csmonitor--2020-02-18--Six years on, Flint works toward justice in water crisis

“ There ’ s certainly a real loss of public confidence among the citizens of Flint toward any governmental authority , ” says Professor Barry Rabe of the University of Michigan .
“ There ’ s no easy resolution to this.
” Attorneys for the defendants claim a “ qualified immunity ” protects them from liability for their decisions .
However , the 6th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that any claim of qualified immunity was overruled by what was perceived as the egregious conduct of the government officials .
The resulting courtroom battles have revolved around two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that their civil rights under the 14th Amendment ’ s due process clause were violated .
In particular , they maintain that their “ bodily integrity ” was harmed by decisions made by officials without regard to human health .
Karen Eaton , a longtime resident of Flint , Michigan , lives in a house built in 1920 .
She ’ s part of a class-action lawsuit stemming from the 2014 switch in the city ’ s water supply .
The change had a detrimental effect on the city ’ s aging pipes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hair loss , lead poisoning , and an outbreak of Legionnaires ’ disease .
“ Somebody needs to be held accountable , ” Ms. Eaton says .
Water coming from faucets in this city is no longer discolored or malodorous .
Truckloads of bottled water from other communities have slowed to a trickle .
These improvements do not mean that Flint ’ s water crisis is over .
Instead , a new and uneasy normal has settled in .
“ One of the lingering effects is the pall that has been cast over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Deborah Conrad , pastor of Woodside Church , a multidenominational congregation in the heart of downtown Flint .
“ It ’ s a kind of a depression , an unwillingness to trust .
There are lingering mental and physical effects we can not measure and won ’ t know for a long time.
” The persistent mistrust from citizens is directed squarely at government officials who were the key players in what a federal appellate court opinion called “ the infamous , government-created disaster commonly known as the Flint Water Crisis.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at the center of an ongoing question that transcends partisan politics in this city of just under 100,000 : What would constitute justice in the Flint water crisis ?
“ There ’ s no easy resolution to this , ” says Barry Rabe , a professor of public and environmental policy at the University of Michigan .
“ Court cases take time .
Cleaning up the water system takes time .
There ’ s certainly a real loss of public confidence among the citizens of Flint toward any governmental authority .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a short-term engineering fix .
It ’ s a rebuilding of public trust and confidence.
” In April 2014 , a state-appointed emergency financial manager with power to supersede local authorities switched Flint ’ s water supply from the city of Detroit to the Flint River , a move that was expected to save the cash-strapped city money .
This water was processed without adding anti-corrosive chemicals and then pumped through the city ’ s aging pipes .
The result was a water supply linked to skin rashes , hair loss , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Legionnaires ’ disease blamed for 12 deaths .
Nearly 80 lawsuits have been filed against the state of Michigan , the city of Flint , and the federal Environmental Protection Agency .
A few citizens have hired their own attorneys , but the vast majority have joined in a class-action suit .
Attorneys for the state and city were attempting to have the civil cases dismissed and had appealed a decision by the 6th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals to allow some of the cases to continue .
In late January , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lower court ’ s decision , meaning that the civil cases can now proceed .
The courtroom battles revolve around two conflicting legal doctrines : bodily integrity and qualified immunity .
The plaintiffs are alleging that their civil rights under the 14th Amendment ’ s due process clause were violated .
In particular , they maintain that their bodily integrity was harmed by decisions made by the officials based solely on saving money and without regard to human health .
The water crisis was another blow to Flint , which calls itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prominence in world automobile manufacturing .
The decline of the U.S. auto industry led to a corresponding decline in the city ’ s population , which has dropped sharply from a high of 196,940 in the 1960 census to 95,943 in a 2018 census estimate .
Theodore Leopold of the law firm Cohen Milstein , one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs in the class-action suit , says bodily integrity refers to the protection of citizens ’ “ inherent and constitutional rights , such as the ability to have clean water and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over another from having these rights.
” Mr. Leopold says his clients are seeking justice for individual injuries along with damages to personal property and businesses affected by water contamination .
Attorneys for the defendants claim a qualified immunity protects them from liability for their decisions .
The 6th Circuit ruled that any claim of qualified immunity was overruled by what was perceived as the egregious conduct of the government officials .
Initially , criminal charges were brought against eight government officials .
Last June , Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by her predecessor , Bill Schuette , was too flawed to pursue .
Those officials may not yet be in the clear .
Ms. Nessel ’ s office is not commenting on the specifics of any future litigation , but communications director Kelly Rossman-McKinney says work is underway in both criminal and civil arenas .
“ We recently opened a satellite office in Flint where members of our team are able to meet with community members as we move forward , ” says Ms. Rossman-McKinney .
Government officials named in the criminal charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the state for Flint .
Six other officials in the state Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services faced charges alleging covering up testing data and emails .
Complaints against higher-level government officials , including former DEQ Director Dan Wyant and former MDHHS Director Nick Lyon , were dismissed by the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Michigan .
Peter Jacobson is professor emeritus of health law and public policy at the University of Michigan .
He was a consultant for the legal team defending Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of misconduct in office and involuntary manslaughter .
“ One of the reasons I wanted to be one of Nick ’ s lawyers was that I felt charging health department officials criminally would have serious adverse public health consequences , ” says Mr. Jacobson , adding that the charges against Mr. Lyon and another MDHHS official , Eden Wells , were never provable .
“ The Flint community wants retribution and accountability .
I agree with that .
But what does that mean ?
Sure , they want to see Nick go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solve anything.
” “ Public health is already a risk-averse profession .
The fear of a criminal prosecution if you get it wrong will have a chilling effect , not just on day-to-day activities but on broader questions .
Take the coronavirus issue : Do you really want a health department to be bashful and risk-averse in confronting this disease because it doesn ’ t have the community ’ s trust ?
” Flint residents are watching as their city undertakes the arduous task of rebuilding its water infrastructure .
Rebuilding public trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an even tougher chore .
Although water testing data show that lead levels are at safe levels , residents are still cautious , buying bottled water at stores and subscribing to outside water delivery services .
The ongoing work of replacing the city ’ s piping system has also had its glitches , including complaints of property damage by workers .
“ When the homeowner isn ’ t there , the workers are not able to get into all the houses to replace all the pipes , ” says Ms. Conrad , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t replace all the pipes , the water system is not 100 % secure .
It ’ s kind of like justice .
There ’ s no justice for anybody if there ’ s no justice for everybody.
” The trust issue has a unique impact on the city ’ s Hispanic community .
At the height of the crisis , when efforts were made to canvass residences for distribution of water filters and inspections , many unauthorized immigrants would not come to the door , says Juani Olivares , president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charities pitched in to purchase water filters for distribution to the affected immigrants .
Public policy staff , and health workers in particular , will be walking point in the effort to regain public trust and restore a sense of justice .
The job won ’ t be easy , according to Professor Rabe , who uses the Flint saga in his course on performance management .
“ It ’ s not clear to me that in Flint you could reinvent trust where people feel the matter is resolved or they have received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rabe .
“ This is one of those classic environmental health stories where I fear public trust for government has been harmed , if not shattered.
” If the class-action lawsuits succeed , judgment will likely entail a financial payout to be shared with the thousands of plaintiffs who are part of the class .
But the litigation is not about financial gain , according to some Flint residents .
“ Justice means that some people are held accountable , ” says longtime Flint resident Karen Eaton , a member of Woodside Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1920 and who is part of the class-action lawsuit .
“ I ’ m 77 and I ’ ve never experienced this kind of dismissiveness before .
I ’ ve never felt I wasn ’ t important enough to pay attention to .
Somebody needs to be held accountable.
” Editor ’ s note : The caption for one of the photographs has been revised so that it lists the correct order for the four individuals shown in the picture .

