Vox Sentences: Gerrymandering loses in North Carolina

Sarah L. Voisin/Washington Post via Getty Images

North Carolina has to redraw districts before presidential primaries; Lebanon prime minister steps down as protests continue.

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North Carolina court orders new map

A North Carolina state court has thrown out the state’s Republican-drawn map of congressional districts — ordering the state to draw a new map, even if that means postponing the 2020 primary elections. [The New York Times / Michael Wines]
This isn’t the first time this year that North Carolina’s legislative maps have lost in court: A state legislative map was ruled unconstitutional in September. [Vox / Ella Nilsen and Tara Golshan]
Under the current map, Republicans hold 10 out of 13 congressional districts, a far greater share than votes for the GOP in the state. [Politico / Steve Shepard and Ally Mutnick]
North Carolina legislators now must redraw congressional districts without drawing on racial or political affiliation data. [Slate / Elliot Hannon]
While the decision said that the freeze could impact presidential primary voting in March, “those consequences pale in comparison to voters of our state proceeding to vote, yet again, in congressional elections administered pursuant to maps drawn in violation of our North Carolina Constitution.” [NBC News / Pete Williams]
The Supreme Court ruled earlier this year it could not take part in deciding on state gerrymandering cases. [The Columbus Dispatch / Jessica Wehrman]
How did North Carolina get so gerrymandered to begin with? One man drew out districts to elect Republicans. [Vox / Alvin Chang]

WhatsApp tax is Lebanon leader’s undoing

Tuesday, Lebanon Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned from his post in response to protester demands. [The Guardian / Martin Chulov]
A proposed WhatsApp tax was the final straw two weeks ago, sparking fury about government corruption and poor living conditions for the vast majority of Lebanese. [Reuters]
Members from Lebanon’s nearly 20 sects came together in the streets for peaceful demonstrations that featured singing and dancing. [NPR / Daniel Estrin and Lama al-Arian]
Solidarity demonstrations were held in cities across America last week, bringing out many members of the Lebanese diaspora under red, white, and green flags. [The 961 / Nour Abdul Reda]

Miscellaneous

Why Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman’s immigrant background is a strength in his testimony about an “America-first” president. [The Atlantic / David A. Graham]
How the FAA kept Boeing’s defective planes in the air long after they should have been grounded. [Wall Street Journal / Andy Pasztor and Andrew Tangel]
California household workers brave fires while their employers flee without a second thought. [Los Angeles Times / Brittny Mejia]
A prison journalist looks to atone for the crimes that once put him behind bars, and attempt to apologize to the family of his murder victim. [Washington Post / John J. Lennon]
The scandal surrounding Rep. Katie Hill is more complex than it initially appears. [Vox / Anna North]

Verbatim

“They are suffering from harsh humanitarian conditions and are in need of shelter. Let them go and do not threaten their safety.” [Coordinator of General Authority for Syrian Refugees Affairs Hala Hassan Darwish on the status of Syrian refugees in Egypt]

Listen to this: California’s blackouts

California is on fire, having rolling blackouts again. The Today, Explained team explores why the two are connected, and why blackouts might be a good thing in the long run for the country. [Spotify]

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Denny’s is selling Beyond Burgers now

Find Me, the Call Me By Your Name sequel, is tender, melancholy, and deeply flawed

How foil balloons went from Instagram bait to every party in America

The dog-walking startup Wag is exploring a sale

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The Ugly History of Dual-Loyalty Charges

When Representative Ilhan Omar recently complained about “the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country,” many noted accurately that she had deployed a trope—dual loyalty—that had been used against Jews for years. But this accusation has a broader history in the United States, having been used against several religious minorities—including Muslims like Omar. Indeed, many battles over religious freedom have revolved around dual-loyalty claims. [ Read: Ilhan Omar just made it harder to have a nuanced debate about Israel ] In the 19th century, many attacks on Catholics stressed that these immigrants were pawns of a foreign power. In the 1830s, Samuel Morse—then a prominent painter and later the inventor of the telegraph—urged Americans to build “walls” and “gates” to keep out Catholic immigrants, who would always be loyal to Rome. Because these Catholic immigrants were decrepit —“halt, and blind, and naked”—they were easy to co...

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