If you live on the east coast and saw a strange light in the sky around 6 AM on March 14, 2021 you witnessed the launch of the new SpaceX satellites. The satellites launched in Florida and gave quite a show, and in some cases a scare, in many states. What were they launching and why?
SpaceX Launch
At 6:01 a.m. Sunday morning, a rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. People all along the East Coast, from Florida up to Maine, saw the rocket streak across the sky. The veteran rocket is the first in SpaceX’s fleet to launch and land a record nine times. The two-stage launcher blasted off from Pad 39A. Weather forecasters at the 45th Weather Squadron predicted ideal conditions for launch. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, as the rocket climbed to orbit. The predawn sky made some crazy effects in the atmosphere during this launch. The sun illuminated the rocket’s plume creating a dazzling spectacle in the sky many mistook for a comet or UFO. This type of phenomenon only occurs at dawn and dusk. This particular dawn SpaceX was launching 60 Starlink satellites into orbit, helping SpaceX inch ever-closer to filling its initial constellation of 1,440 satellites. The satellites were carried by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. What type of Rocket is the Falcon9?
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket
According to the SpaceX website the Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and beyond. Falcon 9 is the world’s first orbital class reusable rocket. Reusability allows SpaceX to refly the most expensive parts of the rocket, which in turn drives down the cost of space access. SpaceX regularly uses the Falcon 9 to bring its Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station. Falcon 9’s first stage incorporates nine Merlin engines and aluminum-lithium alloy tanks containing liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene.
The nine Merlin engines on the first stage are gradually throttled near the end of first-stage flight to limit launch vehicle acceleration as the rocket’s mass decreases with the burning of fuel. These engines are also used to reorient the first stage prior to reentry and to decelerate the vehicle for landing. The second stage, powered by a single Merlin Vacuum Engine, delivers Falcon 9’s payload to the desired orbit. The second stage engine ignites a few seconds after stage separation, and can be restarted multiple times to place multiple payloads into different orbits. SpaceX has two types of payloads, the Fairing carries satellites and the Dragon carries people and cargo. SpaceX also has a spacecraft that carries people called the Crew Dragon.
The first successful launch of the Dragon occurred in October of 2012 for cargo and in the summer of 2020, SpaceX sent two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. This made SpaceX the first private spaceflight company to send a crewed spacecraft to space. Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken left Earth for the space station on May 30, 2020 and returned home on Aug. 2, 2020. There have been recent headlines about SpaceX possibly sending civilians to space for “Space Tourism.” Would you want to go to space?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
On the Southwestern border with Mexico, thousands of immigrants are crossing. Over 4,000 of these immigrants are children, many of whom are crossing alone. People are calling this situation a crisis, but the White House itself refuses to label it as such. Many of these immigrants come from Central America, though there have been immigrants from as far away as Romania. Federal authorities are struggling to keep up with the crisis.
Humane?
Ambassador Jacobson calls the reason for the recent surge of migrants “hope”. She claims that they are hoping for better treatment under the Biden administration. They are also hoping for a better life. Democrats have long attacked Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, but immigrants are still being packed into detention centers. What makes this worse is that they are crowded into these detention centers during a pandemic. Human smugglers and the noise in Washington incentivize these immigrants to try to cross the border in mass.
More than 4,000 children have been stuck in Border Patrol-run facilities, which are akin to jail-like conditions, for extended periods in the absence of enough shelter space to properly care for them. These people are desperate, fleeing poverty, repression, crime and natural disasters.
Biden Immigration Policies Causing Border Crisis
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said, “It’s more than a crisis. This is human heartbreak. This crisis is created by the presidential policies of the new administration. There’s no other way to claim it than a Biden border crisis.”
Biden and many Democrats denounced Trump’s wall and the former president’s immigration policies. Biden campaigned on easing immigration controls, including a moratorium on deportations, an end to former President Donald Trump’s “wait in Mexico” policy for asylum-seekers and halting construction of the border wall. Biden has also created an immigration bill that would offer legal status and a pathway to citizenship for 11 million of the US undocumented population. It also gives a fast-track process for young “Dreamer” immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. His softer status toward immigration has given migrants good reason to believe it would be easier to get to the US and that they would be allowed to stay.
Trump, by comparison, tried to end DACA, stepped up deportation, and imposed stricter limits on refugees, asylum-seekers, and legal immigrants. Illegal immigrants were more fearful of Trump, not believing that they could cross the border and stay in the US easily.
ICE Being Abolished
Many people have criticized Biden for his strict limits on deportations and arrests, claiming that he has essentially abolished ICE without really abolishing it. In a sense, federal agents are hindered in doing their jobs. “The men and women of ICE, they took an oath to enforce immigration laws,” said Thomas Homan, who served as acting ICE director under former President Trump. “It’s unfortunate they can’t do the job. … And it’s unfortunate that many criminals are going to be walking the streets of America because this administration simply thinks they’re not important enough to take off the streets.” ICE is charged with enforcing the nation’s immigration laws — including arresting and deporting people living in the country illegally.
The new guidance directs ICE agents and officers to focus on non-citizens who recently crossed the border illegally, or who are deemed to be threats to national security or public safety. The guidance defines a public safety threat as someone who has been convicted of an aggravated felony, such as murder and rape, or of actively participating in a criminal street gang. Field officers have been instructed to seek pre-approval from supervisors before making arrests of non-citizens convicted of other crimes, such as minor drug offenses, immigration offenses, and driving under the influence. In practice, that means ICE arrests would be limited largely to immigrants who have been convicted of felony offenses and are already detained in federal or state prisons. These policies are, obviously, extremely restrictive of ICE’s actions.
US Ill-Equipped To Handle Surge
Biden has played to the general Democratic base in giving very weak immigration policies, but these have come with a price. The weakening of ICE has made the US ill-equipped to handle the surge. It has also given rise to more immigrants being willing to take greater risks and many unaccompanied minors winding up in detention centers. More than 100,000 migrants attempted to enter the U.S. in February, more than three times the amount for February 2020 and the highest level for the month in five years. The White House continues not to acknowledge the extent of the crisis. Biden press secretary Jen Psaki has questioned press numbers and has refused to give specifics.
Written by: Miranda Smith
Cancel culture is now, unfortunately, a phenomenon ingrained into the background of life, politics, branding, social media, small social circles, and the workplace. In this series we look at people, businesses, and movements that have been cancelled. Our last installment told us about the origins of Cancel Culture. We also saw how PePe Le Pew and the band Mumford and Sons have been affected by the movement. Cancel culture, which former President Donald Trump called “the very definition of totalitarianism,” describes the phenomenon of frequent public pile-ons criticizing a person, business, movement, or idea. Here we will look at MyPillow and even Dr.Seuss.
MyPillow CEO Cancelled
MyPillow CEO, Mike Lindell was cancelled after openly supporting the theory that former President Trump was a victim of election fraud resulting in him losing the election. Lindell’s Twitter account was “permanently suspended due to repeated violations of our Civil Integrity Policy,” a Twitter spokesperson told NPR. It was not immediately clear which posts from Lindell led to his removal from the social media platform. In an “interview” with NewsMax, Lindell was brought on to talk about Twitter banning his account which led to him being spoken over by interviewers. He was not allowed to speak more than a minute before he was being interrupted. Finally one of the interviewers, rather than listening to what Mike Lindell had to say, got up and walked off set in a moment many people are calling a “live cancellation.” Cancelling has had an effect on Lindell’s brand, MyPillow; retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond and Kohl’s have stopped selling MyPillow altogether. “They’ve attacked my company,” Lindell said. “They’ve attacked companies that I’ve worked with. … They’re trying to cancel me out. I just got off the phone with Bed Bath & Beyond … They’re dropping MyPillow.” Lindell was targeted by the Cancellation mob because he openly stood with Trump resulting in a loss of sales for MyPillow. Cancelling does not seem to have the same effect on everyone, in the next case being cancelled caused a surge of sales.
Dr. Seuss cancelled
In 1936 Theodor Geisel was on a ship from Europe to New York when he started writing rhymes on the ship’s stationery during a storm. The rhymes morphed into “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” a book about a boy who witnesses outrageous and crazy things. The book started Geisel’s career as Dr. Seuss; he went on to publish more than 60 books that have sold some 700 million copies globally, making him one of the world’s most popular children’s authors. Over the past few years, people have called for Dr. Seuss’s cancellation more and more for the racial undertones that were drawn in his books. Dr. Seuss books are a staple in children’s literature but Learning for Justice, a left-wing educators group, has been trying to cancel the children’s author. The group under the Southern Poverty Law Center promotes racial and social justice being taught to students as young as five-years-old. All of the books being recalled by Seuss’s team are “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!,” and “The Cat’s Quizzer.” The announcement that the six books would no longer be printed seemed to drive a surge of support for Seuss and his classics. Dozens of his books shot to the top of Amazon’s print best-seller list right after the announcement to stop publishing. Why do you think being cancelled has had a different effect on Dr. Seuss than others such as MyPillow CEO, Mike Lindell?
Cancelling originally started as a movement in 2017 to take platforms away from people who didn’t deserve them. Cancel Culture goes against one of the first layers of our country’s foundation, the first amendment. Why should we have to be worried about being “cancelled” by society over things that should be categorized as free speech such as who you support in politics? “We live in the age of cancel culture, but this isn’t something that started this week. It is something that they have been doing to us and others for years,” Eric Trump told The Associated Press. A movement that was designed to make society a more positive place and hold people of higher status accountable has left us walking on eggshells on social media, in the workplace, and within our own groups of “friends.” Our next installment will look at some of the craziest reasons people have been cancelled as well as a letter a lot of high profile people have openly signed which a lot of people on the left are calling problematic.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Kia is telling owners of nearly 380,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outdoors due to the risk of an engine compartment fire. The recall applies to some models year 2016 through 2021 that do not have Smart Cruise Control. Smart Cruise Control is the feature that enables the vehicle to use radar and automatically maintain a safe distance from other cars on the highway. Until these recalled vehicles have been repaired, the safest place to park them is outside and away from homes and other structures.
