As part of a plan to acknowledge and respond to its involvement in slavery, Georgetown University (GU) in Washington, D.C will offer preferential admission status to descendants of slaves whose sale or labor benefitted the University. This priority status is similar to that of “legacy” applicants - those applicants who are related to faculty and alumni. The acceptance rate for legacy applicants is about 25% compared with 16% for the overall acceptance rate. [ 408 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/georgetown-university-atones…/

One of the activities of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is to track extremist organizations in the U.S. and, after relevant investigation, conclude whether or not these groups are “hate groups”. In August 2016 SPLC announced that its annual map and listing of hate groups scheduled for release in February 2017 will include White Lives Matter (WLM). Hate Groups are defined by SPLC as those groups “that vilify entire groups of people based on immutable characteristics such as race or ethnicity.” Heidi Beirich, director of SPLC’s… [ 165 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/white-lives-matter-labeled-a…/

In an effort to improve its cyber security, Denmark’s Intelligence agency is creating a “hacker academy” to train talented hackers to crack complicated cyber security systems. The goal of the academy is to educate hackers to boost local cyber security, fight off cyber attacks, and perhaps hack into the systems of cyber attackers. Some academy trainees will be offered full-time employment after successfully completing the program. [ 165 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/denmark-creates-hacker-acade…/

In Ohio in February, a 16-year-old junior in high school died from injuries sustained following an accident in a basketball game. Noah Lear, who was popular with students and teachers, was playing a game of pickup basketball with some friends. When Lear attempted a slam dunk, the support post snapped, causing the post, backboard, and rim to come crashing down on his head and neck. [ 155 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/teen-dies-after-accident-whi…/

David Duke, former Grand Wizard (leader) of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), is running for U.S. Senate in Louisiana as a Republican. The KKK is a white supremacist hate group. As he announced his candidacy, Duke said, “The climate of this country has moved in my direction.” There are six other Republicans running for the Senate seat. Louisiana will not have a primary election prior to the November election. [ 246 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/former-ku-klux-klan-leader-r…/

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has apologized for his initial version of an incident he described on NBC. Lochte said he and three of his teammates were robbed at gunpoint. The report was picked up and broadcast on many other airways. In his apology, Lochte said he should have been more “careful and candid” about his description of the incident, which occurred in Rio de Janeiro (Rio) after the Olympic swimming competition ended. [ 279 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/u-s-olympic-gold-medalist-ap…/

President Obama’s Kenyan half-brother, 58-year-old Malik Obama, says he will vote for Republican candidate Donald Trump. Malik is a U.S. citizen and longtime Democrat. He was best man at his brother’s wedding and has visited him in the Oval Office. Speaking by phone from Kenya, Malik Obama (Malik) said he is unhappy with the leadership of President Obama and the Obama administration. [ 142 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/obamas-brother-will-vote-for…/

Some students from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic who were promised opportunities to experience American culture as they worked on jobs in the U.S. have filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of State (State Department) claiming that they were used as cheap labor for businesses in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The eleven students were participants of the J-1 Summer Work Travel program that was created by congress more than 50 years ago. [ 291 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/cultural-exchange-students-e…/

The nation’s third largest producer of poultry is the state of Alabama; however, that honor comes at great cost to employees in the industry. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) published a report in 2015 that described how workers in the poultry industry were often injured and became ill as they tried to meet the grueling pace of processing lines. Now the SPLC has filed a complaint against Farm Fresh Foods, LLC claiming that their employee’s complaints about safety and sanitary working conditions were ignored. [ 280 more words ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/complaint-filed-against-poul…/

Investigators in Wisconsin relate that in July, 14-year-old Kali Jade Bookey physically attacked her brother’s 15-year-old girlfriend, beating her, cutting her, and slitting her throat. During the attack, Bookey described herself to the girlfriend as a psychopath looking for her “first kill”. The Eau Claire Leader-Telegram reported that Bookey called the sheriff’s office after the attack and reported that two men wearing ski masks, armed with a knife, and driving a green pickup truck had tried to abduct her while she was riding her bike. [ 342 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/hoping-for-a-first-kill-teen…/

