who can’t acknowledge an error that are “dumb.”

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Me too. Made the same assumption, and right after being stirred by what Ilene wrote.

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What we need is proactive competent lawyers who will bring law suits on a massive scale. Perhaps that is already being considered. No one is being held accountable.

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I think it's Ilene who Bill is suggesting run for office.

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Great idea! Above run for office. We need you to help clean up our country. Please hurry for I’m 92.

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Agree to all but your first sentence.

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A part of me would love to agree with you, but the caveat lies in one of my favorite Latinisms: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes”. "Who will guard the guardians themselves” and one of my other favorite aphorisms “We do not see things as they are; we see them as we are”,

If we should ever turn the speech police loose, it is all too easy to predict where it would lead. Ask yourself this: who exactly is to decide what is true or false? In some cases, of course, it is easy. In others not so much. One thing is for sure. We would swiftly descend into a morass of legal activities which. regardless of the validity of any one of them would become increasingly expansive, acrimonious, expensive, often inconclusive, and terrifyingly nitpicky.

Our best if not wholly effective guard against lies and such are our libel laws. Sometimes, as with Fox News and Alex Jones among others, they are effective. Yes, they usually take forever, and often a conviction does not undo the damage. But I think they are all we can expect to work at all.

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Anaïs Nin - one of my favorite quotes, that I had imprinted on my checks back when checks were a thing.

“We do not see things as they are; we see them as we are."

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I’ve long heard that it’s a saying from the Talmud. In any case, it has to be simple human wisdom from near the dawn of time itself.

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And the proof that it was knowingly false is often a huge barrier.

The unintended consequences could easily be destruction of the media, opposition and criticism. Giving the leader of this administration more power by changing those laws. He has talked about making it easier to sue for yrs. Lawsuits are one of his favorite tools.

Only the trumped up ‘truth’ could be told like where other authoritarian leaders are in charge.

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Very true. The so called “” Mayor of America “” is an immediate example, paying the price. I am very sorry, but that is sheer “” loser””. Wanting to rub shoulders with the powerful gets you nowhere. Your karma never forgets and forgive’s you

Thank you

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Just wait till 47 pardons the Jan 6 convicts.

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That is when violence is triggered. Pardons will not stand.

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Presidential pardons aren't subject to any control except the self-control of which the Felon President-elect has none.

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I am so with you in all you’ve said. Alex Jones was yelling “FIRE” in a crowded room every day. Despicable human pile of filth spewed every day. I hope next week finally finds him shit down and shut up for good.

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Your reply is appropriate. Our media must change direction. So far I have seen little of that. Perhaps a massive law suit could be brought to hold accountable those individuals who have enabled the rise of Trumpf to the presidency again. The list is long. Many are elected politicians and some are simply massively wealthy. All are breaking laws and have been exposed for weeks now. They are known and the law is clear. Just do it.

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founding

It already was Reagan killed all ethnics in the media

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Amen!!!!!!!

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Damn! Well said!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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A modest proposal.

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Trump , Musk and Jones the modern day Three Stooges

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They were funny. These criminals are not.

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Praying they are all dead this time next year along with Putin and Netanyahu.

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Betty I hope Vance joins them

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Yes! All of them and we could add more!

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It’s more like the mafia bosses

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Kim. Music to my ears.

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founding

Hooray for the Onion. Being around this Onion does not make me cry. Shutting down Alex Jones and Infowars is a major accomplishment. Of all the tragedies in this country, Sandy Hook might have been one of the worst. That brings water pouring from eyes. Alex Jones brings new meaning to the word despicable….unfortunately so do some of Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees. 😭😢😿💧💧💧💦💦💦

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Sandy Hook and Uvalde.

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Parkland also. One of my dear friends from college, lost her granddaughter in the Parkland shooting.

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Only "some" of Trump's proposed cabinet? May the Senate grow a backbone, decline to pass on these selections, and send Trump back to the drawing board to get some more competent and honest nominees.

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Steve, what competent and honest people would be willing to swear undying loyalty to Trump? I see those as mutually exclusive. I was reading this morning about the people vying for his nomination as Secretary of the Treasury. Both of them, even the one characterized as the more “traditional,” support his crazy idea of high tariffs, calling framing them as a tax on consumers nonsense.

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His goal is to destroy the federal government, so of course he is nominating unqualified and inappropriate candidates for leading positions.

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Interesting premise but about the Federal Gov't but I think in his twisted brain that he wants to go down in the history books as a great President. UH he WILL go down in the history books but not for that!!

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Not as a great president, rather as a great dictator.

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Nov 17·edited Nov 17

Trump already bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Rush Limbaugh. Wouldn't surprise me if he did the same for Alex Jones. How did we get from Washington and Lincoln to this?

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Very true, Janis. You can say that for a lot of them.

Thank you.

Living overseas now, I was thinking the other day, how wife and myself used to watch US open in Flushing, years ago.

Many thanks for that.

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founding

Yes any shooting is tragic. But Sandy Hook was appropriate to mention here.

Glad you enjoyed the U.S. Open. It used to be tons of fun….except for the rain delays and dealing with tickets.

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Thank you, Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors were a treat.

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founding

They were definitely entertaining.

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Yeah, Janis, just waiting for TFFFG to make Jones the next head of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission)…that would be about par for this twisted course. 🤬

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When this was announced it’s the first time I laughed since 11/6.

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Chopping onions and crying never felt so good.