Why are Kia’s being recalled?
An investigation of Kia and Hyundai engine fires in 2019 opened after the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety filed a petition seeking the investigation. When the inquiry began, the agency said it had owner complaints of more than 3,100 fires, 103 injuries and one death. According to the National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration the electrical circuit in the hydraulic electronic control unit in these vehicles may short circuit, which could cause a fire in the engine compartment. Hyundai, which is a major shareholder in Kia, recently recalled 82,000 electric SUVs, which ended up costing roughly $11,000 per vehicle to fix. That recall was also due to fire risk due to a problem with the vehicle’s battery packs. These are not the only instances of Kia and Hyundai vehicles spontaneously catching fire as instances have surfaced all over the country in multiple models. The recent recall was issued for Sportage compact sport-utility vehicles from 2017 to 2021 and Sportage sedans from the same time period. 2016 to 2019 Candenzas are also included in the recall. The report says, “dealers will be instructed to install a new fuse kit which contains a 25A fuse instead of 40A. Kia will reimburse owners for repair expenses already incurred pursuant to Kia’s General Reimbursement Plan filed May 11, 2020.”
Has your Kia been recalled?
If you have any of the likely affected models some things to watch out for are illumination of various warning lights on the instrument panel including tire pressure warning light, ABS warning light, and MIL warning light. Other signs include burning or melting odors and/or smoke coming from the engine compartment. Vehicle owners can visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their vehicle is under recall. If it is, vehicle owners should call their nearest dealership immediately to schedule a free interim repair. Owners can also download NHTSA’s new SaferCar app for Apple or Android. You can enter information about your vehicle, carseat, or various other parts in the app and it will send notifications if a recall is issued. Owners will be notified starting April 30. Dealerships will replace fuses in the electrical junction box to fix the problem. Kia is denying U.S. allegations and according to Fox they want to avoid a “protracted legal fight,” but engine failure and fire problems with Hyundais and Kias have affected more than 6 million vehicles since 2015.
In November, NHTSA announced that Kia and Hyundai must pay $137 million in fines and safety improvements since they moved slowly to recall more than 1 million vehicles which had engines that could fail. The fines come from the behavior of the company involving recalls of multiple models dating to the 2011 model year. Kia was to pay $27 million and invest $16 million in safety performance measures. Another $27 million payment will be deferred as long as Kia meets safety conditions. If you drive a Kia, or any vehicle for that matter, it is always better to be safe than sorry and check for any recalls associated with your vehicle.
President Joe Biden is being sued by a coalition of 12 states, led by Missouri attorney general Eric Schmitt, over the Green New Deal. “This order would result in new regulations that would significantly burden Kansas agriculture, energy production and manufacturing,” Schmidt said, “No president has authority to impose this massive job-killing cost on our economy by executive order.” The Green New Deal inspired the decision to calculate the costs of greenhouse gasses. In the 46 page complaint the states called calculating the costs of greenhouse gasses “inherently speculative, policy-laden, and an indeterminate task.” The states want a judge to declare section five of Biden’s executive order unconstitutional and block the working group Biden created from implementing rules.
Why are 12 States suing Biden?
On his first day in the White House, Biden signed Executive Order 13990. In addition to stopping new oil and gas leases on public lands and revoking permits for the Keystone XL pipeline, which cost many people their jobs, Biden told federal agencies to calculate the “social cost” of greenhouse gas pollution by estimating “monetized damages” to inform future federal regulations. This includes changes in net agricultural productivity, human health, property damage from flood risk and the value of ecosystem services. “It is essential that agencies capture the full costs of greenhouse gas emissions as accurately as possible, including taking global damages into account,” Biden says in his order. “An accurate social cost is essential for agencies to accurately determine the social benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions when conducting cost-benefit analyses of regulatory and other actions.” The breakdown of the social costs, according to a working group created by Biden’s administration, shows $269 billion for carbon dioxide, $990 billion for methane, and $8.24 trillion for nitrous oxide totaling approximately $9.5 trillion. The group published interim social costs on Feb 26, but final rules will not go into effect until June 1, 2022. USA Today says Biden campaigned on being the “most aggressive” president on climate change, which he called “an existential threat.” His goal is to decarbonize the U.S. power sector by 2035 on the way to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Claiming that Biden’s administration cannot set these values, the lawsuit from the 12 states claims that the action violates the separation of powers, “the most fundamental bulwark of liberty.”
The 12 States Suing
State attorney generals from Missouri, Arkansas, Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah have banded together challenging Biden’s authority to implement the social cost criteria into regulatory actions. The lawsuit says, “Setting the ‘social cost’ of greenhouse gases is an inherently speculative, policy-laden, and indeterminate task, which involves attempting to predict such unknowable contingencies as future human migrations, international conflicts, and global catastrophes for hundreds of years into the future.” The complaint goes on to say “If the Executive Order stands, it will inflict hundreds of billions or trillions of dollars of damage to the U.S. economy for decades to come, It will destroy jobs, stifle energy production, strangle America’s energy independence, suppress agriculture, deter innovation, and impoverish working families. It undermines the sovereignty of the States and tears at the fabric of liberty.” The lawsuit also talks about how “manure and flatulence from livestock” produces roughly one-third of methane emissions in the United States. This would mean social costs of producing meat, milk and eggs would add up to $268 billion annually. “Under President Biden’s executive order, which he didn’t have the authority to enact…hard-working Missourians who have lived and worked this land for generations could be left in the dust,” Schmitt said in a statement.
This is not the first time the states have come together in a lawsuit against a president over climate change. The Obama administration was sued for implementing its Clean Power Plan aimed at slashing carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the challenge in 2015 and the program never actually came to action. Then in 2019, the Trump administration was sued for its attempt to weaken the previous effort to put national limits on carbon emissions from power plants. So far the Justice Department has not commented on the current suit according to multiple news outlets.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
After more than 400 entries, a new Colorado driver’s license design has been chosen after more than 55,000 Coloradans placed their vote. The Iconic Colorado contest launched in August of 2020. The contest received 407 submissions (280 front-side entries, 127 back-side entries) from 119 submitters. Three finalists were selected by a committee that included motor vehicle administrators, artists and Governor Polis. “The more I learn of the stories of Coloradons across our state, I always feel the sense of pride they have in calling Colorado their home,” said Polis. “This contest, these new driver’s licenses are an extension of that pride.” The public voted on the top three designs. In addition to the two grants, winners will be featured in all of the DMV’s relevant media releases as well as having their name featured on all Colorado identification credentials.
Front of Colorado License Entry Winner
Matt Nunez, 26, placed first for front of license entries with his Mount Sneffels entry. He is a fifth-generation Coloradan from Colorado Springs. He comes from a long line of family members in military and government service, including his late grandfather, Joe Nunez, who served in the State legislature. Nunez spent his childhood abroad and across the U.S. before returning to Colorado after college. He began taking photos in high school and favors landscape photography after spending summers in Colorado during college. He works as an economic development professional for the city of Glenwood Springs. Nunez said the final entry product was a “labor of love,” as it took months to develop the photo. “I am a proud Western Slope resident and although it’s not Hanging Lake, which is our local crown jewel, I’m glad that I was able to help make western Colorado represented on our driver’s license,” Nunez said. Nunez’s work can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Back of Colorado License Entry Winner
Gabriel Dupon’s submission features Sprague Lake located in the Rocky Mountains. Dupon is 19 and from Wellington. He is a Colorado native who loves to be creative and make the unknown extraordinary. He does this by taking pictures of the beauty that surrounds him and using it to inspire others with his work. Dupon runs his own photography business which does primarily portrait and event photography. Dupon also enjoys the many outdoor activities Colorado has to offer such as alpine skiing and rock climbing. Dupon said that he wanted to capture the lake in a new way and show people what they can’t see. Dupon says “This photo definitely displays iconic Colorado, but I would also say it conveys Colorado authentically.”
Colorado License Runner Ups
Fred Lord began developing photography at age 12. After 14 years of mountain living he and his wife have retired to Northern Colorado. Jenn Cunningham, of Morrison, Colorado, is a fine artist who typically works in acrylics. She is inspired by the wonders of nature and wonderful animals. Jenn’s work can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Etsy. All of the entries really showed the beauty of Colorado and the wonderful things about the landscape and wildlife. “While this last year has been challenging for all of us in Colorado … This contest has certainly been a bright spot for so many people,” Governor Polis said. The new Colorado license designs will be released in fall of 2021. The photos look a little different when they are on the license because of the many security features from the DMV that protect against fraud and identity theft. Artwork will be screened down to 35% so elements like mountains, trees or birds may not print as spectacularly as they look in the original design but the licenses will show beautiful and authentic Colorado landscape.
What do you think about the new Colorado license designs?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
CBD gummies, CBD drinks, CBD supplements, CBD balms, CBD bath bombs, CBD vape juice, the list goes on. CBD seems to be popping up in some of the most interesting products sold, at some of the least expected places. CBD is seeming to be, in the holistic health community, the latest and most versatile addition to everything from ingestible to topical products. The list of delivery methods for CBD to enter the body is seemingly endless, which is what makes it so popular and versatile. You may have noticed a rise in the popularity of CBD-infused products in your local stores. Now, not everyone knows exactly what CBD is.
