The NFL and the Anthem
The National Football League (NFL) kicked off the 2021 season on Thursday, September 9. Some people who viewed the pregame ceremonies may have been surprised to hear two pre-game anthems. Yes, plural. The NFL has pledged to play “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in addition to performing the traditional “The Star-Spangled Banner” during pre-game ceremonies […]
North Carolina Revises Voting Laws for Felons
This week’s Election Central post takes a look at a North Carolina change in voting rights. If someone has been convicted of a felony, do you think that he or she should still have the right to vote? States vary widely when it comes to restoring voting rights to convicted felons. A case in North […]
Afghanistan Falls to the Taliban
This week’s Election Central post describes the dramatic events that occurred in Afghanistan last week. September 11, 2021, was the Biden administration’s deadline for removing all U.S. military personnel from Afghanistan. However, as the U.S. began pulling out of the country, the Taliban has taken over with shocking speed. Now, the Taliban have regained control […]
Census Results Come In
This week’s Election Central post gives a summary of the new population data gathered from the most recent national Census.. Once a decade, the federal government completes a population count to determine each state’s congressional and state-level representation. The federal government also uses this data to guide the distribution of funding to local communities every […]
New York’s First Female Governor
The state of New York has never had a female governor before. But that’s about to change. Now that the current governor, Andrew Cuomo, has resigned, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul has assumed the office. Here, btw takes a closer look at this unique story and its historic outcome. What Happened? Andrew Cuomo has served three […]
Camacho-Quinn Wins Gold
Now that the 2021 Tokyo Olympics has come to a close, it’s time to look back at some of the highlights from this summer’s Olympic Games. There were many exciting moments and heartwarming stories. One especially inspiring win belonged to Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn. What Happened? On August 2, 2021, Camacho-Quinn won the gold medal […]
A New Name for Cleveland Baseball
In recent years, the names and mascots of several professional sports teams have received criticism for their racist overtones. Now, one team–the Cleveland Indians–is doing something about it. Starting in the 2022 season, the Cleveland Indians will now be known as the Cleveland Guardians. This follows the change the team already made in 2018 when […]
Haaland Announces Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative
Last month, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland–the first Indigenous person ever to be appointed to this position–announced a federal initiative to formally investigate the history of American Indian boarding schools. Beginning with the Indian Civilization Act of 1819 and continuing through the late 1970s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and various Christian church denominations […]
YOU DECIDE: School Social Media Free Speech Case
As a student, what are you allowed to say–and not allowed to say–on social media? That’s the question at the heart of a recent Supreme Court ruling. A high school student from Pennsylvania is at the center of the case. She posted her frustration on Snapchat after not making the varsity cheerleading team. Here, btw […]
House Votes to Remove Confederate Statues
In August 2017, the city leaders of Charlottesville, Virginia, decided to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a public park. In response, hundreds of white nationalists showed up for a “Unite the Right” protest. They were met by a group of counter-protestors. One of the counter protestors named Heather Heyer was […]