csmonitor--2020-09-25--Native American women shape how museums frame Indigenous culture

“ The women in my community are incredibly resilient , beautiful human beings who have managed to keep our community together in moments of devastation , ” says Nina Sanders , guest curator for the Field exhibition .
“ They just shine.
” At the Field Museum in Chicago , “ Apsáalooke Women and Warriors , ” which opened earlier this year , tells about the Apsáalooke , or Crow , through their own eyes and their own stories .
The exhibition uses examples of artistry to suggest how traditional beliefs and values have persisted and endure today .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways of life and reinventing them in new circumstances and a new time .
That shift in attention has highlighted underappreciated aspects of Native American culture , including the importance of communal ties , says Amanda Cobb-Greetham , a member of the Chickasaw tribe and director of the Native Nations Center at the University of Oklahoma .
She contrasts the idea of “ repatriation ” – returning Native remains and sacred objects to the tribes from which they were taken – with “ rematriation , ” or the restoration and reassertion of core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Indigenous peoples to represent themselves to the world , and with that movement has come a greater focus on women .
Growing up on the Crow reservation in Montana , Nina Sanders learned some of her most valuable lessons not in school , where the textbooks were silent on her people and she was discouraged from speaking her native language , but at home with her grandmother and great-grandmother , listening to their stories and “ tearing apart sinews , washing clothes outside , picking berries.
” Now Ms. Sanders celebrates the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ahp-SAH-luh-guh ) , women in a major exhibition at Chicago ’ s Field Museum .
“ Apsáalooke Women and Warriors ” paints a vivid picture of Apsáalooke history and culture , drawing on the Field ’ s extensive collections of Indigenous objects , including 19th-century ceremonial war shields , as well as on the work of contemporary artists , like rapper and fancy dancer Supaman .
The result is rich and wide-ranging and proclaims unmistakably : We are still here .
Museums are increasingly turning to Indigenous peoples to represent themselves to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others call the “ decolonizing ” of American museums .
What sets Ms. Sanders ’ exhibition apart is its focus on women , portraying them as keepers of culture and celebrating their devotion to family , clan , and homeland .
“ The women in my community are incredibly resilient , beautiful human beings who have managed to keep our community together in moments of devastation , ” says Ms. Sanders , a guest curator at the Field and the first Native American to curate an exhibition there .
“ They just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” open until July 18 , 2021 , and expected to travel after that , tells about the Apsáalooke through their own eyes and their own stories , beginning with their creation from the sea and continuing through their migration to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains and eventual settlement on a reservation south of the Yellowstone River .
The exhibition uses examples of Apsáalooke artistry to suggest how traditional beliefs and values have persisted and endure today .
It shows the Apsáalooke reaching back to old ways of life and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new time .
The exhibition also reflects a transformation in museum practice and representation of Indigenous Americans that dates to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 .
That act , itself a product of decades of activism , led to the return of remains and sacred objects and a new era of collaboration between museums and Indigenous peoples .
It also inspired a shift away from portraying Native Americans as a vanished people toward emphasizing their contemporary culture .
The focus on women is more recent .
Among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only her childhood memories but also a recent , groundbreaking exhibition about Indigenous women artists , called “ Hearts of Our People : Native Women Artists , ” at the Minneapolis Institute of Art .
Novelist Louise Erdrich said of that : “ At long , long last , after centuries of erasure , Hearts of Our People celebrates the fiercely loving genius of Indigenous women.
” Paying more attention to women has highlighted underappreciated aspects of Native American culture , including the importance of communal ties , says Amanda Cobb-Greetham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the Native Nations Center at the University of Oklahoma .
Ms. Cobb-Greetham , who is also a trustee of the Smithsonian ’ s National Museum of the American Indian , contrasts the idea of “ repatriation ” – returning Native remains and sacred objects to the tribes from which they were taken – with “ rematriation , ” or the restoration and reassertion of core cultural values .
“ It redefines how we understand leadership , or significant achievement , and what values we want to carry forward , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be military leader or government official .
It may be something entirely different.
” One of the women portrayed in the Field exhibition is Sharon Stewart Peregoy , an Apsáalooke elder and Montana state representative .
Though most Apsáalooke leaders have been men , including those in elected positions today , Ms. Stewart Peregoy says women have played a central role in helping the Apsáalooke endure decades of dramatic and often painful change .
“ Through the transitions , especially with Native women and Crow women , ” she says , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and still today – to pull together , to participate , and with the ending of nomadic life and making the change to being put on the reservation , to be able to undergird our men , our warriors , quietly , not so quietly in some ways , but to get them to have hope again .
That way of life died .
But the woman says no , we can inspire to be more.
” Ben Pease is an Apsáalooke artist who contributed paintings and other works to the exhibition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procession of women on horseback , each wearing a gold halo .
“ We do believe as Apsáalooke people that women are holy and sacred beings , ” Mr. Pease says .
“ They have the ability to give life and save culture and perpetuate culture into the future.
” Mr. Pease grew up in Lodge Grass , Montana , reared by “ mothers and aunts and grandmothers , ” he says .
“ I learned the strength of women early on , and the role they play .
In an underresourced and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the great leaders to help us step into the future – but also to preserve the past , to be keepers of medicine and knowledge.
” The Field exhibition portrays the Apsáalooke as matriarchal and egalitarian .
In one of the tribe ’ s stories , man and woman are created at the same moment .
Rawhide war shields , decorated with owl feathers and dried bird heads , are displayed beneath giant images of women “ to symbolically care for these shields , ” a note says .
And yet beyond this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invite viewers to reimagine what it means to be a warrior today and to perform the acts of bravery that traditionally distinguished the greatest Apsáalooke fighters .
They pay homage to past warriors and leaders like Plenty Coups , Spotted Tail , and Joe Medicine Crow , an author and decorated veteran of World War II .
But they also celebrate women – and men – who have become scholars , artists , and teachers .
“ Nina tries to present a contemporary interpretation of what a warrior is , ” says Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the idea – to get our young people to reawaken to their Native self , to their Crow self , and to what they can aspire to.
” “ Apsáalooke Women and Warriors ” opened in Chicago in March with a gesture to the past : a traditional Crow parade in which scores of Apsáalooke visitors , mostly women , walked in a line down city streets , some on horseback , and many more on foot , to the accompaniment of Apsáalooke singing and drumming .
Ms. Sanders ’ grandmother , Margo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At a ceremony afterward , the pair stood arm-in-arm , a reminder of the bonds between past and present that Ms. Sanders wants to honor .
“ It ’ s love , ” she says .
“ It ’ s what transmits culture across time .
”

