Real and perceived slights

Posted on September 30, 2016 by Nyah Tennell

By NYAH TENNELL

Police brutality and the use of excessive force is a major social and political issue, particularly with our nation on the brink of electing a new president. The coverage by the news media of incidents of brutality has caused major disruptions from coast-to-coast, and has many Americans on edge.

Police brutality is not a new phenomenon. If you ask a publisher or editor at one of the country’s African-American newspapers, she or he would tell you they’ve been covering these cases for a long time.

“We’ve been in business for 130 years,” said Robert Bogle, President and CEO of The Philadelphia Tribune. Tracey Williams-Dillard of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, another African-American newspaper, said “It not only feels like there’s more coverage, there is more coverage. It’s not a perception, it’s definitely real,” According to an article written by Eliott C. McLaughlin of CNN, we’re just seeing more mainstream media coverage thanks to cell phones.

Cellphone videos captured by on-the-scene eyewitnesses have brought many stories into the light that, otherwise, would have been swept under the rug. Once the video hits the mainstream, usually via social media forums, journalists can then provide follow-up. Citizens, now armed with evidence, demand accountability and pursue justice.

Black newspaper executives feel that videos lend credibility not only to black victims’ versions of events in specific situations, but also to their versions of events historically. Where a victim’s race could affect a story’s perceived veracity, video permits no such prejudice.

Not only are we in a better position to capture video of police misconduct today, we’re also better equipped to disseminate the footage via social media.

However, news organizations may not be giving the same level of scrutiny, context and analysis to the various groups who face violence at the hands of police.

When you think of police brutality in the U.S., you think of black males being brutalized; however, black females have been victimized as well. According to an article written by Meredith Clark in USAToday, “black and brown women and girls are additionally brutalized in ways that men often aren’t,” says Clark. “And the data shows that police incidents involving women of color occur at a disproportionately high level compared with media coverage.”

More than 20 women of color have been killed in police-related incidents including Sandra Bland, who died in police custody in Texas on July 13, 2015.

Additionally, there are many who criticize the under-representation of incidents of police brutality at the top English-language networks. An article in the Huffington Post Feb. 24, 2015, raised the question of how major television networks cover police violence cases in which the victims are Hispanic. For example, Antonio Zambrano-Montes, a Mexican migrant worker, who was shot and killed by police officers on Feb. 10, 2015 in Pasco, Washington, gained coverage by Univision, the top-rated Spanish-language channel numerous times. However, the case was not portrayed with the same ferocity by Fox News or CNN, the two leading national news channels.

I am sure that the news media would prefer not to continuously inundate the public with tale after tale of police brutality, as it is an unfortunate reality and construct of our society and justice system.

The question is: Which story is more worthy of attention and, most importantly, why?

194 victims and counting

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Courtney Chennault

By COURTNEY CHENNAULT

Since the birth of this nation, racism has torn people apart. The last few weeks have been no different as black men continue to be assaulted, gunned down and murdered by police officers without just cause.

Yesterday, the governor of North Carolina declared a state of emergency after protests broke out in response to the shooting deaths of Keith Scott, Tyre King and Terence Crutcher, and the countless others, at the hands of police.

I first became aware of the protest when I was scrolling through my news feed on Facebook. One of the pages I follow shared another person’s live broadcast of the protest. There were more than 44,000 people watching the video that this Facebook user posted.

Watching this video made me realize the true impact that social media are having on television news broadcasting. Live broadcasting, tweeting, etc. allows anyone to function as a journalist. I actually preferred to watch this person’s broadcasting over CNN’s or Fox’s because it felt much more authentic and was entirely uncensored.

According to The Guardian’s police killings database, since the beginning of 2016, 194 black people have been killed by the police, making blacks the most killed race by police officers. The Guardian also states that black men are nine times more likely than any other American to be killed by police.

The Wall Street Journal reports that in all of 2015, cops killed about 1,200 people, yet not a single officer was convicted of murder.

This lack of accountability of police officers, and their seeming disregard for the lives of people of color inspired Colin Kaepernick, quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, and others around the country, to sit or kneel during the playing of the National Anthem as an act of protest against these injustices.

