The Past, Present, and Future of North Carolina’s Harshest Punishment

The United States is the only country in the world that allows for those under the age of 18 to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole (LWOP). Within the U.S., North Carolina is one of only 25 states that has not banned the punishment altogether. Since the practice was introduced in 1994, a series of legal battles nationally and within the state have slowly eroded the use of juvenile LWOP, and one case currently pending review before the state Supreme Court could effectively end the sentence for good.”

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For the Fossil Fuel Industry, Sustainability Does Not Have To Be a Zero-Sum Game

“As climate change becomes an impending harbinger of chaos, calls for decarbonization compound throughout all generations of society. When activists push for progress, the fossil fuel industry lobbies in rebuttal. The underlying reason for this is simple: their livelihoods depend upon it. To fight the encompassing issue of climate change, society imperatively necessitates a coalition of disparate actors, including the coal and petrochemical industry.”

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The Perpetual Allure of Space

“Carl Sagan wrote in his 1980 bestseller Cosmos, “The Cosmos is all that is or was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us — there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries.” Since then, and indeed well before, humans have been captivated by the allure of space. We learn about Galileo, Newton, Kepler, and Copernicus in school. We see this fascination nearly every day reflected in the news, movies, television shows, books, and games. With new advances in science and technology, the space programs of SpaceX and Blue Origin, and the advent of the U.S. Space Force, the perpetual allure of space in the minds of humans continues.”

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The Faces of a Politically Charged Winter Olympics

"Dubbed “The Genocide Olympics,” opponents cite China’s mass detention and re-education of Uygher muslims in Xinjiang as well as the country’s rampant censorship of dissidents as reasons to boycott the games. China has continued to push back, denying the existence of a genocide and limiting criticism within the country. As a result of this tension, some Olympic athletes are being pulled away from their sports and thrust into politics as they become the faces of an increasingly controversial Olympic Games.”

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Sexual Misconduct in Academia: The Role of Power Dynamics

“Power dynamics within sexual relationships, especially the non-consensual and inappropriate, highlight that these interactions are based more on power than the gratification of sex. Domination over victims often feeds the motivation of assault cases. Sexual violence, which is any form of unwelcomed and forced sexual contact, becomes even more difficult to bring to justice whenever an assaulter is a person in a position of power… The cases at Harvard and the University of Michigan are just a few examples of events that have transpired recently, but this form of sexual violence and unbalanced power dynamics has been occurring for a very long time.”

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Hannah GarnerComment
N.C. Commission Unanimously Rejects Vaccine Mandate

“The letter to the Commission, referenced earlier in the article, that recommended rejection of the vaccine mandate did include, however, the caveat that "the Commission could consider adding a COVID-19 vaccine to the childhood immunization schedule at a later date." But, observing the repealing of mask mandates, the plummeting daily COVID cases, the opposition from state officials on all sides of the aisle, and the objections from state health officials, it seems highly unlikely that the Commission will institute a mandate for Covid-19 vaccines for school-aged children in North Carolina.”

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Environmental Justice in North Carolina: Cooper’s Executive Order and Winston-Salem’s Fertilizer Plant Fire

“On January 7, 2022, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 246, titled ‘North Carolina’s Transformation to a Clean, Equitable Economy,’ and on January 31, 2022, when the Winston Weaver Co. fertilizer plant in Winston-Salem caught fire, creating the possibility of one of the worst explosions in US history due to the 600 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate inside.”

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In the Streets of Buenos Aires: Protests Against the IMF

“Thousands of Argentinians have taken to the streets of Buenos Aires to protest a new deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The deal is meant to help Argentina repay roughly $45 billion in IMF loans by deferring debt payments dates in exchange for Argentina’s agreement to meet IMF-specified economic targets, specifically reducing their fiscal deficit and limiting spending.”

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Arguments Over Stock Ban Reveal Greater Disconnect Between the Public and Federal Government

“A study by the Pew Research center found that only 24% of Americans trust the federal government to do what is right “most of the time.” This percentage has significantly decreased from 60% in 2001 and 77% in 1964. This growing disconnect largely stems from disparities in wealth between politicians and the public.”

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Insurrection: The Possible End to Madison Cawthorn’s Short-lived Career

“Cawthorn intends to fight the suit and a spokesperson commented saying the voters bringing the suit are “comically misinterpreting and twisting the 14th Amendment for political gain.” It is clear Cawthorn does not believe the suit will succeed. However, if the suit manages to succeed, Cawthorn will be disallowed from running for public office. Additionally, he could be subject to criminal charges by the federal government like many of the people involved in the riot.”

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Senator Valerie Foushee is Ready to Take Her Career in Service All the Way to Congress

“With over 24 years of public service under her belt, Senator Valerie Foushee is ready to take her fight to Congress. Shortly after Rep. David Price (NC-06) announced his retirement in November of 2021, Senator Foushee emerged as an obvious challenger to represent residents of Orange and Durham County.”

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The Carolina Student’s Guide to the Law

“The Carolina Political Review sat down with Carolina Student Legal Services Director and Staff Attorney Fran Muse in addition to the Executive Director of Off-Campus Student Life and Community Partnerships Aaron Bachenheimer to learn about ways that Carolina students can ensure that they stay on the right side of the law during their time in Chapel Hill.”

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China Wins Gold in COVID-19 Restrictions at the 2022 Winter Olympics

“While athletes seek to bring home a medal, China seeks to prevent COVID-19. The country reported the first local case of the highly contagious Omicron variant three weeks before the opening ceremony of the global sporting event. Most athletes and foreign nationals currently stay in a closed bubble. Nevertheless, officials are wary about Omicron, which has led to record-breaking caseloads and hospital overcrowding in North America and Europe.”

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13 U.S. States Back Mexican Lawsuit, Blame Gun Companies for Exporting Violence

“The lawsuit comes amid a decades-long drug war that has claimed the lives of over 150,000 Mexicans, many of them shot dead by traffickers armed with U.S.-made guns. Mexico’s stringent gun laws ban virtually all firearm sales, so the cartels rely on stolen and foreign weapons to wage war on rivals and the authorities.”

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