21 April 2022
Daily Newsletter
Officer Named in Shooting Death of Patrick Lyoya
The Facts
On. Mon., Eric Winstrom, the Police Chief in Grand Rapids Michigan, identified Christopher Schurr as the officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya - a Black man who died following a struggle during a traffic stop - earlier this month.
Winstrom said he released Schurr's name "in the interest of transparency, to reduce ongoing speculation, and to avoid any further confusion."
Schurr is on administrative leave and stripped of his police powers while the state police dept. complete their internal investigations.
The Spin
Left narrative
Lyoya came to the US in pursuit of the American Dream yet ended up another victim of excessive and unnecessary police force against an unarmed Black man. The officer who killed him should be held accountable for this violent murder.
Right narrative
Lyoya was pulled over because his car's plates didn't belong to his vehicle. He then directly disobeyed instructions, and wrestled with the officer for his Taser. Although the results were undeniably tragic, the officer responded in self-defense to Lyoya's actions; this wasn't a simple case of excessive force or police brutality.
Second Apple Store Files to Hold a Union Election
The Facts
The Coalition of Organized Retail Workers (CORE), a new union formed by Apple employees in a suburban Maryland store, has joined forces with a larger group, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, in efforts to unionize branch employees.
It's the second Apple store to file to hold an election. Employees at an Apple branch in Atlanta will hold union elections in June after more than 70% of eligible employees supported joining the Communications Workers of America union in April.
A third store in Grand Central Terminal began collecting signatures with plans to petition the NLRB to hold a formal union election last month.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Developments in Apple and Amazon stores mark the beginning of reunionization in Big Tech. Despite 4 decades of propaganda painting unions as a danger to the innovative and flexible nature of Silicon Valley, the pandemic has led workers to take action against their "disposable" status.
Pro-establishment narrative
Apple already offers better compensation and benefits for full-time and part-time employees than many other companies. Retail workers are paid a starting wage of $20 per hour and employees have access to perks including parental leave and stock grants. Sick days, amongst other benefits, have been expanded in response to the pandemic.
Progressive narrative
While the rights of US workers are important, Apple employees in China are the ones really suffering at the hands of the company. People on the assembly lines in Longhua face gruelling and aggressive conditions that have led to a widely reported epidemic of suicides. More attention must be paid to the dehumanizing of Apple workers outside the US.
FDA Investigating Lucky Charms Cereal After Illness Reports
The Facts
The US Food and Drug Administration has started an investigation into whether Lucky Charms cereal is making people sick after thousands of consumers complained of gastrointestinal issues.
Hundreds of consumers have sent their complaints to the FDA, and more than 3,000 people have submitted reports of suspected food poisoning to the private consumer food safety platform "iwaspoisoned.com" after eating the cereal. The complaints include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
The manufacturer of Lucky Charms, General Mills Inc., said the company has conducted its own internal review but has not found any connection between the reports and their product.
The Spin
Narrative A
Food safety is General Mills' top priority. The company takes these consumer concerns very seriously, even when reported via a third-party website. So far, General Mills hasn't found any evidence linking Lucky Charms to illness.
Narrative B
The stream of reports of stomach illness from coast to coast are remarkably consistent. Any reports of foodborne illness is very concerning, and FDA will investigate to the fullest extent.
Cynical narrative
Let's reserve our judgement. Iwaspoisoned.com is a website where users report food illnesses that are unverified claims. Only 3 reports GI issues from Lucky Charms were officially reported to the FDA itself in 2021. As part of its investigation, the agency may pay a visit to those who made the unverified claims.
Yemen's Houthi Rebels Agree to Stop Using Child Soldiers
The Facts
The UN announced on Mon. that Yemen's Houthi rebels have agreed an action plan to end recruiting or using children in armed conflict, killing or maiming children, and attacks on schools and hospitals.
Child soldiers, who have fought by the thousands during the country's civil war, will be removed from their ranks.