“There’s certainly a real loss of public confidence among the citizens of Flint toward any governmental authority,” says Professor Barry Rabe of the University of Michigan. “There’s no easy resolution to this.”
Attorneys for the defendants claim a “qualified immunity” protects them from liability for their decisions. However, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that any claim of qualified immunity was overruled by what was perceived as the egregious conduct of the government officials.
Addressing an issue as big as a compromised water supply takes a number of forms. There’s the legal front, as well as work on infrastructure. Perhaps most critical: the rebuilding of public trust.
The resulting courtroom battles have revolved around two conflicting legal doctrines. The plaintiffs allege that their civil rights under the 14th Amendment’s due process clause were violated. In particular, they maintain that their “bodily integrity” was harmed by decisions made by officials without regard to human health.
Karen Eaton, a longtime resident of Flint, Michigan, lives in a house built in 1920. She’s part of a class-action lawsuit stemming from the 2014 switch in the city’s water supply. The change had a detrimental effect on the city’s aging pipes and was linked to skin rashes, hair loss, lead poisoning, and an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. “Somebody needs to be held accountable,” Ms. Eaton says.
Water coming from faucets in this city is no longer discolored or malodorous. Truckloads of bottled water from other communities have slowed to a trickle. These improvements do not mean that Flint’s water crisis is over. Instead, a new and uneasy normal has settled in.
“One of the lingering effects is the pall that has been cast over this city,” says the Rev. Deborah Conrad, pastor of Woodside Church, a multidenominational congregation in the heart of downtown Flint. “It’s a kind of a depression, an unwillingness to trust. There are lingering mental and physical effects we cannot measure and won’t know for a long time.”
The persistent mistrust from citizens is directed squarely at government officials who were the key players in what a federal appellate court opinion called “the infamous, government-created disaster commonly known as the Flint Water Crisis.” Those officials – at all levels – are at the center of an ongoing question that transcends partisan politics in this city of just under 100,000: What would constitute justice in the Flint water crisis?
Lee A. Dean View caption Hide caption Activists in Flint, Michigan, are still searching for a sense of justice in the wake of their city's water crisis. From left to right are retired pastor Jay Cummings; Flint resident Karen Eaton; the Rev. Deborah Conrad, pastor of Woodside Church; and Juani Olivares, president of the Genesee County Hispanic Latino Collaborative.
Why We Wrote This Addressing an issue as big as a compromised water supply takes a number of forms. There’s the legal front, as well as work on infrastructure. Perhaps most critical: the rebuilding of public trust.
“There’s no easy resolution to this,” says Barry Rabe, a professor of public and environmental policy at the University of Michigan. “Court cases take time. Cleaning up the water system takes time. There’s certainly a real loss of public confidence among the citizens of Flint toward any governmental authority. So it’s not just a question of a short-term engineering fix. It’s a rebuilding of public trust and confidence.”
In April 2014, a state-appointed emergency financial manager with power to supersede local authorities switched Flint’s water supply from the city of Detroit to the Flint River, a move that was expected to save the cash-strapped city money. This water was processed without adding anti-corrosive chemicals and then pumped through the city’s aging pipes. The result was a water supply linked to skin rashes, hair loss, lead poisoning, and an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease blamed for 12 deaths.
Nearly 80 lawsuits have been filed against the state of Michigan, the city of Flint, and the federal Environmental Protection Agency. A few citizens have hired their own attorneys, but the vast majority have joined in a class-action suit. Attorneys for the state and city were attempting to have the civil cases dismissed and had appealed a decision by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to allow some of the cases to continue. In late January, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the lower court’s decision, meaning that the civil cases can now proceed.
The courtroom battles revolve around two conflicting legal doctrines: bodily integrity and qualified immunity. The plaintiffs are alleging that their civil rights under the 14th Amendment’s due process clause were violated. In particular, they maintain that their bodily integrity was harmed by decisions made by the officials based solely on saving money and without regard to human health.
The water crisis was another blow to Flint, which calls itself Vehicle City in reference to its former prominence in world automobile manufacturing. The decline of the U.S. auto industry led to a corresponding decline in the city’s population, which has dropped sharply from a high of 196,940 in the 1960 census to 95,943 in a 2018 census estimate.
A right to clean water
Theodore Leopold of the law firm Cohen Milstein, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs in the class-action suit, says bodily integrity refers to the protection of citizens’ “inherent and constitutional rights, such as the ability to have clean water and that one group should not be segmented over another from having these rights.” Mr. Leopold says his clients are seeking justice for individual injuries along with damages to personal property and businesses affected by water contamination.
Attorneys for the defendants claim a qualified immunity protects them from liability for their decisions. The 6th Circuit ruled that any claim of qualified immunity was overruled by what was perceived as the egregious conduct of the government officials.
Initially, criminal charges were brought against eight government officials. Last June, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel dropped these charges, saying the original investigation begun by her predecessor, Bill Schuette, was too flawed to pursue. Those officials may not yet be in the clear. Ms. Nessel’s office is not commenting on the specifics of any future litigation, but communications director Kelly Rossman-McKinney says work is underway in both criminal and civil arenas.
Jake May/MLive.com/The Flint Journal/AP View caption Hide caption Flint resident Ariana Hawk consoles her son Sincere Smith and Aliana Hawk at a two-hour community meeting with legal officials on June 28, 2019, in Flint, Michigan. Sincere Smith appeared on the cover of Time magazine at the height of the Flint water crisis.
“We recently opened a satellite office in Flint where members of our team are able to meet with community members as we move forward,” says Ms. Rossman-McKinney.
Government officials named in the criminal charges included two of the emergency managers appointed by the state for Flint. Six other officials in the state Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services faced charges alleging covering up testing data and emails. Complaints against higher-level government officials, including former DEQ Director Dan Wyant and former MDHHS Director Nick Lyon, were dismissed by the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Peter Jacobson is professor emeritus of health law and public policy at the University of Michigan. He was a consultant for the legal team defending Mr. Lyon, who was facing criminal charges of misconduct in office and involuntary manslaughter.
“One of the reasons I wanted to be one of Nick’s lawyers was that I felt charging health department officials criminally would have serious adverse public health consequences,” says Mr. Jacobson, adding that the charges against Mr. Lyon and another MDHHS official, Eden Wells, were never provable. “The Flint community wants retribution and accountability. I agree with that. But what does that mean? Sure, they want to see Nick go to jail, but that doesn’t solve anything.”
“Public health is already a risk-averse profession. The fear of a criminal prosecution if you get it wrong will have a chilling effect, not just on day-to-day activities but on broader questions. Take the coronavirus issue: Do you really want a health department to be bashful and risk-averse in confronting this disease because it doesn’t have the community’s trust?”
An even tougher undertaking
Flint residents are watching as their city undertakes the arduous task of rebuilding its water infrastructure. Rebuilding public trust in government institutions and personnel may be an even tougher chore. Although water testing data show that lead levels are at safe levels, residents are still cautious, buying bottled water at stores and subscribing to outside water delivery services. The ongoing work of replacing the city’s piping system has also had its glitches, including complaints of property damage by workers.
“When the homeowner isn’t there, the workers are not able to get into all the houses to replace all the pipes,” says Ms. Conrad, the pastor. “If they can’t replace all the pipes, the water system is not 100% secure. It’s kind of like justice. There’s no justice for anybody if there’s no justice for everybody.”
The trust issue has a unique impact on the city’s Hispanic community. At the height of the crisis, when efforts were made to canvass residences for distribution of water filters and inspections, many unauthorized immigrants would not come to the door, says Juani Olivares, president of the Genesee County Hispanic Latino Collaborative. Local charities pitched in to purchase water filters for distribution to the affected immigrants.
Public policy staff, and health workers in particular, will be walking point in the effort to regain public trust and restore a sense of justice. The job won’t be easy, according to Professor Rabe, who uses the Flint saga in his course on performance management.
“It’s not clear to me that in Flint you could reinvent trust where people feel the matter is resolved or they have received some compensation accordingly,” says Professor Rabe. “This is one of those classic environmental health stories where I fear public trust for government has been harmed, if not shattered.”
If the class-action lawsuits succeed, judgment will likely entail a financial payout to be shared with the thousands of plaintiffs who are part of the class. But the litigation is not about financial gain, according to some Flint residents.
“Justice means that some people are held accountable,” says longtime Flint resident Karen Eaton, a member of Woodside Church who lives in a house built in 1920 and who is part of the class-action lawsuit. “I’m 77 and I’ve never experienced this kind of dismissiveness before. I’ve never felt I wasn’t important enough to pay attention to. Somebody needs to be held accountable.”
Editor’s note: The caption for one of the photographs has been revised so that it lists the correct order for the four individuals shown in the picture.