Though so many people were quick to criticize Kaepernick and his supporters for their peaceful protest calling attention to the injustice, many of these critics have nothing to say about the injustices themselves. People are calling out this tendency with the trending statement “Take a knee, people riot … take a bullet, people quiet.”

NBA’s Steve Kerr speaks out

Posted on September 23, 2016 by Michael Franca

By MICHAEL FRANCA

Colin Kaepernick, however you may feel about him, undeniably started a movement across the sporting landscape that shows no signs of slowing down.

His public protest sparked responses (both in support of and against him) from people involved in every major North American sport. From Megan Rapinoe in soccer, to Adam Jones and Tony La Russa in baseball, John Tortorella in hockey, and now Golden State Coach Steve Kerr (among others) in basketball.

The reaction to each of these people, however, has varied. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Steve Kerr and Colin Kapernick — who are sharing similar messages — have received very different public feedback.

While Kerr may not have made the same grandiose gesture Kaepernick did, he still expressed many of the same sentiments.

“No matter what side of the spectrum you are on, I would hope that every American is disgusted with what is going on around the country, with what happened in Tulsa two days ago, Terrence Cutcher … Unarmed black people are being killed indiscriminately around the country. And that’s what happened two days ago. That’s the message. That’s what matters. The other stuff you can talk about all day. Nobody is right. Nobody is wrong,” Kerr stated.

He even goes on to mention Kaepernick by name and cosign his movement. He says that the statement is “what our country is about” and praises the merits of the nonviolent protest.

The feedback Kerr, a white male, has gotten has been overwhelmingly positive. A simple search of his name on Twitter will yield nearly nothing but positive comments.

Do the same with Kaepernick, however, and the story is much different. The result will be endless streams of hate and death threats – something he publicly acknowledged – sprinkled with little rational commentary.

This discrepancy is both predictable and disturbing. Both men shared honest, eloquent, and important statements to shed light on a troubling situation.

The backlash that only one of them received serves as a fitting juxtaposition. It only adds more evidence of the discrimination that these men are commenting on.

Video obtained of missing Chibok girls

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Victoria De Cardenas

By VICTORIA DE CARDENAS

Tragedies in Africa rarely capture the attention of anyone in the U.S. But when women in Nigeria spoke out two years ago after terrorists kidnapped hundreds of girls from school, they stirred a sense of global outrage.

Two years later, #BringBackOurGirls social media campaign took off, but the girls from the town of Chibok are still missing and still causing outrage.

The captor, Boko Haram, forbids modern education, particularly for girls, and enslaves and sells women, forcing them to live by 7th century norm, according to CNN.

Before the anniversary of the capture, CNN obtained a video showing 15 of the more than 200 girls that remain in captivity from the mass abduction. It was sent by Boko Haram as “proof of life” in negotiations with the government.

While I applaud CNN for obtaining this video and sharing it with the parents of the girls, I have the issue that no other news station seems to be covering this as extensively as CNN.

If the social media campaign was so successful in shining light onto this tragedy, why aren’t other stories coming out of this video? It is a compelling video and reminds those who are here in the U.S. to continue to fight for human rights, but I do not see another major news network picking it up.

It upsets me to see these girls being taken against their will and choosing to be suicide bombers to get out of the situation they are in, but I have yet to see someone else cover this as headline news.

We as global citizens cannot be so oblivious to what is happening across the world and to prevent the oblivion it starts with news networks talking about the stories that matter and shape our everyday lives.

A confusing look at Facebook Live

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Maria Luiza Lago

By MARIA LUIZA LAGO

I thought it was difficult to understand the point of the article in New Yorker about Facebook Live. There were so many points the author was trying to make that I got lost in it and didn’t realize the true objective of that story.

At first, it is stated that Facebook is trying to be the Internet instead of being just one of the tools you can use on the Internet. With Facebook Live, you can post videos live like Snapchat so all the three main apps used all over the world; Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are all wrapped in one app.

Secondly, the article goes to another direction which is trying to tell the reader that Facebook is controlling all the content we post and leading us inside the app to different directions and the last point I could identify was that the author was trying to suggest the future of Facebook and how their users would see the app in the future.

