theroot--2020-08-17--If an Album Isn't Streaming Online, Does It Really Exist? A Theoretical Discussion

I did something recently that I haven ’ t done in probably 10 years—I made two compact disc ( CD ) purchases .
That ’ s right , in the year of our lord 2020 , I purchased Adriana Evans 1997 self-titled debut album and De La Soul ’ s Five-Mic classic , 1991 ’ s De La Soul Is Dead .
I spent $ 21 and $ 25 , respectively , of my hard-earned money because neither of those albums is streaming on any platform .
In the case of De La Soul , that album ( along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Rising , and post-De La Soul Is Dead albums , Buhloone Mindstate and Stakes Is High ) isn ’ t streaming because of issues with the owner of the label the albums released under Tom Silverman of Tommy Boy Records .
The two sides can not come to terms on ownership rights and sample clearances ( and thus , financial stakes ) , which basically means if you don ’ t own physical copies you ain ’ t listening to them and it ’ s a lot harder to find quality downloads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Beyonce ’ s Internet .
As an aside , in 2014 , De La Soul released their entire catalog online—for free— for a very limited time , probably out of frustration ( and to somewhat stick it to Tommy Boy ) and to address the very thing I ’ m talking about right now .
I don ’ t know what is keeping Adriana Evans ’ album ( along with her next two ) from streaming services , but I would guess it ’ s a similar label issue/financial split issue .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ CD—just to burn them to my computer so I could have access to them via my phone ( or iCloud really ) —are great .
De La Soul ’ s album is critically acclaimed ; one of the original batch of The Source ’ s Five Mic albums , back when that really , really mattered .
Adriana Evans album has some pure bangers on , but I legit purchased that whole ass album for the song , “ Hey Brother.
” That song bayangs .
It bayanged in 1997 and still goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not streaming .
I can ’ t just share it with other people .
De La Soul is one of the groups largely considered one of hip hop ’ s great groups and their most critically acclaimed art—in a world where streaming is all that matters , where Drake breaks records as a rule via streaming—isn ’ t available in the place that matters most .
If your music isn ’ t available in the place where it matters most , does it exist ?
In December 2019 , Barry Hankerson—the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Records—teased that Aaliyah ’ s catalog , held hostage for over 18 years since her death , would soon be released to streaming services .
Presumably , her records on Blackground ( One In a Million and Aaliyah ) along with a bevy of albums by the likes of Toni Braxton , Tank and others , would finally be available to stream .
That never happened .
Unless you own physical copies ( or a quality download ) , One in A Million and all of its hits ( “ Four Page Letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Knew , ” etc ) and the hits from Aaliyah ( “ More Than a Woman ” “ Rock the Boat , ” etc . )
are basically Black history .
As of this writing , none of those albums are available to stream .
This is stupid .
Aaliyah , still a highly revered artist , is basically reduced to her 1994 R. Kelly-produced album Age Ain ’ t Nuthin ’ But a Number , which is understandably dated AND yech .
Young folks today have no idea how much of music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s One in A Million album .
All most folks know about her now is that she is both dead and Drake has an interesting affinity for her , to include a tattoo of her somewhere in his ode to Zoom calls , collage-style back tattoo .
Who knows how much money is being left on the table or how many folks who might love her work—because they love the Kehlanis and Jhene Aikos of the world—have no real idea who she was as an artist .
Sure you can buy those albums @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also have to buy a CD player and what the fuck is that ?
I hear how often artists talk about how influential Brandy is , and I think that has merit ; but if that ’ s the case , based on the sounds of these young artists , Aaliyah is also extremely influential .
Think of fans that have no idea how good that One In A Million album is .
All because her uncle—I didn ’ t mention that earlier ; Barry Hankerson is her uncle—has mysteriously decided to withhold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as long as I can remember , and true story , since I first heard it on a bus heading to Holiday Park in Hassloch , Germany , in 1991 , I ’ ve loved De La Soul Is Dead , largely proclaiming it my favorite album , regardless of genre .
If anybody asks me my favorite hip hop record , without fail that was my go-to .
Until more recently when A Tribe Called Quest ’ s Midnight Marauders slid into that top slot ( they do change back and forth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason for that change was that I listen to Midnight Marauders incessantly .
When I can ’ t think of an album to play , it is usually my fall back .
Even if I wanted to do that with De La Soul Is Dead , I couldn ’ t .
I own a physical CD but it ’ s packed away in storage among boxes and boxes of CDs .
Just to look for the CD , I ’ d have to unload my storage unit , and then go through each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of CDs , so it ’ s many many boxes—just to find it .
That wasn ’ t about to happen .
I haven ’ t opened those boxes since 2010 when I moved into an apartment and felt like unpacking them was useless since I usually put music on my iPod .
I also couldn ’ t find a good copy online so basically the album faded into the background of my life .
I ’ d still tell you it was my favorite but it was based purely on memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in constant rotation and burn and thus I could find new things about it or just share it with others when making my case for why it ’ s so good .
It exists .
It can exist to my nephew who I ’ m trying to introduce to 90s era hip-hop in a way that De La Soul ’ s first albums can ’ t .
And all of their records are amazing , but they ’ re not ... present in the convo .
To me they exist in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the up-and-coming hip hop generation , they don ’ t at all .
They ’ re basically Hector in the movie Coco , trying to get his photo on the ofrenda , afraid of being forgotten .
And that ’ s what I think is happening with a lot of albums and artists whose labels either refuse to stream or can not come to terms with artists , etc .
I remembered Adriana Evans ’ song “ Hey Brother ” and wanted and was willing to pay money for a physical copy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a lot .
Obviously , the music exists and if you are familiar and interested enough , you can go find physical copies .
But streaming is so easy and convenient for so many of us nowadays .
And it would be a shame for albums like Aaliyah ’ s or De La Soul ’ s to continue to move further and further from consciousness , especially since they ’ re already afterthoughts to the general public because of how old they are .
But when you can ’ t share @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , similar to how sampling in hip hop has done for new audiences , those artists….slip .
Those albums ... slip .
They ’ ll always be part of the culture , but do they impact the culture any longer ?
That ’ s the question .
I hate that we ’ re even having these convos largely because there ’ s nothing anybody not directly involved can do .
But I ’ ll bet those artists want their art out there and they know the stakes are high , no pun intended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history at that .
History has a way of being rewritten and sometimes without its major participants .
And however it ’ s happening , I ’ m afraid that ’ s what might happen to all of these artists .
Because real talk , I feel like the last person alive buying CDs so I can listen to my favorite albums .
Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

