thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--Mississippi's New Flag Could Feature Magnolia Over Old Rebel Symbol

JACKSON , Miss .
( AP ) — Mississippi voters will decide whether to accept a new state flag with a magnolia to replace an old one legislators retired under pressure because it included the Confederate battle emblem that ’ s widely seen as racist .
The single design will go on the November ballot .
If voters accept the design , it will become the new state flag .
If they reject it , the design process will start anew — and Mississippi will remain a state without a flag for a while longer .
Legislators shelved the Confederate-themed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of widespread protests over racial injustice .
The flag had been divisive for decades in a state with a 38 % Black population .
The final push for change came from business , education , religious and sports groups — including , notably , the Mississippi Baptist Convention and the Southeastern Conference .
The commission — with members appointed by the governor , lieutenant governor and House speaker — narrowed the choices to the final two last week .
Creators of the final designs said their work reflects a love for Mississippi and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide range of people can fly with pride .
The magnolia flag has the state flower on a dark blue background with red bars on either end .
The flower is encircled by stars representing Mississippi as the 20th state .
It also has a single star made of diamond shapes representing the Native American people who lived on the land before others arrived .
Graphic designer Rocky Vaughan of Ackerman , Mississippi , created the overall design of the magnolia flag , which was altered with work from others .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago , when Mississippi residents were bickering about the flag with the Confederate image .
“ What I wanted to do was show every Mississippian that there ’ s a compromise out there , and we are the magnolia state , ” said Vaughan , 43 .
“ If it ’ s appealing to the eyes , it will be accepted.
” The magnolia on that flag came from Sue Anna Joe , a Greenwood native living in San Francisco .
Her parents were born in China , and they moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe , 44 , said Tuesday that as a person of Chinese background growing up in Mississippi , she felt “ disassociated ” with the flag the state had used since 1894 .
She heard white people say the Confederate symbol represented their ancestors and African Americans say it represented slavery .
Joe said she watched online as Mississippi legislators voted to retire the old flag .
Because she has worked in design , she felt it was her civic duty to submit a proposal .
She chose a magnolia because she believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Mississippi .
Kara Giles of Oxford also worked on the magnolia flag .
She ’ s a graphic designer and executive assistant to Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill , who is one of the nine flag commissioners .
Giles tweaked the design to strengthen some elements of it .
The flag with the red-and-white shield on a dark blue background also had the single star made of diamond shapes .
The banner , nicknamed the “ Great River Flag , ” is by graphic designer Micah Whitson , who grew up in Alabama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and now lives in Boston .
Whitson has been creating art that he calls “ love letters ” to the South , where his wife also grew up .
The commission had five designs manufactured into flags , and those were run up a flagpole last week outside the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson before the final two were chosen .
While Giles knew she was working on a project that could become a part of state history , “ it didn ’ t really sink in until it started to go up @ @ @ @

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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi voters will decide whether to accept a new state flag with a magnolia to replace an old one legislators retired under pressure because it included the Confederate battle emblem that’s widely seen as racist.
A commission on Wednesday voted to recommend the magnolia over one other final design that featured a shield with wavy lines representing water.
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“We’ll send a message that we live in the future and not in the past,” former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Reuben Anderson, the flag commission chairman, said after the vote.
The single design will go on the November ballot. If voters accept the design, it will become the new state flag. If they reject it, the design process will start anew — and Mississippi will remain a state without a flag for a while longer.
Legislators shelved the Confederate-themed flag two months ago against the backdrop of widespread protests over racial injustice. The flag had been divisive for decades in a state with a 38% Black population. The final push for change came from business, education, religious and sports groups — including, notably, the Mississippi Baptist Convention and the Southeastern Conference.
By law, the new flag cannot include the Confederate battle flag, and it must have the phrase, “In God We Trust.” The public submitted nearly 3,000 designs.
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The commission — with members appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker — narrowed the choices to the final two last week. Creators of the final designs said their work reflects a love for Mississippi and a desire for a banner that a wide range of people can fly with pride.
The magnolia flag has the state flower on a dark blue background with red bars on either end. The flower is encircled by stars representing Mississippi as the 20th state. It also has a single star made of diamond shapes representing the Native American people who lived on the land before others arrived.
The magnolia flag is a combination of elements submitted by five people. Four live in Mississippi, and one is a Mississippi native living in San Francisco.
Graphic designer Rocky Vaughan of Ackerman, Mississippi, created the overall design of the magnolia flag, which was altered with work from others. He said Tuesday that he started working on designs years ago, when Mississippi residents were bickering about the flag with the Confederate image.
“What I wanted to do was show every Mississippian that there’s a compromise out there, and we are the magnolia state,” said Vaughan, 43. “If it’s appealing to the eyes, it will be accepted.”
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The magnolia on that flag came from Sue Anna Joe, a Greenwood native living in San Francisco. Her parents were born in China, and they moved to the United States in the 1960s. Joe, 44, said Tuesday that as a person of Chinese background growing up in Mississippi, she felt “disassociated” with the flag the state had used since 1894. She heard white people say the Confederate symbol represented their ancestors and African Americans say it represented slavery.
“I felt like I was part of a broken family,” she said.
Joe said she watched online as Mississippi legislators voted to retire the old flag. Because she has worked in design, she felt it was her civic duty to submit a proposal. She chose a magnolia because she believes the flower is an easily recognizable symbol of Mississippi.
“I still very much love my home state,” she said.
Kara Giles of Oxford also worked on the magnolia flag. She’s a graphic designer and executive assistant to Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill, who is one of the nine flag commissioners. Giles tweaked the design to strengthen some elements of it.
The flag with the red-and-white shield on a dark blue background also had the single star made of diamond shapes. The banner, nicknamed the “Great River Flag,” is by graphic designer Micah Whitson, who grew up in Alabama, graduated from the University of Mississippi and now lives in Boston. Whitson has been creating art that he calls “love letters” to the South, where his wife also grew up.
Whitson, 39, said Tuesday that when Mississippi sought designs for a new flag, “I was like, ‘Come on, this was the moment I was made for.’”
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He said the shield is inspired the Mississippi Territory seal, issued in 1798. Whitson found a simple typeface that was available in 1816, a year before Mississippi became a state.
The commission had five designs manufactured into flags, and those were run up a flagpole last week outside the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson before the final two were chosen. While Giles knew she was working on a project that could become a part of state history, “it didn’t really sink in until it started to go up the pole.”
___
Follow Emily Wagster Pettus on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--Alabama City That Inspired 'To Kill A Mockingbird' Elects Its First Black Mayor

Elect Charles Andrews 2020/Facebook Charles Andrews was elected mayor of Monroeville , Alabama , on Aug. 25 .
He will be the first Black man to serve in the role .
A small Alabama city that ’ s best known for inspiring the American literary classic “ To Kill a Mockingbird ” has elected its first Black mayor .
Andrews , in a video message posted Sunday , said he ’ s “ honored and humbled ” to be the first to break this racial barrier in his city .
“ Today , as I stand on the threshold of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and our foreparents , we are one people , one town and one team , all inclusive , ” he said .
A historical marker in Monroeville , Alabama , identifies the city as the hometown of `` To Kill a Mockingbird '' author Harper Lee .
Author Harper Lee , who published “ To Kill A Mockingbird ” in 1960 , resided in Monroeville and used it as the basis for the novel ’ s fictional town of Maycomb , Alabama .
The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel ’ s story dealt with racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the wrongful rape conviction of a Black man and the white locals ’ reaction to the trial .
Andrew , speaking with AL.com , recalled watching as a child the 1962 movie “ To Kill a Mockingbird ” at a segregated Monroeville theater with his mother , as well as seeing a “ White Only ” sign on a water fountain at a local gas station after learning how to read .
“ It didn ’ t strike me that we were sitting in the Black section of the theater , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Being a child at the time , and being the first time going to the movies , I was kind of awestruck.
” Andrews ’ professional career includes years spent in public safety and law enforcement as an Alabama state trooper and chief of the Highway Patrol Division of the state ’ s Department of Public Safety after graduating from the University of Alabama in 1977 with a degree in criminal justice .
He was appointed by former President Barack Obama to serve as the U.S .
Marshal in Mobile in 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes Monroeville has “ grown past ” its segregated past and that he plans to focus on being a mayor for all of the citizens , including those who didn ’ t support his campaign .
He will be sworn into office on Nov. 2 .

