Earth Day, celebrated on April 22, marks the day an environmental movement began 51 years ago. Earth Day is observed to increase awareness of the state of planet Earth, and though it started in 1970, its popularity surged globally in 1990 and continues today.

According to earthday.org, this is “a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes.”

As society starts to take strides towards changing the world for the better, there are still many visible issues at hand. A majority of these issues are posed around this question: How can we take care of Mother Earth?

Brittany Skeen, the president of Green Highlands at the Paulding campus, has recommendations for simple ways to be mindful of and care for the planet.

“Going green is easy,” said Skeen. “If you can’t recycle, you can switch to metal straws. It helps the environment and is something you can easily keep on you at any time. [It] helps sea life and helps our ecosystem.”

Green Highlands strives to raise awareness and action towards a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle with the emphasis being placed on the mind and body well-being and environmental concerns.

“The smallest steps in going green can be as easy as sharing a car ride to school with your friends,” Skeen said.

“You do not have to drastically change your life. But just being knowledgeable about your impact on the planet and trying to change is the positive change we need to make our world healthier,” said Skeen.

As society starts to take strides towards changing the world for the better, we begin to realize there are still quite a few issues at hand. A majority of them being posed around this question: How can we take care of Mother Earth?

“Going green is easy. If you can’t recycle, you can switch to metal straws. Says Brittany Skeen, Paulding president of Earth club.

“It helps the environment and is something you can easily keep on you at any time. Helps sea life and helps our ecosystem. Re-using plastic containers. Even as pots for planting. The smallest steps in going green can be as easy as sharing a car ride to school with your friends. You do not have to drastically change your life. But just being knowledgeable about your impact on the planet and trying to change is the positive change we need to make our world healthier.”

Green Highlands strives to raise awareness and action towards a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle with the emphasis being placed on the mind and body well-being and environmental concerns.

From switching to reusable straws to save the turtles to Purchasing from ethical sustainable fashion brands such as CHNGE. To put an end to unethical consumption of fast fashion. it proves that the little acts can make a lasting impact on our future.

As we turn the corner to face year two of the pandemic head-on, some of us realize firsthand what a difficult year can do to our personal lives. 2020 was the making or breaking point for many relationships, platonic and romantic.

Sadly, I’ve found myself being the victim of the fleeting friendship category since the pandemic began. I wasn’t surprised when messages I sent out were left with no response, but the few people I managed to keep in contact with have made such an impact on my life. Our bonds continue to flourish.

The pandemic has shown just how much people crave connections, and now we can see how much our social lives have been disrupted by quarantine.
“Everyone has changed the way they interact,” said Rebecca G. Adams, a professor of sociology and gerontology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro who studies peer networks.
“If you can’t go out to public places,” Adams said, “you’re not picking up new casual friends, and the casual friends you already have are just going to drift off your radar. We don’t know what the lasting effect of these social disruptions will be.”

Sites such as Hinge and Bumble promote relationships as the core value of their apps. Unsurprisingly, dating apps have seen an increase in use since last year. Even when stuck at home, people want to seek out fulfilling bonds with new people.

Despite the obstacles the past year has thrown at us, it’s important to remember the strongest relationships can weather the worst hardships. It proves that those with the right intentions are here to stay. There’s no room for half-friendships when it comes to what life holds.

The glorification of abuse in romantic and platonic relationships has become ingrained into the fabric of film and television, to the point where viewers idolize toxic relationships. What we see in pop culture is often unhealthy and it’s extremely important to be aware of and denormalize this pattern of behavior. Think back to relationships like Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele from “Fifty Shades of Grey” or Harley Quinn and Joker’s depiction in “Suicide Squad.” These relationships, or relationships similar, are depicted to young impressionable girls and boys and this can be harmful.

One example in mainstream media is in the television series “Euphoria.” Most viewers put the relationship between Maddie and Nate on a high pedestal, neglecting the fact that Nate harmed Maddie emotionally and physically on multiple occasions.

As a person who has been in a toxic relationship, I believe the romanticization of them should be the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. During the relationship, my mind was always plagued with worries about how the other person would respond. I forgot what it was like to not always be walking on eggshells to avoid conflict. My experience resulted in deep-rooted insecurities and vast amounts of overthinking about my actions.

