In a pathetic attempt to find more bullshit readers, I’ve copied some of these rants onto Substack — the latest web craze that converted “blogs” into “newsletters” and makes people pay for their content.

Out of the ashes of that slanted and biased journalism that used to be controlled through the cost of printing shit on paper (or hiring a digital team to create a complex website) rose Substack. Pulling personalities and writers of all stripes out of their collective holes and onto a platform that made it “easy” to market and collect subscriptions. I particularly enjoy reading Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Build an email list, beg for donations (“buy me a coffee” buttons are popular) and abracadabra some writers can make a living on the internet.

I found out last week “some writers” includes Nazis.

Fuck. Now do I pull the plug on my meager attempt to reach 10 more people or just shrug and plow ahead with yet another compromise of my so-called principles?

I only started using Substack because I can’t figure out how to control email blasts on old blogs in WordPress. About 2 years ago I started recycling: I look up my bullshit stories that nobody has seen in the previous 2-4 years, edit out half the “fucks” and republish them.

But sometimes WordPress would send out a new email blast with the “re-newed” story. Sometimes not. I never figured out which would be which. I suspect it blasted out the stories I originally wrote on the old wicked Wix website, but who the fuck knows? 

Substack does — it reliably let me control when and to whom these recycled stories were sent. 10 minutes of copy/paste a few paragraphs with a link to read the rest on my actual website and voila, I’m a Substacker.

But Jonathan M. Katz told me so are notable Nazi’s Richard Spencer and Patrick Casey. He got 100 other big writers to sign a letter to Substack to defund the Nazis or else…

I thought about just publishing that letter on the page and be done with it. Have my coffee and feel good about “my contribution.”

I couldn’t do it. My “leaving Substack” is no threat. Substack would probably be better off without my bullshit. And while I agree with the sentiment, the tone feels preachy and more self-righteous than I feel.

I’m fine with Nazi’s on Substack. Throw all your fascist shit against the wall and see what sticks. Free speech and all that.

I’m not fine with Substack subsidizing Nazi’s. Using its AI algorithms to spiral up the Nazi reader count. Taking 10-percent of the profits. Providing a financial haven for people who get “demonetized” by YouTube or even X. Last year Substack made $59 million. Some of its authors made up to $22 million. The company is not desperate for cash. Closing down Nazi funding will not close down Substack.

Substack closes down sex workers and porn. I’d rather share a site with pornagraphers than Nazi’s.

They are drawing the wrong lines. Substack should be ashamed for making money from it.

But in this case shame ain’t working. Substack is fine profiting from Nazi’s with a bullshit argument about cutting off Nazi funding only makes it worse (no evidence for this piece of Orwellian double-speak).

Platform or Publisher

We need to change the laws about these “platforms” that are exempt from liable, slander and other remedies to bad speech under American law – the infamous Section 230. (Before you comment, yes I know the words platform and publisher are not in this law — but my simple mind is keeping it simple).

When Substack or any other platform throws open its doors to all for free that’s fine. Any business can decide who they will or will not work with. But when they close that door behind a paywall, take part of the profit and “decide” through code or deed what content to promote, grow and spread, then they should be considered a publisher (like The NY Times, Washington Post, MSNBC or Fox News). And like Fox News they should be held liable for any harmful lies they promote and profit from. Does $787 million ring a bell?

Nazi content almost always leads to violent actions. Ask the people in Pittsburgh or El Paso, and those victims should be able to sue Substack for making money on this kind of dangerous propoganda. Think Alex Jones and the families from Sandy Hook.

If Substack’s conscience won’t get them out bed with Nazi’s, maybe a strong hit to their wallets will. But if that happens, it’s a long way off.

After typing out these few thoughts, I’ve decided to keep emailing my shit on Substack (for now). If WordPress adds features to better control email, or another platform comes along with better tools and fewer fascists, I’ll leave the Substack behind. Until then, I’ll hold my nose like the rest of you, and keep publishing my own bullshit for free on both platforms. Maybe I’ll get to 100 dedicated readers (someday).

Update: Flipping Nazis on Substack

Upon further review, apparently Substack has decided to remove Nazi’s. But they say this isn’t a “flip-flop” just a new reading of their existing policies against inciting violence. Flip-flop/new reading — tomato/tomato — potato/potato.

I’m surprised they went the full “de-platform,” but it’s a good step. I feel better that my small efforts to bring people’s emails to this platform is not profiting Nazis.

I still say it would be smarter to allow anyone to publish in the name of free speech, but not go into business with them: allowing Nazi’s to profit from your tech, taking a cut of the profits or having your algorithm unintentionally support fascism is a good place to draw a line.

Say what you want on the platform, but we are not going to be the publisher that helps you make money.

Now Substack has placed itself as the complete moderator for all speech and will have to answer why allow Trump supporters (the modern day fascists) to tell dangerous lies about elections, vaccinations and conspiracy theories that have led to threats of violence and acts of political violence… Or allow the kind of leftist vitriol that led to the shooting of Republican Congress members including Steve Scalise.

You could make a case that Trumpism is still in its infancy and has yet to actually create the concentration camps (only in the planning stages now for “migrants”) compared to the historical Nazis who did that and more… But like the person who would fuck anybody for $1 million, we know what they are and now we are just arguing about the price.

With this ban, Substack has to defend the principle of free speech while simultaneously being the sole decider of who gets to stay and who has to go.

Good to be Nazi free. But it could have been done sooner and better.