01 April 2022
Daily Newsletter
Pope Francis Apologizes to Former Students of Canada's Residential Schools
The Facts
On Fri., Pope Francis apologized for the Catholic Church's role in the abuse that former students faced at Canada's state-funded residential schools amid a visit to the Vatican from a group of Indigenous people.
More than 150k native Canadians attended the Christian schools between the 1880s and 1997, in an attempt to assimilate them into mainstream societies.
32 Indigenous delegates partook in a series of meetings. The Inuit and Métis delegates met with the Pope on Mon., the First Nations audience took place on Thurs., and a final, collective meeting occurred on Fri.
The Spin
Narrative A
This historic apology - alongside the Church in Canada taking responsibility for its part in the tragedy - will help address the ongoing trauma and legacy of Indigenous Canadians. The Catholic Church contributed to the suppression of Indigenous languages and cultures, and to the atrocities committed against those forced into the residential schools. A formal apology was long overdue.
Narrative B
While the anger is understandable, the large number of fatalities has been known long before now. The Catholic Church has already claimed responsibility for its part in the atrocities - and continues to do so - by raising funds, hosting hundreds of reconciliation meetings, and even former Pope Benedict offering a public apology in 2009. There is no lack of remorse, but a disconnect on how to move forward.
Narrative C
The suspected discovery of unmarked graves last summer was just that suspected. Yet it led to a precipitous reaction by politicians, the media, and the general public. The site was declared a "mass grave", Canadians were encouraged not to celebrate Canada day, churches were vandalized, and anti-Catholic sentiment spread. Excavation is needed to confirm the preliminary findings, and this has yet to actually be done. The country deserves answers.
Member of IS Group "Beatles" Sentenced to Life in Prison
The Facts
On Fri., a US judge sentenced UK-born Alexanda Kotey to life in prison. Kotey was convicted last year on terrorism charges while El Shafee Elsheikh, one of his co-conspirators, was in attendance.
Elsheikh, who traveled to Syria in 2013 to fight for IS, was found guilty on all counts in a Virginia courtroom last month and also faces life in prison. He's set to be sentenced later this year.
The men stood trial on charges including hostage-taking, conspiracy to commit murder, torture, and for involvement in the deaths of several Americans, Europeans and other foreign nationals.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Elsheikh and Kotey are unrepentant sadists, who are finally being held accountable for the crimes they committed during their tenure as IS terrorists. As the first trial of major IS figures on US soil, this is an example to the rest of the world.
Establishment-critical narrative
Though this trial is a good start, it's not enough by itself. There are still thousands of IS prisoners in Syria who are being indefinitely detained by local forces. The US needs to do more to repatriate these individuals and prosecute them for their crimes instead of leaving them for Kurdish forces to deal with.
AZ Gov. Signs Bills to Limit Abortions, Trans Athletes in Women's Sports, and Sex Reassignment Surgery
The Facts
On Wed., Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed bills that will ban abortions after 15 weeks, block transgender girls from playing on women's sports teams, and outlaw gender confirmation surgery for anyone under 18.
Physicians who violate the abortion ban would face a class six felony charge and could have their license suspended or revoked.
The transgender sports bill - dubbed the "Save Women's Sports Act" -will ban transgender girls from playing on women's sports teams in all public schools and any private schools that compete against them.
The Spin
Left narrative
Not only are the bills that Ducey signed hateful and intolerant, but they also unfairly target women and transgender youth. They corrode the community's values and strip children and women of fundamental rights. Though Ducey said these pieces of legislation are to protect children, the cruel reality is that they actually attack youth.
Right narrative
These bills are common-sense legislation and not an attack on transgender or women's rights. They will ensure that student-athletes have a level playing field in competition, and that the value of every life is recognized and protected. Women and transgender residents of the state will still be treated with respect and dignity like any other individual in Arizona.
Nerd narrative
There's a 67% chance that Roe v. Wade will be overturned before 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Oklahoma Gov. Signs Trans Athletes Ban into Law
The Facts
On Wednesday, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill preventing transgender girls and women from competing in female sports in public and charter schools and public colleges.
The bill dubbed the "Save Women's Sports Act" was easily passed by the GOP-led House and Senate. Similar laws are active in around a dozen other US states.
Civil rights groups have criticized the move, while opponents fear the NCAA will pull sports tournaments from Oklahoma, such as the Women's College World Series.
The Spin
Left narrative
This legislation denies transgender girls equal rights in the state of Oklahoma. Governor Stitt is exploiting gender non-conforming children by using them as a political barging chip.
Right narrative
Sport is about the body and male and female bodies are different. Cisgender female athletes are at risk of being left to compete for second place against trans competitors with an obvious biological advantage. Trans athletes have no place in women's sport.
Israeli Forces Kill Two in West Bank Clash
The Facts
On Thurs., Israeli forces raided the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, killing two Palestinians and injuring 15.
Israeli military say they entered Jenin to arrest 3 suspects in response to an attack on Tues. when a Palestinian man from a village near Jenin shot and killed 5 people in central Israel.
The Israeli military indicates that 31 Palestinians were arrested during Thursday's raid and one Israeli soldier was injured.