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Dan,

Please let the world know that the GOP is now the Deliberately Ignorant Party. Nominations to Defense, HHS, EPA, DOE, Interior, Intelligence are all designed to ignore social science, the science of medicine, climate, oceans, and agriculture. It isn't the America First party, it is the Ignorance First party. It is not about having a difference of opinion, it is about Deliberately ignoring modern knowledge.

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I refer to them as the fascist party

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Makes sense.

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"Ignorance First," love it

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This is noticed by foreign countries writing on state of USA.

"While the Cabinet during Trump's first term included relatively mainstream Republicans, his administration's picks for the second term suggest a shift in priorities. While loyalty to the President is a top consideration, the new picks show that private sector insight and technological expertise are being valued over traditional governmental experience."

(https://www.indiatoday.in/world/us-news/story/donald-trump-cabinet-picks-young-age-tulsi-gabbard-pete-hegseth-elon-musk-2633280-2024-11-14)

He's also picking younger people that will certainly outlive him.

Cant possibly think the press media & tech & stock market manipulation wont be a daily topic in the WH of dt's 2nd term.

I'm scared that I'm already so exhausted of having dt be the news.... afraid for Ukraine too =(

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Loved this and to the families of Sandy Hook who worked with the Onion to put this Infowars out of business, you are nothing short of wonderful. Thanks for our smile this morning.

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Nov 17·edited Nov 17

Unrelated to this particular article, but very useful...... I saw a list provided by MLK's children advising how to 'resist'. The one suggestion that stuck out to me is to never use trump's name. Instead use 'the Republican Party' or 'GOP' or 'the Republican administration'. That does two things: 1) doesn't give the orange one the attention he craves, and 2) it lays the focus right on the people who continue to enable his insanity.

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I never use a capital letter. I called him "the abomination" during his first term, and I will refer to him by his discredited and abandoned family name, drumpf. It has a good ring when paired with Hitler.

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drumpf is so much more appropriate.

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Or chump.

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I use maga for all of them. They are not worthy of GOP.

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Do you happen to have a link?

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Someone sent it to me. If I can find it, I'll post it.

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I don't have a link, but this is the list...

Daughter of MLK and Coretta Scott King posted this advice as the next 6 months are going to "get real".

1. Don't use his name; EVER (45 will do)

2. Remember this is a regime and he's not acting alone;

3. Do not argue with those who support him-it doesn't work;

4. Focus on his POLICIES, not his orange-ness and his mental state;

5. Keep your message positive; they want the country to be angry and fearful because this is the soil from which their darkest policies will grow;

6. No more helpless/hopeless talk;

7. Support artists and the arts;

8. Be careful not to spread fake news. Check it;

9. Take care of yourselves; And

10. Resist!

When you post or talk about him, don't assign his actions to him, assign them to "The Republican Administration," or

"The Republicans." This will have several effects: the Republican legislators will either have to take responsibility for their association with him or stand up for what some of them don't like; he will not get the focus of attention he craves.

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Excellent advice I will immediately implement!

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It couldn't happen to a better asshole.

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I'd change that to "bigger asshole," although the competition for first place is extremely fierce these days.

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For sure!These people are certainly falling all over each other for that title!

So funny! 🤣

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Hear hear!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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Priceless article Mr Rather.

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This is funny but I am worried that soon the federal govt itself will start pushing these kinds of conspiracy theories and hiding the truth.

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They already do-remember when fascist trump advised Clorox and ivermectin for Covid ?

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If "government" is managed by the GOP, they've been doing this for decades. Truth is a foreign word to them, who have their alternative reality firmly ensconced.

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Of course they will, that's the plan.

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I wonder how long it will take for Trump to weigh in and call the sale rigged and ask “his” Supreme Court to weigh in. I hate to be the cynic here but I’ll celebrate when the sale is closed and The Onion takes to the airwaves.

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I watched a video of the moment Alex Jones learned during his podcast that The Onion had won the bid. Watching him lose his mind was a lovely thing to behold.

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Oh, Sandy, I didn’t realize he had a mind to lose!!!! Still, a short vid of that could become a meme = to 🤯

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Oh so like this twist with a twist of onion juice

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Can't agree with this more except to ad we all need to support the Onion and the new site both financially and by viewing (somehow the internet keeps track of numbers of views I think). From what I can tell the Onion prefers $99 a year for a subscription and I can't afford that all at once so I am trying to see what the other options are. They do say their website is free but I want to help keep it going somehow. As I've mentioned in previous comments when financial folks tell you to cut back like on buying coffee from Starbucks, well I'm already drinking instant...don't have many more places to cut back but I'm going to figure out something and I urge others to do the same. Plus it's just fun to read the Onion articles!

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I imagine, Pat, folks donating a few dollars every now & then adds up & would be appreciated.

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You are right! I just signed up for a $3 a month contribution...not much but as you say if we all do that it will amount to something! I'm counting on a warmer than usual fall/winter so my heating bill will be that much lower! After all the National Weather Service and Farmer's Almanac are never wrong! Feels good to support a worthy organization! And I do support others but only Meidas Touch Network is a media type organization ( I donate to the ACLU, SPLC, Woman's March, Leaders We Deserve, Sierra Club and , oh dear heavens, there are several more, all animal/conservation related...) that I hope can reach folks that are currently unengaged and will see the reality of the situation and decide to vote blue in upcoming elections.

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Dan, this is indeed a reason to smile. Getting one hate-spewing site off of social media is a plus, and putting Alex Jones where he belongs is a good move. Thanks go to the families of the Sandy Hook children for pushing the lawsuit. Now if only someone or group would do the same for FauxNoise, we might be able to turn the courner on the brainwashing of some of the electorate. Thanks to The Onion for making this move as well.

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