We’re Back—But here’s what we missed!
Pro-Palestine Liberation encampments rocked schools across the country.
At the end of the 2023-2024 school year when schools were expecting to be dealing with students stressed about finals, campuses across the country were experiencing a different kind of stress. In response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine students set up encampments as a means of formal and peaceful protest the conflict that many American Universities are contributing to, calling for their divestment from Israel.
Over the course of several days and nights these protests escalated from peaceful encampments to students being brutalized by the police and counter protesters on various campuses nationwide. One of the most prolific examples of these demonstrations took place at Columbia University in New York where students occupied Hamilton Hall and renamed it Hinds Hall after a child who was murdered in Palestine. These students were later brutalized in an NYPD crack down on the campus.
From Columbia University in New York to The University of Texas at Dallas there were protests going on across the United States. Many people at these protests were detained and arrested. According to CNN there were protests in at least 25 states and the District of Columbia, amounting to over 50 campuses participating and more than 2,600 arrests.
These protests have led many schools to divest from Israel, but others have just led to students being detained, arrested, suspended, and expelled. There are many schools still dealing with the after-effects of these protests including administration changes, hearings, and new rules regarding protests.
Assassination Attempt on Former President Donald Trump
On July 13th at a presidential campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania there was an assassination attempt made on former president Donald Trump. This assassination attempt resulted in the death of someone attending the rally as well as injuries to other audience members and former president Donald Trump.
The FBI released a statement on July 14th identifying the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a twenty year old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. This assassination attempt resulted in the death of 50-year-old volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore. According to BBC, Corey Comperatore’s daughter Allyson posted on social media talking about how her father had shielded her and her mom upon hearing shooting. The others that were seriously injured in this assassination attempt were 57 year old David Dutch, and 74 year old James Copenhaver.
Former President Trump was also Injured, a bullet having hit his right ear. The secret service dove into action trying to get Trump off the stage and into a vehicle to safety, however he could be heard saying, “Wait, I want to get my shoes.” He then raised his fist to the crowd and, according to NPR, seemed to mouth the word “fight” before he was ushered to the waiting car. At the outdoor rally after this assassination attempt, Trump gave his speech from behind bullet proof glass.
Biden steps down from the presidential election, Kamala Harris steps up
On July 21st 2024 Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 election race, ending his chances for reelection. This decision was made after the June 27th debate where he gave many answers that trailed off and he couldn’t properly engage in a debate. Pressure was applied to him from his fellow democrats and allies after the debate made them lose hope.
In the same July 21st White House conference where Biden dropped out of the race, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris did eventually win the democratic vote and is officially the Democratic pick for the 2024 election.
Her running mate for the 2024 election was officially announced to be Tim Walz, the Governor of Minnesota. If Harris wins the election, there will be many firsts happening both in federal and state governments.
If Harris gets elected, she will be the first woman and the first person of South Asian descent to be president. Not only that, but if she is elected Tim Walz will be going from governor of Minnesota to the Vice President, then the Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan will be made the Governor of Minnesota. If she is made the Governor of Minnesota, then she will be the first Indigenous woman to be Governor of Minnesota as she is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe.
Several toxic metals found in tampons
In an August a study was published in an issue of the journal Environmental International detailing how there were relatively high concentrations of several metals in tampons. Many of the metals that the tampons were tested for are toxic.
Among the 16 metals that were tested for, all sixteen showed up in considerable amounts across fourteen different brands that were tested. A lot of the different brands used in the study had different metals present, but there was one that was present in every single test. Lead was present in every single tampon brand tested and it is not safe for any amount of exposure. Being exposed to lead can contribute to health issues.
There is no study researching if these metals are being distributed into the body from the tampons. However, the vagina is very absorbent so that is raising some concern among researchers, especially considering any amount of lead exposure is dangerous.
The FDA does regulate tampons before they get put on the market and as of September 2024 are investigating into the claim of there being toxic chemicals in tampons. The FDA states that while the original study found metals in tampons, they did not test whether the metals are released, absorbed by the vaginal lining, and making its way into the bloodstream from tampons. The FDA has stated that they will continue monitoring tampons for their production cycle and if the metals are harshly impacting women health.
