Simone Biles and our collective mental health breakthrough

[View this email in your browser]( Your daily update from [Salon](. After Simone Biles' Olympics withdrawal, we're talking about mental health "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being. It just sucks when you're fighting with your own head." Simone Biles, considered the greatest gymnast of all time, withdrew from today's all-around finals at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Biles did so after, in her own words from earlier this week, realizing that [she needs to focus on her mental health](. "Given the culture war in the United States today, which consigns everything and everyone to one of the two sides of the political aisle, it is not surprising that Biles' announcement was not received with universal equanimity," Salon's Matthew Rozsa writes of the backlash from right-wing media. "Indeed, Biles has been outspoken in her criticism of former president Donald Trump and support for Black Lives Matter, and thus many right-wing types view her as an indelible line on their bulleted list of irredeemable public enemies." The good news? After Biles' Olympics withdrawal, we're seeing how cultural attitudes towards mental health are changing. Thankfully, there are already signs that our culture is becoming more informed and progressive in its views. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., tweeted that she stands by Biles and Naomi Osaka, who withdrew from the French Open in May after officials would not allow her to protect her mental health by skipping press conferences. "Your health and peace matters," Bush wrote. "You're reminding Black women that we can take the space we need for ourselves." Indeed, there are unique pressures facing black athletes that adversely impact their mental health, as [Salon's Kylie Cheung pointed out]( after Osaka withdrew from the French Open. "Black women athletes' physical and mental wellness and overall success have more often been punished and discouraged than celebrated and rewarded," Cheung wrote at the time. "The conditions that led to Osaka leaving the French Open are a part of this reality, which makes her exit on her own terms even more inspiring." This Democrat got big money from Big Pharma — and turned against lower drug prices Rep. Scott Peters, a low-profile California Democrat now serving his fifth term in the House, two years ago supported a landmark bill that would have substantially lowered the cost of life-saving drugs for Americans. Now, [he's the apparent leader of a group of centrist Democrats who oppose that very same bill]( and who have collectively received hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry. Peters' apparent flipflop, reported by Stat last week, centers on H.R. 3, a Democratic House bill that would save American consumers billions of dollars on costly drugs for life-altering diseases like cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. The Center for Responsive Politics found that during the 2020 election cycle Peters received nearly $230,000 from pharmaceutical and health companies, many of whose products would be directly targeted by the measure. According to FEC filings reviewed by Salon, Peters received money from Abbvie, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Merck, Amgen, Johnson & Johnson and Gilead Sciences — an array of big-name pharmaceutical companies, none of which could plausibly be described as "small" or "emerging." Alex Lawson, the executive director of Social Security Works, told Salon's Jon Skolnik that while the donations might help Peters get re-elected in the short term, they will damage his long-term political prospects. "Scott Peters' doomed campaign to keep Americans paying the highest drug prices in the world is fully funded by the corporations who make billions off of those high prices," Lawson said by email. "Being the paid mercenary for the corporations that profit off of withholding drugs to sick people might seem like a good way to make a lot of money, but Peters is going to learn that it is actually the best way to lose his job." - Watch [Elizabeth Warren patiently explain to the billionaire]( founder of Home Depot why Social Security isn't welfare - [Susan Sarandon leads protest against the Squad]( at AOC's office: "We're losing hope" - Report claims Parkland survivor's father, radicalized by MTG and QAnon, now [believes the shooting was faked]( - [Butter is amazing](. That's it, that's the tweet. - "Better Call Saul" star Bob Odenkirk is ["stable" after collapsing on set]( - [Elton John schools DaBaby after rapper's homophobic comments]( "No place in the music industry" - Interview: Veteran actor Graham Greene speaks to Salon about [playing a serial killer in his latest film]( - [Republican lawmaker interrogated for his decision]( to vote against medals being awarded to Capitol police officers - [Right-wing media pundits rush to minimize Olympic gold medalist]( Simone Biles and her mental health concerns - COVID could cause male infertility. [Vaccines do not]( - No really, do you have to [salt your eggplant]( Republicans just gaslighting us about Jan. 6 now Republicans trying to undermine the work of the House Select Committee investigating the Capitol riot of January 6 are doing so at the behest of Donald Trump, [Amanda Marcotte writes](. And the worst part is they lack the courage to come right out and say why they're really doing it — because they don't think a pro-fascist insurrection is all that bad. "Instead, Americans are being treated to a whirlwind of deflection, gaslighting, victim-blaming and even victim-mockery — all in an attempt to fill the discourse with noise meant to give Republicans the space to back Trump while pretending that doesn't include backing his attempted coup of the 2020 election or any coups he may attempt in the future." (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Experts unpack Trump's rhetoric: "Fascism in its pure ideological form" When Donald Trump spoke at a rally in Phoenix over the weekend, he continued to threaten political violence against Democrats and others who "stole" the 2020 election from him and his followers. The "Big Lie" was reinforced with a new conspiracy theory about "routers." However, the mainstream media largely chose to treat Trump's rally in Phoenix as a sideshow not worthy of extensive coverage. "Trump channeled numerous tropes of white victimology; his thousands of devoted followers basked in their collective sociopathy," [Chauncey DeVega writes](. "The rally was clearly invigorating for Trump's broken and alienated followers, if only for a few hours. Such is Trump's power over his cult following, for whom he acts as a human intoxicant." In hopes of better understand "Trump's escalating threat to American democracy and the growing power of his fascist cult and movement," DeVega asked several experts from a range of backgrounds for their thoughts on his Phoenix speech. Their take? "Dangerously anti-democratic," "thoroughly corrupt" and "vengeful and sadistic." (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Pool/Getty Images) - "[France Gave Teenagers $350 for Culture. They’re Buying Comic Books]( New York Times - "[Brownsville, We Have a Problem]( Protocol - "[I Love Tom Daley, Great Britain's Knitting Gold Medalist]( Defector - "[Table Menaces: Why do so many top-level athletes have a need to be the best ping-pong player in the room]( Sports Illustrated - "[The New Moral Code of America's Elite]( The Atlantic - Oh, and [Gawker's]( back "He's such a moron." GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., objected to [the reimplementation of a mask mandate in the House of Representatives](. The mandate was restored this week by Capitol physician Brian Monahan amid a spike in cases due to the delta variant of COVID-19. "The threat of bringing masks back is not a decision based on science, but a decision conjured up by liberal government officials who want to continue to live in a perpetual pandemic state," McCarthy tweeted. When asked about McCarthy's comments, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had some choice words before getting into a vehicle and leaving the Capitol. "He's such a moron," she said. (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( Copyright © 2021 Salon Media Group, Inc., All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at Salon.com Our mailing address is: Salon Media Group, Inc. Market StreetSan Francisco, CALIFORNIA 94102 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](