“The women in my community are incredibly resilient, beautiful human beings who have managed to keep our community together in moments of devastation,” says Nina Sanders, guest curator for the Field exhibition. “They just shine.”
At the Field Museum in Chicago, “Apsáalooke Women and Warriors,” which opened earlier this year, tells about the Apsáalooke, or Crow, through their own eyes and their own stories. The exhibition uses examples of artistry to suggest how traditional beliefs and values have persisted and endure today. It shows the Apsáalooke reaching back to old ways of life and reinventing them in new circumstances and a new time.
Understanding women’s roles in Indigenous society can help draw a line from the past to the present. An exhibition in Chicago features the contributions of Crow, or Apsáalooke, women and proclaims: We are still here .
That shift in attention has highlighted underappreciated aspects of Native American culture, including the importance of communal ties, says Amanda Cobb-Greetham, a member of the Chickasaw tribe and director of the Native Nations Center at the University of Oklahoma. She contrasts the idea of “repatriation”– returning Native remains and sacred objects to the tribes from which they were taken – with “rematriation,” or the restoration and reassertion of core cultural values.
Museums are increasingly turning to Indigenous peoples to represent themselves to the world, and with that movement has come a greater focus on women.
Growing up on the Crow reservation in Montana, Nina Sanders learned some of her most valuable lessons not in school, where the textbooks were silent on her people and she was discouraged from speaking her native language, but at home with her grandmother and great-grandmother, listening to their stories and “tearing apart sinews, washing clothes outside, picking berries.”
Now Ms. Sanders celebrates the contributions of Crow, or Apsáalooke (Ahp-SAH-luh-guh), women in a major exhibition at Chicago’s Field Museum. “Apsáalooke Women and Warriors” paints a vivid picture of Apsáalooke history and culture, drawing on the Field’s extensive collections of Indigenous objects, including 19th-century ceremonial war shields, as well as on the work of contemporary artists, like rapper and fancy dancer Supaman. The result is rich and wide-ranging and proclaims unmistakably: We are still here.
Museums are increasingly turning to Indigenous peoples to represent themselves to the world, a movement that Ms. Sanders and others call the “decolonizing” of American museums. What sets Ms. Sanders’ exhibition apart is its focus on women, portraying them as keepers of culture and celebrating their devotion to family, clan, and homeland.
Why We Wrote This Understanding women’s roles in Indigenous society can help draw a line from the past to the present. An exhibition in Chicago features the contributions of Crow, or Apsáalooke, women and proclaims: We are still here.
“The women in my community are incredibly resilient, beautiful human beings who have managed to keep our community together in moments of devastation,” says Ms. Sanders, a guest curator at the Field and the first Native American to curate a ticketed exhibition there. “They just shine.”
Richard Mertens View caption Hide caption Guest curator Nina Sanders (right) and one of her collaborators, JoRee LaFrance, parade down a street near the University of Chicago to celebrate the opening of a new exhibit at the Field Museum that pays homage to the role of women in Apsáalooke history and culture, March 12, 2020.
“Apsáalooke Women and Warriors,” open until July 18, 2021, and expected to travel after that, tells about the Apsáalooke through their own eyes and their own stories, beginning with their creation from the sea and continuing through their migration to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains and eventual settlement on a reservation south of the Yellowstone River. The exhibition uses examples of Apsáalooke artistry to suggest how traditional beliefs and values have persisted and endure today. It shows the Apsáalooke reaching back to old ways of life and reinventing them in new circumstances and a new time.
The exhibition also reflects a transformation in museum practice and representation of Indigenous Americans that dates to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990. That act, itself a product of decades of activism, led to the return of remains and sacred objects and a new era of collaboration between museums and Indigenous peoples. It also inspired a shift away from portraying Native Americans as a vanished people toward emphasizing their contemporary culture.
The focus on women is more recent. Among the inspirations for Ms. Sanders’ exhibits were not only her childhood memories but also a recent, groundbreaking exhibition about Indigenous women artists, called “Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists,” at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Novelist Louise Erdrich said of that: “At long, long last, after centuries of erasure, Hearts of Our People celebrates the fiercely loving genius of Indigenous women.”
Paying more attention to women has highlighted underappreciated aspects of Native American culture, including the importance of communal ties, says Amanda Cobb-Greetham, a member of the Chickasaw tribe and director of the Native Nations Center at the University of Oklahoma. Ms. Cobb-Greetham, who is also a trustee of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, contrasts the idea of “repatriation”– returning Native remains and sacred objects to the tribes from which they were taken – with “rematriation,” or the restoration and reassertion of core cultural values.
“It redefines how we understand leadership, or significant achievement, and what values we want to carry forward,” she says. “That may or may not be military leader or government official. It may be something entirely different.”
John Weinstein/Courtesy of the Field Museum View caption Hide caption The “Apsáalooke Women and Warriors” exhibition opened at the Field Museum in Chicago in March 2020 and runs until July 18, 2021. In it, rawhide war shields are displayed beneath giant images of women “to symbolically care for these shields,” an exhibition note explains.
One of the women portrayed in the Field exhibition is Sharon Stewart Peregoy, an Apsáalooke elder and Montana state representative. Though most Apsáalooke leaders have been men, including those in elected positions today, Ms. Stewart Peregoy says women have played a central role in helping the Apsáalooke endure decades of dramatic and often painful change.
“Through the transitions, especially with Native women and Crow women,” she says, “there was a need for everyone – and still today – to pull together, to participate, and with the ending of nomadic life and making the change to being put on the reservation, to be able to undergird our men, our warriors, quietly, not so quietly in some ways, but to get them to have hope again. That way of life died. But the woman says no, we can inspire to be more.”
Courtesy of the Field Museum View caption Hide caption A photograph of Apsáalooke woman Jordynn Paz by Adam Sings In The Timber. The exhibition at the Field Museum portrays women as keepers of culture and celebrates their devotion to family, clan, and homeland.
Ben Pease is an Apsáalooke artist who contributed paintings and other works to the exhibition, including an oil painting that shows a procession of women on horseback, each wearing a gold halo. “We do believe as Apsáalooke people that women are holy and sacred beings,” Mr. Pease says. “They have the ability to give life and save culture and perpetuate culture into the future.”
Mr. Pease grew up in Lodge Grass, Montana, reared by “mothers and aunts and grandmothers,” he says.
“I learned the strength of women early on, and the role they play. In an underresourced and underrepresented community, they lead and are the great leaders to help us step into the future – but also to preserve the past, to be keepers of medicine and knowledge.”
The Field exhibition portrays the Apsáalooke as matriarchal and egalitarian. In one of the tribe’s stories, man and woman are created at the same moment. Rawhide war shields, decorated with owl feathers and dried bird heads, are displayed beneath giant images of women “to symbolically care for these shields,” a note says.
And yet beyond this, Ms. Sanders and her Apsáalooke collaborators invite viewers to reimagine what it means to be a warrior today and to perform the acts of bravery that traditionally distinguished the greatest Apsáalooke fighters. They pay homage to past warriors and leaders like Plenty Coups, Spotted Tail, and Joe Medicine Crow, an author and decorated veteran of World War II. But they also celebrate women – and men – who have become scholars, artists, and teachers.
“Nina tries to present a contemporary interpretation of what a warrior is,” says Ms. Stewart Peregoy. “That’s the idea – to get our young people to reawaken to their Native self, to their Crow self, and to what they can aspire to.”
John Weinstein/Courtesy of The Field Museum View caption Hide caption A war shield made and owned by Crazy Sister-in-Law. This war shield is made of buffalo hide, parts of a burrowing owl, and natural earth clay pigments. Crazy Sister-in-Law was a male warrior and one of the most respected leaders of his time during the early 1800s.
“Apsáalooke Women and Warriors” opened in Chicago in March with a gesture to the past: a traditional Crow parade in which scores of Apsáalooke visitors, mostly women, walked in a line down city streets, some on horseback, and many more on foot, to the accompaniment of Apsáalooke singing and drumming. Ms. Sanders’ grandmother, Margo Real Bird, was among them. At a ceremony afterward, the pair stood arm-in-arm, a reminder of the bonds between past and present that Ms. Sanders wants to honor.
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“It’s love,” she says. “It’s what transmits culture across time.”
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Nina Sanders is the first Native American to curate a ticketed exhibition at the Field.


csmonitor--2020-09-25--An embrace of law to curb China’s bullying

In a surprise move this week , Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reversed course and called out China for violating international law .
He criticized it for not honoring a ruling by a United Nations arbitration panel that invalidated China ’ s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea .
The 2016 ruling , said Mr. Duterte in a video speech during the U.N. General Assembly , stood for “ the triumph of reason over rashness , of law over disorder , of amity over ambition.
” Other Southeast Asian nations have lately rebuked China for intruding on their territorial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Law of the Sea .
In mid-September , Indonesia protested the intrusion of a Chinese coast guard ship in its exclusive economic zone .
In July , Malaysia asserted that China ’ s maritime claims hundreds of miles from its shores have no basis under international law .
Vietnam , a frequent victim of Chinese maritime harassment , has even hinted at defense cooperation with its former foe , the United States .
These call-outs follow a U.S. decision in July to back the U.N. ruling .
The Trump administration also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped Beijing build artificial islands in disputed waters since 2013 .
All these actions come as China has aggressively pushed its territorial claims over Taiwan , the Himalayas , and Hong Kong .
The pushback by Southeast Asians , notably the Philippines , reflects a collective effort to end a fear of Chinese threats and bullying and replace it with an affirmation of rules and law .
“ This isn ’ t a region that ’ s going to be subject to a Chinese Monroe doctrine , ” said Alexander Downer , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. ruling , Mr. Duterte said in his talk , is now part of international law and beyond the reach of any government “ to dilute , diminish , or abandon.
” That embrace of agreed principles in law may be the best defense against the use of brute force by China to extend its borders .

In a surprise move this week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reversed course and called out China for violating international law. He criticized it for not honoring a ruling by a United Nations arbitration panel that invalidated China’s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The 2016 ruling, said Mr. Duterte in a video speech during the U.N. General Assembly, stood for “the triumph of reason over rashness, of law over disorder, of amity over ambition.”
Other Southeast Asian nations have lately rebuked China for intruding on their territorial waters and violating the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. In mid-September, Indonesia protested the intrusion of a Chinese coast guard ship in its exclusive economic zone. In July, Malaysia asserted that China’s maritime claims hundreds of miles from its shores have no basis under international law. Vietnam, a frequent victim of Chinese maritime harassment, has even hinted at defense cooperation with its former foe, the United States.
These call-outs follow a U.S. decision in July to back the U.N. ruling. The Trump administration also imposed sanctions on 24 Chinese companies that helped Beijing build artificial islands in disputed waters since 2013.
All these actions come as China has aggressively pushed its territorial claims over Taiwan, the Himalayas, and Hong Kong. The pushback by Southeast Asians, notably the Philippines, reflects a collective effort to end a fear of Chinese threats and bullying and replace it with an affirmation of rules and law.
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“This isn’t a region that’s going to be subject to a Chinese Monroe doctrine,” said Alexander Downer, a former foreign minister of Australia.
The U.N. ruling, Mr. Duterte said in his talk, is now part of international law and beyond the reach of any government “to dilute, diminish, or abandon.” That embrace of agreed principles in law may be the best defense against the use of brute force by China to extend its borders.


