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Scott Hechinger

16 Oct, 10 tweets, 4 min read

@nytimes

More copaganda & pro-carceral reporting from @nytimes. Buying police, corporate, far right, & brainwashed “Chesa Boudin recall” liberals talking points that Walgreens closures are signal of failures of reform. W/o asking basic questions or talking to experts. Thread w/ facts:

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1448420816673296385

https://twitter.com/deanpreston/status/1449264688722694144?s=21

Walgreens is not just closing in San Francisco. Walgreens will close another 150 stores & increase annual savings target to $3.3 billion. This appears to be a public relations ploy to cover up for massive layoffs.

https://twitter.com/deanpreston/status/1449264688722694144?s=21

https://twitter.com/kylecbarry/status/1445456976801001474?s=21

Crime is down in San Francisco.

https://twitter.com/kylecbarry/status/1445456976801001474?s=21

@KyleCBarry

Retail theft in particular is down almost 40% since YTD in 2018, a huge drop not plausibly explained by "lack of reporting" (via @KyleCBarry).

@nytimes

If the @nytimes just asked some basic questions instead of getting snookered into reporting based on intense, politically motivated, local scaremongering, they might have not reported on this story at all. Like: then why are CVS chains not closing any stores in San Francisco?

https://twitter.com/adamjohnsonnyc/status/1448321887361187848

@nytimes

If the @nytimes just asked some basic questions instead of getting snookered into reporting based on intense, politically motivated, local scaremongering, they might have not reported on this story at all. Like: Why did NYC Walgreens close even more during same period?

https://twitter.com/adamjohnsonnyc/status/1448323113205252097

Here’s what journalism and reporting on the story of Walgreens blaming Chesa Boudin & reforms for closing stores could & should have looked like. An actual critical examination of the strained claim: thecolumn.substack.com/p/4-major-plot…

@nytimes

The @nytimes at least could have attended the press briefing.

https://twitter.com/bradleyrhaywood/status/1449239438429655050

Buried in all this misleading, confusion over shoplifting & Walgreens & crime & fear is this: People who do shoplift by & large are stealing to survive. Suffering from substance use, poverty, houselessness, hunger, mental health. Arrests & cages exacerbates all those issues.

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More from @ScottHech

Scott Hechinger

@ScottHech

16 Oct

@CBSNewYork

Remarkable. After years of @CBSNewYork parroting police lies about bail reform, they report, in detail, on how the NYPD Chief lied to them & the public. “Tough questions about cop’s penchant for blaming bail reform.” Will they stop sourcing cops now? newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/10/14/bai…

“Tongues started wagging after Shea seemed to backtrack on his repeated insistence that state bail reform laws are a major reason why cops can’t stop gun violence.”

NYPD: “When you look at who we arrest for crimes, it’s going to be small numbers.”

He admitted he’s been lying.

CBS actually reports facts! “A report from the city’s Office of Criminal Justice throws cold water on Shea’s bail reform argument. It shows that 9.7% of defendants were released w/o bail for gun crimes, before bail reform was passed. It fell to 3.5% after bail reform enacted.”

Read 6 tweets

Scott Hechinger

@ScottHech

15 Oct

https://twitter.com/brynstole/status/1449029972882956290

How copaganda works. Maryland Governor claims he's "re-funding" the police. No police departments were defunded. And Maryland's increased every year:

2019: $408 Million
2020: $442 Million
2021: $457 Million
2022: $471 Million
2022: (after newly-announced $150 more): $621 Million

https://twitter.com/brynstole/status/1449029972882956290

@nytimes

This is the direct consequence of mainstream outlets like the @nytimes adopting & parroting *police lies* that they were somehow "defunded." And then after "rising levels of crime" somehow *caused by* something that never happened, they are starting to get their money back.

@nytimes

I wrote here about how @nytimes, like most outlets, plays a major role in perpetuating mass criminalization. Offered a roadmap for better journalism. Stop sourcing from police, stop sensationalizing, & stop allowing police to speculate about crime data. thenation.com/article/societ…

Read 6 tweets

Scott Hechinger

@ScottHech

13 Oct

I cannot believe the NYT published a front page story 2 days ago about how police were "defunded" when every police department everywhere got increases.

Not only did NYT publish a front page story 2 days ago about how police were "defunded" when every police department everywhere got increases -- they blamed rising crime (also a lie -- only homicides increased) on "defunding" of police!

NYPD got a nice $200 million raise despite brutal, widespread beatings of the people they claim they want to protect. nytimes.com/interactive/20…

Read 8 tweets

Scott Hechinger

@ScottHech

12 Oct

https://twitter.com/VoteandChangeSF/status/1447971151355908102

Current state of the Chesa Boudin recall effort in San Francisco: Desperate lies. Look far below. Claim "violent crime" up 15%. Total crime +18%.

Here is the SF PD's data. 1% increase in violent crimes (only 50 more). Rapes/robberies down 14% & 6%. Homicides up by total of 5.

https://twitter.com/VoteandChangeSF/status/1447971151355908102

If you want to see data -- and please keep in mind this is reported from the police so take it with all the disclaimers & remember they don't report their own crimes -- here's open data consistently updated from SF police. sanfranciscopolice.org/stay-safe/crim…

https://twitter.com/VoteandChangeSF/status/1447998333981638656

Residents don’t “feel” safe because you & others are spreading misinformation gleaned from far right websites & police talking points. “Feelings” about crime, as opposed to reason, are exactly how we became the world’s largest human caging force.

https://twitter.com/VoteandChangeSF/status/1447998333981638656

Read 4 tweets

Scott Hechinger

@ScottHech

12 Oct

@nytimes

Thread: How copaganda works. A day after @nytimes dedicated their front page to allow police to *lie* they were defunded, I received an email from an influential progressive w/ a big mailing list. He shared the story. Subject: "Refund the police." I emailed him. What I wrote:

I write this bc I care about truth & want a future of policy that is smart, cost-effective, rational, & fair. That actually produces health & safety. I write this bc pro-carceral forces, enabled by media like NYT are doing everything they can to perpetuate a failed status quo.

@nytimes

Here is the problem with this "reporting" by the @nytimes & your distillation of it:

1. Not a single police force in the country was "defunded."

2. Therefore, "defunding the police" had no effect on anything, including the need to "refund them."

Read 16 tweets

Scott Hechinger

@ScottHech

12 Oct

@DigiAbby

12 years of marriage to @DigiAbby today! Was thinking of how many incredible opportunities I've had to work w/ & learn from her. I'll start here. In Eastern Cape, South Africa. Then 5 mos pregnant. Took vacation time to assist her on a doc for local partners on equal education.

Got to work w/ Abby when I was at Brooklyn Defender Services. W/ immigrant clients co-wrote, directed, & produced WeHaveRights.us, a 4 part animated series on how to safely defend yourself in encounters with ICE. 7 languages. Powerful storytelling.

@witnessorg

Once ICE started ramping up arrests after COVID first struck, I got to work w/ Abby again, @witnessorg, & Fiona Apple. Short film on documenting abuses by ICE. Again co-written w/ people w/ first hand experience. Who had witnessed loved ones arrested.