theroot--2020-07-28--Save $55 on Anker's New Mini Projector for Kids [Exclusive]

Anker ’ s latest smart projector is out , and I ’ m resisting the urge to buy one just @ @ @ @ @ a BB-8 .
This one is a pocket projector that ’ s well-suited for kids @ @ @ @ @ , a customizable Android 7.1 UI , and parental controls to ensure they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ after lights out .
Starting with a $ 300 MSRP , you ’ ll chop @ @ @ @ @ the Amazon coupon and using exclusive promo code Code KINJASTRO .
This projector has USB-C @ @ @ @ @ for connectivity , and you can beam content from your smartphone .
YouTube , Amazon @ @ @ @ @ more are loaded up , too , if you don ’ t have any external @ @ @ @

Quentyn Kennemer on Kinja Deals, shared by Jordan McMahon to The Root

Anker Nebula Astro Mini Projector | $245 | Amazon | Clip coupon + Use code KINASTRO
Anker’s latest smart projector is out, and I’m resisting the urge to buy one just to paint it up like a BB-8. This one is a pocket projector that’s well-suited for kids, featuring 2.5-hour battery life, a customizable Android 7.1 UI, and parental controls to ensure they’re not up to no good after lights out. Starting with a $300 MSRP, you’ll chop $55 off by clipping the Amazon coupon and using exclusive promo code Code KINJASTRO.
This projector has USB-C, HDMI, and Bluetooth for connectivity, and you can beam content from your smartphone. YouTube, Amazon Video, Netflix, and more are loaded up, too, if you don’t have any external sources in mind.


theroot--2020-07-28--After Two Years of ‘Relentless’ Community Organizing, St. Louis’ Oldest and Most Notorious Jail Is C

After Two Years of ‘Relentless’ Community Organizing, St. Louis’ Oldest and Most Notorious Jail Is Closing

For more than a century , no other institution in St. Louis spoke to the criminalization of the poor and marginalized like the “ Workhouse , ” a jail notorious for housing people unable to pay their bail in deplorable conditions .
Now , thanks to the diligent work of local organizers , the St. Louis Board of Aldermen unanimously voted earlier this month to close the jail , officially known as the Medium Security Institution .
The closure , the culmination of two years of steady , focused and multi-pronged efforts to engage community members and elected officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities looking to enact major criminal justice reforms , activists say .
“ Today was a victory for the communities that were financially neglected and divested from for decades .
The real win is that nobody will ever have to go to that place again , ” said Mike Milton , Statewide Policy and Advocacy Manager of The Bail Project , on July 17 .
The Bail Project was one of the organizations involved in the Close the Workhouse campaign , which began in April 2018 .
The campaign successfully integrated a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project , social justice organizations Action St. Louis and the ArchCity Defenders founded the campaign ; f ormer inmates of the Workhouse and more than 25 community organizations also played key roles .
United by the campaign , the groups held public meetings , lobbied politicians , analyzed data and published reports , and bailed out defendants , all of which helped St. Louis residents and authorities imagine a future for the city without the jail .
This was no small feat , particularly for such a long-standing institution as The Workhouse was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established , it was created in no small part to host folks who were poor and marginalized , ” Montague Simmons , a Close the Workhouse campaign manager , told The Root in 2018 .
The “ Workhouse ” moniker is derived from a Civil War-era debtor ’ s prison in which inmates , nearly all of whom were poor , were forced to perform tough manual labor , like chopping limestone .
The dynamic was both so apparent and appalling that the St. Louis Post Dispatch , in 1905 , opined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a man with money having chains put on him in the St. Louis Workhouse than there would be of a camel passing through the eye of a needle.
” The same statement could be applied to the modern-day Workhouse , built in 1966 .
In 2018 , 95 percent of the Workhouse ’ s inmates had yet to stand trial .
And though Black people comprise only half of St. Louis ’ total population , they made up 90 percent of the Workhouse ’ s inmates , according to a Close the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The ACLU also investigated the jail ’ s hellish conditions , publishing a report in 2009 that outlined rampant abuses , overcrowding , negligence and staff assaults on the people being detained .
Still , conditions at the Workhouse didn ’ t change after that report .
In 2013 , a lawsuit accused the jail ’ s guards of forcing inmates to fight each other in “ gladiator-style ” combat .
Several years later , a group of seven inmates filed a lawsuit requesting the jail be closed for good .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Workhouse campaign , the jail ’ s population decreased considerably , from 516 people in April 2018 to 86 people as of July 16 , 2020 , according to a Close the Workhouse press release .
The campaign credits that to a multi-prong effort : community organizing , political pressure , community and Bail Project bailouts , prosecutorial reforms , and litigation .
Reducing the numbers of those detained in the Workhouse , coupled with concerns over the spread of coronavirus in city jails , made it harder to justify the Workhouse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reports the River Front Times .
The campaign also outlined specific , actionable steps the city could take .
The bill that will close the workhouse , put forward by St. Louis Board President Lewis Reed at the beginning of this month , builds on several of the proposals presented by a Close the Workhouse report released earlier this year .
These include evaluating housing space for detainees at St. Louis ’ other jail , City Justice Center ; directing the Department of Personnel to help place current Workhouse employees in other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a “ participatory budgeting process ” to allocate resources to marginalized neighborhoods .
Jae Shepherd of Action St. Louis and Inez Bordeaux of Arch City Defenders say this year ’ s nationwide Black Lives Matter uprisings helped give the campaign the final push it needed .
“ While we already had a strong coalition and widespread community support , there were still some who were resistant to the idea of re-imagining public safety by divesting from carcel systems like the police and jails and investing instead in people and communities , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , adding that the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis helped open eyes to problems of the current criminal justice system , “ in a way the deaths of Tamir and Trayvon and Rekia and Sandra and countless others somehow didn ’ t. ” “ We saw many of those who had been holdouts finally get that last push they needed to truly examine the state of our criminal in-justice system and realize there was a real problem , ” they said .
In the jail ’ s impending closure , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and organizers on how to effect systemic change .
Shepherd and Bordeaux pointed to the data-heavy reports they released , which included analysis of the socioeconomic factors that contribute to incarceration , as well as their work partnering with community-driven organizations , civil rights lawyers and bail funds “ to literally empty the jails.
” “ This is an example of the power of community partnerships , knowing and strategizing around targets , and mobilizing thousands of people to make calls , send emails , and apply city-wide pressure to elected officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our campaign was described as ‘ relentless ’ because we never let up on the pressure we applied , not just to our elected officials but the pressure we put on everyone , city and county , to do what is right.
” Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

