Quote of the Week:
“To light a candle is to cast a shadow.” –Ursula Le Guin
Fact of the Week:
Though the suits in a card deck are often seen as symbols of the seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter) or elements (fire, earth, air, and water), it is believed their real origin came from the four pillars of the economy during the Medieval Period.
Hearts symbolized the church, spades represented the military, clubs depicted agriculture, and diamonds symbolized the merchant class.
News Update:
This week, we’ve recapped three news stories for you. New details emerged about the 21 teenagers who died in South Africa after celebrating the end of their exams. George Washington University students filed a petition to remove Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas from his teaching position after he supported overturning Roe v. Wade. And religious universities celebrated the reversal of the abortion case.
New Details Emerge About the South African Tragedy:
Night club in South Africa. Via Mandy News
In the early hours of Sunday, June 26th, tragedy struck a nightclub in South Africa. Teenage students celebrating the end of exams had headed out to party. The drinking age in South Africa is 18, though it is not strictly enforced, and children as young as 13 were at the bar. Suddenly, they started dying.
In all, 21 people died, the youngest of them a 13-year-old girl. There was no visible harm to their bodies, and police ruled out the possibility of a stampede as cause of death. Yesterday, new details emerged as to how the teenagers might have died.
Survivors spoke about “a strong smell of some type of spray in the air.” People started slumping on sofas and falling to the floor; friends tried to revive them, thinking they were simply intoxicated. When the club-goers started to realize people were actually dying, a mass panic ensued as they pushed for the exit.
However, any deaths from a stampede were ruled out, and police are now investigating a possible gas leak while also sending the bodies off for forensic samples; poison or some sort of toxin could have been in the alcohol or the hookah at the bar.
GWU Students Denounce Clarence Thomas:
Justice Clarence Thomas has often been in the news as of late, though much of it regarded his wife’s push to aid Donald Trump in overturning the election. But recently, Thomas was back in the spotlight himself, leading the support to overturn the landmark 1973 case, Roe v. Wade.
Though Thomas did not write the majority opinion, he received much of the backlash after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 on Friday to overturn the case. In response, a number of George Washington students petitioned to remove Thomas as a teacher from their school.
George Washington denied this request, stating, "Because we steadfastly support the robust exchange of ideas and deliberation, and because debate is an essential part of our university's academic and educational mission to train future leaders who are prepared to address the world's most urgent problems, the university will neither terminate Justice Thomas' employment nor cancel his class in response to his legal opinions."
However, the university did say Thomas’ views did not represent their own and addressed several of Thomas’ criticisms in the process.
Conservative Colleges Celebrate the Overturning of Roe v. Wade:
Liberty students protesting abortion. Via Liberty Champion
While many colleges across the country denounced the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the court case, several religious schools celebrated.
Liberty University, widely recognized for its highly religious code, released a statement rejoicing at the news.
“Today, on behalf of Liberty University, I want to express our gratitude to Almighty God for the landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization [the orignial 1932 case that said abortion was unconstitutional] handed down by the Supreme Court of the United States,” said Liberty University president Jerry Prevo.
Father Dave Pivonka of Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio said, “I am delighted the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling that has wounded the soul of our country. Roe never had solid legal grounding, and I am pleased the justices had the courage to rectify the error and strike it down.”
Likewise, Catholic University said it was pleased with the decision, stating, “It rejects the unholy idea that there is a constitutional right to kill unborn children. And it returns responsibility for judgments about the permissibility of abortion regulations to the elected representatives of the people.”
Some religious schools, such as Notre Dame and Seattle University, chose to remain neutral on the decision, while Emory University (affiliated with the United Methodist Church) actually condemned the decision.
Politico, Inside Higher Ed, and CBS News contributed to these articles.
Sports Update:
Ole Miss after winning the super regional. Via The Local Voice
Ole Miss captured the College World Series, sweeping Oklahoma in the finals and denying the Sooners the title a little more than a week after its softball team won the WCWS championship. It is the first title in team history for the Rebels.
After winning the first game, Ole Miss found themselves down 2-1 entering the eighth inning in game two as Oklahoma looked to force a deciding game three. However, Ole Miss scored three runs in the inning--the winning run crossing on a wild pitch--and hung on for the victory.
Just two months ago Ole Miss was 7-14 in conference play and they only reached the 64-team field with an at-large bid.
CBS News contributed to this article.
Want to win 50% off Last Cup Scaries’ new Fire Island t-shirt? DM the correct answer of this riddle to lastcupclothing on Instagram, and if you’re the first person to respond correctly, we’ll send you a code! Previous winners are excluded.
What breaks yet never falls, and what falls yet never breaks?
Comments