Crash Course: Tennessee Republicans push to abolish age limit on heterosexual marriages amidst "groomer" outrage

The bill's sponsor wants to give Tennesseans “an alternative form of marriage” for people who want to marry minors. Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Engagement-ring] Tennessee Republicans push to abolish age limit on heterosexual marriages amidst "groomer" outrage Republicans pushing "Don't Say Gay" legislation across the country have baselessly accused the LGBTQ community of trying to "groom" or "sexualize" children. Meanwhile, Republicans in Tennessee are trying to undermine LGBTQ rights by pushing a bill that would create an "alternative form of marriage" that would also abolish age requirements. A Democratic lawmaker called the legislation a "get out of jail free card for people who are basically committing statutory rape." [Read more from Jon Skolnik.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvdGVubmVzc2VlLXB1c2gtdG8tYWJvbGlzaC1hZ2UtbGltaXQtb24taGV0ZXJvc2V4dWFsLW1hcnJpYWdlcy1hbWlkc3QtZ3Jvb21lci1vdXRyYWdlL1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Getty Images / Suebsiri Srithanyarat / EyeEm) [Ted-Cruz] WTF happened to "Defund the police"? Author Alex Vitale on Ted Cruz and his "McCarthy moment" At one of the lowest crescendos in the disgraceful political theater of the Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation hearings, Ted Cruz summoned up the specter of Joe McCarthy, holding up various books and denouncing them and their authors as un-American, "anti-white," demonic promoters of "critical race theory," products of the "family-hating" left and otherwise the enemy of good white patriotic Americans everywhere. One book Cruz chose to brandish, like an inquisitor presiding over a witch trial, was "[The End of Policing](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0QpaHR0cHM6Ly9ib29rc2hvcC5vcmcvYS8yNDY0Lzk3ODE4Mzk3NjM3ODZXA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)" by sociologist Alex Vitale. Vitale spoke with Salon about what it reveals about white backlash politics and white supremacy, the "defund the police" movement, and America's broken system of policing and law enforcement. [Read Vitale's interview with Chauncey DeVega.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvd3RmLWhhcHBlbmVkLXRvLWRlZnVuZC10aGUtcG9saWNlLWF1dGhvci1hbGV4LXZpdGFsZS1vbi10ZWQtY3J1ei1hbmQtaGlzLW1jY2FydGh5LW1vbWVudC9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images) - Ken Burns on Benjamin Franklin & our nation's flawed identity: ["Race is the central question"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDQvYmVuamFtaW4tZnJhbmtsaW4ta2VuLXBicy1zbGF2ZXJ5L1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) of US - Donald Trump can't get a pass on political considerations: [It's time for Merrick Garland to act](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0Q1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDYvc2hvdWxkbnQtZ2V0LWEtcGFzcy9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - “He’s violated federal law”: Ex-Trump aide [voted in two different states](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvaGVzLXZpb2xhdGVkLWxhdy1leC1haWRlLXZvdGVkLWluLXR3by1kaWZmZXJlbnQtc3RhdGVzLS1idXQtd29udC1mYWNlLWNoYXJnZXMvVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) — but won’t face charges - Trump [inadvertently admits defeat](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvaW5hZHZlcnRlbnRseS1hZG1pdHMtZGVmZWF0LXdoaWxlLXRyeWluZy10by1zcGluLWhpc3RvcmlhbnMtd2hlbi1pLWRpZG50LXdpbi10aGUtZWxlY3Rpb24vVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) while trying to spin historians: "When I didn't win the election" - Matt Gaetz [blows up at defense secretary](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvbWF0dC1nYWV0ei1ibG93cy11cC1hdC1kZWZlbnNlLXNlY3JldGFyeS1hY2N1c2VzLWxsb3lkLWF1c3Rpbi1vZi1wcmlvcml0aXppbmctd29rZWlzbS9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), accuses Lloyd Austin of prioritizing "wokeism" - What will COVID-19 look like in 2100? Scientists predict [three possible scenarios](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvd2hhdC13aWxsLTE5LWxvb2stbGlrZS1pbi0yMTAwLXNjaWVudGlzdHMtcHJlZGljdC10aHJlZS1wb3NzaWJsZS1zY2VuYXJpb3MvVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The View" [calls out](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RZaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvdGhlLXZpZXctbGluZHNleS1ncmFoYW0taHlwb2NyaXN5LWtldGFuamktYnJvd24tamFja3Nvbi9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) Lindsey Graham for hypocrisy - Elon Musk [blows up Twitter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvZWxvbi1tdXNrLWJsb3dzLXVwLXR3aXR0ZXItd2l0aC1ib2FyZC1vZi1kaXJlY3RvcnMtYW5ub3VuY2VtZW50L1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) with board of directors announcement - As Obama returns to White House to celebrate Affordable Care Act, [former advisor outraged by costs](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvYXMtb2JhbWEtcmV0dXJucy10by10by1jZWxlYnJhdGUtYWZmb3JkYWJsZS1jYXJlLWFjdC1mb3JtZXItYWR2aXNvci1vdXRyYWdlZC1ieS1jb3N0cy9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Secrets of a gossip writer: [How does Lady Whistledown work?](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvYnJpZGdlcnRvbi1sYWR5LXdoaXN0bGVkb3duLXBlbmVsb3BlLWdvc3NpcC13cml0ZXIvVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Stealth school board candidates are everywhere: [But "Stop the