csmonitor--2020-09-25--In Portland, a peaceful protest caravan rolls on

“ I ’ m 77 years old .
If I ’ m 107 , I ’ ll still be driving if they haven ’ t made some changes.
” It can get tense .
In August , a man in a truck blocked the group .
Sylvia Dollarson , Quanice ’ s great-grandmother , got out of her car and approached .
She asked him to stop ; he reached for a gun and pointed it at her , she recalls .
The episode was filmed and appeared on the local news .
Usually 40 to 50 drivers show up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturdays .
Adrienne Flagg , the logistical mastermind behind the rolling protest , says the caravan “ normalizes ” the message that Black lives matter .
By going around different neighborhoods , “ we ’ re bringing it to them , not just downtown.
” Twice a week , Donna Hayes and her best friend Jill Nicholson take their Portland protest parade to the streets , a different route each time to reach as many people as possible .
They ’ ve been at it since June 12 and have no plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal .
Ms. Hayes is the grandmother of 17-year-old Quanice Hayes .
Her grandson was fatally shot by police in 2017 .
You can hear the cars coming , hitting their horns to “ Black Lives Matter !
” On nearly every block , people come out to cheer the caravan on .
It ’ s dinnertime on a Wednesday evening , and so Donna Hayes and her best friend Jill Nicholson are leading a caravan of cars through otherwise quiet residential streets in northeast Portland , Oregon .
You can hear them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter !
” On nearly every block , people come out to cheer them on .
A white man bangs a pot lid .
A young Black man stops his bike and raises his fist .
At one house , a mother steps onto her landing to wave , followed by two youngsters .
Some residents yell “ woo hoo !
” at the cars , while others take videos .
Twice a week , the friends take their vehicle protest parade to the streets , a different route each time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ ve been at it since June 12 and have no plans to stop .
For them it ’ s personal .
Ms. Hayes is the grandmother of 17-year-old Quanice Hayes .
Her grandson was fatally shot by police in 2017 .
“ We fight against police brutality , ” she says simply , taping protest signs onto a red Prius before the cars roll out at 6 p.m. Ms. Hayes has written a play , turned into a digital movie , “ Silent Voices , ” about nine people killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story .
This week , after news circulated that a grand jury had issued only one indictment , for “ wanton endangerment , ” in the killing of Breonna Taylor – and that not directly related to her death – many cars in the caravan displayed signs of her .
The medical worker was fatally shot by Louisville , Kentucky , police in March during a botched raid on her apartment .
“ Say her name !
Breonna Taylor !
” drivers shouted from caravan bullhorns .
On Sept. 9 , the caravan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the small side .
About 17 cars line up in a community college parking lot , as smoke builds from wildfires in the next county .
Most of the participants are white , as is Portland itself .
Usually 40 to 50 drivers show up on Wednesdays and 70 to 100 on Saturday afternoons .
They demonstrate the consistency and determination that those pushing for racial justice say is necessary for change .
In a pandemic , the caravan also allows those who may not be willing or able to take part in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those would be people like Richard and Judi Seekins , married for 54 years , who have missed only one caravan since it started .
They haven ’ t done anything like this since the Vietnam War .
“ I ’ m a certain demographic , and I want people to know that all demographics in the community support this , ” says Mr. Seekins , masked up and standing outside his white Toyota Prius before the caravan takes off .
The couple is struck by the “ amazing support ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Seekins quotes civil rights icon John Lewis about their “ necessary ” stand .
Those who protest peacefully and consistently are making people realize that “ there is something to this , ” says Mr. Seekins .
He wants people to know that Portland is not on fire with violence or a city in chaos .
At the same time , he ’ s distressed by “ people who are taking advantage of this to make trouble.
” They ’ re distracting from the original Black Lives Matter message , he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much impact ” right at a moment when the country may be at a “ tipping point ” toward greater racial justice .
Grace Julian is a college student and volunteer organizer with the group , which goes by the name PDX Car Caravan Protest .
Were it not for the pandemic , Ms. Julian would be studying in Prague .
Instead , she is home with her parents .
She would have liked to have gone downtown to the protests this summer , but to protect her mother ’ s health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wise .
The caravan allows her to take part in the BLM movement .
And she believes there ’ s power in consistent protest by “ the little people.
” It moves larger groups , like the National Basketball Association , which came to a temporary halt this summer .
“ That is big.
” “ I ’ m learning so much , ” she says .
“ I ’ m getting real world experience organizing people.
” To make sure that her message includes action steps , she writes “ vote.org ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and signs .
Adrienne Flagg , the logistical mastermind behind the rolling protest , says the twice-weekly caravan “ normalizes ” the message that Black lives matter .
By going around different neighborhoods , “ we ’ re bringing it to them , not just downtown.
” Before the cars depart , she instructs a newcomer not to engage if someone tries to stop the group .
“ If one person is flipping you off , that ’ s their deal , ” she says .
It can get tense .
In August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved his vehicle back and forth across a neighborhood street to block the group .
Quanice Hayes ’ great-grandmother , Sylvia Dollarson , got out of her car and approached the man .
She asked him to stop ; he reached for a gun and pointed it at her , she recalls .
Eventually , the caravan went around the pick-up truck and the man left .
The episode was taped by a bystander and appeared on the local news .
But this great-grandmother is not giving up .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m 107 , I ’ ll still be driving if they haven ’ t made some changes .
”

“I’m 77 years old. If I’m 107, I’ll still be driving if they haven’t made some changes.”
It can get tense. In August, a man in a truck blocked the group. Sylvia Dollarson, Quanice’s great-grandmother, got out of her car and approached. She asked him to stop; he reached for a gun and pointed it at her, she recalls. The episode was filmed and appeared on the local news.
Usually 40 to 50 drivers show up on Wednesdays and 70 to 100 on Saturdays. Adrienne Flagg, the logistical mastermind behind the rolling protest, says the caravan “normalizes” the message that Black lives matter. By going around different neighborhoods, “we’re bringing it to them, not just downtown.”
There’s a different side to Portland protests than shown on TV. Our reporter joined a twice-weekly peaceful protest caravan organized by the grandmother of a teenager killed by police.
Twice a week, Donna Hayes and her best friend Jill Nicholson take their Portland protest parade to the streets, a different route each time to reach as many people as possible. They’ve been at it since June 12 and have no plans to stop. For them it’s personal. Ms. Hayes is the grandmother of 17-year-old Quanice Hayes. Her grandson was fatally shot by police in 2017.
You can hear the cars coming, hitting their horns to “Black Lives Matter!” On nearly every block, people come out to cheer the caravan on.
It’s dinnertime on a Wednesday evening, and so Donna Hayes and her best friend Jill Nicholson are leading a caravan of cars through otherwise quiet residential streets in northeast Portland, Oregon.
You can hear them coming, hitting their horns to “Black Lives Matter!” On nearly every block, people come out to cheer them on. A white man bangs a pot lid. A young Black man stops his bike and raises his fist. At one house, a mother steps onto her landing to wave, followed by two youngsters. Some residents yell “woo hoo!” at the cars, while others take videos.
Twice a week, the friends take their vehicle protest parade to the streets, a different route each time to reach as many people as possible. They’ve been at it since June 12 and have no plans to stop. For them it’s personal. Ms. Hayes is the grandmother of 17-year-old Quanice Hayes. Her grandson was fatally shot by police in 2017.
Why We Wrote This There’s a different side to Portland protests than shown on TV. Our reporter joined a twice-weekly peaceful protest caravan organized by the grandmother of a teenager killed by police.
“We fight against police brutality,” she says simply, taping protest signs onto a red Prius before the cars roll out at 6 p.m.
Ms. Hayes has written a play, turned into a digital movie, “Silent Voices,” about nine people killed by police who return to tell their story.
This week, after news circulated that a grand jury had issued only one indictment, for “wanton endangerment,” in the killing of Breonna Taylor – and that not directly related to her death – many cars in the caravan displayed signs of her. The medical worker was fatally shot by Louisville, Kentucky, police in March during a botched raid on her apartment. “Say her name! Breonna Taylor!” drivers shouted from caravan bullhorns.
On Sept. 9, the caravan, hazard lights flashing, is on the small side. About 17 cars line up in a community college parking lot, as smoke builds from wildfires in the next county. Most of the participants are white, as is Portland itself. Usually 40 to 50 drivers show up on Wednesdays and 70 to 100 on Saturday afternoons. They demonstrate the consistency and determination that those pushing for racial justice say is necessary for change. In a pandemic, the caravan also allows those who may not be willing or able to take part in a mass in-person demonstration to do so.
Francine Kiefer/The Christian Science Monitor View caption Hide caption Richard Seekins and his wife, Judi, get ready for another ride in a twice-weekly caravan to protest police brutality and promote racial justice in Portland on Sept. 9, 2020. The caravan is an opportunity to make voices heard without going to mass demonstrations during a pandemic.
Those would be people like Richard and Judi Seekins, married for 54 years, who have missed only one caravan since it started. They haven’t done anything like this since the Vietnam War.
“I’m a certain demographic, and I want people to know that all demographics in the community support this,” says Mr. Seekins, masked up and standing outside his white Toyota Prius before the caravan takes off. The couple is struck by the “amazing support” the caravan receives in each neighborhood, and Mr. Seekins quotes civil rights icon John Lewis about their “necessary” stand.
Those who protest peacefully and consistently are making people realize that “there is something to this,” says Mr. Seekins. He wants people to know that Portland is not on fire with violence or a city in chaos. At the same time, he’s distressed by “people who are taking advantage of this to make trouble.” They’re distracting from the original Black Lives Matter message, he says, causing the movement to “lose too much impact” right at a moment when the country may be at a “tipping point” toward greater racial justice.
Grace Julian is a college student and volunteer organizer with the group, which goes by the name PDX Car Caravan Protest. Were it not for the pandemic, Ms. Julian would be studying in Prague. Instead, she is home with her parents. She would have liked to have gone downtown to the protests this summer, but to protect her mother’s health, she did not think that was wise.
The caravan allows her to take part in the BLM movement. And she believes there’s power in consistent protest by “the little people.” It moves larger groups, like the National Basketball Association, which came to a temporary halt this summer. “That is big.”
“I’m learning so much,” she says. “I’m getting real world experience organizing people.” To make sure that her message includes action steps, she writes “vote.org” and a telephone number on her windows and signs.
Adrienne Flagg, the logistical mastermind behind the rolling protest, says the twice-weekly caravan “normalizes” the message that Black lives matter. By going around different neighborhoods, “we’re bringing it to them, not just downtown.”
Before the cars depart, she instructs a newcomer not to engage if someone tries to stop the group. “If one person is flipping you off, that’s their deal,” she says.
It can get tense. In August, a man in a pickup truck moved his vehicle back and forth across a neighborhood street to block the group. Quanice Hayes’ great-grandmother, Sylvia Dollarson, got out of her car and approached the man. She asked him to stop; he reached for a gun and pointed it at her, she recalls. Eventually, the caravan went around the pick-up truck and the man left. The episode was taped by a bystander and appeared on the local news.
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But this great-grandmother is not giving up.
“I’m 77 years old. If I’m 107, I’ll still be driving if they haven’t made some changes.”