What Is CBD?
CBD is an abbreviation for the organic chemical compound Cannabidiol, a naturally occurring chemical produced by the cannabis plant. Although Cannabidiol (CBD) is a product of the Marijuana plant, it is not to be mistaken for THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol: the psychoactive compound of the Cannabis plant), this is a common misconception. CBD is just one of the many cannabinoids present in the marijuana plant, only one of which (THC) is psychoactive. THC is what is responsible for giving the user that notorious “high” feeling we’ve all heard about. What many people don’t know is that Humans, as well as many other animals, do indeed have a neurological cannabinoid
receptor system, similar to the opiate receptor system. The body actually naturally produces Endocannabinoids, or cannabinoids inside the body; as far as we can tell in neuroscience, CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid receptor system inside the brain which subsequently influences the activity of other neurotransmitters. The relevance of mention to the animal kingdom comes from the recent developing popularity of products like “pet tinctures”, which pet owners have started introducing into their favourite creatures’ diets for a variety of reasons. These products are specially made with pet-friendly ingredients and are usually produced for and marketed toward a particular species, since not all animals have the same dietary restrictions.
Tinctures are a concentration of CBD extract that is usually suspended in an ethanol or alcohol-based solution. There are also oil-based tinctures, but these are usually considered to be labeled or packaged as “CBD Oil”. The usefulness of these tinctures and concentrates is usually defined by the extent of its application; with these products, now along with the wide spectrum of CBD-infused products, these solutions can be added into your favorite cooking recipe or many other things for “dosing” your nutritional portions.
Why Should I Try CBD?
CBD is thought and believed, but not scientifically or medically proven to assist in alleviating certain symptoms of conditions and ailments; although it is not, and should not, be used to prevent, treat or cure any disease or ailment in and of itself. There has not been an adequate amount of research to make such conclusions. Although, these correlations seem to be the entire basis of the marijuana debate and in determining the merit of CBD efficacy. CBD seems to be the most integral component of the medicinal application of the marijuana plant, only we have yet to determine what that specifically means, or what conditions or symptoms CBD would be best used for; not to diminish the medicinal value of the compound. As with any natural or synthetic supplements, consulting a medical professional should be on your list of to-do’s if you plan to join this craze, to see if it is, in fact, a good fit for you. All of this is only applicable to the readers who reside in such CBD legal states (see image).
In CBD We Trust
As individual states have been doing their own research on the substance, there have been found to be great results in the effectiveness of introducing CBD into the body. Some have seen a similar benefit of what most states have already seen in their own medical marijuana programs. Considering these states reserve that certification for patients with a certain severity of ailments, CBD seems to be a good, non-psychoactive alternative useful and safe enough for the population over 21 to handle. Not to mention, the obvious economic benefits, so it is a mutually beneficial exchange.
What Does The Future Hold?
With the rise of the opioid crisis, medical science has developed a sense of urgency in the necessity of non-opioid pain management. Now, there has not been enough definitive research in the infancy of the CBD industry to clearly say whether or not CBD is the answer. Just as is the case with any SSRI’s, as well as pretty much any drug, the effectiveness of its use is heavily defined by the biochemistry of the user; so this may need to be something to find out individually. CBD works in different ways unique to the individual, which makes it an elusively utilized substance as far as any pinpoint use, which is why it’s so difficult to categorize in the medical field as far as its merit and benefit. In the grand scheme of things, is CBD the end all be all solution to the opioid crisis? Unfortunately, not quite so; but in the neurochemistry field, one thing is sure: it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
Written by: Tyler Laske
A Colorado Springs man has been accused of illegally killing over a dozen big game animals. Iniki Vike Kapu has pleaded guilty to poaching charges in three counties. The guilty plea comes after a long investigation by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers following a citizen tip in October 2018 where a red truck was found abandoned in the Pike National Forest with a dead deer in the back with the meat spoiled. Colorado law requires hunters to prepare all hunted big game for human consumption or else it can result in class five felony charges.
A decision by Colorado Parks and Wildlife last week from hearing examiner, Steven Cooley, suspended Kapu’s hunting privileges in Colorado permanently. “Mr. Kapu’s crimes against wildlife are the essence of what defines a poacher by taking wildlife without regard for the laws protecting them,” Cooley said. “Iniki Kapu is viewed as a serious threat to Colorado’s wildlife, and his violations are among the worst. The severity and level of indifference for wildlife in this case are rarely seen and cannot be tolerated.” Kupu’s hunting ban also extends to the 47 other states that make up the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, which is all but Hawaii and Massachusetts. Kapu was not present for his suspension hearing but he has 35 days to appeal the decision.
Kapu was accused of killing 12 deer, 2 turkeys and a bighorn sheep ram. He pleaded guilty to illegal possession of wildlife twice in 2019 in Chaffee and Teller County. He then pleaded guilty again in February 2020 in Fremont County. Kapu also pleaded guilty to illegal possession of three or more big game animals. He was fined $4,600 and sentenced to six months in jail and three years of supervised probation in Fremont County. He also surrendered the weapons he used for poaching.
Agency wildlife manager in Colorado Springs, Frank McGee, gave this warning to any future poachers. “Colorado Parks and Wildlife aggressively pursues anyone who illegally takes wildlife. When you poach, you are stealing from all residents of Colorado,” he said. “And your acts are an insult to all the hunters who follow the rules, who buy the licenses that pay for wildlife management, who respect the hunting seasons and abide by principles of fair chase.”
Anyone with any information about this case or knowledge of a possible crime against wildlife should contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife or your local Wildlife Agency.
A Bill requiring Colorado homeowners to securely store their weapons in certain living situations has passed its first committee. The Bill would make it a misdemeanor to not safely secure weapons in living situations that include juveniles and people in the home who are ineligible to own firearms. HB21-1106 has sparked opinions from both ends of the political spectrum. Those who in support believe the Bill will lower the number of accidental shootings and youth suicide rates.
New Colorado Gun Bill A “No Brainer?”
Dr. Maya Haasz spoke on behalf of Children’s Hospital Colorado testifying about the many cases of gunshot wounds she experienced during her time as a physician of pediatric emergency medicine. “The cry of any parent whose toddler has died is agonizing,” Haasz said. “When the toddler has been fatally shot playing with a sibling, when that death was entirely avoidable, the added layers of guilt and what-ifs add a new, almost tangible level of pain for everyone involved.” Democratic representatives, Monica Duran and Kyle Mullica, introduced the Bill. “This is about accident prevention,” Duran said. “And this is about saving lives.” Mullica commented on what would be considered safe storage. “Obviously, storing it in a safe would count as safe storage,” said Mullica. “A trigger lock or a cable lock counts as safe storage.”
Littleton, Colorado has passed a similar ordinance requiring gun store owners to lock up their inventory after hours due to gun store “smash and grabs” being on the rise. Viewers sent in comment to the Denver7 inbox saying things like they “support LittleRock’s decision” and called it a “no brainer.” Others were not happy with the new ordinance saying “So the city’s plan is to punish the victim of a crime while not bothering to try and find the actual criminals?” Old Steel Gun Shop, Giovanni Galeano, argues locking up all firearms at night would be costly and difficult to do. “It would be hard to believe that a city would want to put a business out of business.” Many gun owners practice safe storage yet accidents still happen. Many opposed to the Bill believe teaching gun safety is the most effective way to deal with these accidents.
New Colorado Gun Bill Unconstitutional
Those against the Bill such as Erik Stone, a Teller County Commissioner and NRA-certified firearms instructor, believe the focus should be on teaching juveniles gun safety because the time needed to remove a lock could create a situation in which the gun is now useless for home defense. “In firearms classes, we actually talk about, first safety, always safety, that’s how you prevent firearms accidents. You don’t do it by creating laws that have penalties after an accident occurs. It’s completely ineffective.” “This bill is an egregious violation on our constitutional rights,” said Greg Trout during a committee hearing at the Colorado State Capitol. “It would give criminals an advantage when breaking into our homes and businesses. It gives them critical time to break through the door and perpetrate that crime.” The biggest question surrounding the Bill is whether the courts would find it constitutional. During District of Columbia v. Heller decision in 2008 the Supreme Court got rid of a law in Washington D.C. that required handguns to be stored disassembled or with a trigger lock. Supporters of the bill argued that the court’s problem with D.C.’s law was its wording didn’t allow gun owners to have a working weapon for self-defense. “This makes it impossible for citizens to use them for the core lawful purpose of self-defense and is hence unconstitutional,” wrote Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia.
Mullica and Duran argue this is not a gun grab or about infringing on anyone’s rights. Duran says, “You talk to a majority of gun owners and they believe in safe storage. But the fact is there are kids still getting hurt.” Do you believe HB21-1106 would be more effective than educating children about gun safety? Will the Bill help lower the number of firearm related accidents if it is passed through Colorado legislation?
An amendment has been proposed by House Democrats to lower the voting age to sixteen. The amendment was introduced by Representative Pressley as an amendment to the constitution, which currently states that the legal voting age is eighteen. This statement is found in the 26th Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment was part of the HR 1 voting rights package. The vote was unsuccessful and killed at 125-302 with the majority of Democrats voting in favor (125-93).
