Source: CBS News
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Why Won’t Trump Denounce White Nationalists?
The following commentary was provided by Richard Cohen, President of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
After the deadly clash between hundreds
of white supremacists and counter-protesters today in Charlottesville,
Virginia, President Trump called for Americans to “come together.”
He used similar words in his victory
speech in the wee hours of Nov. 9, even as white supremacists began to celebrate.
The problem is that Trump’s words are
hollow.
His calls for the country to unite will
continue to be meaningless as long he fails to take responsibility for his role
in dividing it – something he conspicuously avoided again during his press
conference today.
“It’s been going on for a long time,”
Trump said. “Not Donald Trump. Not Barack Obama.”
It’s true. America has had racial strife
since its founding.
But from the day he came down the
escalator in the tower that bears his name, Trump consciously poured fuel on
the fire. He ran a racist, xenophobic campaign that energized the radical right
– that “unearthed some demons,” as U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford put it.
The day after Trump was elected, hate
incidents soared. Many of them were carried out in his name.
Neo-Nazi David Duke, the former Klan
leader who endorsed Trump during his campaign, had this to say about the deadly
violence in Charlottesville:
“This represents a turning point for the people of this country. We are
determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfill the promises of
Donald Trump. That’s what we believed in. That’s why we voted for Donald Trump,
because he said he’s going to take our country back.”
Duke’s words reflect the views of a
white nationalist movement that sees Trump as its champion.
Let there be no mistake: This is a
fascist movement that threatens not only extremist violence but our democracy
as well.
All the while, Trump continues to employ
as his chief strategist the former head of Breitbart News, Stephen Bannon, who
has proudly boasted that he provided “the platform for the alt-right” – a fancy
term for white supremacy in the digital age.
All the while, the
Trump administration continues to play down the threat of white supremacist
violence.
Trump calls for the country to unite.
But he is still ducking responsibility for his role in dividing it.
Until he apologizes and takes responsibility
for the damage he has caused and enacts policies to mend the wounds in our
country, his words will continue to ring hollow.
National Action Network's Statement Regarding the State of Emergency in Charlottesville
Washington, DC --
The current state of emergency in
Charlottesville and loss of lives is a scathing reminder to us all that
the fight for justice is not over – we still have so much more to do.
But we cannot forget that this is also a symptom
of the rhetoric the Trump Administration has supported since the
Presidential Election and into the White House, promoting violence,
attacking civil rights, and allowing organizations backed by bigots to
thrive.
The
National Action Network calls on President Trump to address the causes
of these events, denounce the white supremacists at the very heart of
this conflict, and start working towards
peace.
On August 28th, NAN, along with faith leaders of all ages, will unite at the Martin
Luther King Memorial to send a message that religious communities will
not stand by idly as atrocities like these are
committed and rights are stripped from people in their congregations
including voting rights, health care, economic opportunity, criminal
justice rights, and more. We stand with the counter-demonstrators in
Charlottesville, and will continue to fight for justice
across the country.
Source: Mercury
Friday, August 11, 2017
A Song for the Soul...and Black Community: 'Lift Every Voice'
Terri Lyne Carrington with Melba Moore, Bebe Winans, Bobby Brown, Howard
Hewitt, Gerald Albright, Jasmine Guy, Debbie Allen, Jeffrey Osborne
Louis Gossett and more.
In the wake of everything that's happening, economically, politically, racially and socially, stand proud and stand strong, Black America.
"G-Man"
Source: Terri Lyne Carrington
Trailblazers in Black History: Francis "Frank" Johnson
Francis Johnson
was a celebrated Philadelphia composer and bandleader. Primarily known
as a bugler, Johnson also performed on the violin. Born in Martinique,
West Indies, Johnson moved to Philadelphia around 1809. Abolitionists in
that city had created an atmosphere where many Black people lived in
relative freedom.
The publication of Johnson's Collection of New Cottillions, about
1818, brought widespread notice. He developed a school of Black
musicians, and was the first to give formal band concerts.
By the
1820s, Johnson was a successful leader of bands, and dance orchestras
for which his musicians substituted string instruments. He toured the
nation with his band, and was the first American to take an ensemble to
Europe. He is often cited as the first African American to have his
music published, and the first to participate in integrated concerts.
NFL Losing Millions Over Kaepernick Situation
A Commentary by Dr. Boyce Watkins
This video was published on YouTube on August 11, 2017.
