theroot--2020-06-20--Beyoncé Drops New Song "Black Parade," Lifts Up Black-Owned Businesses on Juneteenth

Juneteenth , the holiday recognizing the end of slavery in the U.S. , was marked by widespread celebrations across the country yesterday—bringing a bright spot of joy in a year that ’ s left the Black community experiencing more than its fair share of sorrow .
Beyoncé helped make the day a special one by releasing a new song “ Black Parade , ” on Tidal , Spotify , and other music streaming platforms on Friday night in honor of Juneteenth .
The jubilant anthem invites listeners to celebrate the beauty of blackness , and Beyoncé ’ s powerful voice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminiscent of Africa .
In her now-signature rapping and singing style , talks her Beyoncé shit in the song : Need peace and reparation for my people ( Woo ) Fuck these laid edges , I ’ ma let it shrivel up ( Shrivel up ) Fuck this fade and waves I ’ ma let it dread all up ( Dread all up ) Put your fists up in the air , show black love ( Show black love ) Motherland drip on me , motherland , motherland drip on me Among my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a note posted on her official website , Beyoncé revealed that the proceeds of “ Black Parade ” will be used to benefit black-owned small businesses in need—an especially worthy cause since such businesses have been disproportionately shuttered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Queen Bey also used her platform to uplift a directory of over 150 black businesses , among them companies that sell everything from handmade candles to visual art and even beauty products like sunscreen .
“ Being Black is your activism .
Black excellence is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your right , ” Beyoncé added on her website .
I ’ ll be spending the rest of the weekend practicing Black joy by bopping to “ Black Parade.
” Melanin , melanin , my drip is skin deep ... .Ooh , motherland , motherland , motherland , motherland drip on me ...

Juneteenth, the holiday recognizing the end of slavery in the U.S., was marked by widespread celebrations across the country yesterday—bringing a bright spot of joy in a year that’s left the Black community experiencing more than its fair share of sorrow.
Beyoncé helped make the day a special one by releasing a new song “Black Parade,” on Tidal, Spotify, and other music streaming platforms on Friday night in honor of Juneteenth. The jubilant anthem invites listeners to celebrate the beauty of blackness, and Beyoncé ’s powerful voice rings out over an instrumental that is reminiscent of Africa.
Advertisement
In her now-signature rapping and singing style, talks her Beyoncé shit in the song:
Need peace and reparation for my people (Woo)
Fuck these laid edges, I’ma let it shrivel up (Shrivel up)
Fuck this fade and waves I’ma let it dread all up (Dread all up)
Put your fists up in the air, show black love (Show black love)
Motherland drip on me, motherland, motherland drip on me
Advertisement Advertisement
Among my favorite lines from the song are:
Being black, baby that’s the reason why they always mad.
Been past em’, I know that’s the reason why they all big mad and they always have been.
Advertisement
And
Put us any-damn-where, we gon’ make it look cute
Cuz, where’s the lie?
In a note posted on her official website, Beyoncé revealed that the proceeds of “Black Parade” will be used to benefit black-owned small businesses in need—an especially worthy cause since such businesses have been disproportionately shuttered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advertisement
Queen Bey also used her platform to uplift a directory of over 150 black businesses, among them companies that sell everything from handmade candles to visual art and even beauty products like sunscreen.
“Being Black is your activism. Black excellence is a form of protest. Black joy is your right,” Beyoncé added on her website.
Advertisement
I’ll be spending the rest of the weekend practicing Black joy by bopping to “Black Parade.”
Melanin, melanin, my drip is skin deep....Ooh, motherland, motherland, motherland, motherland drip on me...


theroot--2020-06-20--30 Days of Iconic Music Video Blackness With VSB, Day 20: Stepanie Mills, '(You're Puttin') A Rush O

30 Days of Iconic Music Video Blackness With VSB, Day 20: Stepanie Mills, '(You're Puttin') A Rush On Me'

I can not tell you how much I love Stephanie Mills ’ video for “ ( You ’ re Puttin ’ ) A Rush On Me ” so I won ’ t even try .
I love it a lot lot , though .
What I will attempt to explain is why I love this video so much .
For starters , I ’ d be willing to bet good money that a significant amount of people haven ’ t seen this video .
It was put on YouTube in December 2010 and has racked up only 2.5 million views @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since this song was a # 1 R & B hit and charted on the pop charts , but I ’ m guessing most of us just didn ’ t know it had a video .
Because if we did , whew chile , we ’ d talk about it like the true artistic gem that it is .
Why do I think this video is iconic ?
Here ’ s why : I ’ m convinced that Mary J. Blige owes her entire desire to dance on film to this video .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I knew that Stephanie Mills couldn ’ t dance until I saw this video .
And it isn ’ t like I ever thought to myself , “ I ’ ll bet Stephanie Mills can dance , ” but this video puts me firmly in the she can not camp .
But she is wearing that black cat suit .
It ’ s just so hard to notice because some of her dance moves are so pantheon level bad ( but bad so good ) that I keep forgetting how good she looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was on that Angela Bassett workout plan years before Angela Bassett got on that Angela Bassett workout plan .
Stephanie Mills was killin ’ the game .
For instance , at the 1:58 mark , what is she doing ?
I love it .
I do this when I go out ; I didn ’ t even know I did it because she did it .
Stephanie Mills is a trendsetter .
Also , this video is heavy on the stalker vibe .
Buddy was creepy from jump , but then he chased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gallery ( why either of them is still there is beyond me , but at least she has a music video to shoot ) for a whole video trying to get a dinner date at his house AFTER she both told him and sang him a whole song about the fact that he ’ s pushing a rush on him and she ’ s not that kind of girl .
He needs to read the room .
But seriously , back to the dancing : this whole video set the stage for Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of number of artists who attempted to dance in videos when the rainbow was enough .
I mean , the 2:58 point—I stan .
She even breaks out into some Tae-Bo at around the 3:30 mark .
This video is everything , I love it .
It ’ s both inspirational and aspirational .
And it ’ s Stephanie Mills , an icon .

Panama Jackson on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Panama Jackson to The Root

I cannot tell you how much I love Stephanie Mills’ video for “(You’re Puttin’) A Rush On Me” so I won’t even try. I love it a lot lot, though. What I will attempt to explain is why I love this video so much. For starters, I’d be willing to bet good money that a significant amount of people haven’t seen this video. It was put on YouTube in December 2010 and has racked up only 2.5 million views. This is somewhat surprising to me since this song was a #1 R&B hit and charted on the pop charts, but I’m guessing most of us just didn’t know it had a video. Because if we did, whew chile, we’d talk about it like the true artistic gem that it is.
Stephanie Mills “(You’re Puttin’) A Rush On Me” (1987)
Why do I think this video is iconic? Here’s why: I’m convinced that Mary J. Blige owes her entire desire to dance on film to this video. Like I don’t even think I knew that Stephanie Mills couldn’t dance until I saw this video. And it isn’t like I ever thought to myself, “I’ll bet Stephanie Mills can dance,” but this video puts me firmly in the she cannot camp. But she is wearing that black cat suit. It’s just so hard to notice because some of her dance moves are so pantheon level bad (but bad so good) that I keep forgetting how good she looks. She clearly hit the gym and was on that Angela Bassett workout plan years before Angela Bassett got on that Angela Bassett workout plan. Stephanie Mills was killin’ the game.
Advertisement
For instance, at the 1:58 mark, what is she doing? I love it. I do this when I go out; I didn’t even know I did it because she did it. Stephanie Mills is a trendsetter. Also, this video is heavy on the stalker vibe. Buddy was creepy from jump, but then he chased her around an empty museum or art gallery (why either of them is still there is beyond me, but at least she has a music video to shoot) for a whole video trying to get a dinner date at his house AFTER she both told him and sang him a whole song about the fact that he’s pushing a rush on him and she’s not that kind of girl. He needs to read the room.
But seriously, back to the dancing: this whole video set the stage for Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey and any of number of artists who attempted to dance in videos when the rainbow was enough. I mean, the 2:58 point—I stan. She even breaks out into some Tae-Bo at around the 3:30 mark. This video is everything, I love it. It’s both inspirational and aspirational. And it’s Stephanie Mills, an icon.


theroot--2020-06-19--My Ancestors Want Me to Make a Banana Pudding for Juneteenth [Updated]

She was a good cook when it came to things she liked—rice , chicken , all kinds of soul food and sweet desserts—and a bad cook for things she didn ’ t understand or eat .
For years , I thought steak was supposed to be tough like shoe leather and chewier than gum .
I thought spaghetti and taco meat were supposed to be soupy .
Basically , she was kind of annoyed that this was her job .
“ What do you want for dinner ” often meant “ what ’ s the fastest and easiest thing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have very similar personalities , and , I too , would have bristled at this being my “ job ” when you ’ re intellectually curious , college-educated and mentally quite rigorous .
One of my mother ’ s and my favorite past-times was reading the newspaper aloud to each other while looking up words we might not have recognized in the dictionary , dissecting definitions .
Our other favorite activity ?
Going to the library to get books .
I know , I know .
We were nerds .
But we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who could talk from sun up to sun down about any and everything , just as she ’ d done with her own mother before me .
We were a team .
While the cooking was hit-or-miss , my mother , who was a stay-at-home mom and former school teacher , was an expert at the other domestic arts that didn ’ t involve pots or pans .
She could sew and she could crochet and she could clean to the point where you could safely eat off the floor , any floor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great at doing hair and an excellent braider , a skill neither myself nor my sisters really cultivated .
But other than some weak allusions to needing a maid ( ha , like she ’ d ever trust a stranger to clean her home ) , cooking was the only thing she seemed to really not give two shits about .
Still , every now and then , Mama would really shine at something in the kitchen , and holidays were where she would show out .
Thanksgiving , Easter and Christmas were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Juneteenth was no different .
She had a tangy potato salad I ’ ve yet to see replicated well by anyone other than my father , and the dessert of choice ?
Banana Pudding .
Anyone who knows me well , like my family or close friends , knows I love food .
I probably love it too much , considering my waistline .
I also enjoy cooking so much I started a food insta , and banana pudding—something I ’ ve only undertaken twice more than a decade ago—is my second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They ’ re both desserts I never tire of and could literally eat after every meal until I die from , hopefully , old age .
For Juneteenth this year , I ’ ve decided I ’ m going to make a banana pudding .
Unfortunately , my lovely mother who was an expert at banana puddings was diagnosed with dementia around 2013 and died December 2018 , so I have no one to really point me in the right direction .
My father , an excellent cook in his own right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked him if he knew where Mama ’ s banana pudding recipe was .
Then , he gave this advice : “ As long as you have some good bananas you ’ ll be all right.
” So since I ’ m still afraid of getting COVID-19 , I ordered some bananas for delivery .
Now for a good banana pudding that lasts , you need bananas that are firm and have just freshly turned yellow because they will start to go bad pretty fast even if they are in the fridge if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you have a very green banana , it might go bad before it ever turns yellow , making it useless .
Both my grocery delivery services sent me , by far , the greenest bananas I ’ ve ever seen in life .
Like , bananas so green they look like they should still be on the tree .
Meaning , at some point , I ’ m going to have to put on a mask and actually walk around the corner to the grocery store , get in line , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m going to do it because my soul and the ancestors demand that I make banana pudding to honor them ( and my belly ) for Juneteenth .
So if you want to possibly screw up one of the easiest desserts to make by jacking up the homemade vanilla custard with me , here ’ s the recipe I ’ m going to try , as my dad is not interested in digging through the various recipe books and disorganized recipe cards in the home he shared with my mom .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress , whether I succeed or not .
Because in cooking , the adventure of it is half the fun—unless you ’ re my mom .
Then it ’ s just , like , the shackles of the patriarchy keeping you from fulfilling your dreams of having someone , anyone else cook .
Update : 10:22 a.m. EDT , June 20 , 2020 : Success !
The banana pudding was made and it was ... delicious !