For more than a century, no other institution in St. Louis spoke to the criminalization of the poor and marginalized like the “Workhouse,” a jail notorious for housing people unable to pay their bail in deplorable conditions.
Now, thanks to the diligent work of local organizers, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen unanimously voted earlier this month to close the jail, officially known as the Medium Security Institution. The closure, the culmination of two years of steady, focused and multi-pronged efforts to engage community members and elected officials, could serve as a model for other cities looking to enact major criminal justice reforms, activists say.
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“Today was a victory for the communities that were financially neglected and divested from for decades. The real win is that nobody will ever have to go to that place again,” said Mike Milton, Statewide Policy and Advocacy Manager of The Bail Project, on July 17. The Bail Project was one of the organizations involved in the Close the Workhouse campaign, which began in April 2018.
The campaign successfully integrated a number of stakeholders. Along with The Bail project, social justice organizations Action St. Louis and the ArchCity Defenders founded the campaign; f ormer inmates of the Workhouse and more than 25 community organizations also played key roles. United by the campaign, the groups held public meetings, lobbied politicians, analyzed data and published reports, and bailed out defendants, all of which helped St. Louis residents and authorities imagine a future for the city without the jail.
Advertisement Advertisement
This was no small feat, particularly for such a long-standing institution as The Workhouse was.
“When the facility was first established, it was created in no small part to host folks who were poor and marginalized,” Montague Simmons, a Close the Workhouse campaign manager, told The Root in 2018. The “Workhouse” moniker is derived from a Civil War-era debtor’s prison in which inmates, nearly all of whom were poor, were forced to perform tough manual labor, like chopping limestone.
Advertisement
The dynamic was both so apparent and appalling that the St. Louis Post Dispatch, in 1905, opined, “There would be no more chance of a man with money having chains put on him in the St. Louis Workhouse than there would be of a camel passing through the eye of a needle.”
The same statement could be applied to the modern-day Workhouse, built in 1966.
In 2018, 95 percent of the Workhouse’s inmates had yet to stand trial. And though Black people comprise only half of St. Louis’ total population, they made up 90 percent of the Workhouse’s inmates, according to a Close the Workhouse report from that year (pdf).
Advertisement
The ACLU also investigated the jail’s hellish conditions, publishing a report in 2009 that outlined rampant abuses, overcrowding, negligence and staff assaults on the people being detained.
Still, conditions at the Workhouse didn’t change after that report. In 2013, a lawsuit accused the jail’s guards of forcing inmates to fight each other in “gladiator-style” combat. Several years later, a group of seven inmates filed a lawsuit requesting the jail be closed for good.
Advertisement
But after the launch of the Close the Workhouse campaign, the jail’s population decreased considerably, from 516 people in April 2018 to 86 people as of July 16, 2020, according to a Close the Workhouse press release. The campaign credits that to a multi-prong effort: community organizing, political pressure, community and Bail Project bailouts, prosecutorial reforms, and litigation.
Reducing the numbers of those detained in the Workhouse, coupled with concerns over the spread of coronavirus in city jails, made it harder to justify the Workhouse’s $16 million annual budget, reports the River Front Times.
Advertisement
The campaign also outlined specific, actionable steps the city could take. The bill that will close the workhouse, put forward by St. Louis Board President Lewis Reed at the beginning of this month, builds on several of the proposals presented by a Close the Workhouse report released earlier this year. These include evaluating housing space for detainees at St. Louis’ other jail, City Justice Center; directing the Department of Personnel to help place current Workhouse employees in other city jobs, and establishing a fund and a “participatory budgeting process” to allocate resources to marginalized neighborhoods.
Jae Shepherd of Action St. Louis and Inez Bordeaux of Arch City Defenders say this year’s nationwide Black Lives Matter uprisings helped give the campaign the final push it needed.
Advertisement
“While we already had a strong coalition and widespread community support, there were still some who were resistant to the idea of re-imagining public safety by divesting from carcel systems like the police and jails and investing instead in people and communities,” they told The Root in a joint statement, adding that the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis helped open eyes to problems of the current criminal justice system, “in a way the deaths of Tamir and Trayvon and Rekia and Sandra and countless others somehow didn’t.”
“We saw many of those who had been holdouts finally get that last push they needed to truly examine the state of our criminal in-justice system and realize there was a real problem,” they said.
Advertisement
In the jail’s impending closure, they see a road map for other cities and organizers on how to effect systemic change. Shepherd and Bordeaux pointed to the data-heavy reports they released, which included analysis of the socioeconomic factors that contribute to incarceration, as well as their work partnering with community-driven organizations, civil rights lawyers and bail funds “to literally empty the jails.”
“This is an example of the power of community partnerships, knowing and strategizing around targets, and mobilizing thousands of people to make calls, send emails, and apply city-wide pressure to elected officials,” said Shepherd and Bordeau.
Advertisement
“Our campaign was described as ‘relentless’ because we never let up on the pressure we applied, not just to our elected officials but the pressure we put on everyone, city and county, to do what is right.”
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-07-28--Regina King, Zendaya and Kerry Washington Are Among the 2020 Emmy Nominees

HBO ’ s Watchmen , which revives the story of the 1921 Tulsa race riots within its adaptation of the DC comic of the same name , was the most recognized show when nominations for the 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced Tuesday .
The superhero drama is nominated for a staggering 26 awards , including Best Limited Series and Best Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie for its star , Regina King .
According to The Hollywood Reporter , Netflix broke the record for most nominations in a single year , with 160 nominations in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Emmys include Ozark with 18 nominations , The Crown , and even their reality competition series Nailed It .
Despite this year ’ s variety , social media couldn ’ t help but notice the lack of trans representation among this year ’ s nominees—the women of Pose , in particular .
Writer and trans rights activist Raquel Willis wrote on Twitter , “ You ’ re telling me that a cis actor is the only one worth nominating or elevating on a show that centers the Black trans experience ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet again .
The Black trans women who work on # PoseFX deserve so much more recognition from the # Emmys2020 and beyond.
” Pose star Indya Moore has been retweeting many of the sentiments about a lack of trans representation at the Emmys .
Don Cheadle , Kerry Washington and more are being recognized for their contributions to the small screen : Cheadle is nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his part in Black Monday alongside seven-time nominee Anthony Anderson ( Black-ish ) .
Little Fires Everywhere star Kerry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watchmen ’ s King in the Best Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie category , which also features first-time nominee Octavia Spencer .
She is being recognized for her work as Madame C.J .
Walker in Netflix ’ s Self Made .
( Editor ’ s Note : And yes , that means 3 out 5 of the actresses nominated for a L imited S eries are Black . )
Also among first-time Emmy nominees : Zendaya is up for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Euphoria .
Other big names up for nominations include Issa Rae ( Best Actress in a Comedy Series , Insecure ) , Billy Porter ( eager to clinch a second consecutive Best Actor in a Drama Series win for his work in Pose ) , Parris Goebel ( Outstanding Choreography For Variety Or Reality Programming for Rihanna ’ s Savage X Fenty show ) , and Maya Rudolph ( Outstanding Character Voice Over Performance , Big Mouth ) .
The 72nd Annual Emmy Awards are set to air on ABC on September 20—no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing precautions may take place at the event .
Check out the full list of nominees here .
Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

J'na Jefferson on The Grapevine, shared by J'na Jefferson to The Root

HBO’s Watchmen, which revives the story of the 1921 Tulsa race riots within its adaptation of the DC comic of the same name, was the most recognized show when nominations for the 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced Tuesday. The superhero drama is nominated for a staggering 26 awards, including Best Limited Series and Best Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie for its star, Regina King.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix broke the record for most nominations in a single year, with 160 nominations in total. Netflix series up for wins at the Emmys include Ozark with 18 nominations, The Crown, and even their reality competition series Nailed It.
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Despite this year’s variety, social media couldn’t help but notice the lack of trans representation among this year’s nominees—the women of Pose, in particular.
Advertisement Advertisement
Writer and trans rights activist Raquel Willis wrote on Twitter, “You’re telling me that a cis actor is the only one worth nominating or elevating on a show that centers the Black trans experience? Y’all playing in our faces yet again. The Black trans women who work on #PoseFX deserve so much more recognition from the #Emmys2020 and beyond.” Pose star Indya Moore has been retweeting many of the sentiments about a lack of trans representation at the Emmys.
Advertisement
Don Cheadle, Kerry Washington and more are being recognized for their contributions to the small screen: Cheadle is nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his part in Black Monday alongside seven-time nominee Anthony Anderson (Black-ish).
Little Fires Everywhere star Kerry Washington will go head to head with Watchmen’s King in the Best Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie category, which also features first-time nominee Octavia Spencer. She is being recognized for her work as Madame C.J. Walker in Netflix’s Self Made. (Editor’s Note: And yes, that means 3 out 5 of the actresses nominated for a L imited S eries are Black.)
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Also among first-time Emmy nominees: Zendaya is up for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of drug-addicted teenager Rue on the HBO series Euphoria.
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Other big names up for nominations include Issa Rae (Best Actress in a Comedy Series, Insecure), Billy Porter (eager to clinch a second consecutive Best Actor in a Drama Series win for his work in Pose), Parris Goebel (Outstanding Choreography For Variety Or Reality Programming for Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show), and Maya Rudolph (Outstanding Character Voice Over Performance, Big Mouth).
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The 72nd Annual Emmy Awards are set to air on ABC on September 20—no word has been made about how social distancing precautions may take place at the event. Check out the full list of nominees here.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-07-28--WNBA Star Brittney Griner Wants No Parts of the National Anthem: 'I Personally Don't Think It Belong

WNBA Star Brittney Griner Wants No Parts of the National Anthem: 'I Personally Don't Think It Belongs In Sports'

Contrary to popular belief , the national anthem and professional sports haven ’ t always held hands and sucked face in public .
Their entanglement began during World War I—as a means to galvanize public support for the ongoing war—and only intensified by the end of World War II after the Star-Spangled Banner officially became our national anthem in 1931 .
But that love affair has come under fire in recent years as national anthem protests have become the norm and could become more popular than ever after the tragic death of George Floyd .
The WNBA , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other leagues have taken a knee , WNBA players kicked off their opening weekend by dedicating their season to Breonna Taylor and walking off the court before the national anthem was even played .
And if you think WNBA players have any intention of backing down from their stance , Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has some news for you .
“ I honestly feel we should not play the National Anthem during our season , ” she told the Arizona Republic .
“ I think we should take that much of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be out there for the national anthem .
If the league continues to want to play it , that ’ s fine .
It will be all season long , I ’ ll not be out there , ” she said .
“ I feel like more are going to probably do the same thing .
I can only speak for myself.
” “ I personally don ’ t think it belongs in sports , ” she said .
“ When the national anthem [ was ] deemed the national anthem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t have rights at that point .
It ’ s hard disrespecting a song that didn ’ t even represent all Americans when it was first made .
It ’ s not played at Walmart , it ’ s not played when you go to Six Flags .
Why is it played before sporting events ?
” As a military veteran myself , I would be perfectly fine if I never heard it at another sporting event , or anywhere else , ever again .
But it ’ s dope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand and continue to show other leagues how it ’ s done .
Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