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

I did something recently that I haven’t done in probably 10 years—I made two compact disc (CD) purchases. That’s right, in the year of our lord 2020, I purchased Adriana Evans 1997 self-titled debut album and De La Soul’s Five-Mic classic, 1991’s De La Soul Is Dead. I spent $21 and $25, respectively, of my hard-earned money because neither of those albums is streaming on any platform.
In the case of De La Soul, that album (along with their classic debut, 3 Feet High and Rising, and post-De La Soul Is Dead albums, Buhloone Mindstate and Stakes Is High) isn’t streaming because of issues with the owner of the label the albums released under Tom Silverman of Tommy Boy Records. The two sides cannot come to terms on ownership rights and sample clearances (and thus, financial stakes), which basically means if you don’t own physical copies you ain’t listening to them and it’s a lot harder to find quality downloads of those albums than you might think on Beyonce’s Internet. As an aside, in 2014, De La Soul released their entire catalog online—for free— for a very limited time, probably out of frustration (and to somewhat stick it to Tommy Boy) and to address the very thing I’m talking about right now. I don’t know what is keeping Adriana Evans’ album (along with her next two) from streaming services, but I would guess it’s a similar label issue/financial split issue.
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Both of the albums I purchased on CD—just to burn them to my computer so I could have access to them via my phone (or iCloud really)—are great. De La Soul’s album is critically acclaimed; one of the original batch of The Source’s Five Mic albums, back when that really, really mattered. Adriana Evans album has some pure bangers on, but I legit purchased that whole ass album for the song, “Hey Brother.” That song bayangs. It bayanged in 1997 and still goes in 2020.
But again, it’s not streaming. I can’t just share it with other people. De La Soul is one of the groups largely considered one of hip hop’s great groups and their most critically acclaimed art—in a world where streaming is all that matters, where Drake breaks records as a rule via streaming—isn’t available in the place that matters most. If your music isn’t available in the place where it matters most, does it exist?
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In December 2019, Barry Hankerson—the record producer and manager who owned Blackground Records—teased that Aaliyah’s catalog, held hostage for over 18 years since her death, would soon be released to streaming services. Presumably, her records on Blackground (One In a Million and Aaliyah) along with a bevy of albums by the likes of Toni Braxton, Tank and others, would finally be available to stream. That never happened. Unless you own physical copies (or a quality download), One in A Million and all of its hits (“Four Page Letter,” “If Your Girl Only Knew,” etc) and the hits from Aaliyah (“More Than a Woman” “Rock the Boat,” etc.) are basically Black history.
As of this writing, none of those albums are available to stream. This is stupid.
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Aaliyah, still a highly revered artist, is basically reduced to her 1994 R. Kelly-produced album Age Ain’t Nuthin’ But a Number, which is understandably dated AND yech. Young folks today have no idea how much of music can be traced back to Aaliyah’s One in A Million album. All most folks know about her now is that she is both dead and Drake has an interesting affinity for her, to include a tattoo of her somewhere in his ode to Zoom calls, collage-style back tattoo. Who knows how much money is being left on the table or how many folks who might love her work—because they love the Kehlanis and Jhene Aikos of the world—have no real idea who she was as an artist. Sure you can buy those albums in physical form, but then you also have to buy a CD player and what the fuck is that? I hear how often artists talk about how influential Brandy is, and I think that has merit; but if that’s the case, based on the sounds of these young artists, Aaliyah is also extremely influential. Think of fans that have no idea how good that One In A Million album is. All because her uncle—I didn’t mention that earlier; Barry Hankerson is her uncle—has mysteriously decided to withhold her music from streaming services.
For as long as I can remember, and true story, since I first heard it on a bus heading to Holiday Park in Hassloch, Germany, in 1991, I’ve loved De La Soul Is Dead, largely proclaiming it my favorite album, regardless of genre. If anybody asks me my favorite hip hop record, without fail that was my go-to. Until more recently when A Tribe Called Quest’s Midnight Marauders slid into that top slot (they do change back and forth on occasion). Part of the reason for that change was that I listen to Midnight Marauders incessantly. When I can’t think of an album to play, it is usually my fall back. Even if I wanted to do that with De La Soul Is Dead, I couldn’t. I own a physical CD but it’s packed away in storage among boxes and boxes of CDs. Just to look for the CD, I’d have to unload my storage unit, and then go through each box of CDs I have—and I own thousands of CDs, so it’s many many boxes—just to find it. That wasn’t about to happen. I haven’t opened those boxes since 2010 when I moved into an apartment and felt like unpacking them was useless since I usually put music on my iPod.
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I also couldn’t find a good copy online so basically the album faded into the background of my life. I’d still tell you it was my favorite but it was based purely on memory and reflex, meanwhile, Midnight Marauders was in constant rotation and burn and thus I could find new things about it or just share it with others when making my case for why it’s so good. It exists. It can exist to my nephew who I’m trying to introduce to 90s era hip-hop in a way that De La Soul’s first albums can’t. And all of their records are amazing, but they’re not...present in the convo. To me they exist in my mind; to my nieces and nephews the up-and-coming hip hop generation, they don’t at all. They’re basically Hector in the movie Coco, trying to get his photo on the ofrenda, afraid of being forgotten.
And that’s what I think is happening with a lot of albums and artists whose labels either refuse to stream or cannot come to terms with artists, etc. I remembered Adriana Evans’ song “Hey Brother” and wanted and was willing to pay money for a physical copy and then a CD burner. But that’s a lot.
Advertisement
Obviously, the music exists and if you are familiar and interested enough, you can go find physical copies. But streaming is so easy and convenient for so many of us nowadays. And it would be a shame for albums like Aaliyah’s or De La Soul’s to continue to move further and further from consciousness, especially since they’re already afterthoughts to the general public because of how old they are. But when you can’t share classics and re-introduce them to new audiences, similar to how sampling in hip hop has done for new audiences, those artists….slip. Those albums...slip. They’ll always be part of the culture, but do they impact the culture any longer? That’s the question. I hate that we’re even having these convos largely because there’s nothing anybody not directly involved can do.
But I’ll bet those artists want their art out there and they know the stakes are high, no pun intended. Ultimately, its history and Black history at that. History has a way of being rewritten and sometimes without its major participants. And however it’s happening, I’m afraid that’s what might happen to all of these artists.
Advertisement
Because real talk, I feel like the last person alive buying CDs so I can listen to my favorite albums.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-17--Democratic National Convention, Day 1: Watch Our Livestream of Michelle Obama and ’Dem