csmonitor--2020-09-25--Kim Jong Un apologizes to South Korea over shooting incident

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un apologized Friday over the killing of a South Korea official who was apparently trying to defect near the rivals ’ disputed sea boundary , saying he ’ s “ very sorry ” about the incident , South Korean officials said .
It ’ s extremely unusual for a North Korean leader to apologize to South Korea on any issue .
Mr. Kim ’ s move will likely de-escalate tensions between the Koreas as it ’ s expected to ease anti-North sentiments in South Korea as well as mounting criticism of its liberal President Moon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the State Affairs Commission chairman , feels very sorry to give big disappointment to President Moon Jae-in and South Korean citizens because an unexpected , unfortunate incident happened ” at a time when South Korea is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic , Moon adviser Suh Hoon cited the North Korean message as saying .
South Korea earlier accused North Korea of fatally shooting one of its public servants who was likely trying to defect and burning his body after finding him on a floating object in North Korean waters on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an “ atrocious act ” and pressed North Korea to punish those responsible .
According to the North Korean message , North Korean troops first fired blanks after the man found in the North ’ s waters refused to answer other than saying he ’ s from South Korea a couple of times .
Then , as he made moves to flee , the North Korean troops fired 10 rounds .
When they came near the floating object , they only found lots of blood but no sign of him .
The troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floating object in line with anti-coronavirus rules , according to the North Korean message read by Mr .
Suh .
Senior South Korean military officer Ahn Young Ho told a parliamentary committee meeting Thursday that North Korea killed the man likely because of elevated anti-coronavirus measures that involve “ indiscriminate shooting ” at anyone approaching its borders illegally .
Defense Minister Suh Wook said at the same meeting that the official was believed to have tried to defect because he left his shoes on the ship , put on a life jacket , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Suh also cited circumstantial evidence indicating the defection attempt .
Some experts say there wasn ’ t enough proof to conclude he tried to cross over to North Korea .
Mr. Kim ’ s message said North Korea “ can not not help expressing big regrets ” over the fact South Korea had used “ blasphemous and confrontational words like ‘ atrocious act ’ ” to condemn the North before asking it to explain details of the incident .
But it said North Korea is still sorry about such an incident happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent trust between the countries from collapsing .
The presidential Blue House said Friday that Mr .
Moon and Mr. Kim had recently exchanged letters before the latest incident .
In his letter , Mr. Kim expressed worries about coronavirus outbreaks and typhoon damage in South Korea and wished Mr .
Moon a good health .
“ Kim Jong Un ’ s supposed apology reduces the risk of escalation between the two Koreas and keeps the Moon government ’ s hopes for engagement alive , ” Leif-Eric Easley , a professor at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The shooting incident was also turning South Korean public opinion against offering peace and humanitarian assistance to Pyongyang.
” North Korea has previously expressed “ regrets ” when it wanted to lower tensions triggered by incidents involving South Korean casualties , such as the 2015 front-line mine blasts that maimed two South Korean soldiers and the 2008 shooting death of a South Korean tourist in North Korea .
But it ’ s rare for a North Korean leader to do so .
In 2002 , Kim Jong Il , the late father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt “ sorry ” about a failed 1968 attempt to assassinate South Korean President Park Chung-hee .
In 1974 , Kim Il Sung , Kim Jong Un ’ s grandfather , also said he was “ very sorry ” when he met Mr. Park ’ s spy chief in Pyongyang .
Before Mr. Kim ’ s apology , Mr.
Moon ’ s government faced withering criticism by conservatives following its admission that officials already had acquired intelligence indicating the official ’ s death right after it happened .
Conservatives lambasted the government for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to spoil the atmosphere ahead of Mr.
Moon ’ s speech at the virtual U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday , during which he repeated his calls for declaring an end of the Korean War in a bid to build a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula .
Kim Chong-in , a leader of the main conservative opposition People Power Party , called the official ’ s killing “ a national security disaster ” that was caused by Mr.
Moon ’ s “ rosy illusion about North Korea.
” The Blue House said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do with the incident because it had been prerecorded and conveyed to the U.N. days before the man disappeared from a government ship on Monday .
Mr .
Suh , the defense minister , said authorities also needed time to analyze intelligence before formally holding North Korea responsible .
Since taking office in 2017 , Mr .
Moon has been pushing hard for warmer ties with North Korea and a negotiated settlement of the North ’ s nuclear crisis .
His engagement policy once helped produce a flurry of rare exchange programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly stalled amid a deadlock in broader nuclear diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington .
Little is known about the slain official , except that he was a father of two who left behind some debts , according to authorities .
Maritime police said Friday they were checking the man ’ s cellphone records , bank accounts , and insurance programs .
The coast guard says it was searching waters near the boundary in case the official ’ s body drifts back .
The western sea boundary is where several bloody inter-Korean naval skirmishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred in past years .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un apologized Friday over the killing of a South Korea official who was apparently trying to defect near the rivals’ disputed sea boundary, saying he’s “very sorry” about the incident, South Korean officials said.
It’s extremely unusual for a North Korean leader to apologize to South Korea on any issue. Mr. Kim’s move will likely de-escalate tensions between the Koreas as it’s expected to ease anti-North sentiments in South Korea as well as mounting criticism of its liberal President Moon Jae-in.
“Comrade Kim Jong Un, the State Affairs Commission chairman, feels very sorry to give big disappointment to President Moon Jae-in and South Korean citizens because an unexpected, unfortunate incident happened” at a time when South Korea is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, Moon adviser Suh Hoon cited the North Korean message as saying.
South Korea earlier accused North Korea of fatally shooting one of its public servants who was likely trying to defect and burning his body after finding him on a floating object in North Korean waters on Tuesday. South Korean officials condemned what they called an “atrocious act” and pressed North Korea to punish those responsible.
According to the North Korean message, North Korean troops first fired blanks after the man found in the North’s waters refused to answer other than saying he’s from South Korea a couple of times. Then, as he made moves to flee, the North Korean troops fired 10 rounds. When they came near the floating object, they only found lots of blood but no sign of him.
The troops determined he was dead and burned the floating object in line with anti-coronavirus rules, according to the North Korean message read by Mr. Suh.
Senior South Korean military officer Ahn Young Ho told a parliamentary committee meeting Thursday that North Korea killed the man likely because of elevated anti-coronavirus measures that involve “indiscriminate shooting” at anyone approaching its borders illegally.
Defense Minister Suh Wook said at the same meeting that the official was believed to have tried to defect because he left his shoes on the ship, put on a life jacket, and boarded a floating object. Mr. Suh also cited circumstantial evidence indicating the defection attempt. Some experts say there wasn’t enough proof to conclude he tried to cross over to North Korea.
Mr. Kim’s message said North Korea “cannot not help expressing big regrets” over the fact South Korea had used “blasphemous and confrontational words like ‘atrocious act’” to condemn the North before asking it to explain details of the incident. But it said North Korea is still sorry about such an incident happening on its territory and will take steps to prevent trust between the countries from collapsing.
The presidential Blue House said Friday that Mr. Moon and Mr. Kim had recently exchanged letters before the latest incident. In his letter, Mr. Kim expressed worries about coronavirus outbreaks and typhoon damage in South Korea and wished Mr. Moon a good health.
“Kim Jong Un’s supposed apology reduces the risk of escalation between the two Koreas and keeps the Moon government’s hopes for engagement alive,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said. “The shooting incident was also turning South Korean public opinion against offering peace and humanitarian assistance to Pyongyang.”
North Korea has previously expressed “regrets” when it wanted to lower tensions triggered by incidents involving South Korean casualties, such as the 2015 front-line mine blasts that maimed two South Korean soldiers and the 2008 shooting death of a South Korean tourist in North Korea. But it’s rare for a North Korean leader to do so.
In 2002, Kim Jong Il, the late father of Kim Jong Un, said he felt “sorry” about a failed 1968 attempt to assassinate South Korean President Park Chung-hee. In 1974, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un’s grandfather, also said he was “very sorry” when he met Mr. Park’s spy chief in Pyongyang.
Before Mr. Kim’s apology, Mr. Moon’s government faced withering criticism by conservatives following its admission that officials already had acquired intelligence indicating the official’s death right after it happened. Conservatives lambasted the government for allegedly deliberately withholding the information so as not to spoil the atmosphere ahead of Mr. Moon’s speech at the virtual U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, during which he repeated his calls for declaring an end of the Korean War in a bid to build a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Kim Chong-in, a leader of the main conservative opposition People Power Party, called the official’s killing “a national security disaster” that was caused by Mr. Moon’s “rosy illusion about North Korea.”
The Blue House said Mr. Moon’s speech has nothing to do with the incident because it had been prerecorded and conveyed to the U.N. days before the man disappeared from a government ship on Monday. Mr. Suh, the defense minister, said authorities also needed time to analyze intelligence before formally holding North Korea responsible.
Since taking office in 2017, Mr. Moon has been pushing hard for warmer ties with North Korea and a negotiated settlement of the North’s nuclear crisis. His engagement policy once helped produce a flurry of rare exchange programs with North Korea, but they were nearly stalled amid a deadlock in broader nuclear diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington.
Little is known about the slain official, except that he was a father of two who left behind some debts, according to authorities. Maritime police said Friday they were checking the man’s cellphone records, bank accounts, and insurance programs.
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The coast guard says it was searching waters near the boundary in case the official’s body drifts back. The western sea boundary is where several bloody inter-Korean naval skirmishes and deadly attacks blamed on North Korea occurred in past years.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-09-25--Louisville protesters: More must be done for Breonna Taylor