Contrary to popular belief, the national anthem and professional sports haven’t always held hands and sucked face in public.
Their entanglement began during World War I—as a means to galvanize public support for the ongoing war—and only intensified by the end of World War II after the Star-Spangled Banner officially became our national anthem in 1931. But that love affair has come under fire in recent years as national anthem protests have become the norm and could become more popular than ever after the tragic death of George Floyd.
Advertisement
The WNBA, however, is a different beast entirely and while other leagues have taken a knee, WNBA players kicked off their opening weekend by dedicating their season to Breonna Taylor and walking off the court before the national anthem was even played.
Advertisement Advertisement
And if you think WNBA players have any intention of backing down from their stance, Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has some news for you.
“I honestly feel we should not play the National Anthem during our season,” she told the Arizona Republic. “I think we should take that much of a stand.”
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She didn’t stop there.
“I’m not going to be out there for the national anthem. If the league continues to want to play it, that’s fine. It will be all season long, I’ll not be out there,” she said. “I feel like more are going to probably do the same thing. I can only speak for myself.”
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Griner’s teammate, Brianna Turner, couldn’t agree more.
“I personally don’t think it belongs in sports,” she said. “When the national anthem [was] deemed the national anthem [in 1931], Black people didn’t have rights at that point. It’s hard disrespecting a song that didn’t even represent all Americans when it was first made. It’s not played at Walmart, it’s not played when you go to Six Flags. Why is it played before sporting events?”
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As a military veteran myself, I would be perfectly fine if I never heard it at another sporting event, or anywhere else, ever again. But it’s dope to see these ladies take such a significant stand and continue to show other leagues how it’s done.
Take notes, NBA.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-07-28--Play It Safe With 10 Splatter-Blocking Face Shields for $25

Y ’ all , let me tell you : I ’ ve seen some nasty videos from some nasty people @ @ @ @ @ peoples faces .
If you ’ re particularly vulnerable and you ’ re dealing with @ @ @ @ @ daily basis , consider purchasing this ten pack of face shields for just $ 25 @ @ @ @ @ a foam band that keeps it comfortable on your forehead .
These shields are latex- @ @ @ @ @ MorningSave has these in sizes made for both adults and kids .

Quentyn Kennemer on Kinja Deals, shared by Quentyn Kennemer to The Root

Reusable Face Shields (10-Pack) | $19 | MorningSave
Y’all, let me tell you: I’ve seen some nasty videos from some nasty people spitting in other’s peoples faces. If you’re particularly vulnerable and you’re dealing with hordes of people on a daily basis, consider purchasing this ten pack of face shields for just $19. Elastic straps connect to a foam band that keeps it comfortable on your forehead, and it’s adjustable, so this can fit children and adults alike.
This deal was originally published by Quentyn Kennemer in July 2020 and updated with new information on 9/25/2020.


theroot--2020-07-28--Black Women's Trauma Is No Laughing Matter

A few weeks back , chart-topping emcee Megan Thee Stallion revealed via Instagram that she was shot in the foot on July 12 “ as a result of a crime committed against [ her ] and done with the intention to physically harm [ her ] , ” despite early reports that she stepped on glass during a night out in the Hollywood Hills .
Musician Tory Lanez , who was with the “ Savage ” rapper during the night of the incident , was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle : a felony .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the person behind Meg ’ s shooting .
Despite the severity of shooting incidents , instead of thoughts and prayers for her recovery , a largely male majority of the internet population resorted to jokes and memes about Megan and Tory ’ s rumored relationship , the reason behind their alleged altercation , and how they would have consoled an ailing Meg .
( I personally saw a meme about grabbing her ass while hugging her at the hospital , which disgusted me . )
Some of the music industry ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ *always pleasant* 50 Cent , also got in on the “ laughs.
” The rapper posted a meme on his Instagram page of Megan running from Tory ’ s car in a Photoshopped still from Boyz In The Hood , as well as a photo of Tory ’ s face Photoshopped onto the gun-wielding body of “ Mini-Me ” from the Austin Powers trilogy .
The posts have since been deleted .
On July 27 via Instagram Live , Megan bravely spoke about her experience getting surgery to remove the bullets from both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how she ’ s dealing with more emotional trauma than we realize , which makes the jokes at her expense all the more painful to bear .
She also reminded followers that at 25 , she is already an orphan who continues to grieve the death of her mother and “ best friend , ” who died from a brain tumor in March 2019 , as well as the death of her grandmother , who died that same month .
“ Thank God that the bullets didn ’ t touch bones , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tearful Megan said on the nine-minute Live chat .
“ I know my mama and my daddy and my granny had to be looking out for me with that one because where the bullets hit at , they missed everything—but they were in there.
” Despite an uptick in Black support and the amplification of Black voices in recent weeks , Black women continue to be treated with a pitifully low amount of support .
It shouldn ’ t take a Black woman speaking up about her trauma for people to listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We ’ re always expected to remain pillars of strength and to put others ’ needs in front of our own , but when we ’ re hurting and need someone to be the pillar for us , we seldom receive it .
I ’ m sure I can speak on behalf of other Black women when I write that our trauma feels much worse when it ’ s not only ignored but perpetuated by our own community .
Black women and other minority members of the Black community ( such as those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bisexual , trans , etc . )
often rally behind Black men with overwhelming shows of support when Black men experience traumatic events or are under threat .
Yet , when it ’ s the other way around , it ’ s painfully quiet .
I ’ ve never been a fan of 50 Cent ; in fact , I think that he was the first celebrity I ever blocked on social media .
As someone who was infamously shot nine times , it ’ s disturbing that he had the sheer audacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a shooting situation in any way was cause for chuckles .
It ’ s disturbing that only after a Black woman voiced her disappointment in those who cracked jokes during a distressing time in her life he would apologize , especially knowing firsthand how painful and scary it is .
I ’ ve seen a few men working to support Black women and Black members of the LGBTQ+ community , and I ’ m grateful to witness it .
But what really needs to occur is offline work , not shows of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you ’ re “ different.
” Hold the Black men in your life accountable for the fuckery they may perpetuate face-to-face so that the support is reciprocal from screen-to-screen .
That being said , not every woman ’ s thoughts on the situation have been well-wishes for Meg .
Reality star Draya Michele is alleged to have lost her endorsement deal with Rihanna ’ s Savage Fenty lingerie line , after saying that being shot by a man is a true testament to how much he likes you during her appearance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I want you to like me so much that if I ’ m trying to get out the car , and you ’ re like , ‘ No , sit your ass in the car , ’ and I ’ m like , ‘ No nigga , I ’ m getting out the car , ’ ” Draya says in the clip .
“ [ He ’ d say ] ‘ No you ’ re not !
’ Bam-bam !
” Megan collected her on Twitter after her comments went viral , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being abused in any way by a man she is romantically involved with is vile , disgusting and degrading .
To me , romanticizing that abuse speaks volumes about the healing the person who is romanticizing the abuse needs to do within themselves .
From Chris Brown “ stans ” saying that they would allow him to “ punch them ” to Draya ’ s nasty comments , there is nothing “ cute ” about giving people a pass to treat you like shit because you have a relationship with them .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignore the cries of Black women , in particular .
As we see with Megan ’ s situation , we should feel compelled to show them support when they ’ ve been abused in any way .
It goes even further than this , though : We often hear the stories of Black mothers who ’ ve lost their lives due to not being believed or understood when complaining about their pregnancy or delivery complications .
This year , Black women have also died at an alarming rate from COVID-19 due to not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor continues to make headlines , and larger sentiments about Black women ’ s erasure from police brutality conversations has been a focal point in her surrounding story .
However , much of the focus is still on her case because of memes about her tragic situation continuing to circulate .
Black women are not a punchline .
Black women are not to be ignored .
Black women are people , too , and it ’ s time the world started treating them as such .
As Thee Stallion put it in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are “ real-life hurt and traumatized ” every day—and it ’ s time people started caring about the ones who care so fervently about them .
Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