According to an article by One Love, “A lot of people in abusive relationships stay in them because they love their partner and think that things will change.” In most instances, that’s far from the truth.

Statistics from the National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence survey show, “For emotional abuse, prevalence rates were high, averaging around 80%; 40% of women and 32% of men reported expressive aggression, and 41% of women and 43% of men reported coercive control.” Coercive control is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten their victim. Reality shows such as “Love Island” and “The Bling Empire” have drawn attention to this pattern of behavior, as well as domestic abuse.

According to the National Statistics Domestic Violence (NCADV), “On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. For one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.”

The way the media addresses toxic behaviors is far from perfect and can give us the wrong idea of what a healthy relationship looks like. It’s up to us, as viewers, to keep in mind that if a relationship feels like it’s destroying us, it isn’t love. Real love can’t flourish in a toxic environment.

If you or a loved one find yourself in an abusive relationship, don’t be afraid to reach out to a close friend or family member.

24-Hour Statewide Hotline 1.800.33.HAVEN (1.800.334.2836)

COVID-19 brought with it a period of economic hardship that still looms over working class Americans as we enter the second year of the pandemic. Unemployment reached an all-time high, with young people being some of those hit the hardest by the recession.

In March 2020, lawmakers passed the coronavirus relief package to aid workers and businesses impacted by the pandemic. Despite helping millions of people, the package provided nothing for dependents between the ages of 17 to 23, a bracket that includes many college students.

With a third round of relief in the works for February or March, many students wonder if they will qualify for the proposed $1,400 check — which they definitely should.

“I didn’t receive a stimulus check because I was claimed dependent on my mothers taxes,” said Cartersville student Alex Payne, “I think all college students no matter their dependency status should be eligible. Most college students also have jobs. This means we also pay income taxes. Our tax dollars should benefit us. The amount per check should be raised. Income taxes alone in the year 2019 totaled over 1.7 trillion dollars. This proves that there is money in the United States budget to allow for higher amounts on stimulus checks, as well as more frequent checks. $1,800 over the course of a year is just not enough to support anyone living through a global pandemic.”

For many students, this sentiment rings true — In 2020, 16 million American students canceled plans to attend college, with many citing not being able to afford it as the reason for doing so.

“Students should definitely have a chance to obtain the stimulus check this time around. A majority of schools strip students of their money already. Things have been hard enough since the pandemic started. Every little bit helps,” said Marietta student Ryan Smith.

Nearly a year since the pandemic began, we remain in a precarious era of financial stability, where a single unexpected bill could cost a student their education.

In 2020, the government failed to address the hardships that this has caused for students.

In 2021, this can be amended, but only if students receive the relief they deserve.

People who are in desperate need of holiday cheer this Christmas season now have a joy-filled pick-me-up. Friday, Dec. 4 Mariah Carey released her highly anticipated Christmas special on AppleTV, titled “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special.”

The 40-minute musical special featured iconic musicians such as Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri and Ariana Grande. Followed was the release of the featured soundtrack and a music video of “Oh Santa!” where Carey, Hudson and Grande share the spotlight.

The heartwarming storyline begins with narration by comedian Tiffany Haddish, which is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. Viewers soon embark on a journey to the North Pole where Carey must put on a show because the entire world has lost its Christmas cheer. Carey being depicted as the only one who could save Christmas makes perfect sense since her hit song “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has ranked on the charts for 25 consecutive years during December.

While traveling through this winter wonderland, viewers are in for show-stopping performances such as a dance number by Misty Copeland and surprise cameos from celebrities Millie Bobbie Brown and Heidi Klum. Every musical number received a sentimental moment of its own to make the show even more memorable.

“This year has been really hard and I found it weird to get into the “Christmas spirit” but the special got me in the spirit this year,” said Douglasville Student George Breeze, “On top of that, who hasn’t been waiting for Mariah and Ari to do a song together. What better time than now to bring some joy! I wish the music industry would do more things like this throughout the year and not just for Christmas.”

Overall, this special captures the true essence of the holidays. It’s filled with joy, laughter and thankfulness for friends and family. It serves as a reminder that although we aren’t having the perfect Christmas, we can still feel lucky to spend the season with the ones we love.

America has made history by electing Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as the first South Asian/Black female vice president.