The Spin
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel's raid of the West Bank is a clear attempt to escalate tensions as Ramadan approaches and will only increase the Palestinian resistance. Ben-Gvir's tour of the Temple Mount adds fire to the flames and is a clear act of aggression towards Palestinians.
Pro-Israel narrative
Israel has met with Jordanian and Palestinian leaders to de-escalate tensions in the lead up to the rare convergence of Ramadan, Passover and Easter. However, the recent outbreak of violence across Israel makes this increasingly difficult. Israel must protect its citizens. The raid on Thurs. was necessary to apprehend terrorists and prevent further attacks.
Day 37 Roundup: 6k Evacuated, Russian Oil Depot Hit by Helicopter Strike, Russia Says It Won't Cut Off Gas Supplies
The Facts
More than 6k people were evacuated from Ukrainian cities on Fri., according to officials, though over 100k residents are said to remain trapped in Mariupol. Ukraine accused Russian forces of blocking an aid convoy from reaching the besieged southern city on Fri. morning.
Moscow and Kyiv held another round of negotiations online on Fri., after two days of talks were held in Turkey earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, representatives from the EU and China also held a summit for the first time in nearly 2 years on Fri. Discussion over Ukraine, and China's support to Russia, took center stage, with Beijing saying it will seek peace, but on its own terms.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
This invasion is an egregious violation of international law. Putin's ultimate aim is to restore the Soviet empire, even if it takes massive bloodshed and false pretexts such as calling the 2014 Ukrainian revolution after a fraudulent election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to re-write history.
Pro-Russia narrative
NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.
Nerd narrative
There's a 3% chance that Kyiv will fall to Russian forces by June, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Australia Denies Threatening Solomon Islands Over Deal With China
The Facts
PM Scott Morrison on Thurs. defended Australia's ties with the Solomon Islands after the Pacific nation's leader Mannasseh Sogavare claimed that foreign governments were undermining his country - and even tacitly threatening invasion - over the new security deal with China.
Sogavare didn't mention any country explicitly, but his statement came days after Australia and the US made it clear that Chinese military presence on the islands wouldn't be tolerated.
The official announcement of a security agreement with China was made on Apr. 20. This is the first of its kind for Beijing in the Indo-Pacific.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
The PRC's push into the South Pacific is destabilizing, and will require the US and Australia to adopt a new security approach as China grabs a foothold in Oceania. This new framework may lead the Pacific Islands to become a hotbed for a conflict between the US and China.
Pro-China narrative
China is a popular and supportive regional partner in the Pacific. The Solomon Islands is a sovereign state and is entitled to cooperate with whoever it wants. In fact, Australia acts as a hegemonic and colonialist power, intimidating neighbors who don't follow its orders. Beijing offers a wide range of economic and security development options without the demanding political conditions of the West.
Narrative C
Pacific Island nations have every right to play both sides. The current security situation in the South Pacific makes it possible for less influential countries to benefit from the angst of regional powers. The Solomon Islands and its neighbors can leverage this to maximize aid from both China and the West.
UN Seeks Record $4.4B for Afghans Struggling Under Economic Collapse
The Facts
The UN asked for $4.4B in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan on Thurs., as immediate action is required to prevent a starvation and malnutrition crisis.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to the wealthy nations of the world, saying that many Afghans had resorted to selling their children and their body parts to raise money for food.
Since the Taliban takeover last summer, living conditions have deteriorated: women's rights have been stripped away, the economy is in free fall, and some 23M people face acute food insecurity.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Instead of making Afghans beg for $4.4B in aid, the US should return the $9B they brazenly stole frrom its central bank. The US is starving the Afghan people to squeeze the Taliban for concessions. The brutal sanctions on Afghanistan are just another extension of the US empire's lust for global dominance and control.
Pro-establishment narrative
Though it may seem like removing sanctions would solve Afghanistan's current humanitarian crisis, it simply wouldn't. The US continues to be thoughtful with how it administers sanctions, and most of Afghanistan's issues stem from the Taliban's inability to to run an economy.
FED Economists Point to Signs of Housing Bubble in US
The Facts
As US home prices continue to rise to unprecedented heights, economists are starting to warn of a potential bubble in residential real estate.
Economists and researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas have sounded the alarm that housing prices are increasingly "unhinged from fundamentals" like supply, demand, labor, and construction costs.
Evidence suggests that demand for second or vacation homes is also starting to wane in the face of rising prices and mortgage rates.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The so-called "bubble" is based in large part on decades of underbuilding, which has created a growing supply shortage. Moreover, the fundamentals this time are nothing like those of the crash in 2008. Loan underwriting standards have improved since then, and household balance sheets are much healthier.
Establishment-critical narrative
The run-up in housing prices - not to mention rents for single-family homes - is a direct result of the entrance of private equity into residential housing markets. Pools of investment capital are driving up home prices across the country and ensuring that the American Dream is no longer a reality for most.
Cynical narrative
There is good reason to think that this already-inflated housing market still has a long way to run, and the majority of new mortgages will continue to go to buyers with the most means and the highest credit scores. This means that the housing market is likely to further exacerbate the growing divide between the haves and the have-nots.