My mother hated to cook.
She was a good cook when it came to things she liked—rice, chicken, all kinds of soul food and sweet desserts—and a bad cook for things she didn’t understand or eat. For years, I thought steak was supposed to be tough like shoe leather and chewier than gum. I thought spaghetti and taco meat were supposed to be soupy. Basically, she was kind of annoyed that this was her job. “What do you want for dinner” often meant “what’s the fastest and easiest thing to cook?”
Honestly, you couldn’t blame her.
My mother and I have very similar personalities, and, I too, would have bristled at this being my “job” when you’re intellectually curious, college-educated and mentally quite rigorous. One of my mother’s and my favorite past-times was reading the newspaper aloud to each other while looking up words we might not have recognized in the dictionary, dissecting definitions. Our other favorite activity? Going to the library to get books.
Advertisement
I know, I know. We were nerds.
But we were glorious, joined at the hip nerds who could talk from sun up to sun down about any and everything, just as she’d done with her own mother before me. We were a team.
Advertisement Advertisement
While the cooking was hit-or-miss, my mother, who was a stay-at-home mom and former school teacher, was an expert at the other domestic arts that didn’t involve pots or pans.
She could sew and she could crochet and she could clean to the point where you could safely eat off the floor, any floor, in our home. She was great at doing hair and an excellent braider, a skill neither myself nor my sisters really cultivated. But other than some weak allusions to needing a maid (ha, like she’d ever trust a stranger to clean her home), cooking was the only thing she seemed to really not give two shits about. Still, every now and then, Mama would really shine at something in the kitchen, and holidays were where she would show out. Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas were delicious feasts, and in the summertime, Juneteenth was no different. She had a tangy potato salad I’ve yet to see replicated well by anyone other than my father, and the dessert of choice? Banana Pudding.
Advertisement
Anyone who knows me well, like my family or close friends, knows I love food. I probably love it too much, considering my waistline. I also enjoy cooking so much I started a food insta, and banana pudding—something I’ve only undertaken twice more than a decade ago—is my second favorite dessert, right behind peach cobbler. They’re both desserts I never tire of and could literally eat after every meal until I die from, hopefully, old age.
For Juneteenth this year, I’ve decided I’m going to make a banana pudding. Unfortunately, my lovely mother who was an expert at banana puddings was diagnosed with dementia around 2013 and died December 2018, so I have no one to really point me in the right direction. My father, an excellent cook in his own right, was of little help when I asked him if he knew where Mama’s banana pudding recipe was.
Advertisement
“Just google it,” he said.
Then, he gave this advice: “As long as you have some good bananas you’ll be all right.”
Advertisement
So since I’m still afraid of getting COVID-19, I ordered some bananas for delivery. Now for a good banana pudding that lasts, you need bananas that are firm and have just freshly turned yellow because they will start to go bad pretty fast even if they are in the fridge if they’re too ripe. Buuuuut if you have a very green banana, it might go bad before it ever turns yellow, making it useless. Both my grocery delivery services sent me, by far, the greenest bananas I’ve ever seen in life. Like, bananas so green they look like they should still be on the tree. Meaning, at some point, I’m going to have to put on a mask and actually walk around the corner to the grocery store, get in line, and purchase them in person.
Which I’m dreading!
But I’m going to do it because my soul and the ancestors demand that I make banana pudding to honor them (and my belly) for Juneteenth.
Advertisement
So if you want to possibly screw up one of the easiest desserts to make by jacking up the homemade vanilla custard with me, here’s the recipe I’m going to try, as my dad is not interested in digging through the various recipe books and disorganized recipe cards in the home he shared with my mom. I promise to update this post with my progress, whether I succeed or not.
Because in cooking, the adventure of it is half the fun—unless you’re my mom. Then it’s just, like, the shackles of the patriarchy keeping you from fulfilling your dreams of having someone, anyone else cook.
Advertisement
Update: 10:22 a.m. EDT, June 20, 2020: Success! The banana pudding was made and it was...delicious!


theroot--2020-06-16--Save Your Floors From Dirt and Grime With $130 off a Dyson V10 Cordless Vacuum From Newegg

Sweeping is a fine way to clean your hardwood floors , but it ’ s no fun , and it @ @ @ @ @ any good when it comes time to clean your carpet .
By grabbing a good @ @ @ @ @ re alleviating the need to fumble a cord from room to room , and you @ @ @ @ @ to dread sweeping on weekends anymore .
Dyson ’ s V10 cordless vacuum is a @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll get the job done without much fuss , and you can get a @ @ @ @ @ off , bringing it down to $ 270 , right now at Newegg .
It @ @ @ @ @ 60 minutes per charge , so you should be able to cover most of your @ @ @ @ @ turn it into a handheld vacuum if need be , to get tough-to-reach spots , @ @ @ @ @ a quick clean after a weekend drive with the kiddos .

Jordan McMahon on Kinja Deals, shared by Elizabeth Henges to The Root

Dyson V10 Cordless Vacuum (Refurbished) | $270 | Newegg
Sweeping is a fine way to clean your hardwood floors, but it’s no fun, and it won’t do you any good when it comes time to clean your carpet. By grabbing a good cordless vacuum, you’re alleviating the need to fumble a cord from room to room, and you probably won’t have to dread sweeping on weekends anymore. Dyson’s V10 cordless vacuum is a light, easy-to-handle vacuum that’ll get the job done without much fuss, and you can get a refurbished model for $130 off, bringing it down to $270, right now at Newegg.
It can run for up to 60 minutes per charge, so you should be able to cover most of your apartment. You can also turn it into a handheld vacuum if need be, to get tough-to-reach spots, or even give your car a quick clean after a weekend drive with the kiddos.


theroot--2020-06-21--Government Spy Planes and Drones Were Surveilling Recent Black Lives Matter Protests

New reports have revealed that both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security were using spy planes and other airborne surveillance technology to monitor the protests for black lives that have been taking place across the country .
Despite saying it does not monitor activity protected by the First Amendment , the FBI used a Cessna jet specially equipped with cameras for long-range video surveillance to capture footage above protests in Washington D.C. earlier this month , reports Buzzfeed News .
Normally , this elite spy plane is deployed for some of the FBI ’ s most important surveillance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when federal agents arrest drug traffickers or violent gang members .
But this isn ’ t the first time it has flown over Black Lives Matter protests : A BuzzFeed News review of flight tracking records has established that the same aircraft circled above Baltimore in April and May of 2015 , during the unrest that followed the death of Freddie Gray from severe injuries sustained in police custody .
A Freedom of Information request filed by the ACLU in 2015 revealed that the FBI had recorded video surveillance footage via planes flown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Freddie Grey .
The Department of Homeland Security has also gone full throttle in monitoring Americans practicing their constitutional right to assemble over the past few weeks .
More than 270 hours of demonstration footage from across 15 cities was logged by Homeland Security using drones , helicopters , and airplanes , the New York Times reported .
Aircraft filmed demonstrations in Dayton , Ohio ; New York City ; Buffalo and Philadelphia , among other cities , sending video footage in real time to control centers managed by Air and Marine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Border Protection .
The footage was then fed into a digital network managed by the Homeland Security Department , called “ Big Pipe , ” which can be accessed by other federal agencies and local police departments for use in future investigations , according to senior officials with Air and Marine Operations. House Democrats wrote to the acting head of Homeland Security Chad Wolf earlier this month about their concern at surveillance taking place above demonstrations in Minneapolis , saying “ the deployment of drones and officers to surveil protests is a gross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when used against Americans who are protesting law enforcement brutality.
” The letter requested a list of jurisdictions where the DHS has conducted or assisted in conducting protest surveillance since May , and who in each jurisdiction made the request for such assistance .
The question of who is making these orders is an especially relevant one .
A preliminary investigation by the National Guard recently found that a lack of clarity in orders was what led to a military helicopter flying low and kicking up strong wind and debris around protestors in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by military in overseas combat zones according to CNN .
The Department of Homeland Security has claimed that the drones it used to monitor recent protests in Minneapolis , Buffalo , and Del Rio in Texas were not programmed to fly low enough to detect faces , but I wouldn ’ t take their word for it .