Monday marks the start of America ’ s push towards a new day and much like the rest of 2020 , that new day is going to look mad different .
For starters , the Democratic National Convention—a political pep rally of sorts—won ’ t be an actual in-person event because the coronavirus came through and crushed the buildings , so the whole thing will be virtual .
The in-person event was supposed to be in Milwaukee , which like most of America , is suffering from TRUMP-45 .
So instead of a raucous crowd of spirited Dems from across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up on Red Bull and red-blooded patriotism , the scheduled speakers will be delivering speeches from locations across the country .
And before we get into who will be making virtual appearances , I must note that a CNN poll released Sunday night shows former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s lead shrinking because something is really fucking wrong with America .
The poll released Sunday night claims that 50 percent of “ registered voters backed Biden to Trump ’ s 46 percent , which is right at the poll ’ s margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percentage points.
” So now that we ’ ve gotten that out of the way , who are we kidding ?
This is Michelle Obama ’ s night .
No one brings the virtual boys and girls to the yard like Michelle Obama .
Yes , I ’ m still upset that Michelle Obama and Oprah didn ’ t save us from this nightmare by running on an unbeatable ticket , but I also recognize that it isn ’ t the former first lady ’ s job to clean up after this deplorable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has decided to help America through this tough time and I ’ m OK with that .
She is lending her star power to get the convention off to a good start and there is no other name bigger than hers .
Not Beyoncé .
Not Rihanna , Not even her running mate , Oprah .
Fine , whatever , Michelle Obama isn ’ t running but she could .
She won ’ t .
I hate everything .
She will be virtually joined by the king of the progressives and the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polls , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders .
Sanders has pushed politics aside and even possible bitterness as this year was possibly his last run for president because old , and I like that he won ’ t let his anger of not being the guy to stop Trump keep him from pushing for Biden and Harris .
The most shocking guest on Day 1 has to be Republican and former Ohio Gov .
John Kasich .
CNN notes that this isn ’ t that big of a deal : But don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as America is divided between those who believe in the Bible and love people and Christians .
This isn ’ t the year in which Democrats need Republican help in any capacity ; at this point , you ’ re either with the never-Trumpers or you are on a hellfire wagon .
Monday ’ s convention will also give a chance to a few lesser-known folks to shine .
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones , who is a Democrat facing a formidable GOP nominee and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville , will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Black women into office and will need them again if he ’ s expected to hold on to his seat .
As one of the only Democrats in the Deep South , Jones will need to pull some 2004 Barack Obama-level magic out of his hat to shine on a national stage .
A one-time long shot for vice president ( who reportedly was on the shortlist , but everyone was on that damn shortlist at one point or another ) Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer and Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Klobuchar , who also wanted to be in Biden ’ s position , will speak to a major audience for the first time since she dropped out of the presidential primary .
And voted most likely to make the best out of a global pandemic , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , whose national profile of a “ bad-situation-turned-best-glow-up ” has been akin only to Kardashian levels , will also speak .
CNN notes that Cuomo “ will likely deliver the kind of direct argument against Trump ’ s leadership during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made central to his campaign.
” South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn is the man .
“ He is a trusted and influential adviser to the nominee .
On this night , though , he will have the chance to stand alone and make the case for the candidate whose campaign he might well have saved with a late endorsement before the South Carolina primary in February , ” CNN reports .
But does any of this even matter ?
I mean , is all of this really important ?
Do we really need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election matters and why we need to vote Democrat ?
Haven ’ t Trump and his team done the work of the Democratic Party the past 3 1/2 years ?
Nevertheless , everything begins at 9 p.m .
ET and will last for four nights and will end with Biden accepting the nomination ( no more of that “ presumptive ” bullshit ) and delivering his keynote speech Thursday night .
You can watch the whole thing here : Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

Monday marks the start of America’s push towards a new day and much like the rest of 2020, that new day is going to look mad different.
For starters, the Democratic National Convention—a political pep rally of sorts—won’t be an actual in-person event because the coronavirus came through and crushed the buildings, so the whole thing will be virtual. The in-person event was supposed to be in Milwaukee, which like most of America, is suffering from TRUMP-45.
Advertisement
So instead of a raucous crowd of spirited Dems from across the country converging on one location hopped up on Red Bull and red-blooded patriotism, the scheduled speakers will be delivering speeches from locations across the country.
And before we get into who will be making virtual appearances, I must note that a CNN poll released Sunday night shows former Vice President Joe Biden’s lead shrinking because something is really fucking wrong with America. The poll released Sunday night claims that 50 percent of “registered voters backed Biden to Trump’s 46 percent, which is right at the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.”
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Polls don’t mean shit. Vote.
So now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, who are we kidding? This is Michelle Obama’s night. No one brings the virtual boys and girls to the yard like Michelle Obama. Yes, I’m still upset that Michelle Obama and Oprah didn’t save us from this nightmare by running on an unbeatable ticket, but I also recognize that it isn’t the former first lady’s job to clean up after this deplorable white man. This is how Obama has decided to help America through this tough time and I’m OK with that. She is lending her star power to get the convention off to a good start and there is no other name bigger than hers. Not Beyoncé. Not Rihanna, Not even her running mate, Oprah.
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Fine, whatever, Michelle Obama isn’t running but she could. She won’t. I hate everything.
She will be virtually joined by the king of the progressives and the only one who can bring Bernie Bros. to the polls, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Sanders has pushed politics aside and even possible bitterness as this year was possibly his last run for president because old, and I like that he won’t let his anger of not being the guy to stop Trump keep him from pushing for Biden and Harris.
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Expect Bernie to bring the noise, virtually.
The most shocking guest on Day 1 has to be Republican and former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
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CNN notes that this isn’t that big of a deal:
In 2004, Georgia Sen. Zell Miller, a Democrat, spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of a second term for President George W. Bush. In 2008, Joe Lieberman, who had been the Democratic vice presidential nominee eight years prior, delivered a speech at the RNC for his friend John McCain. In 2016, Michael Bloomberg, elected mayor of New York City as a Republican, spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
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But don’t expect Kasich to move the needle as America is divided between those who believe in the Bible and love people and Christians. This isn’t the year in which Democrats need Republican help in any capacity; at this point, you’re either with the never-Trumpers or you are on a hellfire wagon.
Monday’s convention will also give a chance to a few lesser-known folks to shine.
Advertisement
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, who is a Democrat facing a formidable GOP nominee and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, will need to sparkle. Jones rode the backs of Black women into office and will need them again if he’s expected to hold on to his seat. As one of the only Democrats in the Deep South, Jones will need to pull some 2004 Barack Obama-level magic out of his hat to shine on a national stage.
A one-time long shot for vice president (who reportedly was on the shortlist, but everyone was on that damn shortlist at one point or another) Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto will speak on Monday.
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Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who also wanted to be in Biden’s position, will speak to a major audience for the first time since she dropped out of the presidential primary.
And voted most likely to make the best out of a global pandemic, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whose national profile of a “bad-situation-turned-best-glow-up” has been akin only to Kardashian levels, will also speak. CNN notes that Cuomo “will likely deliver the kind of direct argument against Trump’s leadership during the public health crisis that Biden has made central to his campaign.”
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South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn is the man. “He is a trusted and influential adviser to the nominee. On this night, though, he will have the chance to stand alone and make the case for the candidate whose campaign he might well have saved with a late endorsement before the South Carolina primary in February,” CNN reports.
But does any of this even matter? I mean, is all of this really important? Do we really need to hear from anyone about why this election matters and why we need to vote Democrat? Haven’t Trump and his team done the work of the Democratic Party the past 3 1/2 years?
Advertisement
Nevertheless, everything begins at 9 p.m. ET and will last for four nights and will end with Biden accepting the nomination (no more of that “presumptive” bullshit) and delivering his keynote speech Thursday night.
You can watch the whole thing here:
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-17--Fresh Off That 'WAP,' Cardi and Megan Dive Into Political Discourse