A few weeks back, chart-topping emcee Megan Thee Stallion revealed via Instagram that she was shot in the foot on July 12 “as a result of a crime committed against [her] and done with the intention to physically harm [her],” despite early reports that she stepped on glass during a night out in the Hollywood Hills. Musician Tory Lanez, who was with the “Savage” rapper during the night of the incident, was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle: a felony. Days later, speculation circulated that Lanez was the person behind Meg’s shooting.
Despite the severity of shooting incidents, instead of thoughts and prayers for her recovery, a largely male majority of the internet population resorted to jokes and memes about Megan and Tory’s rumored relationship, the reason behind their alleged altercation, and how they would have consoled an ailing Meg. (I personally saw a meme about grabbing her ass while hugging her at the hospital, which disgusted me.)
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Some of the music industry’s most notorious trolls, such as the *always pleasant* 50 Cent, also got in on the “laughs.” The rapper posted a meme on his Instagram page of Megan running from Tory’s car in a Photoshopped still from Boyz In The Hood, as well as a photo of Tory’s face Photoshopped onto the gun-wielding body of “Mini-Me” from the Austin Powers trilogy. The posts have since been deleted.
On July 27 via Instagram Live, Megan bravely spoke about her experience getting surgery to remove the bullets from both of her feet. She also discussed how she’s dealing with more emotional trauma than we realize, which makes the jokes at her expense all the more painful to bear. She also reminded followers that at 25, she is already an orphan who continues to grieve the death of her mother and “best friend,” who died from a brain tumor in March 2019, as well as the death of her grandmother, who died that same month.
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“Thank God that the bullets didn’t touch bones, they didn’t break tendons,” a tearful Megan said on the nine-minute Live chat. “I know my mama and my daddy and my granny had to be looking out for me with that one because where the bullets hit at, they missed everything—but they were in there.”
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Despite an uptick in Black support and the amplification of Black voices in recent weeks, Black women continue to be treated with a pitifully low amount of support. It shouldn’t take a Black woman speaking up about her trauma for people to listen to what she has to say. We’re always expected to remain pillars of strength and to put others’ needs in front of our own, but when we’re hurting and need someone to be the pillar for us, we seldom receive it.
I’m sure I can speak on behalf of other Black women when I write that our trauma feels much worse when it’s not only ignored but perpetuated by our own community. Black women and other minority members of the Black community (such as those who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, etc.) often rally behind Black men with overwhelming shows of support when Black men experience traumatic events or are under threat. Yet, when it’s the other way around, it’s painfully quiet.
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I’ve never been a fan of 50 Cent; in fact, I think that he was the first celebrity I ever blocked on social media. As someone who was infamously shot nine times, it’s disturbing that he had the sheer audacity in his spirit to think making fun of a shooting situation in any way was cause for chuckles. It’s disturbing that only after a Black woman voiced her disappointment in those who cracked jokes during a distressing time in her life he would apologize, especially knowing firsthand how painful and scary it is.
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I’ve seen a few men working to support Black women and Black members of the LGBTQ+ community, and I’m grateful to witness it. But what really needs to occur is offline work, not shows of support for likes in order to show that you’re “different.” Hold the Black men in your life accountable for the fuckery they may perpetuate face-to-face so that the support is reciprocal from screen-to-screen.
That being said, not every woman’s thoughts on the situation have been well-wishes for Meg. Reality star Draya Michele is alleged to have lost her endorsement deal with Rihanna’s Savage Fenty lingerie line, after saying that being shot by a man is a true testament to how much he likes you during her appearance on the Wine & Weed podcast.
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“I want you to like me so much that if I’m trying to get out the car, and you’re like, ‘No, sit your ass in the car,’ and I’m like, ‘No nigga, I’m getting out the car,’” Draya says in the clip. “[He’d say] ‘No you’re not!’ Bam-bam!” Megan collected her on Twitter after her comments went viral, calling her a “dumb bitch.”
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Women being abused in any way by a man she is romantically involved with is vile, disgusting and degrading. To me, romanticizing that abuse speaks volumes about the healing the person who is romanticizing the abuse needs to do within themselves. From Chris Brown “stans” saying that they would allow him to “punch them” to Draya’s nasty comments, there is nothing “cute” about giving people a pass to treat you like shit because you have a relationship with them.
This all goes back to the way we ignore the cries of Black women, in particular. As we see with Megan’s situation, we should feel compelled to show them support when they’ve been abused in any way. It goes even further than this, though: We often hear the stories of Black mothers who’ve lost their lives due to not being believed or understood when complaining about their pregnancy or delivery complications. This year, Black women have also died at an alarming rate from COVID-19 due to not being believed. The case of Breonna Taylor continues to make headlines, and larger sentiments about Black women’s erasure from police brutality conversations has been a focal point in her surrounding story. However, much of the focus is still on her case because of memes about her tragic situation continuing to circulate.
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Black women are not a punchline. Black women are not to be ignored. Black women are people, too, and it’s time the world started treating them as such. As Thee Stallion put it in a tweet dated July 17, Black women are “real-life hurt and traumatized” every day—and it’s time people started caring about the ones who care so fervently about them.
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theroot--2020-07-28--Police Reforms Must Include Reparations for Those Living Through the Trauma of Police Violence

When Eric Garner died after being put in a chokehold by then-New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo on July 17 , 2014 , his daughter Erica Garner immediately became an activist of the highest caliber .
She organized marches , wrote articles , and stood up to demand a conversation with President Obama at the presidential town hall on race in America in 2016 .
Shortly before she died , Erica described the hardships and the mental and physical toll of her activism .
“ I ’ m struggling right now with the stress and everything .
This thing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beats you down to where you can ’ t win , ” she shared .
Three weeks after giving this statement , Erica died from the brain damage she suffered following a heart attack .
She was just 27 years old .
Erica Garner ’ s story , and others like it , including the very similar chokehold killing of George Floyd , has even prompted a United Nations ’ call for reparations .
This call was assembled not just for the reparations due per enslavement but for structural racism , including police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not limited to , “ formal apologies , truth-telling commissions , and reparations of various other forms.
” Here in the United States , the call for action should start with support for the Mike Brown Bill , an initiative led by Lezley McSpadden Head , the mother of Michael Brown , supported by the Michael O.D .
Brown We Love Our Sons and Daughters Foundation , and the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University .
While the bill includes a broad call for the end of police violence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it also seeks to address the need for mental health treatment and healing as a community .
This proposal , included as part of the BREATHE Act proposed by the Movement for Black Lives , specifically creates a fund to promote healing for those impacted by the reverberating effects of police violence , like Erica and Lezley , and so many countless others .
We know that the trauma experienced by victims of police violence and their family members is great .
The majority of cases do not generate significant media exposure or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle to pay legal fees , access affordable mental health counseling , or even meet basic needs .
This is especially true for victims tasked to serve as the primary breadwinner and head of the household .
As for those who fight and even manage to survive financially , the pressure to advocate and relive the worst moment of one ’ s life can result in severe PTSD or other mental health challenges .
As demonstrated by Erica ’ s story , the stress itself can prove to be deadly .
These challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families of those killed by police protesters .
Anyone harmed by police violence should receive healing , especially if they have documented proof .
In all likelihood , further research will reveal that essentially the entire Black community is impacted .
Studies have shown that incidents of police brutality increase adverse health consequences that negatively impact the mental health of people throughout the Black community whenever one of these incidents goes viral .
The ramifications include but are not limited to job loss , sleeplessness , exhaustion , anxiety , and the incapacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on by the accumulation of acute depression and stress .
The epidemic of police violence , much like COVID-19 , fails to have the same impact on White America as it does people of color in every community across the country .
Meanwhile , as the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has highlighted the importance of creating social and physical environments that promote good health , increase quality-of-life outcomes and reduce risks as part of the ‘ Healthy People 2020 ’ initiative , In May 2015 , following the aftermath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago , local activists were able to pass a reparations bill .
The bill included the creation of the Chicago Torture Justice Center where those impacted by police violence have access to specialized traumatic counseling services , the creation of a permanent public memorial , a public apology , and financial compensation to those directly impacted for medical and other expenses .
This is not unique to Chicago—North Carolina , Florida , and other states have delivered monetary reparations to victims of racial violence .
These communities realized that it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its people than pay the costs of not caring , as inevitably the devastating effects hurt us all .
Malcolm X famously stated : “ If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches , there ’ s no progress .
If you pull it all the way out that ’ s not progress .
Progress is healing the wound that the blow made.
” People and institutions that harm Black people should take concrete action to repair the harm done .
Police departments must publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologies , and commit resources to communities who have been forced to suffer violence at their hands .
Coming from Congress , the creation of this fund is only the beginning .
But it will be a strong beginning to send the message to the rest of the country that the time for healing has begun .
We must ask our government the hard question—what concrete actions will you take to REPAIR the harm , and ensure we don ’ t REPEAT the loss of Black lives at the hands of police violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # REPAIRnotREPEAT the incidence of police violence against people of color in this country .
Lezley McSpadden Head is president of the Michael O.D .
Brown We Love Our Sons and Daughters Foundation , and Justin Hansford is the executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University School of Law .