Pressley has been outspoken in her view on lowering the voting age. She claims, “A sixteen-year-old in 2021 possesses a wisdom and a maturity that comes from 2021 challenges, 2021 hardships, and 2021 threats”. She goes on to call sixteen and seventeen-year-olds “courageous” for facing their “challenges”. She also claimed in February that she was “shocked” it was a polarizing issue. She herself is a member of “the Squad”- a group of six House members known for their progressive views. She made this comment during a Facebook Live conversation with Representative Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Ibram X. Kendi. Kendi claimed that lowering the voting age is an example of anti-racist policy.
The amendment to lower the voting age was first attached to HR 1 in 2019, and the amendment failed after getting just 126 votes in the House. Some states, including Hawaii, have also considered lowering the voting age to sixteen.
Poor Political Knowledge
The problem is that a voting age of sixteen is simply too young. Sixteen-year-olds and teenagers in general do not have a great knowledge of politics. According to Southern Poverty Law Center, only 8% of high school seniors can identify slavery as the cause of the Civil War. If they do not know the correct cause of the Civil War, how are they supposed to understand racism and its implications in our society? Only one in four Oklahoma high school students could name the first president of the United States in a survey conducted by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. A 2012 National Election Studies report found the youngest age group to have the lowest political knowledge. Younger voters have also witnessed fewer election cycles, been exposed to less political news content, and have less experience based around politics.
Major Life Changes
No one can argue that a younger person has more life experience than an older person, but most key changes occur around eighteen. It is at the age of eighteen when someone is generally considered an adult. At eighteen, high school students generally graduate. Graduation generally serves as the gateway to a career, college, or military service. Fewer sixteen and seventeen-year-olds hold down jobs than eighteen and nineteen-year-olds., according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Eighteen-year-olds can get married and buy houses. These changes and experiences greatly influence the perspective of a young person.
Peer Influence
High school students are much more susceptible to peer influence than adults. High school students do not make many major decisions. They go to school as they are told and usually live under a roof with their parents. They are a bit naïve from lack of life experience, making them quick to fall for promises and generally not think things through.
“Courageous” Sixteen and Seventeen-Year-Olds
Going back to Pressley’s comments on the challenges sixteen and seventeen-year-olds face in our current climate, it is worth noting that education has negatively been impacted by the coronavirus. Sure, it has been challenging for sixteen and seventeen-year-olds, but it has been challenging for everyone. Whether someone has been through “challenges” or not should not decide the right to vote. School lockdowns starting in spring 2020 reduced instructional and learning time and placed students at a risk of becoming disengaged. An educated populous is key to having a successful democracy. Current students have had a lower-quality education than their older peers.
Ploy for Democrats to Receive More Votes
I see the whole argument for a lower voting age as a ploy for Democrats to receive more votes. It does not, to me, sound like a good idea. It is worth noting that younger generations have the highest percentage of Democrats. According to a graph published by Gallup, the highest percentage of Democrats by age is nineteen, with the graph starting at nineteen. It is more or less an amendment to turn the voting pool in their favor.
Conclusion
House Democrats have proposed a bill that has not been passed and would radically change our democratic process. Within it is the amendment to drop the voting age to sixteen. Sixteen-year-olds have less political knowledge, less experience, more peer influence, and weaker education than adults.
Written by: Miranda Smith
Coca-Cola is facing major backlash from people online over their “diversity training,” in which employees are told to “try to be less white.” Coca-Cola has responded to allegations of anti-white rhetoric after an internal employee leaked screenshots of the seminar. Karlyn Borysenko, an activist for banning critical race theory, shared images on Twitter of the “racism training.” The slides on the course, ‘Confronting Racism,’ included tips for staff on how to be “less white.”
Being “Less White” According To Coke
The slides included tips such as “be less arrogant, be less certain, be less defensive, be more humble, listen, believe, break with apathy,” and “break with white solidarity.” The presentation tells employees in order to confront racism, they must understand “what it means to be white, challenging what it means to be racist.” It goes on to say white people in the United States and other western nations, are “socialized to feel that they are inherently superior because they are white,” and “that by age 3 to 4, children understand that it is better to be white.” This builds a false stigma that all white people are racist. This course was found in Coca-Cola’s curriculum on Linkedin. The biggest question, did they use this course as mandatory training?
Does Coke Use “Less White” Training Materials
According to Snopes they were able to confirm Coke does have the course under their materials on Linkedin but that does not mean it is mandatory viewing for all employees. Coke has denied using the “be less white” materials, however, Snopes has been unable to confirm that. Borysenko said the screenshots were sent by an “internal whistleblower” from Coca-Cola, who told her the course was “required.” Her tweet from Feb. 19 now has 36.6k likes and 30.5k retweets. LinkedIn has pulled the course featuring DiAngelo, the author of “White Fragility.” “The Confronting Racism course featuring Robin DiAngelo is no longer available in our course library, at the request of the 3rd party content provider we licensed this content from,” Nicole Leverich, vice president of corporate communications, told Newsweek in an email. “We provide a wide variety of learning content, including more than 270 courses on the topics of diversity, inclusion and belonging. We will continue to add new courses to help people learn the skills they need to be more successful in their career, including the foundational skills we all need to be effective allies and help build a more equitable future.”
DiAngelo maintains she was unaware of the course. “The slides included were not created by Dr. DiAngelo,” said her rep, Caitlin Meyer. “She was unaware that the videos had been re-edited in this way, or that they were being marketed as a course/training on anti-racism, since the way the content was put together did not accurately represent the way she would facilitate that type of work.” Coca-Cola maintains the “be less white” presentation is not mandatory and they will continue to refine their curriculum.
Nearly three dozen House Democrats have written a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to relinquish the sole ability to launch nuclear weapons. The letter was posted on Twitter by Politico. It is currently not a requirement for the President to meet with advisors before ordering a launch of nuclear power. The military is required to honor the strike as long as it goes along with the Laws of War.
The Letter About Nuclear Weapons
According to Fox News the letter says “…Vesting one person with this authority entails real risks.” It goes on to say “Past presidents have threatened to attack other countries with nuclear weapons or exhibited behavior that caused other officials to express concern about the president’s judgment.” This is referring to the fear that Former President Donald Trump would start a nuclear war in 2017 when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a public hearing on the subject.The other concern is that any President coming into office has the sole authority to start a nuclear war. “While any president would presumably consult with advisors before ordering a nuclear attack, there is no requirement to do so,” the letter adds. “The military is obligated to carry out the order if they assess it is legal under the laws of war. Under the current posture of U.S. nuclear forces, that attack would happen in minutes.” How would the military react to an order that was illegal?
How Would The Military Handle A Request To Launch Nuclear Weapons?
According to Officer, Gen. John Hyten, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military will only follow legal orders. “I provide advice to the president,” Hyten said. “He’ll tell me what to do, and if it’s illegal, guess what’s going to happen? I’m gonna say, ‘Mr. President, that’s illegal.’ Guess what he’s going to do? He’s going to say, ‘What would be legal?’ And we’ll come up with options of a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that’s the way it works. It’s not that complicated.” This seems to make it hard for a President to start a Nuclear War but it’s not impossible for them to launch Nuclear Weapons. Why does the President have this authority in the first place?
Why Does One Person Have The Ability To Launch Nuclear Weapons?
During the Cold War, the idea of nuclear war meant having to respond, by launching our Nuclear Weapons, within minutes to Soviet weapons coming towards the United States. Time would be of the essence making sense to leave the decision to one person. You wouldn’t need time-consuming consultations with Congress. The letter gives suggestions such as the President receiving approval from the Line of Succession, such as the Vice President and the Speaker of the House before they are able to launch Nuclear Weapons. The letter adds that “neither of whom can be removed by the President if they disagree to concur with a launch order.” Is changing this policy constitutional?
Is Changing The Policy For Launching Nuclear Weapons Unconstitutional?
Republican Senator, Mike Lee, of Utah said on Fox and Friends that it is weird and unconstitutional to change the launch code policy that gives the President the power to launch Nuclear Weapons. “Look, there is one argument or another with regard to whether or to what extent we ought to be involved in foreign conflicts at any moment. One could have one opinion or another about at what point it is appropriate for Congress to declare war rather than have the president order discreet strikes. The fact is the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. This is why we subject presidents to a very rigorous review process. That is they have to win elections. Once they’ve won an election you really do have to pick that horse and then ride it. You’ve gotta let the president be the commander-in-chief…” Democratic Senator John Tester says we have to cut older weapon systems that are no longer effective and the world has moved past. Do you believe the world has “moved past” Nuclear Weapons?
Google removed Former President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign app from the Play Store. The app originally went up during the 2016 election. The app had apparently stopped working according to Google. Google did not specify what the faults were. The original purpose of the app was to provide campaign news, schedules and a place for donations. The IOS version seems to still be up. According to TechCrunch when you visit the main screens of the IOS version you are met with an error message but it does not affect your ability to browse past content.
The Android version of the app has been suspended. Google told Insider “The Trump 2020 campaign app recently stopped working and we reached out to the developer multiple times in an attempt to get them to address the issue, people expect that apps downloaded from Google Play provide a minimum level of functionality and our policy is to remove non-working apps from the store if they are not fixed.” Many reviews before it was suspended said things such as “will not open,” “the app doesn’t even work,” “absolutely terrible doesn’t even work,” and “wouldn’t open keep saying check connections.” One user implied the issues were Google’s fault, saying “worked great, until Google canceled it.”
Google maintains the app has not been banned, only suspended for non-functionality, and can be reinstated when the developers update the app. It is unclear what the faults are exactly but according to Android Police when they tested the app, before and after its removal, it would get stuck at the loading screen with a spinning ”T.” The app had not been updated since October 30, 2020, says app store intelligence firm Sensor Tower. This could have been a key factor in the app no longer functioning correctly.