Charles Andrews was elected mayor of Monroeville, Alabama, on Aug. 25. He will be the first Black man to serve in the role. Elect Charles Andrews 2020/Facebook
A small Alabama city that’s best known for inspiring the American literary classic “To Kill a Mockingbird” has elected its first Black mayor.
Monroeville, a city of about 5,700 residents in southwest Alabama, elected Charles Andrews, 65, to replace incumbent Sandy Smith last week.
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Andrews, in a video message posted Sunday, said he’s “honored and humbled” to be the first to break this racial barrier in his city.
“Today, as I stand on the threshold of history, the shoulders of our parents and our foreparents, we are one people, one town and one team, all inclusive,” he said.
A historical marker in Monroeville, Alabama, identifies the city as the hometown of "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Author Harper Lee, who published “To Kill A Mockingbird” in 1960, resided in Monroeville and used it as the basis for the novel’s fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel’s story dealt with racial inequality and injustice, with it focusing on the wrongful rape conviction of a Black man and the white locals’ reaction to the trial.
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Andrew, speaking with AL.com, recalled watching as a child the 1962 movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” at a segregated Monroeville theater with his mother, as well as seeing a “White Only” sign on a water fountain at a local gas station after learning how to read.
“It didn’t strike me that we were sitting in the Black section of the theater,” he told the local news outlet. “Being a child at the time, and being the first time going to the movies, I was kind of awestruck.”
Andrews’ professional career includes years spent in public safety and law enforcement as an Alabama state trooper and chief of the Highway Patrol Division of the state’s Department of Public Safety after graduating from the University of Alabama in 1977 with a degree in criminal justice. He was appointed by former President Barack Obama to serve as the U.S. Marshal in Mobile in 2011.
Today, he told AL.com he believes Monroeville has “grown past” its segregated past and that he plans to focus on being a mayor for all of the citizens, including those who didn’t support his campaign. He will be sworn into office on Nov. 2.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--German Police Stumped By Mysterious Vials Of Hamster DNA

BERLIN ( AP ) — German police said Wednesday they are losing hope of finding out who left on a @ @ @ @ @ with hamster DNA , which caused alarm in the southwestern town of Heidelberg last week @ @ @ @ @ bomb squad to investigate after a train driver found the styrofoam box with three vials @ @ @ @ @ train Friday .
Forensic specialists later determined that the liquid contained genetic material from rodents @ @ @ @ @ crack the case by publicizing the unusual find , but despite intense media interest the @ @ @ @ @ far , said Jan Doering , a federal police spokesman .
Doering said police had @ @ @ @ @ as the cold chain had been broken .
Heidelberg is home to several research centers @ @ @ @ @ Biology Laboratory .
Important conversations are happening now .
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BERLIN (AP) — German police said Wednesday they are losing hope of finding out who left on a train a box of vials with hamster DNA, which caused alarm in the southwestern town of Heidelberg last week.
Federal police sent a bomb squad to investigate after a train driver found the styrofoam box with three vials of liquid on a local train Friday. Forensic specialists later determined that the liquid contained genetic material from rodents.
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Officers had hoped to crack the case by publicizing the unusual find, but despite intense media interest the owner has remained elusive so far, said Jan Doering, a federal police spokesman.
Doering said police had already disposed of the vials as the cold chain had been broken.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--Trump DOJ Calls Out D.C.'s Democratic Mayor For Ignoring Protesters' Constitutional Rights

“ Is Muriel Bowser taking political advantage of this because the guy who happens to be there happens to be a Trump guy ?
Yeah , sure , why wouldn ’ t she ?
Trump ’ s easy to rag on , and I think people should rag on him more often , especially after what his Department of Justice did in Roger Stone and other cases , ” Qureshi told HuffPost .
“ But you shouldn ’ t make the prosecutors and the police officers who work tirelessly to enforce the laws and protect victims the collateral damage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obviously a liberal community , but you don ’ t meet a lot of people who say , ‘ Yes , in support of a cause ― no matter how much I agree with that cause ― that it ’ s OK to destroy property or , particularly , injure a police officer.
’ I don ’ t think you ’ re going to see a lot of potential jurors who say that , ” Kropf said .
“ If they can show it ’ s a person who ’ s actually damaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and so forth , I think a jury in D.C. would absolutely find someone guilty .
”

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WASHINGTON ― Attorney General William Barr’s Justice Department is calling out D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) ― who had a massive “Black Lives Matter” mural painted on a street near the White House that she renamed to honor the movement for Black lives ― for blowing off the constitutional rights of anti-racist protesters in her own city.
This story begins on the evening of Aug. 13, when a group of protesters was being trailed by police officers in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of the nation’s capital. After some people damaged property, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers encircled a large number of protesters ― maybe one-third of the overall group ― in a “kettle,” detaining them for hours as they processed the arrests.
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Protesters on the scene didn’t understand why officers swept them up, deployed pepper spray and shoved them. Police released very little information justifying an aggressive response that swept up so many people. A MPD press release showed images of a Starbucks umbrella and newspaper boxes that had been set ablaze, but didn’t explain why police kettled protesters, a tactic that has often been found unconstitutional.
Dozens of people were seized and held overnight. MPD wanted 42 of them charged with felonies under a rioting statute. But MPD officers didn’t identify the individuals actually responsible for property damage. Instead, they just sought to bring felony charges against most of those they’d trapped in their kettle.
In the nation’s capital, the U.S. Attorney’s Office ― currently headed by a Trump administration official Barr appointed ― prosecutes both federal and serious local crimes. Prosecutors in the office evaluated MPD’s arrest reports and determined that nearly every one lacked probable cause. The office essentially determined that the rioting arrests, based on the information presented by MPD, were not justified.
Absent a lawsuit against the city by the people who were arrested, that likely would’ve been the end of the story. But in an Aug. 31 letter to Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin, Bowser wrote that she was “dismayed” that prosecutors in his office “declined to prosecute 41 of the 42 rioting arrests” that were made on Aug. 13 and 14.
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It was a strange position for the mayor to take, but one that highlights the tension nationwide between anti-racist activists and protesters and the primarily Democratic mayors that preside over their cities.
Mayor Muriel Bowser looks out over a Black Lives Matter sign that was painted during anti-racism protests in Washington, D.C., on June 5, 2020. Khalid Naji-Allah Executive Office of the Mayor/Handout via REUTERS
Bowser, a Black female Democrat in an overwhelmingly Democratic city, renamed a part of 16th Street NW “Black Lives Matter Plaza” in defiance of Trump and spoke out against the federal government’s response to protests on the city’s streets. Yet here she was, accusing the Trump administration’s Justice Department ― which has enthusiastically seized any opportunity to prosecute left-leaning rioters since protests broke out after the death of George Floyd in May ― of going soft on protesters who were indiscriminately seized by her own police force.
So instead of quietly fading away, Bowser’s letter set off a new round of media coverage and allowed Sherwin to criticize Bowser ― quite credibly ― of brushing aside the protections guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution because she wanted to see “rioters” locked up. Bowser’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
“As I am sure you are aware, without some evidence to establish probable cause of a particular arrestee’s criminal conduct ― e.g. police officer’s observations or video footage of the alleged crime ― we cannot bring federal charges,” Sherwin wrote. “Surely, by your comments, you are not suggesting that this Office skirt constitutional protections and due process.”
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Sherwin went on to say that “MPD’s arresting documents lacked sufficient probable cause to support any criminal charge,” publicly airing an embarrassing MPD failure that likely would’ve stayed mostly quiet were it not for Bowser’s letter. Sherwin also wrote that he met with MPD leadership to help develop the cases and “establish a bare minimum of probable cause” but said “no sufficient evidence” had materialized to justify the arrests of Aug. 13 and 14.
“The ‘42 rioters’ were arrested as a collective by MPD and presented to the Office without any articulable facts linking criminal conduct to each individual arrested,” he wrote. “Simply put, we cannot charge crimes on the basis of mere presence or guilt by association.”
U.S. Attorney Sherwin's Response to Mayor Bowser's August 31, 2020 Letter pic.twitter.com/kZnpAUpESi — U.S. Attorney DC (@USAO_DC) September 1, 2020
Sherwin said the pattern repeated itself when MPD arrested 19 people for rioting over the weekend, but officers “failed to provide the bare minimum of articulable facts linking the charged persons with alleged individual criminal conduct.” Due to MPD’s lack of evidence, just one individual was charged.
Sherwin also seemed to hint at the irony of Bowser laying into the federal response to protesters in D.C. even as her own police force engaged in what looked like unconstitutional conduct.
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“Your recent portrayal fo the federal response to violence in the District as insufficiently vigorous seems to contrast sharply with your earlier criticism of the federal response in the District as overly aggressive,” Sherwin wrote.
There’s one huge factor looming over the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s decision-making process: Its near-total failure to secure convictions against hundreds of defendants swept up in a police kettle during demonstrations and rioting surrounding President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2017.
The government took an extremely aggressive posture in the “J20” cases, pursuing felony rioting conspiracy charges against defendants who they never alleged actually destroyed any property or committed any acts of violence.
In an admission that sheds some light on Bowser’s current push for prosecutions, a former government prosecutor told HuffPost that Bowser’s office was advocating for charges against the J20 protesters as well.
In tweets sent the day of Trump’s inauguration, Bowser wrote that she could “not condone crime and vandalism which are the antithesis of what we hope to accomplish today” and said that they would not allow visitors to “destroy our neighborhoods.” She tweeted that she supported MPD “as they have handled crowds and this event.”
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Rizwan “Rizzy” Qureshi was one of the Justice Department prosecutors on the J20 case. Now in private practice, he said he’s a Democrat who supports the Black Lives Matter movement and attended the 2017 Women’s March, which took place the day after Trump’s inauguration.
Qureshi said it was important to note that Bowser’s office “pushed hard” for prosecutions after J20, and that politicians like her were no longer supportive when the case became a political liability for them. Now Bowser’s political rhetoric is impacting another case, only this time her actions are backfiring on the MPD.
“Is Muriel Bowser taking political advantage of this because the guy who happens to be there happens to be a Trump guy? Yeah, sure, why wouldn’t she? Trump’s easy to rag on, and I think people should rag on him more often, especially after what his Department of Justice did in Roger Stone and other cases,” Qureshi told HuffPost. “But you shouldn’t make the prosecutors and the police officers who work tirelessly to enforce the laws and protect victims the collateral damage of your politics.”
Qureshi said he believed that career prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office were making the calls on prosecutions and were not allowing politics to dictate their charging decisions.
“What the acting U.S. attorney’s letter to Bowser makes clear is exactly what the jurors told us in the J20 cases,” Qureshi said. “Prosecutors are not going to proceed unless there’s actual evidence of that individual breaking property or engaging in violence, and I think that makes sense. You have to listen to juries because their guidance is instructive on the viability of a prosecution.”
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Anti-Trump protesters face off with police after Donald Trump was sworn into office in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2017. Photo by Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Kropf said there’s “no question” that Sherwin’s concerns about MPD’s lack of probable cause were rooted in the legal issues that came up during the J20 trial. She finds the politics of the dispute fascinating.
“I’m like, wait a minute, I’m on the side of a Donald Trump-appointed prosecutor more than the mayor,” Kropf said. “The alignments here are interesting.”
It may have taken a lot of resources, but Kropf said prosecutors were generally able to individually identify defendants using surveillance video and connect them with specific actions, even though most were wearing all black. She said there’s no reason why police couldn’t do the same here: actually attempt to connect individuals to specific conduct, and charge them under law.
“I don’t think he’s holding MPD to an absurd standard,” Kropf said. “I do think what he’s saying is you can’t just kettle a big group of people, knowing that some people in that group committed property damage or assault on an officer, and expect that we’re going to charge all of those people. There’s nothing unusual about that standard.”
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Even in Democratic D.C., Kroft said, jurors would be willing to convict defendants if the government proved they engaged in property damage and violence.
“D.C. is obviously a liberal community, but you don’t meet a lot of people who say, ‘Yes, in support of a cause ― no matter how much I agree with that cause ― that it’s OK to destroy property or, particularly, injure a police officer.’ I don’t think you’re going to see a lot of potential jurors who say that,” Kropf said. “If they can show it’s a person who’s actually damaging property or throwing something at an officer and so forth, I think a jury in D.C. would absolutely find someone guilty.”
Steven McCool, a former federal prosecutor and defense attorney who represented a J20 defendant, said that D.C. jurors would fairly consider cases against people “destroying personal or business property,” so long as they believe “they have been fairly investigated and are prosecuted in an unbiased manner.”
Broadly speaking, MPD had been known for taking a more progressive approach to protest policing than departments in many parts of the country. That’s both because protests occur so frequently in the nation’s capital and because extensive litigation has forced MPD to curb some of its worst behaviors.
Yet despite their extensive protest experience and the outcome of the J20 cases, MPD has occasionally continued to kettle protesters. In the early days of the Floyd protests, a man living near D.C.’s historic U Street became a local folk hero after he allowed protesters into his home to protect them from the police officers who kettled them on his street.
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Bowser is “trying to say that she protected D.C. citizens, but under her watch mass arrests became a common police tactic to suppress demonstrators,” said Dylan Petrohilos, a J20 defendant who was also caught in the police kettle last month and was among those D.C. police wanted to charge, yet again, with a felony. “No one should expect to be mass arrested in the nation’s capital, right? This is where politics happens.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser waits at Black Lives Matter Plaza to watch the funeral procession for Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis (D-Ga.) in Washington, D.C., on July 27, 2020. OLIVIER DOULIERY via Getty Images
Bowser’s decision to go to the mat to defend questionable arrests has many wondering why she picked this battle. D.C. hasn’t exactly been overwhelmed by unrest in recent weeks. There have been a few high-profile incidents ― one involving confrontations between protesters and customers dining in outdoor street cafes amid an ongoing pandemic ― but nothing that would necessarily rise to the level of making Bowser politically vulnerable.
“The only thing I can imagine is that she is feeling pressure from MPD, from the police union, to back up MPD, and the officers who are arresting people and believe they should be charged,” Kroft said.
Bowser’s support for police ― even when they’ve tried to bring charges the Trump administration considered an overreach ― reveals why she’s not beloved by many in the local activist movement. She supported billionaire Michael Bloomberg in the Democratic primary and opposed a $15 million cut to the police department from the city’s overall $8.6 billion budget back in July.
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Anthony Lorenzo Green and other Black Lives Matter DC organizers denounced Bowser for touting her Black Lives Matter Plaza during the Democratic National Convention while opposing shrinking the police budget in her own city. Activists want governments to downsize their police budgets and reallocate that funding to integral, and often underfunded, social services like mental health care, affordable housing, job programs and education.
“Mayor Muriel Bowser must be held accountable for the lip service she pays in making such a statement while she continues to intentionally underfund services and programs that meet the basic survival needs of Black people of Washington, D.C.,” Green told HuffPost in the days following Bowser’s DNC speech. “Mayor Bowser refused to answer the call and chose to stand with our oppressors.”
“She is the closest thing to a Republican in Washington, D.C.,” says Petrohilos.
Looking back at the J20 cases, Qureshi said the prosecutions would have been “way more successful” if prosecutors had “focused on only the breakers” instead of pursuing what he acknowledged was a “novel” and “aggressive” prosecution strategy under a law that hadn’t been used since the 1960s.
McCool said elected officials in D.C. need to revisit the city’s rioting laws, especially considering the history of the statute.
“These vague DC anti-rioting laws were written, after Dr. King was assassinated, to deter Black people, during the civil rights movement, from exercising their constitutional rights or even peacefully using the public streets,” McCool said. “The Council should take a hard look and rewrite these statutes so that those who commit crimes are prosecuted and people who are protesting or merely present at an assembly are not arrested without cause.”
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Qureshi pointed out that many of the victims who testified during the J20 trial were working-class people of color, and that the vast majority of J20 defendants were white.
“There’s no question that the statute is imperfect,” says Qureshi. “But overwhelmingly, the breakers and the people who were arrested in connection with the Inauguration Day riots were white people, not Black people.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--TikTok Video Goes Sideways When Mom Suddenly Falls Through Ceiling

