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Everything that Upset the Internet this Week

By Meghan McKenna

Date July 28, 2017

Happy Friday friends! It’s finally the weekend, which means you’ll likely be sitting on a patio arguing about politics and pop culture with your friends. (Or maybe you’ll crawl under the covers and troll the Internet with savage comments. To each their own!)

Either way, if you plan on arguing with someone this weekend, best to be informed! (Not that that has stopped anyone on the Internet before…) From Justin Trudeau to a CGI shark, here’s a roundup of the controversies that rocked the Internet this week.

Trump bans transgender people from military

THE STORY: At 9am on Wednesday, July 26, President Donald Trump tweeted this: “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you”

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Sadness, fear and anger are all appropriate responses to this news. But the most important thing to remember: a tweet from the Commander in Chief is not a law. It’s become increasingly clear in the hours and days following Trump’s tweet that he’s a big fat liar. SURPRISE! During a luncheon at the National Press Club, The Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said that he found out about the ban “the same way everybody else did — on the news.” Other army officials speaking out about the tweet appear equally blindsided: Capt. Jeff Davis, Director of Press Operations at the Department of Defence said, “we don’t have guidance. We have a tweet. We don’t execute policy based on a tweet.” Will Trump’s tweet be implemented as policy? One can only hope not. And if it is, lawsuits are already being prepared. Maybe the scariest thing about this whole thing: the man who sent the tweet in the first place is the President of the United States.

HOW WE FEEL: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Michael Phelps races a shark

THE STORY: Shark Week — a sacred Discovery Channel tradition — was kicked off this year with a highly promo’ed race between Michael Phelps (greatest swimming human) and a great white shark (greatest swimming animal). When the special aired, viewers were surprised to learn that Phelps wasn’t actually in the water with a real shark; rather, he was shown swimming against a CGI shark based on the time data collected by scientists.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: This is actual BS. All this chit chat about fake news, and how we have to worry about The Discovery Channel lying to us? What happened to truth in science?! This tom foolery wasn’t just disappointing, it was wrong. We deserve more than a CGI shark recreating the plot of Rocky Balboa (which, you’ll recall involved everyone becoming very invested in a CGI boxing match between Rocky and whoever the current champ was…No? No one recalls this? Strange.)
To be fair, as angry as the Internet was after being conned, one can only imagine how outraged certain corners of the Internet would be if they had scooped up an actual shark and forced it into a swimming pool to race/eat a human. That would be a little messed up. Still and all, no one likes being lied to.

HOW WE FEEL: ? ? ?

Justin Trudeau is on the cover of Rolling Stone

THE STORY: Rolling Stone is the latest media outlet to join Justin Trudeau’s fan club — but not everyone is a fan of the magazine’s fawning editorial and super-hot glamour shot. Canadian conservatives were quick to criticize Trudeau’s unmentioned policies (and to hand him over to the States), while others found legitimate flaws with with the magazine’s fact checking.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Whether or not you’re a liberal, a conservative, or a liberty (!?), the heightened international interest in Canada should be recognized as a win from all political parties. But hey Americans, if you’re going to show us some interest can you at least get the facts right? Bumbling on the not-so-little details of our country makes you look careless, and paints the picture of Trudeau as trivial. We know he’s hunky, but let’s at least try to keep things professional.

HOW WE FEEL: ?

13 Reasons Why tweets a #couplegoals pic

THE STORY: The Selena Gomez produced Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, tweeted out a romantic picture of two characters: Justin and Jessica. In the show, (SPOILER ALERT) Justin lets his best friend, Bryce, rape his girlfriend, Jessica. Justin keeps the secret for as long as he can, doing everything he can to protect his best friend and nothing to protect his girlfriend.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Jessica and Justin’s relationship is toxic and abusive, and it shouldn’t be romanticized. Domestic abuse has too long been ignored (and even normalized) in entertainment. 13 Reasons Why has a responsibility to their largely teen audience not to trivialize the issues, like rape and suicide, that it bravely addresses. The controversial tweet has since been deleted from the show’s account.

HOW WE FEEL: ?  ?  ?

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