According to a UN spokesperson, the Houthis have committed to releasing children within six months and to providing reintegration support.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Houthis are infamous war criminals who have so far shown no reservation or remorse in using children as pawns. This move is a positive step towards ending Houthi war crimes and protecting Yemen's children, but the world must be apprehensive about the motives.
Establishment-critical narrative
The majority of war crimes committed against Yemen's children, and civilians across the board, have been perpetrated by the Saudi-led coalition. This latest Houthi pledge is welcome, but it shouldn't overshadow the horrors of the Saudi and Emirati war machine. More must be done to hold all parties to account.
Narrative C
The new action plan won't guarantee more protection for Yemen's children until it's implemented. It signals another advance toward a peaceful solution following the truce between the warring sides, but both the Houthis rebels and the Saudi-led coalition have failed to commit to previous pledges to stop violations against children.
Mexican Congress Rejects Energy Industry Overhaul, Set to Nationalize Lithium
The Facts
Mexican Pres. Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared on Tues. that all lithium contracts would be reviewed, after the lower house of Congress passed an amendment to mining legislation that paves the way for the state to nationalize its lithium reserves.
The new legislation, approved on Mon., will ban all private participation in the exploration and mining of lithium, which elevates it to a "strategic mineral," if approved also by the Senate.
This comes after Congress on Sun. rejected a controversial reform that would give the state more control of the energy sector, which is a priority of López Obrador's nationalist agenda.
The Spin
Narrative A
AMLO's energy reforms are central to his platform, but they would be disastrous for Mexico on many levels. If approved, they would aggravate relations with the US and threaten foreign investment, as Mexico would be breaching its contracts. Furthermore, this would damage Mexico's climate change goal to produce 35% of electricity from clean sources.
Narrative B
AMLO is promoting reforms that will modernize national energy plants, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and boost national development. Lawmakers have betrayed Mexico's national interest by defending foreign companies who exploit and plunder the country's precious resources.
Report: Biden Privately Tells Obama He'll Run Again in 2024
The Facts
Biden has privately told former President Barack Obama that he will run for re-election in 2024, the Hill reported on Tues.
In public remarks, the Biden administration has stated many times that the president plans to run for re-election, but the private admission hints that he's serious and not simply trying to avoid becoming a lame duck.
The Hill reportedly spoke to two people familiar with the conversation, with one of them saying that Biden "wants to run and he's clearly letting everyone know."
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Despite some fresher faces in the field, Biden might be the Democrats' best chance at retaining the White House. Things will get better if inflation and the pandemic wane. A Republican takeover of at least part of Congress will also give Biden something to rally his base against.
Republican narrative
With so many things going wrong in the US under Biden's watch, and with him in physical and mental decline, it's ludicrous that he'd consider running again. But the Dems have no choice because their bench is thin, highlighted by the unpopular, ill-prepared VP Harris.
Nerd narrative
There's a 52% chance that Biden will be the Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Day 56 Roundup: War 'Would Have Already Ended' with More Weapons, Zelenskyy Says; Mariupol Stand-off Continues
The Facts
In his late-night address on Tues., Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy claimed that if Ukraine had access to all the weapons it needed, "we would have already ended this war." He continued: "It is unfair that Ukraine is still forced to ask for what its partners have been storing somewhere for years."
The comments came amid the latest shipment of US military aid on Mon., after Biden authorized $800M in a further package of assistance on Apr. 14. The US has pledged upwards of $2.6B in military aid to Ukraine since Russia's invasion on Feb. 24.
The comments also came as a new phase of the war in the eastern Donbas region commenced on Tues. Military analysts reported that while major ground offensives have yet to start, a number of small-scale Russian operations were conducted in Avdiivka, Popasna, and Rubizhne, but were repelled.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
The steady supply of weapons the US and its allies have sent to Ukraine has been critical in sustaining its fight against the Russian invasion. It has helped prevent Putin from achieving his initial war aims to conquer and control Ukraine; now is not the time to rest.