Some of them raised their fists and called out “ Black lives matter !
” Others tended to the letters , flowers , and signs grouped together in a square in downtown Louisville .
All of them said her name : Breonna Taylor .
People dismayed that the officers who shot the Black woman in her apartment during a drug raid last March wouldn ’ t be charged with her death vowed to persist in their fight for justice .
The big question for a town torn apart by Ms. Taylor ’ s death and the larger issue of racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many turned to the streets – as they did in several United States cities – to call for reforms to combat racist policing .
“ We ’ ve got to take it lying down that the law won ’ t protect us , that they can get away with killing us , ” said Lavel White , a regular protester in downtown Louisville who is Black .
He was drawn to a march Thursday night because he was devastated by a grand jury ’ s decision a day earlier not to charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t get justice for Breonna Taylor , can we get justice for anybody ?
” He was angry that police in riot gear were out in force when protesters had been peaceful as they streamed through the streets of downtown Louisville past a nighttime curfew .
Demonstrators also gathered in places like Los Angeles where a vehicle ran through a crowd of protesters , injuring one person .
In Portland , Oregon – a city that has seen many protests since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis – a fire was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms. Taylor , a Black woman who was an emergency medical worker , was shot multiple times by white officers after Ms. Taylor ’ s boyfriend fired at them , authorities said .
He said he didn ’ t know who was coming in and opened fire in self-defense , wounding one officer .
Police entered on a warrant connected to a suspect who did not live there , and no drugs were found inside .
State Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Wednesday that the investigation showed officers acted in self-defense .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged with firing into a neighboring apartment .
The FBI is still investigating whether Ms. Taylor ’ s civil rights were violated .
But the burden of proof for such cases is very high , with prosecutors having to prove officers knew they were acting illegally and made a willful decision to cause someone ’ s death .
While there was despair after the decision in Ms. Taylor ’ s case , others saw reasons to hope .
Reginique Jones said she ’ ll keep pressing for increased police accountability and for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warrants – the kind issued in the Taylor case , though the state attorney general said the investigation showed police announced themselves before busting into her apartment .
“ I believe that we are going to get past this , ” Ms. Jones said as she returned Thursday to the park in downtown Louisville that has been at the center of the protests .
“ We can still get some justice.
” Ms. Taylor ’ s family planned to speak Friday in the park that ’ s become known as Injustice Square .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. over bringing justice for Black Americans killed by authorities and the laws that allow officers to be charged , which regularly favor police .
Since Ms. Taylor ’ s killing , Louisville has taken some steps to address protesters ’ concerns .
In addition to the officer who was fired and later charged , three others were put on desk duty .
Officials have banned no-knock warrants and hired a Black woman as the permanent police chief – a first for the city .
Louisville also agreed to more police reforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 12 million for Ms. Taylor ’ s family .
But many have expressed frustration that more has not been done .
And so they took to the streets .
Louisville police in riot gear barricaded roads and cars honked as the crowd marched past a nighttime curfew .
Officers blocked the exits of a church where protesters gathered to avoid arrest for violating the curfew .
Several people were detained , including state Rep. Attica Scott , a Louisville Democrat .
Ms. Scott unveiled legislation recently that would ban the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measure , called Breonna ’ s Law in honor of Ms. Taylor , also would require drug and alcohol testing of officers involving in shootings and deadly incidents , and require that body cameras be worn during the execution of all search warrants .
Police eventually pulled back late Thursday after negotiating with demonstrators to end the protest .
At least 24 people were arrested as of 1 a.m. Friday , police said .
Authorities alleged the protesters broke windows at a restaurant , damaged city buses , tried to set a fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ street .
Earlier , it got heated between some protesters and a group of 12 to 15 armed white people wearing military-style uniforms , but it didn ’ t turn physical .
The curfew will last through the weekend , and Gov .
Andy Beshear called up the National Guard for “ limited missions.
” Peaceful protests a night earlier gave way to some destruction and violence .
Two officers were shot and were expected to recover .
Larynzo D. Johnson was charged and he ’ s scheduled to be in court Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawyer for him .
In the Louisville square where protesters often gather , Rose Henderson has been looking after the flowers , signs , and letters placed at a memorial for Ms. Taylor and hopes officials won ’ t try to remove them .
“ We ’ re going to stay out here and hold this place , ” Ms. Henderson said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writers Rebecca Reynolds Yonker , Piper Hudspeth Blackburn , Bruce Schreiner , and John Minchillo in Louisville , Kentucky ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Aaron Morrison in New York ; and Haleluya Hadero in Lancaster , Pennsylvania , contributed .

Claire Galorar, Dylan Lovan, and Angie Want

Some of them raised their fists and called out “Black lives matter!” Others tended to the letters, flowers, and signs grouped together in a square in downtown Louisville. All of them said her name: Breonna Taylor.
People dismayed that the officers who shot the Black woman in her apartment during a drug raid last March wouldn’t be charged with her death vowed to persist in their fight for justice. The big question for a town torn apart by Ms. Taylor’s death and the larger issue of racism in America was how to move forward.
Many turned to the streets – as they did in several United States cities – to call for reforms to combat racist policing.
“We’ve got to take it lying down that the law won’t protect us, that they can get away with killing us,” said Lavel White, a regular protester in downtown Louisville who is Black. He was drawn to a march Thursday night because he was devastated by a grand jury’s decision a day earlier not to charge the officers. “If we can’t get justice for Breonna Taylor, can we get justice for anybody?”
He was angry that police in riot gear were out in force when protesters had been peaceful as they streamed through the streets of downtown Louisville past a nighttime curfew. Demonstrators also gathered in places like Los Angeles where a vehicle ran through a crowd of protesters, injuring one person. In Portland, Oregon – a city that has seen many protests since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis – a fire was set at a police union building.
Ms. Taylor, a Black woman who was an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by white officers after Ms. Taylor’s boyfriend fired at them, authorities said. He said he didn’t know who was coming in and opened fire in self-defense, wounding one officer. Police entered on a warrant connected to a suspect who did not live there, and no drugs were found inside.
State Attorney General Daniel Cameron said Wednesday that the investigation showed officers acted in self-defense. One officer who has already been fired was charged with firing into a neighboring apartment.
The FBI is still investigating whether Ms. Taylor’s civil rights were violated. But the burden of proof for such cases is very high, with prosecutors having to prove officers knew they were acting illegally and made a willful decision to cause someone’s death.
While there was despair after the decision in Ms. Taylor’s case, others saw reasons to hope.
Reginique Jones said she’ll keep pressing for increased police accountability and for a statewide ban on “no knock” warrants – the kind issued in the Taylor case, though the state attorney general said the investigation showed police announced themselves before busting into her apartment.
“I believe that we are going to get past this,” Ms. Jones said as she returned Thursday to the park in downtown Louisville that has been at the center of the protests. “We can still get some justice.”
Ms. Taylor’s family planned to speak Friday in the park that’s become known as Injustice Square.
The case has exposed the divide in the U.S. over bringing justice for Black Americans killed by authorities and the laws that allow officers to be charged, which regularly favor police.
Since Ms. Taylor’s killing, Louisville has taken some steps to address protesters’ concerns. In addition to the officer who was fired and later charged, three others were put on desk duty. Officials have banned no-knock warrants and hired a Black woman as the permanent police chief – a first for the city.
Louisville also agreed to more police reforms as it settled a lawsuit that included $12 million for Ms. Taylor’s family. But many have expressed frustration that more has not been done.
And so they took to the streets.
Louisville police in riot gear barricaded roads and cars honked as the crowd marched past a nighttime curfew. Officers blocked the exits of a church where protesters gathered to avoid arrest for violating the curfew.
Several people were detained, including state Rep. Attica Scott, a Louisville Democrat. Ms. Scott unveiled legislation recently that would ban the use of no-knock search warrants in Kentucky. The measure, called Breonna’s Law in honor of Ms. Taylor, also would require drug and alcohol testing of officers involving in shootings and deadly incidents, and require that body cameras be worn during the execution of all search warrants.
Police eventually pulled back late Thursday after negotiating with demonstrators to end the protest.
At least 24 people were arrested as of 1 a.m. Friday, police said. Authorities alleged the protesters broke windows at a restaurant, damaged city buses, tried to set a fire, and threw a flare into the street.
Earlier, it got heated between some protesters and a group of 12 to 15 armed white people wearing military-style uniforms, but it didn’t turn physical.
The curfew will last through the weekend, and Gov. Andy Beshear called up the National Guard for “limited missions.”
Peaceful protests a night earlier gave way to some destruction and violence. Two officers were shot and were expected to recover.
Larynzo D. Johnson was charged and he’s scheduled to be in court Friday. Court records did not list a lawyer for him.
In the Louisville square where protesters often gather, Rose Henderson has been looking after the flowers, signs, and letters placed at a memorial for Ms. Taylor and hopes officials won’t try to remove them.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“We’re going to stay out here and hold this place,” Ms. Henderson said.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writers Rebecca Reynolds Yonker, Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Bruce Schreiner, and John Minchillo in Louisville, Kentucky; Kevin Freking and Michael Balsamo in Washington; Aaron Morrison in New York; and Haleluya Hadero in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, contributed.