Daily for May 27, 2020

“ I said , I want some pandemonium !
” Lionel Richie is yelling as he stalks up and down the stage deep in the Saudi desert .
Hundreds of robed men and women timidly sway side to side in their plush white leather chairs .
A few clap to the beat .
Like a sequined maestro desperately trying to wrench notes from a somnolent orchestra , Mr. Richie waves , points , claps , stomps , howls , and jokes – abruptly stopping several times during performing his 1980s funk songs to coach his audience how to ... groove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American artist was talking them through their worst fears , reassuring everyone : It ’ ll be OK. No one will judge you .
Go ahead and move .
Do something .
On the fourth song , one woman takes the plunge .
She runs down the steps of the venue , right up to the orchestra pit by the stage , both arms raised in the air .
A second woman quickly follows .
Two friends rush from their seats in the wings .
Five others join in .
By the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , ” a hit from his time with the Commodores in the 1970s , a third of the audience is up by the stage , twisting , turning , gyrating , singing in unison “ She ’ s a brick house !
” “ She is mighty-mighty !
” Inhibitions gone , social norms jettisoned , Saudis are letting loose , as if four decades of restrictions and foreboding have just been broken .
At the end of his headlining performance at the Winter at Tantora festival in late February in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in sweat and wearing a satisfied grin , sums up the night in a single sentence : “ Things here will never be the same again.
” When Westerners hear “ Saudi Arabia , ” many may think of conservative Islam , oil , and more recently , the reckless politics of its crown prince .
Music and arts probably lie at the bottom of the list , if they make it at all .
Yet over the past year , Saudi Arabia has been trying to change this perception both at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Mr. Richie , Enrique Iglesias , Andrea Bocelli .
While these high-profile acts in a glitzy mirrored concert hall in the desert may capture headlines and Instagram feeds , they are just one small part of sweeping changes underway in Saudi Arabia as the leadership reverses a decades-old ban on cultural outlets and attempts to open up the kingdom to art , music , cinema , and theater .
The move bumps up against the religious clerics , whose ultra-Orthodox interpretation of Islam prohibits live music , theater , and movies as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi society was undisputed for decades .
But over the past two years , these clerics have been marginalized and intimidated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , who , as part of his ambitious plan to transform the country and its economy , seeks to create an entertainment industry , introduce art and music in schools , and nurture homegrown talent .
While the new openness has been temporarily slowed by COVID-19 , analysts expect it to pick up again as soon as social distancing eases and schools reopen .
Officials here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring the kingdom into the 21st century and are a response to the demands of hundreds of thousands of Saudis who have studied in the West .
Critics remain skeptical , claiming that the polarizing Crown Prince Mohammed is attempting to whitewash his image , tainted by the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi abroad and the jailing of human rights activists at home .
Others chalk up the change to economic concerns .
They claim as the drop in oil revenues and a costly war in Yemen force the Saudi government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is looking for a distraction – less bread and more circus .
No matter what the motivations , many Saudis say these dramatic cultural changes are real and undeniable – with implications for society for generations to come .
For four decades , live music in Saudi Arabia was not just banned ; it was policed .
The feared mutawa , or vice police , patrolled the streets and arrested people for not being in the mosque during prayers , for being in mixed groups of men and women , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music their business .
They would shut down private concerts , raid music lessons , and confiscate keyboards and speakers .
“ If the police saw you carrying an oud or guitar , they would snatch it and could smash it right in front of you , ” says Khaled Abdulrahim , a musician and head of the Riyadh Lounge of Art , a music club that promotes Saudi musical heritage .
Mr. Abdulrahim is carrying his oud , a pear-shaped lutelike instrument , up the stairs to a friend ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music session .
He stops every few minutes and looks over his shoulder ; he still can ’ t shake that feeling of someone lurking .
“ If you were going to play at a friend ’ s house , you would have to wrap your oud in a blanket and hide it in the trunk of your car .
It was contraband , like a drug , ” he says .
It may be hard to imagine today , but Saudi Arabia was once rife with music and local artists .
Each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ songs with particular beats , instruments , and scales .
Women would sing on TV , and music was common at weddings and festivals .
Music nights were even held in Mecca and Medina .
Everything changed in 1979 .
Local extremists seized the Grand Mosque of Mecca , taking hostages and accusing the House of Saud of straying from its Islamic roots by inviting in Western culture .
A deadly two-week siege and battle at Islam ’ s holiest site shook the nation , occurring months after Shiite clerics led a revolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward Islamicism and a potent mix of pulpit and politics , the Saudi royal family decided to shift to the right , pushing its own ultraconservative school of Wahhabi Islam to compete with Iran ’ s fiery , revolutionary interpretation of the faith .
Culture and art at home were the first sacrifices .
Music , cinema , and gender mixing were banned .
Mr. Abdulrahim , like many Saudi men and women who grew up between 1980 and 2010 , learned to play the oud , an instrument common in Gulf folk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today the religious police are gone .
Music can be heard in the streets .
Few have experienced this rapid transformation more profoundly than Fawaz Al-Shawaf , the frontman for the underground Saudi heavy metal band Creative Waste – underground , that is , until 2019 .
Mr. Al-Shawaf is sitting in a cafe in Dhahran in Saudi Arabia ’ s Eastern Province .
He has a thin frame and a mild-mannered demeanor that betrays the manic energy and full-throated growls he brought to the stage for years in defiance of the religious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al-Shawaf and Creative Waste performed at private gatherings and foreign-worker compounds in the oil-rich Eastern Province , away from the mutawa ’ s reach .
Mr. Al-Shawaf developed a love for heavy metal while living in the United States for two years with his father , who was working in Virginia .
He decided to form a heavy metal band with friends in his garage after he returned to Saudi Arabia .
In 2004 , Creative Waste was born .
“ We had no teacher , we had no YouTube , we didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a guitar , ” Mr. Al-Shawaf says .
“ At first , it was horrible.
” Success soon followed , though .
It began with local crowds of a few dozen .
Then , in 2005 , the band produced its first CD and performed a live concert in neighboring Bahrain .
The group was setting a trend : The Eastern Province quickly became home to a burgeoning heavy metal scene .
But in 2009 , the movement ran into a religious wall .
A few bold promoters decided to replicate Creative Waste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a compound in the more conservative Riyadh – the heart of the religious establishment .
It ended in disaster : a police raid , a media smear campaign accusing the bands of devil worship , arrests , a deportation , and jail time .
The ensuing crackdown on the underground heavy metal scene forced Mr. Al-Shawaf and Creative Waste to play abroad , touring in the U.S. and Europe .
Now in 2020 , Mr. Al-Shawaf has come full circle – from fugitive musician to state guest of honor , invited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , Creative Waste did what many thought was impossible : play a public gig at a cafe .
“ My mother had never seen us perform live , ” Mr. Al-Shawaf says .
“ After seeing us live for the first time , she ‘ got ’ our music.
” Dozens of Saudi schoolgirls draped in black abayas wander through a cavernous copper entrance .
They whisper to each other as they splinter off to look at different exhibits – photos of refugees , a 1,000-year-old gold-gilded Quran , a display about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here at the King Abdulaziz World Center for World Culture , an institution funded by oil giant ARAMCO in eastern Saudi Arabia has emerged as an anchor in the kingdom ’ s cultural renaissance .
In futuristic curved buildings rising from the sands of Dhahran , the center , also known as Ithra , is working to introduce Saudi audiences to the performing arts and cinema , grooming a generation of domestic artists and inventors along the way .
Opened in 2017 , it includes the first museum , cinema , theater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country .
When it solicited works from local artists in 2019 , Ithra received more than 600 submissions and is now grooming several contemporary artists , from painters to sculptors .
Art has gone from taboo to trendy , suddenly in demand by princes , the government , and corporations , many of which are rushing to commission Saudi artists to produce works for their marble-floored offices .
Observers say there is no better place to be an artist right now – commercially , at least – than in Saudi Arabia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years in cultural exile abroad are flocking home .
“ If an artist in Europe becomes noticed within five to six years , that is considered rapid recognition , ” says Candida Pestana , curator of contemporary art at Ithra .
“ Here in Saudi , that would happen in a single year.
” Meanwhile , international exhibitions are coming to Saudi cities , displaying works from surrealists to the more contemporary , and surprisingly , political .
At the base of a sleek glass building in the heart of Riyadh ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mill through an exhibition of replicas of the last artist one would expect to see in the country : Banksy , a British graffiti artist .
They scan Arabic and English explainers of the anonymous painter ’ s protest works on social inequality , mass consumerism , and injustice .
Young women take videos of a live reenactment of a masked Banksy spray-painting on a street wall .
Such an exhibit , held without Banksy ’ s consent , may seem tame to museumgoers in Europe or the U.S .
But it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a kingdom where the leadership has locked up human rights activists and lashed bloggers , and censors the media .
“ Where is the art he did for the Palestinians ?
” asks Mohammed Al Saud as he enters the exhibition with his wife , Nour .
A volunteer points him to a photo of Banksy ’ s “ hole in the wall , ” a porthole revealing a Bahamas-blue ocean and an idyllic island painted on the gray concrete separation barrier rising on the West Bank .
Mr. Al Saud stops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 work “ Son of a Migrant From Syria , ” featuring Steve Jobs carrying a sack over his left shoulder and an Apple IIe in his right hand , which was originally painted in the Calais migrant encampment in France .
“ What is this trying to say , that Steve Jobs and businessmen are thieves ?
” Mr. Al Saud asks a volunteer .
“ No , it is about migrants , ” interrupts a Saudi woman .
“ Steve Jobs is of Syrian origin .
It means refugees and migrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jobs.
” Mr. Al Saud nods silently , impressed .
He steps closer to the painting and motions with his hand to his veiled wife , now lingering over a photo on the opposite wall .
The two peer at the caption .
“ Mashallah , my God , isn ’ t that interesting ?
” he says to his wife .
“ Each graffiti has a larger message.
” Ms. Al Saud nods .
“ I didn ’ t know art could be political.
” Yet the question lingers : How do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation that for decades has been told they are immoral ?
That task falls in part to former concert violinist Gehad al-Khaldi .
In February , Ms. al-Khaldi was appointed chief executive officer of the Music Commission , one of 12 bodies formed by the Ministry of Culture to regulate and promote everything cultural .
“ Under the Ministry of Culture , we are planning to have music for all , ” Ms. al-Khaldi says via a videoconference call .
“ By ‘ music for all , ’ I mean we will introduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all ages.
” The nascent commission is working with the Ministry of Education and Saudi universities to develop music education courses for children , secondary schools , and universities .
The challenges are steep .
Due to the decades-old music ban , there are no Saudi music teachers , and the government will be hard-pressed to build a cadre of qualified people in a few short years to serve 30,000 schools spread out across a country six times the size of Germany .
But the top priority is to introduce music and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost creative thinking .
Behind the drive is the desire to produce a generation of Saudis who are well rounded and can think outside the box , not just be comfortable in government-backed jobs , as the country eventually transitions to a post-oil society .
“ Music can enhance the way of thinking , communicating , and innovating , ” Ms. al-Khaldi says .
“ This is why music is important , not just for society in Saudi Arabia , but for all human beings.
” Even though COVID-19 has forced the closure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Music Commission is pushing ahead to develop an intensive one-year course for education majors , music advocacy campaigns for wider Saudi society , and an academy and conservatory to nurture local talent .
Many Saudis are already flocking to several private music academies that have popped up over the past year .
One such institute is the Music Home School of Art , which opened in a tower in central Riyadh late last year .
On a Thursday night in early March , a young woman practices guitar chords with her instructor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a father encourages his two young daughters at the piano .
The institute is the creation of local artists and Ayman Tayseer , former dean of the University of Jordan School of Arts and Design , who saw an opportunity in Saudi Arabia ’ s new embrace of culture .
In a few short months , he and instructors from Tunisia , Egypt , and Ukraine have taught hundreds of Riyadh residents ranging from would-be rappers to older Saudis who missed out on music lessons when they were young .
“ You see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in to enroll her daughter for classes , but really she is coming to take oud lessons herself !
” Mr. Tayseer says with a laugh .
Saudi music lovers face concerns few would consider .
Women who wear the full-face niqab want to sing but refuse to lift the veil that muffles their voices .
Many drop out after struggling to learn how to read sheet music .
“ There is a large amount of hunger and talent , ” Mr. Tayseer says .
“ But many have never even seen a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is all very new.
” The highlight tonight is the open mic .
Dozens of young Saudis gather at the institute ’ s airy studio , with a view of the Riyadh skyline , for a chance to strum their latest song on the oud or just belt out Beyoncé .
“ Before , music was something we kept to ourselves .
Now all of a sudden it is everywhere , ” says Abdullah Mohammed , a self-taught cellist warming up on the side .
“ It is as if we are catching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single year.
” More than just a creative outlet , music is offering a sense of community in a society that has long been governed by “ thou shalt not ” in a conservative city where houses are fenced in by high concrete walls .
But even amid the camaraderie , a lingering self-consciousness exists , ingrained by decades of intimidation .
Women , and some men , shout “ no photos , everyone !
” before they walk onstage , to protect against images showing up on the internet .
Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid being seen by others as they sway to the beat .
The last hurdle in Saudi Arabia ’ s embrace of arts and music may be from within : the fear of being judged for having a good time .
Yet there is still plenty of criticism of the kingdom ’ s cultural opening , both at home and abroad .
Some believe Crown Prince Mohammed is simply focusing on social liberalization to placate demands for opening from the West rather than tackling true political reform in the tightly ruled kingdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerts and festivals is not the answer , ” says Oraib Rantawi , geopolitical analyst and director of the Amman-based Al Quds Center for Political Studies .
“ Sidelining the religious establishment and cultural openings are small , positive steps , but the major reform needs are the social contract itself and true political representation .
MBS and the Saudis are simply buying time , ” he says of the crown prince .
While liberal social reforms may seem low-risk with the ruling family ’ s iron grip on power , they do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society in cities and rural areas whose identities are intertwined with traditional practices .
Quiet criticism emerges in some such pockets of society that reject the changes on cultural and religious grounds .
“ There shouldn ’ t be songs and live music , ” says Abu Mohammed , a resident of Al Ula , home of the Winter at Tantora festival .
“ We accept tourism , we accept the arts , but Western concerts come with drinking , mixing of men and women , and promiscuity .
That just isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hasn ’ t been more pushback from conservatives is the sheer speed with which the changes are taking place .
“ Before you have time to react to cinemas being built , there are concerts .
Before you can react to the concerts , women can drive and go to sporting events , ” says Abdulrahman Ali , a Riyadh engineer .
“ You never have time to keep up , let alone organize popular objection to it .
Our heads are still spinning.
” Still , even if a backlash were to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement is now established enough to remain for the foreseeable future .
As Ms. al-Khaldi , the Music Commission CEO , puts it : “ Life without music is a mistake .
”