Parler, a social media app used predominantly by conservatives, has come back to life after more than a month. The platform was taken off Apple, Google, and Amazon stores and servers. The website is currently up and running and waiting for users to make their new accounts. Parler has even gained a new interim CEO, Mark Meckler. Why was Parler taken down in the first place?
Parler Being Singled Out
During an interview with Fox and Friends, Chief Policy Officer of Parler, Amy Peikoff, made it clear they felt Parler was singled out. Parler received backlash for “allowing violent speech” this is something they have made it clear they do NOT support. Peikoff said Parler is “a non-partisan town square in which people of varying viewpoints can have productive discussions. Force and threats of force stop those discussions.” Google and Apple both took Parler from their app stores around the same time. Piekoff says Google did not contact Parler removing the platform from the Play store. Peikoff says Parler was “set up,” a theory that doesn’t seem too far fetched.
Parler Was Set Up
It doesn’t seem right for Parler to be removed for “violent speech” when on Twitter, around the same time, one of the trending topics was #hangmikepence. They allowed this trend for hours after they permanently banned Former President Trump. Twitter is obviously trusted to resolve issues themselves and don’t lose their spot as the 6th most popular free social app on Google Play Store. Why wasn’t Parler given the same opportunities to remove violent content? Peikoff believes it is because the platform believes in Free Speech which is now seen as a conservative view and not a promise this country was built on. Peikoff also stated many accounts that had violent writings seemed to be parody accounts. This theory and even further back up by the fact that #parlerapp on Tik Tok has 6.6 million views with the top videos all being videos from around the time Parler was shut down. These videos show people flaunting how they were going to destroy the app with ratings and fake accounts “like they did Trump’s app.” The videos show screen recordings of people making fake accounts and posting violent speech. Parler was set up and singled out for being a place conservatives felt safe. Their safe space was taken down and for a while they were greeted with a message reminding people why Parler was created in the first place. Now they are back up and running, giving users a place they can go once again.
Parler Back Online
Parler has made a comeback with interim CEO Mark Meckler. Former CEO John Matze was fired from the Board of Directors and gave statements saying the app was trying to censor him which is odd given the foundation of the platform is free speech. Peikoff called these statements “inaccurate and misleading.” Parler is on the hunt for a new CEO while their website gets back up and running. They are currently using a hosting platform called SkySilk. SkySilk seems to have faith that Parler will be able to moderate their app perfectly fine. SkySilk said it believes Parler is “taking the necessary steps to better monitor its platform. Skysilk does not advocate nor condone hate, rather, it advocates the right to private judgment and rejects the role of being the judge, jury, and executioner,” the company said. “Unfortunately, too many of our fellow technology providers seem to differ in their position on this subject. … SkySilk will support Parler in their efforts to be a nonpartisan Public Square.” The website had a design and logo change and is ready for new users.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
An exchange with a Politico reporter led white house aide to resign after his derogatory and threatening comments made headlines. Politico reporter, Tara Palmeri, and her male co worker contacted white house aide, TJ Ducklo, while writing an article about his relationship with a reporter who was assigned to cover the white house. This was an assigned story not one the reporters were pursuing independently. Ducklo, who did not want the story to be run, contacted Palmeri. The phone call was full of threats and offensive language such as Ducklo telling Palmeri things like “I will destroy you” referring to her career.
Whitehouse aide blows up at reporter
Tara Palmeri is the co-author of Politico’s Playbook newsletter. She was given an assignment to write about the potential conflict of interest that is raised by the relationship between whitehouse aide, TJ Ducklo, and Axios reporter, Alexi McCammond, who covered the Biden campaign according to vanity fair. Both Palmeri and her male co-worker contacted Ducklo but he called Palmeri shortly after Biden’s inauguration in January. According to Vanity Fair, during the off-the-record call Ducklo made derogatory and misogynistic comments. He accused Palmeri of only reporting his relationship because she was “jealous” that an unidentified man in the past had wanted McCammond and not her. Ducklo also accused Palmeri of being “jealous” of his relationship with McCammond. Ducklo also threatened to end Palmeri’s career if she ran the story saying “I will destroy you.” All of this is coming weeks after President Biden issued a statement on his first day in office about the standards he expects from his staff in regards to how they treat people.
Does the standard apply to white house aides
His first day in office President Biden issued a statement saying “I am not joking when I say this: If you are ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot. No ifs, ands, or buts,” Playbook highlighted this and asked, “Serious question on our minds this morning: Does this standard apply to how mid-level press aides treat reporters?” After the initial incident Politico editors contacted White House staff the following day. When those calls were finished Ducklo sent Palmeri an email apologizing. He was then suspended for a week without pay and told he would not be allowed to work with any Politico reporters. Whitehouse secretary Jenn Psaki said “And that, in our view, was a — was an important step to send the message that we don’t find it acceptable,” referring to not working with anymore Politico reporters. She also called the one-week suspension a “serious punishment.” This seems like a step down from Biden’s promises but Psaki did not acknowledge why Ducklo would not be dismissed. In response to the incident Ducklo has decided to resign.
White house aide resigns over “I Will Destroy You” threat
The White House announced Ducklo’s resignation. “We accepted the resignation of TJ Ducklo after a discussion with him this evening,” Jen Psaki said in a statement. The conversation occurred with the support of the White House chief of staff, Ron Klain. Psaki added the White House was committed to treating others with dignity and respect. Ducklo posted on Twitter saying he wanted to “learn from it and do better.” He also said “I used language that no woman should ever have to hear from anyone, especially in a situation where she was just trying to do her job.”
There has so far been no comment from Palmeri regarding the incident. The White House says the incident was over Ducklo’s personal life not over their policies and does not align with how they want to treat people. They did not comment on why it took so long for action to be taken and struggled to answer questions regarding Ducklo working with female reporters in the future; both of these issues were fixed by Ducklo’s resignation.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
During an interview with Norah O’Donnell President Biden said he believed former President Trump should not receive classified briefings as is custom. The interview itself focused on a wide range of topics from if Biden believed Trump should be impeached and if changing minimum wage would be introduced to the Senate with the current stimulus bill.
Biden Says Trump Has No Need For Briefings.
When asked directly if President Biden believed Donald Trump should have access to intelligence briefings he responded with “I think not.” He was asked to elaborate. Biden said “because of his erratic behavior unrelated to the insurrection.” The President agreed with his previous statements calling the former President “Dangerous” and an “existential threat.” O’Donnell asked Biden his worst fear if Trump continued to receive intelligence briefings. He then went on to say “I’d rather not speculate out loud. I just think that there is no need for him to have the intelligence briefings. What value is giving him an intelligence briefing? What impact does he have at all, other than the fact he might slip and say something?” Biden isn’t the only person who has made it clear they don’t think Trump should have access to Intelligence briefings.
People who don’t think Trump should have access to intelligence briefings.
Sue Gordon, a former Principal Deputy Director of Intelligence in the Trump administration, wrote in an op-ed. “My recommendation, as a 30-plus-year veteran of the intelligence community, is not to provide him any briefings after Jan. 20,” Gordon argued Trump is a “potential security risk” in light of his “significant business entanglements that involve foreign entities.” Democratic Representative Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House of Intelligence Committee, said on Face the Nation “There is no circumstance in which this president should get another intelligence briefing, not now and not in the future.” He goes on to mention intelligence partners around the world safeguarding information and how that makes us less safe. Rolling Stone quoted Senator of Maine, Angus King, having similar opinions. “There’s a grave danger of him inadvertently or willfully revealing classified information.” King also said “There is no upside. There is no reason that he needs to have this information.” Isn’t this the same stuff people have been accusing Trump of while he was President? Has this affected the president’s current standing in relation to receiving briefings? Are they allowed to ban Trump from receiving briefings?
Can they ban Trump from receiving Intelligence briefings?
According to the National Security Act of 1947 (title VIII section 801 a) the President shall, by Executive order or regulation, establish procedures to govern access to classified information which shall be binding upon all departments, agencies, and offices of the executive branch of Government. This means that Biden can potentially ban Trump from receiving Intelligence Briefings. Most former Presidents are allowed to receive Intelligence briefings in the event their advice is needed. The biggest fear seems to be leaking information which Trump was accused of many times throughout his presidency. According to the NY times Trump openly talks about wanting to run for President again and another fear is him using the Intelligence to fit his “political agenda.” Most of the pushback seems to be coming from the Left. There was a lot of call from the Right back in November for, at the time, President-elect Joe Biden to receive Intelligence Briefings. Why aren’t they supporting Trump the same way now? According to CNN, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said “The intelligence community supports requests for intelligence briefings by former presidents and will review any incoming requests, as they always have.” This means if Trump were to request an intelligence briefing his request would be reviewed like any other former President. CNN also reported a Senior Administration Official had confirmed Trump currently had not requested any Intelligence briefings. Do you think former President Trump should be banned from receiving Intelligence briefings?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
Weld County… Wyoming?