A viral TikTok video has received over 5.5 million views after a mom — or , rather , a mom ’ s leg — makes an extremely memorable cameo .
The 10-second video , which is captioned “ live footage of my mom telling me to break a leg , ” begins with a woman singing .
After a few moments of the seemingly tame footage , the left corner of her ceiling suddenly bursts open and out flops ... a leg .
“ Oh my God !
” the singer can be heard shouting as the leg limply dangles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drywall .
Liz San Millan , the singer in the viral footage , told BuzzFeed News that she ’ s currently staying at her parents ’ house , but goes to a school for musical theater in New York .
She was practicing for an upcoming audition as her mother was rummaging through their attic looking for luggage for her daughter ’ s move back to the city when she tripped and fell .
“ Right before she fell , you can see the irritation in my face due to her banging around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” San Millan told BuzzFeed .
“ There are wooden beams in the attic that you ’ re supposed to step on , but she tripped and stepped right into my ceiling.
” San Millan said that her mom was not injured in the incident — “ Not even a scratch , ” she told the outlet — but there ’ s still a big , gaping hole in her ceiling .
Due to the surprising nature of the short video , many TikTok users had a lot fun responding to it in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wow she sounds good let me hear her a little better , ” said one user .
But perhaps one user summed it up best when they wrote : “ When she found out you could sing , she was floored .
”

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Well, this is a trip.
A viral TikTok video has received over 5.5 million views after a mom — or, rather, a mom’s leg — makes an extremely memorable cameo.
The 10-second video, which is captioned “live footage of my mom telling me to break a leg,” begins with a woman singing. After a few moments of the seemingly tame footage, the left corner of her ceiling suddenly bursts open and out flops ... a leg.
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“Oh my God!” the singer can be heard shouting as the leg limply dangles between bits of loose insulation and broken drywall.
Liz San Millan, the singer in the viral footage, told BuzzFeed News that she’s currently staying at her parents’ house, but goes to a school for musical theater in New York. She was practicing for an upcoming audition as her mother was rummaging through their attic looking for luggage for her daughter’s move back to the city when she tripped and fell.
“Right before she fell, you can see the irritation in my face due to her banging around while she knew I was filming,” San Millan told BuzzFeed. “There are wooden beams in the attic that you’re supposed to step on, but she tripped and stepped right into my ceiling.”
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San Millan said that her mom was not injured in the incident — “Not even a scratch,” she told the outlet — but there’s still a big, gaping hole in her ceiling.
Due to the surprising nature of the short video, many TikTok users had a lot fun responding to it in the comments.
“She was like wow she sounds good let me hear her a little better,” said one user.
“Your backup dancer is really good,” said another.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--A Survivor And Descendants Of 1921 Tulsa Massacre Seek Reparations In Lawsuit