New reports have revealed that both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security were using spy planes and other airborne surveillance technology to monitor the protests for black lives that have been taking place across the country.
Despite saying it does not monitor activity protected by the First Amendment, the FBI used a Cessna jet specially equipped with cameras for long-range video surveillance to capture footage above protests in Washington D.C. earlier this month, reports Buzzfeed News.
Advertisement
From Buzzfeed:
Normally, this elite spy plane is deployed for some of the FBI’s most important surveillance missions, providing eyes in the sky when federal agents arrest drug traffickers or violent gang members. But this isn’t the first time it has flown over Black Lives Matter protests: A BuzzFeed News review of flight tracking records has established that the same aircraft circled above Baltimore in April and May of 2015, during the unrest that followed the death of Freddie Gray from severe injuries sustained in police custody.
Advertisement Advertisement
A Freedom of Information request filed by the ACLU in 2015 revealed that the FBI had recorded video surveillance footage via planes flown over protests in Baltimore against the killing of Freddie Grey.
The Department of Homeland Security has also gone full throttle in monitoring Americans practicing their constitutional right to assemble over the past few weeks. More than 270 hours of demonstration footage from across 15 cities was logged by Homeland Security using drones, helicopters, and airplanes, the New York Times reported.
Advertisement
From the Times:
Aircraft filmed demonstrations in Dayton, Ohio; New York City; Buffalo and Philadelphia, among other cities, sending video footage in real time to control centers managed by Air and Marine Operations, a branch of Customs and Border Protection. The footage was then fed into a digital network managed by the Homeland Security Department, called “Big Pipe,” which can be accessed by other federal agencies and local police departments for use in future investigations, according to senior officials with Air and Marine Operations.
Advertisement
House Democrats wrote to the acting head of Homeland Security Chad Wolf earlier this month about their concern at surveillance taking place above demonstrations in Minneapolis, saying “the deployment of drones and officers to surveil protests is a gross abuse of authority and is particularly chilling when used against Americans who are protesting law enforcement brutality.”
The letter requested a list of jurisdictions where the DHS has conducted or assisted in conducting protest surveillance since May, and who in each jurisdiction made the request for such assistance.
Advertisement
The question of who is making these orders is an especially relevant one.
A preliminary investigation by the National Guard recently found that a lack of clarity in orders was what led to a military helicopter flying low and kicking up strong wind and debris around protestors in Washington on June 1—a common tactic used by military in overseas combat zones according to CNN.
Advertisement
The Department of Homeland Security has claimed that the drones it used to monitor recent protests in Minneapolis, Buffalo, and Del Rio in Texas were not programmed to fly low enough to detect faces, but I wouldn’t take their word for it.
Stay woke, y’all.


theroot--2020-06-21--D.L. Hughley Tests Positive for COVID-19 After Collapsing On Stage in Nashville

Comedian D.L .
Hughley has COVID-19 .
He was diagnosed with coronavirus after being tested at a hospital in Nashville where he was taken after collapsing on stage at a comedy show on Friday , Hughley revealed in a video on Instagram over the weekend .
“ I was what they call asymptomatic.
” Hughley said .
“ I didn ’ t have any of the classic symptoms .
I didn ’ t have flu-like symptoms , I didn ’ t have shortness of breath , I didn ’ t have difficulty breathing , I didn ’ t have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a low grade fever .
I still don ’ t have a fever.
” “ In addition to all the other stuff you have to look out for , if your ass pass out in the middle of a show—on stage—you probably need to get tested , ” he added .
On Friday , videos posted to social media showed Hughley collapsing in the middle of a performance at Zanie ’ s Comedy Night Club in Nashville , Tenessee .
Hughley said he was taken to a hospital and treated for extreme exhaustion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has coronavirus .
He ’ ll now be quarantining for the next fourteen days .
Hopefully Hughley ’ s experience will cause any other entertainers who may be planning to perform in closed rooms with crowds of people to take pause , since COVID-19 is still a very real threat .

Comedian D.L. Hughley has COVID-19. He was diagnosed with coronavirus after being tested at a hospital in Nashville where he was taken after collapsing on stage at a comedy show on Friday, Hughley revealed in a video on Instagram over the weekend.
“I was what they call asymptomatic.” Hughley said. “I didn’t have any of the classic symptoms. I didn’t have flu-like symptoms, I didn’t have shortness of breath, I didn’t have difficulty breathing, I didn’t have a cough, I didn’t have a low grade fever. I still don’t have a fever.”
Advertisement
“In addition to all the other stuff you have to look out for, if your ass pass out in the middle of a show—on stage—you probably need to get tested,” he added.
Advertisement Advertisement
On Friday, videos posted to social media showed Hughley collapsing in the middle of a performance at Zanie’s Comedy Night Club in Nashville, Tenessee. Hughley said he was taken to a hospital and treated for extreme exhaustion and dehydration before additional tests revealed he has coronavirus.
He’ll now be quarantining for the next fourteen days. Hopefully Hughley’s experience will cause any other entertainers who may be planning to perform in closed rooms with crowds of people to take pause, since COVID-19 is still a very real threat.


theroot--2020-06-21--30 Days of Iconic Music Video Blackness With VSB, Day 21: Will Smith, 'Just the Two of Us'

Today—June 21 , 2020—is Father ’ s Day .
My goal on today was to feature an iconic music video about black fathers and fatherhood .
And you know what feels like damn near an impossible task ?
Finding a music video for a song celebrating black fathers and black fatherhood .
In fact , there were so few videos in this particular “ genre ” that Will Smith ’ s 1998 song ( and video ) , was almost the default choice for me .
It ’ s iconic just for existing .
Will Smith “ Just the Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are others , like Luther Vandross ’ “ Dance With My Father ” —a go to father-daughter wedding dance song , which is remarkably sad considering the occasion .
Now , there are way more songs that talk about fatherhood by black artists in a positive light , but those playlists are very , very short .
Having spent considerable time searching for both songs and videos displaying positivity in the name of fathers , I gained a newfound appreciation for this song ’ s existence .
The message is important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myth that black men are allergic to fatherhood .
And I realize that everybody doesn ’ t have a great relationship with their father ; some have no relationship at all .
My own family isn ’ t immune from this .
I was fortunate enough to grow up with my father who managed to be a role model for me , and I ’ m also surrounded by a slew of friends who are active present and happy fathers so Father ’ s Day , for me is usually celebratory .
Will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows pictures and scenes of other men , with the majority being black men , being fathers with their kids and I can appreciate that .
So on this Father ’ s Day , Will ’ s video that demonstrates a version of black life where the fathers are present and accounted for , with purpose and intention , is the pick .
That ’ s what fatherhood looks like for me and is what I want my kids to see and what I will show them as long as God allows .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1998 that by 2020 he ’ d still have one of the few music videos celebrating fathers and fatherhood , but here we are .
And that makes it iconic .

Today—June 21, 2020—is Father’s Day. My goal on today was to feature an iconic music video about black fathers and fatherhood. And you know what feels like damn near an impossible task? Finding a music video for a song celebrating black fathers and black fatherhood. In fact, there were so few videos in this particular “genre” that Will Smith’s 1998 song (and video), was almost the default choice for me. It’s iconic just for existing.
Will Smith “Just the Two of Us” (1998)
Yes, there are others, like Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father”—a go to father-daughter wedding dance song, which is remarkably sad considering the occasion. Now, there are way more songs that talk about fatherhood by black artists in a positive light, but those playlists are very, very short.
Advertisement
Having spent considerable time searching for both songs and videos displaying positivity in the name of fathers, I gained a newfound appreciation for this song’s existence. The message is important. There’s been this longstanding myth that black men are allergic to fatherhood. And I realize that everybody doesn’t have a great relationship with their father; some have no relationship at all. My own family isn’t immune from this. I was fortunate enough to grow up with my father who managed to be a role model for me, and I’m also surrounded by a slew of friends who are active present and happy fathers so Father’s Day, for me is usually celebratory.
Will’s video features his son and shows pictures and scenes of other men, with the majority being black men, being fathers with their kids and I can appreciate that. So on this Father’s Day, Will’s video that demonstrates a version of black life where the fathers are present and accounted for, with purpose and intention, is the pick. That’s what fatherhood looks like for me and is what I want my kids to see and what I will show them as long as God allows. I’m not sure Will knew in 1998 that by 2020 he’d still have one of the few music videos celebrating fathers and fatherhood, but here we are. And that makes it iconic.
Advertisement Advertisement
Happy Father’s Day.


theroot--2020-06-21--Ticket Holder Wearing 'I Can't Breathe' Shirt Arrested at Trump's Barely Attended Rally in Tulsa

You ’ d think Trump and his personal enforcers—aka , the police—would celebrate any legitimate ticket holder seeking to attend his woefully underwhelming rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma yesterday .
Alas , that was not the case .
Yesterday , MSNBC news cameras outside of the BOK center in Tulsa captured officers from the Tulsa Police Department handcuffing Sheila Buck , a kindergarten teacher wearing a shirt with the words “ I Can ’ t Breathe , ” which have been a refrain at recent Black Lives Matter protests : “ I was surrounded and was told I could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trespassing on a private event and I wasn ’ t wanted there , ” Buck recounted her arrest to Tulsa World , reiterating that she had a ticket for the event .
But that didn ’ t matter a bit to the police in the area , who seemed to fully embrace it as their job to do whatever the Trump campaign directed them to .
“ It is their event , and they requested it , ” police spokesperson Jeanne Pierce told Tulsa World when asked why Buck was arrested .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the event is not a contributing factor for the Tulsa police in making the arrest , ” Pierce added .
“ Officers at the location , particularly in the ‘ sterile ’ area , will remove individuals only at the direction of campaign staff.
” Buck was later booked to a Tulsa Jail on a complaint of obstructing officers .
Meanwhile , the gathering of MAGA followers fell far below the Trump campaign ’ s expectations .
Despite the President tweeting ahead of the rally that almost one million people had registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BOK center on Saturday revealed that the showing was a little ... scraggly : The less-than-impressive turnout is now being attributed to some epic trolling from teens on Tik Tok , according to a report from CNN : It ’ s not hard to imagine that Gen Z outsmarted the band of fools running the Trump campaign , though the latter is now denying that the coordinated action ( or , I don ’ t know , the fact that there is a pandemic currently happening ! )
accounts for the pathetic showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We had legitimate 300k signups of Republicans who voted in the last four elections .
Those are not [ TikTok ] kids , ” a campaign official told CNN .
“ It was fear of violent protests.
” Thank God the cops got Sheila Buck then .