Source: Boyce Watkins
Protesters Clash at Downtown Dallas Demonstration
This video was published on YouTube on August 10, 2017.
Protesters
for and against the removal of Dallas' Confederate monuments clash
during a demonstration at downtown's Pioneer Park Cemetery.
Source: The Dallas Morning News
Thursday, August 10, 2017
A Discussion on the Federal Climate Change Report
E&E News White House reporter Zack Colman discusses a new federal
climate change report drafted by scientists from 13 federal agencies and
whether the Trump administration will approve it.
Source: C-SPAN
Saving Our Youth: Teen Suicide Prevention
This video was published on YouTube on June 5, 2013.
In
this video created by Mayo Clinic, teens describe common signs that a
teen is considering suicide and provide encouragement for communicating
directly and immediately for support and safety. It also Includes
suggestions for what to say to a teen who may be at risk for suicide and
ways to keep them safe. Things can get better.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Trailblazers in Black History: Mark E. Dean
This video was published on YouTube on August 26, 2013.
Dr.
Mark Dean, a co-creator of the personal computer, speaks about his
contributions at IBM as well as what he learned that will help his
students.
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel
NAACP Legal Defense Fund Appeals Ruling Allowing White Alabama Town to Secede From School District
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund has a message for a mostly white
Alabama town that got the green light from a federal judge to split from
a racially-mixed county school district and start its own system — not
so fast.
The civil rights organization has made good on its vow to appeal Judge
Madeline Haikala's ruling in April that allowed the town of Gardendale
to secede from the Jefferson County school district, even though "race
was the motivating factor" for many supporters of the split.
"The District Court agreed that Gardendale’s
bid to form its own school district was designed to exclude black school
children," said LDF's senior counsel Chris Kemmitt. "In filing this
appeal, we are simply asking the Circuit Court to follow that finding to
its logical conclusion and prohibit Gardendale from creating a
separate, segregated school district at the expense of the broader
community."
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
No Charges for DC Police Officer Who Fatally Shot Unarmed Black Motorcyclist
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said she wants the officer who shot and killed
an unarmed black motorcyclist to resign. News4's Shomari Stone and Mark
Segraves report how the community has reacted and what could happen
moving forward.
Click here for video.
This video was published on the NBC News website on August. 9, 2017.
CVS Charges More for Generic Drugs Paid for With Insurance, Lawsuit Claims
A California woman is suing CVS, the largest
pharmacy chain in America, for allegedly charging more to customers who
use insurance to pay for certain generic prescriptions.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday, accuses CVS
Health Corporation of participating in a "fraudulent scheme" and claims
the plaintiff, Megan Schultz, paid $165.68 for a prescription in July
that, had she bought without using insurance, would have only cost $92.
"CVS never told her that paying in cash would
allow her to pay 45% less for the drug; instead, CVS remained silent and
took her money — knowing full well that no reasonable consumer would
make such a choice," the complaint says.
Click here for the full article.
Trump Surprised by FBI Raid on Manafort Home: ‘Pretty Tough Stuff’
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday he was surprised by the early-morning FBI raid on the residence of his former top campaign aide Paul Manafort, calling it a "very, very strong signal or whatever."
"I thought it was a very — you know, they do
that very seldom, so I was surprised to see it," Trump said of the raid
during a lengthy, wide-ranging question-and-answer session with a group
of reporters at his
Bedminster golf club. "I was very, very surprised to
see it."
Trump said he's always found Manafort to be "a very decent man," and added that he hasn't spoken to him "in a long time."
Click here for the full article.
The 'No-Nonsense' Judge That Could Decide Trump's Fate
By Betsy Woodruff
Robert Mueller may be the face of the independent investigation into
Russian meddling in the U.S. election, but a cybersecurity wonk on the
federal bench may help decide Trump & Co.’s fate.
Behind the scenes, Beryl Howell is in a position to make pivotal decisions. And her importance could only grow. Federal court rules
indicate that she signed off on Mueller’s request to assemble a grand
jury, a highly secretive gathering of about two dozen people in
Washington’s E. Barrett Prettyman courthouse that will grill witnesses
and demand Trump associates’ documents.
And if (well, when) Team
Trump’s lawyers hit back, Howell will be the umpire-in-chief: deciding
whether or not Trump allies’ lawyers can quash subpoenas, and whether or
not people like Jared Kushner can invoke what’s known as executive
privilege to get out of testifying under oath before Mueller’s grand
jury.