Besides all of these points, the way it was stated might have confused other readers too. I’m aware of what Facebook Live is; the problem is the way the author is trying to report his points in the story.

It is interesting how so many points can be made around this topic — the control of one app on so many people around the world, the information that it controls, the alienation of the population towards this information selected by the app. But, at the same time, it is a wonderful tool to inform people across the globe about what is going on.

This is just one of the points the article is trying to suggest and I think it’s too much for an online article that has to be simple and direct so everyone in every situation, whether is rushing home from work or concentrated in a quiet place such as a library or a café, could understand.

Ted cruises past Donald in Wisconsin

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Jean-Paul Aguirre

By JEAN-PAUL AGUIRRE

This week, once again, the presidential election has encompassed our lives and the lives of the new media as the Wisconsin Republican primaries were this week.

The results came as somewhat of a surprise, Ted Cruz beat Donald Trump, and now all the pundits are getting ready for a contested election on the Republican side.

All the news media are calling this one of the worst, if not the worst, weeks Trump has seen since entering the election. This all come of the heels of him posting a picture comparing his wife to Ted Cruz’s wife and which of the two was better looking.

Anytime that Trump loses something it is becoming newsworthy, and I do not necessarily have a problem with it.

Social media can be the greatest gift if used for the right reason or for the right cause. If you are trying to spread the word out or disseminate important information nowadays, Twitter and Facebook are the way to go.

However, social media can be one of the greatest curses, too. It only takes one miss-step or bad re-Tweet to derail everything you had been working to up to that point.

My quarrel with the news media is that I have seen more coverage about how this loss affects Trump’s plans and the steps he is taking in case it gets to a contested convention.

I would like to see a more in-depth look at the different scenarios and what each candidate would have to do in order to win. When they mention they seem to sweep it under the rug, especially when the news media talks about John Kasich.

I also would like to know more about what the Republican Party plans to do if they get the contested convention they have been hoping for and whether it will affect Trump’s chances of becoming the party’s nominee.

Slimane breaks up with Saint Laurent

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Grace Bernard

By GRACE BERNARD

Hedi Slimane showed relationships really are messy for everyone after mega-fashion house Saint Lauren announced that he’s stepping down as image and creative director.

The house released a press release last Friday stating “at the end of a four-year mission, which has led to the complete repositioning of the brand, the Maison Yves Saint Laurent announces the departure of Hedi Slimane.”

On Monday, the brand’s Instagram made a drastic decision and purged itself of all things Slimane. The designer often posted pictures of everything from high-profile models in Saint Laurent clothing to palm trees branded with the Saint Laurent logo.

The rocky break-up comes as no surprise to fashion followers. Slimane’s long been in the face of controversy during his four-year relationship with the house. Rumors about his departure have been circulating all year.

Slimane time there was host to several milestones. He doubled Saint Laurent’s revenues to $787 million and completely relaunched the house’s identity.

Once known as Yves Saint Laurent, Slimane created a much more wearable brand. While this is what accounts for the brand’s huge revenue increase, it was the cause of widespread criticism of his supposed lack of originality.

The new Saint Laurent Instagram solely featuring a picture of Vacarello.

The brand took to Instagram yet again to issue another blow to Slimane by reclaiming the acronym “YSL” in their bio. This outright reverses Slimane’s decision to drop the “Yves” from the label’s name.

As reproach for the fashion industry’s use of frail models increases, Slimane always stayed true to himself and worked almost exclusively with rail thin men and women. This decision was disapproved by many and contributed to his controversy.

While this relationship and subsequent breakup has certainly been tumultuous, it likely will sizzle out soon. Slimane has remained characteristically private throughout the entire ordeal.

The next big story out of Saint Laurent will center around where the house’s new creative director, Anthony Vacarello, will take the brand.

Beyonce hires model with disease

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Sidney Sterling

By SIDNEY STERLING

This past week, Jillian Mercado, a 28-year-old model and blogger, was chosen to be the face of Beyoncé’s new “Formation” clothing line. And I know what you are thinking. In the news media we hear about models every day, so how is this different?

