In this issue

A decade after Elliot Rodger’s horrific massacre, his mother is on a quest to help threat assessment experts—and other parents—prevent the next tragedy. The story is written by Mark Follman, who has incisively reported on gun violence in America for more than 10 years. Also in this issue, we compiled Reconstruction-era documents to identify Black Americans given land as reparations only to have it returned to their enslavers. Among the discoveries is that, on Skidaway Island, in Georgia, the formerly enslaved briefly formed a self-governed paradise in the making, but today that land is a wealthy white enclave. We also report on technology and genealogy making the case for reparations specific—and undeniable. Journalist Madison Pauly, with Henry Carnell, reports that the counselors once discredited for “ex-gay” theories have rebranded and are coming after trans kids. Plus, a feature revealing how Donald Trump’s pugilistic spokesman takes campaigning to a whole new low.

THE FAST AND THE SPURIOUS

Ohio GOP Senate hopeful Bernie Moreno built an empire selling cars-and stiffing workers.

6 mins

White Man's Burden- Who is behind the right's assault on a Biden policy welcoming Native knowledge?

Who is behind the right's assault on a Biden policy welcoming Native knowledge?

6 mins

Mission from God. Church And Statehood– A new Puerto Rican political party puts faith before status.

A new Puerto Rican political party puts faith before status. Puerto Rico’s churches, which in recent decades were mostly confined to private life, are now reshaping political dynamics. Proyecto Dignidad is a reflection of a broader populist global trend, and it draws inspiration from the Trump playbook and other domestic right-wing currents that helped him win over significant numbers of Latino voters in 2020.

6 mins

40 Acres and a Lie

We compiled Reconstruction-era documents to identify 1,250 formerly enslaved Black Americans given land-only to have it returned to their enslavers.

10+ mins

PARADISE STOLEN

Black families were cheated out of their land on Skidaway Island. Now it's a wealthy white enclave

7 mins

WHAT WE ARE OWED

Technology and genealogy have made the case for reparations specific-and undeniable.

9 mins

The Conversion Therapist Will See You Now

The counselors once discredited for their "ex-gay" theories have rebranded. And now they're coming after trans kids.

10+ mins

SAVED

Finding self-love after Christian conversion therapy

3 mins

"I Hope My Hindsight Will Be Others' Foresight"

A decade after Elliot Rodger's horrific massacre, his mother is on a quest to help threat assessment experts-and other parents-prevent the next tragedy.

10+ mins

RAGING BULL DONALD TRUMP'S PUGILISTIC SPOKESMAN HAS TAKEN CAMPAIGNING TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF LOW.

IN late February, after Donald Trump had nearly vanquished the entirety of the Republican primary field, his spokesman, Steven Cheung, took aim at the one opponent still standing. \"Birdbrain, are you a liar or just plain stupid?\" he posted on X.

10+ mins

Data Blockers- Overturning Roe didn't just bludgeon abortion access. It sabotaged science, too.

Overturning Roe didn't just bludgeon abortion access. It sabotaged science, too. In early May 2022, reproductive health researcher Liz Mosley was at a dinner celebrating her first day as an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine when the news broke: A leaked draft of the Dobbs decision revealed the Supreme Court’s plan to gut abortion rights in the United States—the “worst-case scenario,” as one dinner guest put it.

5 mins

Growing Pains - Why are governors rejecting funds for kids' summer meals?

The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (EBT), the first new federal food aid initiative in decades, is a permanent extension of Congress’ Covid-era relief that sought to provide extra meals for more than 30 million school kids who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. But more than 10 million children will miss out this summer, according to the USDA. Thirteen other states—Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming—also chose not to enroll. And they all have something else in common: Republican governors.

3 mins

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