Students: Mrs. Morris’ class at A2 STEAM
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Emily: A2 STEAM rapping us into this Friday — nice job, guys. All right, here we go. We are starting off with President Trump's 34th executive order, and this one, the White House says, promises to protect and promote religious freedom.
While celebrating the National Day of Prayer at the White House yesterday, President Trump made it easier for churches to mix religion and politics — something that hasn't been done for over 60 years.
President Donald Trump: No one should be censoring sermons or targeting pastors.
Emily: Churches, which don't pay taxes, are not allowed to support political candidates.That is because in 1954, then Senator Lyndon B. Johnson introduced a bill before he was president that prevented churches and nonprofit, tax-exempt groups from donating money to political candidates.But now, with the new executive order, the president is telling the IRS to pull back from enforcing those rules.
Critics of Trump’s order say it violates the separation of church and state because it could allow church leaders to push a political agenda.
Okay, next up, the historic floods hitting the South and Midwest are far from over. The powerful storm system that is blamed for at least seven deaths continues to wreak havoc.
The Black River in Pocahontas, Arkansas, poured over the levee — the ridge holding it back. That streaming flow of water is now threatening communities downstream.Flooding continued throughout portions of the South Wednesday; in Louisiana, a school bus almost tipped over when it tried to drive through floodwaters.
Nearly 6 billion gallons of water has soaked the St. Louis, Missouri, area since last Friday. That is enough to fill nearly 9,000 Olympic swimming pools. Five people died in connection with the flooding in the state.
Flash floods are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.It only takes
6 inches of fast-moving water to knock a person over, and 2 feet of water will make a car float.
Now over to the United Kingdom, where Queen Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, says he is ready to step out of the limelight.
The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, has been a devoted companion to Queen Elizabeth II for more than 70 years.Now, at 95 years old, he is the longest reigning spouse in British history.In a statement yesterday, Buckingham Palace said, "His Royal Highness has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from autumn of this year.”
While the queen still serves as the official head of state, the royal family's role is more about influence than it is about official constitutional power. The prime minister and Parliament make and enforce the country's laws, similar to our president and Congress.
All right, now an update on a story we brought you. A few weeks ago, I met up withAmaiya Zafar, a teen battling to get into the boxing ring. But covering her arms and legs and wearing a headscarf, which is part of her Muslim belief, was standing in the way.
For three years 16-year-old Amaiya Zafar has been pushing for a change in USA Boxing's rulebook which would allow her to compete wearing a hijab, or headscarf. And she finally won her battle. USA Boxing announced last week it was changing the rules, which is not just a big step for Amaiya but for the Muslim community.
Jaylani Hussein: She is not only boxing for herself but for a lot of young girls who nowactually can look at that sport as an option.
Emily: And on Saturday Amaiya made history, becoming the first boxer to wear a hijab during a competitive USA Boxing–sanctioned fight.And she already has her next fight planned for May 20. Great job.
And when we get back, a disturbing new trend popping up on college campuses.
Emily: From American University to Texas A&M, racism is on the rise at college campuses across the country.
Tom: Now, you know,Emily, it is a really serious issue. Messages of hate, racism and bigotry are popping up more and more, and racial tensions are growing.Check it out.
On Monday at American University in Washington,D.C., racist messages were found outside a predominantly black sorority.
Taylor Dumpson: Hate and racism and bigotry have no place on this campus.
Tom: Last week, racist notes appeared at St. Olaf College in Minnesota.
Student: This is where it was before I tore it down.
Tom: And right after spring break at Texas AM, freshmanAdrienne Rubenstein says she found hate hanging outside the school's main library.She tweeted images of two White Power posters.
Adrienne Rubenstein: They were advocating for a country that was completely white, that no other race, no other ethnicity, would be welcome here.
Tom: Last year's presidential campaign exposed America's economic, social and racial divisions. Since the election,at least 140 instances of racist posters and flyers have been reported on college campuses in 33 states.