Mercado was born with muscular dystrophy, a hereditary condition marked by progressive weakening and wasting of the muscles. She is permanently confined to her wheelchair and often faces limitations due to her disease. However, she has not let her condition hinder her hopes and aspirations to be a model and fashion blogger.

Beyoncé and Mercado fans can access her work by going to Beyoncé’s online store (shop.beyonce.com). On the site, the world can see Mercado showcasing her talent for modeling while wearing famous Beyoncé phrases.

For example, on Beyoncé’s online shop, Mercado poses in a grey sweater that says “I twirl on them haters” and a black hoodie that says “smack it smack it smack it.”

Beyoncé hand picked Mercado to showcase her new “Formation” line because she wanted to emphasize the need for diversity and acceptance in the modeling and fashion world.

Vogue gave Beyoncé and Mercado their stamp of approval by saying in an article that they think “Beyoncé is making a statement with this move, giving light to the importance of including more models with disabilities.”

The Today Show stated that models like Mercado “continue to break barriers in the fashion world, proving that diversity is a good thing.”

Beyoncé, Mercado and fashion fans are praising Beyoncé for this groundbreaking choice proving the acceptance by the social media world.

However, the news media are making it seem like this is Mercado’s first rodeo. She also modeled for Diesel and Nordstrom earlier this year

Brussels and news media coverage

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Maria Luiza Lago

By MARIA LUIZA LAGO

When I read the report on Fox News about the Brussels attack, I remembered of what I learned about source trust and how we should use our sources in journalism. First, to tell the readers about the exact number of injured people on the attack, they used as a source a CBS tweet. Shouldn’t they be asking the Belgium authorities about it instead of basing their number on a tweet of another news organization?

With that, I go to the second point where in the article is cited an “intelligence source with firsthand knowledge of the investigation” about where the attackers were focusing more the explosions and where it exactly happened.

If Fox News had a “firsthand knowledge of the investigation source” why not ask them the exact number of injured people on the attack? The name of the source is not cited on the article which makes me even more confused and suspicious about the kind of information that the text provides.

The hurry about giving the information to the readers, specially on breaking news cases, is not uncommon in journalism. But we have to be careful in those situations. News reporting is an art and it is supposed to be done in a way we can offer our readers the most accurate information we could have gathered.

In a time where news organizations are trying to have a say on a certain topic, sometimes some inconsistencies can slip and the effects are directly reflected on the journalist and on the reader that consumes this type of information.

The article has other trustful sources, from officials and new agencies, but there is still a lot of citations from other sources not related to Fox. Sources in this type of story are really important (in all types of stories) but focusing on this one, the readers want to know accurate and precise information and it would be helpful if the information was checked and crossed checked with other official sources or if they could have more warranty that the data or the quotations were taken by the journalist that wrote the piece.

The Zavantem Airport in Brussels and a subway station at the heart of the city were bombed by the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) on Tuesday morning. According to The New York Times, at least 30 people were killed in the attack and more than 230 people were wounded. Social media and news media companies are using the hashtags #BrusselsAttacks and #prayforbrussels to talk about the subject and relate to other articles about it on social media.

Millennial’s redefining ‘breaking news’

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Grace Bernard

By GRACE BERNARD

Early Tuesday morning, ISIS carried out three attacks in Brussels, Belgium. Immediately after, the news media began reporting on the details showing the world how the term “breaking news” is being redefined.

It’s no secret that the technological advances in the last 10 years have had groundbreaking effects on how news outlets function. And it’s even less of a secret that Millennials are glued to their phones.

The news media took note of this fact. And with sales of print news outlets declining, they responded with an increase in revolutionary websites and apps that can be accessed almost anywhere.

The effects of this new industry are obvious. A Millennial myself, I check my phone as soon as I wake up. This morning, I instantly noticed eight CNN notifications on my screen, an immediate signal that a major news story had broken.

At 3:29 a.m., 8:29 a.m. Brussels time, the first notification of a suspected terrorist attack was sent out by CNN to it’s mobile-app subscribers: “There are reports of two explosions at the airport in Brussels, Belgium, according to CNN affiliate VTM.”

