I couldn’t bring myself to release my good news TikTok last night.
If you haven’t seen one, I make use of the platform and share the good news in colorful text bubbles while I smile and shimmy to upbeat, happy music. There was just no way I could share a video like that just as the Tyre Nichols footage of him being fatally attacked was released to the public.
Instead, I shared what I was hearing from Black activists. Namely, that we shouldn’t share the video. That we should not be asking Black friends, coworkers or social media accounts to explain anything — it is not their job to educate us, especially at a time like this. And finally, we need to recommit to doing anti-racism work, beyond feeling sad or upset about this most recent incident.
The focus of my weekly recaps are politics, of course, but I couldn’t not address Tyre Nichols murder. Politics and policy can start to address and solve the systemic problem that is how police departments operate, but racism cannot be solved by policy alone.
With all that said, it seems like a good time to reiterate that I share positive news each week in the hopes that seeing the progress that is being made when it comes to liberal and progressive goals, as well as accountability for those who need it, give you the energy and motivation to get involved in your communities to keep fighting for those values.
Good News
Enrollments under the Affordable Care Act have reached an all-time high on the federal and state exchanges
The FDA unveiled new guidance to relax blood donor restrictions, that had been set during the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s, for gay and bisexual men
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) push for a 15-week abortion ban died when a state Senate subcommittee blocked the ban along with two other restrictions
The U.S. economy grew by 2.9% last quarter
Newly empowered Democrats in the Michigan and Minnesota state legislatures are advancing several voting rights bills
A federal judge sentenced the Pennsylvania man who pepper sprayed U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick on January 6th, to 6 1/2 years in prison
DirecTV dumped conservative cable channel Newsmax from its lineup
Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church
The Biden administration unveiled new actions this week to protect tenants, make renting more affordable and improve fairness in the rental housing market
