Gaza aid pier and its WWII origins

+ how some states circumvent voters on Supreme Court picks US Edition - Today's top story: How the Gaza humanitarian aid pier traces its origins to discarded cigar boxes before World War II [View in browser]( US Edition | 23 May 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( In our newsroom, there are certain stories that are known as “classic Conversation stories.” They come in a variety of forms, with perhaps the most common being a story about a current event that fills in history you would probably never know. We have an advantage here over daily reporters, who must tell the who/what/when/where/why of an event or development. Working with scholars, we get to fill in the history and context. “[How the Gaza humanitarian aid pier traces its origins to discarded cigar boxes before World War II](” is the headline on just such an article. The pier, built by the U.S. and others as a way to deliver critically needed humanitarian aid to Gazans on the edge of famine, went into use last week. But its genesis can be traced to 1939, writes Frank A. Blazich Jr., a curator of military history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. That’s when a commander in the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps was assigned to help prepare for a potential war in the Pacific. And that, Blazich writes, meant figuring out “how to construct naval bases on undeveloped islands. The top priority would be what the military called ‘naval lighterage,’ the process of getting cargo and supplies from ships to a shoreline where there were no ports or even piers to dock at.” Enter cigar boxes. You’ll have to read Blazich’s story to learn the role they played in developing a way to get materials off ships and onto land – an engineering feat that proved crucial yet again as trucks rolled off ships and drove down the Gaza pier, loaded with food for Gazans. Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Democracy An aerial view of the floating pier off Gaza shows its basic structure. U.S. Central Command via AP [How the Gaza humanitarian aid pier traces its origins to discarded cigar boxes before World War II]( Frank A. Blazich Jr., Smithsonian Institution A pre-World War II US Navy plan for a modular floating platform has developed into a key lifeline in Gaza and at disaster sites around the world. Minnesota has elections for Supreme Court justices, who serve in this building, but the governor appoints almost every one of them instead. Dennis Macdonald/Photodisc/Getty Images [Georgia Supreme Court justice appointed by governor wins election to full term – a common occurrence in some states where voters are supposed to pick their judges]( Bryna Godar, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Harry Isaiah Black, University of Wisconsin-Madison In two states with judicial elections − Georgia and Minnesota − nearly every justice steps down midterm, allowing the governor to appoint a successor instead of the state holding an open election. Leaders of the radical American student group the Weathermen march in Chicago in October 1969. David Fenton/Getty Images [Student anger over the Vietnam War erupted into violence in the ’60s − a terrorism expert explores if the same could happen today]( Javed Ali, University of Michigan Student-led protests in response to US engagement in the Vietnam War mounted in the 1960s and led to a group called the Weather Underground that believed in direct confrontation with the state. [Militia extremists, kicked off Facebook again, are regaining comfort in public view]( Amy Cooter, Middlebury A scholar of militia activity observes extremists stepping back into the public sphere after a few years of being less visible. [Biden and Trump will fight for Michigan’s votes county by county in a state where little things matter a lot]( Dante Chinni, Michigan State University Since 1992, Michigan voted reliably for Democratic presidential candidates. Then Donald Trump won the state in 2016, followed by Biden’s 2020 win in the state. Michigan is a ‘battleground state.’ [Some states’ populations are very much like the US overall – including 5 key states in the 2024 presidential election]( Rogelio Sáenz, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Selene M. Gomez, The University of Texas at San Antonio Comparing states’ populations on a range of demographic and socioeconomic data reveals similarities and differences across the nation. [A silent Trump with eyes closed and a convicted liar on the stand − 2 experienced observers of Trump’s criminal trial discuss what stands out]( David E. Clementson, University of Georgia; John E. Jones III, Dickinson College Lying liars and closed eyes − both played roles in the most recent chapter of former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York City. - [Most Israelis dislike Netanyahu, but support the war in Gaza – an Israeli scholar explains what’s driving public opinion]( Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell Israelis’ and Jewish people’s long-held feeling of persecution, dating back to biblical times, contributes to most Israelis’ desire to continue the war in Gaza. - [Campus protests are part of an enduring legacy of civil disobedience improving American democracy]( Lawrence Torcello, Rochester Institute of Technology In most cases, it’s reasonable to expect that groups of protesters will abide by the law. But there are times when doing so diminishes the effectiveness of the protests. - [9 justices, many opinions: How the Supreme Court tells lawyers, judges and the public about its decisions and disagreements]( Ilisabeth S. Bornstein, Bryant University The next time you hear about a Supreme Court concurrence or dissent, pay attention. You may get a window to where the law is headed in the future. - [Was Beethoven truly the greatest?]( Philip Ewell, Hunter College Deifying the composer and his work only serves to reinforce America’s white patriarchy at the expense of countless others who were no less great. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Giving Today]( • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](