A woman who lived through the 1921 race massacre in Tulsa , Oklahoma , and descendants of other victims have filed a lawsuit demanding reparations for the destruction of the city ’ s once prosperous Black district ― a spasm of murderous racial violence that ranks among the worst in U.S. history .
The group of Oklahomans , led by 105-year-old survivor Lessie Benningfield Randle , alleged in the lawsuit that Tulsa ’ s current racial and economic disparities can be traced back to the nearly century-old incident , and that the city is unjustly enriching itself by trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as the Greenwood District .
“ We are so excited to finally get justice for Greenwood after 99 years , ” attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons , who filed the lawsuit , said at a news conference .
“ No one to this day has been held accountable .
They got away with it ― until today.
” A white mob rampaged through the Greenwood District , the area of Black-owned businesses known as Black Wall Street for two days in 1921 , May 31 and June 1 .
The mob looted , burned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including homes , churches , schools and a hospital , according to a 2001 Oklahoma commission report prepared for the state Legislature .
The attack began after a 19-year-old Black shoe shiner named Dick Rowland was falsely accused of assaulting a white woman on May 30 .
The report found that Rowland likely tripped and stepped on the woman ’ s foot , and charges against him were dismissed .
But the next day the white mobs gathered at the Tulsa County Courthouse where Rowland was being held .
Groups of armed Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who the report said faced the threat of being lynched .
Violence ensued after a shot rang out at the courthouse , where the report said Black residents were outnumbered more than 20 to 1 .
Armed white people ― backed by local authorities and police ― arrived in Black neighborhoods and proceeded to shoot , torture and kill their residents in the gruesome massacre that continued into the next day .
The destruction of 35 city blocks displaced thousands of Black residents , and some investigators estimate that as many as 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precise death count can not be determined ( .
Researchers recently found mass graves in the area that point to more deaths .
“ We ’ re not just talking about what happened in 1921 .
We ’ re talking about what ’ s still happening , ” Solomon-Simons said .
“ We believe this lawsuit will be successful because there is no question there is a nuisance created by the defendants.
” Oklahoma law defines nuisance in this context as the performance of an unlawful act , or the failure to perform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insecure in their life or ability to use property or endangers the individual ’ s comfort or safety .
The state relied on this law most notably in its successful state lawsuits against opioid companies like Johnson & Johnson .
“ The city of Tulsa destroyed an entire community and displaced its citizens , ” said attorney Spencer Bryan , who ’ s part of the suit ’ s legal team .
“ The question is : Does the massacre and its effects continue today ?
The answer is an unequivocal yes.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than double that of white Tulsans ; median household income for Black residents is half of that of white residents ; Black students are nine times more likely to be suspended from school ; and life expectancy for North Tulsa residents is 11 years below that in the rest of the city , according to Tulsa attorney Steven Terrill .
The suit accused current Tulsa officials of appropriating the massacre by decrying its horrors while trying to turn the district ’ s remains into a tourist site .
According to the suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the massacre site “ as a tourist attraction , obtaining funds to do so , as well as aiding in obtaining funds to create a history center of which ” the city will have a central role ― all while the residents of Greenwood reap no benefits .
The suit seeks multiple forms of reparations , including unspecified punitive damages from the massacre , top priority for Black residents in the awarding of city contracts , and tax relief and scholarships for descendants of victims .
The lawsuit also seeks to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideally be created by using the profits the city would receive from the Greenwood tourist site .

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A woman who lived through the 1921 race massacre in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and descendants of other victims have filed a lawsuit demanding reparations for the destruction of the city’s once prosperous Black district ― a spasm of murderous racial violence that ranks among the worst in U.S. history.
The group of Oklahomans, led by 105-year-old survivor Lessie Benningfield Randle, alleged in the lawsuit that Tulsa’s current racial and economic disparities can be traced back to the nearly century-old incident, and that the city is unjustly enriching itself by trying to profit off the massacre in what was known as the Greenwood District.
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Other plaintiffs in the suit filed Tuesday in Tulsa County District Court are the Vernon AME Church and the Tulsa African Ancestral Society.
“We are so excited to finally get justice for Greenwood after 99 years,” attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, who filed the lawsuit, said at a news conference. “No one to this day has been held accountable. They got away with it ― until today.”
In addition to the city of Tulsa, the suit’s defendants include Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado, the Tulsa County Commission, the Tulsa Regional Chamber and the Oklahoma Military Department.
Mother Randle lived through the deadliest act of domestic terrorism on US soil, the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
Help deliver the justice she deserves.https://t.co/VWLPWPQsVZ.#justiceforgreenwood #justiceforblacktulsa #justiceformotherrandle #nojusticenopeace#itsnotjustatvshow pic.twitter.com/n76G8MQTBF — Justice For Greenwood (@Just4Greenwood) September 1, 2020
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A white mob rampaged through the Greenwood District, the area of Black-owned businesses known as Black Wall Street for two days in 1921, May 31 and June 1. The mob looted, burned and destroyed most of the district ― including homes, churches, schools and a hospital, according to a 2001 Oklahoma commission report prepared for the state Legislature.
The attack began after a 19-year-old Black shoe shiner named Dick Rowland was falsely accused of assaulting a white woman on May 30. The report found that Rowland likely tripped and stepped on the woman’s foot, and charges against him were dismissed.
But the next day the white mobs gathered at the Tulsa County Courthouse where Rowland was being held. Groups of armed Black men arrived to help protect Rowland, who the report said faced the threat of being lynched. Violence ensued after a shot rang out at the courthouse, where the report said Black residents were outnumbered more than 20 to 1.
Armed white people ― backed by local authorities and police ― arrived in Black neighborhoods and proceeded to shoot, torture and kill their residents in the gruesome massacre that continued into the next day. The destruction of 35 city blocks displaced thousands of Black residents, and some investigators estimate that as many as 300 people died in the massacre (a precise death count cannot be determined(. Researchers recently found mass graves in the area that point to more deaths.
After the massacre, city officials and institutions “actively and unlawfully thwarted the community’s efforts to rebuild, neglecting the Greenwood and predominantly Black, North Tulsa communities,” according to the lawsuit.
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The state commission’s 19-year-old report found that the city of Tulsa conspired with white residents in the incident, and recommended direct payments to survivors and descendants. None have been made.
Previous massacre-related lawsuits were unsuccessful, most prominently a 2003 federal suit that was dismissed after the judges decided the victims waited too long to file it.
“We’re not just talking about what happened in 1921. We’re talking about what’s still happening,” Solomon-Simons said. “We believe this lawsuit will be successful because there is no question there is a nuisance created by the defendants.”
RACE MASSACRE LAWSUIT: Survivors and descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre are announcing a lawsuit against those who were involved in the tragedy, including the city of Tulsa. @AttorneyDamario #JusticeforGreenwood. #TulsaRaceMassacre
MORE >>> https://t.co/WNAsGgiD36 pic.twitter.com/Kl79S7GJlI — Gerald A. Griggs (@AttorneyGriggs) September 1, 2020
Oklahoma law defines nuisance in this context as the performance of an unlawful act, or the failure to perform a duty, that renders a person insecure in their life or ability to use property or endangers the individual’s comfort or safety. The state relied on this law most notably in its successful state lawsuits against opioid companies like Johnson & Johnson.
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The new suit stems from the public nuisance law; it argues that the massacre created and perpetuated vast inequalities for Tulsa’s Black residents that persist to this day.
“The city of Tulsa destroyed an entire community and displaced its citizens,” said attorney Spencer Bryan, who’s part of the suit’s legal team. “The question is: Does the massacre and its effects continue today? The answer is an unequivocal yes.”
Unemployment among Black people in Tulsa is more than double that of white Tulsans; median household income for Black residents is half of that of white residents; Black students are nine times more likely to be suspended from school; and life expectancy for North Tulsa residents is 11 years below that in the rest of the city, according to Tulsa attorney Steven Terrill.
The suit accused current Tulsa officials of appropriating the massacre by decrying its horrors while trying to turn the district’s remains into a tourist site. According to the suit, the city in 2016 began promoting the massacre site “as a tourist attraction, obtaining funds to do so, as well as aiding in obtaining funds to create a history center of which” the city will have a central role ― all while the residents of Greenwood reap no benefits.
“It’s so much more than a tourist site ― it’s a crime scene. Until Tulsa does right by Greenwood, this district will forever be a crime scene,” the Rev. Robert Turner of Tulsa’s Vernon AME Church said at Tuesday’s news conference.
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The church is the only structure in Greenwood not destroyed by the white rioters.
The suit seeks multiple forms of reparations, including unspecified punitive damages from the massacre, top priority for Black residents in the awarding of city contracts, and tax relief and scholarships for descendants of victims. The lawsuit also seeks to have a victim’s compensation fund that would ideally be created by using the profits the city would receive from the Greenwood tourist site.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--'Is This Dick Really Worth Dying For?' Single People Talk Pandemic Sex

“ I started getting panicked , feeling he may not have been fully honest about how seriously he was taking lockdown , ” he said .
“ I thought to myself , is this dick really worth dying for ?
I went through with it , more because of my own social anxiety and nonconfrontational nature stopped me from calling it off in the moment .
We fooled around but didn ’ t kiss .
The next night he messaged me that he had hooked up with another guy and it was really fun .
That freaked me out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks and got a COVID test near the end.
” “ Sometimes I was actually using it .
Sometimes I put it on the kitchen table while I was scrambling eggs.
” “ It ’ s so hard for people who have partners to understand the crippling loneliness that the pandemic has brought on to people who are single.
” “ I also suffer from depression , and [ meeting up for sex ] was a way to help me cope , ” she said .
“ I generally try to avoid being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I know I ’ m putting myself and others at risk , but it makes me incredibly sad to think I would have potentially been alone through this crisis .
I feel like it ’ s so hard for people who have partners to understand the crippling loneliness that the pandemic has brought on to people who are single and actively looking for relationships and intimacy.
” “ He told me he was fostering puppies .
How could I say no ?
” “ Afterwards , I felt my whole body relax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As much as I knew how unsafe that probably was in a pandemic , I also just didn ’ t want to be alone.
” Ultimately , there is no right answer when it comes to the question of how single people should ― or shouldn ’ t ― be having sex right now .
There are ways to help mitigate the risk of becoming infected with the virus during a sexual encounter .
And , obviously , not having sex or only having solo sex is the only way to eliminate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the intimacy that can be gained by having sex outweighs the potential dangers that can come along with it .
Like so many coronavirus-related issues , the choice is incredibly personal , and every single person will have to decide how ― or if ― they want to do it .