Fun fact : “ WAP ” may also be an acronym for “ Women Active in Politics.
” Both Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are proving as passionate about our current political cycle as they are for the joys of enthusiastically consensual sex—which is as it should be since the two aren ’ t mutually exclusive .
Of course , with Cardi , this comes as little surprise given the rap-tress has long touted her interest in American history and civics .
This time last year , she was actively stumping for Bernie Sanders in the presidential primaries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several pre-COVID chats about his vision for America .
Of course , much has changed in the months since , and in tandem with starring in her first cover shoot for Elle magazine ( which we covered last week ) , Cardi has done what most ( rational ) voters have—chosen to throw her vote and her cultural cachet behind the one candidate left in the race who isn ’ t Donald J. Trump .
Sporting a burgundy bob with brows and lips to match , an interesting role reversal took place as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interviewed by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden—or “ Joey B , ” as his daughter and Cardi B fan Ashley long ago dubbed him .
During a 16-minute conversation ( the full transcript is on Elle ) , the two talked about education , Medicare , the movement for Black L ives and why Cardi is now willing to throw her support behind Biden in the upcoming election .
“ I have a whole list of things that I want our next president to do for us .
But first , I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , perhaps issuing the often gaffe-laden Biden a subtle warning when she added : “ His mouth gets us in trouble so much .
“ I don ’ t want to be lied to—we ’ re dealing with a pandemic right now , and I just want answers , ” she continued , mentioning that one of the things she wants to see as a result is free Medicare for all , and echoing all of us when she says : “ I want to know when this will be over .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But I don ’ t want someone to lie to me and tell me that it ’ s okay not to wear a mask , that everything is going to be okay .
I want a president to tell me what the steps are for us to get better , to tell me , ‘ This is why it is taking so long , this is why other countries are doing better than ours.
’ Tell me the truth , the hard-core truth.
” As proposed by her original candidate of choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college offered to Americans , something Biden “ absolutely , positively ” promises for families making less than $ 125,000 a year , in addition to free community college .
“ And I want Black people to stop getting killed and no justice for it .
I ’ m tired of it .
I ’ m sick of it .
I just want laws that are fair to Black citizens and that are fair for cops , too , ” she said .
“ There ’ s no reason why we can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answered “ Uncle Joe , ” invoking President Franklin Roosevelt when he added : “ Presidents have to take responsibility .
... Roosevelt said the American people can take anything if you tell them the truth .
Sometimes the truth is hard .
But right now , we ’ re in a position where we have an opportunity to make so much progress.
” As Biden sees it , seizing that opportunity lies heavily upon Gen Z and young millennials , who had a lower voter turnout in the last election .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Your generation can own what happens in the next election .
They can change things dramatically if they show up and vote.
” As parents , Cardi and Joe found common ground on the issue of childcare—but as Cardi pointed out , not all of us feel enfranchised and acknowledged as Americans .
“ I feel like Black people , we ’ re not asking for sympathy , we ’ re not asking for charity—we are just asking for equality , ” she said—and we agree .
“ We are asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for justice .
That is all .
I feel like everything people are asking for is getting interpreted in a very different way .
No , it ’ s simple : We just want justice .
We want to feel like Americans.
” It ’ s real talk—and “ being real is a risk ” as Megan Thee Stallion tells Jezebel Culture Editor Clover Hope for W Magazine ’ s September Music Issue , where she spoke candidly about balancing her private life and a new , very public persona .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voice , and I love the fact that I do inspire a lot of girls , and I didn ’ t realize it at first .
I was just being me , ” she said .
“ Some of the things I say , I realized that some women might really wan na say them.
” What does Meg have to say about the recent escalation of our ongoing racial crisis ?
“ The moment does feel different because it feels bigger—people have been able to hide a lot of racism , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we see everything , ” she said , referencing the now-infamous Amy Cooper incident .
“ You know , anything can go viral , so I really like how we ’ re able to catch these people doing these disgusting things and put ’ em on blast , and people are getting fired from their jobs .
You getting your scholarship taken away from whatever school you thought you was about to go to .
It ’ s like , Yeah , we see you .
You like to be disgusting in private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep that same energy in public .
I like that we get to call everybody out now.
” While her platform may be new , she already understands its power , asking Hope : “ Why would you not speak out , or why would you not do everything you could to make a change if you know this is just wrong , in general ?
I shouldn ’ t have to tell you how to fix racism .
I shouldn ’ t have to tell you not to be racist .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you how to help us.
” “ Like , you should just genuinely feel that way , ” she added .
“ The color of your skin does not dictate the function of your brain.
” It also doesn ’ t dictate the breadth of our joy—and like us , Megan considers it a necessary priority in otherwise challenging times .
“ I feel like right now , you just can not forget to be happy , ” she said .
“ It ’ s all this bad going on .
You just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I like to do ?
What makes me smile ?
... Whatever you want to do to stay positive , do that.
” Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
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Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

Fun fact: “WAP” may also be an acronym for “Women Active in Politics.” Both Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are proving as passionate about our current political cycle as they are for the joys of enthusiastically consensual sex—which is as it should be since the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Of course, with Cardi, this comes as little surprise given the rap-tress has long touted her interest in American history and civics. This time last year, she was actively stumping for Bernie Sanders in the presidential primaries, even appearing with the democratic socialist in several pre-COVID chats about his vision for America. Of course, much has changed in the months since, and in tandem with starring in her first cover shoot for Elle magazine (which we covered last week), Cardi has done what most (rational) voters have—chosen to throw her vote and her cultural cachet behind the one candidate left in the race who isn’t Donald J. Trump.
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Sporting a burgundy bob with brows and lips to match, an interesting role reversal took place as the always outspoken artist and philanthropist was interviewed by presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden—or “Joey B, ” as his daughter and Cardi B fan Ashley long ago dubbed him. During a 16-minute conversation (the full transcript is on Elle), the two talked about education, Medicare, the movement for Black L ives and why Cardi is now willing to throw her support behind Biden in the upcoming election.
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“I have a whole list of things that I want our next president to do for us. But first, I just want Trump out,” she admitted, perhaps issuing the often gaffe-laden Biden a subtle warning when she added: “His mouth gets us in trouble so much.
“I don’t want to be lied to—we’re dealing with a pandemic right now, and I just want answers,” she continued, mentioning that one of the things she wants to see as a result is free Medicare for all, and echoing all of us when she says: “I want to know when this will be over. I want to go back to my job. But I don’t want someone to lie to me and tell me that it’s okay not to wear a mask, that everything is going to be okay. I want a president to tell me what the steps are for us to get better, to tell me, ‘This is why it is taking so long, this is why other countries are doing better than ours.’ Tell me the truth, the hard-core truth.”
As proposed by her original candidate of choice, Cardi also wants to see free college offered to Americans, something Biden “absolutely, positively” promises for families making less than $125,000 a year, in addition to free community college.
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“And I want Black people to stop getting killed and no justice for it. I’m tired of it. I’m sick of it. I just want laws that are fair to Black citizens and that are fair for cops, too,” she said.
“There’s no reason why we can’t have all of that,” answered “Uncle Joe,” invoking President Franklin Roosevelt when he added: “Presidents have to take responsibility. ... Roosevelt said the American people can take anything if you tell them the truth. Sometimes the truth is hard. But right now, we’re in a position where we have an opportunity to make so much progress.”
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As Biden sees it, seizing that opportunity lies heavily upon Gen Z and young millennials, who had a lower voter turnout in the last election.
“The vote matters,” he says. “Your generation can own what happens in the next election. They can change things dramatically if they show up and vote.”
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As parents, Cardi and Joe found common ground on the issue of childcare—but as Cardi pointed out, not all of us feel enfranchised and acknowledged as Americans.
“I feel like Black people, we’re not asking for sympathy, we’re not asking for charity—we are just asking for equality,” she said—and we agree. “We are asking for fairness, and we are asking for justice. That is all. I feel like everything people are asking for is getting interpreted in a very different way. No, it’s simple: We just want justice. We want to feel like Americans.”
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It’s real talk—and “being real is a risk” as Megan Thee Stallion tells Jezebel Culture Editor Clover Hope for W Magazine’s September Music Issue, where she spoke candidly about balancing her private life and a new, very public persona.
“I love the fact that I have a voice, and I love the fact that I do inspire a lot of girls, and I didn’t realize it at first. I was just being me,” she said. “Some of the things I say, I realized that some women might really wanna say them.”
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What does Meg have to say about the recent escalation of our ongoing racial crisis?
“The moment does feel different because it feels bigger—people have been able to hide a lot of racism, but now that we have social media, we see everything,” she said, referencing the now-infamous Amy Cooper incident. “You know, anything can go viral, so I really like how we’re able to catch these people doing these disgusting things and put ’em on blast, and people are getting fired from their jobs. You getting your scholarship taken away from whatever school you thought you was about to go to. It’s like, Yeah, we see you. You like to be disgusting in private, so let us show you how to keep that same energy in public. I like that we get to call everybody out now.”
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While her platform may be new, she already understands its power, asking Hope: “Why would you not speak out, or why would you not do everything you could to make a change if you know this is just wrong, in general? I shouldn’t have to tell you how to fix racism. I shouldn’t have to tell you not to be racist. I shouldn’t have to tell you how to help us.”
“Like, you should just genuinely feel that way,” she added. “The color of your skin does not dictate the function of your brain.”
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It also doesn’t dictate the breadth of our joy—and like us, Megan considers it a necessary priority in otherwise challenging times.
“I feel like right now, you just cannot forget to be happy,” she said. “It’s all this bad going on. You just really have to remember, What did I like to do? What makes me smile? ... Whatever you want to do to stay positive, do that.”
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theroot--2020-08-17--2 Men Indicted on Murder Charge in Death of Run-D.M.C.'s Jam Master Jay [Updated]

