apologizing, because the original statement itself merited no apology.
And AP could have resisted the Republican bad-faith mob that came for Emily Winter. And Civis Analytics could have defended its employee sharing a data-driven study that challenged the orthodox political narrative. But none of these organizations had the courage to withstand the social-media noise, and their capitulations gave credence to the accusations., the venerable free-expression advocacy group, said it was"concerned" about Powers' resignation:
"Issuance of a factual public statement within the scope of a professional's job should not be grounds for discipline or resignation under pressure. Biases and bigotries take on many variations and targets—anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, sexism, and other forms each have their own distinct characteristics and are worthy of forceful denunciation in their own right.
"Absent any such indication, the condemnation of one form of hatefulness should not be read to imply indifference toward others. Complex and divisive issues are best addressed through reasoned dialogue, which can include heated debate. Ad hominem attacks, harassment, vitriol, and threats stifle debate, creating regrettable cycles of spiraling censoriousness that can silence important perspectives.