Steal" isn't working for them](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDYvc3RlYWx0aC1zY2hvb2wtYm9hcmQtY2FuZGlkYXRlcy1hcmUtZXZlcnl3aGVyZS1idXQtc3RvcC10aGUtc3RlYWwtaXNudC13b3JraW5nLWZvci10aGVtVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - The [easy, chocolate-packed cake](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDQvdGhlLWVhc3ktY2hvY29sYXRlLXBhY2tlZC1jYWtlLWV2ZXJ5b25lLWlzLWJha2luZy1hZnRlci13YXRjaGluZy1oYm9zLW5ldy1qdWxpYS1jaGlsZC1zZXJpZXMvVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) everyone is baking after watching HBO's new Julia Child series - Acclaimed Israeli "A Hero" filmmaker Asghar Farhadi [refutes plagiarism verdict](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvYS1oZXJvLWFzZ2hhci1mYXJoYWRpLXBsYWdpYXJpc20vVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - The secret sauce turns 99-cent ramen into a [gourmet cold noodle salad](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDQvdGhlLXNlY3JldC1zYXVjZS10dXJucy05OS1jZW50LXJhbWVuLWludG8tYS1nb3VybWV0LWNvbGQtbm9vZGxlLXNhbGFkL1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - The United Kingdom could [lose more than a third](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvdGhlLXVuaXRlZC1raW5nZG9tLWNvdWxkLWxvc2UtbW9yZS10aGFuLWEtdGhpcmQtb2YtaXRzLWljb25pYy1maXNoLWFuZC1jaGlwcy1zaG9wcy9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) of its iconic fish and chips shops Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Vladimir-Putin] Putin's war crimes — and his military failures — are making his GOP apologists squirm Trump and his allies praised Putin after his invasion of Ukraine. Now even the biggest Putin apologists at home are struggling to argue in the face of images of dead civilians with their hands tied behind their backs and laying in the mud in Bucha. Putin is making it very hard for the American right these days. Not just for the Putin fanboys, either. He's also making life harder for Republicans who merely want to portray him as stronger and more adept than Biden and the other supposed weaklings of liberal democracy. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte on the GOP's new Putin narrative.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvcHV0aW5zLS1hbmQtaGlzLW1pbGl0YXJ5LWZhaWx1cmVzLS1hcmUtbWFraW5nLWhpcy1hcG9sb2dpc3RzLXNxdWlybS9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images) - "The Invisible Hand of Steve Twist: How an Arizona man who’s never held elected office has shaped one of America’s most punitive criminal justice systems," [ProPublica](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0REaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucHJvcHVibGljYS5vcmcvYXJ0aWNsZS90aGUtaW52aXNpYmxlLWhhbmQtb2Ytc3RldmUtdHdpc3RXA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Black Lives Matter Secretly Bought a $6 Million House," [Intelligencer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly9ueW1hZy5jb20vaW50ZWxsaWdlbmNlci8yMDIyLzA0L2JsYWNrLWxpdmVzLW1hdHRlci02LW1pbGxpb24tZG9sbGFyLWhvdXNlLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Why Are Seemingly Functional Adults Falling for the ‘Furries’ Myth?," [New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wNC8wNC9vcGluaW9uL2Z1cnJpZXMtY3VsdHVyZS13YXIuaHRtbD9jdXJhdG9yPU1lZGlhUkVERUZXA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "For Arms Manufacturers, the War in Ukraine Is a Profits Bonanza," [Jacobin](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RXaHR0cHM6Ly9qYWNvYmlubWFnLmNvbS8yMDIyLzA0L2FybXMtd2VhcG9ucy1tYW51ZmFjdHVyZXJzLXVrcmFpbmUtd2FyLW1pbGl0YXJ5LXNwZW5kaW5nVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Man Behind the Texas Abortion Ban Now Has an Even More Radical Plan to Reshape American Law," [Mother Jones](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0SbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubW90aGVyam9uZXMuY29tL3BvbGl0aWNzLzIwMjIvMDQvam9uYXRoYW4tbWl0Y2hlbGwtdGhlLW1hc3Rlcm1pbmQtb2YtdGhlLXRleGFzLWhlYXJ0YmVhdC1zdGF0dXRlLWhhcy1hLXJhZGljYWwtbWlzc2lvbi10by1yZXNoYXBlLWFtZXJpY2FuLWxhdy9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) [Marjorie-Taylor-Greene] Marjorie Taylor Greene leads GOP revolt against "pro-pedophile" Republicans voting for Judge Jackson Marjorie Taylor Greene and other right-wingers smeared Mitt Romney and other Republicans who back Kentaji Brown Jackson's confirmation as "pro-pedophile" after her colleagues accused Jackson of handing down decisions that were far too lenient on child porn offenders, even though her jurisprudence on child sex offenses is [well within the mainstream](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS8yMDIyLzMvMTgvMjI5ODM4Nzcvc3VwcmVtZS1jb3VydC1qb3NoLWhhd2xleS1rZXRhbmppLWJyb3duLWphY2tzb24tY2hpbGQtcG9ybm9ncmFwaHktc2VudGVuY2luZ1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). The right-wing Twitter meltdown comes amid much broader Republican effort to draw associations between pedophilia and LGBTQ+ community. [Read more from Jon Skolnik.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMDUvbWFyam9yaWUtdGF5bG9yLWdyZWVuZS1sZWFkcy1yZXZvbHQtYWdhaW5zdC1wcm8tcGVkb3BoaWxlLXZvdGluZy1mb3ItamFja3Nvbi9XA3NwY0IKYkvCck1iYLP_pFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Megan Varner/Getty Images) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmJLwnJNYmCz_6RSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkL_fAP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpiS8JyTWJgs_-kUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)