Lezley McSpadden Head and Justin Hansford

When Eric Garner died after being put in a chokehold by then-New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo on July 17, 2014, his daughter Erica Garner immediately became an activist of the highest caliber. She organized marches, wrote articles, and stood up to demand a conversation with President Obama at the presidential town hall on race in America in 2016.
Shortly before she died, Erica described the hardships and the mental and physical toll of her activism. “I’m struggling right now with the stress and everything. This thing, it beats you down. The system beats you down to where you can’t win,” she shared. Three weeks after giving this statement, Erica died from the brain damage she suffered following a heart attack. She was just 27 years old.
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Erica Garner’s story, and others like it, including the very similar chokehold killing of George Floyd, has even prompted a United Nations’ call for reparations. This call was assembled not just for the reparations due per enslavement but for structural racism, including police violence, through methods that include but are not limited to, “formal apologies, truth-telling commissions, and reparations of various other forms.”
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Here in the United States, the call for action should start with support for the Mike Brown Bill, an initiative led by Lezley McSpadden Head, the mother of Michael Brown, supported by the Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons and Daughters Foundation, and the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University. While the bill includes a broad call for the end of police violence, racial profiling, and police militarization, it also seeks to address the need for mental health treatment and healing as a community.
This proposal, included as part of the BREATHE Act proposed by the Movement for Black Lives, specifically creates a fund to promote healing for those impacted by the reverberating effects of police violence, like Erica and Lezley, and so many countless others. We know that the trauma experienced by victims of police violence and their family members is great. The majority of cases do not generate significant media exposure or public support, and those families may struggle to pay legal fees, access affordable mental health counseling, or even meet basic needs. This is especially true for victims tasked to serve as the primary breadwinner and head of the household. As for those who fight and even manage to survive financially, the pressure to advocate and relive the worst moment of one’s life can result in severe PTSD or other mental health challenges. As demonstrated by Erica’s story, the stress itself can prove to be deadly.
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These challenges are not only an additional burden to families of those killed by police protesters. Anyone harmed by police violence should receive healing, especially if they have documented proof. In all likelihood, further research will reveal that essentially the entire Black community is impacted. Studies have shown that incidents of police brutality increase adverse health consequences that negatively impact the mental health of people throughout the Black community whenever one of these incidents goes viral. The ramifications include but are not limited to job loss, sleeplessness, exhaustion, anxiety, and the incapacity to concentrate. This is all brought on by the accumulation of acute depression and stress. The epidemic of police violence, much like COVID-19, fails to have the same impact on White America as it does people of color in every community across the country.
Meanwhile, as the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has highlighted the importance of creating social and physical environments that promote good health, increase quality-of-life outcomes and reduce risks as part of the ‘Healthy People 2020’ initiative,
Advertisement
In May 2015, following the aftermath of an especially horrible episode of police violence in Chicago, local activists were able to pass a reparations bill. The bill included the creation of the Chicago Torture Justice Center where those impacted by police violence have access to specialized traumatic counseling services, the creation of a permanent public memorial, a public apology, and financial compensation to those directly impacted for medical and other expenses. This is not unique to Chicago—North Carolina, Florida, and other states have delivered monetary reparations to victims of racial violence. These communities realized that it’s better to invest in the health of its people than pay the costs of not caring, as inevitably the devastating effects hurt us all.
Malcolm X famously stated: “If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s no progress. If you pull it all the way out that’s not progress. Progress is healing the wound that the blow made.” People and institutions that harm Black people should take concrete action to repair the harm done. Police departments must publicly acknowledge the harm done, make official apologies, and commit resources to communities who have been forced to suffer violence at their hands. Coming from Congress, the creation of this fund is only the beginning. But it will be a strong beginning to send the message to the rest of the country that the time for healing has begun. We must ask our government the hard question—what concrete actions will you take to REPAIR the harm, and ensure we don’t REPEAT the loss of Black lives at the hands of police violence? This is a formal call to #REPAIRnotREPEAT the incidence of police violence against people of color in this country.
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Lezley McSpadden Head is president of the Michael O.D. Brown We Love Our Sons and Daughters Foundation, and Justin Hansford is the executive director of the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University School of Law.


theroot--2020-07-28--Donald Trump Jr. Was Put in Twitter Jail for Posting False Information About COVID-19

If Donald Trump Jr. was taking an IQ test against a tractor-trailer tire and the fate of the world lay in the results , smart money would be to bet on the tire .
On Tuesday , Trump Jr. , aka Not Ivanka , was put in Twitter jail for posting the most ridiculous video of “ doctors ” claiming that hydroxychloroquine really is a miracle drug and the government is ignoring the facts .
The whole thing is bullshit—the doctors , the claims , the president ’ s son .
So Twitter said enough and deleted the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it would “ limit some account functionality for 12 hours , ” the Washington Post reports .
The tweet , which featured a viral video showing a group of doctors making misleading and false claims about the coronavirus pandemic , was directly tweeted by Trump Jr. ‘ s account .
That contrasts with his father , who retweeted multiple clips of the same video to his 84.2 million followers Monday night .
Twitter removed the videos , deleting several of the tweets that President Trump shared , and added a note to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks of hydroxychloroquine use .
“ Tweets with the video are in violation of our covid-19 misinformation policy , ” Liz Kelley , a spokeswoman for Twitter , told The Washington Post .
Trump shared the video — which claims that face masks and shutdowns are not needed to stop the spread of the virus — as he shared 14 tweets over a half-hour span defending the use of hydroxychloroquine , an antimalarial drug that the president has repeatedly promoted , and attacking Anthony S. Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious-diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed this dumb-ass video after it had been watch some 14 million times .
YouTube also removed the video because basically social media , the cesspool of foolishness , is more responsible than the president ’ s embarrassment of a son .
With less than 100 days until the most important election in America ’ s history ( I ’ m being dramatic , but we ’ ve got to get these bamas out of here ) the Trumps are trying to reframe the disaster that is the Trump administration ’ s response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 145,000 people in the United States .
“ The president spent months obstinately denying the severity of the crisis , refusing to wear a mask in public , blaming the rise of case numbers on testing and campaigning against governors ’ shutdown orders .
In recent weeks , however , Trump has occasionally changed tack , donning a mask in public for the first time earlier this month and deciding to cancel the Republican National Convention events set to take place in Jacksonville , Fla. , ” the Post reports .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoting the highly controversial drug that the Food and Drug Administration warns carries significant health risks , yet the idiot Trumps keep portraying it as a miracle drug that is being denied to the people by some kind of conspiracy .
The video featured goat herders and voodoo priestess championing hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19 .
The clip that was shared across social media focused on a woman named Stella Immanuel , “ who received a medical license in Texas in November , according to state records , ” the Post notes .
Immanuel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Deliverance Minister ” and believes she is “ God ’ s battle axe and weapon of war , ” worked as a doctor in Nigeria and has given sermons attacking “ the gay agenda , secular humanism , Illuminati and the demonic new world order.
” Basically she ’ s a hotep .
“ You don ’ t need a mask , ” Immanuel claimed in the video , which we all know is bullshit , and then touted the claims that hydroxychloroquine isn ’ t effective against the coronavirus “ fake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be locked down , ” she continued , despite evidence that stay-at-home orders have helped curb the spread of the virus .
“ America there is a cure for covid.
” There is no cure for the coronavirus—and unfortunately , there is also no cure for stupidity .

Donald Trump Jr. is an idiot.
That’s not a diss, that’s just a fact.
If Donald Trump Jr. was taking an IQ test against a tractor-trailer tire and the fate of the world lay in the results, smart money would be to bet on the tire.
On Tuesday, Trump Jr., aka Not Ivanka, was put in Twitter jail for posting the most ridiculous video of “doctors” claiming that hydroxychloroquine really is a miracle drug and the government is ignoring the facts. The whole thing is bullshit—the doctors, the claims, the president’s son. So Twitter said enough and deleted the president’s son’s misleading tweet and said it would “limit some account functionality for 12 hours,” the Washington Post reports.
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From the Post:
The tweet, which featured a viral video showing a group of doctors making misleading and false claims about the coronavirus pandemic, was directly tweeted by Trump Jr.‘s account. That contrasts with his father, who retweeted multiple clips of the same video to his 84.2 million followers Monday night. Twitter removed the videos, deleting several of the tweets that President Trump shared, and added a note to its trending topics warning about the potential risks of hydroxychloroquine use. “Tweets with the video are in violation of our covid-19 misinformation policy,” Liz Kelley, a spokeswoman for Twitter, told The Washington Post. Trump shared the video — which claims that face masks and shutdowns are not needed to stop the spread of the virus — as he shared 14 tweets over a half-hour span defending the use of hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug that the president has repeatedly promoted, and attacking Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-diseases expert.
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The Post noted that Facebook removed this dumb-ass video after it had been watch some 14 million times. YouTube also removed the video because basically social media, the cesspool of foolishness, is more responsible than the president’s embarrassment of a son.
With less than 100 days until the most important election in America’s history (I’m being dramatic, but we’ve got to get these bamas out of here) the Trumps are trying to reframe the disaster that is the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus, which is responsible for 145,000 people in the United States.
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“The president spent months obstinately denying the severity of the crisis, refusing to wear a mask in public, blaming the rise of case numbers on testing and campaigning against governors’ shutdown orders. In recent weeks, however, Trump has occasionally changed tack, donning a mask in public for the first time earlier this month and deciding to cancel the Republican National Convention events set to take place in Jacksonville, Fla.,” the Post reports.
Trump and his dumb-ass son have turned to promoting the highly controversial drug that the Food and Drug Administration warns carries significant health risks, yet the idiot Trumps keep portraying it as a miracle drug that is being denied to the people by some kind of conspiracy.
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The video featured goat herders and voodoo priestess championing hydroxychloroquine for treating COVID-19. The clip that was shared across social media focused on a woman named Stella Immanuel, “who received a medical license in Texas in November, according to state records,” the Post notes.
Immanuel, who also claims to be a “Deliverance Minister” and believes she is “God’s battle axe and weapon of war,” worked as a doctor in Nigeria and has given sermons attacking “the gay agenda, secular humanism, Illuminati and the demonic new world order.” Basically she’s a hotep.
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“You don’t need a mask,” Immanuel claimed in the video, which we all know is bullshit, and then touted the claims that hydroxychloroquine isn’t effective against the coronavirus “fake science.”
“We don’t need to be locked down,” she continued, despite evidence that stay-at-home orders have helped curb the spread of the virus. “America there is a cure for covid.”
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There is no cure for the coronavirus—and unfortunately, there is also no cure for stupidity.


