Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 4h

The University of Arkansas is installing Ten Commandments posters in classrooms across campus, following the implementation of a new state law that requires public schools and universities to display them. www.4029tv.com/article/univ...

U of A begins displaying Ten Commandments across campus

A new Arkansas law requiring public schools and universities to display the Ten Commandments has reignited discussion over separation of church and state.

www.4029tv.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 4h

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is requesting records from the U.S. Department of Justice and the General Services Administration as part of an investigation into President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. www.au.org/the-latest/p...

Americans United launches investigation into Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission - Americans United

As part of an investigation into President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, AU requested records about the commission's creation, members and operations.

www.au.org

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 5h

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., recently condemned the way some of his Republican colleagues in Congress treated former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., claiming some of them took self-righteous glee in his political destruction. www.christianpost.com/news/tim-bur...

Christian congressman calls jailed George Santos 'sacrificial lamb' for GOP: 'Look how righteous we are'

Rep Tim Burchett, R-Tenn , recently condemned the way some of his Republican colleagues in Congress treated former Rep George Santos, R-N Y , suggesting that some of them took self-righteous glee in

www.christianpost.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 5h

Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee is pushing an investigation of underwater UFOs in the Atlantic Ocean off the US coastline. londonlovesbusiness.com/us-congress-...

US Congress investigating underwater UFOs the size of a ‘football field’ - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

US Congress is investigating underwater UFOs the size of a football field. Discover the shocking details and witness accounts.

londonlovesbusiness.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 5h

US District Judge Karin Immergut has ruled to extend her temporary restraining orders barring the deployment of the National Guard troops to Portland, keeping President Donald Trump’s federalization efforts in limbo as legal challenges unfold. www.cnn.com/2025/10/15/u...

Federal judge is extending temporary orders barring Trump administration from deploying National Guard to Portland | CNN

US District Judge Karin Immergut has ruled to extend her temporary restraining orders barring the deployment of the National Guard troops to Portland, keeping President Donald Trump’s federalization e...

www.cnn.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 6h

Tullahoma (TN) City Schools is considering a policy to ban pride flags from schools.

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 8h

Two Republican lawmakers in KY push a plan to designate “Charlie Kirk Day” on Oct. 14 as an annual statewide observance.
www.wkyt.com/2025/10/14/k...

Kentucky lawmakers plan bill to designate ‘Charlie Kirk Day’

Two Kentucky lawmakers say they plan to introduce legislation next year to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

www.wkyt.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 8h

Some Sumner County families opted to keep their children home from school on Oct. 14 – a day the school district recognized as Charlie Kirk Day. wpln.org/post/some-su...

Some Sumner County parents protest with empty desks on Charlie Kirk Day

Some Sumner County families opted to keep their children home from school on Oct. 14 – a day the school district recognized as Charlie Kirk Day. The

wpln.org

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 9h

A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt its efforts to lay off roughly 4,100 federal workers during the government shutdown, saying the move is unlawful.
www.cnn.com/2025/10/15/p...

Judge halts Trump’s planned layoffs of federal workers during government shutdown, calling them unlawful | CNN Politics

A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt its efforts to lay off roughly 4,100 federal workers during the government shutdown, saying the move is unlawf...

www.cnn.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 11h

LETTER TO EDITOR: Why are people getting punished for expressing their opinions about Charlie Kirk when President Donald Trump continually makes nasty, horrid remarks – which are mostly lies – about both the living and the dead? www.heraldtribune.com/story/opinio...

Trump gets free pass to criticize others. Why punish Charlie Kirk's critics? | Letters

Why are people being targeted and harshly punished for expressing their opinions about the late Charlie Kirk?

www.heraldtribune.com

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Reposted by Gene Bryant

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 13h

PORTLAND — Robby Roadsteamer grabbed by ICE for singing… 🎵

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 11h

Civil liberties advocates are warning that Trump administration’s decision to strip visas from at least 6 foreign nationals over social media posts about Charlie Kirk’s killing represents yet another example of dangerous government crackdowns on protected speech. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Outcry after US strips visas from six foreigners over Charlie Kirk remarks

Cancellations represent escalating government-wide campaign to suppress criticism of rightwing influencer

www.theguardian.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 12h

Rex Huppke, USA TODAY satire columnist: President Donald Trump has made life in America so profoundly bizarre that GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is starting to make sense. www.usatoday.com/story/opinio...

