I’m part of the Ripple Refugee Project, a Toronto-based private citizen group that sponsors, settles, and helps to integrate newcomers to Canada. We do this in our spare time and on a completely voluntary basis.
Day: November 12, 2018
Trump is preparing to remove Kirstjen Nielsen as Homeland Security secretary, aides say
Is it Infrastructure Week already?
President Trump has told advisers he has decided to remove Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and her departure from the administration is likely to occur in the coming weeks, if not sooner, according to five current and former White House officials.
Trump canceled a planned trip with Nielsen this week to visit U.S. troops at the border in South Texas and told aides over the weekend he wants her out as soon as possible, these officials said. The president has grumbled for months about what he views as Nielsen’s lackluster performance on immigration enforcement and is believed to be looking for a replacement who will implement his policy ideas with more alacrity.
The announcement could come as soon as this week, three of these officials said.
Trump has changed his mind on key personnel decisions before, and Chief of Staff John F. Kelly is fighting Nielsen’s pending dismissal and attempting to postpone it, aides say. But Kelly’s future in the administration also is shaky, according to three White House officials.
A spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on Nielsen’s potential departure.
Bohemian Rhapsody on Classical Guitar
Gorgeous!
Kyrsten Sinema Becomes First Female Senator Elected From Arizona
Damn, she took Flake’s seat!
Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema has made history by becoming the first woman elected to represent Arizona in the Senate. She defeated Republican Rep. Martha McSally after several days of ballot counting.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Sinema led McSally 50 percent to 48 percent when The Associated Press called the race six days after Election Day.
Sinema’s victory also marks the first time in 30 years that a Democrat has won a Senate seat in Arizona.
Sinema said in a victory speech Monday night that she would focus on finding common ground and bridging political divides. She said the campaign was about “everyday Arizonans who are sick and tired of the dysfunction in Washington and who want leaders to put aside party labels and just focus on getting things done.”
Sinema also referenced the late GOP Sen. John McCain in her speech, saying he consistently put country ahead of party, and did the right thing even when it meant standing alone (an apparent veiled reference to his deciding vote last year to doom the Republican effort to repeal the 2010 health care law).
“It’s up to all of us to carry on Sen. McCain’s legacy,” she said.
The race’s results were unknown for several days due to roughly 500,000 votes, mostly from Maricopa County, that still had to be counted after Election Day.
School Considers Legal Action After Dozens of Students Appear to Give Nazi Salute in Prom Photo
If anybody from Baraboo High School in Wisconsin can clue me in on why it appears the entire male class of 2018 is throwing up a Sig Heil during their prom photos – that would be great.
h/t @CarlySidey pic.twitter.com/BL8lDVLMA4
— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) November 12, 2018
A Wisconsin school district is considering what consequences students should face after an alarming photograph surfaced, supposedly of the male students of the class of 2019. The image, tweeted from an account that has since been made private, allegedly shows dozens of Baraboo High School students at their junior prom giving the Nazi salute.
A screenshot was shared by Twitter user @CarlySidey, with details later posted by VICE contributor Jules Suzdaltsev. The account that originally posted the image, @GoBaraboo, is now listed as “protected,” meaning only permitted users are allowed to see its posts.
The Barbaroo School District has yet to issue a response, but their official Twitter account retweeted a message from School District Administrator Lori Mueller that addressed the issue, and it appears that they are taking the matter very seriously, even considering legal action, should it be deemed appropriate.
I’m sure this is just an unfortunate misunderst…
This kid dead-center is literally doing the "white power okay sign". pic.twitter.com/qyHnf1GzRt
— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) November 12, 2018
this post has since been deleted, but i just want @barabooSD to be aware of the disturbing actions that are represented in this photograph. this is BEYOND sickening. pic.twitter.com/Fer5heTted
— carly sidey (@CarlySidey) November 12, 2018
The DM that came with this was:
"This was posted on someone’s Snapchat story. The video is pointing to two LATINO students." pic.twitter.com/Ub666ofESf
— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) November 12, 2018
WTF is going on? I mean besides Donald Trump empowering these fucktards to think this is remotely ok?