TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION ORDER RAISES QUESTIONS, BRINGS PROTESTS

President Trump has issued a controversial executive order banning immigration into the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.  The ban is to be enforced for the next 120 days (with Syrian immigration banned indefinitely), and applies not just to those holding or seeking standard visas, but also to those who currently hold valid green cards. The order came with no prior warning, stranding many foreign visitors in other countries, separating them from their families, homes and jobs. At airports such as New York’s JFK, innocent individuals from these countries were detained upon exiting planes and attempting to enter into the country. Federal judges reacted by temporarily blocking these individuals from the deportation ordered within Trump’s ban. 

Immediately, massive protests erupted around the United States, with citizens of all classes, backgrounds and races labeling the ban as unconstitutional, fear-driven and racist. Even many top Republicans, including Dick Cheney, John McCain and Lindsey Graham condemned the ban as potentially doing more to aid terrorism than discourage it, as the force of the order gives potential terrorists more motivation to join ISIS. The move has also been criticized as highly misguided, considering that merely 11 of the 180 extremist Islamic terrorists who have struck the U.S. came from the banned countries. The majority of the terrorists came from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, none of which are included in Trump’s measure. 

Thousands Protest at Airports Nationwide
http://www.npr.org/sections/th...

#NationOfImmigrants #LandOfTheFree? #TrumpWorld

JUSTIN BIEBER SHOOTS WITH NHL ALL-STARS 

Saturday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Justin Bieber strapped on shoulder pads and a helmet for the 2017 NHL All-Star Celebrity Shootout, a relaxed pace on-ice contest involving famous hockey fans and retired pro hockey greats. The singer came through with one goal and an assist as his team, captained by Wayne Gretzky, beat Mario Lemieux’s squad by a 5-3 count. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr., a teammate of Bieber’s who scored the game’s winning goal, commented, “I was shocked at how good the kid can play, he really has nice skills, and he’s a real sweet kid too.” Bieber is set to return to the Staples Center in mid-February for the Grammy Awards, where he is nominated for four categories including Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

Bieber at Celebrity Shooutout: Full Coverage

#NiceOnIce #NHLAllStars #BieberFeature

CALIFORNIA TALKS SECESSION?

As the Trump presidency begins and many Americans battle the changes facing their nation, California residents have begun to formally pursue the notion of their state exiting the union. The Yes California initiative, or as some have dubbed it, Calexit, is now gaining momentum, as an initial measure has been secured that places the topic on the state’s 2018 general election ballot. Thousands of volunteers are now gathering the 585,407 resident signatures required to place a full constitutional amendment on the ballot that would remove California from the United States and cancel its adherence to the nation’s laws. Should this campaign be successful, a 2019 referendum on independence would be the next step in the process. Shortly after Barack Obama’s inauguration, similar discussions arose involving states in the southern U.S., though no formal actions were taken.

Calexit Organizers Begin to Gather Signatures

#Calexit #LandOfTheFree #TrumpWorld