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Weekend Reads 10/12/19

Why Columbus Day Courts Controversy

On his first day in the New World, he ordered six of the natives to be seized, writing in his journal that he believed they would be good servants. Throughout his years in the New World, Columbus enacted policies of forced labor in which natives were put to work for the sake of profits. Later, Columbus sent thousands of peaceful Taino “Indians” from the island of Hispaniola to Spain to be sold. Many died en route.

Science is in ‘crisis’ under Trump, new reports show

The study warns that, if Trump’s efforts continue unchecked, it could create a “vicious cycle” and encourage future administrations to take similar steps to undermine science and research in the government. That’s particularly disturbing considering that government science and research has delivered smash hits like, oh, I don’t know, putting a man on the moon, lifesaving medicines, the internet, and more.

Is The Supreme Court Heading For A Conservative Revolution?

This pattern is troubling to some, in part because it signals that the current court is willing to make big changes without a consensus, which was rarer under previous chief justices. Leah Litman, a law professor at the University of Michigan, told me that she’s concerned that these types of decisions “could undermine the court’s legitimacy.”

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