Millennials and Gen Z helped shape the outcome of the U.S. election. 2020 is a record-shattering year when it comes to voter turnout. According to CNN, over 100 million votes were cast before election day Nov. 3. By taking initiative, citizens were able to turn this year around for the better.

If we want things to remain “better,” we cannot blindly support someone without holding them accountable for their actions. Supporting without accountability keeps the country from progressing in a direction that favors upcoming generations while simultaneously tearing down the ones ahead of us.

We should not be fans of politicians. Harris and Biden are only the lesser of two evils when it comes to the options the U.S. had during this election. People with power are prone to being corrupt regardless of their party. Instead of following politicians blindly, we should hold them accountable, be critical and demand progress.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t celebrate Biden being elected over Trump. Biden’s victory is an opportunity for progress and we should have high expectations of the upcoming administration. However, we can’t assume Biden and Harris will be progressive leaders that push for radical change.

When Bernie Sanders decided to drop out of the running for the presidential election this year, he fully endorsed Joe Biden. Gen-Z, although not thrilled with his decision, took to various social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Twitter to start the trending of #SettleforBiden.

Bernie Sanders endorsed Joe Biden as the best campaign option, while knowing Biden had room to grow, “It’s no great secret out there, Joe, that you and I have our differences, and we’re not going to paper them over. That’s real,” Sanders said. “But I hope that these task forces will come together utilizing the best minds and people in your campaign and in my campaign to work out real solutions to these very, very important problems.”

Maybe Biden is the better option, but I do not want the state of our nation to be something we settle for. Yes, we’ve made history, but we’ve only decided on one poor choice instead of another. It’s time to be proactive and fight to create a better option. If the reality we dream of does not exist, we have to create that reality for ourselves and for the generations that will follow us.

When people hear the names of victims such as Sandra Bland, Stephon Clark, Philandro Castile, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, it should invoke an indescribable emotion — one filled with anger mixed with sadness. These were victims of police brutality and racial inequality.

Black Lives Matter is an organization whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities. Recently, however, it has become more than an organization. It is a mantra to unify minorities and allies to fight back against the injustice in the nation.

According to Mapping Police Violence, an estimated total of 897 individuals have died at the hands of police this year alone and “black people have been 28 percent of those killed by police in 2020 despite being only 13 percent of the population.” Police in America are disproportionately killing their black citizens. Which brings up the push for reforming or abolishing the police. The American police administration was built on the grounds of unfair racial bias’ that were conceived during slavery and needs a change.

“I have been an advocate since I was in the 10th grade,” GHC student Alexis Ryan said, “The protesters are being treated poorly at times, but that does not shock me. Historically, in the 60’s peaceful protests/marches took place and those people were sometimes beaten within an inch of their life. It’s what comes with civil disobedience. We just have to keep fighting and not give up even though our lives are essentially on the line.”

“The Black Lives Matter movement is very personal to me. I’m an advocate for it because we need change and justice,” said Cartersville student, Elysia Thompson-Fields. “We’ve never been truly equal to the system built by racist whites to hold power over the black/brown folk. We need Black Lives Matter because people of color’s lives matter. If you think anyone’s race is a reason to treat them differently or not give rights while not acknowledging the wrongs of the past, you’re just as wrong as the system itself.”

There is a constant battle one has to fight while being a person of color. The racial biases that have been implanted into this country since it’s beginning have always been something that prevents people from moving forward. Someone who remains complacent while crimes against a marginalized group occur makes them a part of the problem. It’s time for everyone to stand together to fight racial injustice.

Commentary:

Instagram was flooded by countless black squares, on June 2, in a virtual protest called “Blackout Tuesday.” The protest was meant to draw attention to racial injustice in the United States. For people of color, whose voices are too often dismissed, the protest was a serious effort to be heard. However, some people took it as an opportunity to capitalize on a trend. This is known as performative activism and it’s a problem.

Performative activism is surface-level activism done for personal gain rather than genuine devotion to a cause. On social media this takes many forms — corporations capitalizing on popular movements, influencers using activism hashtags (such as #BLM) for likes and everyday users sharing activist content to fit in with others. Intentional or not, performative activism is harmful because it erodes trust between allies and undermines real efforts for change.

