You asked, we answered: Smithsonian vs USPS, ‘hostages’ vs ‘prisoners’
Mail vs. museums in a shutdown, to the real meaning of a “baseless” charge, and the high-stakes line between “hostage” and “prisoner” — we’re back with another round of Straight From You.
Each week, we take your comments and questions and put them to the test — separating fact from speculation and adding the context you won’t always get in the headlines.
You said:
The question:
Smithsonian and USPS: Who funds what during shutdowns?
SAN answer:
A viewer asked why Smithsonian museums close during a government shutdown while the U.S. Postal Service keeps running. The short answer is that they have different funding streams.
The Smithsonian Institution operates 21 museums, the National Zoo and multiple research centers. According to Smithsonian records, about 60% of its budget comes from federal appropriations. When Congress fails to pass a budget, that federal money pauses.
The Smithsonian can rely on leftover funds for a period of time, but once those run out, as they did this month, the museums and zoo must close under its federal contingency plan. Animal care, security and conservation work continue, but exhibits, shops and live cams go dark until funding returns.
By contrast, the U.S. Postal Service isn’t taxpayer-funded. USPS is an independent entity that pays its own way by selling stamps, packaging and other products. That means mail delivery continues as usual during shutdowns.
So, while both are national institutions, the Smithsonian depends on Congress for day-to-day operations, and the Postal Service runs on its own revenue stream. That’s why you can still get mail, but can’t see the pandas when the government shuts down.
You said:
The question:
Baseless charges: Documents exist, but does that decide the case?
SAN answer:
The term “baseless” is causing confusion in the Letitia James case because it is being used in two different ways: one as a political claim and the other as a technical legal practice.
In the context of the federal indictment against New York’s attorney general, “baseless” is used as political rhetoric. An indictment from a grand jury, like the one James faces, signifies that probable cause was found. It is the start of a case, not a finding of guilt.
James has been indicted in the Eastern District of Virginia on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. Supporters and her legal team call the charges “baseless” to argue the prosecution is politically motivated, “vindictive,” or “selective.” James is expected to challenge the case on these grounds, arguing it stems from President Donald Trump’s “desire for revenge.” While this is a recognized legal argument, it is historically difficult to win in court.
Separately, the term “factually baseless charges” describes a legal tool used in some state courts, though it is barred in federal courts where James is charged. This practice, described in the Marquette Lawyer, involves an intentional agreement where a defendant pleads guilty to a lesser crime that all parties know the evidence does not support.
This is done to avoid a conviction on a more serious, factually supported charge. It is an “improvised means” for judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys to work around rigid sentencing laws and achieve what they view as a more just outcome.
You said:
The question:
Hostages or prisoners? Why labels fight wars of perception
SAN answer:
A viewer asked: “Hostages vs. prisoners is a bit biased language. Palestinians in Israel captured and imprisoned without due process are also called hostages.”
The distinction is more than semantics. It’s legal, political and a little blurry at times.
Under international law, hostage-taking is defined by intent: seizing or detaining someone to compel a third party to act or refrain from acting. That’s from the International Convention against the Taking of Hostages, mirrored in ICRC Customary Rule 96 and the Geneva Conventions. Both civilians and soldiers can be hostages if they’re taken as leverage, making it a war crime in all armed conflicts.
By contrast, prisoners are people lawfully convicted after due process. Prisoners of war, under the Third Geneva Convention, are captured combatants who must be treated humanely and cannot be punished simply for fighting. Detainees fall in between — held without conviction, sometimes under administrative or security detention rules that international law allows only in exceptional, time-limited circumstances. In Gaza and Israel, those lines blur. People taken by Hamas in 2023 were clearly hostages, used as bargaining chips. But some Palestinians detained without charge argue they are “hostages” too — held as leverage in cease-fire or exchange talks.
Keep dropping comments, asking questions and SAN will tackle the biggest ones next week on Straight From You.
The post You asked, we answered: Smithsonian vs USPS, ‘hostages’ vs ‘prisoners’ appeared first on Straight Arrow News.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