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Sometimes I think about the woman I was six months ago, before COVID-19 exploded and changed everything ― a woman who went from saying “when this is over” to saying things like “when this is all over, I’m making out with everyone.”
Single people are going through it during the pandemic, experiencing a combination of (admittedly selfish) relief in watching our coupled friends grapple with months of nonstop togetherness and the incapacitating reality that dating, meeting people anywhere besides the internet and especially the prospect of casual sex feel out of reach at best and impossible at worst.
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There were options, like dating via Zoom. But, like most things Zoom-centric, it got old. Fast. With warm weather came socially distant dates, taking walks or getting to-go cocktails and drinking them 6 feet apart from each other. But no matter how people have decided to try to date during the pandemic, many of these encounters seem to end with the same question: Is sex, with a stranger or otherwise, worth the health risk?
New York City guidelines state sex with yourself is the safest option, but six months in, I think most of us agree there are needs that go beyond what we can accomplish by ourselves, even with the help of porn or digital get-downs.
So, in an effort to learn more about how others are surviving sexually during the pandemic, I chatted with six people about what their sex lives have been like over the last six months.
“Is this dick really worth dying for?”
Steve (not his real name) had his first quarantine sex encounter in May, with a man he used to sleep with regularly.
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“He and I discussed how much contact we were having with other people,” he told HuffPost. “I felt OK about his level of precautions, so he came over. We did kiss, because I was desperate. We had sex for a couple of hours, and he went home.”
Since then that partner has opened up his social circle to include more people, so Steve is no longer comfortable seeing him.
More recently, he hooked up via an app with someone he didn’t know quite as well. Though they discussed general precautions, Steve became nervous when it was time to actually meet.
“I started getting panicked, feeling he may not have been fully honest about how seriously he was taking lockdown,” he said. “I thought to myself, is this dick really worth dying for? I went through with it, more because of my own social anxiety and nonconfrontational nature stopped me from calling it off in the moment. We fooled around but didn’t kiss. The next night he messaged me that he had hooked up with another guy and it was really fun. That freaked me out. I went into full quarantine for two weeks and got a COVID test near the end.”
Steve has kept his hookups pretty much to himself, despite the fact that friends seemed to be more ready to meet up with people for casual sex than him.
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“I feel like it was easier two or three months ago to find someone who was willing to have sex but also be cautious,” he said. “Today everyone seems more comfortable taking risks than I am.”
“Sometimes I was actually using it. Sometimes I put it on the kitchen table while I was scrambling eggs.”
Sexting was an attractive option for many people in the early days of the pandemic when even venturing outside felt daunting.
“I was super scared to leave my house, so I basically let anyone with [whom I had] at least one mutual connection ‘sext’ [with me],” Taylor, who lives in Los Angeles, told HuffPost. “This included a Hinge match who knew a friend from business school, friends I’d never hooked up with but who were rumored to have big dicks and a guy named Brian who sold bicycles. I often let them control my Bluetooth vibrator. Sometimes I was actually using it. Sometimes I put it on the kitchen table while I was scrambling eggs.”
Eventually, Taylor started hanging out with guys IRL but was turned off by many of her partners’ behavior.
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“It was frustrating when the other person was constantly talking about [the pandemic] or being paranoid about it,” she said. “Hang with me or don’t, but don’t say yes to hanging and then make me feel bad. Own your decision.”
And though she would prefer to meet up with someone she knows, she isn’t ruling out other options.
“I do hope to get laid again before the coronavirus is eradicated,” she said. “For now, it’s back to swiping and starting all over again.”
It's the question on everybody's mind. Graffiti by 7SoulsDeep. Moss Levenson
“It’s so hard for people who have partners to understand the crippling loneliness that the pandemic has brought on to people who are single.”
For many of the people I spoke to, there was some sense of guilt about looking for or having sex, but that feeling was often dwarfed by the innate need for human connection. K, who lives in New York City, started hooking up again in April, meeting up with a few people from apps as well as someone she already knew.
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“I feel like it was selfish,” she said, recalling the experiences, noting her guilt about the encounters. She has avoided seeing her family for fear of possibly having been infected and unknowingly passing the virus to them, and she says she feels “extremely lucky” to not have contracted COVID-19 this far.
“I also suffer from depression, and [meeting up for sex] was a way to help me cope,” she said. “I generally try to avoid being around others and mostly stay home alone. I know I’m putting myself and others at risk, but it makes me incredibly sad to think I would have potentially been alone through this crisis. I feel like it’s so hard for people who have partners to understand the crippling loneliness that the pandemic has brought on to people who are single and actively looking for relationships and intimacy.”
“He told me he was fostering puppies. How could I say no?”
Though some people have attempted to scratch the itch for touch by engaging with a variety of people, there are those who have been lucky enough to find one person to consistently share intimacy with during quarantine. That ― plus puppies ― is what happened to 25-year-old A, who randomly got an Instagram DM from a “friend of a friend” two months into the pandemic.
“Normally I would ignore a DM, but I knew the guy,” she said. “I’ve never hung out with him one-on-one or was ever necessarily attracted to him. I wasn’t sure of his intentions, but I just went with it.”
After a few back-and-forth messages, he invited her over and she agreed.
“In the back of my mind, I knew I had to be cautious,” she said. “Disclosure: I knew he lived in a really nice home with a pool and air conditioning, which was tempting. He also told me he was fostering puppies ― how could I say no? Going into it, I thought he just wanted to hang out since pandemic life can be pretty lonely. After a whole day of playing with puppies, playing pingpong, swimming in the pool and drinking, we hooked up ― the sex was amazing.”
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A said she feels there are multiple reasons why they continue to hook up (it’s now been three months, and I’d agree great sex in a house with a pool and puppies sounds hard to pass up) and felt safer with him since she already knew him. “I constantly think to myself, ‘is this guy worth dying over?’ Probably not, but at least I’m having fun doing it.”
“Afterwards, I felt my whole body relax for the first time since March.”
Sex can be a stress reliever, and for many of us, there has been no shortage of stressors in our lives. For K in London, a serendipitous meeting with a friend she’d known for many years was just what the doctor ordered.
“I felt there was sexual chemistry there,” she said. “I spent all week questioning whether I was imagining it. We went for drinks five days later and back to mine for dinner and a film afterwards. I think we got 10 minutes into the film before we ended up in bed.”
As the encounter was unexpected, K said there was no discussion about precautions they’d taken or social distancing from each other beforehand.
“I should feel guilty, given all the rules and the fact that I’ve been pretty good at sticking to them for so long,” she said. “But I really don’t. I know everyone thinks they’ve got it hardest right now, but I’ve found it really hard to be single and deprived of affectionate touch for so long. This went some way to filling that hole, and afterwards I felt my whole body relax for the first time since March. I needed it.”
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“As much as I knew how unsafe that probably was in a pandemic, I also just didn’t want to be alone.”
For people who found themselves in a burgeoning romantic relationship in March, COVID-19 served as either a fast track to solidifying that relationship or a disastrous blow to it.
Los Angeles-based C had just started dating someone and, even though she figured out they weren’t compatible by the second month together, “the sex was pretty good and the thought of having to date with new COVID terms seemed like a hassle.” She finally ended things in June when restrictions began to lift in California and she felt more comfortable meeting and dating new people.
Then an old flame moved to town, and she decided to explore a potential relationship with him.
“I blindly trusted him because he was a doctor and assured me he had been safe and taken precautions,” she said.
They spent most of the summer together. “It was new, romantic and sexy,” she recalled. But recently she found out he had cheated.
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“He had sexts from other girls on his phone, and I was devastated,” she said. “He promised he didn’t physically cheat, but things ended and I was upset that the man I fell hard for wasn’t sorry or guilty for his actions.”
She reached back out to another guy she’d met on an app.
“I felt the need to get revenge,” she said. “He offered to come over and listen to me vent. As much as I knew how unsafe that probably was in a pandemic, I also just didn’t want to be alone. When he came over, it was comforting, and he said I had been the only girl he’s seen in lockdown but wanted to respect my relationship so didn’t reach out.”
C isn’t sure she believes him but admits she decided to move forward with him anyway.
“It’s probably not the healthiest way to get over a relationship, but hooking up with someone who has already been to my apartment seems like less work, and we both understand that.”
Ultimately, there is no right answer when it comes to the question of how single people should ― or shouldn’t ― be having sex right now. There are ways to help mitigate the risk of becoming infected with the virus during a sexual encounter. And, obviously, not having sex or only having solo sex is the only way to eliminate the risk. But for some, the intimacy that can be gained by having sex outweighs the potential dangers that can come along with it. Like so many coronavirus-related issues, the choice is incredibly personal, and every single person will have to decide how ― or if ― they want to do it.
As for me, I’m still planning on making out someday soon ― just maybe not with everyone.
Experts are still learning about COVID-19. The information in this story is what was known or available as of publication, but guidance can change as scientists discover more about the virus. Please check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most updated recommendations.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Will Wearing A Face Mask For COVID-19 Also Protect You From The Flu?

