So today it was reported that Kylie Jenner, the youngest Kardashian sister, is with child and apparently this news has broken the internet.
While the world around us is in various stages of crisis, millions of people are losing their shit over the fact that Kylie is pregnant.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for guilty pleasures and indulging in trashy reality shows to escape the real world for a bit, but our real world is in danger right now and there are so many important issues that need our attention more than Kylie Jenner. This is a difficult time for people all across the world in which many of them are fighting for equality and even more of them fighting for their lives.
What’s Kylie Jenner fighting for? A prime-time television spot?
Take your head out of the Kardashian world for a moment today and try to learn about some real-world issues that need your attention, in which you can contribute to in order to inspire and create real, impactful change and make a difference in this world.
I bet many of you are reading this thinking maybe you heard something briefly on the news about Flint a while back, but like isn’t that over already??? Nope. The people of Flint, Michigan have been without clean drinking water for over two years now. TWO. YEARS. Why haven’t they addressed this problem and gotten the people of Flint justice and access to clean drinking water? Because 56% of the people living in Flint are African-American and over 40% of them live below the poverty line. While the world is swooning over what multi-millionaire Kylie Jenner is going to name her baby, America is denying people the basic human right to water simply because they are poor and black.
2. Hurricanes in the Caribbean
Last week Hurricane Irma struck a string of Caribbean islands, causing extensive damages along with some casualties. Just when the people of the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico among others, thought they were in the clear, they were slammed by Hurricane Maria. This has left the entire island of Puerto Rico without water or power, while casualty numbers continue to rise as the small nation tries to cope with the storm. While powerhouses like Texas and Florida can easily bounce back from hurricanes due to their well-built infrastructure and government-funded disaster aid, the Caribbean islands do not have the resources to recover from such a big disaster and will likely spend years trying to recoup their homes, buildings, and economies.
Over 200 people have died in Mexico due to a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Mexico City this week. Videos went viral of rescue workers trying to rescue children trapped in the rubble of a school that had collapsed. This earthquake came just a week after an 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck Southern Mexico, killing 90 people. Mexico is another nation that does not have the resources or economic means to repair itself from a disaster like this. Over 5 million people were without power following the earthquake and millions more without homes entirely.
While racism has always existed in parts of the United States, since January 20th when the current President was sworn in, racism has been amplified, highlighted, and at times it seems like encouraged among white people in America. With Trump excusing Neo-Nazi’s as “very fine people” and attempting to defend Confederate statues it’s no wonder there has been an increase in police brutality and violence against people of colour in America. On top of this, Trump referred to African-American football players who decide to take a knee during the national anthem in protest of the racism in America, “sons of bitches” and called for them to be fired by their respective teams. Yes, he really did say that. The President of the United States referred to black athletes silently protesting “sons of bitches” and referred to Neo-Nazi’s actively acting out acts of violence against black people “very fine people”. Today, hundreds of football players are using their game day to fight back against Trump’s disgusting remarks with many linking arms in solidarity, taking a knee, and many not even taking to the field for the anthem at all.
5. Donald Trump is Still President
When he’s not making racist remarks towards African-American athletes and supporting the acts of Neo-Nazi’s, Trump is threatening North Korea, re-tweeting GIF’s that promote violence against women, and attempting to disband Obamacare, because who really needs healthcare anyway?