I can't believe it either, but Marjorie Taylor Greene is starting to make sense | Opinion

President Donald Trump has made life in America so profoundly bizarre GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is starting to make sense.

www.usatoday.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 16h

ABC’s new procedural drama — 9-1-1: Nashville — which debuted Oct. 9, centers on a family headed by Nashville Fire Capt. Don Hart (Chris O’Donnell). It attracted 3.7 million viewers. www.nashvillescene.com/arts_culture...

'9-1-1: Nashville' Premiere Draws 3.72 Million Viewers

Another network TV show crafts a fantasy city out of Nashville stereotypes

www.nashvillescene.com

Reposted by Gene Bryant

The Daily Beast @thedailybeast.bsky.social · 16h

MAGA political commentator Scott Jennings revealed he let Donald Trump choose the photo for the cover of his upcoming book about the president.

Trump Chose Photo of Himself for Cover of MAGA Author’s Book

Scott Jennings ensured he had Trump’s approval before releasing his book, “A Revolution of Common Sense.”

trib.al

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 16h

A “climate of fear” is still shrouding college campuses across the US, academics have warned, after a string of professors were fired or punished for their comments after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

US professors facing threats, firings and harassment over Charlie Kirk posts

As many as 40 academics have been dismissed in aftermath of shooting, allegedly without due process

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Gene Bryant

🌊 DudeTheyreOnToMe 24:7🌊 @dancinginthestreet.bsky.social · 1d

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 16h

A petition to reinstate a University of Tennessee professor facing firing for online comments she made about Charlie Kirk is gaining signatures from UT faculty, as well as from universities across the U.S. and internationally. www.knoxnews.com/story/news/e...

Petition to reinstate University of Tennessee professor expands globally

The university initiated termination proceedings against her after comments critical of Charlie Kirk after his death.

www.knoxnews.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 18h

Williamson County fired a teacher who referenced a Charlie Kirk a 2023 interview in which he said gun deaths were "worth it" to have a Second Amendment that protects "God-given rights,” after Sen. Marsha Blackburn demanded on X: “Fire her immediately.” www.tennessean.com/story/news/e...

Franklin teacher suspended over Charlie Kirk post sues Williamson County Schools

Teacher Emily Orbison is suing Williamson County Schools after she was suspended for a social media post she made following Charlie Kirk's death.

www.tennessean.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 18h

Tennessee school districts have been footing the bill for special education pre-kindergarten classes, and now they want lawmakers to allocate money for it in the state’s school funding model. www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/20...

Tennessee public schools need more special ed pre-K funding, districts say

Tennessee public schools are required by federal law to provide special education pre-K services to students as young as 3. But they receive minimal federal and state funding to do so, and districts a...

www.chalkbeat.org

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 18h

A new state-sponsored English curriculum infused with lessons about the Bible and Christianity could reach tens of thousands of Texas schoolchildren this year. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/u...

Inside a New Bible-Infused Texas English Curriculum

www.nytimes.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 18h

Charlie Kirk is being viewed by many as a Christian martyr. But if Kirk was an evangelist, his call apparently wasn’t to amplify the traditions, stories and rituals that followed from what Jesus preached. religionnews.com/2025/10/14/k...

Kirk's rise as a Christian hero exposes the faith's perilous path

(RNS) — Attempts to sanitize Kirk demonstrate a perilous consensus among many Christians to make the faith the bedrock of authoritarianism.

religionnews.com

Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 18h

Charlie Hatcher, who stepped down last month as Tennessee’s agriculture commissioner, is expected to announce today that he will challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District. pro.stateaffairs.com/tn/news/char...

Hatcher To Run Against Ogles in Tennessee's 5th District Primary

Charlie Hatcher, who recently stepped down as Tennessee's agriculture commissioner, plans to run against Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the 5th Congressional District primary.

pro.stateaffairs.com

Reposted by Gene Bryant

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 1d

Trump claims ICE’s reign of terror in Chicago is targeting the “worst of the worst.”

But out of the 1,000 undocumented immigrants that have swept up, the agency has only cited 10 men with a criminal background.

Don’t believe his lies for a second.
www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/t...

Trump says migrants drive violent crime in Illinois. But ICE can’t find many violent criminals.

Masked ICE agents and other federal forces showed up in Chicago to go after gangsters. Instead, they keep catching people who are just living their lives.

www.msnbc.com

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Gene Bryant @genebryant.bsky.social · 18h

Charlie Hatcher, who stepped down last month as Tennessee’s agriculture commissioner, is expected to announce today that he will challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District. pro.stateaffairs.com/tn/news/char...

Hatcher To Run Against Ogles in Tennessee's 5th District Primary

Charlie Hatcher, who recently stepped down as Tennessee's agriculture commissioner, plans to run against Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in the 5th Congressional District primary.

pro.stateaffairs.com