Let's Give Swords to Teenagers!

Photo credit:  RDNE Stock project

 I read a news story today that sounds too crazy to believe. 

A high school teacher in New Mexico brought two swords into her classroom. 

Then she had students put their desks in a circle. 

Then she had students duel each other with the swords. 

Then a student was seriously and permanently injured by a sword. 

Then the teacher told her students to delete any pictures or video of what happened. 

Then the school waited 30 minutes before they called 911. 

Then the school filled out a report that said the swords were props and the duels did not violate school policy. 

Then the student needed more than one surgery to repair severed tendons and ligaments in her wrist.  

Then the student needed physical therapy and mental health counseling.

Then the student's family filed a big, fat lawsuit. 

And now we see that society's future generations are being taught by adults with no common sense.

Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-mexico-teacher-students-duel-swords-class-leading-serious-injury-t-rcna140961

https://fox59.com/news/national-world/new-mexico-teacher-brought-out-swords-instructed-students-to-fight-in-class-lawsuit-claims/

Julian Assange

Photo credit: Alisdare Hickson   Photo License: creative commons

  

Julian Assange has been a political prisoner for 14 years. 

And now his fate is in the hands of London's High Court as he fights extradition to the United States for charges of unlawfully obtaining and publishing leaked government documents. 

The High Court is taking its time and says it will be about a month before they reach a decision.

The U.S. government claims he endangered innocent people. Which is laughable coming from a country that will not provide healthcare to its citizens, is stumped by the poverty/homelessness/food insecurity of its citizens, and allows dangerous pesticides like chlorpyrifos to be sprayed on our food supply. 

What Julian Assange did was make people aware of what the US government was doing. 

In the words of his lead attorney, "Mr Assange is being prosecuted for engaging in ordinary journalistic practices of obtaining and publishing classified information which is true and of public interest," Edward Fitzgerald.

If extradicted to America, Assange faces 175 years in prison and likely loses the right to a fair trial because of the political motivation to punish him.  (Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton). 

We should all be on the edge of our seats to see what happens to Julian Assange. 

And we should protect journalistic freedom that demands transparency from our government. Before it's too late. 

 

Sources:

https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/report_final_chlorpyrifos_aug-2021.pdf

https://www.reuters.com/world/wikileaks-assange-last-ditch-battle-stop-us-extradition-2024-02-20/

https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=494&toxid=88

https://apnews.com/article/julian-assange-wikileaks-extradition-court-hearing-25a5f66df1e8d94d0db1e9d6bb323ea4

 

 

 

Alexei Navalny

Photo of Alexei Navalny.    Photo credit: Mitya Aleshkovskiy   License: creative commons  

Alexei Navalny died.

That is the news we woke to today. 

Vladimir Putin's corrupt cronies say he died from something called "sudden death syndrome." 

But, we all know he was tortured to death in a remote prison in Siberia because he spoke up for the people of Russian and spoke out against the evilness of Vladimir Putin. 

His family has asked for his body to be released so his wife, children, family, friends, and supporters can properly mourn their loss.  

But, Alexei's body is missing. The prison and the morgues claim they don't have it.

His family and his lawyers are being led on wild goose chases by the people who murdered him. 

So we are left to wonder if he is really dead. Could he still be alive? Still tortured? Still suffering?

We may never know the truth. 

But, we do know that Vladimir Putin is a monster. And anyone in Russia caught mourning for Alexei Navalny will be imprisoned and punished and probably murdered. Just like Alexei was. 

Peace to his loved ones. And sorrow for the oppressed people of Russia.