According to a TIME report, the attacks occurred around 8 a.m. In less than 30 minutes, the entire world was notified of the actions of one terrorist group.

The live updates didn’t stop there. A number of my mobile notifications were less than one hour apart.

Furthermore, all major news outlets were also reporting on live updates, on-site pictures, videos and interviews to report on the attacks in more detail.

Magazines not typically associated with reporting on serious news stories like Vogue and People made use of the unlimited space offered on the Internet. Both had articles featuring updates of the situation in Brussels.

Social media outlets like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr showed similar responses to those seen in the aftermath of the Paris attacks last year. Most notably, Facebook’s Safety Check feature was once again activated.

The reason that all of these advances in both the immediacy and participation in the notion of breaking news are possible is because of widespread usage and dependence on technology.

Millennials are too often criticized for their dependence on their smartphones and social media. But without these markets they’ve created, these advances would’ve never been made. There simply would’ve been no need.

Nike releases HyperAdapt 1.0

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Sidney Sterling

By SIDNEY STERLING

Nothing is more agitating than trying to get to your targeted destination and your shoe laces suddenly become untied. Usually, there is no table, bench, chair or raised surface to rest your foot on when disaster strikes. Leaning down and getting in the way of oncoming pedestrian traffic is so passé. On Thursday, Nike released their solution to this common issue.

At the Nike Innovation 2016 in New York City Nike announced the debut of the HyperAdapt 1.0, a self-lacing designer sneaker that does all of the “tedious” work of tying your laces for you. When you step in the shoe, your heel will hit a sensor and the shoe laces will automatically tighten. On each side of the running shoe, there are buttons to tighten and loosen the grip.

Nike still has not released how much these bad boys will cost. However, they are expected to be ready for purchasing during the 2016 holiday season.

“Sneaker Head” social media accounts and common fashion websites are eating this idea up. Many call it “revolutionizing” and “beyond innovative.”

Popsugar, a popular fashion and lifestyle blog stated, “If you thought fashion was already sneaker-obsessed, this may just send the style — and the rest of the world — over the edge.”

Popsugar also compares these outrageous kicks a “blast of the past” because these sneakers resemble the Marty McFly’s shoes in “Back to the Future.”

CNN even threw in its two cents by simply stating, “How does a sneaker tie itself? Duh!”

On the other hand, Wired raised some concerns by saying, “It’s a compelling vision for sure, but as with all technology there are potential trade-offs.”

Shoe enthusiasts and Nike fans are in awe and projected their feelings all over Twitter.

However, some Nike lovers are upset that there is no reference to “Back to the Future” and Marty McFly.

What do you think about the latest Nike announcement? Do you think these shoes reflect the laziness in our society or optimal innovation?

Obscure ‘carrot man’ rises to fame

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Roxanne Yu

By ROXANNE YU

There are all sorts of things that social media are capable of, and one of its major strengths is its ability to turn an average middle class individual to an Internet sensation overnight.

On rare occasions, some people who do try to stray from the spotlight get dragged into it without their consent. Nearly a month ago, photos of a charming young farmer were put up online, which spread quickly throughout Filipino news media and gained a considerable amount of attention in the public sphere.

Jeyrick Sigmaton did not expect that his good looks would take him anywhere outside the indigenous community in which he grew up. Born and raised in the northern region of the Philippines, Mountain Province, Sigmaton decided not to attend high school so he could work full-time to help his parents support his six other siblings.

All thanks to Edwina Bandong, Sigmaton’s photos went viral on social media.

Bandong happened to be around the Mountain Province area when she managed to take a photo of a farmer who was carrying a heavy load of carrots onto a delivery truck, hence the nickname “carrot man.”

The news media caught on to the rising hype of carrot man that was going on in the Internet and decided to seek out Sigmaton.

One of the country’s most prominent broadcast journalists, Jessica Soho, made the trip to Mountain Province to get to know more about Sigmaton.

Soho hosts her own news magazine television show that airs every Sunday evening, a show that many Filipino families watch on a regular basis. The fact that Sigmaton was featured on her show made the farmer an even bigger “celebrity,” as it catered to a larger nationwide audience.