It ’ s been nearly 18 years since the legendary D.J .
from the iconic rap group Run-DMC was gunned down in his recording studio in Queens , N.Y. , on October 30 , 2002 .
Now , two men have been arrested and charged with the killing of Jason Mizell , also known by hip-hop enthusiasts all over the world as Jam Master Jay .
The Associated Press reports that federal prosecutors will announce Monday that 56-year-old Ronald Washington and 36-year-old Karl Jordan Jr.—two men long suspected of fatally shooting the renowned D.J.—were indicted on charges of murder while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two law enforcement officials who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity .
Washington is already serving a federal prison sentence for robbery ; Jordan was arrested Sunday .
The NYPD along with federal prosecutors in Brooklyn planned an afternoon news conference to announce the charges .
Jam Master Jay was 37 years old when he was shot once in the head by a masked assailant at his studio in Hollis , Queens , which “ has been converted into the Hall of Fame studio owned by a new company that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ painted murals and several RUN DMC memorabilia that decorate the walls , ” NBC New York reports .
Updated : 8/17/20 , 6:10 p.m .
ET : F ederal prosecutors say the Run- D. M. C. DJ was killed because he was allegedly part of a major drug- trafficking ring and tried to cut the two men charged in his death out of the business , according to the Washington Post .
Karl Jordan Jr. , who allegedly pulled the trigger in the high-profile killing , and Ronald Washington , were charged in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death of Jason Mizell known as Jam Master Jay .
The pair face up to life in prison on an indictment including murder and cocaine-related conspiracy charges .
In July 2002 , Mizell acquired ten kilograms of cocaine from a supplier in the Midwest , for distribution in Maryland by Jordan , Washington and other unnamed participants , according to the detention memo .
Following a dispute , Mizell fired Jordan and Washington as distributors .
Prosecutors said that ’ s why they murdered the hip-hop artist on Oct. 30 , 2002 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice for 18 years .
It was not clear from public disclosures what led to a break in the case .
“ Mr .
Jordan and Mr. Washington walked into a music studio in Queens where Mr. Mizell and others were working essentially , hanging out , and they walked in and they murdered him in cold blood , ” said acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme at a press conference near the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn .

It’s been nearly 18 years since the legendary D.J. from the iconic rap group Run-DMC was gunned down in his recording studio in Queens, N.Y., on October 30, 2002. Now, two men have been arrested and charged with the killing of Jason Mizell, also known by hip-hop enthusiasts all over the world as Jam Master Jay.
The Associated Press reports that federal prosecutors will announce Monday that 56-year-old Ronald Washington and 36-year-old Karl Jordan Jr.—two men long suspected of fatally shooting the renowned D.J.—were indicted on charges of murder while engaged in drug trafficking, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity. Washington is already serving a federal prison sentence for robbery; Jordan was arrested Sunday.
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The NYPD along with federal prosecutors in Brooklyn planned an afternoon news conference to announce the charges.
Jam Master Jay was 37 years old when he was shot once in the head by a masked assailant at his studio in Hollis, Queens, which “has been converted into the Hall of Fame studio owned by a new company that has kept Jay’s legacy alive with painted murals and several RUN DMC memorabilia that decorate the walls,” NBC New York reports.
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Updated: 8/17/20, 6:10 p.m. ET: F ederal prosecutors say the Run- D. M. C. DJ was killed because he was allegedly part of a major drug- trafficking ring and tried to cut the two men charged in his death out of the business , according to the Washington Post.
From the Post:


theroot--2020-08-17--What's the Best Face Mask for Breathing?

For someone who genuinely consumes fresh air like a glass of fine wine , the mask mandates are hard to stomach , but stomach I will .
The absolute least you can do is wear a simple cloth face mask when you ’ re headed to a crowd .
Not to mention , if you want to offer patronage to your local stores still afloat , they ’ re often required .
Some are of the opinion that the only ones that matter are certified N95 masks , but let me tell y ’ all from excruciating experience : T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I ’ m not so afraid of contracting this thing that I ’ ll shelter in place until I can get one .
I reckon I ’ m not alone by now .
Some people don ’ t like this whole mask thing for varying reasons , and I get it .
Some of those gripes can be downright asinine , but others are wholly valid .
For instance , someone out there needs more available airflow to properly nurse and manage a health condition or to keep their breath during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inner-Karen at every local Planet Fitness , however , it might be more productive for us to discuss some of the best face masks you can buy if breathability is your chief concern .
I ’ ve seen some with filtered air valves that make you look like a failed Scorpion cosplayer .
I don ’ t know how safe or effective they are , personally , but I will soon find out .
( For the record , something like this is a little too lax .
Please don ’ t do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even have to be that innovative .
Whether it ’ s a new take on the classic mask or something with less restrictive material , we want to know what you feel are the best face masks to buy solely for catching ( and keeping ) your breath .
If you ’ re a Co-opulace veteran , you know what to do , but for the new masked kids in the back ... 1 ) Your nomination should contain the name of a specific face mask , why you think it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be purchased , and an image .
2 ) You can nominate multiple products , but please put each one in a separate comment .
4 ) Please do not duplicate nominations .

