The Breakroom panel (l to r): host Celeste Headlee, Natalie Pawelski, Stefan Turkheimer, Hector Fernandez, and Kalena Boller.

The Breakroom panel (l to r): host Celeste Headlee, Natalie Pawelski, Stefan Turkheimer, Hector Fernandez, and Kalena Boller. / On Second Thought

The Breakroom gang joins host Celeste Headlee to weigh in on the week's news.

The panel includes Georgia Pol editor Stefan Turkheimer, "The Credits" host Kalena Boller, Natalie Pawelski of Cater Communications, and Georgia State University professor Hector Fernandez.

BREAKROOM TOPICS:

1. It’s about a week since violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Thousands of white nationalists protested the removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee. Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh had four Confederate monuments in her city removed Tuesday night, a day after the City Council voted unanimously to take them down. Should Georgia remove Confederate monuments and markers currently on public land?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCwr_c8jE4w&t=66s

2) The Georgia Department of Economic Development now offers a selfie tour. You can take pictures of yourself in the locations where dozens of films were made.

Where would you want to take a selfie in Georgia?

3) Singer Taylor Swift can add another title to her resume -- feminist hero. She sued for and won $1 in damages after a radio host groped her behind. Swift says she wanted the trial to serve as an "example to other women.” Is this more than a symbolic victory?

4) One Atlanta gym owner is under fire for his membership policy. Jim Chambers runs the East Atlanta Barbell Club. He doesn’t want police officers in it. He says he sees the ban as a political statement. Should Chambers be allowed to refuse service to cops and active military?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqrYillWzWQ&t=71s

5) A vegan cafe in Melbourne, Australia wants to close the wage gap between men and women. The Handsome Her’s owner is charging men more for their food, and granting women priority seats. Is this equality or reverse discrimination?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcBmA_aB9W4

6) Duke Robotics, a U.S. technology company, has created a drone that fires a machine gun and launches grenades by remote control. These drones, which are human operated, can reduce military casualties by cutting back on the number of ground troops. Critics warn it could easily be a danger to civilians, especially through illegal sales.

7) Peter Tefft is one of the white supremacists at Charlottesville. In an editorial, his father Pierce announced he was disowning his son. The North Dakotan says he does not agree with the “vile, hateful and racist rhetoric and actions” of his 30-year-old son. What could make you disown your child? 

8) Hard to believe it was just a week ago we were talking about possible military action against North Korea, after President Trump described our military as “locked and loaded.” Would you support declaring war on North Korea? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxcboiRBIUI

9) Finally, we’ve had an unrelenting stream of stressful stories this past week. How do you cope with  it?

Tags: Kalena Boller  Natalie Pawelski  Hector Fernandez  Stefan Turkheimer  The Breakroom  Atlanta  Georgia