Weld county residents, led by Cristopher “Todd” Richards, are attempting to “move a county to a different state.” They are looking to join Wyoming, leaving Colorado over the concerns that lawmakers are not paying attention to the needs of rural communities over the major cities. There is a committee called “Weld County Wyoming.” During a meeting for “Weld County Wyoming” a local pastor, Geoffrey Broughton, said Weld County was a better fit for Wyoming because Colorado was “at war with three major economic drivers for Weld County: small businesses, agriculture, and oil and gas.” The committee’s goal is to add a measure to the November 2021 ballot that would encourage county commissioners to “engage and explore the annexation of Weld County.” They have gathered the support of some of the local government; Weld County Commissioner and Colorado State Senator, Vicki Marble, publicly entertained a motion to secede in 2019. Wyoming’s Senator Mark Gordon has expressed his liking of the idea saying he would love for it to happen. A petition to move the county currently has 9,700 signatures. Advocates say Weld county identifies with the political views of Wyoming more so than Colorado. There are other members of the Colorado Government who don’t like the idea.
Local Government Pushback
There has been pushback from some members of the local government. The mayor of Erie, Jennifer Carroll, said in a statement to Fox31 there are a lot of considerations Weld County voters must take into account. “Income tax, personal property tax, corporate state income tax, retirement income tax, gas tax, severance taxes on oil and gas, and water rights to name a few.” Greeley City Council Member, Tommy Butler, told KDVR-TV “I absolutely love living in Colorado. For those that don’t love living here, there are certainly less ridiculous ways of moving to Wyoming.” Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado, also took to Facebook saying “Hands off Weld County, Governor Mark Gordon. Weld County is a thriving part of Colorado and Weld County residents are proud to be part of our great state. I do hear from so many Cheyenne residents, on the other hand, that they are culturally, economically and socially more connected to Colorado than Wyoming….” Will the voters be the deciding factor?
Do Voters Want Weld County, Wyoming?
“As the Mayor of Erie, I respect the process and the cornerstone of voting,” said Jennifer Carroll. “Ultimately, the people will choose the outcome. In my role, I can help residents discover the risks and benefits of such a measure. This measure will undoubtedly require a great deal of pre-education for voters.” She is correct. Weld County voters will be the ones to determine the outcome, however, are they the only ones who make these choices? To put it simply, no. This would have to be approved through the legislature of both Colorado and Wyoming. The issue would then have to go to congress. The citizens of Colorado would also have to have a vote. Colorado doesn’t seem to have any plans to back moving the state line. What will moving the county, and by default the state line, do for Colorado and Wyoming?
“We’re moving a line” – Weld County Wyoming
Moving the line would have an impact on many things such as taxes, social programs, and population of both states. The population of Wyoming would increase by close to fifty percent. This would make Vermont the least populated state. Wyoming, with about 579,000 residents, has long celebrated its standing as the country’s least populated state since the 1990 U.S. Census. Colorado has a population of around 5.7 million. If Weld County joined Wyoming Colorado’s population would drop to around 5.4 million. Local residents of Weld County told Colorado Home Weekly things like “I feel like Erie is very much Colorado and not Wyoming” and the Colorado Government doesn’t seem keen on letting Weld County go. Do you think Weld County should join Wyoming and stay part of Colorado?
Written by: Erinn Malloy
The Fair Repair Act (LB67) was first introduced in 2014 to combat software rights that restricted the ability for individuals to repair equipment that runs off computer software. This has always been a right for people, although the ability to do it was virtually impossible and many would need vast knowledge on computer technology to “Hack” systems in order to conduct maintenance on equipment. Many of these systems have copy rights that restrict users from obtaining software codes making it impossible to legally conduct routine repairs.
Biting The Hand That Feeds You, Literally
John Deere is one of the largest providers of agricultural farm equipment, yet after spending fortunes on equipment owners must return to manufactures for maintenance in order to keep their equipment running. Repairs and transportation of dead-lined equipment cost farmers thousands of dollars a year and consume hours of potential workdays. Manufacture warranty policies restrict consumers from performing repairs without certified maintenance licensing, although owners do reserve the right to conduct these processes, obtaining supporting software is impossible. The Fair Repair Act seeks to regulate the restriction on availability to tools need to conduct routine maintenance. Companies that sell these technology-based goods will be required by law to provide access to essential tools and software that is needed, for a minimum of 10 years.
Twenty states have already pushed for Maintenance laws that aid owners in repairable maintenance. This movement has gained the attention of big corporations that operate on software, Apple and Microsoft have been opposed to these laws as it will allow owners to conduct processes through third party IT companies, which will cause manufacturers to lose profit. Europe based countries have already passed similar laws and many Information Technology operations have allowed users to make simple repairs such as part replacements and software refurbishing legally. The current situation has made many arguments that this law will hamper cyber security allowing offensive technology intel to leak from independent user equipment. LB67 does not allow for users to illegally alter information provided from original manufactures, it solely allows the ability to conduct repairs.
Defense Savings
U.S. military leaders are also taking a stand against warranty restrictions. Officers of the United States Marine Corps have made statements forwarding the dire need for availability to repair equipment. Maintenance Logistics Officers have complaints about the long turnaround time it takes for manufactures to repair equipment as it obstructs Performance of Marine Corps Units both deployed and stateside. Officers are thoroughly trained on the equipment they receive, and many can personally repair the items themselves, yet many cannot conduct repairs as it voids the warranty and service contracts between the U.S. government and equipment manufacturers. Passing this bill will save taxpayers millions on defense spending and aid military forces in mission success. Items such as generators, computer based heavy equipment and other assets the military utilizes will be able to have trained specialists operate on this software without the need of direct manufacturer maintenance.
Right to Repair Act: Legislation
States such as Nebraska have seen legislation excuse the need for this bill and says that manufacturers need to reserve the right to their software as it is not needed for repair, yet anyone who owns an iPhone can tell you different. Other states have also seen adverse opinions from their government officials as major software companies have shown discomfort in the bill, implying that they will simply no longer offer the sale of their goods in the states the bill is passed. The use of these rights pursuing non-approved manufacturing operations will make warranties and guarantees nulled void. Manufacturers will also restrict the use of their equipment in other states under the Fair Repair Act, rendering owners helpless when maintenance is needed.
Current States Pursuing Similar Bills
CA, NA, OR, WA, MT, ND, SD, MN, MO, IL, IN, GA, VA, WV, NY, VT, NH, MA, NJ, HI
By: Charlie Alvitre
Three recently passed agriculture bills have angered Farmers and sparked six months of protest in India. The bills were proposed as giving farmers more freedom to control their own trade and expand their own markets but according to farmers they have major issues. Protests stayed peaceful until recently when they turned violent. This violence has prompted internet shutdowns in 14 of the 22 districts in Haryana state near New Delhi.
The Bills That Caused Protests
Farmers and agricultural workers, who make up nearly 60 percent of India’s population, are outraged over three pieces of agricultural legislation passed in September by India’s parliament with support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The three bills decrease trade regulations on goods, allow for trading online and interstate, enable farmers and buyers to enact exclusive contracts, and limit the government’s ability to regulate essential commodities. The farmers believe the deregulation will increase competition giving corporate buyers all the power. Giving buyers access to more suppliers gives them the ability to drive prices down. This is further enforced by the bill removing minimum prices for items. Farmers say this practice was barely helping them to squeak by already.
Outrage Sparks Protests
The protest began in August ahead of the three bills passing. According to the NY times many of the protesting farmers are members of the Sikh religious minority and come from the states of Punjab and Haryana. Protests began as peaceful. Thousands of farmers camped outside of New Delhi in tent cities demanding the three Bills be repealed. Al Jazeera reported there were deaths reported from mostly natural causes. The cold, heart attacks, and motor vehicle accidents on the way to protests claimed the lives of dozens of peaceful protesters. This changed on India’s 72nd Republic Day.
Farmers Protesting In India Turn Violent
Tuesday January 26, 2021 a demonstration that was supposed to be peaceful ended with protesters forcing their way through police barricades. The tractor parade turned violent as protestors fought with police and ran a rebellious flag up the ramparts of the Red Fort. Videos show protestors using tractors to break through barricades. One protestor was reported to have died when their tractor flipped over. Why did violence erupt? Has the government attempted to listen to demands of protesters?
What Has The Indian Government Done?
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asked for peace and to respect peaceful protests. The government has cut internet access to many protest sites in retaliation to violence. The Supreme Court has issued an injunction temporarily pausing the implementation of the laws but farmers still demand the Bills be repealed completely. With farmers protesting in India daily, we currently don’t have an end in sight.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
On January 28, 2021 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi gave a weekly briefing at the white house where she called some members of the House of Representatives “ the enemy within.” This is coming after a month of “memorable Wednesdays,” as Pelosi called them, referring to the riot on Capitol Hill, the second attempt to impeach Donald Trump, and the inauguration of the Biden administration. A reporter asked about a letter that was sent to her and the Majority leader asking for funds for more security at the Capitol and in the Representatives home districts. Pelosi responded by touching on the states using MRA funds for security then went on to call some members “the enemy within”.
Who is the Enemy Within?
Pelosi started out by explaining the Representatives should be using their MRA funds for extra security. Then she said “we want to have a scientific approach to how we protect members. I do believe, and I have said this all along, we will probably need a supplemental for more security for members when the enemy is within the House of Representatives. A threat that members are concerned about in addition to what is outside.” When pressed by a reporter on exactly what she meant she went on to say “we have members of congress who want to bring guns on the floor and have threatened violence on other members of congress.” While Pelosi did not directly name any members directly this comes days after metal detectors were installed in the capitol. This has sparked anger in many Republican lawmakers. A regulation from 1967 allows firearms to be carried by members of congress on Capitol grounds but not on the floor. Democrats are pushing this week to ban lawmakers from carrying firearms anywhere at the Capitol.
Are they really the Enemy?