Art in the forbidden zone: Inside the Saudi cultural awakening Collapse
“I said, I want some pandemonium!”
Lionel Richie is yelling as he stalks up and down the stage deep in the Saudi desert.
Hundreds of robed men and women timidly sway side to side in their plush white leather chairs. A few clap to the beat. Like a sequined maestro desperately trying to wrench notes from a somnolent orchestra, Mr. Richie waves, points, claps, stomps, howls, and jokes – abruptly stopping several times during performing his 1980s funk songs to coach his audience how to ... groove. At times it was as if the American artist was talking them through their worst fears, reassuring everyone: It’ll be OK. No one will judge you. Go ahead and move. Do something.
On the fourth song, one woman takes the plunge. She runs down the steps of the venue, right up to the orchestra pit by the stage, both arms raised in the air. A second woman quickly follows. Two friends rush from their seats in the wings. Five others join in.
By the time Mr. Richie gets to “Brick House,” a hit from his time with the Commodores in the 1970s, a third of the audience is up by the stage, twisting, turning, gyrating, singing in unison “She’s a brick house!” “She is mighty-mighty!”
Inhibitions gone, social norms jettisoned, Saudis are letting loose, as if four decades of restrictions and foreboding have just been broken. At the end of his headlining performance at the Winter at Tantora festival in late February in the Saudi desert, Mr. Richie, drenched in sweat and wearing a satisfied grin, sums up the night in a single sentence: “Things here will never be the same again.”
When Westerners hear “Saudi Arabia,” many may think of conservative Islam, oil, and more recently, the reckless politics of its crown prince. Music and arts probably lie at the bottom of the list, if they make it at all.
Yet over the past year, Saudi Arabia has been trying to change this perception both at home and abroad by parachuting in big names: Mr. Richie, Enrique Iglesias, Andrea Bocelli. While these high-profile acts in a glitzy mirrored concert hall in the desert may capture headlines and Instagram feeds, they are just one small part of sweeping changes underway in Saudi Arabia as the leadership reverses a decades-old ban on cultural outlets and attempts to open up the kingdom to art, music, cinema, and theater.
The move bumps up against the religious clerics, whose ultra-Orthodox interpretation of Islam prohibits live music, theater, and movies as “anti-Islamic” and whose dominance over Saudi society was undisputed for decades.
But over the past two years, these clerics have been marginalized and intimidated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who, as part of his ambitious plan to transform the country and its economy, seeks to create an entertainment industry, introduce art and music in schools, and nurture homegrown talent.
Courtesy of The Royal Commission for Al-Ula View caption Hide caption “Things here will never be the same again.” – Lionel Richie, the American R&B star of the 1970s and ‘80s (center left) during a performance in Saudi Arabia in late February, summing up changes sweeping the kingdom
While the new openness has been temporarily slowed by COVID-19, analysts expect it to pick up again as soon as social distancing eases and schools reopen. Officials here say the sweeping changes are designed to bring the kingdom into the 21st century and are a response to the demands of hundreds of thousands of Saudis who have studied in the West. Critics remain skeptical, claiming that the polarizing Crown Prince Mohammed is attempting to whitewash his image, tainted by the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi abroad and the jailing of human rights activists at home. Others chalk up the change to economic concerns. They claim as the drop in oil revenues and a costly war in Yemen force the Saudi government to end cradle-to-grave welfare and impose taxes, it is looking for a distraction – less bread and more circus.
No matter what the motivations, many Saudis say these dramatic cultural changes are real and undeniable – with implications for society for generations to come.
A musical past
For four decades, live music in Saudi Arabia was not just banned; it was policed. The feared mutawa, or vice police, patrolled the streets and arrested people for not being in the mosque during prayers, for being in mixed groups of men and women, and for improper dress. The authorities made music their business. They would shut down private concerts, raid music lessons, and confiscate keyboards and speakers.
“If the police saw you carrying an oud or guitar, they would snatch it and could smash it right in front of you,” says Khaled Abdulrahim, a musician and head of the Riyadh Lounge of Art, a music club that promotes Saudi musical heritage.
Mr. Abdulrahim is carrying his oud, a pear-shaped lutelike instrument, up the stairs to a friend’s office in a Riyadh tower for a lunch-break music session. He stops every few minutes and looks over his shoulder; he still can’t shake that feeling of someone lurking.
“If you were going to play at a friend’s house, you would have to wrap your oud in a blanket and hide it in the trunk of your car. It was contraband, like a drug,” he says.
It may be hard to imagine today, but Saudi Arabia was once rife with music and local artists. Each region and town had its own folk songs with particular beats, instruments, and scales. Women would sing on TV, and music was common at weddings and festivals. Music nights were even held in Mecca and Medina.
Everything changed in 1979. Local extremists seized the Grand Mosque of Mecca, taking hostages and accusing the House of Saud of straying from its Islamic roots by inviting in Western culture. A deadly two-week siege and battle at Islam’s holiest site shook the nation, occurring months after Shiite clerics led a revolution in Iran. Sensing a sudden shift toward Islamicism and a potent mix of pulpit and politics, the Saudi royal family decided to shift to the right, pushing its own ultraconservative school of Wahhabi Islam to compete with Iran’s fiery, revolutionary interpretation of the faith.
Culture and art at home were the first sacrifices. Music, cinema, and gender mixing were banned. Mr. Abdulrahim, like many Saudi men and women who grew up between 1980 and 2010, learned to play the oud, an instrument common in Gulf folk music, quietly through friends. But today the religious police are gone. Music can be heard in the streets.
Heavy metal
Few have experienced this rapid transformation more profoundly than Fawaz Al-Shawaf, the frontman for the underground Saudi heavy metal band Creative Waste – underground, that is, until 2019.
Mr. Al-Shawaf is sitting in a cafe in Dhahran in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. He has a thin frame and a mild-mannered demeanor that betrays the manic energy and full-throated growls he brought to the stage for years in defiance of the religious police. In the mid-2000s, Mr. Al-Shawaf and Creative Waste performed at private gatherings and foreign-worker compounds in the oil-rich Eastern Province, away from the mutawa’s reach.
Mr. Al-Shawaf developed a love for heavy metal while living in the United States for two years with his father, who was working in Virginia. He decided to form a heavy metal band with friends in his garage after he returned to Saudi Arabia. In 2004, Creative Waste was born.
“We had no teacher, we had no YouTube, we didn’t even know how to tune a guitar,” Mr. Al-Shawaf says. “At first, it was horrible.”
Taylor Luck View caption Hide caption An Emirati artist created a sculpture of a rockfall, called Falling Stones Garden, at an exhibition earlier this year in Al Ula, Saudi Arabia.
Success soon followed, though. It began with local crowds of a few dozen. Then, in 2005, the band produced its first CD and performed a live concert in neighboring Bahrain. The group was setting a trend: The Eastern Province quickly became home to a burgeoning heavy metal scene.
But in 2009, the movement ran into a religious wall. A few bold promoters decided to replicate Creative Waste’s success with heavy metal music at a compound in the more conservative Riyadh – the heart of the religious establishment.
It ended in disaster: a police raid, a media smear campaign accusing the bands of devil worship, arrests, a deportation, and jail time. The ensuing crackdown on the underground heavy metal scene forced Mr. Al-Shawaf and Creative Waste to play abroad, touring in the U.S. and Europe.
Now in 2020, Mr. Al-Shawaf has come full circle – from fugitive musician to state guest of honor, invited to perform at state-organized festivals. In October 2019, Creative Waste did what many thought was impossible: play a public gig at a cafe.
“My mother had never seen us perform live,” Mr. Al-Shawaf says. “After seeing us live for the first time, she ‘got’ our music.”
From taboo to trendy
Dozens of Saudi schoolgirls draped in black abayas wander through a cavernous copper entrance. They whisper to each other as they splinter off to look at different exhibits – photos of refugees, a 1,000-year-old gold-gilded Quran, a display about humanity’s reliance on mobile phones.
Here at the King Abdulaziz World Center for World Culture, an institution funded by oil giant ARAMCO in eastern Saudi Arabia has emerged as an anchor in the kingdom’s cultural renaissance. In futuristic curved buildings rising from the sands of Dhahran, the center, also known as Ithra, is working to introduce Saudi audiences to the performing arts and cinema, grooming a generation of domestic artists and inventors along the way.