theroot--2020-07-29--10 Ways Good White People Can Help Black America (If 'Good White People' Exist)

I do not believe that most people are good at heart because I live in America , and in America , most people are white , which would mean that most white people are good , which is impossible for me to believe .
Whenever I publicly dispute the notion that the majority of white people are good , many people misconstrue my hypothesis as a statement that most white people are bad .
Contrary to that widely quoted excerpt from The Diary of a Young Girl illustrating the impervious optimism of youth , I believe that most people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who exist and sleep and occasionally have sex , thereby making other people who exist .
But if— as someone probably once said— “ the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing , ” then being a good person is about more than just not being bad because , by definition , a good person can not stand idly by in the face of evil and “ do nothing.
” In fact , I don ’ t even believe that it is possible for anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What does it even mean ?
Being “ good at heart ” is as meaningless and inconsequential as a surgeon revealing that he didn ’ t go to medical school but he can perform a quadruple bypass because he is a doctor “ at heart.
” Until someone invents a stethoscope that can detect the presence of cardiopulmonary righteousness , the only way to identify a good person is by their deeds and actions For the people who have endured centuries as casualties of evildoing , “ good ” is not just an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncle , but the apostle who hung out in Jesus ’ entourage ) wrote that “ faith without works is dead.
” In condemning the inaction of those who were “ more devoted to ‘ order ’ than to justice , ” Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that an entire generation of “ white moderates ” will one day repent “ not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.
” I believe there are good white people .
Most B @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differ on how many good white people actually exist or if the non-good white people can be convinced to actually transform their heart-held beliefs into actions .
But if B lack people collectively believed that there were no good white people , they wouldn ’ t protest .
They wouldn ’ t fight for change .
In fact , I would argue that Black America ’ s entire history of fighting for justice and equality is nothing more than a desperate , faithful search for good white people .
We need them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t believe in the existence of good white people , instead of traveling the country trying to convince them to abolish slavery , Frederick Douglass would have accepted John Brown ’ s offer to just murder white people who stood in the way of freedom .
If there were no good white people , King wouldn ’ t have resisted the Black Power movement .
If there were no good white people , Fred Hampton wouldn ’ t have died trying to create a multiracial “ rainbow coalition.
” Every single action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to show the pervasive evil of racism to potentially good white people .
If there are no good white people , the only solution is to burn this motherfucker to the ground .
The biggest threat to white supremacy is good white people .
When white men beat civil rights workers and bombed places of worship , they weren ’ t as concerned with B lack people sitting next to them at the diner counter as much as they were worried that those civil rights activists would wake up the country to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of men like John Lewis , white America couldn ’ t continue justifying its apathetic inertia and finally passed civil rights legislation over our dead bodies .
This is why Donald Trump has activated a platoon of secret police to Portland , Ore.
It ’ s why there is such a backlash against The 1619 Project .
It ’ s why respectable white nationalists like Tucker Carlson and Sen. Tom Cotton ( R-Hades ) suggests that race-based slavery was a “ necessary evil ” or that diversity makes us weaker .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing more white people joining the protest movement .
Black Lives Matter activists yell , obstruct traffic and refuse to simmer down for the same three reasons police officers turn off their body cameras ; corporations demand non-disclosure agreements ; sexual abusers silence their victims and presidents hide their tax returns : • If good people see evil , they have to fight it .
No good person could see the footage of George Floyd and do nothing .
No human being with even an iota of virtue in their heart could hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death and stay passive .
As the apostle James said , one would have to either be faithless or dead to hear about Ahmaud Arbery ’ s lynching and not go to work .
But , if good white people are going to stand in solidarity with Black people , we put together 10 tips , facts and ways newly woke white people can help if they really want to stand in solidarity with Black people .
As a performative measure , most companies , college campuses and media outlets have taken up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , you should be aware that Michael Brown wasn ’ t the first unarmed B lack person killed by a police officer and George Floyd won ’ t be the last .
The American civil rights movement actually started in 1619 and the Black Lives Matter movement existed before Virginia ’ s Assembly passed a statute that justified the “ casual ” murder of enslaved B lack people , declaring : We been doing this shit .
Aside from “ not all white people , ” one of the constant refrains that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ newly woke revolutionaries is : “ Why would white people bother to help you if you are just gon na talk shit about them ?
” Look , I ’ d like to tell you that this is part of a vetting procedure or an initiation process meant to test your mettle but truthfully , it ’ s hard for B lack people to trust white people .
While that may seem harsh , you must understand that overcoming white supremacy depends on a healthy suspicion of white people .
Black people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a survival skill .
Think of it this way : Imagine if you were fighting a war and someone showed up at your bunker wearing the same uniform as the people who were shooting at your head .
Would you trust them ?
There is no way we can ever know if most white people are racist but we know that most racists are white .
Or as Harriet Jacobs , an enslaved B lack woman who spent seven years of her life hiding in an attic from her slave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cares how many B lack friends you have , if you dated a B lack man in college or even if you adopted a non-white child ( sorry , Matt Gaetz ) because being an ally does not come with honor and glory .
You don ’ t deserve a kudos , compliments or a cookie for not being racist any more than I deserve praise for going more than 17,000 days without murdering someone .
In fact , the only person who deserves praise for an interracial relationship is Captain James T. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most diverse starships in the United Federation of Planets but unlike most white people , his love life actually proves that he doesn ’ t care “ if you are B lack , white or purple.
” But there is no reward for being a good person ...
Except for the T-shirts .
You ’ ll get some great deals on T-shirts .
4 .
No one knows what the fuck we ’ re doing .
You should know that there is never gon na be a cohesive strategy that everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blueprint on how to achieve freedom and equality in America , we wouldn ’ t need white people to do anything but print out some brochures at their office ( for some reason , white people love brochures ) .
Solidarity doesn ’ t require you to stand on the front lines taking rubber bullets or fighting Nazis .
How are all of those people at the protest gon na eat ?
Fix some sandwiches ?
Donate some water .
Vote for local officials who promise police oversight .
If you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is what you can offer : 5 .
Go get your people first .
If you are truly about that anti-racist life , there ’ s no need to tell anyone that you are an anti-racist .
Just show it .
I ’ m not sure if you ’ re aware of this , but most racists don ’ t take advice from Black people .
You don ’ t even have to attend the rallies or buy a Black Lives Matter bumper sticker ( did you get a T-shirt ? )
.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ person can provide is speaking up whenever you see racism—even if Black people aren ’ t around .
Especially if Black people aren ’ t around .
Not only does this make racists more reluctant to act on their racist ideations , but it also assures Black people that they aren ’ t going crazy when they think : Am I crazy or does no one notice the racist elephant in the room ?
* *Little-known fact : All elephants are racist .
Even Dumbo .
6 .
No one will respect you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for admiration or respect , you ’ d be better joining the carnival .
Although we revere them in retrospect , the people involved in every movement were the subject of scorn and hate at the time .
The majority of white America disapproved of the civil rights marches , the freedom rides , affirmative action and every step America has taken toward equality .
Remember the people who spit on Black kids who just wanted to go to a decent school ?
No ?
Well , I ’ d be willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re friends with some of their kids .
* *To be clear , I ’ m the one wagering donuts and you ’ re putting up the dollars .
Black people aren ’ t fighting against white people but we are fighting against whiteness and all white people are infected with whiteness , including you .
There ’ s nothing wrong with that unless you are unwilling to recognize it .
I hate the phrase “ toxic masculinity ” but , as a straight , heterosexual male , I am aware that society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tendencies that I have subconsciously absorbed .
Acknowledging that your prejudices exist and working to eradicate the manifestation of this social privilege is the key to understanding how to fight prejudice in the larger society .
I ’ m an angry Black supremacist who is naturally less intelligent and prone to criminality and a victim mentality .
I truly enjoy living on the Democratic plantation but receiving so many government handouts makes me prone to the Marxist ideology of Black Lives Matter , which convinced me to hate the anthem , the troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s just another dead thug .
You , on the other hand , are a well-respected member of the superior race .
Privilege has afforded you a seat at the table .
Use it to dismantle an unjust system .
Use Black-owned businesses .
Ask why there isn ’ t a single Black person on the board of your charity .
Put trans people in positions of power .
Normalize diversity by not talking about diversity but by diversifying every space you can .
I know that you believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other white people but trust me—every white person thinks they ’ re not like all the other white people .
They ’ re usually wrong .
We already know what white people think .
Black people hear white voices centered in every conversation .
Take the opportunity to learn what other people think .
10 .
It ’ s probably not going to work .
I don ’ t want to disappoint you but you ’ re not going to wake up tomorrow and hear breaking news that white people have finally decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no instantaneous shift in the collective American conscience .
Even MLK knew that “ privileged groups never give up their privileges voluntarily.
” But if there is a single good white person in all of America , then there is the possibility that there can be two ; then four ; then eight ... Or maybe Anne Frank is right and America is filled with people who just haven ’ t figured out how to translate their goodness into actions and they are about to prove me wrong .
I hope I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart ...

