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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.
Justice Department Sues Arizona Over Voter ID Requirements (Maria)
The author writes, “The US Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Arizona over a recent law that requires proof of citizenship for residents to vote in federal elections. ‘Arizona has passed a law that turns the clock back’ and ‘constitutes a text-book violation’ of the 1993 National Voter Registration Act that would block eligible voters from participating in elections, Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, told reporters during a conference call.”
The Supreme Court Is Dooming America to Repeat History (Sean)
From Time: “Those who do not learn from history, George Santayana famously wrote, are doomed to repeat it. But today’s Supreme Court majority seems to have a different idea of the lessons of the past. Increasingly, they are saying that we must learn history because the Constitution demands that we repeat it. Two cases decided in the past few weeks show us this point in stark relief. In Dobbs, Justice Alito wrote that the question of whether a particular liberty that is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution counts as a fundamental right, deserving of constitutional protection, is to be settled by historical analysis. The Constitution protects only rights that are ‘deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition.’ Abortion, he said, does not pass this test. So, regardless of how important it might be today to women’s ability to participate as full and equal citizens in the life of the nation, regardless of how oppressive it might be to force upon them the role of mother, the Constitution offers no protection.”
First Amendment Confrontation May Loom in Post-Roe Fight (Howard)
The author writes, “The Supreme Court declared clearly … that there is no federal right to abortion. But how the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization affects the right to talk about abortion remains far from settled, teeing up what legal experts said was a looming confrontation over whether the First Amendment allows censoring speech about a medical procedure that will become illegal in much of the country. In states where abortion is outlawed, for instance, how can women be informed of their options elsewhere? Will media outlets be free to publish advertisements across state lines from providers operating in states where abortion has not been outlawed — as the Supreme Court long ago ruled they could? Will women be allowed to accept information about abortion if they then decide to terminate a pregnancy but don’t live in a state that allows it? What if states move to make this kind of exchange of information illegal?”
See for Yourself: The Slides Shown to Teachers During Florida’s Civics Training Sessions (DonkeyHotey)
From The Miami Herald: “The Florida Department of Education’s training of educators on new civics standards for K-12 public schools is underway and has prompted some critical comments. When Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the initiative last April, he said that it was designed to ‘ensure our students are prepared to be great citizens.’ But several South Florida high school educators who sat through the first three-day session … said they were alarmed that the state’s teaching methodology was infused with a Christian and conservative ideology.”
Election Deniers Have Taken Their Fraud Theories on Tour — To Nearly Every State (Reader Steve)
From NPR: “An NPR investigation found that since Jan. 6, 2021, the election denial movement has moved from Donald Trump’s tweets to hundreds of community events … in restaurants, car dealerships and churches — led by a core group of election conspiracy influencers. … These local gatherings may reach fewer people than viral internet posts, but they seem to effectively spur action by regular people, who are motivated by their almost evangelical intimacy.”
Ghislaine Maxwell: We Still Want Answers, Says Survivor (Mili)
The author writes, “The 20-year jail sentence for Ghislaine Maxwell caps off one of the most dramatic chapters of her downfall — a high profile trial watched around the world that exposed some of her darkest secrets and sordid crimes. For the survivors of the sexual abuse, this is a vindication and a significant step towards justice and healing. But they can never fully have closure, they said, while information about Epstein’s crimes — from his death in prison to his many accomplices — remains shrouded in secrecy.”
The Most Beautiful Place in Each US State (Dana)
From Travel and Leisure: “Mother Nature wasn’t modest with America, where her handiwork ranges from magical desert mesas to wooded river valleys to whisper-thin barrier islands. You might even say she was particularly heavy-handed when doling out American scenery. The natural beauty found across the 50 states is so vast and staggering, it’s practically impossible to make sense of — though you can’t say we didn’t try. Here, our totally subjective, state-by-state list of the most beautiful places in the U.S.”