Quentyn Kennemer on Co-op, shared by Quentyn Kennemer to The Root

For someone who genuinely consumes fresh air like a glass of fine wine, the mask mandates are hard to stomach, but stomach I will. The absolute least you can do is wear a simple cloth face mask when you’re headed to a crowd. Not to mention, if you want to offer patronage to your local stores still afloat, they’re often required.
Some are of the opinion that the only ones that matter are certified N95 masks, but let me tell y’all from excruciating experience: T hose can be a pain to find, and I’m not so afraid of contracting this thing that I’ll shelter in place until I can get one. I reckon I’m not alone by now.
Some people don’t like this whole mask thing for varying reasons, and I get it. Some of those gripes can be downright asinine, but others are wholly valid. For instance, someone out there needs more available airflow to properly nurse and manage a health condition or to keep their breath during workouts.
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Instead of spilling out your inner-Karen at every local Planet Fitness, however, it might be more productive for us to discuss some of the best face masks you can buy if breathability is your chief concern. I’ve seen some with filtered air valves that make you look like a failed Scorpion cosplayer. I don’t know how safe or effective they are, personally, but I will soon find out. (For the record, something like this is a little too lax. Please don’t do this.)
It doesn’t even have to be that innovative. Whether it’s a new take on the classic mask or something with less restrictive material, we want to know what you feel are the best face masks to buy solely for catching (and keeping) your breath. If you’re a Co-opulace veteran, you know what to do, but for the new masked kids in the back ...


theroot--2020-08-17--Abolish MAGA Parody Hats

Abolish MAGA Parody Hats

Conceding even the tiniest thing to a hateful and violent twerp like our president feels like a total defeat .
Unfortunately , I must admit that there are ( at least ) three zeitgeist-related places that he has “ won ” —where his influence has been total and , possibly , irreversible .
I ’ ve never been a kumbaya-ass nigga who gave any proper shits about “ discourse ” and “ decorum ” when the status quo requires disruption .
Basically , I ’ ve never been a white male columnist at a legacy publication .
But Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pollinator , and I think we ’ ve collectively become more like him here , instead of less .
Of course , he ain ’ t invent petty , but he did help shift it from being considered a negative personal attribute to a badge .
A business card .
An emblem .
Say it loud .
We ’ re pettier and proud .
I know this is an aggressively nebulous assertion with no way to prove , but I feel like being led by a white man who ’ s never apologized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men and women who ’ ve also never apologized for shit—has made us apologize to each other less .
Again though , I have no proof of this , and I will not apologize for that .
( Shit !
It got me too ! )
The compulsion to rebrand something as malevolent and antagonistic as the MAGA ball cap makes sense !
The execution , however , never does .
Never did .
Never will .
What actually happens , when “ Make America Great Again ” is replaced with a cheeky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ font and color scheme , is the exact same thing that happens when it ’ s the original .
If I ’ m 50 feet from you , I see the color and the font and assume it ’ s a MAGA hat , and my fight-or-flight immediately engages .
By the time I ’ m close enough to see it ’ s a parody hat , I ’ m already deep in “ Fuck this dude ” mode .
And then , instead of feeling relief that it ’ s a clever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ m just annoyed as fuck .
Also , parody hats just make Trump ’ s MAGA branding even more ubiquitous .
It literally ( and effectively ) does the thing it was created to combat .
It ’ s not subverting .
It ’ s assisting .
( And , if you squint , it ’ s plagiarizing too . )
Anyway , I ’ m sorry if this compels you to throw your MAGA parody hats and shirts in the trash .
Actually , n o I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
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Damon Young on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Damon Young to The Root

Conceding even the tiniest thing to a hateful and violent twerp like our president feels like a total defeat. Unfortunately, I must admit that there are (at least) three zeitgeist-related places that he has “won”—where his influence has been total and, possibly, irreversible.
1. A collective pride in being petty
I’ve never been a kumbaya-ass nigga who gave any proper shits about “discourse” and “decorum” when the status quo requires disruption. Basically, I’ve never been a white male columnist at a legacy publication. But Trump’s relentless smallness has been a mass pollinator, and I think we’ve collectively become more like him here, instead of less . Of course, he ain’t invent petty, but he did help shift it from being considered a negative personal attribute to a badge. A business card. An emblem. Say it loud. We’re pettier and proud.
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2. Pervasive unapologetic-ness
I know this is an aggressively nebulous assertion with no way to prove, but I feel like being led by a white man who’s never apologized for shit—and who’s appointed white men and women who’ve also never apologized for shit—has made us apologize to each other less. Again though, I have no proof of this, and I will not apologize for that. (Shit! It got me too!)
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3. Red trucker caps with white letters are forever ruined
The compulsion to rebrand something as malevolent and antagonistic as the MAGA ball cap makes sense! The execution, however, never does. Never did. Never will. What actually happens, when “Make America Great Again” is replaced with a cheeky or progressive slogan while keeping the same font and color scheme, is the exact same thing that happens when it’s the original. If I’m 50 feet from you, I see the color and the font and assume it’s a MAGA hat, and my fight-or-flight immediately engages. By the time I’m close enough to see it’s a parody hat, I’m already deep in “Fuck this dude” mode. And then, instead of feeling relief that it’s a clever slogan instead of Make America Great Again, I’m just annoyed as fuck.
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Also, parody hats just make Trump’s MAGA branding even more ubiquitous. It literally (and effectively) does the thing it was created to combat. It’s not subverting. It’s assisting. (And, if you squint, it’s plagiarizing too.)
Anyway, I’m sorry if this compels you to throw your MAGA parody hats and shirts in the trash. Actually, n o I’m not. Nevermind.
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theroot--2020-08-17--Washington Football Team Hires First Black Team President In a League That's 60 Percent Black...Hurr

Washington Football Team Hires First Black Team President In a League That's 60 Percent Black...Hurray!