Opened in 2017, it includes the first museum, cinema, theater, and art gallery of its kind in the country. When it solicited works from local artists in 2019, Ithra received more than 600 submissions and is now grooming several contemporary artists, from painters to sculptors.
Art has gone from taboo to trendy, suddenly in demand by princes, the government, and corporations, many of which are rushing to commission Saudi artists to produce works for their marble-floored offices. Observers say there is no better place to be an artist right now – commercially, at least – than in Saudi Arabia. Painters and sculptors who have flourished for years in cultural exile abroad are flocking home.
“If an artist in Europe becomes noticed within five to six years, that is considered rapid recognition,” says Candida Pestana, curator of contemporary art at Ithra. “Here in Saudi, that would happen in a single year.”
Meanwhile, international exhibitions are coming to Saudi cities, displaying works from surrealists to the more contemporary, and surprisingly, political. At the base of a sleek glass building in the heart of Riyadh’s financial district, dozens of Saudis mill through an exhibition of replicas of the last artist one would expect to see in the country: Banksy, a British graffiti artist.
Taylor Luck View caption Hide caption Saudi visitors mill around the social protest works of Banksy, an anonymous British graffiti artist, at an exhibition in Riyadh that not long ago would have been scandalous – even dangerous – to stage in the religiously conservative country.
They scan Arabic and English explainers of the anonymous painter’s protest works on social inequality, mass consumerism, and injustice. Young women take videos of a live reenactment of a masked Banksy spray-painting on a street wall. Such an exhibit, held without Banksy’s consent, may seem tame to museumgoers in Europe or the U.S. But it is an edgy – even dangerous – choice for a kingdom where the leadership has locked up human rights activists and lashed bloggers, and censors the media.
“Where is the art he did for the Palestinians?” asks Mohammed Al Saud as he enters the exhibition with his wife, Nour.
A volunteer points him to a photo of Banksy’s “hole in the wall,” a porthole revealing a Bahamas-blue ocean and an idyllic island painted on the gray concrete separation barrier rising on the West Bank. Mr. Al Saud stops at a re-creation of Banksy’s 2015 work “Son of a Migrant From Syria,” featuring Steve Jobs carrying a sack over his left shoulder and an Apple IIe in his right hand, which was originally painted in the Calais migrant encampment in France.
“What is this trying to say, that Steve Jobs and businessmen are thieves?” Mr. Al Saud asks a volunteer.
“No, it is about migrants,” interrupts a Saudi woman. “Steve Jobs is of Syrian origin. It means refugees and migrants can contribute and excel, just like Jobs.”
Mr. Al Saud nods silently, impressed. He steps closer to the painting and motions with his hand to his veiled wife, now lingering over a photo on the opposite wall. The two peer at the caption.
“Mashallah, my God, isn’t that interesting?” he says to his wife. “Each graffiti has a larger message.”
Ms. Al Saud nods. “I didn’t know art could be political.”
Musical infrastructure
Yet the question lingers: How do you bring arts and music to a nation that for decades has been told they are immoral?
That task falls in part to former concert violinist Gehad al-Khaldi. In February, Ms. al-Khaldi was appointed chief executive officer of the Music Commission, one of 12 bodies formed by the Ministry of Culture to regulate and promote everything cultural.
“Under the Ministry of Culture, we are planning to have music for all,” Ms. al-Khaldi says via a videoconference call. “By ‘music for all,’ I mean we will introduce a music education platform for everyone, at all ages.”
The nascent commission is working with the Ministry of Education and Saudi universities to develop music education courses for children, secondary schools, and universities. The challenges are steep. Due to the decades-old music ban, there are no Saudi music teachers, and the government will be hard-pressed to build a cadre of qualified people in a few short years to serve 30,000 schools spread out across a country six times the size of Germany.
But the top priority is to introduce music and the arts at an early age to boost creative thinking. Behind the drive is the desire to produce a generation of Saudis who are well rounded and can think outside the box, not just be comfortable in government-backed jobs, as the country eventually transitions to a post-oil society.
Taylor Luck View caption Hide caption A Concise Passage, an installation made from shipping materials, symbolizes the importance of Al Ula, Saudi Arabia, as an ancient trade route.
“Music can enhance the way of thinking, communicating, and innovating,” Ms. al-Khaldi says. “This is why music is important, not just for society in Saudi Arabia, but for all human beings.”
Even though COVID-19 has forced the closure of the kingdom’s schools, the Music Commission is pushing ahead to develop an intensive one-year course for education majors, music advocacy campaigns for wider Saudi society, and an academy and conservatory to nurture local talent.
Making up for lost time
Many Saudis are already flocking to several private music academies that have popped up over the past year. One such institute is the Music Home School of Art, which opened in a tower in central Riyadh late last year. On a Thursday night in early March, a young woman practices guitar chords with her instructor in one room. In another, a father encourages his two young daughters at the piano.
The institute is the creation of local artists and Ayman Tayseer, former dean of the University of Jordan School of Arts and Design, who saw an opportunity in Saudi Arabia’s new embrace of culture. In a few short months, he and instructors from Tunisia, Egypt, and Ukraine have taught hundreds of Riyadh residents ranging from would-be rappers to older Saudis who missed out on music lessons when they were young.
“You see a veiled mother in her 50s come in to enroll her daughter for classes, but really she is coming to take oud lessons herself!” Mr. Tayseer says with a laugh.
Saudi music lovers face concerns few would consider. Women who wear the full-face niqab want to sing but refuse to lift the veil that muffles their voices. Many drop out after struggling to learn how to read sheet music.
“There is a large amount of hunger and talent,” Mr. Tayseer says. “But many have never even seen a live music performance before, so this is all very new.”
The highlight tonight is the open mic. Dozens of young Saudis gather at the institute’s airy studio, with a view of the Riyadh skyline, for a chance to strum their latest song on the oud or just belt out Beyoncé.
“Before, music was something we kept to ourselves. Now all of a sudden it is everywhere,” says Abdullah Mohammed, a self-taught cellist warming up on the side. “It is as if we are catching up on decades of lost time in a single year.”
More than just a creative outlet, music is offering a sense of community in a society that has long been governed by “thou shalt not” in a conservative city where houses are fenced in by high concrete walls.
But even amid the camaraderie, a lingering self-consciousness exists, ingrained by decades of intimidation. Women, and some men, shout “no photos, everyone!” before they walk onstage, to protect against images showing up on the internet. Women sit toward the back of the room to avoid being seen by others as they sway to the beat. The last hurdle in Saudi Arabia’s embrace of arts and music may be from within: the fear of being judged for having a good time.
Resistance to change
Yet there is still plenty of criticism of the kingdom’s cultural opening, both at home and abroad. Some believe Crown Prince Mohammed is simply focusing on social liberalization to placate demands for opening from the West rather than tackling true political reform in the tightly ruled kingdom.
“Keeping the public busy with concerts and festivals is not the answer,” says Oraib Rantawi, geopolitical analyst and director of the Amman-based Al Quds Center for Political Studies. “Sidelining the religious establishment and cultural openings are small, positive steps, but the major reform needs are the social contract itself and true political representation. MBS and the Saudis are simply buying time,” he says of the crown prince.
While liberal social reforms may seem low-risk with the ruling family’s iron grip on power, they do alienate a conservative establishment and segments of society in cities and rural areas whose identities are intertwined with traditional practices. Quiet criticism emerges in some such pockets of society that reject the changes on cultural and religious grounds.
“There shouldn’t be songs and live music,” says Abu Mohammed, a resident of Al Ula, home of the Winter at Tantora festival. “We accept tourism, we accept the arts, but Western concerts come with drinking, mixing of men and women, and promiscuity. That just isn’t our culture.”
One reason there hasn’t been more pushback from conservatives is the sheer speed with which the changes are taking place.
“Before you have time to react to cinemas being built, there are concerts. Before you can react to the concerts, women can drive and go to sporting events,” says Abdulrahman Ali, a Riyadh engineer. “You never have time to keep up, let alone organize popular objection to it. Our heads are still spinning.”
Still, even if a backlash were to develop, analysts believe the new arts movement is now established enough to remain for the foreseeable future. As Ms. al-Khaldi, the Music Commission CEO, puts it: “Life without music is a mistake.”


