Good News
With this page, Daisie will be discussing some of the good things that are going on right now throughout the world.
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Good News
Good News
By Daisie Crist
By Daisie Crist
A lot of news outlets nowadays focus on primarily negative topics. It is hard to find any positive stories from any well-known media. This column will be here every month to highlight a collection of "Good News" stories one may have missed.
PRESIDENT BIDEN PROMISES TO CONSERVE NATIVE LAND
Throughout President Biden’s first term, he has so far held two Tribal Nations Conferences. These meetings between the president and the leaders of the Native American tribes are used to converse about any problems they happen to face and how they can be resolved. In his latest, President Biden committed to reserving Spirit Mountain and some of the surrounding areas in Nevada. These sites are incredibly important to the Fort Mojave Native American reservation. It is said that if the president continues to go on with these promises, it could be one of the largest conservations of his presidency.
Biden said, “When it comes to Spirit Mountain and the surrounding canyons and regions in southern Nevada, I’m committed to protecting this sacred place that is essential to the creation story of so many tribes that are here today.” In response, a loud cheer was heard from the audience at the conference, showing just how important this was to some of the tribes. If he does go through with it, over 450,000 estimated acres are going to be preserved. The protection of Native land will ensure that these tribes and their histories are allowed to flourish and, with the Biden administration’s promise, they hope to aid that.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
BRITTNEY GRINER COMES HOME
Born on Oct. 18, 1990, Brittney Yvette Griner is known all over the world. Popularized by her WNBA work for the Phoenix Mercury, local to Phoenix, Arizona, Griner had a great career under her belt; furthermore, during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she even helped her U.S. women's national team win gold. However, her bright career came to a sudden stop when she arrived in Russia to play in the city of Yekaterinburg. On Feb. 17, 2022, she was detained at the airport for having a cartridge containing medical marijuana, which she was prescribed by a doctor back home in America. This, unknown to Griner, was illegal in Russia. When her trial first began in July of 2022, she initially pled guilty to the crime, but still hoped for a lighter sentence, due to the cartridge being medicinally prescribed. It was only a month later when she was convicted of smuggling illegal drugs with criminal intent, her sentence being nine years in a penal colony (a settlement used to exile prisoners in a remote location).
Most recently, Brittney took part in a prisoner swap between the two countries. The agreement was made between Russia and the US on Dec. 1, 2022, and the swap commenced in the United Arab Emirates on Dec 8, 2022. In exchange for Griner, arms dealer Viktor Bout was given back to the latter country. Anxiously awaiting Griner's arrival back home was her wife, Cherelle Griner. Cherelle has been very open about her concern for her partner’s safety throughout the ten months Griner was kept on Russian soil, though-- once her wife was back to safety-- she wrote on Twitter: “Yesterday, my heart was made whole thanks to the collective efforts of MANY! I’m humbled by their hearts. To care for another, a stranger to some, a friend to some- is humanity in its purest form.”
RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE LAW PASSED
"Marriage is a simple proposition. Who do you love? And will you be loyal to that person you love? It’s not more complicated than that” is what President Biden asked on the South Lawn. On Dec. 13, 2022, the president signed federal-level protections for same-sex marriages. With this new law passed, it rids the Defense of Marriage Act, the law which stated that the definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. The Respect for Marriage Act (as it is officially referred to) requires states to honor any out-of-state marriage licenses, which includes same-sex and interracial partnerships.
When the bill was first proposed, it did not come as much of a shock for the Democratic-led house to allow it to pass-- although, when it reached the Republican-leaning senate, some had doubts it would pass. Joining the Democrats in supporting these unions were 12 other senators, to name a few: Mitt Romney, coming from Utah; Lisa Murkowski, voting for Alaska; and Joni Ernst of Iowa. With nine other Republicans, the bill passed. At the end of President Biden's speech, he said, “It (the USA’s past law) failed to treat them with equal respect and dignity. And now, this law requires an interracial marriage and same-sex marriage must be recognized as legal in every state in the nation.”
Photo Credit: Flickr
Throughout this past month, there have been plenty of positive factors that help those around us, personally or not, stay safe and grow as people. Between cultural wins and a WNBA star’s return back home, this month has definitely been an educational one. America has fulfilled its promise of bringing Britney home, leaving many people grateful. President Biden ensured that Native lands and their histories will be preserved. However, the content of this article isn’t all that has been done: good and positive things are being discovered and done every single minute.
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