Stuff YOU Should Know
Marriage Equality Vote in Ireland
Beginning in 2012, Ireland’s government met regularly with 66 randomly selected citizens and members of representatives from Northern Ireland to discuss eight issues on which they would later debate in the Oireachtas (the Irish Free State’s equivalent to our U.S. Congress). One of those issues was a provision to legalize same-sex marriage in the country. The result was a bill called the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015. The amendment called for a change in language to read “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.” On May 22, citizens in Ireland went to the polls and voted to pass the referendum.
This vote makes Ireland the first country in history to legalize same-sex marriage by way of a national vote. In the twenty other countries worldwide where same-sex marriage is now legal, the decision was made by the national court system. Voter turnout in Ireland was high, with more than 60 percent of eligible voters casting ballots. The result was a surprise to many because around 85 percent of the population identify as Roman Catholic, a religion that does not grant homosexuals equal religious freedoms.
Dig Deeper This vote has prompted a similar vote in Northern Ireland. Follow this story to its result.
Summer TV Viewing
It used to be that summertime television was all about reruns and soap operas. Thankfully those days are long gone. Here’s a heads up on some shows that might provide you some entertainment over the long summer break.
New:
- I Can Do That (premiered May 27 on NBC) – Hosted by Marlon Wayans (from Scary Movie), the competition reality show features six celebrities at a time, showcasing talents they never knew they had. Joe Jonas, Ciara, and Cheryl Burke are among the first contestants.
- Some Assembly Required (premieres June 19 on Netflix) – A 14-year-old starts his own toy company and hires his friends to help out with product development.
- Scream (premieres June 30 on MTV) – loosely based on the 1990s horror movie franchise, this series focuses on a small town where people are mysteriously dying.
- Talia in the Kitchen (premieres July 6 on Nickelodeon) – Talia is a teen who moves in with her grandmother and develops a passion for cooking after spending time in the family’s restaurant.
Returning:
- Pretty Little Liars (returns June 2 on ABC Family) – Now starting its sixth season, this mystery series based on the books of the same name, centers around four friends whose clique leader has disappeared.
- Extant (returns July 1 on CBS) – This popular sci-fi series about a female astronaut who became mysteriously pregnant after a 13-month solo mission in space continues the drama in its second season.
- Phineas and Ferb Series Finale (says good to summer–FINALLY!–on June 12 on Disney XD) – If you’ve grown up enjoying the grand adventures of these two step brothers making the most of their summer vacation, you won’t want to miss their last hurrah.
What Do You Think? What are some of your favorite summer television series? What do you like about them? Do any of the new shows listed above appeal to you? If so, which ones and why?
Hillary Clinton Emails Released
Over at Election Central, we brought you news of Hilary Clinton’s decision to delete more than 30,000 emails from a private account she used while she was the Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. On May 19, a federal judge ordered that the State Department release more than 1,200 emails (about 55,000 pages) by January of 2016.
The request was prompted by a Freedom of Information Act request from an investigative journalist named Jason Leopold. Similar lawsuits have been filed by the Associated Press and other media organizations. The National Archives Records Administration (NARA) will conduct a page-by-page review of the emails to safeguard the content. A congressional committee will also conduct a separate review of all documents that relate to the 2011 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
The fact that Clinton used a private email while serving as a high-ranking government official has become a topic of considerable debate. On one hand, the action was legal and Clinton has said publically that she is in favor of a release of the documents. On the other, conducting government business from a personal server made her vulnerable to considerable security threats. The deadline for the full release of the emails will occur just weeks before the Iowa Caucus.
Dig Deeper Continue to follow this story, noting the new release of new emails and any communication issued by the NARA.
@POTUS
In an attempt to “engage more directly with the American people,” President Obama signed up for a new Twitter account, predictably named “@POTUS.” The acronym is a nickname that stands for the President of the United States and became popular among journalists using the telegraph in the late 1800s. The president’s account already has more than 2.4 million followers. The account has attracted both positive and negative posts. Officials have said that they won’t respond to negative comments unless they are preserved as a direct threat to the president (as determined by the “Internet Threat Desk.”)
President Obama. In the Oval Office. Tweeting. #WelcomeToTwitter, @POTUS! http://t.co/SzWXltjNK0 pic.twitter.com/ce4DurwYXj
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 18, 2015
Social media is a not a new communication device for the Obama Administration. During the 2008 election, Obama’s personal Twitter account was one of the most followed accounts. Currently @BarackObama (operated by his campaign team, Organizing for Action) has been around since 2007 and @WhiteHouse since 2009. First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have both had Twitter accounts since 2011. Just because the president is becoming more “transparent” in his desire to connect with his constituents doesn’t mean his security surrounding his communications isn’t still extremely strict. He reportedly had to argue diligently to get his own Blackberry when he took office in 2009. There is no specific word yet on whether or not the next White House inhabitant will get to inherit this @POTUS account or will start their own version (assuming they even want to do so).