csmonitor--2020-06-02--More than laughs: the funny papers to honor frontline workers

The funny papers this Sunday will have more than laughs .
More than 70 comic strips and panels – ranging from Garry Trudeau 's “ Doonesbury ” to Jim Toomey 's “ Sherman ’ s Lagoon ” and Jeff Keane 's “ Family Circus ” – will each have six symbols hidden in the artwork to honor workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic .
Look closely and you 'll find a mask for medical workers and caregivers , a steering wheel for delivery workers , a shopping cart for grocery workers , an apple for teachers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a microscope for medical researchers .
In “ Sherman 's Lagoon , ” the six items are hidden in the ocean 's reef .
In “ Blondie , ” they appear on the computer screen of over-worked Dagwood Bumstead .
In “ Zits , ” they hide in Jeremy Duncan 's messy bedroom .
The initiative was thought up by “ Baby Blues ” co-cartoonist Rick Kirkman , who wanted to show his gratitude for the helpers .
He consulted his colleagues , who helped shape the idea , and it just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finds or discovers one of those little symbols in the artwork , to me , I hope that evokes a little bit of gratitude that goes out into the universe , ” he said .
This Sunday would have marked the last day of the National Cartoonists Society 's annual convention , which was canceled .
“ I just felt like that was a great day to do it because we ’ re missing that big communal feeling , but at least we get to do something together , ” Mr. Kirkman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ array of syndicated and non-syndicated strips , including “ Mallard Fillmore , ” “ Mutts , ” “ Pearls Before Swine , ” “ Tank McNamara , ” “ Baldo , ” “ Big Nate , ” “ Rose Is Rose , ” “ Zits , ” and “ Stone Soup.
” All the participating comics , including additional art by webcomic creators and others , will be featured at ComicsKingdom.com and GoComics.com .
All the cartoonists offer links to local or national charities in their social media feeds .
Jason Chatfield , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strip and is president of the National Cartoonist Society , said that while cartoonists have banded together for causes before , nothing of this scale has been attempted .
“ There ’ s nothing quite like sitting down and seeing all the comics together on one page and on a really special day where we ’ ve all coordinated to do something very special for a really good cause , ” he said .
Because some strips are written and submitted weeks ahead of publication , many participating artists had to go back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symbols or swap in a new strip .
Mr. Kirkman credits the comic strip syndicates for rallying behind the effort and being flexible .
Mr. Kirkman left it up to the artists how to incorporate the six symbols : “ I said , ’ You can hide these things and just be really devious about it .
You can leave them in the open .
You can use them as props .
You can even build your gag around them .
I don ’ t care as long as they ’ re in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task was pretty easy .
For others , it required a bit more work .
How exactly was “ Prince Valiant ” – set in the fifth century – supposed to add a microscope , which was n't invented until the late 16th century ?
One cartoonist , Wiley Miller , had to really scramble since his `` Non Sequitur '' panel set for Sunday takes place in the Pleistocene era .
“ I told him , 'Well , you know , you just hide stuff in there , ' '' Mr. Kirkman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he came back and he said , ' I did it ! '
” Mr. Chatfield said some of his fellow artists came up with stylized versions of the items , like half-eaten apples or an apple pie .
“ Something that cartoonists love is a creative challenge , ” he said .
While many cartoonists hope to keep their work escapist and so have avoided dealing directly with the coronavirus , Mr. Kirkman and Mr. Chatfield have gradually incorporated elements of the pandemic into their daily strips .
Mr. Kirkman and “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some characters wear face masks when coming from outside , and Mr. Chatfield 's sports-loving hero is now being schooled at home .
The cartoonists are looking forward to Sunday , when a community they say can be a little introverted and isolated offers its communal artistic gratitude – and a scavenger hunt for readers .
“ I ’ m going to be as pleasantly surprised , I think , as everybody else to see all of this , ” said Mr. Kirkman .
“ And I hope this news makes it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gratitude.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

The funny papers this Sunday will have more than laughs.
More than 70 comic strips and panels – ranging from Garry Trudeau's “Doonesbury” to Jim Toomey's “Sherman’s Lagoon” and Jeff Keane's “Family Circus” – will each have six symbols hidden in the artwork to honor workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
Look closely and you'll find a mask for medical workers and caregivers, a steering wheel for delivery workers, a shopping cart for grocery workers, an apple for teachers, a fork for food service workers, and a microscope for medical researchers.
In “Sherman's Lagoon,” the six items are hidden in the ocean's reef. In “Blondie,” they appear on the computer screen of over-worked Dagwood Bumstead. In “Zits,” they hide in Jeremy Duncan's messy bedroom.
The initiative was thought up by “Baby Blues” co-cartoonist Rick Kirkman, who wanted to show his gratitude for the helpers. He consulted his colleagues, who helped shape the idea, and it just kept growing.
“Every time somebody finds or discovers one of those little symbols in the artwork, to me, I hope that evokes a little bit of gratitude that goes out into the universe,” he said.
This Sunday would have marked the last day of the National Cartoonists Society's annual convention, which was canceled. “I just felt like that was a great day to do it because we’re missing that big communal feeling, but at least we get to do something together,” Mr. Kirkman said.
The cartoonists involved represent an astonishing array of syndicated and non-syndicated strips, including “Mallard Fillmore,” “Mutts,” “Pearls Before Swine,” “Tank McNamara,” “Baldo,” “Big Nate,” “Rose Is Rose,” “Zits,” and “Stone Soup.”
All the participating comics, including additional art by webcomic creators and others, will be featured at ComicsKingdom.com and GoComics.com. All the cartoonists offer links to local or national charities in their social media feeds.
Jason Chatfield, who draws the “Ginger Meggs” strip and is president of the National Cartoonist Society, said that while cartoonists have banded together for causes before, nothing of this scale has been attempted.
“There’s nothing quite like sitting down and seeing all the comics together on one page and on a really special day where we’ve all coordinated to do something very special for a really good cause,” he said.
Because some strips are written and submitted weeks ahead of publication, many participating artists had to go back into already approved works to add the symbols or swap in a new strip. Mr. Kirkman credits the comic strip syndicates for rallying behind the effort and being flexible.
Mr. Kirkman left it up to the artists how to incorporate the six symbols: “I said, ’You can hide these things and just be really devious about it. You can leave them in the open. You can use them as props. You can even build your gag around them. I don’t care as long as they’re in there.”
For some strips, the task was pretty easy. For others, it required a bit more work. How exactly was “Prince Valiant” – set in the fifth century – supposed to add a microscope, which wasn't invented until the late 16th century?
One cartoonist, Wiley Miller, had to really scramble since his "Non Sequitur" panel set for Sunday takes place in the Pleistocene era. “I told him, 'Well, you know, you just hide stuff in there,'" Mr. Kirkman said. "And the next day he came back and he said, 'I did it!'”
Mr. Chatfield said some of his fellow artists came up with stylized versions of the items, like half-eaten apples or an apple pie. “Something that cartoonists love is a creative challenge,” he said.
While many cartoonists hope to keep their work escapist and so have avoided dealing directly with the coronavirus, Mr. Kirkman and Mr. Chatfield have gradually incorporated elements of the pandemic into their daily strips.
Mr. Kirkman and “Baby Blues” co-creator Jerry Scott had some characters wear face masks when coming from outside, and Mr. Chatfield's sports-loving hero is now being schooled at home.
The cartoonists are looking forward to Sunday, when a community they say can be a little introverted and isolated offers its communal artistic gratitude – and a scavenger hunt for readers.
“I’m going to be as pleasantly surprised, I think, as everybody else to see all of this,” said Mr. Kirkman. “And I hope this news makes it to the people who deserve all of this gratitude.”
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This story was reported by The Associated Press.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-03-09--Not afraid but not naive

Not afraid but not naive

I ’ ve been hearing the same voices many others in society have been listening to – media , government officials , friends .
And the focus is pretty constantly the same : coronavirus .
A lot of people have learned a new word , and too many of them are afraid of it .
But recently a little phrase has been surfacing in my thought .
It ’ s this : Christ is voicing good , right within consciousness .
What an incredible contrast to all the bad stuff I was taking in .
It ’ s clear to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopeful thought is Mary Baker Eddy ’ s “ Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures , ” where she writes , “ Christ is the true idea voicing good , the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness ” ( p. 332 ) .
Now these words weren ’ t telling me to ignore the difficult things going on in society .
But they were assuring me that there was something more going on than all the discussion about contagion .
The Christ is the Godlike nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and successfully in his human life .
Jesus promised that this Christ always has existed and always will .
It speaks to us of God ’ s goodness and all-power , and of man ’ s immortal , indestructible nature .
And Jesus ’ life proved that this “ good ” voiced by the Christ has a healing and calming influence in our lives .
He gave evidence of this again and again as he came in contact with others .
Over a lifetime I ’ ve seen a wonderful consistency in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that the Christ can bring a spiritual poise that literally changes our experiences .
Changes them in a way that may be unexplainable to the material senses , but is quite understandable to our more spiritual sense .
On a number of occasions , I ’ ve seen times when everyone expected contagion to take a particular course , and it didn ’ t work out that way at all .
And I ’ ve experienced times when a kind of mental contagion was stopped in its tracks .
Once when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accident , he explained a number of drugs I needed to take in order to protect myself from potential harm .
He described one drug intended to deal with a condition that he said could be fatal .
While I certainly wasn ’ t naive about his warning , my preference was to protect myself with what I had learned about the healing Christ over the years .
But his warning remained a little like a contagion from his thought to my thought .
Not too many days later the very condition he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did something I wasn ’ t accustomed to doing , and which wasn ’ t helpful .
I looked up the condition in a medical publication .
Sure enough , the word “ fatal ” was prominent in the description .
At first , fear tried to take over .
But I began to discern the Christ I had come to trust “ voicing good , ” and soon I felt a spiritual peace and confidence .
And within a few days the condition disappeared as I prayed specifically about it .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every individual on this planet .
In fact , Science and Health also affirms that the Christ is “ a divine influence ever present in human consciousness ” ( p. xi ) .
No one is without access to this healing influence .
As we open our hearts to its messages , we recognize that it ’ s the true and only influence , bringing a calm that changes the course of human discord .
You don ’ t need to know a lot about the Christ to open your thought to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is voicing .
In fact , when surrounding voices are making their views too prominent in your consciousness , take a moment and acknowledge that Christ is voicing good , and listen for its message right within your mind , assuring you of your safety in God .