“ Specifically , the things that we have done , from wearing masks to hand-washing to physically distancing ourselves to even the cleaning , ” Raja said .
“ Here in Boston , the subway system gets cleaned multiple times a day .
Even that as a public health intervention , on top of the individual things like hand-washing and wearing masks , is going to change the flu season for this year — what we don ’ t know yet is how much.
” As with almost everything with the coronavirus pandemic , there is a level of uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unexpected virus .
But there is reason to believe that mask-wearing , along with other precautions , may help lower flu rates this year .
Mask-wearing , and other public health safety methods , are expected to reduce flu rates overall but may vary by region .
Raja said he is hopeful flu rates within the United States will drop as a result of the public health safety measures that we ’ ve taken to prevent COVID-19 .
He added that , when looking at flu data in the Southern Hemisphere ( where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen a substantial decrease in flu cases because of mask-wearing and other precautions .
“ We still have to be ready for a typical flu season , ” he said .
“ A lot of the countries that are reporting their flu data going way down actually have much more rigorous and much more universal precautions in place than we do in the U.S .
While I ’ m really hopeful that our flu rates will drop the same way we ’ ve seen other countries in the Southern Hemisphere drop , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least in certain parts of the country , we may not see much of a drop at all.
” “ I am hopeful for this flu season for us as a country , ” Raja said .
“ I really do think it will be better than flu seasons in the past in terms of infection rates , but it ’ s going to be very variable.
” Flu rates will only decrease if everything is done properly , especially within schools .
Get your flu shot to help reduce rates of influenza @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really hit disproportionately our communities of color and places that do not have very robust healthcare systems in place , ” Raja said .
“ And if we don ’ t ramp up flu vaccinations and other preventative measures , then those communities are going to get hit even harder .
”

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Now that we are many months into the coronavirus pandemic, the majority of the public is infinitely more aware of the precautions necessary to help curb the spread of the infectious disease — mask-wearing, social distancing and hand-washing.
And as we near flu season ― which runs from about October to early May every year ― questions around expected flu rates during the pandemic are front of mind for many medical professionals. Hope around reduced flu rates are met with concerns of COVID-19 and influenza co-infection.
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Since the pandemic began, the world’s thought process around the spread of infectious diseases has changed, according to Ali Raja, executive vice chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“Specifically, the things that we have done, from wearing masks to hand-washing to physically distancing ourselves to even the cleaning,” Raja said. “Here in Boston, the subway system gets cleaned multiple times a day. Even that as a public health intervention, on top of the individual things like hand-washing and wearing masks, is going to change the flu season for this year — what we don’t know yet is how much.”
As with almost everything with the coronavirus pandemic, there is a level of uncertainty around what to expect from this completely unexpected virus. But there is reason to believe that mask-wearing, along with other precautions, may help lower flu rates this year.
Below, experts shared their thoughts on the impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on flu rates this fall and winter.
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ArtistGNDphotography via Getty Images
Mask-wearing, and other public health safety methods, are expected to reduce flu rates overall but may vary by region.
Raja said he is hopeful flu rates within the United States will drop as a result of the public health safety measures that we’ve taken to prevent COVID-19. He added that, when looking at flu data in the Southern Hemisphere (where winter started in June), countries have seen a substantial decrease in flu cases because of mask-wearing and other precautions.
However, Raja noted that the U.S. has a unique set of challenges when it comes to virus mitigation.
“We still have to be ready for a typical flu season,” he said. “A lot of the countries that are reporting their flu data going way down actually have much more rigorous and much more universal precautions in place than we do in the U.S. While I’m really hopeful that our flu rates will drop the same way we’ve seen other countries in the Southern Hemisphere drop, I’m worried that, at least in certain parts of the country, we may not see much of a drop at all.”
The local and regional variability within the country in terms of mask requirements and business shutdowns is what makes predicting flu rates for the U.S. challenging, he added.
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“I am hopeful for this flu season for us as a country,” Raja said. “I really do think it will be better than flu seasons in the past in terms of infection rates, but it’s going to be very variable.”
Flu rates will only decrease if everything is done properly, especially within schools.
James Cherry, distinguished research professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, stated that children are the reservoir when it comes to influenza. The virus most often spreads from children to adults.
He voiced concern around in-person learning and the risks that school could bring if school systems ― and the students, teachers and staff within the school systems ― do not adhere to all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
“With school reopenings, if they don’t do things right, children could bring the flu home to parents and high-risk people,” he said.
Cherry added that in order for schools to control influenza and COVID-19, students and teachers need to be wearing masks, social distancing and washing their hands frequently.
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RichVintage via Getty Images
Get your flu shot to help reduce rates of influenza.
To further reduce the spread and risk of the flu, Raja encourages the public to get the flu shot. There are many uncertainties associated with the coronavirus and its emergence during flu season, including the risk of co-infection.
“We don’t know what co-infection with COVID and the flu is going to look like. I’m worried patients may end up more sick than either disease alone,” Raja said.
Protecting yourself, and those around you, from the flu will also only help protect other members of society, which is crucial as COVID-19 continues to increasingly impact Black and Latino communities.
“We already know COVID has really hit disproportionately our communities of color and places that do not have very robust healthcare systems in place,” Raja said. “And if we don’t ramp up flu vaccinations and other preventative measures, then those communities are going to get hit even harder.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Why Eating Local Could Help Prevent Widespread Food Disease Outbreaks

As if a coronavirus pandemic weren ’ t enough , more than 1,000 people in 47 states got infected with salmonella in July from onions grown in California and sent to distributors , wholesale suppliers and stores across the country .
Then along with the delight that is summer peach season came another salmonella outbreak , which made 78 people in 12 states sick in August .
Both instances of contamination triggered nationwide recalls ( peaches were also recalled in Canada , Singapore and New Zealand ) .
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioned consumers to throw away any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any that may have comingled with tainted produce in the supermarket bin .
For most shoppers , given how little information we have on where our food comes from , that could translate to : Toss out all your onions and your peaches , too .
“ It is certain that the contaminated peaches were distributed widely through large retail chains and under a variety of brands and in bulk .
This makes it more difficult for the consumers to quickly understand what products to look out for , ” said Sanja Ilic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and food safety state specialist .
When produce is shipped all around the country , any dangerous bacteria it harbors can sicken people who live hundreds or thousands of miles from where it was grown .
While sticking to stringent safety standards is the best way to prevent foodborne illness , Ilic told HuffPost , eating more locally produced food could keep outbreaks from spreading far and wide .
Some 48 million Americans get sick every year by eating contaminated foods , according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common culprits , causing more than 30 multistate outbreaks in the last five years through a variety of foods from cucumbers and melons to frozen tuna and ground beef .
“ When you look at major outbreaks like this ― for example , the romaine lettuce [ E. coli ] outbreak from last year ― there are just so many hands on that produce , ” said Liz Vallette , president of the Houston urban farming nonprofit Plant It Forward Farms .
By contrast , she said , “ For local farms like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packing facility , very few hands on our produce , and ultimately fewer touchpoints that could lead to such an outbreak.
” “ Buying local could potentially provide some level of control to the consumer , especially if they buy from a known grower , ” said Ilic .
But doing so , she added , is not always as straightforward as it sounds .
Yet when it ’ s possible to do so , buying from local farms — typically those that are small and medium-sized — has advantages that go well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study from 2001 estimated that national distribution of produce emits five to 17 times more carbon dioxide than when produce is sold regionally , at farmers markets , directly to consumers through farm shares , or at local stores and restaurants .
Small farms are more likely than industrial operations to engage in sustainable practices such as organic farming or regenerative agriculture , which focuses on maintaining soil health and biodiversity to promote healthy ecosystems and mitigate climate change .
That ’ s better for the environment and people ’ s health ― @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farming , a major emitter of greenhouse gases .
Factory farming and a growing demand for animal protein are two of the main drivers of zoonotic disease — illnesses transmitted from animals to humans , such as the swine flu and bird flu ― according to a new United Nations report .
( Our current zoonotic outbreak , the COVID-19 pandemic , is not associated with farming specifically . )
But foods grown using sustainable methods tend to be more expensive because sustainable farms typically cost more to run and have lower yields @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such foods inaccessible to people in low-income neighborhoods — and particularly to people of color — who already have disproportionately limited access to fresh produce .
( Notably , some Black-owned farms are working to address these challenges . )
“ We always want people to think about the conditions that farmers work in , ” Vallette said .
“ When you buy directly from a farmer that you see at the farmers market , you get to know them a little better , and you can understand their work conditions and know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People like to see their farmer , they like to know where the food is grown , and they also like to know that the farmer is being treated fairly .
”