“I’m proud that my picture was sought-after. Because of this, a lot of people gained interest in the people who reside in Mountain Province as well as in us, Igorots.” -Jeyrick Sigmaton, “Carrot Man.”

The news media are the source of opening new topics of discussion within a particular issue. In most cases, they do initiate debates and disagreements and they rarely function to unite everyone into one mainstream idea.

In the case of carrot man, Soho was not only able to tell a story behind the man in the photographs, but was also able to inform the public about the culture, struggle and livelihood of Igorots (indigenous tribe members.)

Soho was able to incorporate the timeliness of Sigmaton’s fame and link it to the issues that surround native tribes that still exist around the country. She exemplified great journalism techniques that can be deemed praiseworthy.

An inside look at North Korea

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Grace Bernard

By GRACE BERNARD

This week, a London tourist has illustrated the power a picture holds by giving a face to the people living in the world’s most restrictive country — North Korea.

Amateur photographer Michal Huniewicz posted two sets of photographs on his blog documenting his time in North Korea’s capital city, Pyongyang.

The pictures have been shared on his Facebook, Twitter, a variety of Instagram accounts and new sites such as CNN.

The significance of these smuggled photos comes from the strict rules governing tourist photography in North Korea. The bulk images and videos the public sees are products of the government.

While the majority of Huniewicz’s photos were acceptable, he admitted that some were taken against the wishes of his guides or as he calls them, his “government minders.”

The timing of the photos release could not be more perfect. Recently, North Korea has been receiving more news media attention than usual as it continues to develop its nuclear program and face sanctions from the United Nations. It is crucial now more than ever that the rest of the world grasp that behind Kim Jong-un, there are millions of helpless people.

In a culture where criticism of society’s growing news media dependence is often harsh, Huniewicz’s collection shows how powerful a tool it is, particularly social media. It shows that we cannot take for granted the ability to freely capture and share photos. It is a tool that helps protect against the human rights violations that are rampant in North Korea.

Furthermore, North Korea may be one of the few places in the world where everyday life has been practically untouched by the outside media. Huniewicz’s photographs and his accompanying narrative help to better show the restrictions of life living under a dictatorship. Censorship was rampant during his trip and Huniewicz’s noted that many of the sights felt staged.

“You have to be fast. Soon we noticed that while Pyongyang is meant to be a utopian showcase for foreign visitors … there are more glamorous bits, and there are less glamorous bits. What’s more, our mute driver was perfectly aware of this, so he would conveniently slow down whenever the surroundings were impressive, and speed up whenever they were less pleasant, to make them less pleasant,” Huniewicz wrote on his blog.

The majority of Huniewicz’s photos are scenes from everyday life that have the eerie look of being performed. Tour groups are not allowed to go anywhere, or even be left alone, without their guides. And it seems as though everyone is in on the act.

For more of Huniewicz’s collection of photos from all his travels, visit his website.

Trump defends penis size

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Victoria De Cardenas

By VICTORIA DE CARDENAS

The day has finally come, the day where politicians talk about their privates rather than politics.

Donald Trump assured voters on Thursday that there was “no problem” with the size of his hands — or anything else.

This came after Marco Rubio suggested Trump has small hands, a decades’ old insult from Vice Magazine who called him “a short-fingered vulgarian,” according to John Oliver.

“He’s always calling me Little Marco. And I’ll admit he’s taller than me. He’s like 6-2, which is why I don’t understand why his hands are the size of someone who is 5-2,” Rubio said in Virginia on Sunday. “And you know what they say about men with small hands? You can’t trust them.”

Apparently, Trump has never been able to forget that insult because he seemed so bothered by it.

But what is really upsetting, is the fact that we have grown men arguing about the size of their penises rather than the real problems in politics. And if that wasn’t enough, news outlets are reporting it.

Not to say that journalists are not to report it but don’t give more attention to it than it already needs. Journalists should not be entertaining their inappropriate jokes between presidential candidates as much as they have been.

