In the News

Here is some stuff in the news today...

Emma Watson, who is a UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, gave a speech at the UN asking men and boys to join the fight for gender equality. The transcript of her address is here.

Pope Francis said over the weekend: "Let no one consider themselves to be the 'armor' of God while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression! May no one use religion as a pretext for actions against human dignity and against the fundamental rights of every man and woman, above all, the right to life and the right of everyone to religious freedom!" His comments "appear to be an indirect reference to the actions of groups such as" ISIS and also appear to have been said without a trace of irony. For the record: The Catholic Church has not changed its position on reproductive rights, gay rights, or trans* rights.

[CN: Gun violence; racism] In February, a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on the first-degree murder charge in the trial of Michael Dunn for killing unarmed black teenager Jordan Davis. A new trial begins this week. Let us fervently hope for a better result this time.

[CN: Police militarization] "Wyoming's Goshen County Sheriff's Office wants you to know they have a grenade launcher." All right then.

[CN: Police killing; racism] Darrien Hunt, the 22-year-old black man who was killed by police in Utah while carrying a replica samurai-style sword may have been cosplaying. "Attention was swiftly drawn online to Hunt's remarkable resemblance as he walked around on the morning of 10 September to Mugen, a swordsman character in the short-lived Japanese anime series Samurai Champloo. The Comic Con convention had also taken place in Salt Lake City, about 35 miles to the north, the weekend before the shooting. Hunt's aunt, Cindy Moss, previously told the Guardian that a witness to the confrontation with police had told the family that Hunt 'had his earbuds in, and was kind of doing spins and stuff, like pretending he's a samurai.'" Everything about this case is so fucking awful, but the possibility that he was cosplaying, just having fun in his own imagined fantasy world, when he was killed, is unbearable. Sob.

[CN: Misogyny; appropriation] Andrea Grimes: "Texas Republicans Attempt to Reach Women Voters by Appropriating Feminist Successes." Of course. OF COURSE.

This is hilarious: Alaska television reporter Charlo Greene "reported on the Alaska Cannabis Club during KTVA-TV's Sunday night broadcast but did not disclose her connection to the business until a live shot at the end of the packaged report. Then she surprised viewers and her colleagues by quitting in dramatic fashion, reported the Alaska Dispatch News. 'Now everything you've heard is why I, the actual owner of the Alaska Cannabis Club, will be dedicating all of my energy toward fighting for freedom and fairness, which begins with legalizing marijuana here in Alaska,' Greene said. 'And as for this job, well—not that I have a choice but, fuck it, I quit.' Then she walked off camera as her stunned anchor apologized to viewers." LOL!

And finally! Tiny kitten and giant hand! Squeeeeeee.