Influencers hold a lot of power on social media. As leaders and role models in online movements, their performance has the most consequences. During the Black Lives Matter protests earlier this year, many influencers were called out for going to protests for photo ops rather than getting involved. Beauty influencers were shunned for exploiting the movement to advertise their makeup. It’s a shame to see influencers using their platform for empty gestures and microaggressions when they could be lifting up black voices instead.

Cartersville student Elysia Thompson-Fields said, “social media has made people more comfortable with performative activism as a way to try and disprove past racist behaviors.” With so many influencers jumping on the BLM bandwagon for selfish reasons, we should be wary and critical of those who say the right words but take the wrong actions.

To quote McKenna Kelly from Swaay, “Going with the flow when it comes to activism all because you are afraid of being called a racist or ignorant, is you actually being unable to truly understand and acknowledge problems.” True activism is more than black squares on Instagram. If you refuse to apply yourself in real efforts to create change, you’re probably causing more harm than good.

So next time you join a virtual protest, ask yourself why you’re doing it. Be educated, be active, and don’t drown out the voices that need to be heard.

Because performance won’t bring peace — only action will.

Tik Tok has received numerous complaints from black creators for suppressing content relating to people of color. Creators reported that their videos were shadowbanned from the For You page, the main source of views and engagement on the platform. These reports were made most frequent during the George Floyd protests, when an unprecedented number of users were making content support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

On May 19 TikTok users rallied together for Blackout, a virtual peaceful protest held to amplify black voices. Users found that when they tagged videos with #BlackLivesMatter, views for them plummeted, with some disappearing from their feed altogether.

On June 1 TikTok released a statement responding to these complaints, citing that a “technical glitch” caused videos to display fewer views than they had actually received. Despite TikTok saying it would take measures to fix the problem and protect diversity on the platform, creators such as Challan Trishann and Ariam continue to report the issue to this day.

Cartersville student Cody Duncan says, “It’s disappointing to hear how a majority of creators are being censored by the app’s system. When it comes to the censorship of explicit content, it’s understandable because it’s being shown to such a young audience.”

This isn’t the first time TikTok has been accused of suppressing content. Leaked documents of the company’s moderation guide show that they were suppressing content from disabled, queer and overweight creators in the past. According to a report leaked by The Intercept, moderators were told to restrict viewership of videos showing users who are overweight or thin, have “abnormal body shape” or have “ugly facial looks or facial deformities.” A TikTok spokesperson said these rules were an “attempt to curb cyberbullying” and that they have since been replaced.

TikTok has not admitted to discriminatory practices or censorship, though as creators and users can see, it is clearly a problem.

TikTok needs to listen to the creators using their platform and fix the suppression of people of color’s videos. As well as remove other discriminatory practices built into the algorithm and guidelines set by TikTok.

Recently, social media has evolved from simply a place to post pictures to a place that holds serious power. In today’s society anyone can go viral at any time, but anyone could also be called out on their mistakes — past or present.

Cancel Culture started as the practice of withdrawing support for popular influencers and companies after they have done or said something offensive.

This is highly controversial. Some believe it is unwarranted to take support away from a creator and others believe it is deserving, depending on the mistakes made.

A recent example of cancel culture in action is Shane Dawson, a popular youtube creator, who’s been exposed for black face, beastiality and pedophilic behaviour. This resulted in Dawson being publicly shunned off the internet and the demonetization of his channel.

Recently, cancel culture has grown to the point of which anyone can fall victim to it, even high school and college students. During the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, multiple students from across the U.S. had scholarships and acceptance letters taken away on account of racist behavior. Twitter users emailed universities urging them to expel students based on highly derogatory social media posts.

Skai Jackson, a popular childhood actress, took matters into her own hands, exposing a vast majority of students who made racial slurs, adopted black face, etc.

In an article by Distractify, Jackson said the following, “People can say whatever they want. But if you’re that bold on a public platform and say these things, please don’t get mad when someone addresses it … If you don’t want people to know, if you don’t want people to be mad, then you simply shouldn’t have made those videos and made those statements.”

The Six Mile Post staff agrees with Jackson. If an influencer says something that could be potentially offensive to an ethnic group or a minority, they should be prepared to face the repercussions of their actions.

In that spirit, SMP readers are urged to submit letters to the editor if they believe that this publication has misrepresented or misinformed its readers in any way. Please send letters to 6mpost@student.highlands.edu.