In a nod to the insanity of institutional racism , the team formerly known as a racial slur has announced that Jason Wright will lead the organization as team president , making him the first Black man to serve in that position in a league that is 60 percent Black .
The 38-year-old former running back will lead the team ’ s business divisions , including operations , sales , finance , and marketing , and he is also the National Football League ’ s youngest team president , according to the Washington Post .
Wright graduated from Northwestern University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played seven seasons in the NFL before earning a master ’ s in business administration from the University of Chicago .
On Monday , the team whose name disparaged Native Americans for 88 years , announced that Wright would follow team President Bruce Allen , who earned his master ’ s degree in being the son of Hall of Fame coach George Allen before sporting a losing record at every job he ever held .
( They didn ’ t use the same wording ) : Wright arrives at a tumultuous time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was abandoning its 87-year-old “ Redskins ” name amid sponsor pressure .
Snyder ’ s three minority ownership partners , who hold a roughly 40 percent stake in the franchise , are trying to sell their shares .
In a Washington Post story last month , 15 female former team employees and two female sportswriters described a culture of sexual harassment that had existed inside the organization , prompting Snyder to commission an independent review by an outside law firm .
Washington has been without a president since team owner Daniel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 .
Snyder hired Rivera as head coach and to oversee football operations two days later , saying he wanted Rivera to be the singular voice who spoke for the organization .
Honestly , I think Washington should ride out with “ The Washington Football Team.
” I like it .
It ’ s kind of meta .
Like the legendary rock band called “ The Band ” or how the University of Alabama ’ s football team named themselves after the color of their necks .
According to the NFL ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the profitable sports league ’ s roster of players is 26.9 percent white while the list of people who held management positions in the NFL office was 10.2 percent Black .
In fact , there are more white women vice presidents of NFL teams ( 70 ) than Black men ( 25 ) .
The NFL ’ s head coaches are 87.5 percent white .
The assistant coaches are 66.4 percent white .
C-suite personnel is 89.1 percent white .
The general managers are 93.7 percent white .
But Jay-Z got them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though .
Anyway , one Black dude got a job .
“ Oh , they ’ re hiring ?
” said Colin Kaepernick in a statement released to no one .
Join the discussion !
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In a nod to the insanity of institutional racism, the team formerly known as a racial slur has announced that Jason Wright will lead the organization as team president, making him the first Black man to serve in that position in a league that is 60 percent Black.
The 38-year-old former running back will lead the team’s business divisions, including operations, sales, finance, and marketing, and he is also the National Football League’s youngest team president, according to the Washington Post. Wright graduated from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s degree and played seven seasons in the NFL before earning a master’s in business administration from the University of Chicago .
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On Monday, the team whose name disparaged Native Americans for 88 years, announced that Wright would follow team President Bruce Allen, who earned his master’s degree in being the son of Hall of Fame coach George Allen before sporting a losing record at every job he ever held. (They didn’t use the same wording):
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The Washington Post reports:
Wright arrives at a tumultuous time for the franchise, which announced last month that it was abandoning its 87-year-old “Redskins” name amid sponsor pressure. Snyder’s three minority ownership partners, who hold a roughly 40 percent stake in the franchise, are trying to sell their shares. In a Washington Post story last month, 15 female former team employees and two female sportswriters described a culture of sexual harassment that had existed inside the organization, prompting Snyder to commission an independent review by an outside law firm. Washington has been without a president since team owner Daniel M. Snyder fired Bruce Allen on Dec. 30. Snyder hired Rivera as head coach and to oversee football operations two days later, saying he wanted Rivera to be the singular voice who spoke for the organization.
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Honestly, I think Washington should ride out with “The Washington Football Team.” I like it. It’s kind of meta. Like the legendary rock band called “The Band” or how the University of Alabama’s football team named themselves after the color of their necks.
According to the NFL’s 2019 report card on race and gender, the profitable sports league’s roster of players is 26.9 percent white while the list of people who held management positions in the NFL office was 10.2 percent Black. In fact, there are more white women vice presidents of NFL teams (70) than Black men (25). The NFL’s head coaches are 87.5 percent white. The assistant coaches are 66.4 percent white. C-suite personnel is 89.1 percent white. The general managers are 93.7 percent white.
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58.9 percent of NFL players are Black.
But Jay-Z got them to let Black people sing at halftime, though.
Anyway, one Black dude got a job.
“Oh, they’re hiring?” said Colin Kaepernick in a statement released to no one.
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theroot--2020-08-17--10 Staffers From Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith's Westbrook Productions Test Positive for COVID-19

COVID-19 doesn ’ t seem to be letting up any time soon , and it appears that the virus has found its way to Will and Jada Pinkett Smith ’ s production company .
According to a statement from a Westbrook Productions spokesperson provided to Variety , 10 staffers on the set of an undisclosed Westbrook project tested positive for COVID-19 , and were asymptomatic .
This raises concerns on whether it ’ s too soon for production teams to get back to work , and Variety notes that “ The outbreak is the first significant transmission reported at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out relatively little information about the outbreak , ” the site reads .
“ The company said that production had halted on one project that involved the infected workers.
” Despite the outbreak , production continues for a number of various Westbrook projects , and the company has been “ following federal , state and local guidelines for its productions ” in order to resume work safely .
After testing the infected staffers again , their results came back negative .
As a result , Variety reports that Westbrook has stopped using Rapid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the staffers both times .
Anthony Capone , the president of Rapid Reliable Testing , said that after the virus passes through the body , it ’ s likely that those deemed positive will come back with a negative result .
The company provides testing for 15 to 20 production studios in California .
“ Especially if the people caught it at the same time , it ’ s possible they go through a similar infection period and incubation period , ” Capone notes .
He also said he has not received confirmation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reliable Testing .
The Smiths have been vocal about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic , and have dedicated programming to informing viewers about its seriousness .
On a March episode of her show Red Table Talk , Jada Pinkett Smith had a discussion about the biology behind coronavirus , and on an episode of Will ’ s Snapchat series titled “ Will From Home , ” he chatted with Dr. Anthony Fauci about COVID-19 and racial disparities .
Smith ’ s longtime musical partner DJ Jazzy Jeff was diagnosed with a serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which landed him in the hospital .
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J'na Jefferson on The Grapevine, shared by J'na Jefferson to The Root

COVID-19 doesn’t seem to be letting up any time soon because people won’t listen , and it appears that the virus has found its way to Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s production company.
According to a statement from a Westbrook Productions spokesperson provided to Variety, 10 staffers on the set of an undisclosed Westbrook project tested positive for COVID-19, and were asymptomatic. This raises concerns on whether it’s too soon for production teams to get back to work, and Variety notes that “The outbreak is the first significant transmission reported at a production company.”
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“Westbrook has given out relatively little information about the outbreak,” the site reads. “The company said that production had halted on one project that involved the infected workers.” Despite the outbreak, production continues for a number of various Westbrook projects, and the company has been “following federal, state and local guidelines for its productions” in order to resume work safely.
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After testing the infected staffers again, their results came back negative. As a result, Variety reports that Westbrook has stopped using Rapid Reliable Testing, which helped to test the staffers both times. Anthony Capone, the president of Rapid Reliable Testing, said that after the virus passes through the body, it’s likely that those deemed positive will come back with a negative result. The company provides testing for 15 to 20 production studios in California.
“Especially if the people caught it at the same time, it’s possible they go through a similar infection period and incubation period,” Capone notes. He also said he has not received confirmation about Westbrook discontinuing their services with Rapid Reliable Testing.
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The Smiths have been vocal about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and have dedicated programming to informing viewers about its seriousness. On a March episode of her show Red Table Talk, Jada Pinkett Smith had a discussion about the biology behind coronavirus, and on an episode of Will’s Snapchat series titled “Will From Home,” he chatted with Dr. Anthony Fauci about COVID-19 and racial disparities. Smith’s longtime musical partner DJ Jazzy Jeff was diagnosed with a serious case of COVID-19 earlier this year, which landed him in the hospital.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-17--Kalamazoo, Mich., Officials Apologize for Arrest of Black Reporter Covering Violent White Nationalis

