Newsroom Round Up

Hey readers! Here’s what happened in the ShoutOut! Newsroom this week!

The Muslim Ban

On Friday, January 17, President Trump issued an executive order (making it his fourteenth executive order in just his first week of office) banning immigrants and refugees of seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days, as well as placing an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees. The ban was placed on Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Interesting that the Muslim countries that Trump does business with, such as Saudi Arabia, were excluded from this list…

The controversial ban sparked an immediate uproar from many all across the country, as protests broke out the very next day in various international airports. Many government officials denounced the ban as unconstitutional and grounds for impeachment, and even led Washington state’s attorney general to sue Trump over the matter.

In response to the order, JMU’s President Alger sent out a message to the university to voice the unity of the JMU community. He noted that all are welcome at James Madison University and that the institution will work to keep everyone updated on how the ban may affect many students and staff who come from these banned countries.

SAG Award Acceptance Speeches

The Screen Actors’ Guild Awards were this past Sunday, and many of the actors present chose to use their platform to speak out on important issues currently affecting our country. Actor Ashton Kutcher opened up the night by addressing the Muslim ban and voicing his acceptance of all people to our America, while Moonlight star Mahershala Ali addressed issues of identity and acceptance, referring to his Muslim faith. Stranger Things actor David Harbour sent of a message of unity to marginalized groups, vowing to “punch some people in the face when they seek to destroy what we have envisioned for ourselves and the marginalized.”

Lastly, Taraji P. Henson gave a moving and empowering speech after the Hidden Figures cast won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

What’s Up With Shia LaBeouf?

Just a week after Shia LaBeouf began his four year protest against Trump, a public exhibit installed at New York’s Museum of the Moving Image, he was arrested after a physical altercation with a man at the protest.

What did we miss? Let us know in the comments below!

Featured Image Source: Judy van der Velden, Flickr