You’d think Trump and his personal enforcers—aka, the police—would celebrate any legitimate ticket holder seeking to attend his woefully underwhelming rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma yesterday.
Alas, that was not the case. Yesterday, MSNBC news cameras outside of the BOK center in Tulsa captured officers from the Tulsa Police Department handcuffing Sheila Buck, a kindergarten teacher wearing a shirt with the words “I Can’t Breathe,” which have been a refrain at recent Black Lives Matter protests:
Advertisement
“I was surrounded and was told I could not go any further and that I was trespassing on a private event and I wasn’t wanted there,” Buck recounted her arrest to Tulsa World, reiterating that she had a ticket for the event.
But that didn’t matter a bit to the police in the area, who seemed to fully embrace it as their job to do whatever the Trump campaign directed them to.
Advertisement Advertisement
“It is their event, and they requested it,” police spokesperson Jeanne Pierce told Tulsa World when asked why Buck was arrested.
“Whether she had a ticket or not for the event is not a contributing factor for the Tulsa police in making the arrest,” Pierce added. “Officers at the location, particularly in the ‘sterile’ area, will remove individuals only at the direction of campaign staff.”
Advertisement
Buck was later booked to a Tulsa Jail on a complaint of obstructing officers.
Meanwhile, the gathering of MAGA followers fell far below the Trump campaign’s expectations. Despite the President tweeting ahead of the rally that almost one million people had registered to attend, dispatches from media at BOK center on Saturday revealed that the showing was a little...scraggly:
Advertisement
The less-than-impressive turnout is now being attributed to some epic trolling from teens on Tik Tok, according to a report from CNN:
A coordinated effort was underway on TikTok in the days leading up to Trump’s Saturday rally, encouraging people to register online for the free event and not show up. TikTok is normally thought of as a platform for dancing teenagers and not, necessarily, political action.
Advertisement
It’s not hard to imagine that Gen Z outsmarted the band of fools running the Trump campaign, though the latter is now denying that the coordinated action (or, I don’t know, the fact that there is a pandemic currently happening!) accounts for the pathetic showing at the rally in Tulsa.
“We had legitimate 300k signups of Republicans who voted in the last four elections. Those are not [TikTok] kids,” a campaign official told CNN. “It was fear of violent protests.”
Advertisement
Thank God the cops got Sheila Buck then.


theroot--2020-06-23--American Airlines Sued for Racial Discrimination After Black Passenger Removed From Flight

In 2017 , the NAACP issued a travel advisory against American Airlines for just being flat out racist .
Three years later , the airline is now facing a lawsuit because a flight attendant just couldn ’ t stop her inner Karen from hopping out .
NBC News reports that Elgin Banks and four other passengers are filing a racial discrimination lawsuit against American Airlines .
Banks was on a flight from Los Angeles to Phoenix when he asked if he could switch seats should any be available after the plane had finished boarding .
Banks was initially told he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had finished boarding and seeing several white passengers switch seats , Elgin asked a flight attendant if he could move .
“ The flight attendant replied , ‘ Sir , step back , ’ in an aggressive and rudely intimidating tone , ” the suit reads .
“ Elgin replied , ‘ okay ma ’ am , all I was asking is if I could get a seat closer to the front.
’ “ The attendant told Banks not to raise his voice and told him to sit down .
Part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to KTLA , which first reported the story .
Banks did as he was told , but soon after was approached by security and told he had to get off the plane .
Several passengers asked why Banks was being removed .
Banks was then removed from the flight along with the passengers who advocated that he shouldn ’ t be removed .
Banks ’ attorney , Theida Salazar , said that Banks and the four other passengers were then informed that they were banned from American Airlines .
“ Silence is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see something that is wrong and unethical ... we need to stand up and say something , ” Brandy Flowers , one of the removed passengers and a plaintiff in the case , told KTLA .
American Airlines disputes this account and said that the passengers were not banned and were given hotel vouchers if they weren ’ t local residents .
“ During the boarding process , he attempted to relocate to the first-class cabin prior to leaving the gate .
One of the seats he attempted to sit in was assigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board required deplaning passengers with the flight departing the next day , ” a spokesperson for American Airlines said in a statement .
This is not the first or even second time that American Airlines has come under fire for being racist .
The rapper Wale tweeted in 2018 that a flight attendant threatened to call the cops because he didn ’ t look like he belonged in first class .
Last year , two Muslim men acc us ed the airline of racially profiling them after being deemed “ suspicious ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of that incident was the company announcing internal changes and implementing company wide bias training .

In 2017, the NAACP issued a travel advisory against American Airlines for just being flat out racist. Three years later, the airline is now facing a lawsuit because a flight attendant just couldn’t stop her inner Karen from hopping out.
NBC News reports that Elgin Banks and four other passengers are filing a racial discrimination lawsuit against American Airlines. Banks was on a flight from Los Angeles to Phoenix when he asked if he could switch seats should any be available after the plane had finished boarding. Banks was initially told he could. After being informed the flight had finished boarding and seeing several white passengers switch seats, Elgin asked a flight attendant if he could move.
Advertisement
From NBC News:
“The flight attendant replied, ‘Sir, step back,’ in an aggressive and rudely intimidating tone,” the suit reads. “Elgin replied, ‘okay ma’am, all I was asking is if I could get a seat closer to the front.’ “ The attendant told Banks not to raise his voice and told him to sit down. Part of the incident was caught on cellphone video, according to KTLA, which first reported the story. Banks did as he was told, but soon after was approached by security and told he had to get off the plane. Several passengers asked why Banks was being removed.
Advertisement Advertisement
Banks was then removed from the flight along with the passengers who advocated that he shouldn’t be removed. Banks’ attorney, Theida Salazar, said that Banks and the four other passengers were then informed that they were banned from American Airlines. “Silence is not an option anymore. When you see something that is wrong and unethical ... we need to stand up and say something,” Brandy Flowers, one of the removed passengers and a plaintiff in the case, told KTLA.
American Airlines disputes this account and said that the passengers were not banned and were given hotel vouchers if they weren’t local residents. “During the boarding process, he attempted to relocate to the first-class cabin prior to leaving the gate. One of the seats he attempted to sit in was assigned to another passenger. The disruption on board required deplaning passengers with the flight departing the next day,” a spokesperson for American Airlines said in a statement.
Advertisement
This is not the first or even second time that American Airlines has come under fire for being racist. The rapper Wale tweeted in 2018 that a flight attendant threatened to call the cops because he didn’t look like he belonged in first class. Last year, two Muslim men acc us ed the airline of racially profiling them after being deemed “suspicious” for flushing twice in the bathroom. The result of that incident was the company announcing internal changes and implementing company wide bias training.
That training clearly didn’t work.


theroot--2020-06-22--Vegetables Deserve to Be Grilled, Here's What You Need to Get Started

The world has been cooking vegetables incorrectly for too long .
I ’ m convinced that we , as a species , are single-handedly responsible for the bad rap vegetables have gotten .
Sure , steamed brussels sprouts are unambiguously disgusting .
But it isn ’ t the sprout ’ s fault .
For decades , parents , and grandparents have done vegetables a disservice , cooking them in the blandest ways possible and forcing us to choke them down , ensuring that we ’ d avoid them at all costs once we finally gained agency over our lives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no excuse for ignoring delicious plant-based sides in 2020—particularly when it ’ s so easy and delicious to toss them on the grill .
Seriously , grilling can make just about any vegetable delicious .
It can even save Broccoli , the unholiest of greens .
Take any vegetable , cut it lengthwise , and toss them right on the grates—maybe brushed with a little oil and salt .
I guarantee it ’ ll change your perception .
I recommend a silicone brush like this duo works well—you want one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recipe calls for basting on the grill .
The same goes for your tongs , which will need to be longer than your typical kitchen tongs to avoid burning your hands ( trust me ) .
Of course , that isn ’ t the only way to grill vegetables , and depending on what you ’ re cooking , it may not even be ideal .
Flipping a bunch of long vegetables is time consuming , and/or risks strips of bell pepper falling through the cracks .
If you want something a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the tried-and-true skewer method .
It ’ s more work upfront skewering everything , but a lot easier to flip in the heat ( heh ) of the moment , when you ’ re trying to grill a bunch of things at once .
Wooden skewers are classic , cheap , and disposable when you ’ re grilling for a lot of people .
But for smaller groups , I ’ ve always found stainless steel skewers like these to be easier .
Some people like the extra stability that double-pronged skewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used them myself .
If skewering everything sounds like too much damn work , you have other options .
For more finely sliced items—or you ’ re including mushrooms , jalapenos , and other small veggies—a grill basket is a godsend .
Let the basket preheat on the grill to set to medium-high .
Then just toss them in the basket—again , brushed with some oil—and stir them occasionally with your tongs so all the vegetables get a turn on the surface .
This is definitely the most hassle-free method , and while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tasty char you do from having them directly on the grill , but you ’ ll still get some of that mallard reaction browning the sides , and the convenience tradeoff can be worth it when your attention is split .
A lot of people swear by stainless steel grill baskets with mostly-flat bottoms , like this one from Weber ( which also comes in a larger size ) .
That ’ s what I use , but Lodge has a pre-seasoned one that is has me very intrigued .
There are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or ones with handles that allow for super-easy flipping ( designed primarily for fish , but they work great with veggies too ) .
Some people skip the basket entirely and just stick their cast iron pan on the grill , though I usually prefer something that allows the oil and moisture to drip out .
Those are my go-to methods for grilling vegetables , but you ’ ll find hybrids of all of the above .
Want the shape of skewered vegetables with the convenience of a basket ?
Boom : skewer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast iron without the grease and moisture buildup from a typical pan ?
Introducing the grill wok .
Apparently , cedar wraps are even a thing , if you want to impart a bit of that smoky flavor to your asparagus .
Don ’ t overthink it , though .
The beauty of grilling is in its versatility and toss-anything-on ease .
As long as you can get some of that delicious browning , you might actually be able to convince yourself to eat those much-needed greens .