I’ve been hearing the same voices many others in society have been listening to – media, government officials, friends. And the focus is pretty constantly the same: coronavirus. A lot of people have learned a new word, and too many of them are afraid of it.
But recently a little phrase has been surfacing in my thought. It’s this: Christ is voicing good, right within consciousness. What an incredible contrast to all the bad stuff I was taking in. It’s clear to me that the source of that more hopeful thought is Mary Baker Eddy’s “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” where she writes, “Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness” (p. 332).
Now these words weren’t telling me to ignore the difficult things going on in society. But they were assuring me that there was something more going on than all the discussion about contagion. The Christ is the Godlike nature of Jesus that he lived so fully and successfully in his human life. Jesus promised that this Christ always has existed and always will. It speaks to us of God’s goodness and all-power, and of man’s immortal, indestructible nature. And Jesus’ life proved that this “good” voiced by the Christ has a healing and calming influence in our lives. He gave evidence of this again and again as he came in contact with others.
Over a lifetime I’ve seen a wonderful consistency in what Jesus taught. I’ve seen evidence that the Christ can bring a spiritual poise that literally changes our experiences. Changes them in a way that may be unexplainable to the material senses, but is quite understandable to our more spiritual sense.
On a number of occasions, I’ve seen times when everyone expected contagion to take a particular course, and it didn’t work out that way at all. And I’ve experienced times when a kind of mental contagion was stopped in its tracks. Once when a doctor had set some bones after an accident, he explained a number of drugs I needed to take in order to protect myself from potential harm. He described one drug intended to deal with a condition that he said could be fatal. While I certainly wasn’t naive about his warning, my preference was to protect myself with what I had learned about the healing Christ over the years. But his warning remained a little like a contagion from his thought to my thought.
Not too many days later the very condition he had told me about developed. I did something I wasn’t accustomed to doing, and which wasn’t helpful. I looked up the condition in a medical publication. Sure enough, the word “fatal” was prominent in the description. At first, fear tried to take over. But I began to discern the Christ I had come to trust “voicing good,” and soon I felt a spiritual peace and confidence. And within a few days the condition disappeared as I prayed specifically about it.
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This voicing of good is a promise to every individual on this planet. In fact, Science and Health also affirms that the Christ is “a divine influence ever present in human consciousness” (p. xi). No one is without access to this healing influence. As we open our hearts to its messages, we recognize that it’s the true and only influence, bringing a calm that changes the course of human discord.
You don’t need to know a lot about the Christ to open your thought to its divine presence and discern the good it is voicing. In fact, when surrounding voices are making their views too prominent in your consciousness, take a moment and acknowledge that Christ is voicing good, and listen for its message right within your mind, assuring you of your safety in God.


csmonitor--2020-03-09--A corporate role in ending epidemics

A corporate role in ending epidemics

A society ’ s response to an epidemic , writes historian Frank Snowden in a new book on the topic , is a lens on the moral priorities of its leaders .
Did they create a resilient community during more settled times ?
Have they built up trust in institutions ?
Epidemics reveal “ the moral relationships that we have toward each other , ” the Yale scholar told The New Yorker .
A current example of moral priorities in the United States is the number of companies promising to keep paying employees – even temporary wage-earners – despite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Congress could decide soon to mandate paid leave during the health crisis .
Yet many corporate leaders are a step ahead in announcing no layoffs or furloughs , creating a sort of cordon sanitaire that protects jobs and eases fears .
At Microsoft , 4,500 hourly employees “ will continue to receive their regular wages even if their work hours are reduced , ” says company President Brad Smith .
Similar commitments have been made by Google and other big firms .
“ I encourage all of our peers to consider this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chief executive of Cisco .
One practical reason to retain workers during the crisis is that , up to now , the task of finding new workers has been difficult .
The U.S. economy is in its 11th year of expansion .
The jobless rate is a low 3.5 % .
Many companies are enjoying record profits .
They can afford a temporary loss .
Yet another reason may be a trend among companies , made strong since the 2008 financial crisis , to better consider how they treat workers , customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the natural environment .
Such “ social responsibility ” toward stakeholders is often genuine .
It can also prevent a high cost to a corporation ’ s reputation .
The promises of no layoffs during this crisis have become a signifier of ethical progress .
Other signs are showing up .
Citigroup is offering leniency to many debtors .
Some health insurers are absorbing the cost of copays for customers .
For many firms , belt-tightening will come in ways other than hits on the most vulnerable .
Worldwide , business has become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead role in global governance , according to the latest Edelman survey .
Based on 40 years of surveys for its “ trust meter , ” the communication firm finds the “ trust capital ” for businesses depends on three ethical drivers : integrity , dependability , and purpose .
“ Business has leapt into the void left by populist and partisan government , ” states the 2020 report .
“ It can no longer be business as usual , with an exclusive focus on shareholder returns.
” The survey finds 73 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society .
Nearly two-thirds of consumers make buying choices based on core beliefs .
Epidemics are not extinguished only by new medicines , quarantines , and improved health practices .
Societies also need to have their moral priorities in place .
Healing the economy with fear-reducing actions is as important as healing the sick .

A society’s response to an epidemic, writes historian Frank Snowden in a new book on the topic, is a lens on the moral priorities of its leaders. Did they create a resilient community during more settled times? Have they built up trust in institutions? Epidemics reveal “the moral relationships that we have toward each other,” the Yale scholar told The New Yorker.
A current example of moral priorities in the United States is the number of companies promising to keep paying employees – even temporary wage-earners – despite the shock and disruption of the coronavirus outbreak. Congress could decide soon to mandate paid leave during the health crisis. Yet many corporate leaders are a step ahead in announcing no layoffs or furloughs, creating a sort of cordon sanitaire that protects jobs and eases fears.
At Microsoft, 4,500 hourly employees “will continue to receive their regular wages even if their work hours are reduced,” says company President Brad Smith. Similar commitments have been made by Google and other big firms. “I encourage all of our peers to consider this as well,” tweeted Chuck Robbins, chief executive of Cisco.
One practical reason to retain workers during the crisis is that, up to now, the task of finding new workers has been difficult. The U.S. economy is in its 11th year of expansion. The jobless rate is a low 3.5%. Many companies are enjoying record profits. They can afford a temporary loss.
Yet another reason may be a trend among companies, made strong since the 2008 financial crisis, to better consider how they treat workers, customers, suppliers, local communities, and the natural environment. Such “social responsibility” toward stakeholders is often genuine. It can also prevent a high cost to a corporation’s reputation.
The promises of no layoffs during this crisis have become a signifier of ethical progress. Other signs are showing up. Citigroup is offering leniency to many debtors. Some health insurers are absorbing the cost of copays for customers. For many firms, belt-tightening will come in ways other than hits on the most vulnerable.
Worldwide, business has become the most trusted institution, taking the lead role in global governance, according to the latest Edelman survey. Based on 40 years of surveys for its “trust meter,” the communication firm finds the “trust capital” for businesses depends on three ethical drivers: integrity, dependability, and purpose.
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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.
“Business has leapt into the void left by populist and partisan government,” states the 2020 report. “It can no longer be business as usual, with an exclusive focus on shareholder returns.” The survey finds 73% of employees want the opportunity to change society. Nearly two-thirds of consumers make buying choices based on core beliefs.
Epidemics are not extinguished only by new medicines, quarantines, and improved health practices. Societies also need to have their moral priorities in place. Healing the economy with fear-reducing actions is as important as healing the sick.


csmonitor--2020-03-09--Monday Sunrise Briefing: Women seeking justice fill the streets

