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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

The Defector Crewneck Sweatshirt Is Back In Stock

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Merch v3

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

US President Joe Biden speaks as he hosts a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (out of frame) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 10, 2024.

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Margin Of Error

What’s The Story With Joe Biden?

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Ray Ratto

Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives at a charity polo game at the Ikoyi Polo Club in Lagos on May 12, 2024 as he and Britain's Meghan (unseen), Duchess of Sussex, visit Nigeria as part of celebrations of Invictus Games anniversary. (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)

NIGERIA-BRITAIN-ROYALS-INVICTUS-GAMES

Arts And Culture

Don’t Look Now, But The British Tabloids Have Discovered The ESPY Awards

Normal Gossip: portraits

Alex Sujong Laughlin

New Yorkers watch the 2024 Presidential Debate between Trump and Biden in New York City, United States on June 27, 2024.

2024 Presidential Debate Watch Party in New York

Politics

Without Fact-Checking, A Presidential Debate Is Just TV

Donald Trump and Joe Biden, looking like a couple of brain-ruined old mummies during their presidential debate.

prezdebate

Debate Losers

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David Roth

Justice Samuel Alito and his wife Martha-Ann stand during a private ceremony for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on September 23, 2020

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Two Bad Neighbors

19th October 1964: A robot designed by Claus Scholz of Vienna answers the phone, unfortunately he can't speak.

Answerphone

Garbage In, Garbage Out

<p>Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the sports editor at the <em>Columbia Daily Spectator</em>. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.</p>


heatherchen_baby

Heather Wei-Xi Chen

A photo of the west side of the South Lawn in front of Columbia University's Butler Library at the Morningside campus. This picture, taken right before sunset, depicts an encampment set up by protestors on a lawn with turf and a big event tent. Students are scattered throughout, and there are multiple banners and signs depicting pro-Palestine statements.

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Why Did I Sleep On The Turf?

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Patrick Redford

Members of the Falun Gong (Falun Dafa) held a parade through Chinatown to protest against the Communist Party of China in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 19, 2023. The Communist Party of China has allegedly tried to wipe out Falun Gong with torture and violence because of their beliefs. Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline that brings together meditation, energy exercises and moral teachings as a means to cultivating the mind and body towards enlightenment. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto)

Members Of The Falun Gong Protest Against The Communist Party Of China

Media Meltdowns

Feds Accuse America’s Weirdest Media Company Of Being A Money-Laundering Front For The Falun Gong

Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, 2024 in Concord, North Carolina. He is wearing a make American Great Again hat.

Donald Trump

The Doubts Were Not Reasonable

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Tom Ley

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits at the defendant's table inside the courthouse as the jury is scheduled to continue deliberations for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. Judge Juan Merchan gave the jury instructions, and deliberations are entering their second day. The former president faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial.

Jury To Begin Deliberations In Trump Hush Money Trial

Defector Up All Night

Justice Delivered To Notable Yankees Fan

<p><span style="font-weight: 400">Erik Baker is a historian and an associate editor at </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400">The Drift.</span></i></p>


Erik Baker

Professor Richard Dawkins next to a bus displaying an atheist message in Kensington Gardens, London.

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Mods Asleep

The Ghosts Of New Atheism Still Haunt Us

Harrison Butker wearing a knit cap and a cowl while warming up on the field in cold temperatures before the Chiefs' January 13, 2024 Wild Card game.

AFC Wild Card Playoffs – Miami Dolphins v Kansas City Chiefs

Harrison Butker Overestimates His Range

U.S. Senator JD Vance takes pictures as Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at Manhattan criminal court, Monday, May 13, 2024, in New York.

J.D. Vance

Dress For The Job You Want

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Samer Kalaf

Harrison Butker delivers commencement speech at Benedictine College

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Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker’s Inspirational Message To Graduating Catholics: Be Worse


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Typing

Sabrina Imbler

Pro-Palestinian protesters opposing Israel's participation in the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) demonstrate in Malmo, Sweden, on May 11, 2024, with a poster saying : NEJ TILL FOLKMORD, Welcome to the Genocide Song Contest

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The Myth Of An Apolitical Eurovision

<p>Puja Changoiwala is an award-winning journalist and author based in Mumbai. <a href="https://www.pujachangoiwala.com/">This</a> is her website.</p>


Puja Changoiwala

An image of the frontline in the Russia/Ukraine war, with an image of Mohammed Sufiyan, who was lured into that conflict by an Indian YouTube influencer.

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How A YouTuber Duped Indians Into The Russia-Ukraine War

An NYPD officer in riot gear looms over a student protestor on the ground and appears to be gripping her arm.

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Going Off Script

A line of police at City College during pro-Gaza demonstrations

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Interviews

A City College Student Journalist Shares What He Saw During The NYPD Crackdown

Counter protesters attack pro-Palestinian protesters at a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) as clashes erupt, in Los Angeles on May 1, 2024. Clashes broke out on May 1, 2024 around pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the University of California, Los Angeles, as universities around the United States struggle to contain similar protests on dozens of campuses. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT / AFP)

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UCLA Chooses Violence Over Divestment

NYPD officers in riot gear enter Columbia University's encampment

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The Outside Agitators On Campus Were The Police

A group of Columbia University students, advocating for Palestinians, access the iconic Hamilton Hall building as they gather to stage a demonstration at the campus in New York, United States on April 30, 2024. Protests are sweeping college campuses across the US following a police attempt to clear a pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University, resulting in the arrest of over 100 students. Columbia University asked students on Monday to 'voluntarily disperse' amid stalled talks, threatening the students with suspension.

Columbia University students gather for Palestinians and enter iconic Hamilton Hall

Journalismism

They Are Insecure For A Reason

The Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University.

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The Crackdown Explains The Protest

Dave McKenna

SHADY GROVE, MD - SEPTEMBER 26: Robin Ficker, a Republican candidate for Montgomery County Executive, speaks during a County Executive Candidates debate on September 26, 2018 in Shady Grove, MD. (Photo by Oliver Contreras/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

SHADY GROVE, MD – SEPTEMBER 26: Robin Ficker, a Republican cand

Portrait Of The Asshole As An Old Man

<p>Asher Elbein is <a href="https://www.asherelbein.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.asherelbein.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712179533443000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2CJ0U-vHMdK0s6sOdzlGGF">a journalist and fiction writer</a> based in Austin, Texas. Among other places, his work has appeared in The New York Times, Scientific American, Undark Magazine, Audubon, and Texas Monthly.</p>
