“What does it mean to live in a society where the police dictate what we’re allowed to say?” Crystal Fleming asked at a teach-in called “Policing Free Speech at Stony Brook” held on March 23 in response to the backlash Hayward faced. Suffolk County knows the answer to this question.
Radio pop’s downward spiral began with an attitude towards the general mainstream that festered on social media and grew over time. Being “basic” — enjoying cultural trends like pop music — was frowned upon.