Challenging gender inequality - seen in less pay , domestic violence , and injustice - women marched in cities around the world Sunday .
In Pakistan , rallies were held nationwide , despite legal attempts to stop them .
But Islamists pelted marchers with stones and shoes in Pakistan ’ s capital .
One of the largest demonstrations occurred in Santiago , Chile , where some 125,000 people flooded the streets with dancing , music , and demands for equality .
“ Enough impunity !
” chanted French activists , who focused on France ’ s unusually high rate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a school in East London , the Duchess of Sussex , Meghan Markle , urged daily respect .
“ For young men ... you have your mothers , sisters , girlfriends , friends in your life - protect them .
Make sure they are feeling valued and safe , ” she said .
Republican Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona , who was the first U.S. female fighter pilot to fly in combat , recently co-sponsored a bipartisan paid family leave bill and championed historic sexual assault reforms in the military .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what all women could or should do , ” she wrote in a Sunday oped for Fox News , adding that in America “ we are all created equal and can achieve all we can without limits being placed on us.
” 2 .
Civil liberties tested in Europe .
Italy took a page from China ’ s COVID-19 playbook Sunday , ordering a lockdown of 16 million people - more than a quarter of its population - for nearly a month .
Since the outbreak , it was the first major attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberties of a large swath of the population .
The Washington Post reported that Sunday “ provided the first glimpse of a coronavirus lockdown , European-style — a test of how the open-borders spirit of this continent might change.
” Areas under lockdown include Milan , Italy 's financial hub and Venice .
The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3 .
Stock markets in Asia , the Middle East , and Europe tumbled Monday as oil prices fell amid squabbling by oil producing nations and concerns that the global economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were also down .
3 .
Portraits of resilience .
Members of Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville , Tennessee , gathered Sunday for a defiant and gratitude-filled “ worship in the rubble ” service .
It was held in a tent next to the ruins of their church , which was damaged by one of six tornadoes that ripped through the area this past Tuesday .
“ God is good .
He was the conductor on that train and he went around me , ” said Bobbie Harris , who lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her church , the Associated Press reported .
Pastor Jacques Boyd told those gathered that the church was so much more than the building behind him .
“ Now that the brick and mortar is gone , do you still love this community ?
” The choir raised their hands and voices in a boisterous response .
Seeking universal justice : The trial begins in a Dutch court for three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 .
The flight was shot down by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passengers and crew .
Best in College Round Ball : The 32 NCAA conference basketball tournaments get underway this week to see who qualifies on “ Selection Sunday , ” March 15 , the official start of “ March Madness.
” Gender justice : Women in Mexico plan to strike as part of a protest against gender violence .
In 2017 , women staged a similar global strike .
Super Tuesday , Round II : Will “ Joementum ” continue or will Bernie bounce back ?
Six states ( Idaho , Mississippi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold primary votes today .
Oh yes , the crucial swing state of Michigan will be voting too .
To Nashville , With Love : Country music stars are holding a benefit concern for victims of the tornadoes that swept through Tennessee last week .
Among the performers : Ashley McBryde , Brandi Carlile , Sheryl Crow , and many more .
# MeToo justice : Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein faces a sentencing hearing after being found guilty of committing a criminal sex act in the first degree with one woman and rape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 25 years in prison .
Headcount for democracy : U.S. households start receiving census forms with info about how to respond to the census online , by phone , or by mail .
Mandated by the U.S. Constitution , the headcount determines congressional representation , steers hundreds of billions in federal funding , and provides data that will impact communities for the next decade .
International Pi Day : Math enthusiasts celebrate the beauty and order of a mathematical constant , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its diameter , approximately equal to 3.1415… Malcolm Coleman endears himself to many of the students at the University of South Carolina .
He works a late shift , from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. , in Columbia , and knows his customers .
“ Walking into Wendy ’ s , you ’ ll hear Malcolm just calling people by name in line before they even order ... .
He has this really strange ability to , if he talks to you twice , he ’ ll remember your name and your order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student Robert Caldaroni told The Daily Gamecock .
Mr. Caldaroni learned that Mr. Coleman and his mother had lost their home to fire .
He enlisted his Delta Sigma Pi frat mates to make a video and set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds to rebuild the Coleman ’ s house .
In the past month , they ’ ve raised nearly $ 40,000 of the $ 75,000 goal .
Mr. Coleman told CBS News he ’ s overwhelmed with gratitude for “ these beautiful acts of kindness.
” “ Working in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he wrote in a Facebook post .
“ Sometimes you feel completely disregarded as a person… .
Thank you all ever so much for loving me for me and for valuing all that I do.
” Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor readers : When the friend who has your back is a horse In tonight ’ s Daily Edition , watch for our story about whether the charter school revolution in education has run its course .
Finally , check out the Monitor ’ s selected stories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • With Elizabeth Warren out , women voters ask : ‘ What now ?
’ • Caught in the middle : How Mexico became Trump ’ s wall • ‘ The heart of Australia ’ : Fires are out , but how to save the bush ?
• Why your next lithium battery might come from the US • Drawing on his roots , a rock guitarist finds a new rhythm in Nashville This is a beta test - an experiment with an early Monday morning news update .
Please give us your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us know what you think .
Thank you !

Challenging gender inequality - seen in less pay, domestic violence, and injustice - women marched in cities around the world Sunday. In Pakistan, rallies were held nationwide, despite legal attempts to stop them. But Islamists pelted marchers with stones and shoes in Pakistan’s capital. One of the largest demonstrations occurred in Santiago, Chile, where some 125,000 people flooded the streets with dancing, music, and demands for equality. “Enough impunity!” chanted French activists, who focused on France’s unusually high rate of women killed by their husbands. At a school in East London, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, urged daily respect. “For young men ... you have your mothers, sisters, girlfriends, friends in your life - protect them. Make sure they are feeling valued and safe,” she said.
Republican Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona, who was the first U.S. female fighter pilot to fly in combat, recently co-sponsored a bipartisan paid family leave bill and championed historic sexual assault reforms in the military. “I have spent my life fighting stereotypes about what all women could or should do,” she wrote in a Sunday oped for Fox News, adding that in America “we are all created equal and can achieve all we can without limits being placed on us.”
2. Civil liberties tested in Europe. Italy took a page from China’s COVID-19 playbook Sunday, ordering a lockdown of 16 million people - more than a quarter of its population - for nearly a month. Since the outbreak, it was the first major attempt by a democracy to curb the civil liberties of a large swath of the population. The Washington Post reported that Sunday “provided the first glimpse of a coronavirus lockdown, European-style — a test of how the open-borders spirit of this continent might change.” Areas under lockdown include Milan, Italy's financial hub and Venice. The extraordinary measures will be in place until April 3.
Why We Wrote This Good morning! Welcome to your Monday, March 9, 2020, sunrise briefing. Here are three news events from this past weekend (while you may have been listening to the new Dixie Chicks song, hiking, and enjoying an offline life). Also, what to look for in the news this week.
Stock markets in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe tumbled Monday as oil prices fell amid squabbling by oil producing nations and concerns that the global economy is slowing. U.S. stock market futures were also down.
3. Portraits of resilience. Members of Mount Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, gathered Sunday for a defiant and gratitude-filled “worship in the rubble” service. It was held in a tent next to the ruins of their church, which was damaged by one of six tornadoes that ripped through the area this past Tuesday. “God is good. He was the conductor on that train and he went around me,” said Bobbie Harris, who lost her rental home, her job, and her church, the Associated Press reported. Pastor Jacques Boyd told those gathered that the church was so much more than the building behind him. “Now that the brick and mortar is gone, do you still love this community?” The choir raised their hands and voices in a boisterous response.
SpaceX via Instagram View caption Hide caption Trustworthy transport: The SpaceX Falcon launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., March 6, 2020, with supplies for the International Space Station. It's the 20th ISS delivery, and minutes later the first-stage booster landed safely back at Cape Canaveral for the 50th time.
Look Ahead
Monday, March 9
Seeking universal justice: The trial begins in a Dutch court for three Russians and a Ukrainian charged with the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. The flight was shot down by a missile over eastern Ukraine killing all 298 passengers and crew.
Best in College Round Ball: The 32 NCAA conference basketball tournaments get underway this week to see who qualifies on “Selection Sunday,” March 15, the official start of “March Madness.”
Gender justice: Women in Mexico plan to strike as part of a protest against gender violence. In 2017, women staged a similar global strike.
Tuesday, March 10
Super Tuesday, Round II: Will “Joementum” continue or will Bernie bounce back? Six states (Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington) hold primary votes today. Oh yes, the crucial swing state of Michigan will be voting too.
To Nashville, With Love: Country music stars are holding a benefit concern for victims of the tornadoes that swept through Tennessee last week. Among the performers: Ashley McBryde, Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, and many more.
Wednesday, March 11
#MeToo justice: Movie mogul Harvey Weinstein faces a sentencing hearing after being found guilty of committing a criminal sex act in the first degree with one woman and rape in the third degree with another. He faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Thursday, March 12
Headcount for democracy: U.S. households start receiving census forms with info about how to respond to the census online, by phone, or by mail. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the headcount determines congressional representation, steers hundreds of billions in federal funding, and provides data that will impact communities for the next decade.
Saturday, March 14
International Pi Day: Math enthusiasts celebrate the beauty and order of a mathematical constant, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, approximately equal to 3.1415…
Generosity Watch
Malcolm Coleman via Facebook View caption Hide caption Malcolm Coleman works at Wendy's in Columbia, South Carolina. His home was ravaged by fire last year. Some students at the University of South Carolina are fundraising to help him rebuild.
Malcolm Coleman endears himself to many of the students at the University of South Carolina. He works a late shift, from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., in Columbia, and knows his customers. “Walking into Wendy’s, you’ll hear Malcolm just calling people by name in line before they even order.... He has this really strange ability to, if he talks to you twice, he’ll remember your name and your order,” third-year finance and risk management student Robert Caldaroni told The Daily Gamecock.
Mr. Caldaroni learned that Mr. Coleman and his mother had lost their home to fire. He enlisted his Delta Sigma Pi frat mates to make a video and set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds to rebuild the Coleman’s house. In the past month, they’ve raised nearly $40,000 of the $75,000 goal. Mr. Coleman told CBS News he’s overwhelmed with gratitude for “these beautiful acts of kindness.”
“Working in fast food isn’t easy,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “Sometimes you feel completely disregarded as a person…. Thank you all ever so much for loving me for me and for valuing all that I do.”
Hidden gem
Start your week with a recent story that inspired Monitor readers:
When the friend who has your back is a horse
Sneak preview
In tonight’s Daily Edition, watch for our story about whether the charter school revolution in education has run its course.
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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.
Finally, check out the Monitor’s selected stories from Friday's subscription-only Daily Edition:
This is a beta test - an experiment with an early Monday morning news update. Please give us your feedback via the link below and let us know what you think. Thank you!