csmonitor--2020-09-25--During the coronavirus lockdown, some birds changed their tune

To Allison Injaian , a University of Georgia biologist who was not involved in the research , the study presents “ a great opportunity for all of us to realize the impact that we ourselves are having on the wildlife around us.
” The findings not only reveal how quickly certain birds can adapt to changing environmental conditions , but also illustrate the outsize influence that humans have on other animals .
“ These birds were filling the soundscape that was newly emptied of human noise , ” says Elizabeth Derryberry , a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the study ’ s lead author .
In its place came the birdsongs .
The chirping and twittering were always there , of course , muffled by the sounds of the city .
But now the songs were different .
A study published yesterday found that white-crowned sparrows in San Francisco sang with a broader range , hitting the low notes once drowned out by cars and trucks .
When the researchers compared the songs to archival recordings , they found that some of the birds were singing tunes not heard since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Francisco , the city became muted .
Traffic dwindled , crowds dispersed , fewer planes soared overhead , and the daily roar of industrial civilization receded to a murmur .
When the pandemic began , Elizabeth Derryberry wasn ’ t thinking about her research .
Her focus was on the basics : how to teach remotely as an associate professor at the University of Tennessee , Knoxville ; how to manage the lockdown with her young family ; and how to keep everyone safe and healthy .
But as she scrolled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw a picture of a coyote at the empty Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco .
She recalls thinking , “ Oh my goodness , there really are no cars.
” And as she stared at that image , Dr. Derryberry thought about how quiet it must be nearby without the normal hubbub of traffic – and about the birds she had been studying there .
Along with her colleague David Luther of George Mason University , Dr. Derryberry had been recording the songs of white-crowned sparrows in both the urban setting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County to study how the birds responded to the hum of human-made noise .
They ’ d found that the city sparrows sang more loudly , but with a much more limited range , than their country cousins .
And the shutdown presented an unprecedented opportunity for the researchers to see if those urban birds changed their tune .
Indeed , the urban sparrows took full advantage of the relative silence .
When the research team recorded birdsongs near the Golden Gate Bridge in April and May of this year , they sounded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – from those recorded during previous springs .
Their findings were published Thursday in the journal Science .
“ These birds were filling the soundscape that was newly emptied of human noise , ” Dr. Derryberry says .
“ That was really exciting to see that kind of resilience.
” As people stayed home this spring , many noticed more wildlife around them .
Some pondered whether there were actually more birds , for example , or if the quieter cities just made their songs ( and presence ) more obvious .
Regardless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , even in the most densely populated cities , humans share the world with other creatures .
“ When we ’ re going about our daily lives , we get used to the patterns of the animals that we see , ” says Allison Injaian , a lecturer in the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia , who was not involved in the study .
“ It ’ s pretty hard to know what we ’ re missing out on if that never is visible or audible.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human behavior occurred , ” she says , it presented “ a great opportunity for all of us to realize the impact that we ourselves are having on the wildlife around us.
” Birdsongs are more than just friendly twittering in treetops .
For the birds themselves , their songs encode information crucial to their existence .
White-crowned sparrows , for example , listen to each other ’ s songs to pick potential mates in spring , and as a way to assess the fitness of another male from afar when deciding whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take over his territory .
But in cities , they ’ re typically making a trade-off between the quality of their songs and simply being heard , says Ken Otter , a biologist at University of Northern British Columbia who was not involved in the new study .
“ It ’ s like , ‘ I can either make my song sound really awesome , but nobody can hear it or I can make it audible but make it sound [ inferior ] , ’ ” he says .
Before the shutdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that birds in San Francisco were competing with nearly three times as much noise as those in Marin County .
But when the pandemic closed everything down , there was no difference in noise levels .
They attribute that to less traffic , as the amount of cars passing through had reverted to levels not seen since the 1950s .
As a result , birdsongs could travel much farther .
The researchers found that the birds sang more softly because they didn ’ t have to be louder than the anthropogenic noise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel twice the distance as before the shutdown .
The bandwidth of the trill at the end of the sparrows ’ song is also key to communicating physical fitness to potential mates or rivals .
Researchers found previously that the urban birds limit their trills to higher frequencies so they don ’ t have to compete with the low hum of traffic .
But during the shutdown , the team found that the city sparrows utilized their full range – and when they compared the 2020 songs to historical recordings in the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparrows were singing in ways not heard in the city since the 1970s .
Whether this has a long-term effect remains to be seen , says Dr. Derryberry .
But she plans to study the San Francisco sparrows ’ sounds during the breeding season once again next year .
“ I ’ m really excited to see what happened with the nestlings that learned their songs this year , ” she says .
“ What do they do ?
Do they keep those sexy songs ?
Do they modify them to transmit better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Can they do that ?
Birds don ’ t just adjust their songs ’ volume and range .
Research has found that some urban birds will adjust the time of day that they sing to avoid rush hour .
“ There are multiple strategies that birds can use to still be able to acoustically communicate , ” Dr. Injaian says .
“ And maybe that behavioral plasticity , that ability to change their behavior in this disturbed environment , allows them to evade any negative consequences .
But we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be negative consequences in the long term that haven ’ t shown up yet , ” or perhaps it ’ s species-specific and other bird species are unable to cope with such noise at all .
Still , she adds , “ One of the fascinating things about this study is that it shows that these birds are highly capable of acclimating to a new environment .
We as humans changed our behavior , and we almost immediately saw a response in the behavior of these wild animals .
And that , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope.
” Studies like this one , Dr .
Otter says , can also help give us direction .
“ It ’ s really important for understanding how we can move forward with planning , ” he says , “ so that we can create spaces that not only attract the birds , but allow them to be successful.
” “ We do have a sort of finite amount of space on the planet , ” he adds , “ and as we increase the amount of it that ’ s urbanized , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of is also making allowance for space for other organisms other than just people .
”