Jonathan Greenblatt: It seems clear that the extremists feel emboldened in this current political climate.
Tom: Jonathan Greenblatt is CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, a nonprofit which fights against bigotry.
Greenblatt: We've seen a change in the rhetoric, and some of our worst impulses have moved from the margins to the mainstream.
Tom: Greenblatt's group has tracked what it calls an "unprecedented" college recruitment drive trying to get students to join white nationalists — groups such asAmericanVanguard, American Renaissance and Identity Evropa. White nationalists believe that white people are a superior race and often push to preserve the "white identity."They are widely viewed as racist and bigoted.
Mathias: We've been riding this wave of Donald Trump's election, absolutely.
Tom: These two Evropa members spoke with “CBSNews” and asked it not to use their names. Both agreed that Trump's election has made their groups more popular.
Mathias: He's the closest to us that we've ever had in recent memory, although we'd like to see him go a lot further.
Tom: He defends their group when people call it racist.
Mathias: I think those slurs — like racist, white supremacist, Nazi — these are anti-white slurs.
Tom: Last November, then President-elect Donald Trump was accused of "energizing" hate groups. He strongly rejected that idea on CBS“60 Minutes.”
Trump: If it helps,I will say this, and I’ll say it right to the cameras: Stop it.
Tom: But the rise in white nationalist groups has definitely energized those speaking against them. Protests against racism have broken out on college campuses around the country, and some schools have even started mandatory classes on race and gender.
Greenblatt: So we hope that leaders will step up and speak out when hate rears its head.
Tom: Tom Hanson, Channel One News.
Emily: Thanks, Tom.
And to see what some schools are doing to teach tolerance and improve racial relations, head to ChannelOne.com.
All right, coming up, one basketball player who is beating the odds.
Emily: It is one of the worst feelings: being picked last in gym class.
Keith: Yeah,Emily, but one Florida boy didn't let that stop him from playing basketball, and that wasn't his only challenge. Check out his inspiring story in this week's Feel-Good Friday.
Every week, he set himself up for disappointment. Every week,Jamarion Styles came to this community center in Boca Raton, Florida, hoping to play basketball with the other kids. And every week, he was rejected.
Jamarion Styles: They would start picking teams, and I would be the only one left out. And then they would just tell me,“Just go home,” and stuff. You can break someone’s heart like that.
Keith: The problem was obvious to everyone but Jamarion. He lost his hands and most of his arms as an infant due to a rare bacterial infection. But he insists that is no reason to give up on his hoop dreams, which is why,here on the first day of class at Eagles Landing Middle School, Jamarion talked with basketball coach Darian Williams — said he wanted to be on the team this year.
Darian Williams: I said, “All great — well, just make sure you try out.” He told me:“Mr. Williams, I've never been on a team before. Even if I don't play, I just want to be on the team.”And how could I say no to that?
Keith: And that is how the Eagles got their first armless basketball player.Jamarion —No. 2 — quickly earned a reputation as the hardest worker on the squad.
Williams: He was usually the first one in the gym, usually the last one to leave.
Keith: Still, he sat on the bench most of the season, until last month, during the final game of the regular season.Coach put him in the game with about six minutes left.And when he eventually got the ball on the far side of the court, everyone yelled, "Shoot it!"So he did — and sank a three-pointer.
And if you didn't quite see that, don't worry, because shortly after, he got the ball again — this time on the near side — for another three-pointer at the buzzer. Jamarion Styles, the kid no one would pick, was now everyone's hero.
Needless to say, today,Jamarion can play all he wants at the community center.He just made the volleyball team and plans on playing football next year.Really, the only thing he won't play is the victim. He says,“Who needs hands when you've got this kind of touch?”
Keith Kocinski,Channel One News.
Emily: Great story. Thanks,Keith.
Now, for all you seniors out there, today is College Signing Day. So send us your pics as you send off those acceptance letters to . We might just feature them on the show.
All right, it is time for us to bounce out of here. Have a great weekend, and we will see you guysright back here on Monday.
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