K.K.K. urged to “Ride Again” in Alabama Newspaper
On Feb. 14, an editorial called for the “ride of the K.K.K.” According to the New York Times, Democrat Representative Terri A. Sewell, called for the editor and publisher of the paper, Goodloe Sutton, to apologize and step down. Sewell tweeted, “These comments are deeply offensive and inappropriate, especially in 2019.” Sutton’s position was filled by Elecia Dexter, an African-American woman from Chicago who served as the paper’s front office clerk.
West Virginia Teachers Stage Walkout
Teachers and union leaders in West Virginia continued to stage walkouts across the state in protest to a bill they claimed was “retaliatory towards educators.” The bill, introduced by the State House of Delegates, would have allowed tax dollars to pay for private school tuition and would have allowed charter schools to be established in the state for the first time. In response to the widespread walkouts which closed schools in all but one of the state’s 55 countries, the House of Delegates tabled the bill indefinitely. According to the New York Times, protest will continue to make sure no measures are taken to reopen the bill.
Trump Rallies Against Press After NY Times Report
Last Wednesday, President Trump released a statement saying that the New York Times had “never been more dishonest,” according to Politico. The comments were made after the NY Times published an article last week, which detailed the president’s ongoing efforts to influence investigations into his 2016 campaign. While the President did not refute any specific parts of the report, the statement he made called the newspaper as the enemy of the people.
Teen Sues the Washington Post for $250 Million
The Kentucky teenager in the video of the confrontation with a Native American man at the Lincoln Memorial filed a lawsuit against the Washington Post, claiming “the newspaper made ‘false and defamatory accusations’ against him in its coverage of the episode,” according to Politico. The sixteen-year-old student at Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, KY, Nicholas Sandmann, is seeking $250 million in compensation for the harm the Sandmann family has faced in the midst of the controversy that arose surrounding the video. Sandmann’s attorneys, Lin Wood and Todd McMurtry, released a statement that further litigations will be forthcoming.
Bomb Threats Made for Tampa Mayor’s Twitter Account
At 4 a.m. last Thursday, a hacker took over the Twitter account of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, posting racist, sexists and pornographic images and comments. Additionally, the hackers sent a threatening tweet to Tampa International Airport (TIA) detailing how a bomb had been hidden somewhere in the airport. The hackers also sent a fake emergency alert warning people in the Tampa Bay area to seek shelter from an incoming ballistic missile. After investigation, Tampa authorities do not believe that any of the threats are credible or pose danger to the public. Buckhorn told local news channels that he is working to close his Twitter account.