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As if a coronavirus pandemic weren’t enough, more than 1,000 people in 47 states got infected with salmonella in July from onions grown in California and sent to distributors, wholesale suppliers and stores across the country. Then along with the delight that is summer peach season came another salmonella outbreak, which made 78 people in 12 states sick in August.
Both instances of contamination triggered nationwide recalls (peaches were also recalled in Canada, Singapore and New Zealand). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioned consumers to throw away any onions or peaches of unknown provenance or any that may have comingled with tainted produce in the supermarket bin. For most shoppers, given how little information we have on where our food comes from, that could translate to: Toss out all your onions and your peaches, too.
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“It is certain that the contaminated peaches were distributed widely through large retail chains and under a variety of brands and in bulk. This makes it more difficult for the consumers to quickly understand what products to look out for,” said Sanja Ilic, an Ohio State University associate professor and food safety state specialist.
When produce is shipped all around the country, any dangerous bacteria it harbors can sicken people who live hundreds or thousands of miles from where it was grown. While sticking to stringent safety standards is the best way to prevent foodborne illness, Ilic told HuffPost, eating more locally produced food could keep outbreaks from spreading far and wide.
Some 48 million Americans get sick every year by eating contaminated foods, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Salmonella is one of the most common culprits, causing more than 30 multistate outbreaks in the last five years through a variety of foods from cucumbers and melons to frozen tuna and ground beef.
“The risk starts at farm level where produce can be contaminated via contaminated water, animal waste, human handling, or cross-contaminated from dirty surfaces,” Ilic explained. But “contamination can occur at any point” — from processing and packing plants to distribution centers to restaurants and store shelves.
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Production facilities for grading, packing and storage of agricultural crops create many opportunities for contamination and cross-contamination. SlavkoSereda via Getty Images
“When you look at major outbreaks like this ― for example, the romaine lettuce [E. coli] outbreak from last year ― there are just so many hands on that produce,” said Liz Vallette, president of the Houston urban farming nonprofit Plant It Forward Farms. By contrast, she said, “For local farms like ours, there’s no commercial packing facility, very few hands on our produce, and ultimately fewer touchpoints that could lead to such an outbreak.”
Plant It Forward trains refugees to grow vegetables in urban settings and sells that produce to restaurants and at farmers markets around Houston.
“We’re so hyperlocal that customers are often purchasing food that’s harvested that same day,” said Vallette. “And because the food isn’t being stored or transported for a long period of time, it’s not being sprayed with anything to preserve it.”
Locally grown food is in no way immune to bacterial contamination, but with its shorter supply chain and regionally restricted distribution, illness outbreaks are naturally more contained and easier to track.
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“Buying local could potentially provide some level of control to the consumer, especially if they buy from a known grower,” said Ilic. But doing so, she added, is not always as straightforward as it sounds.
For one thing, “local food” is a very loosely defined term. It can refer to produce grown within 50 miles or as far as 275 or 400 miles away.
Consumer demand for year-round produce introduces another layer of complication. “Oftentimes, growers (even local) would buy from other sources to ensure consistent supply,” Ilic said.
And moving away from our nationally scaled food system would be a monumental task, she cautioned. “Buying local exclusively would require a major shift in how the produce is marketed and distributed,” Ilic noted.
Agriculture in this country is a highly centralized business, dominated by large industrial companies and supermarket chains. Consumers are accustomed to low prices and convenience. At last count, fewer than 10% of U.S. farms sell their products locally to customers.
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Locally grown produce doesn't travel as far as industrially grown food and passes through fewer touchpoints between farm and consumer. Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images
Yet when it’s possible to do so, buying from local farms — typically those that are small and medium-sized — has advantages that go well beyond containing outbreaks. One widely cited study from 2001 estimated that national distribution of produce emits five to 17 times more carbon dioxide than when produce is sold regionally, at farmers markets, directly to consumers through farm shares, or at local stores and restaurants.
Small farms are more likely than industrial operations to engage in sustainable practices such as organic farming or regenerative agriculture, which focuses on maintaining soil health and biodiversity to promote healthy ecosystems and mitigate climate change. That’s better for the environment and people’s health ― particularly when it comes to rethinking livestock farming, a major emitter of greenhouse gases.
Factory farming and a growing demand for animal protein are two of the main drivers of zoonotic disease — illnesses transmitted from animals to humans, such as the swine flu and bird flu ― according to a new United Nations report. (Our current zoonotic outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic, is not associated with farming specifically.)
But foods grown using sustainable methods tend to be more expensive because sustainable farms typically cost more to run and have lower yields than industrial-sized operations. This can make such foods inaccessible to people in low-income neighborhoods — and particularly to people of color — who already have disproportionately limited access to fresh produce. (Notably, some Black-owned farms are working to address these challenges.)
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Vallette acknowledged this concern but countered that these higher prices help pay farmers a living wage and provide safe, ethical work settings. Many sustainable farms, including Plant It Forward, have worked diligently to bring costs down while also prioritizing farmers’ needs.
“We always want people to think about the conditions that farmers work in,” Vallette said. “When you buy directly from a farmer that you see at the farmers market, you get to know them a little better, and you can understand their work conditions and know that they’re not being exploited. People like to see their farmer, they like to know where the food is grown, and they also like to know that the farmer is being treated fairly.”
Since the pandemic began, Plant It Forward has seen an increase in sales, which Vallette attributed both to grocery stores temporarily running out of produce and a national desire for fresh fruits and vegetables to cook at home.
COVID-19 and the latest salmonella outbreaks both highlight the value of smaller, regional distribution networks for fresh food and offer an opportunity to reevaluate how we eat.
“I think when people peel back the layers and understand what goes into the production of their food, they’re armed with information that helps them make decisions that are better for the farmworkers and also better for themselves,” said Vallette. “I’d call that a benefit.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--Anthony Fauci Refutes COVID-19 Death Toll Claim Retweeted By Trump

Dr. Anthony Fauci this week debunked an online theory that suggested the coronavirus had accounted for only 9,000 U.S. fatalities , noting that such a figure was only a fraction of the actual death toll .
The infectious disease expert stated unequivocally on “ Good Morning America ” that more than 180,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 .
“ The point that the [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] was trying to make was that a certain percentage of them had nothing else , just COVID , ” Fauci said Tuesday .
“ That does not mean that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dies of COVID didn ’ t die of COVID-19 , but they did .
So the numbers you ’ ve been hearing , the 180,000 plus , are real deaths from COVID-19.
” “ Let there not be any confusion about that , ” he added .
“ It ’ s not 9,000 deaths from COVID-19 .
It ’ s 180,000-plus deaths.
” Fauci ’ s comments came in response to an Aug. 26 CDC report which found that for 6 % of the deaths included in its statistics , “ COVID-19 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person ’ s death certificate .
Over the weekend , a supporter of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory identified as “ Mel Q ” reinterpreted those statistics in a since-deleted tweet .
In the tweet , Mel Q implied that the CDC had updated its figures to indicate “ only 6 % ” of people listed as coronavirus deaths actually died ” of COVID-19 , while the remaining “ 94 % had 2-3 other serious illnesses.
” Trump retweeted the claim shortly before Twitter flagged and deleted it for having violated the social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to CNN .
In his “ Good Morning America ” interview Tuesday , however , Fauci said he believed the president trusted his research in spite of the misleading tweets and public remarks .
“ I think when you get statements like that , that doesn ’ t really reflect what actually goes on , ” he said .
“ So I think it ’ s a distraction to pit me against the president .
We ’ re all on the same team .
”

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Dr. Anthony Fauci this week debunked an online theory that suggested the coronavirus had accounted for only 9,000 U.S. fatalities, noting that such a figure was only a fraction of the actual death toll.
The infectious disease expert stated unequivocally on “Good Morning America” that more than 180,000 Americans have died of COVID-19.
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“The point that the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] was trying to make was that a certain percentage of them had nothing else, just COVID,” Fauci said Tuesday. “That does not mean that someone who has hypertension, diabetes who dies of COVID didn’t die of COVID-19, but they did. So the numbers you’ve been hearing, the 180,000 plus, are real deaths from COVID-19.”
“Let there not be any confusion about that,” he added. “It’s not 9,000 deaths from COVID-19. It’s 180,000-plus deaths.”
Fauci’s comments came in response to an Aug. 26 CDC report which found that for 6% of the deaths included in its statistics, “COVID-19 was the only cause mentioned” on the person’s death certificate.
FULL INTERVIEW: Dr. Fauci weighs in on 6M US coronavirus cases, deaths and comorbidity.@arobach https://t.co/Jmk8Ni1mQV pic.twitter.com/ELvo50X68N — Good Morning America (@GMA) September 1, 2020
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Over the weekend, a supporter of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory identified as “Mel Q” reinterpreted those statistics in a since-deleted tweet.
In the tweet, Mel Q implied that the CDC had updated its figures to indicate “only 6%” of people listed as coronavirus deaths actually died” of COVID-19, while the remaining “94% had 2-3 other serious illnesses.”
Trump retweeted the claim shortly before Twitter flagged and deleted it for having violated the social media platform’s rules, according to CNN.
In his “Good Morning America” interview Tuesday, however, Fauci said he believed the president trusted his research in spite of the misleading tweets and public remarks.
“I think when you get statements like that, that doesn’t really reflect what actually goes on,” he said. “So I think it’s a distraction to pit me against the president. We’re all on the same team.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-02--CDC Asks States To Prepare For Possible COVID Vaccine By Mid-Fall

Public health officials across the country have been advised to prepare for the potential distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as late October or early November , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday .
A vaccine for the coronavirus has yet to be developed .
However , should that happen , the CDC said in guidance sent to health officials last week that limited amounts would first be distributed to health care workers and members of other high-risk groups .
The supply would “ increase substantially ” over the next year , according to the guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which was reportedly sent to health officials in all 50 states as well as those in several major cities on Aug. 27 .
Should a potential vaccine be proven effective and safe by the end of October , roughly 2 million doses would be released .
Another 10-20 million doses would be released by the end of November , and 20-30 million more by the end of December , the CDC guidance states of one potential , hypothetical scenario intended for planning purposes only .
CDC Director Robert Redfield has also directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process for building permits for vaccine distribution sites , The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday , citing a letter he sent to the states , also on Aug. 27 .
“ CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities , and , if necessary , asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by Nov. 1 , 2020 , ” his letter read .
“ COVID-19 vaccination program plans must be flexible and accommodate multiple scenarios based on what we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson said in an email to HuffPost .
“ For the purpose of initial planning , CDC provided states with certain planning assumptions as they work on state specific plans for vaccine distribution , including possibly having limited quantities of vaccines in October and November.
” Redfield ’ s letter , along with the vaccine distribution guidance , went out the same day President Donald Trump announced at the Republican National Convention that a coronavirus vaccine may be available before the end of the year .
A poster seeking volunteers for a possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , in July .
The FDA 's commissioner has said that he would be willing to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine before Phase 3 clinical trials were complete .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ― who has frequently been at odds with Trump over the virus ’ handling and prognosis ― told NBC ’ s “ Today ” on Wednesday that he believes a “ safe and effective vaccine ” will be developed “ by the time we get to the end of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of when it may be distributed but he did suggest that he would be open to allowing an unapproved vaccine to be used under an Emergency Use Authorization , so long as there ’ s enough data showing it ’ s “ safe and effective for the American public.
” Dr. Stephen Hahn , the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , told the Financial Times in an interview published Monday that he would be willing to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine for use before Phase 3 clinical trials were complete as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He insisted that this authorization was not for the sake of Trump , who faces reelection in early November .