Republican lawmakers have expressed their concern for the added security. House Administration Ranking Member Rodney Davis was quoted by Fox News saying the security measures were “taking resources completely away from where it needs to be,” and that Democrats “did it without any consultation with the minority.” Barring lawmakers from bringing firearms to the capitol is something newly elected Republican Congress member Lauren Boebert has made it clear she will not stand for. “I will carry my firearm in D.C. and in congress.” she says in a campaign ad she posted to twitter. She goes on to say it’s lawmakers jobs to protect second amendment rights and that’s what she is in D.C. to do. Are Republican lawmakers “the enemy within” for wanting to defend themselves? Taking away the right to carry at the Capitol for lawmakers takes away their right to defend themselves in a city where violent crime averages more than twice the average rate. After the incident on January 6 it is understandable as to why lawmakers would want to go as far as to bring their firearms safely into the chamber. Republican lawmakers will continue to push for the right to bear arms at the Capitol in order to protect our second amendment rights as citizens.
Written by: Erinn Malloy
The United Nations Secretary-General called January 28 for global rules to regulate social media companies like Twitter and Facebook. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that he believes it should not be a company that has the power to decide whether then-president Donald Trump’s Twitter account should be closed. Guterres stated, “I do not think that we can live in a world where too much power is given to a reduced number of companies.” He also said that he was “particularly worried” about the power of social media companies. Instead, he believes that a “mechanism” should be created “in which there is a regulatory framework with rules that allow [closures] to be done in line with law.”
Impact of Regulated Social Media
Earlier in January, Twitter ended Trump’s nearly twelve-year run and shuttered his account, severing an instant line of communication to his 89 million followers. His Twitter account was regarded by some as the hallmark of his presidency. Facebook and Instagram also suspended Trump. Twitter cited the January 6 insurrection of the US Capitol by his supporters to claim that his tweets could incite violence. People accused the companies of censorship and violating the First Amendment right to free speech. Numerous other people have been censored and removed from such platforms.
Guterres says, “Digital technology is shaping history, but there is also this sense that it is running away with us. Where will it take us? Will our dignity and rights be enhanced or diminished?… We have a collective responsibility to give direction to these technologies so that we maximize benefits and curtail unintended consequences or misuse.”
More people than ever before are on social media and get their information from online sources. False data and selective censorship present a very real threat to society and democracy as a whole. COVID-19 has also presented a unique circumstance. Many people are working from home or using technology to keep in touch as they socially distance. This puts Internet rights at an all time high as far as importance.
Data Security and Political Control
Guterres pointed to “the volume of information being gathered about every one of us, the lack of control we have about… the data related to ourselves, the fact that data can be used not only for commercial purposes to sell to advertising companies… but also to change our behavior, and the risks of that to be used also from a political point of view for the control of citizens in countries.” Guterres said this “requires a serious discussion” and that is one of the objectives of his “Roadmap for Digital Cooperation” launched last June.
Roadmap for Digital Cooperation
The Roadmap’s aim is to promote a “safer, more equitable digital world.” It calls for action in eight areas including achieving universal connectivity by 2030; ensuring digital connection for all, including the most vulnerable; ensuring the protection of human rights on the internet; promoting trust and security in the digital environment; and building a more effective architecture for digital cooperation. The UN claims that “digital technology issues are often low on political agendas. Among the Roadmap’s provisions is a call for strengthening the Internet Governance Forum, which brings people from various groups in the public and private sectors together to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet, “in order to make it more responsive and relevant to current digital issues.”
The key parts of concern on media censorship are digital rights. Digital technologies provide new ways to exercise rights such as the freedom of speech, but rights are often violated online. The UN website states that “Data protection, digital ID, the use of surveillance technologies, online harassment and content governance are of particular concern.” The UN advocates for regulatory frameworks and legislation on the development and use of digital technologies. These regulatory frameworks and legislation should have human rights at their center.
One of these rights is of course the freedom of speech. The UN is against repression and censorship. Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to… impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
There is also the concept of digital inclusion. The UN is working to lower the access gap to digital technology, so that people of all ages, political affiliations, and nationalities may use technology.
Overall, the UN aims to protect Internet rights and establish a legal framework so that tech companies, governments, and individuals cannot deny the rights of others.
Written by: Miranda Smith
As this past election season heated up the cold winter days, former President Donald Trump has parted ways with some of his impeachment lawyers. According to house democrats, the reason for impeachment is due to the events that took place at the US Capitol building on January 6th. All but five Senate Republicans are in favor of dismissing the trial before it starts. Trump has had a very hard time finding attorneys who are willing to defend him after he became the only US president to be impeached twice. A lot of the attorneys who previously defended him declined to take on the current case. Former President Trump’s strongest argument will be that the trial is unconstitutional because he is no longer in office. House Democrats are accusing Trump of provoking the riots that took place at the US Capitol building on January 6th. Trump has since announced that he has hired a new legal team, it will be led by David Schoen who is a criminal defense attorney who works both in Alabama and New York, and Bruce Castor Jr. who is a former district attorney in Pennsylvania. Since President Joe Biden has taken office many of the same House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump now agree that it is unconstitutional to even have a trial. Many people have also attempted to forget about Trump’s conduct saying that it was just his way of dealing with frustration over the handling of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. According to U.S. Senator Rand Paul the vote for a trial is already dead on arrival. The trial is scheduled to start on February 8th.
What are your predications? Make sure to comment below!
Written by: Gary Taylor
A recent spike in GameStop shares has made headlines soar. Investors from all over found their wealth in short stock purchases from trending phone applications such as Robinhood, Acorn, and even Cashapp. These are investment platforms that allow average everyday people to become Wall Street scale investors. Small time investors have found a light from above on a website known as Reddit where people discuss topics in forums that range from life hacks to “Do It Yourself” projects. One forum in particularly came from an unknown user with the screen name Wallstreetbets. This anonymous user was able to orchestrate a group of over 171,000 people to all buy stock shares at the same time, shooting the value of shares at a height of almost $500 per share, with an original price of around $125 per share.
Many of shareholders and investors will utilize a strategy know as Hedge Fund buying. This is a risky method that relies on borrowed money and investing in high-risk shares. Groups of investors will collaborate in order to take out loans and apply them into a Bull Market orientated method and hope to reap multimillion dollar profits. Anyone with a basic understanding in Economics can see where this can lead to problems and be a burden on taxpayers as the need for bailout is unavoidable. Reddit users decided to utilize WallStreet’s own tactics against them, banning together rocketing prices of shares and then selling out for personal gains.
This has developed into a frenzy of panic selling and investing applications completely shutting off availability to certain company shares, which is considered “Market Manipulation”. Consecutive companies such as AMC Entertainment which had an original share price of $3 last week rose too just under $25 per share. This helped AMC as they were experiencing devastating blows due to the COVID restrictions. AMC Entertainment was able to recover some of their losses due to the closing of every theater in the nation, but stockholders were not to please by this event.
The stock market is continuing to see collaborated share spikes by users across the world and many are wondering the extent this trend will take. These operations create an incredible number of gains and then completely bottom out. Wall Street asset managers are seeing the worst of business operations since the last stock market crash. Bailouts of companies may be seen in our near future, but how far should we go to help these companies who wanted to utilize these funds for personal gains. Future issues have yet to be resolved as many other corporations are soaring from this trend, the stock market has shifted in cost as well as Fortune 500 rankings. This may be the beginning of yet another regulated business process in the making.
Written by: Charlie Alvitre
Through this pandemic we’ve witness all sorts of setbacks, from finances to government failures, now our educators are proving the same. Chicago teachers’ unions are refusing to return to the classroom as they believe their health is at risk. Students of all ages have suffered from this pandemic and many have not seen the end of the problem. Students are removed from classrooms at the rate of two weeks every time they encounter a COVID positive patient, many students experienced this policy multiple times out of the year. At an alarming rate, children are being held back due to the lack of knowledge in the respective course material. So, the question at hand is, do we continue to punish the children?
The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) took a vote and with an unanimous decision decided that remote learning was in their best interest. This would of course not be in the children’s best interest as it removes one on one learning with individual students and neglects the children that require extra assistance in education. With a union population of over 30,000 teachers, most decided that they would prefer to stay behind a camera for their safety. Educators in Chicago have even taken it as far as illegally protesting in order to refrain from being in contact with children.
On Tuesday January 26th educators held a meeting with the board (which they weren’t too afraid of safety to attend personally) and did not to come to an agreement. Many classes such as P.E., preforming arts, music, and other courses require in-person attendance for children to succeed in what they desire to do in school. Many teachers believe that they are in it to keep themselves safe but at what costs should one take before they hinder success of our future generation.
Public schools house many children that are underprivileged and strive through education in order to have a productive future. Refusal of education is not what this country was built on, the progress of our nation has had many bumps in the road from segregation to poverty plagued cities that did not have local schools. These situations were tackled by motivated educators who fought for a greater community and the greater good of our children. Now the ones standing in the way are teachers themselves. CTU members need to put students first and have their best interest at hand, because that is what our nations instructors are taught to do.
Written by: Charlie Alvitre
Music has a way of bringing people together; but in this time of imposed social distancing, what are we to do? Also, it is good to know that even though our physical presence at live performances has been taken off the table as a show of support, we are far from helpless to the hazards that the virus and subsequently imposed restrictions have brought to society as a whole. From signed artists to your local music scene, there’s been a large impact made. There has been a hindrance in the sense of the musicianship and the music community as a whole; spanning beyond the behind the scenes music makers, this has had an effect on everyone from executives to audience members, and everyone in between. The pandemic has had an ever-outreaching effect on musicians and fans alike. Having concerts in venues being suspended while the concern over the pandemic has heightened, everyone from the performers to the audience has been affected. So how else has this era had an effect?