Narrative B
The US and a number of NATO countries are sending millions – if not billions – of weaponry to a war-torn country with little accountability for whose hands it falls in. It may be vital for Ukraine's security, but can we be sure we're not inadvertently creating armed militias or enabling illegal arms trafficking?
Pro-Russia narrative
If NATO had kept its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification, this war would never have started. Instead of taking Russia's security concerns seriously, NATO keep exacerbating them.
Nerd narrative
There's a 13% chance Ukraine will have de facto control of at least 90% of the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts on Jan. 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Afghanistan: At Least 6 Killed After Explosions Hit High School in Kabul
The Facts
Three explosions hit a high school in a predominantly Shiite Hazara neighborhood of Kabul on Tues., killing at least six and injuring several others, including children.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which followed a decrease in violence over the winter months.
The explosions occurred inside the Abdul Rahim Shaheed High School and near the Mumtaz Education Centre several kilometers away, both in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood of Kabul.
The Spin
Republican narrative
The current security situation in Afghanistan is a direct result of the Biden administration's decision to withdraw from the country. Ethnic and religious minorities are now being slaughtered by extremists because Biden thought it would be politically expedient to abandon allies.
Democratic narrative
The US' disastrous invasion and occupation of the country, not Biden's withdrawal, are to blame for the current security crisis. The fact that Afghan security forces collapsed following the US withdrawal indicates that the security situation was simply unsustainable, making attacks like this one, unfortunately, inevitable.
Trump Stumps for Nebraska Gubernatorial Candidate
The Facts
Former Pres.Trump took to the rally stage in Greenwood, Nebraska on Sun. to support businessman Charles Herbster's campaign for governor.
He repeated his full-throated endorsement of Herbster and dismissed allegations of sexual misconduct against him, claiming that Herbster had been "badly maligned."
Trump's appearance comes weeks after the Nebraska Examiner detailed allegations of unwanted and inappropriate touching against Herbster. The alllegations were made by 7 anonymous women, and Julie Slama, a state senator.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Republicans running in at least 4 primary races across the country stand credibly accused of domestic abuse or sexual violence, while GOP voters shrug and its candidates engage in gaslighting and victim-blaming. As always, they follow in the well-worn path of their leader, Trump, who responded in the same manner to multiple allegations of sexual assault and harassment.
Pro-Trump narrative
Allegations like this have been a national trend ever since Trump came into political prominence. They're usually made against someone that believes in the Trump agenda and is ahead in the polls, typically without any evidence.
Narrative C
The upcoming GOP primaries will be a tough test for Trump's leadership in the Republican Party. He's gone against his advisors in making a number of questionable endorsements, which may put his political brand in jeopardy.
Wimbledon Bans Russian, Belarusian Players
The Facts
Wimbledon has banned players from Russia and Belarus from this year's tournament, which begins June 27, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The ban comes despite players from the two countries continuing to compete in ATP and WTA events, albeit without playing under their countries' flags.
In a statement, the All England Club justified its decision saying that Russia's "unjustified and unprecedented military aggression" made it "unacceptable" for it to "derive any benefits from the involvement" of the countries in the tournament.
The Spin
Narrative A
These athletes are paying a steep price, but bans are necessary to deny Putin one of his most reliable political tools and isolate him internationally.
Narrative B
This is an error. It's unfair to penalize individual athletes for decisions taken by the leaders of their countries, and it sets a dangerous precedent. The intent may be to embarrass Russia, but it will more likely simply foment victimhood back home.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's hypocritical for the British to sanction Russia for invading Ukraine while not sanctioning themselves for invading Iraq for equally unjustified reasons.
Cynical narrative
What looks like a political statement is probably more about optics. Wimbledon dreaded the thought of a Russian or Belarusian player winning the title and then holding up a trophy on its Center Court, before taking traditional pictures with members of the Royal Family.
