Amanda Gorman.
The 22-year-old became the youngest poet to perform at a presidential inauguration, and judging by social media reaction, she absolutely stole the show.
“We close the divide because we know to put our future first we must first put our differences aside,” Gorman said, in her poem. “We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another.”
Gorman also took a thinly veiled shot at President
Donald Trump, while ultimately sounding a note of hope.
Being American is more than a pride we inherit.
It’s the past we step into, and how we repair it.
This is a sad day for America and for democracy. https://t.co/3CVNdiIbWh
God this detail from the Hill pool report breaks my heart even as they were rushed from the Senate chamber by police, Senate parliamentary staff made sure to grab the boxes holding the electoral college certificates
That’s the confederate flag flying outside the Senate chamber pic.twitter.com/1XB5TlAsuv
This is a picture of people storming the capitol of the United States while carrying a confederate flag. pic.twitter.com/Mf8Zoo4hyB
I didn’t know something could be so terrifying and embarrassing at the same time pic.twitter.com/hx5Mm6GKUV
Confederate Flag Brought Into Capitol Building, As Pro-Trump Mob Evokes Racist Symbol
01/06/21 AT 7:36 PM
As a pro-Trump mob on Wednesday stormed and occupied the Capitol for hours, at least one Confederate flag was spotted in the building and carried by an insurrectionist.
A man was seen holding a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the Capitol near the Senate entrance. There were also several Confederate flags seen outside the Capitol, as Trump supporters engaged in a standoff with Capitol Police.
The battle flag was used by the Southern states that seceded from the Union during the American Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865. The flag is considered a racist symbol.
Second Stimulus Update: Public Pushes Back On $600 Checks
KEY POINTS
Partisan sniping continues after the compromise
The president could sign the bill as early as Monday
After marathon sessions over the weekend, lawmakers passed a stimulus measure that will send $600 checks to individual taxpayers. However, public reaction was clear; it’s not enough.
Congress passed a bill that combines a $1.4 trillion spending measure with a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package. Some $120 billion of that will supplement state unemployment insurance payments with an extra $300 per week through March 14, and individual taxpayers will receive a one-time direct payment of $600.
The CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion bill passed in March, had twice the benefits but expired in June. Lawmakers spent months debating the next bill, one that falls short for many citizens struggling through the pandemic.