American media was dominated this year by the Israel-Hamas war, climate change, Donald Trump’s many legal troubles, the Alex Murdaugh trial, and the Titan submersible implosion. All of these topics were explosive, for sure, but they didn’t leave much room for untold stories.
As part of our Year in Review package, Flipboard editors have chosen the Forgotten Stories of 2023. Our top pick is the record-breaking gun violence in America. Lewiston, Maine, was the unfortunate host of this year’s deadliest U.S. incident, which killed 18 people enjoying a normal evening at a bowling alley and bar.
We know mass shootings get a lot of coverage, but hear us out. Our contention is that they have sadly become so common that Americans tune them out. Another three killed here. Four more killed there. The desire to ignore the steady drip of depressing headlines about massacres is understandable. But we can’t forget the countless lives shattered by this problem or lose focus on efforts to make the country safer for all of us.
Other neglected issues include the so-called “end” of COVID-19, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Sudan’s war, women’s rights in Iran and more.
As the year draws to a close, take some time to remember all that’s happened, for better or worse, in 2023:
2023: Year in Personal Finance
Complete Package: 2023: Year in Review
— Carl Sullivan, North America managing editor, co-curates Flipboard’s Politics Desk, including 2024 White House, The House and The Senate