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Public health officials across the country have been advised to prepare for the potential distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as late October or early November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
A vaccine for the coronavirus has yet to be developed. However, should that happen, the CDC said in guidance sent to health officials last week that limited amounts would first be distributed to health care workers and members of other high-risk groups.
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The supply would “increase substantially” over the next year, according to the guidance first published by The New York Times, which was reportedly sent to health officials in all 50 states as well as those in several major cities on Aug. 27.
Should a potential vaccine be proven effective and safe by the end of October, roughly 2 million doses would be released. Another 10-20 million doses would be released by the end of November, and 20-30 million more by the end of December, the CDC guidance states of one potential, hypothetical scenario intended for planning purposes only.
President Donald Trump tours a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant where components for a potential coronavirus vaccine are being developed in North Carolina. Carlos Barria / reuters
CDC Director Robert Redfield has also directly asked states to speed up the approval process for building permits for vaccine distribution sites, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing a letter he sent to the states, also on Aug. 27.
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“CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities, and, if necessary, asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by Nov. 1, 2020,” his letter read.
A CDC spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the documents published by the Times, as well as Redfield’s letter.
“COVID-19 vaccination program plans must be flexible and accommodate multiple scenarios based on what we’ve heard from vaccine manufactures,” the spokesperson said in an email to HuffPost. “For the purpose of initial planning, CDC provided states with certain planning assumptions as they work on state specific plans for vaccine distribution, including possibly having limited quantities of vaccines in October and November.”
Redfield’s letter, along with the vaccine distribution guidance, went out the same day President Donald Trump announced at the Republican National Convention that a coronavirus vaccine may be available before the end of the year.
“We are delivering lifesaving therapies and will produce a vaccine before the end of the year — or maybe even sooner,” he said.
A poster seeking volunteers for a possible COVID-19 vaccine study in Binghamton, New York, in July. The FDA's commissioner has said that he would be willing to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine before Phase 3 clinical trials were complete. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ― who has frequently been at odds with Trump over the virus’ handling and prognosis ― told NBC’s “Today” on Wednesday that he believes a “safe and effective vaccine” will be developed “by the time we get to the end of this calendar year.”
Fauci made no mention of when it may be distributed but he did suggest that he would be open to allowing an unapproved vaccine to be used under an Emergency Use Authorization, so long as there’s enough data showing it’s “safe and effective for the American public.”
Dr. Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, told the Financial Times in an interview published Monday that he would be willing to authorize a COVID-19 vaccine for use before Phase 3 clinical trials were complete as long as the benefits outweigh the risks. He insisted that this authorization was not for the sake of Trump, who faces reelection in early November.
Fauci criticized Russia last month for skipping the final large-scale clinical trial of its promoted COVID-19 vaccine.
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“Having a vaccine” and “proving that a vaccine is safe and effective are two different things,” Fauci told ABC News in response to news of Russia’s decision to skip the final large-scale clinical trial.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Biden Takes The Air Out Of Trump's Legal Victory With 1 Stinging Question

Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday evening had a simple question for President Donald Trump : “ What are you hiding ?
” Biden shared a link to a story about Trump winning a legal ruling in his ongoing battle over disclosure of his tax returns .
New York prosecutors had been seeking those documents via subpoena and had won a previous decision .
However , a federal appeals court ruled that the president would not have to turn those documents over while the previous decision is under appeal .
Biden asked why Trump ― who has repeatedly promised to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to keep them hidden : The battle over Trump ’ s taxes goes back to court Sept. 25 for hearings on the merits of Trump ’ s appeal , according to The Associated Press .
The Democratic-controlled House has also been seeking Trump ’ s tax returns , but , as with the Manhattan prosecutors , has been stymied by legal maneuvers .
Trump as a 2016 presidential candidate vowed repeatedly to release his tax returns , saying he couldn ’ t do so at the time because he was under audit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nixon released his returns when he was under audit .
There is no law requiring that presidential candidates release their tax returns , but it has been customary for them to do since Nixon ( whose returns initially were leaked rather than released ) .

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Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday evening had a simple question for President Donald Trump: “What are you hiding?”
Biden shared a link to a story about Trump winning a legal ruling in his ongoing battle over disclosure of his tax returns.
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New York prosecutors had been seeking those documents via subpoena and had won a previous decision. However, a federal appeals court ruled that the president would not have to turn those documents over while the previous decision is under appeal.
Biden asked why Trump ― who has repeatedly promised to release his returns ― is working so hard to keep them hidden:
I’ve released 21 years of my tax returns.
What are you hiding, @realDonaldTrump? https://t.co/aQs6Hlox0P — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 3, 2020
The battle over Trump’s taxes goes back to court Sept. 25 for hearings on the merits of Trump’s appeal, according to The Associated Press.
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The Democratic-controlled House has also been seeking Trump’s tax returns, but, as with the Manhattan prosecutors, has been stymied by legal maneuvers.
Trump as a 2016 presidential candidate vowed repeatedly to release his tax returns, saying he couldn’t do so at the time because he was under audit ― despite the fact that President Richard Nixon released his returns when he was under audit.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Eric Trump Gets A Blunt Lesson In Economics Over Stock Market Boast

Wow Eric ... .
I really thought you were smarter than this !
The Stock Market is not the Economy @ @ @ @ @ Americans that are looking at being evicted for being behind in rent .
Food Banks @ @ @ @ @ miles to try and get food to feed their families .

Wow Eric .... I really thought you were smarter than this!
The Stock Market is not the Economy.
We have millions of Americans that are looking at being evicted for being behind in rent.
Food Banks have lines that stretch for miles to try and get food to feed their families.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--'Sickened' Ex-Trump Voters Reveal The Moment They Gave Up On Him

Former supporters of President Donald Trump say they ’ re not going to be voting for him again and they were pretty blunt about why they ’ re now backing former Vice President Joe Biden .
“ I think it ’ s one of if not the biggest mistake I ’ ve ever made in my life , ” Ann Kupitz told CNN as she slammed the president ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I feel like voting for him helped kill over 100,000 Americans.
” “ The pandemic was when my eyes began to open , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1st , when he set U.S. troops on peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square , that was my cross-the-line moment.
” Kupitz was part of a CNN panel of six suburban white women who voted for Trump in 2016 , a demographic he has tried to win over with overly racist appeals .
But Kupitz and two other women on the panel say they regret their 2016 vote and they ’ re done with him .
Another panelist , Lori McCammon , said she ’ s voted for Republicans far more than Democrats in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had become of the GOP .
Three others on the panel said they had no regrets and weren ’ t shy about their continued support for Trump , even if they had to be corrected by CNN ’ s Alisyn Camerota on some basic facts as they tried to defend the president :

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Former supporters of President Donald Trump say they’re not going to be voting for him again and they were pretty blunt about why they’re now backing former Vice President Joe Biden.
“I think it’s one of if not the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life,” Ann Kupitz told CNN as she slammed the president’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. “I feel like voting for him helped kill over 100,000 Americans.”
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There was one specific moment when Trump lost Kupitz for good.
“The pandemic was when my eyes began to open,” she said. “And June 1st, when he set U.S. troops on peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square, that was my cross-the-line moment.”
Kupitz was part of a CNN panel of six suburban white women who voted for Trump in 2016, a demographic he has tried to win over with racist appeals. But Kupitz and two other women on the panel say they regret their 2016 vote and they’re done with him.
Another panelist, Lori McCammon, said she’s voted for Republicans far more than Democrats in her life but was sickened by what had become of the GOP.
“They are not Republicans,” she said. “They’re Trumpers. Period. We’ve lost the Republican Party ― it’s gone.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-03--Veterans Group Says Trump Is Panicking As Poll Shows Military Backs Biden

A progressive veterans group is warning President Donald Trump that he ’ s lost the support of the U.S. military at the ballot box .
“ Donald Trump is panicking , ” a new video from VoteVets said .
“ Finding any excuse to show up in military communities .
He knows if the election were held today , he ’ d lose the military vote in a landslide.
” A new poll from Military Times showed Trump ’ s favorability rate plunging among both active-duty troops and officers .
Perhaps more significantly , 41 percent plan to vote for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent for Trump .
Vote Vets said there was a simple reason for it .
“ Because Donald Trump disrespects those who serve , ” the narrator said , then listed all of the ways the president had failed to protect the troops , including the Russian bounty scandal .
“ Trump ’ s refusal to defend America ’ s national security is dangerous , ” the spot noted .
” His refusal to stand up for our troops is humiliating .
His threat to deploy active-duty troops against American citizens is unconstitutional.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Trump .
Now he is panicking , using any excuse to show up in military communities .
Like today , in Wilmington , NC .
But service members know better .
Donald Trump , you are going to lose .
# TrumpYouLose # TraitorTrump pic.twitter.com/08LhsmbWKn — VoteVets ( @ votevets ) September 2 , 2020 Important conversations are happening now .
Add your voice !
Join HuffPost Today !

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A progressive veterans group is warning President Donald Trump that he’s lost the support of the U.S. military at the ballot box.
“Donald Trump is panicking,” a new video from VoteVets said. “Finding any excuse to show up in military communities. He knows if the election were held today, he’d lose the military vote in a landslide.”
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A new poll from Military Times showed Trump’s favorability rate plunging among both active-duty troops and officers. Perhaps more significantly, 41 percent plan to vote for former Vice President Joe Biden versus 37 percent for Trump.
Vote Vets said there was a simple reason for it.
“Because Donald Trump disrespects those who serve,” the narrator said, then listed all of the ways the president had failed to protect the troops, including the Russian bounty scandal.
“Trump’s refusal to defend America’s national security is dangerous,” the spot noted. ”His refusal to stand up for our troops is humiliating. His threat to deploy active-duty troops against American citizens is unconstitutional.”
See more below:
Our military has been repeatedly BETRAYED by Trump.
Now he is panicking, using any excuse to show up in military communities. Like today, in Wilmington, NC.
But service members know better.
Donald Trump, you are going to lose. #TrumpYouLose #TraitorTrump pic.twitter.com/08LhsmbWKn — VoteVets (@votevets) September 2, 2020