Columbus Day Is Dying. Indigenous Peoples Day Is the Future.
A statue of Christopher Columbus in Mishawaka, Indiana, defaced during the week of Columbus Day in 2017.Robert Franklin/AP “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue”—and in 2019, a growing number of US cities and states are recognizing that the cutesy rhyme we learned in school, and the federal holiday named in the explorer’s honor, belies a dark…
North Carolina Judges Toss Out Gerrymandered Maps as Unconstitutional
Paul C. Ridgeway makes comments as a three-judge panel of the Wake County Superior Court presides over the trial of Common Cause, et al v. Lewis.Gerry Broome / AP On Tuesday, a panel of three judges ruled that legislative districts drawn by Republican lawmakers for state legislative races “do not permit voters to freely choose…
The Crazy Story of How Alabama Accidentally Passed a Bill Upending Parental Rights
Mother Jones illustration; Getty After Alabama lawmakers banned almost all abortions in May, with no exception for rape or incest, Jessica Stallings, a rape survivor from Fort Payne, was frustrated. But not for the reasons you might expect. Stallings, a mother of two, actually supported the strict ban. She had been raped as a teen…
A Tennessee Republican Accused of Sexual Misconduct With Underage Girls Just Said He Isn’t Running Again
Rep. David Byrd (R-Waynesboro) attends a special session of the House of Representatives on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. The expulsion of Byrd, who’s accused of sexual misconduct by three women nearly 30 years ago, was discussed during the session.Mark Humphrey/AP Tennessee state Rep. David Byrd, who has been accused of sexual misconduct…
Juul’s Campaign to Raise the Tobacco Age Is More Complicated Than It Seems
Mother Jones illustration; Getty On July 25, Juul, the $38 billion e-cigarette company, appeared before the United States House Oversight Committee to explain its role in youth nicotine addiction. Juul presented itself as a steward of public health before Congress. “Our incentive is to help [smokers] achieve their goal of transitioning from cigarettes,” said James…
Some North Carolina Sheriffs Refuse to Comply With ICE. Republicans Have a Plan to Thwart Them.
YouTube / Garry Mcfadden 4Sherrif On the day his office stopped complying with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, newly elected Sheriff Garry McFadden of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, invited immigrant activists to his offices to celebrate. Grinning, he cut into a white sheet cake that featured “287(g)” in black print at its center, slashed through with…