Whitson Gordon on The Inventory, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Top Featured Product: Lodge 12" Cast Iron Skillet | $39 | Amazon
The world has been cooking vegetables incorrectly for too long.
I’m convinced that we, as a species, are single-handedly responsible for the bad rap vegetables have gotten. Sure, steamed brussels sprouts are unambiguously disgusting. But it isn’t the sprout’s fault. For decades, parents, and grandparents have done vegetables a disservice, cooking them in the blandest ways possible and forcing us to choke them down, ensuring that we’d avoid them at all costs once we finally gained agency over our lives. But now I know better, and there’s no excuse for ignoring delicious plant-based sides in 2020—particularly when it’s so easy and delicious to toss them on the grill.
Seriously, grilling can make just about any vegetable delicious. It can even save Broccoli, the unholiest of greens. Take any vegetable, cut it lengthwise, and toss them right on the grates—maybe brushed with a little oil and salt. I guarantee it’ll change your perception. I recommend a silicone brush like this duo works well—you want one with a decently long handle in case a recipe calls for basting on the grill. The same goes for your tongs, which will need to be longer than your typical kitchen tongs to avoid burning your hands (trust me).
Advertisement
Of course, that isn’t the only way to grill vegetables, and depending on what you’re cooking, it may not even be ideal. Flipping a bunch of long vegetables is time consuming, and/or risks strips of bell pepper falling through the cracks. If you want something a little easier to work with, go with the tried-and-true skewer method. It’s more work upfront skewering everything, but a lot easier to flip in the heat (heh) of the moment, when you’re trying to grill a bunch of things at once. Wooden skewers are classic, cheap, and disposable when you’re grilling for a lot of people. But for smaller groups, I’ve always found stainless steel skewers like these to be easier. Some people like the extra stability that double-pronged skewers provide, though I’ve never used them myself.
Advertisement Advertisement
Advertisement
If skewering everything sounds like too much damn work, you have other options. For more finely sliced items—or you’re including mushrooms, jalapenos, and other small veggies—a grill basket is a godsend. Let the basket preheat on the grill to set to medium-high. Then just toss them in the basket—again, brushed with some oil—and stir them occasionally with your tongs so all the vegetables get a turn on the surface. This is definitely the most hassle-free method, and while you don’t get quite the tasty char you do from having them directly on the grill, but you’ll still get some of that M ai llard reaction browning the sides, and the convenience tradeoff can be worth it when your attention is split.
A lot of people swear by stainless steel grill baskets with mostly-flat bottoms, like this one from Weber (which also comes in a larger size). That’s what I use, but Lodge has a pre-seasoned one that is has me very intrigued. There are also wire baskets, if you prefer, or ones with handles that allow for super-easy flipping (designed primarily for fish, but they work great with veggies too). Some people skip the basket entirely and just stick their cast iron pan on the grill, though I usually prefer something that allows the oil and moisture to drip out.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Those are my go-to methods for grilling vegetables, but you’ll find hybrids of all of the above. Want the shape of skewered vegetables with the convenience of a basket? Boom: skewer baskets. Want the drool-worthy sear of cast iron without the grease and moisture buildup from a typical pan? Introducing the grill wok. Apparently, cedar wraps are even a thing, if you want to impart a bit of that smoky flavor to your asparagus.
Advertisement
Don’t overthink it, though. The beauty of grilling is in its versatility and toss-anything-on ease. As long as you can get some of that delicious browning, you might actually be able to convince yourself to eat those much-needed greens.


theroot--2020-06-22--Indiana Politician Resigns After Claiming Some Insane Foolishness About 'Uneducated' Voters Breeding

Larry Brown ( the Indiana council member not the former NBA coach ) is a goddamn idiot .
He knows it , the people of Indiana know it and now “ you ain ’ t even got no job , cause you triflin ’ .
” During a county council meeting on June 18 , District Four Council Member Larry Brown , decided to open his dumbass piehole to talk about George Floyd protests happening in his area .
Brown was also apparently annoyed that voters were using their God-given rights to call on more from their elected officials , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say this bullshit : “ As uneducated as they are , obviously , on local government , they do vote .
And , unfortunately , they also breed .
But um , they do vote , and they ’ re gon na be an uneducated voter.
” Wait , we have a live Root reporter in the area : Some 10,000 people and government folks called for Brown to take his ass the fuck home and with that , Fort Wayne ’ s NBC notes that he will be saying whatever he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing it as a councilmen .
“ I offer my sincere apology .
It was a mistake and inappropriate .
It ’ s out there , but I can ’ t pull it back .
I wish I could , but I can ’ t. ” Now what was that about uneducated breeding again , Larry Brown ?

Larry Brown (the Indiana council member not the former NBA coach) is a goddamn idiot.
He knows it, the people of Indiana know it and now “you ain’t even got no job, cause you triflin’.”
Advertisement
During a county council meeting on June 18, District Four Council Member Larry Brown, decided to open his dumbass piehole to talk about George Floyd protests happening in his area. Brown was also apparently annoyed that voters were using their God-given rights to call on more from their elected officials, so he fixed his thin white-ass lips to say this bullshit:
“As uneducated as they are, obviously, on local government, they do vote. And, unfortunately, they also breed. But um, they do vote, and they’re gonna be an uneducated voter.”
Advertisement Advertisement
Wait, we have a live Root reporter in the area:
Some 10,000 people and government folks called for Brown to take his ass the fuck home and with that, Fort Wayne’s NBC notes that he will be saying whatever he wants but he won’t be doing it as a councilmen.
Advertisement
“I offer my sincere apology. It was a mistake and inappropriate. It’s out there, but I can’t pull it back. I wish I could, but I can’t.”
Now what was that about uneducated breeding again, Larry Brown?


theroot--2020-06-22--Long Lines for Black Voters Anticipated as Kentucky Cuts More than 95 Percent of Polling Places Ahea

Long Lines for Black Voters Anticipated as Kentucky Cuts More than 95 Percent of Polling Places Ahead of Its Democratic Primary

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit earlier this spring , voting rights advocates have voiced concern over the country ’ s ability to operate free and fair elections .
Tomorrow , all eyes will be on Kentucky , which will be running its most anticipated Democratic primary in years with only a sliver of in-person polling locations available .
Instead of the typical number of polling stations across the state—a number that normally hovers just under 3,700 , according to CNN—Kentucky will have just 170 stations where residents can vote in person .
State officials slashed the number of available polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about spreading the coronavirus .
For many of the state ’ s black voters , this could spell prohibitively long waiting times to cast their ballot , potentially disenfranchising thousands of voters .
The Democratic primary features a tight race between Charles Booker , a black progressive running for the U.S. Senate , and Amy McGrath , a moderate Democrat .
The winner of Tuesday ’ s primary , which was originally slated for mid-May , will run against Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell in the fall .
The nationwide focus on racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increased attention to the race ; Booker has called to defund the police .
But in Louisville , where 26-year-old Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by city police officers who raided her home in March , only one polling site will be available for the entire county .
Jefferson County , home to Louisville , has the highest proportion of black residents in the state .
As Mother Jones reports , there will be just one polling location in the county for its 616,000 registered voters .
Half of all Kentucky ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Jefferson County .
Stacey Abrams , who lost her bid for Georgia ’ s gubernatorial seat in 2018 after her opponent , Gov .
Brian Kemp , was accused of disenfranchising thousands of black voters , also weighed in on Tuesday ’ s election .
“ Voter suppression is no longer billy clubs & Jim Crow .
It ’ s closed polling sites + 6 hr waits w/o pay .
COVID is no excuse , ” she wrote on Twitter .
“ Who needs to vote in person ?
The disabled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ barriers .
Folks who didn ’ t get their ballots in time .
Americans.
” It ’ s still unclear how many voters will be able to mail in their ballots .
According to CNN , which cited the Kentucky secretary of state ’ s office , the state has issued more than 850,000 mail-in ballots for the primary election .
As of Monday , just over half had been returned .
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by tomorrow in order to count toward the final vote totals for the primary .
Mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters say they had yet to receive their ballot .
In a final effort to fight potential voter suppression , last week , a bipartisan group attempted to get a federal court order to add more polling places to Kentucky ’ s three most populous counties : Jefferson , Fayette , and Kenton .
A federal judge denied that request , which specifically stated concerns about disenfranchising black voters , stating that “ last-minute action by the court would adversely impact the election , ” writes CNN .
For his part , Booker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support voters at the polls tomorrow , organizing ride shares to get voters out and preparing for forthcoming legal action if voting issues arise .
“ We ’ re vigilant .
We ’ re ready , ” Booker told CNN .
“ And we ’ re going to make sure everyone ’ s vote is heard .
”

Since the coronavirus pandemic hit earlier this spring, voting rights advocates have voiced concern over the country’s ability to operate free and fair elections. Tomorrow, all eyes will be on Kentucky, which will be running its most anticipated Democratic primary in years with only a sliver of in-person polling locations available.
Instead of the typical number of polling stations across the state—a number that normally hovers just under 3,700, according to CNN—Kentucky will have just 170 stations where residents can vote in person. State officials slashed the number of available polling sites earlier this year due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus. For many of the state’s black voters, this could spell prohibitively long waiting times to cast their ballot, potentially disenfranchising thousands of voters.
Advertisement
The Democratic primary features a tight race between Charles Booker, a black progressive running for the U.S. Senate, and Amy McGrath, a moderate Democrat. The winner of Tuesday’s primary, which was originally slated for mid-May, will run against Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell in the fall.
The nationwide focus on racial and social justice has brought with it increased attention to the race; Booker has called to defund the police. But in Louisville, where 26-year-old Breonna Taylor was shot and killed by city police officers who raided her home in March, only one polling site will be available for the entire county.
Advertisement Advertisement
Jefferson County, home to Louisville, has the highest proportion of black residents in the state. As Mother Jones reports, there will be just one polling location in the county for its 616,000 registered voters. Half of all Kentucky’s black voters are registered to vote in Jefferson County.
Advertisement
NBA star Lebron James shared Mother Jones writer Ari Berman’s tweet, adding, “This is SYSTEMIC RACISM and OPPRESSION.”
Stacey Abrams, who lost her bid for Georgia’s gubernatorial seat in 2018 after her opponent, Gov. Brian Kemp, was accused of disenfranchising thousands of black voters, also weighed in on Tuesday’s election.
Advertisement
“Voter suppression is no longer billy clubs & Jim Crow. It’s closed polling sites + 6 hr waits w/o pay. COVID is no excuse,” she wrote on Twitter. “Who needs to vote in person? The disabled. The homeless or displaced. Voters w/language barriers. Folks who didn’t get their ballots in time. Americans.”
Advertisement
It’s still unclear how many voters will be able to mail in their ballots. According to CNN, which cited the Kentucky secretary of state’s office, the state has issued more than 850,000 mail-in ballots for the primary election. As of Monday, just over half had been returned. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by tomorrow in order to count toward the final vote totals for the primary. Mother Jones reported over the weekend that some voters say they had yet to receive their ballot.
In a final effort to fight potential voter suppression, last week, a bipartisan group attempted to get a federal court order to add more polling places to Kentucky’s three most populous counties: Jefferson, Fayette, and Kenton. A federal judge denied that request, which specifically stated concerns about disenfranchising black voters, stating that “last-minute action by the court would adversely impact the election,” writes CNN.
Advertisement
For his part, Booker said his campaign was getting ready to support voters at the polls tomorrow, organizing ride shares to get voters out and preparing for forthcoming legal action if voting issues arise.
“We’re vigilant. We’re ready,” Booker told CNN. “And we’re going to make sure everyone’s vote is heard.”


