Welcome back to the Colorado Times Recorder’s weekly recap of stories relating to political extremism. We’re moving these Rewinds from Friday to Monday so that we can capture stories that emerge over the weekend. This week, we’re highlighting a piece from the newest member of CTR’s team, Chloe Ragsdale, as she looks into Elizabeth School District’s attempt to ban books pertaining to racism, mental health, homophobia, and other sensitive topics. Heidi Beedle wrote an article on the protests of events featuring Jared Taylor, an avowed white nationalist and a former Trump advisor, organized by local chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America. Additionally, we are highlighting a piece from 9News on two Colorado Springs men being indicted for producing machine gun conversion devices.
ACLU Takes Action Against School District’s Book Ban
Starting off, we have another look at Elizabeth School District’s recent attempt to ban 19 books that contain discussions of racism, mental health, homophobia, or other social injustices. Chloe Ragsdale reports that the ACLU of Colorado has, so far, been successful in challenging the ban, arguing that it goes against the tenets of the Constitution.
DAVIS: I Need Your Help
Relating to the previously mentioned piece, CTR columnist Logan Davis examines how Christian nationalism has intertwined itself with the “parents’ rights” movement that has “rained harassment and hysteria down on teachers, administrators, and board members”. If any readers have stories from their local school districts, we encourage you to contact us, so we can investigate and see if it ties into an overarching trend.
DSA Chapters Lead Protests Against White Nationalists Across Colorado
Two different events featuring white nationalists were protested last week, organized in part by local chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America. Jared Taylor, an avowed White supremacist, spoke at Colorado Mesa University on Thursday, but in response, CMU students and faculty planned a “Unity Party” in protest of Taylor’s invitation. Taylor has argued for “voluntary segregation” in America. Taylor complained that students were not more receptive to his event and that “it felt like CMU’s campus was unified against him”. Former Trump advisor and right-wing provocateur Steve Bannon spoke at the Colorado GOP Gala the following day in Colorado Springs, which was also met with protests. Two protestors and Republican activists argued outside the Phil Long Music Hall, where the gala was taking place.
9News: Colorado men busted in 3D-printing operation of ‘machine gun conversion devices’ to sell nationwide
Two men from Colorado Springs were indicted in a U.S. District Court last week for manufacturing machine guns. The men were using a 3D printer to produce hundreds of machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) that they would ship across the country in LEGO boxes. The operation was exposed by a confidential informant to the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Explosives. Ghost guns, or 3D printed firearms, are often intertwined with political violence and targeted attacks.
