Up to Date with Moriah
Welcome to a new series in which The Billboard’s Editor-in-Chief, Moriah Story, will be sharing news from the week, along with tidbits of commentary.
Up To Date with Moriah
This week’s biggest news, and what the heck I think about it.
Due to a largely expected display of violence from Vladmir Putin, 40 Ukranians died yesterday. Correction, 40 Ukranians were killed yesterday. Thousands of civilians are fleeing for the countryside as Russia attacks from land, sea and air. Worldwide, Putin’s actions are being condemned, even within his own country. Relations between the U.S. and Russia are now the coldest since, well, the Cold War. Was this outburst worth it, Mr. Putin? Does your thirst for power run so deeply that empathy and humanity are just distant memories for you? I, as well as millions of others, wait with bated breath to see how events in Ukraine continue to unfold. Soldiers are readying to attack the capital as I write this; I have little hope that all of this will end with peace.
In terms of good news (well, take that phrase with a grain of salt) three of the Minneapolis police officers that assisted Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd have been convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights. They have been charged for failing to administer medical care when Floyd lost his pulse and for not intervening when Chauvin placed his knee upon Floyd’s neck. Interestingly, the jury that convicted these three men was entirely white. This case will hopefully set a precedent for future lawsuits filed against officers using excessive force. A guilty sentence for these ex-officers isn’t enough to be considered justice. This is simply a step in the right direction. Those of us who support Black Lives Matter (and if you don’t, I have a bone to pick with you) should keep one eye on these trials and the other on upcoming structural change within our country’s police force and justice system.
Queen Elizabeth II has COVID. You read that correctly. She tested positive on Sunday and has canceled both her in-person and virtual events for the time being. At 95 years of age, she is in one of the demographics considered high-risk. Funnily enough, the announcement about her positive test was made as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his intent to lift COVID restrictions in England within the next week. The Queen has received at least one dose of the vaccine, and if ruling a country for 70 years doesn’t make someone tough as nails, what does? We may have lost Betty White, but I don’t think this will be the end of our time with Queen Elizabeth II
Data released this week indicates that half of abortions in the U.S. are now carried out with pills. Considering the recent attempts to overturn Roe v. Wade, enact abortion bans and make birth control difficult to obtain, this fact is not surprising in the least. The abortion pill, which is an option up through ten weeks of gestation, is the least invasive and most inexpensive option for terminating a pregnancy. Particularly with COVID restrictions, this method is a safe, at-home alternative to having a procedure in a clinic. Unsurprisingly, 16 states have already drafted legislature against the abortion pill this year. I fail to see how a woman’s decision to terminate her pregnancy affects the general public. Those who posit adoption or foster care as an alternative must be turning a blind eye to the way those programs are faring at the moment. What was it that Rachel said in Friends? No uterus, no opinion? Yeah, something like that.
In other news, gas prices are rising, things are happening in the stock market (please don’t ask me for specifics), a new supply of vaccines has arrived in Africa and it’s snowing all the way from Texas to Maine. All things considered, I would say that this was a low week for humanity. Tune in next week and maybe I’ll have good news instead.
Facts in this article were sourced from The New York Times.