theroot--2020-06-22--California Sheriff's Office Employee Caught Vandalizing a Black Lives Matters Sign

Law enforcement is a sensitive bunch .
Apparently being told “ Hey , don ’ t kill us , ” just gets them in their feelings , s o much so that an employee at the Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Office in California was arrested for vandaliz ing a Black Lives Matter sign .
NBC News reports that a homeowner in Thousand Oaks , Calif , has repeatedly had a tarp placed on the fence in front of their home with the letters “ BLM ” vandalized .
After placing a surveillance camera on top of the fence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60- year- old employee with the Ventura County Sheriff ’ s Department and Craig Anderson , a 59- year- old investigative assistant with the Ventura County District Attorney ’ s Office were partially responsible for the vandalism .
A third man , 58- year- old John Moore was also identified as vandalizing the sign .
The sheriff ’ s office said it recognized one of its employees , Stone , 60 , in footage the owner posted online of a man ripping through the sign with a knife on June 13 and June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stone was off duty at the time of both incidents .
Sheriff Bill Ayub said in a statement , “ I ’ m deeply disappointed that one of our employees involved himself in this type of illegal activity , especially when this is an infringement on someone ’ s First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
” The sheriff said that his department “ will not tolerate unlawful or unethical behavior.
” “ We hold our employees to the highest standards , and there will be consequences for this , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Sheriff ’ s Office for 15 years , most recently as a service technician at the Ventura Pre-Trial Detention Facility .
Anderson worked with the District Attorney ’ s officer for four months before resigning .
Both men were arrested and charged with misdemeanor vandalism .
Due to Anderson ’ s status as a former employee , his case will be overseen by the state Attorney General ’ s office .
For a group of people who ’ ve spent the month being pressed about property damage , they sure seem OK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their point .

Law enforcement is a sensitive bunch. Apparently being told “Hey, don’t kill us,” just gets them in their feelings, s o much so that an employee at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office in California was arrested for vandaliz ing a Black Lives Matter sign.
NBC News reports that a homeowner in Thousand Oaks, Calif, has repeatedly had a tarp placed on the fence in front of their home with the letters “BLM” vandalized. After placing a surveillance camera on top of the fence, footage revealed that Darrin Stone, a 60- year- old employee with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and Craig Anderson, a 59- year- old investigative assistant with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office were partially responsible for the vandalism. A third man, 58- year- old John Moore was also identified as vandalizing the sign.
Advertisement
From NBC News:
The sheriff’s office said it recognized one of its employees, Stone, 60, in footage the owner posted online of a man ripping through the sign with a knife on June 13 and June 19 and initiated a criminal investigation. Stone was off duty at the time of both incidents. Sheriff Bill Ayub said in a statement, “I’m deeply disappointed that one of our employees involved himself in this type of illegal activity, especially when this is an infringement on someone’s First Amendment right to freedom of speech.” The sheriff said that his department “will not tolerate unlawful or unethical behavior.” “We hold our employees to the highest standards, and there will be consequences for this,” he said.
Advertisement Advertisement
Stone has worked with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office for 15 years, most recently as a service technician at the Ventura Pre-Trial Detention Facility. Anderson worked with the District Attorney’s officer for four months before resigning. Both men were arrested and charged with misdemeanor vandalism. Due to Anderson’s status as a former employee, his case will be overseen by the state Attorney General’s office.
For a group of people who’ve spent the month being pressed about property damage, they sure seem OK with destroying property in order to prove their point.


theroot--2020-06-22--Get a Premium Clean at a Wallet-Friendly Price With Today's Best Dyson Deals

The best Dyson deals on vacuums and air purifiers for June 2020 are here .
Dyson vacuums aren ’ t cheap compared to the competition , but when you factor in the quality of the clean with the convenience of the added features ( not to mention the cool designs ) , it might be worth the investment .
Better yet , if you can jump on a great deal , then it won ’ t seem so expensive after all .
We ’ ve found killer deals on new and refurbished Dyson vacuums , hair stylers , fans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are collected below .
Need a powerful vacuum that excels at sucking but doesn ’ t , you know , suck ?
The lightweight Dyson V7 Motorhead ought to do the trick .
It can give you up to 30 minutes of standard vacuuming , or you can switch on the motorized head for about six minutes of super-sucking .
It charges via a wall mount so it ’ s always ready when you need it , and you can eject the pipe and use it as a compact handheld vacuum in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for $ 272 Did you know that Dyson makes hair-styling products ?
While they ’ re unsurprisingly a lot more expensive than your average device , you ’ re paying for a high-quality device that does things a bit differently—and probably better .
In this case , the Dyson Airwrap both styles and dries and does so without extreme heat levels .
Newegg has a refurbished model for $ 400 , which is $ 150 less than the new price .
• None Buy it now for $ 400 Got pets ?
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy-duty vacuum to deal with all of the fur and dander that line your halls and/or carpets .
Dyson ’ s V8 Animal cordless vac is designed specifically for the purpose , digging dug-in dirt and animal hair out of carpets and rugs thanks to its powerful head motor .
This cordless wonder is down to just $ 200 refurbished from Newegg .
• None Buy it now for $ 200 Need to suck up a mess in a hurry ?
The Dyson V7 Trigger Pro handheld vacuum is a compact model that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the car or in smaller , hard-to-reach areas .
This cordless model will give you 30 minutes of full power when charged , and it ’ s $ 40 off the list price at Abt Electronics right now .
• None Buy it now for $ 160 This versatile Dyson Cyclone V10 Motorhead vacuum is cordless , chargeable , and ready to deal with whatever you ’ ve spilled on multiple surfaces , from carpet to hardwood .
People love this model for its wall mounting dock and ability to shift into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can snag a refurbished model for $ 300 off the list price right now at Nordstrom Rack .
• None Buy it now for $ 300 Save 13 % on Dyson ’ s Hot + Cool Jet Focus fan right now and get ready for the summer ahead .
In the warm months , it provides a focused blast of cool air from the uniquely-shaped fan .
And then in winter , it serves as a futuristic-looking space heater instead , giving you year-round usage to justify the investment .
This model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well , but it ’ s cheaper than the models that pull double duty on that front .
• None Buy it now for $ 393 If you ’ re looking for a vacuum that makes you feel like you ’ re in the future , this is it .
Its digital display allows you to monitor its function , so you never have to guess if it has the power to get the job done .
Once charged , it can clean for an hour , and at less than seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doesn ’ t need much muscle to maneuver .
It ’ s $ 79 off right now .
A bigger model than most Dyson vacuums , this multi-use machine is powerful .
Promising to tackle dirt and allergens , accessories like a reach wand allow you to clean high molding and even ceiling cobwebs .
Its high-speed action and collection of bristles mean you can clean carpet , tile , or hardwood .
You can snag it for $ 200 off the list price right now .
Dyson makes just about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re incredibly expensive , of course .
Well , this one is $ 100 off right now at Best Buy .
The Dyson CSYS Desk Lamp has a three-axis glide feature for ultra-precise positioning , with LED bulbs designed to last up to 60 years .
• None Buy it now for $ 500 Looking for an attachment to help your Dyson vacuum clean those tough-to-reach areas under couches and appliances ?
That ’ s what this head tool does .
It ’ s designed to work with older Dyson upright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current V7 and V8 cordless vacuums .
You can check your model number on the Amazon listing if you ’ re unsure .
It ’ s 61 % off the list price right now .
• None Buy it now for $ 19

Molly Horan and Andrew Hayward on Roundups, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Featured Deal: Dyson V7 Animal (Refurbished) | $170 | Walmart
The best Dyson deals on vacuums and air purifiers for July 2021 are here.
Dyson has set the standard for high-quality vacuums with excellent performance and fantastic design. They’re not cheap, however, so bringing one into your home is typically a well-considered investment.
Luckily, some of Dyson’s most popular cordless vacuums are on sale right now, along with other striking products such as fans and hair styling products. These are the best Dyson deals we’ve seen right now.
Advertisement
The Dyson V8 Motorhead is effectively the base model of the V8 line, delivering more suction power than the earlier V7 lineup and up to 40 minutes of power on a full charge. It’s $100 off at Newegg right now, where the new unit is marked down to $280.
Advertisement Advertisement
Looking for a powerful higher-end Dyson designed specifically to suck up pesky allergens? That’s just what the Dyson Cyclone V10 Allergy is made for. The V10 models have more suction power than the lower-numbered models, and this one boasts whole-machine filtration that traps 99.99% of fine dust particles. Save $80 direct from Dyson right now.
Advertisement
Save $100 off the price of Dyson’s TP02 Pure Cool Link air purifier/fan right now when you buy refurbished from Newegg. Dyson’s sleek app-connected devices suck out 99.97% of allergens and pollutants from the air in your space while providing cooling air, and sports the ultra-cool look with no spinning blades in sight. This is a serious bargain if you don’t mind a certified refurbished model, sold by Dyson itself through Newegg.
Advertisement
A bigger model than most Dyson vacuums, this corded Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Total Clean is powerful indeed. It promises to tackle dirt and allergens, while accessories like a reach wand allow you to clean high molding and even ceiling cobwebs. Save $250 at Best Buy, today only.
Advertisement
Did you know that Dyson makes hair-styling products? While they’re unsurprisingly a lot more expensive than your average device, you’re paying for a high-quality device that does things a bit differently—and probably better. In this case, the Dyson Airwrap both styles and dries and does so without extreme heat levels. Dyson has this refurbished model for $50 off.
Advertisement
The Dyson V7 Animal has a HEPA filter than some of the other V7 models don’t have, along with additional attachments. That makes it a versatile, carpet-centric cordless stick vacuum that’s well primed to handle your space. Save $230 off the new list price when you buy a certified refurbished model from Walmart.
Advertisement
Can you imagine the immense power of a Dyson vacuum in reverse… and blowing against your head? That’s the promise of the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer. Dyson’s hair products aren’t cheap, with perhaps even more sticker shock than with the vacuums, but it ought to be worth the investment. This is at regular price, but Dyson is throwing in a complementary carrying case valued at $60.
Advertisement
It’s no slender stick-like vacuum, but this multi-use machine is powerful. Equipped with a HEPA filter, the Dyson Ball promises to tackle dirt and allergens, while accessories like a reach wand allow you to clean high molding and even ceiling cobwebs. Save $44 at Amazon.
Advertisement
If you have pets, you have filth—whether you can see it all or not. Luckily, that’s what the Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal is for. It’s built to suck animal fur out of carpets and can last up to 35 minutes with the Torque drive cleaner head (or 60 minutes without). Save $50 right now through Amazon.


