Social Issues

Teens imitate risky behavior shared online
Teenagers put a lot of stock in what their peers are doing, and parents are forever trying to push back against that influence. But with the advent of social media, hanging out with the wrong crowd can include not just classmates, but teenagers thousands of miles away on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.
UN to world: Eat more fish heads
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently suggested it's time to get more fish heads on people's plates. "We must ensure that these byproducts are not wasted," Audun Lem, chief of FAO's products, trade and marketing branch, said in a statement.
Minnesota state rep’s tweet earns him ‘racist’ badge
Pat Garofolo and some online friends were dissing the National Basketball Association, where the majority of players are African American, when he took it a step further by linking its players with crime.
Advocates ask Girl Scouts to end partnership with Barbie
"Holding Barbie, the quintessential fashion doll, up as a role model for Girl Scouts simultaneously sexualizes young girls, idealizes an impossible body type, and undermines the Girl Scouts' vital mission to build `girls of courage, confidence and character,"' said Susan Linn, director of the Boston-based commercial-free childhood organization.
"We're gathering in this place to affirm the reality that racial justice is not a fringe issue. It's not a special interest. It's at the core of who we are," Brother Ali said.
President Obama is the 'deporter in chief,' Latino activist charges
The nation's largest Latino advocacy organization is taking its gloves off against one of its traditional allies. National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia will call President Obama the "deporter-in-chief" during the organization's annual Capital Awards dinner on Tuesday.
US general facing sex charges heads to trial
While denying that accusation, lawyers for the married father of two have said he carried on a three-year extramarital affair with the junior officer during war tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. The admission of an affair will almost certainly end his Army career.
The big year-to-year jump may be a statistical quirk, since 2013 was a big renewal year. Still, some of the increases were partly reactions to events in the news.
The American Civil Liberties Union has asked a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction blocking Wisconsin's gay marriage ban while the organization's lawsuit challenging the prohibition continues.
Tiny houses help address country's homeless problem
There's a growing effort across the country from advocates and religious groups to build compact buildings because they are cheaper than a traditional large-scale shelter, help the recipients socially because they are built in communal settings and are environmentally friendly due to their size.