Day: October 11, 2023

BLM Chicago Deletes Paraglider Tweet, But Doubles Down on Support of Hamas, Palestine

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Chicago chapter of Black Lives Matter (BLM) issued a statement Wednesday reaffirming their support for Palestine despite deleting a Tuesday tweet with a paraglider that symbolized a mass terrorist attack in Israel.

Chicago BLM posted a picture to Twitter on Tuesday that read “I Stand With Palestine” and included an image of a paraglider, which were used by terrorists to invade a music festival in Israel and kill more than 250 people. BLM Chicago took down the post and said they “aren’t proud” of the messages they sent out, but posted a different statement Wednesday saying “the people will do what they must to live free.”

Read More

Greater Pandemic Learning Losses Reported in School Districts with DEI Officers

Minnesota Sun Staff

On Wednesday, a new report was released showing that school districts with chief diversity officers (CDOs) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officers saw greater losses in learning capabilities during the Chinese Coronavirus pandemic than schools that do not have such positions.

According to Fox News, the report from The Heritage Foundation reveals that 48% of all school districts with 15,000 students or more had a CDO or DEI officer on campus. Despite such positions ostensibly being created in order to increase the performance of minority students, schools with these employees saw bigger losses in academic performance among black and Hispanic students than schools without them.

Read More

Biden Admin Considers Tying Ukraine Funding to Israel Aid Request: Report

Minnesota Sun Staff

The White House is considering tying more Ukraine funding to a request for a crucial aid package to Israel, in a bid to get Congress back on board with support for Ukraine, The Washington Post reported Monday.

The Biden administration is expected to announce a military aid package for Israel after Hamas and Palestinian militants carried out terrorist attacks against the country that killed over 1,000 Israelis and at least nine Americans. But whether the aid package is approved could depend on Congress approving further funding for Ukraine in tandem, even as support in both chambers for Ukraine aid has dropped dramatically in recent months, according to the Post.

Read More

Oklahoma Approves Contract for America’s First Religious Charter School

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved a contract Monday for the country’s first religious charter school, according to The Washington Post.

The charter for the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School was approved by the board in June, but a lawsuit was filed in July in an attempt to block the state from allowing religious groups to use taxpayer funding for schools. The board, however, went ahead with approving a contract this week in a 3 to 2 vote, putting the school one step closer to opening enrollment for the fall of 2024, according to the Post.

Read More

Commentary: Rumors of ESG’s Demise Are Greatly Exaggerated

Minnesota Sun Staff

Consumer and Republican backlash against Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investments has increased dramatically in the past year as states, Congress and presidential candidates have taken on the issue, promising to rein in the largely green-conscious movement of capital amid spiraling energy and food costs since 2021.

Boycotts of brands such as Bud Light, Disney and Target, coupled with statements by Blackrock CEO Larry Fink that he no longer wanted to call these so-called sustainable investments ESG— at Aspen Ideas Festival on June 25 Fink said “I’m not going to use the word ESG because it’s been misused by the far left and the far right… we talk a lot about decarbonization, we talk a lot about governance … or social issues, if that’s something we need to address…”—and reported outflows from ESG funds in 2023 have painted a gloomy picture for green and socially conscious investing.

Read More

Ilhan Omar Implores Americans to ‘Oppose Israeli Military Response’ to Hamas Attacks

Minnesota Sun Staff

U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar took to social media on Monday imploring Americans to “oppose the Israeli military response” to the surprise attack that Hamas orchestrated on Israeli civilians over the weekend that is estimated to have killed more than 900.

“As the world is condemning Hamas’s attacks, we must also oppose an Israeli military response that has already taken the lives of hundreds of Palestinians, including nearly two dozen children,” Omar said as part of a 12-tweet thread she unfurled on Monday mid-afternoon.

Read More

China’s Real Estate Crisis Worsens as Companies Risk Default

Minnesota Sun Staff

Two of China’s top real estate developers both show signs that they may not be able to pay off their international debts as the country’s property sector continues to suffer, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Country Garden, which just one year ago appeared to be withstanding China’s tumultuous real estate crisis, failed to make a payment to international bondholders Monday after it reported disappointing September sales, according to the WSJ. China Evergrande, another major Chinese developer, abandoned a debt restructuring deal after regulators barred it from issuing new securities that it needed to fulfill its obligations due to its subsidiary being under investigation, which could now lead to the collapse of the company.

Read More

Music Spotlight: Annie Bosko

Bethany Bowman

A California farmer’s daughter, Annie Bosko’s soulful, honey-soaked vocals and neo-traditional country sound has been perfected throughout her 10,000 + hours in the music industry. And while she doesn’t quite have that southern twang, her voice is exquisite. Even more importantly, she was raised on traditional country music.

She recalled, “My dad was a farmer. We would drive around in his truck and go look at the crops and he would play me country music. The first person I remember hearing is Patsy Cline. I remember this voice jumping at me through the speakers of his truck and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, what is this?’”

Read More

Ramaswamy Blasts Haley for ‘Irresponsible Reaction’ on Israel

M.D. Kittle

Divergent positions are emerging among GOP presidential candidates on U.S. involvement in Israel’s war against Iran-backed Hamas.

A day after former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley declared that it is time for Israel “finish off” the terrorist group, GOP presidential rival Vivek Ramaswamy blasted Haley for what he described as her “irresponsible reaction.”

Read More

Alaska High School Sports Association Bars Boys from Competing on Girls’ Teams

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) board of directors voted to adopt a rule Monday that bans boys from competing on girl’s teams in public schools, according to Anchorage Daily News.

Legislation to ban boys from girls’ sports failed to pass the Alaska legislature in recent legislative sessions, and the Alaska Board of Education, whose members were appointed by Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, voted for a measure doing so in August, according to Anchorage Daily News. The ASAA board of directors proposed to amend association bylaws at its meeting to adopt the measure, and voted on Oct. 9 to ban boys from participating in girls’ sports.

Read More

Commentary: The Left Would Grab Your Guns in a Minute If Patriots Stopped Defending the Constitution

Minnesota Sun Staff

The Left constantly reassures Americans that they do not want to take away firearms, but actions speak louder than words.

In September, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) used an emergency public health order to suspend the Second Amendment for 30 days in Albuquerque and the surrounding Bernalillo County. Grisham knew fully well that she was violating the Constitution (in fact, she happily admitted so). A handful of gun control advocates quickly condemned her unprecedented decision, but not because they respect the Constitution.

Read More