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.” — Anne Frank, Diary of a Young Girl
I disagree with Anne Frank.
I do not believe that most people are good at heart because I live in America, and in America, most people are white, which would mean that most white people are good, which is impossible for me to believe.
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Whenever I publicly dispute the notion that the majority of white people are good, many people misconstrue my hypothesis as a statement that most white people are bad. Contrary to that widely quoted excerpt from The Diary of a Young Girl illustrating the impervious optimism of youth, I believe that most people are neither good nor bad—they’re just people who exist and sleep and occasionally have sex, thereby making other people who exist.
But if—as someone probably once said—“the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing,” then being a good person is about more than just not being bad because, by definition, a good person can not stand idly by in the face of evil and “do nothing.”
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In fact, I don’t even believe that it is possible for anyone to be “good at heart.” What does it even mean? Being “good at heart” is as meaningless and inconsequential as a surgeon revealing that he didn’t go to medical school but he can perform a quadruple bypass because he is a doctor “at heart.” Until someone invents a stethoscope that can detect the presence of cardiopulmonary righteousness, the only way to identify a good person is by their deeds and actions.
For the people who have endured centuries as casualties of evildoing, “good” is not just an abstract concept. James (not my uncle, but the apostle who hung out in Jesus’ entourage) wrote that “faith without works is dead.” In condemning the inaction of those who were “more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice,” Martin Luther King Jr. wrote that an entire generation of “white moderates” will one day repent “not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.”
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Good is not a default.
Good is not inert.
Good is tangible.
I believe there are good white people.
Most Black people believe it too . We may differ on how many good white people actually exist or if the non-good white people can be convinced to actually transform their heart-held beliefs into actions. But if Black people collectively believed that there were no good white people, they wouldn’t protest. They wouldn’t fight for change. In fact, I would argue that Black America’s entire history of fighting for justice and equality is nothing more than a desperate, faithful search for good white people. We need them to exist.
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If Black people didn’t believe in the existence of good white people, instead of traveling the country trying to convince them to abolish slavery, Frederick Douglass would have accepted John Brown’s offer to just murder white people who stood in the way of freedom. If there were no good white people, King wouldn’t have resisted the Black Power movement. If there were no good white people, Fred Hampton wouldn’t have died trying to create a multiracial “rainbow coalition.” Every single action of those freedom fighters was an attempt to show the pervasive evil of racism to potentially good white people.
If there are no good white people, the only solution is to burn this motherfucker to the ground.
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But if—as someone probably once said—“the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing,” then being a good person is about more than just not being bad because, by definition, a good person can not stand idly by in the face of evil and “do nothing.”
The biggest threat to white supremacy is good white people.
When white men beat civil rights workers and bombed places of worship, they weren’t as concerned with Black people sitting next to them at the diner counter as much as they were worried that those civil rights activists would wake up the country to the destructive inhumanity of Jim Crow. Because of men like John Lewis, white America couldn’t continue justifying its apathetic inertia and finally passed civil rights legislation over our dead bodies.
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This is why Donald Trump has activated a platoon of secret police to Portland, Ore. It’s why there is such a backlash against The 1619 Project. It’s why respectable white nationalists like Tucker Carlson and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Hades) suggests that race-based slavery was a “necessary evil” or that diversity makes us weaker.
But it’s also why we’re seeing more white people joining the protest movement. Black Lives Matter activists yell, obstruct traffic and refuse to simmer down for the same three reasons police officers turn off their body cameras; corporations demand non-disclosure agreements; sexual abusers silence their victims and presidents hide their tax returns:
Truth exposes evil. Racism is evil. If good people see evil, they have to fight it.
No good person could see the footage of George Floyd and do nothing. No human being with even an iota of virtue in their heart could hear the details of Breanna Taylor’s death and stay passive. As the apostle James said, one would have to either be faithless or dead to hear about Ahmaud Arbery’s lynching and not go to work.
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But, if good white people are going to stand in solidarity with Black people, we put together 10 tips, facts and ways newly woke white people can help if they really want to stand in solidarity with Black people.
1. It’s not a movement.
As a performative measure, most companies, college campuses and media outlets have taken up the banner of equality and justice. However, you should be aware that Michael Brown wasn’t the first unarmed Black person killed by a police officer and George Floyd won’t be the last. The American civil rights movement actually started in 1619 and the Black Lives Matter movement existed before Virginia’s Assembly passed a statute that justified the “casual” murder of enslaved Black people, declaring:
Be it enacted and declared by this grand assembly, if any slave resist his master (or others by his masters order correcting him) and by the extremity of the correction should chance to die, that his death shall not be considered a felony - October, 1669; “An Act About the Casual Killing of Slaves”
We been doing this shit.
2. Black people don’t trust you.
Aside from “not all white people,” one of the constant refrains that Black people hear from fragile, newly woke revolutionaries is: “Why would white people bother to help you if you are just gonna talk shit about them?”
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Look, I’d like to tell you that this is part of a vetting procedure or an initiation process meant to test your mettle but truthfully, it’s hard for Black people to trust white people. While that may seem harsh, you must understand that overcoming white supremacy depends on a healthy suspicion of white people. Black people’s skepticism is not just protective — it’s a survival skill.
Think of it this way: Imagine if you were fighting a war and someone showed up at your bunker wearing the same uniform as the people who were shooting at your head. Would you trust them?
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There is no way we can ever know if most white people are racist but we know that most racists are white. Or as Harriet Jacobs, an enslaved Black woman who spent seven years of her life hiding in an attic from her slave master, once said:
“Ah, if he had ever been a slave he would have known how difficult it was to trust white men.”
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3. You don’t get extra credit.
No one cares how many Black friends you have, if you dated a Black man in college or even if you adopted a non-white child (sorry, Matt Gaetz) because being an ally does not come with honor and glory.
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You don’t deserve a kudos, compliments or a cookie for not being racist any more than I deserve praise for going more than 17,000 days without murdering someone. In fact, the only person who deserves praise for an interracial relationship is Captain James T. Kirk, who not only ran one of the most diverse starships in the United Federation of Planets but unlike most white people, his love life actually proves that he doesn’t care “if you are Black, white or purple.”
But there is no reward for being a good person...Except for the T-shirts.
You’ll get some great deals on T-shirts.
4. No one knows what the fuck we’re doing.
You should know that there is never gonna be a cohesive strategy that everyone agrees on. If there was a blueprint on how to achieve freedom and equality in America, we wouldn’t need white people to do anything but print out some brochures at their office (for some reason, white people love brochures).
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Solidarity doesn’t require you to stand on the front lines taking rubber bullets or fighting Nazis. How are all of those people at the protest gonna eat? Fix some sandwiches? Donate some water. Vote for local officials who promise police oversight. If you’re wondering how you can contribute, here is what you can offer:
Anything.
5. Go get your people first.
If you are truly about that anti-racist life, there’s no need to tell anyone that you are an anti-racist. Just show it.
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I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but most racists don’t take advice from Black people. You don’t even have to attend the rallies or buy a Black Lives Matter bumper sticker (did you get a T-shirt?). Perhaps the biggest help that a white person can provide is speaking up whenever you see racism—even if Black people aren’t around. Especially if Black people aren’t around.
Not only does this make racists more reluctant to act on their racist ideations, but it also assures Black people that they aren’t going crazy when they think: Am I crazy or does no one notice the racist elephant in the room?*
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*Little-known fact: All elephants are racist. Even Dumbo.
6. No one will respect you.
If you’re doing this for admiration or respect, you’d be better joining the carnival.
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Although we revere them in retrospect, the people involved in every movement were the subject of scorn and hate at the time. The majority of white America disapproved of the civil rights marches, the freedom rides, affirmative action and every step America has taken toward equality.
Remember the people who spit on Black kids who just wanted to go to a decent school? No?
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Well, I’d be willing to bet dollars to donuts that you’re friends with some of their kids.*
*To be clear, I’m the one wagering donuts and you’re putting up the dollars.
7. Realize you’re part of the problem.
Black people aren’t fighting against white people but we are fighting against whiteness and all white people are infected with whiteness, including you. There’s nothing wrong with that unless you are unwilling to recognize it.
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I hate the phrase “toxic masculinity” but, as a straight, heterosexual male, I am aware that society has indoctrinated me with sexist and homophobic tendencies that I have subconsciously absorbed. Acknowledging that your prejudices exist and working to eradicate the manifestation of this social privilege is the key to understanding how to fight prejudice in the larger society.
8. Weaponize your privilege.
I’m an angry Black supremacist who is naturally less intelligent and prone to criminality and a victim mentality. I truly enjoy living on the Democratic plantation but receiving so many government handouts makes me prone to the Marxist ideology of Black Lives Matter, which convinced me to hate the anthem, the troops and the flag. If I die, it’s just another dead thug.
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You, on the other hand, are a well-respected member of the superior race. Privilege has afforded you a seat at the table. Use it to dismantle an unjust system.
Use Black-owned businesses. Ask why there isn’t a single Black person on the board of your charity. Put trans people in positions of power. Normalize diversity by not talking about diversity but by diversifying every space you can.
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9. Shut up.
...And listen.
I know that you believe that you’re not like all the other white people but trust me—every white person thinks they’re not like all the other white people. They’re usually wrong.
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We already know what white people think. Black people hear white voices centered in every conversation. Take the opportunity to learn what other people think.
10. It’s probably not going to work.
I don’t want to disappoint you but you’re not going to wake up tomorrow and hear breaking news that white people have finally decided to stop being racist. There will be no instantaneous shift in the collective American conscience. Even MLK knew that “privileged groups never give up their privileges voluntarily.”
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But if there is a single good white person in all of America, then there is the possibility that there can be two; then four; then eight...
Or maybe Anne Frank is right and America is filled with people who just haven’t figured out how to translate their goodness into actions and they are about to prove me wrong. I hope I’m wrong.
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But in my heart...


