Several Black students who were suspended for trying to protest Confederate flag displays at their school in Georgia have filed a federal lawsuit against their school district and its board members, accusing them of allowing an extensive pattern of racism including “overt bigotry and animosity by some white students and teachers against African American students.” The students, joined by their mothers as plaintiffs, already made news when their protest at Coosa High School was stifled last fall. Now, in their lawsuit filed Tuesday against the Floyd County school district and its board members, they allege an extensive pattern of racism, including white students reenacting the murder of George Floyd and posting it on social media, and a student who carried what appeared to be a whip and told a Black student “we used to whip you.” They also allege unfair punishment: Students are banned from wearing Black Lives Matter shirts, but Confederate flag apparel is acceptable under … [Read more...] about Georgia students sue over blocked protest against rebel flag
Committee elimination racial discrimination
‘Cyber Hell’ only scratches surface of South Korea’s sex crime crisis
South Korea's ongoing sex crime crisis forms the focus of a gripping new Netflix documentary— Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror. The latest program reveals just the tip of the iceberg of sex crimes in the Asian country, which can be traced back to a "deep-rooted gender inequality " and an increase in gender-based violence, Boram Jang, East Asia Researcher at Amnesty International, told Newsweek. "According to the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice, violent crimes such as murder, robbery and arson are generally decreasing in Korean society, but crimes involving sexual violence are steadily rising," Jang said. Released on Wednesday, the new Netflix documentary follows the exposé of a sexual abuse scandal that saw dozens of women—including minors—allegedly being blackmailed into capturing non-consensual , sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. The footage was shared and sold via online chat rooms—known collectively as the "Nth Room"—on … [Read more...] about ‘Cyber Hell’ only scratches surface of South Korea’s sex crime crisis
Soccer-Qatar World Cup hotels must welcome guests in ‘non-discriminatory manner’ – FIFA
(Reuters) - Hotels that are on the official list of recommended accommodation for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar are required to welcome guests in a "non-discriminatory manner" or face termination of contracts, FIFA said on Friday. A Scandinavian media survey showed that three of the 69 hotels on FIFA's official list of recommended accommodation will deny entry to same-sex couples. Twenty other hotels said they would accommodate them as long as they did not publicly show that they were gay, while 33 hotels had no issues on booking same-sex couples. Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, which will host the World Cup from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18. In a statement to Reuters, FIFA said that, since being made aware of the report, it has been in touch with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and "will ensure that the hotels mentioned are once again made aware of our strict requirements in relation to welcoming guests in a non-discriminatory manner. "Hotels, as well as any … [Read more...] about Soccer-Qatar World Cup hotels must welcome guests in ‘non-discriminatory manner’ – FIFA
Don’t Stop Using the Term ‘Cancel Culture’
Few terms have been as abused as “cancel culture.” Its very existence is a point of controversy, despite the fact that large majorities both on and off campus feel pressured to censor themselves for fear of losing their jobs or reputations. But it’s a real thing—no matter how many ways its meaning has been wrongly distorted. On March 3, Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russian foreign intelligence, accused the West of attempting to “cancel” their government for its invasion of Ukraine, echoing claims made by Vladimir Putin about alleged American cancel culture. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the allegations of sexual harassment and a toxic workplace that led to his resignation were cancel culture. And, of course, former President Donald Trump has blamed cancel culture for just about everything — including the Jan. 6 committee’s decision to subpoena Roger Stone and Alex Jones. Ridiculous non-examples of cancel culture, such as these, provide all the ammunition … [Read more...] about Don’t Stop Using the Term ‘Cancel Culture’
Pennsylvania lawmakers see terms ended by primary defeats
This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — One of the Pennsylvania Legislature’s most powerful Republicans lost a primary race and another was in real danger Wednesday of going down to defeat, both targeted by challengers from the right. As vote counting continued, state Sen. Pat Browne of Lehigh County was a few dozen votes behind school board member and pilot Jarrett Coleman. State Rep. Stan Saylor of York County lost to Wendy Jo Fink, who promised to eliminate school property taxes. Both incumbents were attacked for being Harrisburg insiders. Saylor was elected in 1992 and Browne in 2005 after a decade in the state House. They chair the Appropriations Committee in their respective chambers. The Appropriations committees are the conduit for the state budget legislation and play a prominent role in much of the Legislature’s business. Another longtime House Republican from York … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania lawmakers see terms ended by primary defeats
Only the Right Can Defeat White Nationalism
The massacre in El Paso, Texas, has, for the moment, reminded Americans of the danger posed by far-right terrorists. Former national-security officials have demanded that the U.S. government “make addressing this form of terrorism as high a priority as countering international terrorism has become since 9/11.” Retired Marine General John Allen and the former senior U.S. diplomat Brett McGurk have argued that far-right extremism poses “an equal threat” as jihadist groups such as ISIS. This is incorrect. White nationalism is a far greater threat to American democracy than jihadism, and always has been. But there are actually two challenges posed by white nationalism: One is the threat posed to American communities by attacks like the one in El Paso, which law enforcement can and should prevent. The other is the threat the ideology the attackers support poses to American democracy, which can be defeated only through politics, and only by the American people themselves. “There’s an … [Read more...] about Only the Right Can Defeat White Nationalism
Productive visit
The visit by Sri Lanka's President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has reaffirmed the country's close ties with India and provided both sides the opportunity to signal a readiness to take the bilateral relationship to a new level. This was reflected in the joint statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Rajapaksa, and the host of agreements to strengthen and expand bilateral cooperation. It was the first time in a quarter century that New Delhi played host to a Sri Lankan head of state who arrived without the burden of a raging ethnic conflict back home. Mr. Rajapaksa, whose political stock following his presidential and parliamentary election triumphs is unmatched among leaders in the region, did not have to seek support for his government nor assistance in a devastating civil war. For three decades, the Tamil question, and unease with the way successive Sri Lankan governments handled it, dominated ties between the two neighbours. With the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam … [Read more...] about Productive visit