10 Things You Might’ve Missed
*The views expressed in these article roundups are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Who We Are Project. This content is shared for educational purposes to encourage thoughtful dialogue and does not necessarily constitute an endorsement.*
1. Americans Don’t Lack Empathy. We Are Being Drained of It. | Slate
This Slate article argues that the political actions taken by this administration daily are conditioning Americans to have no compassion for those who are “other” and for those with whom we felt kinship not long ago. The consequences of this repeated training, which drains us of our compassion for others’ suffering, can only lead to isolation and a lack of energy to fight back.
2. One of the South's Largest Plantations Burned Down. Why Aren't We Talking About the Rest? | Substack
Nottoway Plantation burned to the ground last week, sparking much celebration online. The owner has already stated his intention to rebuild one of the South’s largest remaining plantation mansions, claiming “we are non-racist people” and that “we are not going to dwell on past racial injustice.” The latter is true, as the plantation website had no mention of the 155 human beings who were once enslaved there by white plantation owners.
3. Five Years After Floyd | The New York Times
It’s been five years since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officers, sparking nationwide protests and movements for police reform. The New York Times details what’s changed since then and why, sadly, so much hasn't.
4. Was Black Lives Matter a failure? It depends where you look. | The Washington Post
The Washington Post examines the Black Lives Matter movement's state-level achievements and argues that more change has occurred than we think.
5. Fact check: Trump’s false suggestion of a ‘genocide’ against White farmers in South Africa | CNN
The claims of genocide against white South African farmers that white nationalists have pushed, and now by President Trump, are easily refuted. Our president has repeatedly pushed this falsehood recently, especially surrounding the expedited processing of white South African refugees last week.
6. These 7 executive actions show how Trump wants to reshape American history | NPR
NPR rounds up a sampling of the Trump administration’s actions related to history and what both sides say about how our country’s history should be presented.
7. The “Invasion” Invention: The Far Right’s Long Legal Battle to Make Immigrants the Enemy | ProPublica
The Trump administration is citing the claim that immigrants have "invaded" the country to justify suspending habeas corpus potentially, a fundamental part of the constitutional right to due process—a narrative that a segment of the far right has been advancing for years.
8. Redlining Shaped the Power Grid. Communities of Color Are Still Paying the Price. | Mother Jones
The racist legacy of redlining continues to impact low-income communities of color across the country, particularly by leaving them behind in the shift to cleaner, more affordable energy.
9. Justice Dept. to End Oversight of Local Police Accused of Abuses | The New York Times
On Wednesday, the Trump administration withdrew from federal efforts to investigate or monitor nearly two dozen police departments accused of civil rights violations, effectively ending a reform initiative launched in response to high-profile police killings.
10. Trump Asked EPA Employees to Snitch on Colleagues Working on DEI Initiatives. They Declined. | ProPublica
Not a single EPA employee has used the tip line established by the Trump administration to report DEI programs or staff who support them, meaning more than 15,000 employees have chosen not to oppose DEI.