To Allison Injaian, a University of Georgia biologist who was not involved in the research, the study presents “a great opportunity for all of us to realize the impact that we ourselves are having on the wildlife around us.”
The findings not only reveal how quickly certain birds can adapt to changing environmental conditions, but also illustrate the outsize influence that humans have on other animals.
“These birds were filling the soundscape that was newly emptied of human noise,” says Elizabeth Derryberry, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the study’s lead author.
The pandemic has forced a huge swath of humanity to drastically change daily routines. It turns out that nonhuman animals, too, are shifting their behavior.
In its place came the birdsongs. The chirping and twittering were always there, of course, muffled by the sounds of the city. But now the songs were different. A study published yesterday found that white-crowned sparrows in San Francisco sang with a broader range, hitting the low notes once drowned out by cars and trucks. When the researchers compared the songs to archival recordings, they found that some of the birds were singing tunes not heard since the 1970s.
When the lockdown arrived in San Francisco, the city became muted. Traffic dwindled, crowds dispersed, fewer planes soared overhead, and the daily roar of industrial civilization receded to a murmur.
When the pandemic began, Elizabeth Derryberry wasn’t thinking about her research. Her focus was on the basics: how to teach remotely as an associate professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; how to manage the lockdown with her young family; and how to keep everyone safe and healthy.
But as she scrolled through social media one evening, she saw a picture of a coyote at the empty Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. She recalls thinking, “Oh my goodness, there really are no cars.” And as she stared at that image, Dr. Derryberry thought about how quiet it must be nearby without the normal hubbub of traffic – and about the birds she had been studying there.
Along with her colleague David Luther of George Mason University, Dr. Derryberry had been recording the songs of white-crowned sparrows in both the urban setting of San Francisco and the more rural Marin County to study how the birds responded to the hum of human-made noise. They’d found that the city sparrows sang more loudly, but with a much more limited range, than their country cousins. And the shutdown presented an unprecedented opportunity for the researchers to see if those urban birds changed their tune.
Why We Wrote This The pandemic has forced a huge swath of humanity to drastically change daily routines. It turns out that nonhuman animals, too, are shifting their behavior.
Indeed, the urban sparrows took full advantage of the relative silence. When the research team recorded birdsongs near the Golden Gate Bridge in April and May of this year, they sounded notably different – and of higher quality – from those recorded during previous springs. Their findings were published Thursday in the journal Science.
JN Phillips View caption Hide caption Jennifer Phillips, a postdoctoral researcher at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, records white-crowned sparrow songs in San Francisco during the COVID-19 shutdown. As the shutdown muted the city's usual sounds, the birds started including lower frequencies in their songs.
“These birds were filling the soundscape that was newly emptied of human noise,” Dr. Derryberry says. “That was really exciting to see that kind of resilience.”
As people stayed home this spring, many noticed more wildlife around them. Some pondered whether there were actually more birds, for example, or if the quieter cities just made their songs (and presence) more obvious. Regardless, the shutdown yielded a renewed awareness that, even in the most densely populated cities, humans share the world with other creatures.
“When we’re going about our daily lives, we get used to the patterns of the animals that we see,” says Allison Injaian, a lecturer in the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, who was not involved in the study. “It’s pretty hard to know what we’re missing out on if that never is visible or audible.”
“But when this really unprecedented shift in human behavior occurred,” she says, it presented “a great opportunity for all of us to realize the impact that we ourselves are having on the wildlife around us.”
Softer songs in silent cities
Birdsongs are more than just friendly twittering in treetops. For the birds themselves, their songs encode information crucial to their existence.
White-crowned sparrows, for example, listen to each other’s songs to pick potential mates in spring, and as a way to assess the fitness of another male from afar when deciding whether or not to fight him to try to take over his territory.
JN Phillips View caption Hide caption A white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) sings to defend his territory and attract mates in San Francisco.
But in cities, they’re typically making a trade-off between the quality of their songs and simply being heard, says Ken Otter, a biologist at University of Northern British Columbia who was not involved in the new study. “It’s like, ‘I can either make my song sound really awesome, but nobody can hear it or I can make it audible but make it sound [inferior],’” he says.
Before the shutdown, Dr. Derryberry and Dr. Luther found that birds in San Francisco were competing with nearly three times as much noise as those in Marin County. But when the pandemic closed everything down, there was no difference in noise levels. They attribute that to less traffic, as the amount of cars passing through had reverted to levels not seen since the 1950s.
As a result, birdsongs could travel much farther. The researchers found that the birds sang more softly because they didn’t have to be louder than the anthropogenic noise, and even still, their songs could travel twice the distance as before the shutdown.
The bandwidth of the trill at the end of the sparrows’ song is also key to communicating physical fitness to potential mates or rivals. Researchers found previously that the urban birds limit their trills to higher frequencies so they don’t have to compete with the low hum of traffic. But during the shutdown, the team found that the city sparrows utilized their full range – and when they compared the 2020 songs to historical recordings in the area, they found that some of the sparrows were singing in ways not heard in the city since the 1970s.
Whether this has a long-term effect remains to be seen, says Dr. Derryberry. But she plans to study the San Francisco sparrows’ sounds during the breeding season once again next year. “I’m really excited to see what happened with the nestlings that learned their songs this year,” she says. “What do they do? Do they keep those sexy songs? Do they modify them to transmit better as those noise levels go back up? Can they do that?
Adapting on the fly
Birds don’t just adjust their songs’ volume and range. Research has found that some urban birds will adjust the time of day that they sing to avoid rush hour.
“There are multiple strategies that birds can use to still be able to acoustically communicate,” Dr. Injaian says.
“And maybe that behavioral plasticity, that ability to change their behavior in this disturbed environment, allows them to evade any negative consequences. But we don’t necessarily know that yet. There might be negative consequences in the long term that haven’t shown up yet,” or perhaps it’s species-specific and other bird species are unable to cope with such noise at all.
Still, she adds, “One of the fascinating things about this study is that it shows that these birds are highly capable of acclimating to a new environment. We as humans changed our behavior, and we almost immediately saw a response in the behavior of these wild animals. And that, I think, can be a source of hope.”
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Studies like this one, Dr. Otter says, can also help give us direction. “It’s really important for understanding how we can move forward with planning,” he says, “so that we can create spaces that not only attract the birds, but allow them to be successful.”
“We do have a sort of finite amount of space on the planet,” he adds, “and as we increase the amount of it that’s urbanized, what we really need to be conscious of is also making allowance for space for other organisms other than just people.”


csmonitor--2020-09-25--Federal judge gives census count another month

A federal judge has stopped the 2020 census from finishing at the end of September and ordered the once-a-decade head count of every United States resident to continue for another month through the end of October , saying a shortened schedule likely would produce inaccurate results .
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in California made her ruling late Thursday , two days after hearing arguments from attorneys for the Census Bureau , and attorneys for civil rights groups and local governments that had sued the statistical agency in an effort to halt the 2020 census from stopping at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil rights groups and local governments said the shortened schedule would undercount residents in minority and hard-to-count communities .
Judge Koh said inaccuracies produced from a shortened schedule would affect the distribution of federal funding and political representation .
The census is used to determine how $ 1.5 trillion in federal spending is distributed each year and how many congressional seats each state gets .
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March , around the same time the census started for most U.S. residents , the bureau had planned to complete the 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In response to the pandemic , it extended the deadline to the end of October .
That changed to the end of September after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to take up a request from the Census Bureau to extend the Dec. 31 deadline for turning over the numbers used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets .
Attorneys for the Census Bureau had argued that the census must finish by the end of September to meet the Dec. 31 deadline .
Judge Koh ’ s preliminary injunction suspends that end-of-the-year deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California-based judge had previously issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Census Bureau from winding down field operations until she made a ruling in the lawsuit .
Attorneys for the Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce , which oversees the agency , had said during the hearing they would likely appeal if the ruling went against their position .
The Commerce Department didn ’ t immediately respond to an email inquiry early Friday .
The civil rights groups and local governments alleged that the decision to shorten the schedule was made to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr. Trump ’ s order tried to exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment .
A three-judge panel in New York blocked Mr. Trump ’ s directive earlier this month , saying it was unlawful .
The Trump administration is appealing to the Supreme Court .
“ The court ’ s decision ensures that our underrepresented and most vulnerable communities will not be disadvantaged by an unfair and incomplete census count , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , which represented some of the plaintiffs .
“ The court ’ s decision repudiates the 11th hour actions of the Trump administration and makes clear that our democracy turns on achieving a full and fair count of all people across our nation.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .

A federal judge has stopped the 2020 census from finishing at the end of September and ordered the once-a-decade head count of every United States resident to continue for another month through the end of October, saying a shortened schedule likely would produce inaccurate results.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in California made her ruling late Thursday, two days after hearing arguments from attorneys for the Census Bureau, and attorneys for civil rights groups and local governments that had sued the statistical agency in an effort to halt the 2020 census from stopping at the end of the month.
Attorneys for the civil rights groups and local governments said the shortened schedule would undercount residents in minority and hard-to-count communities.
Judge Koh said inaccuracies produced from a shortened schedule would affect the distribution of federal funding and political representation. The census is used to determine how $1.5 trillion in federal spending is distributed each year and how many congressional seats each state gets.
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, around the same time the census started for most U.S. residents, the bureau had planned to complete the 2020 census by the end of July. In response to the pandemic, it extended the deadline to the end of October. That changed to the end of September after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to take up a request from the Census Bureau to extend the Dec. 31 deadline for turning over the numbers used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets.
Attorneys for the Census Bureau had argued that the census must finish by the end of September to meet the Dec. 31 deadline.
Judge Koh’s preliminary injunction suspends that end-of-the-year deadline, too. The San Jose, California-based judge had previously issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Census Bureau from winding down field operations until she made a ruling in the lawsuit.
Attorneys for the Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce, which oversees the agency, had said during the hearing they would likely appeal if the ruling went against their position. The Commerce Department didn’t immediately respond to an email inquiry early Friday.
The civil rights groups and local governments alleged that the decision to shorten the schedule was made to accommodate a directive from President Donald Trump. Mr. Trump’s order tried to exclude people in the country illegally from the numbers used for deciding how many congressional seats each state gets in a process known as apportionment. A three-judge panel in New York blocked Mr. Trump’s directive earlier this month, saying it was unlawful. The Trump administration is appealing to the Supreme Court.
“The court’s decision ensures that our underrepresented and most vulnerable communities will not be disadvantaged by an unfair and incomplete census count,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which represented some of the plaintiffs. “The court’s decision repudiates the 11th hour actions of the Trump administration and makes clear that our democracy turns on achieving a full and fair count of all people across our nation.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-09-26--Trump picks Amy Coney Barrett, launching court confirmation battle

