DML News Morning Briefing, Mar 29th

Today is March 29. Below are some of the stories grabbing headlines this morning.

1. Liz Cheney: ‘Spend Less Time Banning Books’ and More Stopping Gun Violence
Breitbart–Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) called on Republicans to spend less time on the banning of books in schools and more time stopping gun violence.

Cheney issued her comments in praise of Jenna Bush Hager, the daughter of former President George W. Bush, who said on NBC that Republicans need to worry more about making kids safe.

Aside from her support for impeaching former President Trump and running a kangaroo court with the January 6 committee, Liz Cheney has taken notably liberal and left-wing positions since she came out as an enemy of the former president, which culminated in her losing to Harriet Hageman in the Republican primary. Cheney also completely reversed her position on same-sex marriage.

Ryan Lynch: It has nothing to do with the weapons and everything to do with the books and the indoctrination of our children. Trangenderism and mental illness are epidemics.

2. Diversity professor accused of verbally attacking students after terrorism remark cleared of any wrongdoing
FoxNews–George Washington University is standing by its diversity professor after a complaint to the U.S Department of Education Office of Civil Rights alleged she created a psychologically traumatizing class environment, which students said caused them to cry and go on antidepressants.

GWU released a summary findings Monday of an internal probe on its clinical psychologist, Lara Sheehi, which found “no evidence that the discourse crossed the line.”

Sheehi, who teaches a mandatory diversity class, “took offense” and publicly berated a student for Islamophobia for using the term “terrorist attack,” the original complaint, filed in January, said.

“We were demeaned, and she twisted our words to make us look like the problem, which is pretty classic anti-Semitism, scapegoating the Jew, gaslighting the Jew, making us seem like we’re the issue,” a student told the Daily Caller.

Ryan Lynch: The school is going to always stick by the professor’s side. And no real investigation from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights will transpire either.

3. NBC’s Jackson: GOP Lawmakers Turning to ‘Anti-Trans Rhetoric’ after Nashville Shooting
Breitbart–On Tuesday’s broadcast of NBC’s “Hallie Jackson Now,” host and NBC News Senior Washington Correspondent Hallie Jackson stated that in the wake of the Nashville school shooting, conservative Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives are “pivoting” “from changing gun laws” to “anti-trans rhetoric or to calling this a hate crime against Christians.”

While discussing the prospect of federal gun control legislation passing in Congress in the wake of the Nashville shooting and opposition to further gun control measures by Republicans in Congress with NBC News Senior National Political Reporter Sahil Kapur, Jackson said, “The conversation is pivoting too, when it comes to some more conservative lawmakers, from changing gun laws to something like mental health, for example. Other Republicans to anti-trans rhetoric or to calling this a hate crime against Christians. It seems like that’s where the conversation is, at least in the House of Representatives.”

Kapur responded, “Yeah, there’s been a long list that’s evolved over the years where a lot of pro-gun lawmakers have been pointing the blame. It’s gone from video games, there’s a lot of talk about mental health, alienation. Now, there’s some focus on the fact that the shooter was apparently transgender. But the bottom line is, Republicans don’t want to tighten gun laws, and as a result, a number of these other explanations are coming up.”

Ryan Lynch: Of course.

4. Elon Musk and others urge AI pause, citing ‘risks to society’
Reuters–March 29 (Reuters) – Elon Musk and a group of artificial intelligence experts and industry executives are calling for a six-month pause in developing systems more powerful than OpenAI’s newly launched GPT-4, in an open letter citing potential risks to society and humanity.

Earlier this month, Microsoft-backed OpenAI unveiled the fourth iteration of its GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) AI program, which has wowed users with its vast range of applications, from engaging users in human-like conversation to composing songs and summarising lengthy documents.

The letter, issued by the non-profit Future of Life Institute and signed by more than 1,000 people including Musk, called for a pause on advanced AI development until shared safety protocols for such designs were developed, implemented and audited by independent experts.

Ryan Lynch: Would you sign it? Let us know your opinion on the technology in the comment section.

5. Ukraine hits Russian-held city deep behind front as talk of counteroffensive grows
Reuters–KYIV, March 29 (Reuters) – Ukraine struck a railway depot and knocked out power in the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol, deep behind the front line, on Wednesday amid growing talk from Kyiv of a counterassault against Russian forces worn out by a failed winter offensive.

Unverified images on the internet showed explosions lighting up the night sky with streaks of contrails in Melitopol, base of the occupation administration in Zaporizhzhia, one of five Ukrainian provinces Russia claims to have annexed.

Ukraine’s exiled mayor of the city confirmed that there were explosions there. Russia’s state TASS news agency, citing Moscow-installed officials, said a railway depot was destroyed and power knocked out to the city and nearby villages.

Ryan Lynch: A Ukraine counteroffensive would be an aggressive move by Zelensky.