In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today!

[Content Note: War on agency] The US Supreme Court, in a typical 5-4 decision, refused to block the Texas law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Seethe.

[CN: Slavery] British police rescued three women from a London home where there were held against their wills for over three decades. Two people have been arrested, following an investigation launched after one of the three women called the Freedom Charity to report "she had been held against her will in the house for more than 30 years."

[CN: Racism; capital punishment; rape] Alabama's parole board has voted to grant posthumous pardons to three of the men in the Scottsboro Boys 1931 rape case, in which nine black boys were falsely accused of raping two white women on a train. "All the Scottsboro Boys served jail time, but Haywood Patterson, Charlie Weems and Andy Wright were the last of the accused to have convictions on their records in a case that came to symbolize racial injustice in the Deep South in the 1930s. The three men, along with defendant Clarence Norris, were convicted on rape charges in 1937, after a six-year ordeal that included three trials, the recantation of one of the accusers and two landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions on legal representation and the racial make-up of jury pools. The men were all convicted by all-white juries, and all but the youngest defendant was sentenced to death. Alabama ultimately dropped rape charges against five of the accused."

[CN: Sexual assault] Republicans are obstructing votes on Senators Kirsten Gillibrand's and Clare McCaskill's proposed defense authorization amendments to change the way the military deals with sexual assault cases. Because of course they are.

In other news, a memo has been circulated to House Republicans detailing a rolling strategy to defeat Obamacare, with topics like: "Because of Obamacare, I Lost My Insurance." "Obamacare Increases Health Care Costs." "The Exchanges May Not Be Secure, Putting Personal Information at Risk." "Continue Collecting Constituent Stories." I'm guessing "Propose a Superior Alternative" is not among the bulletpoints.

[CN: Misogyny] CNN published an interview with Serena Williams' tennis coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, under the title, "The man who rescued Serena Williams." LOL. Fuck you, CNN. Fuck. You.

[CN: Sexual violence; rape culture; police malfeasance] A detective on the Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston rape case, in which no charges have been brought for nearly a year, told the accuser's attorney that "her client's life 'will be made miserable' if she pursued a sexual assault case" against Winston. Yeah, it's a real mystery why there are loads of survivors who are disinclined to report sexual assault to authorities.

Neato: "A volcanic eruption has created a new island in the sea about 620 miles south of Tokyo."

OMG THIS STORY ABOUT A MAN BEING REUNITED WITH HIS DOG AFTER LAST WEEKEND'S TORNADOES! The picture of him hugging the dog! The picture of him petting her while she drinks water! Her wee face! ♥