3/17/25

 

        America has resumed it's busy schedule. Over the weekend, a series of protests have occurred as part of the 50/50/1 movement- 50 states, 50 capitols, 1 day- which organized protests across the nation that marched to the capitals of every American state and made their displeasure known. While previous protests in February were plenty significant on their own, these recent protests were joined by veterans who recently lost aid after the Department of Veteran Affairs saw 83 thousand of it's employees cut by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DoGE. Many of these veterans had previously voted for Trump in the 2024 election, showing how his own policies are turning his own supporters against him. While I understand the urge to reject the people who supported him until he turned on them, it is important to acknowledge that they have the same enemy we do, and while I and those reading this may disagree with them on many levels, it is still important that we take action alongside them to protect the American Constitution. Meanwhile, if you didn't join the previous protests in this movement, there will be another on April 5th, and the organization can direct you to smaller but no less important protests.

        In other news, ICE has recently seized a peaceful, pro-Palestine protester, Mahmoud Khalil, and is attempting to deport him. Khalil is married to an American, Amy Greer, who was told that his student visa was being revoked. However, he does not have a visa- he has a green card and is a legal, permanent resident of America. This is part of the Trump administration's stated plan to "revoke the student visas of radical, anti-American and antisemitic foreigners at out colleges and universities" put into motion by executive order 14188. It's worth noting that the administration seems to define any anti-Israeli activity as antisemitic. Beyond the dubious premise, this is despite said activity including the efforts of IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace, both explicitly Jewish and explicitly anti-Zionist organizations. The justification for this is the McCarran - Walter Act which allows for the deportation of lawful residents if the government labels them a threat to American interests. It is a piece of Cold War legislation repeatedly used against anyone critical of American conduct, and many of the provisions that would enable this were removed with the Immigration Act of 1990. Still, the administration is intent on seeing Khalil deported. If you can spare the time, reach out to your representative or senators and voice your opposition of executive order 14188.

        In more regional news, the incumbent justice for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, a position decided through elections, is being decided. The runner ups are Justices Crawford and Schimel, who have both received notable support. Schimel in particular is being supported by Elon Musk in a more than $12 million ad campaign. The election will be decided on April 1st, and if you are a voter in Wisconsin, I encourage you to inform yourself on the issue and prepare to vote. This election is a reminder that democracy extends beyond November 3rd, and is a call to involve yourself in state or local elections as well. If you want to vote but are not yet of age, you may be able to pre-register to vote, meaning that you will be a registered voter as soon as to turn 18. Laws vary, but you can pre-register in every state but North Dakota. Vote America provides information on how to pre-register state by state in America. If you can use this resource, please do, and if you know someone who can, please inform them of it and encourage them to use it.

        Lastly, in something of a correction, it appears RFK JR's shift on vaccines is not as serous as it appeared. While measles has already killed 2 unvaccinated people in Texas and New Mexico, he supports the use of unproven treatments against the virus, such as the use of vitamin a. While vitamin a is sometimes prescribed, that is only to people with already low vitamin a levels, and it is possible to overdose on vitamin a. This can cause liver damage and heart issues in extreme cases, so I would advise against it. If you can, monitor cases in your area and take precautions, such as vaccinating yourself or, if you have any, your children. If cases spike, take the same precautions you might have during Covid, such as social distancing and wearing a mask. 

        God bless America