‘It collapsing would mean I have nobody left’ | Morning Newsletter
And a failed utopia.
The Morning Newsletter
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Expect a cloudy day with rain in the afternoon. Temps will reach the high 50s.
There was already a robust community for people with disabilities on Twitter, but it intensified during the pandemic. It was a place for socializing and support, especially for those particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
But the instability of the platform since Elon Musk purchased it has many worried. Our lead story follows what many fear could be the end of the online community.
If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Heather Kerstetter rarely leaves her home for anything other than doctor’s appointments.
Spinal muscular atrophy puts her at grave risk from respiratory infections and a cold can send her to the hospital with pneumonia for weeks. COVID could kill her.
Despite this, she has a thriving social life through the diverse online community known as #DisabilityTwitter. It provides people with disabilities a forum for dialogue, advice, and advocacy and includes people with physical limitations, mental health conditions, and chronic illnesses.
But she doesn’t know for how long.
Reminders: Elon Musk bought the platform a month ago and began mass layoffs, prompting analysts to warn of its potential demise.
Among those laid off were members of Twitter’s accessibility team.
Twitter stopped enforcing a policy barring misinformation about COVID-19.
Twitter is no longer blocking most hateful or offensive tweets.
The concerns: Twitter users with disabilities worry about an exodus of advertisers that might put the company out of business. Even if Twitter remains intact, they worry the platform will become a more hateful and less accessible environment.
Keep reading to understand how Twitter has been used as tool for advocating for disability rights.
William Penn’s design for Philadelphia became a blueprint for American cities.
He envisioned a utopia with bountiful green space and balanced geometry.
But from the start, the grid of Penn’s city divided people by race and by economic status. And as the city became a haven for free African Americans, runaway slaves, and the abolitionist movement, the inequities became more stark.
The latest installment of A More Perfect Union tells the story of four infrastructure systems — water, parks, streets, and transit — that came out of Penn’s plan and explores more equitable ways forward.
What you should know today
The federal government asked for another extension to respond to a lawsuit seeking to open a supervised injection site in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said the GOP effort to remove him is part of an “authoritarian attack” on democracy.
A Pennsylvania court ruled against parents who challenged masking at Pennsbury and other school districts.
Rudy Giuliani doubled down on false Pennsylvania election fraud claims in a bar association disciplinary hearing.
According to a new Penn study, suicide doesn’t increase during the holidays but the media perpetuates that myth.
Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
The Phillies and star shortstop Trea Turner agreed on a $300 million contract.
How many years is the duration of the contract?
A) 10
B) 11
C) 5
D) 8
Find out if you know the answer.
What we’re ...
📺 Following: The Good Morning America hosts’ alleged affair saga.
🎤 Anticipating: Jill Scott coming to The Met Philly to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of her debut album.
🎨 Reading: Artists’ takes on Lensa, the popular app that uses AI technology to morph users’ selfies into stylized art.
🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩
Hint: Jason Kelce’s latest eccentric outfit
ORG WIDEMOUTH
Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shout-out to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shout-out goes to Marcia Ruberg, who correctly guessed Disney Hole as Monday’s answer.
Photo of the Day
And that’s been your Tuesday. I’m beginning my day with a green tea ☕. Thank you for starting yours with The Inquirer.