President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Saturday , capping a dramatic reshaping of the federal judiciary that will resonate for a generation and that he hopes will provide a needed boost to his reelection effort .
Republican senators are already lining up for a swift confirmation of Barrett ahead of the Nov. 3 election , as they aim to lock in conservative gains in the federal judiciary before a potential transition of power .
Trump , meanwhile , is hoping the nomination will serve to galvanize his supporters as he looks to fend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump hailed Barrett as “ a woman of remarkable intellect and character , ” saying he had studied her record closely before making the pick .
“ I looked and I studied , and you are very eminently qualified , ” he said as Barrett stood next to him in the Rose Garden .
An ideological heir to the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia , Barrett would fill the seat vacated after the Sept. 18 death of liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsberg , in what would be the sharpest ideological swing since Clarence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades ago .
She would be the sixth justice on the nine-member court to be appointed by a Republican president , and the third of Trump ’ s first term in office .
For Trump , whose 2016 victory hinged in large part on reluctant support from conservative and white evangelicals on the promise of filling Scalia 's seat with a conservative , the latest nomination in some ways brings his first term full circle .
Even before Ginsburg ’ s death , Trump was running on having confirmed in excess of 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conservative legal activists .
“ This is my third such nomination after Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh , and it is a very proud moment indeed , '' Trump said in the Rose Garden .
Trump joked that the confirmation process ahead “ should be easy ” and “ extremely noncontroversial , '' though it is likely to be anything but that .
No court nominee has been considered so close to a presidential election before , with early voting already underway .
He encouraged Democrats to take up her nomination swiftly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partisan attacks.
” In 2016 , Republicans blocked President Barack Obama ’ s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court to fill the election-year vacancy , saying voters should have a say in the lifetime appointment .
Senate Republicans say they will move ahead , arguing the circumstances are different now that the White House and Senate are controlled by the same party .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote “ in the weeks ahead ” on Barrett ’ s confirmation , adding that Trump “ could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominating the appellate court judge .
The announcement came before Ginsburg was buried beside her husband next week at Arlington National Cemetery .
On Friday , she was the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol , and mourners flocked to the Supreme Court for two days before that to pay respects .
The set design , with large American flags hung between the Rose Garden colonnades , appeared to be modeled on the way the White House was decorated when President Bill Clinton named Ginsburg as his nominee in 1993 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humbled ” by the nomination , adding that she would be “ mindful of who came before me . ''
She praised Ginsburg upon accepting the nomination , saying , “ She has won the admiration of women across the country and indeed all across the world . ''
Within hours of Ginsburg ’ s death , Trump made clear he would nominate a woman for the seat , and later volunteered he was considering five candidates .
But Barrett was the early favorite , and the only one to meet with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 , when Trump nominated her to the Chicago-based 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals .
But as a longtime University of Notre Dame law professor , she had already established herself as a reliable conservative in the mold of Scalia , for whom she clerked in the late 1990s .
She would be the only justice on the current court not to have received her law degree from an Ivy League school .
The eight current justices all attended either Harvard or Yale .
The staunch conservative had become known to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 appeals court confirmation included allegations that Democrats were attacking her Catholic faith .
The president also interviewed her in 2018 for the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy , but Trump ultimately chose Brett Kavanaugh .
Trump and his political allies are itching for another fight over Barrett ’ s faith , seeing it as a political windfall that would backfire on Democrats .
Catholic voters in Pennsylvania , in particular , are viewed as a pivotal demographic in the swing state that Biden , also Catholic , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerless to stop Barrett ’ s confirmation in the GOP-controlled Senate , they are seeking to use the process to weaken Trump ’ s reelection chances .
Barrett 's nomination could become a reckoning over abortion , an issue that has divided many Americans so bitterly for almost half a century .
The idea of overturning or gutting Roe v. Wade , the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion , has animated activists in both parties for decades .
Now , with the seemingly decisive shift in the court ’ s ideological makeup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out in droves because of their frustration with the Barrett pick .
Trump has also increasingly embraced the high court – which he will have had an outsize hand in reshaping – as an insurance policy in a close election .
Increases in mail , absentee , and early voting brought about by the coronavirus pandemic have already led to a flurry of election litigation , and both Trump and Biden have assembled armies of lawyers to continue the fight once vote-counting begins .
Trump has been open about tying his push to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a potentially drawn-out court fight to determine who will be sworn in on Jan. 20 , 2021 .
“ I think this will end up in the Supreme Court , ” Trump said Wednesday of the election , adding , “ And I think it ’ s very important that we have nine justices.
” Meanwhile , outside conservative groups are planning to spend more than $ 25 million to support Trump and his nominee .
The Judicial Crisis Network has organized a coalition that includes American First Policies , the Susan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Growth and the group Catholic Vote to help confirm Barrett , and Trump ’ s campaign is expected to include the nomination in upcoming advertising .
“ In nominating Amy Barrett to the Supreme Court , President Trump has again fulfilled his promise to appoint Justices who are not only exceptionally qualified , but willing to bravely stand up for the Constitution as it ’ s written and not bend to political pressures or personal preferences , '' said the conservative Federalist Society 's Leonard Leo , who has advised Trump on judicial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article was updated throughout , on the evening of Sept. 26 , after President Trump officially announced his nomination for the vacant Supreme Court seat .

Zeke Miller, Lisa Mascaro, and Mary Clare Jalonick

President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Saturday, capping a dramatic reshaping of the federal judiciary that will resonate for a generation and that he hopes will provide a needed boost to his reelection effort.
Republican senators are already lining up for a swift confirmation of Barrett ahead of the Nov. 3 election, as they aim to lock in conservative gains in the federal judiciary before a potential transition of power. Trump, meanwhile, is hoping the nomination will serve to galvanize his supporters as he looks to fend off Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Trump hailed Barrett as “a woman of remarkable intellect and character,” saying he had studied her record closely before making the pick.
“I looked and I studied, and you are very eminently qualified,” he said as Barrett stood next to him in the Rose Garden.
An ideological heir to the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, Barrett would fill the seat vacated after the Sept. 18 death of liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsberg, in what would be the sharpest ideological swing since Clarence Thomas replaced Justice Thurgood Marshall nearly three decades ago. She would be the sixth justice on the nine-member court to be appointed by a Republican president, and the third of Trump’s first term in office.
For Trump, whose 2016 victory hinged in large part on reluctant support from conservative and white evangelicals on the promise of filling Scalia's seat with a conservative, the latest nomination in some ways brings his first term full circle. Even before Ginsburg’s death, Trump was running on having confirmed in excess of 200 federal judges, fulfilling a generational aim of conservative legal activists.
“This is my third such nomination after Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh, and it is a very proud moment indeed," Trump said in the Rose Garden.
Trump joked that the confirmation process ahead “should be easy” and “extremely noncontroversial," though it is likely to be anything but that. No court nominee has been considered so close to a presidential election before, with early voting already underway. He encouraged Democrats to take up her nomination swiftly and to “refrain from personal and partisan attacks.”
In 2016, Republicans blocked President Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court to fill the election-year vacancy, saying voters should have a say in the lifetime appointment. Senate Republicans say they will move ahead, arguing the circumstances are different now that the White House and Senate are controlled by the same party.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote “in the weeks ahead” on Barrett’s confirmation, adding that Trump “could not have made a better decision” in nominating the appellate court judge.
The announcement came before Ginsburg was buried beside her husband next week at Arlington National Cemetery. On Friday, she was the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol, and mourners flocked to the Supreme Court for two days before that to pay respects.
The set design, with large American flags hung between the Rose Garden colonnades, appeared to be modeled on the way the White House was decorated when President Bill Clinton named Ginsburg as his nominee in 1993.
Barrett said she was “truly humbled” by the nomination, adding that she would be “mindful of who came before me." She praised Ginsburg upon accepting the nomination, saying, “She has won the admiration of women across the country and indeed all across the world."
Within hours of Ginsburg’s death, Trump made clear he would nominate a woman for the seat, and later volunteered he was considering five candidates. But Barrett was the early favorite, and the only one to meet with Trump.
Barrett has been a judge since 2017, when Trump nominated her to the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But as a longtime University of Notre Dame law professor, she had already established herself as a reliable conservative in the mold of Scalia, for whom she clerked in the late 1990s.
She would be the only justice on the current court not to have received her law degree from an Ivy League school. The eight current justices all attended either Harvard or Yale.
The staunch conservative had become known to Trump in large part after her bitter 2017 appeals court confirmation included allegations that Democrats were attacking her Catholic faith. The president also interviewed her in 2018 for the vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, but Trump ultimately chose Brett Kavanaugh.
Trump and his political allies are itching for another fight over Barrett’s faith, seeing it as a political windfall that would backfire on Democrats. Catholic voters in Pennsylvania, in particular, are viewed as a pivotal demographic in the swing state that Biden, also Catholic, is trying to recapture.
While Democrats appear powerless to stop Barrett’s confirmation in the GOP-controlled Senate, they are seeking to use the process to weaken Trump’s reelection chances.
Barrett's nomination could become a reckoning over abortion, an issue that has divided many Americans so bitterly for almost half a century. The idea of overturning or gutting Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion, has animated activists in both parties for decades. Now, with the seemingly decisive shift in the court’s ideological makeup, Democrats hope their voters will turn out in droves because of their frustration with the Barrett pick.
Trump has also increasingly embraced the high court – which he will have had an outsize hand in reshaping – as an insurance policy in a close election.
Increases in mail, absentee, and early voting brought about by the coronavirus pandemic have already led to a flurry of election litigation, and both Trump and Biden have assembled armies of lawyers to continue the fight once vote-counting begins. Trump has been open about tying his push to name a third justice to the court to a potentially drawn-out court fight to determine who will be sworn in on Jan. 20, 2021.
“I think this will end up in the Supreme Court,” Trump said Wednesday of the election, adding, “And I think it’s very important that we have nine justices.”
Meanwhile, outside conservative groups are planning to spend more than $25 million to support Trump and his nominee. The Judicial Crisis Network has organized a coalition that includes American First Policies, the Susan B. Anthony List, the Club for Growth and the group Catholic Vote to help confirm Barrett, and Trump’s campaign is expected to include the nomination in upcoming advertising.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“In nominating Amy Barrett to the Supreme Court, President Trump has again fulfilled his promise to appoint Justices who are not only exceptionally qualified, but willing to bravely stand up for the Constitution as it’s written and not bend to political pressures or personal preferences," said the conservative Federalist Society's Leonard Leo, who has advised Trump on judicial appointments.
Editor's note: This article was updated throughout, on the evening of Sept. 26, after President Trump officially announced his nomination for the vacant Supreme Court seat.