These decisions could be immensely consequential.
“Even
though she worked for Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee,
she’s been very straight-arrow as a judge and she wouldn’t be impaneling
a jury for the heck of it, or anything less than there being ample
justification for it,” said a former federal lobbyist, referring to
Howell’s previous work for Sen. Patrick Leahy. “She’s like Mueller: He
wouldn’t ask for it unless he had more than enough evidence to justify
it, and she wouldn’t have granted it unless he did.”
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Daily Beast
SPLC Releases Campus Guide to Countering ‘Alt-Right’
With college students returning to class
in the coming weeks, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a new
guide today that advises them on how to respond when speakers associated
with the growing white nationalist, or “alt-right,”
movement, appear on campus.
In recent months, numerous campuses have been rocked by student protests sparked by the scheduled appearances of alt-right figures such as Richard Spencer and Milo Yiannopoulos.
The alt-right activity is part of a larger surge in campus organizing and recruitment by white nationalists. Now, the movement is seeking to capitalize on the publicity and momentum it gained amid its strong support of the Trump campaign.
Some of the recent protests, at Berkeley and elsewhere, have attracted far-left activists known as anti-fascists and have turned violent, igniting a debate over freedom of speech on campus.
In its new publication – The Alt-Right on Campus: What Students Need to Know – the SPLC advises students to avoid direct confrontation with alt-right speakers and their supporters, many of whom are young white supremacists eager to engage in street fighting with students and anti-fascist protesters.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Southern Poverty Law Center
In recent months, numerous campuses have been rocked by student protests sparked by the scheduled appearances of alt-right figures such as Richard Spencer and Milo Yiannopoulos.
The alt-right activity is part of a larger surge in campus organizing and recruitment by white nationalists. Now, the movement is seeking to capitalize on the publicity and momentum it gained amid its strong support of the Trump campaign.
Some of the recent protests, at Berkeley and elsewhere, have attracted far-left activists known as anti-fascists and have turned violent, igniting a debate over freedom of speech on campus.
In its new publication – The Alt-Right on Campus: What Students Need to Know – the SPLC advises students to avoid direct confrontation with alt-right speakers and their supporters, many of whom are young white supremacists eager to engage in street fighting with students and anti-fascist protesters.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Southern Poverty Law Center
No, We Aren't All Praising Gen. Kelly's New Role
By Nida Khan
Donald J. Trump isn’t acting on his own.
Following his ‘fire and fury’ threats to North Korea, press secretary Sarah
Huckabee Sanders addressed reporters on Wednesday and said in part: “Gen. Kelly
and others on the NSC team were well aware of the tone of the statement of the
President prior to delivery. The words were his own. The tone and strength of
the message were discussed beforehand.” I for one am not surprised.
If we were to go by earlier news
reports, political commentary and pundit insight, Gen. John Kelly was the
greatest thing to happen to the White House since Election Day. He would reign
in the chaos, get Trump to stop tweeting and acting out, bring order and lay
down the law. While the current White House clearly needs some structure,
blindly supporting yet another general in the executive branch is not the
answer. In the midst of nonstop breaking news and self-inflicted antics, this
White House has somehow made people from all ends of the political spectrum
forget that further militarization of the West Wing should make us all pause –
if not, object.
“What I do is, I authorize my military,”
said Trump after the U.S. dropped the ‘mother of all bombs’ (MOAB) in
Afghanistan earlier this year. He went on to say that he’s given the military
“total authorization”. Hardly anyone blinked. Gen. Kelly serving as Chief of
Staff to this President is just the latest empowerment of the military
industrial complex into our civilian government. Kelly joins national security
adviser Lt. General H.R. McMaster, Secretary of Defense ‘mad dog’ Mattis (a
retired Marine general) and Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and a Marine general. The last time we saw this many generals in the
cabinet was probably right after World War II.
Prior to becoming the ‘savior’ of a
dysfunctional White House, Kelly had a brief stint as Secretary of Homeland
Security (thanks to Trump as well). Kelly has not only worked to carry out
Trump’s desire to tighten visa screenings and implement tougher deportation
policies, but he has been an open supporter of the travel ban (aka Muslim ban),
calling it “lawful and constitutional”. But in order to fully understand Kelly
and what his military background truly means for this nation (and the world for
that matter), those of us who object to draconian measures, nativism, torture
of prisoners and endless war must speak out.
Click here for the full article.
Source: The Huffington Post
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