Outside Iona
May 6, 2021
Throughout our hectic student lives, we should always remain aware of what is happening
around us. In this column, I find some of the most significant things going on around the world and
provide you with a small blurb with all the nitty-gritty details! Here are some of the major events
that have been taking place:
General COVID-19 Update.
Currently, India is being devasted by a second wave of the COVID-19 virus. The weaknesses of the fragile health care system have been exacerbated with millions affected at an alarming rate. CNN cites that India has only 2% of the population vaccinated and accounts for a third of the world’s recent cases.
Critics claim that Prime Minster Narendra Modi could have prevented the crisis, but failed to respond reasonably by taking immediate action. Many argue that the Prime Minister was not only unprepared for the second wave but encouraged mass gatherings. Modi protested against a second national lockdown and succeeded despite the people’s concerns. Instead, he has encouraged the notion of “micro containment zones,” where each state has jurisdiction in its implementation.
Others assert the variant B.1.617 is accountable for the gravity of the crisis. Dubbed the “double mutant” according to the New York Times, this variant contains “two genetic mutations found in other difficult-to-control variants.” However, there is not enough evidence to definitively prove that the variant is the only contributing factor.
Information from CNN and The New York Times.
Ma’Khia Bryant.
The funeral of Ma’Khia Bryant was held last Friday as family and friends lamented the death of the sixteen-year-old. Those who knew Bryant remember her as a smart girl, who was capable of achieving her dreams. Sadly, she will never get that chance as she was killed in Columbus, Ohio by Officer Nicholas Reardon who shot her after he saw her swinging a knife at a woman.
Bryant’s case brought attention to treatment of Black children in Ohio’s foster care system. In March, Bryant’s fifteen-year-old sister called the police earlier to report that she was not happy with her foster family. The police informed her that they could not remove her from the home. After she said that she would kill someone in the home, she was taken to the hospital for an evaluation. This was only one of many recorded incidents concerning the foster family.
Bryant’s family was presented with an honorary high school diploma by the daughter’s principal. Rep. Joyce Beatty and Breonna Taylor’s mother was also in attendance. The service ended with a rendition of “When It’s All Over” by Patti LaBelle.
Information from CNN and The New York Times.
Mario Gonzalez.
On April 19, callers reported that Mario Gonzalez was standing alone and talking to himself in Alameda, California. They described his behavior as he appeared to be breaking security tags off of two bottles of alcohol in a small park in a residential area.
His family contends that Gonzalez died after he was pinned down to the ground for a least five minutes by the police. He was unarmed with apparently only a comb in his possession. According to their lawyer, he was never told why he was being arrested. Body cam footage released on Tuesday displays the officers placing their arms and knees on Gonzalez’s back to keep him restrained.
The case is under investigation with all three officers present at the incident placed on administrative leave.
Information from NPR and Scopes/The Associated Press.
Sources:
General COVID-19 update.
https://www.nytimes.com/article/india-coronavirus-cases-deaths.html
https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/30/india/covid-second-wave-narendra-modi-intl-hnk-dst/index.html
Ma’Khia Bryant.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/04/30/makhia-bryant-funeral-police-shooting/
https://news.yahoo.com/records-makhia-bryants-sister-sought-164138721.html
Mario Gonzalez.
https://www.snopes.com/ap/2021/04/29/mario-gonzalez-family-police/