theroot--2020-06-22--Descendants of Confederate General John B. Gordon Request His Monument Removed From Georgia State Ca

Descendants of Confederate General John B. Gordon Request His Monument Removed From Georgia State Capitol

The fight to remove Confederate monuments has only intensified over the last month of nationwide protests .
Now , it ’ s not only protestors asking for these monuments to be removed but even the relatives of those who had monuments made in their memory .
AJC reports that 44 descendants of Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon have sent a letter to Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R ) requesting that the monument of Gordon at the state c apitol building be removed .
In calling for the removal of the statue the family wrote that the “ primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mythologize the white supremacists of the Confederacy.
” The letter went on to say “ The continuing presence of this statue on public property serves to negate and undermine the past and ongoing struggle of Georgians to overcome and reverse the legacy of slavery and oppression of black Americans.
” The bronze monument depicts Gordon on a horse in full Confederate attire .
Gordon was not only a general in the Confederate army but is also widely believed to have been a leader in the Ku Klux Klan .
Nothing says our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white supremacy like having a monument to a literal white supremacist in front of a state c apitol building .
In the wake of George Floyd ’ s killing , protestors have consistently been seen at the c apitol protesting the monument .
The fight to remove the monument has one significant hurdle by way of a l aw Gov .
Kemp passed in 2019 .
That law prohibits Confederate monuments from being completely removed and instead they must be relocated to a “ site of similar prominence.
” But the removal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the civil government equivalent of a midnight lightning strike — showed a potential path .
DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond made the decision to dismantle the monument in a window of time created by Superior Court Judge Clarence Seeliger , who had ruled that the 30-foot obelisk had become a public nuisance and allowed Thurmond to circumvent the 2019 law .
Hopefully , a precedent being established in Decatur along with the family literally denouncing their heritage will lead to the statue being removed .
Though considering Kemp saw fit to legally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I doubt it .

The fight to remove Confederate monuments has only intensified over the last month of nationwide protests. Now, it’s not only protestors asking for these monuments to be removed but even the relatives of those who had monuments made in their memory.
AJC reports that 44 descendants of Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon have sent a letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) requesting that the monument of Gordon at the state c apitol building be removed. In calling for the removal of the statue the family wrote that the “primary purpose of the statue was to celebrate and mythologize the white supremacists of the Confederacy.” The letter went on to say “The continuing presence of this statue on public property serves to negate and undermine the past and ongoing struggle of Georgians to overcome and reverse the legacy of slavery and oppression of black Americans.”
Advertisement
The bronze monument depicts Gordon on a horse in full Confederate attire. Gordon was not only a general in the Confederate army but is also widely believed to have been a leader in the Ku Klux Klan. Nothing says our government isn’t a vessel for white supremacy like having a monument to a literal white supremacist in front of a state c apitol building .
In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, protestors have consistently been seen at the c apitol protesting the monument. The fight to remove the monument has one significant hurdle by way of a l aw Gov. Kemp passed in 2019. That law prohibits Confederate monuments from being completely removed and instead they must be relocated to a “site of similar prominence.”
Advertisement Advertisement
From AJC:
But the removal of a Confederate monument in Decatur last week — the civil government equivalent of a midnight lightning strike — showed a potential path. DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond made the decision to dismantle the monument in a window of time created by Superior Court Judge Clarence Seeliger, who had ruled that the 30-foot obelisk had become a public nuisance and allowed Thurmond to circumvent the 2019 law.
Advertisement
Hopefully, a precedent being established in Decatur along with the family literally denouncing their heritage will lead to the statue being removed. Though considering Kemp saw fit to legally protect monuments to literal white supremacists, I doubt it.


theroot--2020-06-22--Is Jamie Foxx Bulking Up to Portray Mike Tyson in a Biopic? 'It's a Definitive Yes'

Throughout his comedy career , Jamie Foxx gained a reputation as a master impersonator .
However , with his Oscar-winning performance in 2004 ’ s Ray , Foxx proved he had acting chops far beyond bit impersonations .
According to CNN , it looks like the 52-year-old actor will be bringing that same energy to another famous figure he once impersonated—Mike Tyson .
On Thursday , Foxx spoke with Hollywood producer Mark Birnbaum via Instagram Live about playing the iconic boxer .
“ It ’ s a definitive yes , ” the actor confirmed .
“ Doing biographies is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years to get it done but we officially got the real ball rolling.
” Foxx also confirmed he has taken on an intense exercise regimen ( 60 pull-ups , 60 dips and 100 push-ups every other day ) so he can get to fighting size and shape .
“ We ’ re just changing the body , ” he noted .
“ We will be 216 pounds when we shoot , and then we ’ ll balloon to 225 , 230—which will look like 250 onscreen.
” “ I can ’ t wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Foxx added .
We can ’ t , either .
The film was first announced in 2014 and there hadn ’ t been any further developments since then .
If you ’ ve been on social media for a good amount of time , you may have come across a previous viral video showing Foxx sharing the opening scene for the movie , incorporating Tyson ’ s infamous lisp .
In under two minutes , he completely sold the movie and when I first saw it , I considered it a masterclass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared a photo of his progress so far , which is already pretty damn noticeable .
“ The technology of how I ’ m going to look , I guarantee you people will run up on me in the street and ask for autographs , and think that I ’ m Mike , ” Foxx said .
The full interview with Mark Birnbaum can be viewed below :

Throughout his comedy career, Jamie Foxx gained a reputation as a master impersonator. However, with his Oscar-winning performance in 2004’s Ray, Foxx proved he had acting chops far beyond bit impersonations.
According to CNN, it looks like the 52-year-old actor will be bringing that same energy to another famous figure he once impersonated—Mike Tyson. On Thursday, Foxx spoke with Hollywood producer Mark Birnbaum via Instagram Live about playing the iconic boxer.
Advertisement
“It’s a definitive yes,” the actor confirmed. “Doing biographies is a tough thing. Sometimes it takes 20 years to get it done but we officially got the real ball rolling.”
Foxx also confirmed he has taken on an intense exercise regimen (60 pull-ups, 60 dips and 100 push-ups every other day) so he can get to fighting size and shape. “We’re just changing the body,” he noted. “We will be 216 pounds when we shoot, and then we’ll balloon to 225, 230—which will look like 250 onscreen.”
Advertisement Advertisement
“I can’t wait to show people what it is,” Foxx added.
We can’t, either. The film was first announced in 2014 and there hadn’t been any further developments since then. If you’ve been on social media for a good amount of time, you may have come across a previous viral video showing Foxx sharing the opening scene for the movie, incorporating Tyson’s infamous lisp. In under two minutes, he completely sold the movie and when I first saw it, I considered it a masterclass for pitching a film.
Advertisement
Foxx also shared a photo of his progress so far, which is already pretty damn noticeable.
Advertisement
“The technology of how I’m going to look, I guarantee you people will run up on me in the street and ask for autographs, and think that I’m Mike,” Foxx said.
Advertisement
The full interview with Mark Birnbaum can be viewed below:
Advertisement
x


theroot--2020-06-22--NYPD Officer Suspended Without Pay for Using Banned Chokehold During Arrest

An officer with the New York Police Department has been suspended after a video surfaced showing him placing a man he was detaining in a chokehold and resting his weight on him .
The officer , who has not been named by the NYPD , is identified by the New York Daily News as David Afanador .
Afanador is with the NYPD ’ s 100th precinct and was suspended without pay .
The incident comes just days after the New York City Council passed legislation making police use of chokeholds a criminal offense .
According to the Daily News , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Rockaway Beach area of Queens and was captured on cellphone video by bystanders .
NYPD released Afanador ’ s body camera footage from the incident , which shows three men arguing with police officers standing on a boardwalk before a man , identified by the New York Times as 35-year-old Ricky Bellevue , approaches the officers and asks “ You scared ?
” before suddenly being grabbed , tackled and wrestled to the ground .
From the video , it is unclear what the impetus was for the arrest , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police received a 911 call about three men harassing people and throwing objects on them on the boardwalk .
They attempted to detain Bellevue after “ he approached them with a bag.
” In the video , the officers can be seen taking down Bellevue and are seen holding him down and handcuffing him .
One officer is seen with his arm around Bellevue ’ s neck as bystanders yell “ Yo !
Stop choking him , bro !
Let him go !
” The moment Bellevue loses consciousness is captured on film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signaling him to stop the chokehold .
According to the Associated Press , the NYPD “ banned chokeholds in 1993 after a spike in deaths of people being apprehended or in police custody.
” That , coupled with recent measures passed by both the city council as well as the state of New York to criminalize the practice should be enough to deter officers from doing , but that is apparently not the case .
The state law , signed by Gov .
Cuomo last month , is named after Eric Garner , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police chokehold in 2014 .
Afanador ’ s offense comes after weeks of protests following the death of George Floyd , a Black man who was killed when Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on handcuffed Floyd ’ s neck and kept it there for nearly 9 minutes as Floyd pleaded for his life and cried that he could not breathe .
The NYPD tweeted that the incident is under investigation , and Commissioner Dermot Shea condemned the act in two separate tweets , saying “ Accountability in policing is essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Internal Affairs Bureau , a police officer involved in a disturbing apparent chokehold incident in Queens has been suspended without pay .
While a full investigation is still underway , there is no question in my mind that this immediate action is necessary .
We are committed to transparency as this process continues.
” As of Sunday evening , Bellevue was being treated at a local Queens hospital .
Lori Zeno , executive director of Queens Defenders , which is representing him , told the Times that Bellevue ’ s relatives say he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said Bellevue suffered a bloody scalp and swollen wrists .
He has been charged with suspicion of disorderly conduct , obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest .
“ He was on such a hard chokehold that he couldn ’ t speak to say he couldn ’ t breathe , ” Zeno said .
Officer Afanador can be heard on the body camera footage telling another person that Mr. Bellevue , who the authorities knew had been given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder , and the other two men appear to be intoxicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage that Mr. Bellevue is acting as if he is going to hit another officer with something .
“ The minute I saw him flex on him , that ’ s when he goes down because we don ’ t get hurt and we ’ re not going to leave somebody violent out here who might do that to one of you or another innocent person , ” Officer Afanador can be heard saying .
“ That ’ s why he ’ s in cuffs , and that ’ s why he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know he ’ s ill. ” The Times reports that Afanador was charged with assault in 2014 after he swung his gun at a 16-year-old , breaking his teeth .
During a bench trial in 2016 , he was found not guilty .
Amy Rameau , the lawyer for the teenager , told the Times Sunday “ Good riddance , ” in reference to Afanador being suspended .
“ He ’ s a criminal .
There ’ s no other way to put it .
He doesn ’ t belong on anybody ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor Bill de Blasio praised the NYPD for its swift response to Afanador ’ s offense .
In a tweet , the mayor wrote “ Today was the fastest I have EVER seen the NYPD act to discipline an officer .
Within hours : Immediate suspension , Body camera footage released , Discipline process initiated .
This is how it needs to be.
” However , Zeno told the Daily News that more action needs to be taken .
“ I want the officer who put him in a chokehold to be in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ This guy should be charged criminally , and fired .
”