Results of a recent survey found that a majority of Americans think the U.S is greatly divided and most do not think either presidential candidate, Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, is capable of unifying the country. James Robertson, a Civil War historian at Virginia Tech, sees parallels between the current time and the 1850s with its lead-up to the Civil War. [ 190 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/neither-presidential-candida…/

According to two dealers who attended a regional dealer meeting in Newark in July, Volkswagen (VW) has a remedy to fix the engines that were rigged to cheat on emissions tests. The dealers spoke under conditions of anonymity since the plan has not been public. The dealers said that limited details of the plan were revealed. The plan includes updated computer software and installation of a larger catalytic converter to trap harmful nitrogen oxide. [ 240 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/volkswagen-has-fix-for-emiss…/

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an organization which, among other things, gathers and reports annually a listing of and information about hate groups in the U.S. This list of hate groups is used extensively by academics, government officials, and journalists. Recently, the SPLC has received a number of requests to add Black Lives Matter (BLM) to the list of hate groups. [ 293 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/black-lives-matter-is-not-a-…/

Newton (Newt) Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, said the U.S should test every person with a Muslim background to see if they believe in Sharia law, and those who do should be deported, even if they’re American citizens. Sharia is a legal code based on the Quran and other Islamic scriptures. In an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News, Gingrich said, “Let me as blunt and direct as I can be. [ 202 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/gingrich-would-deport-muslim…/

Results of a recent survey reveal the dissatisfaction the majority of Americans feel about the two presidential candidates. One respondent said that if Clinton wins, she’ll consider suicide; and another says in case Trump wins, he’s checked out residency in Malta and New Zealand. Clinton is viewed by many respondents as untrustworthy and Trump is viewed as a racist. Only 22% of those responding to the survey reported they’d feel proud and 26% would feel excited should voters elect Republican candidate Donald Trump as president; 48% reported they would be proud and 26% would be excited should Democratic candidate Hilary Clinton be elected president. [ 214 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/most-americans-dissatisfied-…/

Results of a recent poll show that young adults don’t much like presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Those results are especially true for young people of color. The poll is the first to focus on the opinions of young people of color, and it highlights how race and ethnicity shape the opinions of this generation. The GenFoward survey was conducted June 14-27 and polled 1,965 adults age 18-30 years. [ 175 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/most-young-people-dont-like-…/

Young Americans who used student loans to defray college expenses are facing life after college with crippling debt. The program that the federal government implemented for the purpose of giving young people a step up toward social mobility has instead become a major factor in limiting those young people’s ability to achieve financial success. One borrower said, “I feel I kind of ruined my life by going to college; I can’t plan for an actual future.” [ 238 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/going-to-college-can-ruin-yo…/

During a prisoner evacuation because of a fire at an Alabama correctional facility, a wheelchair-bound prisoner had to maneuver against the flow of walking inmates being evacuated and go deeper into the prison to reach the wheelchair-accessible exit. This situation may soon be remedied. Impelled by a Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) lawsuit, officials of the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) have agreed to provide to inmates with disabilities the treatment and services that are necessary to comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADT). [ 213 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/alabama-to-improve-condition…/

A District judge in Arkansas resigned from public office after investigators discovered over 4,000 photographs of nude males on his home computer. Many of the men had received checks from the judge and many had appeared before him as defendants. Seventy-year-old Cross County Judge Joseph Boeckmann wrote in his letter of resignation to the Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission (Commission) that his resignation was effective immediately and that he would never again seek a job as a local, county, or state employee. [ 220 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/thousands-of-nude-photos-of-…/

A 41-year-old woman died during an exorcism performed by five members of her family. Those relatives wanted to expel a “demon” whom they believed had possessed the woman. The family is from South Korea. According to officials, the victim’s relatives reported that before they decided to conduct the exorcism, the victim was flailing around and physically aggressive, lashing out at others, and talking to herself for “ [ 237 more words. ]

http://politicalblindspot.com/woman-dies-from-exorcism/