PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
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Ed Dwight, America’s First Black Astronaut Candidate, Finally Goes to Space (Maria)
The author writes, “Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate, finally rocketed into space 60 years later, flying with Jeff Bezos’ rocket company on Sunday. Dwight was an Air Force pilot when President John F. Kennedy championed him as a candidate for NASA’s early astronaut corps. But he wasn’t picked for the 1963 class. Dwight, now 90, went through a few minutes of weightlessness with five other passengers aboard the Blue Origin capsule as it skimmed space on a roughly 10-minute flight. He called it ‘a life-changing experience.’ … The brief flight from West Texas made Dwight the new record-holder for oldest person in space — nearly two months older than Star Trek actor William Shatner was when he went up in 2021.”
Iranian President Raisi’s Death Could Force Important Changes (Sean)
The author writes, “Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed when his helicopter crashed on Sunday in a mountainous border region, was a consummate loyalist whose passing will be a severe blow to the country’s conservative leadership. … As an expert on Iran’s domestic politics and foreign policy, I believe concern in Tehran may extend beyond the potential human tragedy of the crash. The change forced by it will have important implications for an Iranian state that is consumed by domestic chaos, and regional and international confrontation.”
Why Right Wisconsin Was Killed (Al)
From Urban Milwaukee: “Its editor, stalwart Republican James Wigderson watched as readers and his party went off the rails.”
Top Republican Lawmaker Slams Biden While Addressing Israel’s Knesset (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), the chairwoman of the House GOP Conference, addressed the Israeli Knesset on Sunday and took a swipe at President Joe Biden while offering an impassioned message of support for Israel. Addressing a committee room, Stefanik told Israeli lawmakers that ‘There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel — aid that was duly passed by the Congress, or to ease sanctions on Iran, paying a $6 billion ransom to the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, or to dither and hide while our friends fight for their lives.’ Notably, Biden and Senate Democrats had supported sending additional aid to Israel months before it finally passed the GOP-led House, which repeatedly voted down a bipartisan Senate bill to send additional support.”
How Republicans Echo Antisemitic Tropes Despite Declaring Support for Israel (Russ)
The author writes, “Prominent Republicans have seized on campus protests to assail what they say is antisemitism on the left. But for years they have mainstreamed anti-Jewish rhetoric.”
Doctors Saw More Younger Men Seeking Vasectomies After Roe vs. Wade Was Overturned (Reader Steve)
From the Los Angeles Times: “After the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade nearly two years ago, paving the way for states to usher in new restrictions on abortion, doctors started seeing more young adults seeking vasectomies or getting their tubes tied, emerging research has found. An analysis by University of Utah researchers, released as an abstract in the Journal of Urology, found that after Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a rising share of vasectomy patients were under the age of 30.”
Investor Nuns’ Shareholder Resolutions Aim to Stop Wall Street Financing of Fossil Fuel Development on Indigenous Lands (Laura)
From Inside Climate News: “Sister Susan Francois didn’t expect to get emotional discussing her congregation’s shareholder resolution at Citibank last week, but as she spoke to a room full of supporters about the role of the Catholic Church in Western colonization, tears sprang to her eyes. ‘As a Catholic sister, I feel a particular responsibility to listen to the voices of Indigenous people because of my church’s impact,’ Francois said at the People vs. Citi environmental justice hearing.”
Tiny Home Villages More Effective Than Group Shelters at Getting Formerly Homeless People Permanently Housed, Study Finds (Dana)
From The Oregonian: “Tiny homes outperform mass shelters, according to a Portland State University study. The study found houseless individuals are more likely to move into permanent housing if they seek shelter in a tiny home community instead of being consigned to a congregate shelter, which had long been considered the solution for getting people off the streets.”
