10 Things You Might’ve Missed
*The views expressed in these article roundups are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Who We Are Project. This content is shared for educational purposes to encourage thoughtful dialogue and does not necessarily constitute an endorsement.*
1. Massive Layoffs at the Department of Education Erode Its Civil Rights Division | ProPublica
The U.S. Department of Education has fired over half of its staff that investigate discrimination complaints in a dozen regional offices. Offices in Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Seattle and Washington, D.C. are the only ones being spared.
2. There have been calls to issue a federal pardon to Derek Chauvin; it would not get him out of prison | The Grio
Ben Shapiro and Elon Musk has supported the calls for President Donald Trump to federally pardon Derek Chauvin, but the state conviction would remain. The president has not indicated he’s considering a pardon, but the Minnesota Attorney General has expressed the extreme disrespect that a pardon would bring.
3. Farmers are caught in a political brawl over climate and DEI language | The Washington Post
The battle over language describing federal programs has begun to affect farmers as initiatives related to environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion are all under scrutiny due to Trump’s executive orders.
4. ‘Bloody Sunday’ 60th anniversary marked in Selma with remembrances and concerns about the future | The Grio
This weekend marks the 60th anniversary of the violent attack on voting rights marchers in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965. The event became known as “Bloody Sunday” galvanized the nation's support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
5. City crews have begun removing the 'Black Lives Matter' street mural in D.C. | NPR
In June 2020, Washington, D.C. painted a “Black Lives Matter” mural on pavement following the global protests against the police killing of George Floyd. This week, crews have begun removing the mural after a Republican bill stated that the city would lose federal funding if they didn’t.
6. The Eugenic Origins of Three Strikes Laws: How "Habitual Offender" Sentencing Laws Were Used as a Means of Sterilization | The Sentencing Project
The Sentencing Project has published Daniel Loehr’s report on how American “habitual offender” laws origins are from the eugenics movement of the early 1900s and not the “tough on crime” movement of the 1980s and 1990s.
7. If Trump Can Deport Mahmoud Khalil, Freedom of Speech Is Dead | The Intercept
The Trump administration is detaining and intending to deport a man for exercising his First Amendment right, despite his green card status. If the administration succeeds, it sets a dangerous and illegal precedent.
8. AP again seeks end of its White House ban, saying the Trump administration is retaliating further | AP News
The Associated Press amended their lawsuit on Monday against the White House to include more instances of the administration barring the news organization from certain press privileges.
9. 'This isn't your granddad's KKK.' Inside the hate group expanding its presence in Tennessee | NewsChannel 5 Nashville
The Patriot Front is the largest hate group in the United States, which holds an annual white supremacist conference, “building a compound in Tennessee where they train men for battles.”
10. D.C. U.S. attorney tells Georgetown he won’t hire from any school with ‘DEI’ | The Washington Post
Ed Martin, interim D.C. U.S. Attorney, said his office won’t hire anyone from a university that utilizes DEI, regardless of the constitutional protections against such a thing.