Heroes

Thursday, April 26, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Heroes rose to the occasion in two recent events, a midair explosion on Southwest 1380 and in a mass shooting in a Nashville Waffle House. There was also resolution for a hero that lost his life while saving others in a Brooklyn apartment fire in December last year, but was finally buried with honors in February. 

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Southwest Pilot Tammie Jo Shults Hailed A Hero After Emergency Landing
• Investigation into why Southwest Airlines plane's engine exploded
• Police Praise 'Hero' Customer for Stopping Waffle House Shooter
• Gunman kills four in Nashville Waffle House
• Families Come To Grips With Fatal Bronx Fire
• Trump's Racist Comment Countered Online by Story of Ghana Soldier

--------------------------------------- Updated 4/26/18 -----------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Rep. McSally introduces resolution to honor Southwest pilot
• Man Who Tackled Waffle House Gunman Says He's 'Not A Hero'
• Waffle House hero who rushed shooter honored by lawmakers
• Funeral Today For Hero Soldier In Bronx Fire
• How to Survive a Workplace Shooting

Limited Airstrikes

Thursday, April 19, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Trump's strike on Syria was the big news over the weekend, but the Trump news cycle has already shifted to his personal problems. Nevertheless, there are real issues with the general use of limited airstrikes, about their effectiveness, their legally, and their use as political theater.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Why Trump's "limited strike" on Syria probably won't work
• Miller: Syria strike restores 'red line' on chemical weapons
• Inside the AUMF: America's answer to terrorism
• New efforts for congressional review of AUMF
• Trump’s Syria strike distracts media from internal problems
• Trump juggles many issues affecting approval ratings

---------------------------------- Updated 4/19/18 ------------------------------------------


Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Trump Sends a $250 Million Message to Syria
• Nikki Haley responds to Larry Kudlow
• Was the joint missile strike on Syria legal
• China says Syria attacks violated international law
• Russia turns to China with landmark gas pipeline

Embattled Teachers

Thursday, April 12, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Yet another protest movement has caught the nation's attention, this time, low teachers pay in conservative states. Teachers went on strike in West Virginia, Kentucky and Oklahoma and threaten to spread to other states where teacher are poorly paid.

Better paid teachers in liberal states are also threatened by a Supreme Court case, Janus v. AFSCME, which threatens to weaken teachers unions, by making it unconstitutional for unions to charge fees to nonunion teachers. Hearings for this case has concluded and the ruling is expected this summer.

Federal support for education in general is being cut by the Trump administration. The effort is being led by DOE Secretary Betsey DeVos, who is possibly the most criticized member of Trump's cabinet. In a recent  60 Minutes interviews, DeVos tried to explain her actions, but performed poorly.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Teacher Strikes Spread Across the US
• What's next after Janus v. AFSCME
• Betsy DeVos pushes back against criticism over 60 Minutes interview

-------------------------------- Updated 4/12/18 ------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Teacher: I make more money mowing lawns
• Teacher protests for better pay gains momentum across the country
• Stossel: Supreme Court Ruling May Crush Unions
• Who is behind the court case, Janus vs. AFSCME?
• Madigan on Janus v. AFSCME
• Weekend Update Betsy DeVos
• DeVos' relationship with employees is crumbling
• The MSM'S Attack On Betsy DeVos

More on Police Shootings

Thursday, April 5, 2018, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

After a series of high profile controversial police shootings of black men in 2016, there was over a year of relative quiet. That came to an end in March of 2018 when Stephon Clark was shot in Sacramento. At the same time, it was announced that there would be no charges in 2016 shooting of Anton Sterling. While we were fixated on Trump, all of the high profile police shootings of 2016 were concluded without a conviction.

For the next meeting, we will discuss the current situation in Sacramento and the conclusion of some 2016 shootings. We will also try to gain some insight into why these shooting mistakes keep happening with a talk by Malcolm Gladwell about a 1999 shooting of Amadou Diallo.

Here are the videos:

• Widespread protests continue over killing of Stephon Clark
• Alton Sterling shooting Police officer fired over killing
• Hard To Say Philando Castile Got Due Process
• Keith Lamont Scott Trial  Protests Erupt After Officer Not Charged
• Tulsa Officer Acquitted for Death of Terence Crutcher
• Excerpt from The Dark Side of How We Think Without Thinking

------------------------------------ Updated 4/5/18 ----------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Police officer charged after fatally shooting woman in alley
• California considers restricting when police can use deadly force