My personal Facebook account has been flooded with this unusual joke and it makes me wonder why we care journalists are having a field day with it. Maybe it brings in more readers, which I must argue that it is a good way to bring in readers but it shouldn’t be your top priority. This belongs at the end of your broadcast.

Journalists have a job to report things and tell the truth, but this joke is way too revealing.

Carson sees ‘no path forward’ in race

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Melissa Cabral

By MELISSA CABRAL

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson announced Wednesday that he will not be attending Detroit’s Thursday GOP debate and sees “no political path forward” with his bid for presidency after Super Tuesday’s underwhelming results.

Although he will not be attending the debate being held in his hometown, reports confirm that the retired neurosurgeon will not be stepping down as a candidate. In a statement shared on all his social media sites, Carson told his supporters that he would discuss the future of his campaign Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

“Even though I will not be in my hometown of Detroit on Thursday, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America,” Carson said. “I do not see a political path forward in light of last evening’s Super Tuesday primary results. However, this grassroots movement on behalf of “We the People” will continue.”

In recent debates, Carson has been out-shined by fellow candidates Donald Trump, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. Carson has said that he has struggled to gain any speaking time during the heated debates. This has caused his numbers to tumble, finishing no higher than fourth in any state during Super Tuesday.

During Thursday’s Houston debate, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio joined forces with a plan to take down Trump attacking the controversial candidate many times throughout the debate, leaving no room for Carson to put a word in.

At one point, Carson interrupted and jumped in.

“Can someone attack me please,” he said in a plea to get some talk time.

This downfall comes as a surprise to most of us since last fall, during the launch of his presidential campaign, Carson rose to the top among the likes of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Although he has denied ending his bid for presidency, it is highly likely that Carson will be stepping down from the race within the next coming days.

Kesha’s legal battle causing controversy

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Victoria De Cardenas

By VICTORIA DE CARDENAS

The hashtag #FreeKesha has captured headlines, but the battle of Kesha and her producer Dr. Luke is more complicated than a hashtag.

In 2014, Kesha filed a civil lawsuit alleging Dr. Luke emotionally abused, drugged and sexually assaulted her during her time with Kemosabe Records. Kesha’s legal team was seeking to break her contract with Kemosabe Records and its parent company, Sony Entertainment, so she could continue her career without the producer’s influence.

After a long legal battle, the New York Supreme Court decided a preliminary injunction, sending the pop star into tears and her supporters into a flurry of anger and activism.

Some of her supporters include celebrities, such as Adele, Lady Gaga and Demi Lovato. Many of these celebrities have taken to Twitter to express their outrage.

But it’s Demi Lovato’s tweet which really started the controversy. BuzzFeed broke the story and monitored all of Lovato’s tweets.

Her first tweet showed support for the “Tick Tock” singer.

She then tweeted what seemed to be a jab at Taylor Swift, according to BuzzFeed.

Lovato allegedly liked a tweet that referenced Swift’s silence further fueling speculation.

According to BuzzFeed, Lovato’s rant was 90-minutes long, and concluding with Lovato sending one last tweet that had the hashtag #equalityforALL.

One day after Lovato’s rant, Taylor Swift made a highly publicized move: donating $250,000 to Kesha.

Lovato had one last thing to say.

Many celebrities have praised the bold donation and the media is praising the America’s sweetheart but it’s upsetting to see that they are not showing the entire story.

Credit should be given to BuzzFeed for bringing this to attention, even if there are more important issues to talk about.

News outlets are supposed to tell the full story and to investigate and they seem to have forgotten to do that. Whether or not Lovato was actually calling out Swift, other news outlets should have caught on to the hour and a half rant on Twitter.

It is completely possible that Swift made the donation after feeling pressured from on-again-off-again friend Lovato. It’s also possible she didn’t do because of Lovato but it’s something the media should have at least mentioned when this story first broke out.

It is possible the media was worried about Kesha’s case and made the executive decision to not talk about Lovato’s side of the story but they cannot deny the events leading up to the donation, especially from two self-proclaimed feminists.

Maybe celebrity rants are nothing to talk about. If that is the case, Kanye West shouldn’t receive any more attention then he does but that’s another story.