I’ve been caught up in a feud between companies, and some things have been said. Just to clarify:
I’ve never been a Substack employee. I have my own company, but I’m employed by subscribers. I have some loyalty to Substack, a company that’s always treated me well, and whose original Substack Pro offer made it possible for a person with kids like me to leave mainstream journalism.
One of the things that attracted me to Substack was that it was as close to censor-proof a platform as could be found. The distribution system, e-mail, isn’t governed by one actor (though Google’s gmail size limit is an example of a kind of limiting factor). Management could be a weak point, but Chris Best, Hamish McKenzie, Jairaj Sethi, and others have repeatedly shown a disinclination to get involved with content decisions. Some calls have been difficult, and I’m glad they take them seriously.
After last night I was going to write a few hundred words on Why ‘Seven Samurai’ is the Greatest Action Movie of All Time this morning, but that will have to wait. In any case, back to my kids — talk to you all soon.
I listened to the pod between you and Walter yesterday and I just want you to know that you were ambushed on MSNBC and it was a disgusting, terrifying thing to see. I plan on writing more about it, how Medhi Hasan was basically doing the bidding of the Democratic Party, like a Good Soldier -- exactly like the panel who interrogated you for the Twitter Files. I know that people like me who used to be a faithful Democrat think this is somehow the good fight. But my god, can't they see what they've become? Can't they see that what they're doing is trying to stop someone from telling the truth? It remains shocking that this is where we are.
I just wanted to offer you moral support because that is what you have given me as I found myself unable to go along with what I was seeing. Finding your writing, your clarity, your objectivity, your willingness to ask questions and to be maybe the last real journalist was life saving almost, not to be dramatic. Had that never happened to me I'd be on Twitter trying to destroy you as they are all now. Destroy you so that anything you say is disregarded.
Now that they have amassed so much cultural, political and institutional power they can't stand it that there is one person out there who is willing to see them in a critical light -- which is your job. Shame on them. What a disgrace that interview was.
I hope you enjoy your vacation. You have earned it. Don't let them take even a minute of your time with your family in fretting over that stupid idiotic embarrassing interview that will one day be used as proof to show exactly how corrupt MSNBC has become, though they're far from the only ones.
Hang in there Matt, we are with you. History will prove you right.