An officer with the New York Police Department has been suspended after a video surfaced showing him placing a man he was detaining in a chokehold and resting his weight on him.
The officer, who has not been named by the NYPD, is identified by the New York Daily News as David Afanador. Afanador is with the NYPD’s 100th precinct and was suspended without pay. The incident comes just days after the New York City Council passed legislation making police use of chokeholds a criminal offense.
Advertisement
According to the Daily News, the incident happened around 8:45 a.m. Sunday in the Rockaway Beach area of Queens and was captured on cellphone video by bystanders.
NYPD released Afanador’s body camera footage from the incident, which shows three men arguing with police officers standing on a boardwalk before a man, identified by the New York Times as 35-year-old Ricky Bellevue, approaches the officers and asks “You scared?” before suddenly being grabbed, tackled and wrestled to the ground. From the video, it is unclear what the impetus was for the arrest, but a department source told NBC News the police received a 911 call about three men harassing people and throwing objects on them on the boardwalk. They attempted to detain Bellevue after “he approached them with a bag.”
Advertisement Advertisement
In the video, the officers can be seen taking down Bellevue and are seen holding him down and handcuffing him. One officer is seen with his arm around Bellevue’s neck as bystanders yell “Yo! Stop choking him, bro! Let him go!” The moment Bellevue loses consciousness is captured on film, and another officer taps Afanador, signaling him to stop the chokehold.
According to the Associated Press, the NYPD “banned chokeholds in 1993 after a spike in deaths of people being apprehended or in police custody.” That, coupled with recent measures passed by both the city council as well as the state of New York to criminalize the practice should be enough to deter officers from doing, but that is apparently not the case.
Advertisement
The state law, signed by Gov. Cuomo last month, is named after Eric Garner, the man who was killed by a police chokehold in 2014.
Afanador’s offense comes after weeks of protests following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed when Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on handcuffed Floyd’s neck and kept it there for nearly 9 minutes as Floyd pleaded for his life and cried that he could not breathe.
Advertisement
The NYPD tweeted that the incident is under investigation, and Commissioner Dermot Shea condemned the act in two separate tweets, saying “Accountability in policing is essential. After a swift investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau, a police officer involved in a disturbing apparent chokehold incident in Queens has been suspended without pay. While a full investigation is still underway, there is no question in my mind that this immediate action is necessary. We are committed to transparency as this process continues.”
As of Sunday evening, Bellevue was being treated at a local Queens hospital. Lori Zeno, executive director of Queens Defenders, which is representing him, told the Times that Bellevue’s relatives say he has a history of mental illness. She said Bellevue suffered a bloody scalp and swollen wrists. He has been charged with suspicion of disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest.
Advertisement
“He was on such a hard chokehold that he couldn’t speak to say he couldn’t breathe,” Zeno said.
From the Times:
Officer Afanador can be heard on the body camera footage telling another person that Mr. Bellevue, who the authorities knew had been given a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and the other two men appear to be intoxicated. Officer Afanador then says in the footage that Mr. Bellevue is acting as if he is going to hit another officer with something. “The minute I saw him flex on him, that’s when he goes down because we don’t get hurt and we’re not going to leave somebody violent out here who might do that to one of you or another innocent person,” Officer Afanador can be heard saying. “That’s why he’s in cuffs, and that’s why he’s going to the hospital because we know he’s ill.”
Advertisement
The Times reports that Afanador was charged with assault in 2014 after he swung his gun at a 16-year-old, breaking his teeth. During a bench trial in 2016, he was found not guilty.
Amy Rameau, the lawyer for the teenager, told the Times Sunday “Good riddance,” in reference to Afanador being suspended. “He’s a criminal. There’s no other way to put it. He doesn’t belong on anybody’s police force.”
Advertisement
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio praised the NYPD for its swift response to Afanador’s offense. In a tweet, the mayor wrote “Today was the fastest I have EVER seen the NYPD act to discipline an officer. Within hours: Immediate suspension, Body camera footage released, Discipline process initiated. This is how it needs to be.”
However, Zeno told the Daily News that more action needs to be taken.
“I want the officer who put him in a chokehold to be in the cell next to him,” she said. “This guy should be charged criminally, and fired.”
Advertisement
We couldn’t agree more.


theroot--2020-06-22--#SayTheirNames: Angel McCoughtry Petitions WNBA to Allow Players to Wear the Names of Police Brutali

#SayTheirNames: Angel McCoughtry Petitions WNBA to Allow Players to Wear the Names of Police Brutality Victims on Their Jerseys

After tearing ligaments in her knee and missing the entire 2019 WNBA season , Las Vegas Aces star Angel McCoughtry took to Instagram to announce that she ’ ll finally be returning to the court this upcoming season .
But that wasn ’ t her only announcement , as she intends to use her platform to address the police brutality and racial inequality that permeates our society .
“ I will be playing this upcoming @ wnba [ season ] and I am looking forward to continue to fight social injustice issues while playing and supporting front line workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that end , the five-time WNBA All-Star revealed her desire to take the mantra “ listen to black women ” to another level .
“ I am currently working with the [ Las Vegas Aces ] and @ wnba to use our voices , our uniforms , and our sport to continue to impact and create real change , ” she wrote .
“ I am creating a petition ( LINK IN BIO ) to allow players the ability to put the FIRST & LAST NAME of HUMAN BEINGS that who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BRUTALITY !
” McCoughtry ’ s petition comes at a time where the NBA is embroiled in a Civil War of sorts , as a coalition of players have openly expressed their hesitation to resume the 2019-20 NBA season due to the belief that it will detract from the progress being made by the Black Lives Matter movement .
In a statement to CNN , Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard shared his reluctance .
“ Basketball , or entertainment period , isn ’ t needed at this moment , and will only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Sure it might not distract us the players , but we have resources at hand majority of our community don ’ t have .
And the smallest distraction for them , can start a trickle down effect that may never stop .
Especially with the way the climate is now .
I would love nothing more than to win my very first NBA Championship .
But the unity of My People would be an even bigger Championship , that ’ s just to ( sic ) beautiful to pass up.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have maintained that athletes can chew gum and walk at the same time , in that they can continue their season while using their platforms to contribute to the movement—which is something McCoughtry is clearly committed to doing .
“ Silence is an ally for EVIL and when sports resume WE WILL NOT BE SILENT , ” she wrote on Instagram .
It ’ s been said time and time and time and time again that black women will never lead us astray , and while it ’ s unlikely that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ names of victims of police brutality on their jerseys , it ’ s clear that the upcoming season won ’ t prevent McCoughtry from contributing to the cause .

After tearing ligaments in her knee and missing the entire 2019 WNBA season, Las Vegas Aces star Angel McCoughtry took to Instagram to announce that she’ll finally be returning to the court this upcoming season. But that wasn’t her only announcement, as she intends to use her platform to address the police brutality and racial inequality that permeates our society.
“I will be playing this upcoming @wnba [season] and I am looking forward to continue to fight social injustice issues while playing and supporting front line workers,” she posted on Instagram.
Advertisement
To that end, the five-time WNBA All-Star revealed her desire to take the mantra “listen to black women” to another level.
“I am currently working with the [Las Vegas Aces] and @wnba to use our voices, our uniforms, and our sport to continue to impact and create real change,” she wrote. “I am creating a petition (LINK IN BIO) to allow players the ability to put the FIRST & LAST NAME of HUMAN BEINGS that who have been injured or KILLED in incidents involving POLICE BRUTALITY!”
Advertisement Advertisement
McCoughtry’s petition comes at a time where the NBA is embroiled in a Civil War of sorts, as a coalition of players have openly expressed their hesitation to resume the 2019-20 NBA season due to the belief that it will detract from the progress being made by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Advertisement
In a statement to CNN, Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard shared his reluctance.
Advertisement
“Basketball, or entertainment period, isn’t needed at this moment, and will only be a distraction,” he wrote. “Sure it might not distract us the players, but we have resources at hand majority of our community don’t have. And the smallest distraction for them, can start a trickle down effect that may never stop. Especially with the way the climate is now. I would love nothing more than to win my very first NBA Championship. But the unity of My People would be an even bigger Championship, that’s just to (sic) beautiful to pass up.”
Other players, such as LeBron James, have maintained that athletes can chew gum and walk at the same time, in that they can continue their season while using their platforms to contribute to the movement—which is something McCoughtry is clearly committed to doing.
Advertisement
“Silence is an ally for EVIL and when sports resume WE WILL NOT BE SILENT,” she wrote on Instagram.
It’s been said time and time and time and time again that black women will never lead us astray, and while it’s unlikely that the WNBA will allow players to wear the names of victims of police brutality on their jerseys, it’s clear that the upcoming season won’t prevent McCoughtry from contributing to the cause.