theroot--2020-07-29--The Michelle Obama Podcast Has Finally Arrived and Our Forever President Is the Perfect Guest for It

The Michelle Obama Podcast Has Finally Arrived and Our Forever President Is the Perfect Guest for Its Premiere

In this day and age , everybody has a podcast .
But in an oversaturated market , rife with hundreds of thousands of shows that either go unheralded or unheard , I think it ’ s safe to say that The Michelle Obama Podcast won ’ t have any problems whatsoever standing out .
And in its premiere episode , our Forever First Lady is joined by the man who should ’ ve never left office : our Forever President , Barack Obama .
The coronavirus has completely upended our way of life , from our health , to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interact as human beings , so it ’ s only fitting that the Obamas discuss our responsibility to our country and our communities during this perilous time .
“ Sometimes this relationship might be a source of fulfillment or meaning or joy , ” Michelle says .
“ Other times , it might provoke questions that we don ’ t quite know the answer to .
What we ’ re really talking about is our place in this world .
How we feel about it and what we can do with the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 49-minute episode , Barack and Michelle explore their upbringings and how those surroundings inspired them to become more actively involved in their communities .
“ It wasn ’ t the classic nuclear family .
It was a tight-knit family , ” Barack says .
“ We felt loved and supported .
And that ’ s obviously where a community starts .
“ Your values always start with those closest to you , right ?
So , my mom deeply believed in everybody being worthy of love , praise , and support.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have done politically , what I know about you as a person and one of the reasons why I fell in love with you is [ ... ] because you are guided by the principle that we are each other ’ s brother ’ s and sister ’ s keepers , ” Michelle says .
“ And that ’ s how I was raised !
” As easy as it is to enjoy their banter , you already know the Obamas are good for inspiring us to be our best selves as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are hurting out there right now and are confused and that ’ s OK , ” Michelle says .
“ But as I ’ ve seen , as Barack has seen , we can take that anger , that disappointment and turn it into something useful .
Perhaps , even something hopeful .
But we just have to keep having those conversations because once we start the conversation there is no telling where it will go.
” The Michelle Obama Podcast is available now on Spotify .
Join the discussion !
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

Jay Connor on The Grapevine, shared by Jay Connor to The Root

In this day and age, everybody has a podcast.
But in an oversaturated market rife with hundreds of thousands of shows that either go unheralded or unheard, I think it’s safe to say that The Michelle Obama Podcast won’t have any problems whatsoever standing out. And in its premiere episode, our Forever First Lady is joined by the man who should’ve never left office: our Forever President, Barack Obama.
The coronavirus has completely upended our way of life, from our health to our financial stability to even how we interact as human beings, so it’s only fitting that the Obamas discuss our responsibility to our country and our communities during this perilous time.
Advertisement
“Sometimes this relationship might be a source of fulfillment or meaning or joy,” Michelle says. “Other times, it might provoke questions that we don’t quite know the answer to. What we’re really talking about is our place in this world. How we feel about it and what we can do with the power we have.”
Throughout the course of the 49-minute episode, Barack and Michelle explore their upbringings and how those surroundings inspired them to become more actively involved in their communities.
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“It wasn’t the classic nuclear family. It was a tight-knit family,” Barack says. “We felt loved and supported. And that’s obviously where a community starts.
“Your values always start with those closest to you, right? So, my mom deeply believed in everybody being worthy of love, praise, and support.”
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“At the core of everything you have done politically, what I know about you as a person and one of the reasons why I fell in love with you is [...] because you are guided by the principle that we are each other’s brother’s and sister’s keepers,” Michelle says. “And that’s how I was raised!”
As easy as it is to enjoy their banter, you already know the Obamas are good for inspiring us to be our best selves as well.
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“I know a lot of you are hurting out there right now and are confused and that’s OK,” Michelle says. “But as I’ve seen, as Barack has seen, we can take that anger, that disappointment and turn it into something useful. Perhaps, even something hopeful. But we just have to keep having those conversations because once we start the conversation there is no telling where it will go.”
The Michelle Obama Podcast is available now on Spotify.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-07-30--A Republican Minnesota County Official Resigns After Posting Picture That Compared Mask Mandate to N

A Republican Minnesota County Official Resigns After Posting Picture That Compared Mask Mandate to Nazi Germany

I feel like anytime a Republican is faced with a mild inconvenience , their first instinct is to compare it to Nazi Germany .
An unhinged president with increasingly authoritarian tendencies is fine , but wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of a deadly virus ?
Well , that ’ s where one county official in Minnesota drew the line .
CNN reports that an official for the Republican Party in Wabasha County has resigned after posting a picture on the group ’ s Facebook page that compared the mask mandate to Jews being forced to wear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ *deep , heavy sigh* Every day , we drift further and further from God ’ s light .
At first , Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan released a statement on Tuesday alleging that the organization ’ s Facebook page had been hacked only to retract that statement later the same day .
“ The Republican Party of Minnesota has learned the Wabasha County Facebook page was not hacked last night , as believed by the Wabasha County Chair .
The offensive picture was unfortunately posted by a board member who has resigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request , ” Carnahan said in a statement on Tuesday .
The post has been removed and Carnahan has apologized for the post , which she called “ vitriolic.
” Jewish Community Action , an activist group based in Minnesota , posted a screenshot of the post in a tweet condemning it .
The post featured a black and white image of a man wearing the Star of David alongside a Nazi officer with the captions “ Just put on the star and quit complaining , it ’ s not that hard ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put on the mask and stop complaining ” at the bottom .
Carnahan tweeted a response to the organization on Monday .
“ This post was brought to @ mngop ’ s attention today .
Immediately we reached out to the Wabasha board .
They believe this was a hack and are removing their FB page immediately , ” Carnahan wrote .
“ Our party does not support/condone divisive and harmful posts or language of this nature.
” Which , considering who they ’ re backing for president , isn ’ t entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Democratic Gov .
Tim Walz signed an order requiring citizens to wear a mask at all indoor businesses .
The official who made the post has yet to be named , though they can be added to the growing list of people who have lost their job for being outright foul on the internet .

I feel like anytime a Republican is faced with a mild inconvenience, their first instinct is to compare it to Nazi Germany. An unhinged president with increasingly authoritarian tendencies is fine, but wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of a deadly virus? Well, that’s where one county official in Minnesota drew the line.
CNN reports that an official for the Republican Party in Wabasha County has resigned after posting a picture on the group’s Facebook page that compared the mask mandate to Jews being forced to wear the Star of David in Nazi Germany.
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*deep, heavy sigh* Every day, we drift further and further from God’s light.
At first, Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan released a statement on Tuesday alleging that the organization’s Facebook page had been hacked only to retract that statement later the same day. “The Republican Party of Minnesota has learned the Wabasha County Facebook page was not hacked last night, as believed by the Wabasha County Chair. The offensive picture was unfortunately posted by a board member who has resigned effective immediately at the party’s request,” Carnahan said in a statement on Tuesday.
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The post has been removed and Carnahan has apologized for the post, which she called “vitriolic.” Jewish Community Action, an activist group based in Minnesota, posted a screenshot of the post in a tweet condemning it. The post featured a black and white image of a man wearing the Star of David alongside a Nazi officer with the captions “Just put on the star and quit complaining, it’s not that hard” at the top and, “Just put on the mask and stop complaining” at the bottom.
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Carnahan tweeted a response to the organization on Monday. “This post was brought to @mngop’s attention today. Immediately we reached out to the Wabasha board. They believe this was a hack and are removing their FB page immediately,” Carnahan wrote. “Our party does not support/condone divisive and harmful posts or language of this nature.”
Which, considering who they’re backing for president, isn’t entirely accurate.
Over the weekend, Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signed an order requiring citizens to wear a mask at all indoor businesses. The official who made the post has yet to be named, though they can be added to the growing list of people who have lost their job for being outright foul on the internet.