“I used to go to at least two concerts a month before Covid… I still have 6 tickets from the past year that I never had the chance to use.“
-Alex Weaver: Live Music Enthusiast, Detroit, Michigan
The Financial Impact
The music industry is worth about $50 billion annually. Now if we break down how the music industry achieves such astronomical revenues, there are basically two main sources from which we prosper: Live Music (Ticket Sales) & Digital Sales (buying the newest releases of your favorite artists). Imagine that you’re a business owner—though many of you may not need to imagine—and one half of your revenue sources have been swiftly swept out from beneath your feet! What are you to do? What would you expect would happen? As you could ascertain, physical sales (which account for 25% of the industry’s revenue) have in fact dropped by one-third.
The Struggling Artist
There are many different ways the artists and industry have seen a result: the camaraderie between bands on the road, the absence of ticket-sale revenue, etc. The nostalgia of the live venue concerts is something that plagues both audiences and performers alike. The fans have suffered from the circumstances as well, but as a devout fan to your favorite band or your local music scene, you may have wondered what way you can show support for the musicians.
What Are We To Do
A lot of the community of any artist’s fan base has transferred into an online forum, remember to follow and interact with your favorite social media page. They always share updates on their progress, new music coming out, their individual or group philanthropic efforts. Even watching or listening to the new content does help the artist achieve popularity online. Also, many people only buy band merchandise when they see it at a show, but remember to find their own availability on the band’s website; this includes the new masks some artists have employed as a merchandising opportunity. There’s also been an implementation of virtual concerts many artists have offered either for a price, or for what I like to think of as “emotional relief” of some sort, a morale boost for their fans. I do understand, however, that this is not a reasonable replacement, at least in the grand scheme of things. We must remember these compromises and alternate tactics are not based in permanence. Bringing the performance to the audience, as opposed to the audience coming to the performance is a temporary accommodation. Although, you must admit, coming from a “top-down” mindset, it’s as rewarding as it is challenging to make such concessions. There’s something to this era that has been forcing the hand of creativity in a positive direction. Coming up with new, fresh ways to simulate that esoteric sensation of being in a crowd of fanatical fellowship, cheering on your favorite musicians seems to be the contemporary frontier.
So Where Does This Leave Us?
In a time of social distancing, we don’t need to remain distant in our community, our passions, our creative influences or our emotional outlets. There may be more idealized simulation methods lying just beyond the horizon. As we patiently wait for these advancements to expand our physical realm in order to shrink the virtual realm; just remember, even though we’ve separated ourselves from one another, does not mean that we’re “separate”. Never forget, even when you’re feeling helpless in the midst of the pandemic, your favorite artists are still there cherishing the support you do provide, and that you are completely free to utilize all these outlets as much as possible for your beloved musicians out there. I’m comfortable in speaking for the entirety of the music industry in saying that they do indeed appreciate your support.
Parler has been in the news and on headlines recently with its current suspension from the Apple Store and Amazon Web Services. Tech giants have censored the app due to users’ involvement in the capital protests, though protestors used multiple social media platforms to plan the storming of the US capital. With the ever-increasing surveillance and censorship of tech giants, more and more people are either turning off social media or looking for new ways to express themselves.
What is Parler?
Parler is a relatively new social media platform, which markets itself as being pro-free speech and an alternative to more mainstream social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Parler has generally lower restrictions on users’ content than other social media platforms, which other social media platforms will oftentimes ban people for posting what they consider conservative or far-right views. People may post with a wider range of viewpoints. In this sense, Parler is less biased than its counterparts.
History and Media Censorship
Parler was founded in August 2018 by John Matze Jr. and Jared Thompson in Henderson, Nevada. The site gets its name from the French word “parler” meaning “to speak”. By May 2019, Parler grew to around 100,000 users, around 40,000 of which were brought by Candace Owens, a conservative activist. The site attracted Republican personalities and those who had been banned from other social media platforms. Matze focused his marketing efforts on conservatives, due to the high percentage joining the service. This labeled the app conservative, though it was originally intended to be and still can be bipartisan.
Supporters of the Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammed bin Salman went by the thousands to Parler, after being banned from Twitter. Twitter labeled supporters of the Saudi government “inauthentic” and an “electronic army” pushing the Saudi Arabian government’s agenda. Twitter also flagged posts by Trump about mail-in ballots as “potentially misleading” and posts about the George Floyd protests as “glorifying violence”. English media personality Katie Hopkins was permanently suspended from Twitter after violating their policies on “hateful conduct”, and she later joined Parler. In response, thirteen members of Parliament joined, and some British conservative activists endorsed the site over Twitter. Because Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter, Parler became the top downloaded app on the Apple store on January 8.
A number of major political figures have joined Parler, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R), Ohio Representative Jim Jordan (R), New York Representative Elise Stefanik (R), and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley. Jair Bolsonaro, the President of Brazil, joined Parler, and a number of people from Brazil joined Parler.
Parler had become somewhat of a safe haven for people of right and far right views to express themselves. That is, before it was taken down.
Potential Resurrection
Though the app has been taken down on the Google Play Store and the Apple Store, there is still hope for an online presence. After Amazon suspended Parler from its Web Services, Parler looked for a new service provider. Parler was denied by both major and minor cloud service providers. Parler registered its domain with Epik, which is known for allowing services to far-right web pages. The site was hosted by the Russian cloud services company DDos-Guard. So far, there is only a static page that says that it will come back, reaffirms its message, and has a link to a Fox interview with John Matze. Matze claims that their “return is inevitable due to hard work and persistence against all odds.” He also claims that “not one Parler employee has quit”. Matze also promised to have Parler back online by the end of the month.
Matze saw the website registration with Epik as a key signifier that Parler’s return is realistic. The website now also hits a working server, and a single piece of information is returned. Matze also saw it as a “big milestone” to be able to post updates on Parler and that he would “try to get an update out every day” so “people can stay up to date with the site”.With the site being mired in controversy, a person cannot google “Parler” and find the site. Instead, parler.com must be directly typed into the search bar at the top of the browsing window.
Parler Social Media App Potential
With the ever-increasing censorship on social media and fact-checking, Parler has the potential to become a major app. Its popularity on the Apple store after Trump’s Twitter ban and its listing as a top free app on Google Play prove this. Though many users are conservative, Parler is willing to host people of any view on its website- including conspiracy theorists and supporters of foreign governments. The key element is simply getting the website back online.
Written by: Miranda Smith
January 6, 2021 was a dark day that will go down history books. A day that began as peaceful for many people who attended President Trump’s “Save America” ended when a group of people breached the capitol building during the final Electoral count. One person was killed by Capitol police, Ashley Babbit, she was a Veteran. Three others passed away during the event due to “medical emergencies.” The last time a large-scale breach occurred was in 1814 when British burned the capitol building. How did a day that started off with “a feeling camaraderie” according to an eye witness turn so tragic?
Capital Breached Timeline
Both sides of the media have erupted with information about when things happened. President Trump began speaking around noon and spoke for over an hour. There has been media reporting as early as 1:15 PM EST that a group began to fight with security. This seems a little off because the walk from where Trump spoke to the capitol is around 30-45 minutes on a good day according to Google maps and an eyewitness account. Did these people not finish listening to Trump speak or does the media have the timeline wrong? Associated Press says the breach occurred at 2:30 EST. This seems like a more realistic timeline given that our witness said as late as 2 PM things seemed very calm with “a family-like” atmosphere around the capitol.
Shortly after 2 PM EST the protestors made their way into the various chambers of the capitol building. Right before 3 PM EST Michael Waltz told Fox News the house floor had been evacuated due to “protesters penetrating the capitol and tear gas had been deployed” shortly after, a curfew was announced for 6 PM to 6 AM EST.
Many members of congress were evacuated. During Stinchfield on Newsmax, Texas Republican Pat Fallon said he and a few other members stayed back and used hand sanitizer dispensers as clubs attempting to help security and hold back the people who were breaking windows. Why did Capitol police seem to just let people in, in videos that have surfaced on Newsmax during an interview with the Founder of “Baby Lives Matter,” Taylor Hansen?
This would not be the first instance of lax security in the Capitol. In 1954 a group of four Puerto Rican Nationalists were able to bring their handguns past security in the visitors’ gallery. They wounded five congress members. Those people were angry the U.S. had control of Puerto Rico. Who were the people that stormed the Capitol on January 6? What were they angry about?
Capital Breached Theories
The results of the election have caused widespread anger amongst Trump supporters. Were these Trump supporters lashing out in anger; Disgruntled voters who felt the election and the process that makes us America was cheated and stolen from Trump? The president and his daughter took to twitter pleading for peace. The president’s tweets and a video Twitter later took down. The president has been currently locked out of his accounts by Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Trump stands for law and order so it seems a little odd that his followers, even disgruntled, would do something that even conservative outlets are calling “an act of terrorism.”
This brings us to our second theory, Antifa. Republican Mo Brooks of Alabama, in an interview for Newsmax said that intelligence had come in before these events that Antifa was going to dress as Trump supporters and come to the rally to cause trouble. Could this have been one last attempt to portray Trump and his followers as evil?
Urging Peace
As the story progresses different theories of who or why will come to light as investigations continue. The only thing we can know for sure right now is the President and the Republican urges PEACE. Washington wants a peaceful transfer of power. The actions of that small group of people does not reflect what Trump or any of the Republican party stands for in any way, shape, or form. We value the constitution, law and order, and getting things done in congress in an honest and fair way.
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