Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Outrage After Flint Residents Receive Foreclosure Warnings

In Flint, Michigan, thousands of residents have received letters warning them that they could lose their houses unless they pay outstanding water bills. But the city has just begun to recover from the water crisis and has only recently started replacing the water lines. The letters were sent out in April, just a few weeks after the state stopped paying the majority of residents’ water bills due to the contamination that was discovered in 2014. Many people in the city still don’t trust that their water taps provide clean water, even though the city says that lead levels are now low enough for the water to be safe to drink.

You didn’t read that wrong: 8000 people in Flint are being threatened with foreclosure of their homes for not paying for lead-poisoned water

— Profit-à-Proletariat (@EmmaCaterine) May 3, 2017

The city says the unpaid water and sewage bills amount to more than $5.8 million. Flint spokeswoman Kristin Moore said the letters are routine and that the households will have until next February to pay them. But now residents worry about being able to pay for water that they don’t feel comfortable drinking and some are scared of losing their homes. “Flint families should not have to pay for water that they still cannot drink,” said Democratic Rep. Daniel Kildee.

Imagine losing your home because you didn’t pay for water you couldn’t drink. https://t.co/ezchbwwkFG

— Arthur Delaney (@ArthurDelaneyHP) May 3, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: May 5, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

President Trump Launches Missile Attack on Syrian Government

Last night, President Donald Trump ordered a missile strike on the Syrian government in retaliation for the chemical attack on civilians earlier this week. Almost 60 missiles were fired from warships in the Mediterranean, aimed at the airfield believed to be where the chemical weapons originated from. Russian forces were warned and no Russian soldiers died but President Vladimir Putin denounced the move this morning, calling it “an act of aggression” and claiming the strike violated international law.

First time I’m not totally opposed to Trump. Action needed to stop strikes on civilians. EU & US must continue to work for pol. settlement.

— Guy Verhofstadt (@GuyVerhofstadt) April 7, 2017

Trump announced the order right before his dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago. Although an unexpected and seemingly rushed decision, NATO and international leaders have expressed their support for Trump’s move and said that it was an appropriate response to the horrifying chemical weapons attack. Trump previously blamed the Obama Administration for the chemical weapons attack, arguing that if Obama had intervened more thoroughly during his presidency, it wouldn’t have happened. But many people pointed out that Trump asked Obama to not intervene back in 2013. Also, a majority of Republicans in Congress disapproved of a military strike when Obama sought approval to conduct one.

President Trump repeatedly used Twitter to tell Obama in 2013: Don’t attack Syria https://t.co/1PNNa8SgAA pic.twitter.com/eJ3enCG2ru

— CNN International (@cnni) April 7, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: April 7, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

It seems like 2017 is the year of the “woke” commercial. This past Super Bowl, audiences were served these types of seemingly socially conscious ads from giants like Audi, Budweiser, and Airbnb. Last night, Pepsi decided to get in on the trend and released a two-and-a-half minute ad starring Kendall Jenner that basically everyone on Twitter found to be as tone-deaf as it was offensive. The ad, which is part of a global campaign that focuses on “the moments when we decide to let go, choose to act, follow our passion and nothing holds us back,” pretty overtly evokes imagery borrowed from what we’ve seen at Black Lives Matter protests.

The commentary on Twitter was a perfect combination of reflection on how Pepsi allowed for this ridiculous ad to be made in the first place, and the brutal roasting that Pepsi deserves.

Star Wars would have never happened if Princess Leia just handed me a can of Pepsi at the beginning of the movie

— Darth Vader (@DepressedDarth) April 5, 2017

“Now just wait one second officers.

I have a Pepsi.” pic.twitter.com/NW0sddKOOI

— Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 5, 2017

“I have a dream that one day God’s brown, black, and white children will enjoy backwash from the same can of Pepsi.” pic.twitter.com/DEFwxXxIP0

— April 4, 1968 (@BroderickGreer) April 5, 2017

.@pepsi could have spared itself a lot of trouble by going back to its original slogan “We Only Have Pepsi, Is That Okay?” #PepsiMoment

— Matt Helgeson (@MattHelgeson) April 5, 2017

In Baltimore they handed out water…nothing changed. @Pepsi pic.twitter.com/X73fcxPIMF

— DC Maryland Virginia (@DMVFollowers) April 5, 2017

“This is officer Haynes; just saw a group of black boys. You guys up for a Pepsi? I think I can force about 4 cans from them” pic.twitter.com/YATDgxLq5C

— #Wejoice (@Rejiaku) April 5, 2017

“STOP GUYS! I have a Pepsi multi pack in my car!!” pic.twitter.com/0BamCseHUo

— Ojuelepogba (@Chenyboi) April 5, 2017

when you were going to violently break up a peaceful protest but the Pepsi way too good pic.twitter.com/wTPCwpyk2v

— Hanif Abdurraqib (@NifMuhammad) April 5, 2017

Pepsi ain’t been right since they lit Michael Jackson’s Jheri curl on fire.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) April 5, 2017

me: I’ll have a coke
waitress : is Pepsi ok?
me: oh I’m actually already not racist but thank you

— Sophia Benoit (@1followernodad) April 4, 2017

theory: that Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad is actually a Coke ad

— Chris Gayomali (@chrisgayomali) April 4, 2017

.@CocaCola watching this @Pepsi ad go up in flames pic.twitter.com/s4DW2GqpXq

— Ryan Brooks (@ByRyanBrooks) April 4, 2017

“They ain’t have no more damn Pepsi at the store!” pic.twitter.com/lVb8hA7Feo

— malibu nova (@theBrittdoll) April 5, 2017

MLK’s daughter even got in on the trend:

If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi. pic.twitter.com/FA6JPrY72V

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 5, 2017

And, finally, this thread pointed out the ultimate issues with the commercial–click on the tweets to see the whole thing:

iesha l evans peacefully stands in front of troopers n baton rouge during a protest for philando castile & alton sterling. she was arrested. pic.twitter.com/1UgduU14kz

— lay-ken. ☥ (@lakinimani) April 5, 2017

Austin Elias-De Jesus

Austin is an editorial intern at Law Street Media. He is a junior at The George Washington University majoring in Political Communication. You can usually find him reading somewhere. If you can’t find him reading, he’s probably taking a walk. Contact Austin at Staff@Lawstreetmedia.com.

The post New Tone-Deaf Pepsi Ad Receives Brutal Backlash on Twitter appeared first on Law Street.