Kalamazoo, Mich., Officials Apologize for Arrest of Black Reporter Covering Violent White Nationalist Rally

Over the weekend , The Root reported on two separate white nationalist rallies—one in Stone Mountain , Ga. , and one in Kalamazoo , Mich.—where groups of white people mad about various things were met by anti-racism counterprotesters who let the white supremacist MAGA-humpers know that the only thing they have to be mad about is their inability to grasp the fine art of making raisinless potato salad , clap on the two and four , and add any semblance of rhythm to those stiff ass line dances they love so much .
In both protests , confrontations between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side reportedly pepper-spraying counterprotesters and law enforcement being slow to intervene .
In Kalamazoo , officers ’ hesitation to get involved , even as violence broke out , didn ’ t stop them from immediately going after MLive reporter Samuel Robinson .
City officials in Kalamazoo apologized to Robinson and dropped charges against the Black journalist , who was covering a Proud Boys rally and the clash with counterprotesters on Saturday in which the reporter was seemingly snatched up by police officers on sight and arrested despite repeatedly identifying himself as a member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken by Robinson , the journalist could be heard telling officers several times that he was a member of the media as he was arrested with his identification lanyard around his neck .
“ I ’ m being arrested now , ” Robinson said in the video .
“ I ’ m media , dude .
I ’ m media .
I ’ m with MLive .
I ’ m with MLive , ” he said before the video cuts out .
Robinson was released the same day on a $ 100 bond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLive reported .
On Sunday , Kalamazoo officials addressed the rally and arrests , saying they were sorry about the reporter ’ s arrest and his charges would be dropped .
“ I apologize for the trauma that it caused to this young man , ” Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas said during the news conference , CNN affiliate WOOD-TV reported .
“ We all respect the sanctity of the press.
” Mayor David Anderson said the reporter had been released and the charges against him had been dropped , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robinson was one of 10 people arrested at the rally and that she doesn ’ t believe any of those arrested were Proud Boys , CNN reports .
In fact , according to MLive , the Kalamazoo Police Department—which knew days in advance that the angry , empty spice cabinet-having wypipo rally was happening—explained why officers weren ’ t on the ground for most of the rally by saying they only really had a plan for responding to it as a peaceful demonstration .
( Because when in America ’ s past or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pantaloons all in a bunch over civil rights efforts ever been a recipe for violence , am I right ? )
Of course , that weak-ass justification still doesn ’ t explain why Robinson was arrested in the first place or why , as far as the public safety chief knows , none of the Proud Boys were handcuffed .
It ’ s almost as if racism happened at a racism rally—go figure .
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Over the weekend, The Root reported on two separate white nationalist rallies—one in Stone Mountain, Ga., and one in Kalamazoo, Mich.—where groups of white people mad about various things were met by anti-racism counterprotesters who let the white supremacist MAGA-humpers know that the only thing they have to be mad about is their inability to grasp the fine art of making raisinless potato salad, clap on the two and four, and add any semblance of rhythm to those stiff ass line dances they love so much.
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In both protests, confrontations between the two groups became physical with the melanin-redacted side reportedly pepper-spraying counterprotesters and law enforcement being slow to intervene. In Kalamazoo, officers’ hesitation to get involved, even as violence broke out, didn’t stop them from immediately going after MLive reporter Samuel Robinson.
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City officials in Kalamazoo apologized to Robinson and dropped charges against the Black journalist, who was covering a Proud Boys rally and the clash with counterprotesters on Saturday in which the reporter was seemingly snatched up by police officers on sight and arrested despite repeatedly identifying himself as a member of the press.
From CNN:
In a video taken by Robinson, the journalist could be heard telling officers several times that he was a member of the media as he was arrested with his identification lanyard around his neck. “I’m being arrested now,” Robinson said in the video. “I’m media, dude. I’m media. I’m with MLive. I’m with MLive,” he said before the video cuts out. Robinson was released the same day on a $100 bond on a charge of impeding traffic, MLive reported. On Sunday, Kalamazoo officials addressed the rally and arrests, saying they were sorry about the reporter’s arrest and his charges would be dropped. “I apologize for the trauma that it caused to this young man,” Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas said during the news conference, CNN affiliate WOOD-TV reported. “We all respect the sanctity of the press.” Mayor David Anderson said the reporter had been released and the charges against him had been dropped, according to affiliate WWMT.
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Thomas also said that Robinson was one of 10 people arrested at the rally and that she doesn’t believe any of those arrested were Proud Boys, CNN reports. In fact, according to MLive, the Kalamazoo Police Department—which knew days in advance that the angry, empty spice cabinet-having wypipo rally was happening—explained why officers weren’t on the ground for most of the rally by saying they only really had a plan for responding to it as a peaceful demonstration. (Because when in America’s past or present has white people with their star-spangled pantaloons all in a bunch over civil rights efforts ever been a recipe for violence, am I right?)
Of course, that weak-ass justification still doesn’t explain why Robinson was arrested in the first place or why, as far as the public safety chief knows, none of the Proud Boys were handcuffed . It’s almost as if racism happened at a racism rally—go figure.
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theroot--2020-08-17--Everything We Know About Trump’s Attempts to Cripple the Postal Service and What Democrats Are Doing

Everything We Know About Trump’s Attempts to Cripple the Postal Service and What Democrats Are Doing to Stop It

If you have been paying attention to Trump ’ s latest attempts to steal the presidential election or waiting on a check to come in the mail , you ’ ve probably not been up on game .
It ’ s OK , I got you .
Alright , so boom : Basically , Trump has been doing the thing he does when he ’ s trying to steal an election but wants to act like he ’ s not .
First , he argued that expanding mail-in voting will lead to voter fraud .
This is not true .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not even a little bit true and a nyone who deals with mail and mail-in voting has come out and said this isn ’ t true .
Detectives have said this isn ’ t true .
Inspector Gadget has said this is bullshit .
Luther ( the Idris one , not Vandross ) has said this isn ’ t true .
Perry Mason ( the old one not the HBO one ) has said this isn ’ t a thing but Trump and his team have continued to push this foolishness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a heavy Republican donor in charge of USPS as postmaster general .
Seriously , he put some dude named Louis DeJoy—who is a major Louis DeAsshole with no experience in the mail delivery business , has never worked in the postal service and couldn ’ t tell you where a mailbox is because he has someone take his mail to the post office ( # richpeopleshit ) —in charge of the postal service .
Oh , and he ’ s bringing in a salary of $ 291,650 to basically fuck the postal system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he ’ s deployed some “ cost-cutting measures ” such as slashing overtime , which has been vital to ensuring mail is delivered on time .
He told postal workers to leave mail at distribution centers if it delays carriers getting onto their routes , and has shut down or had mail sorters removed from postal service buildings .
Carriers have been complaining that they ’ ve been given less mail to deliver and recently , photos were captured of postal workers removing those blue letter-collection boxes we see on every corner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency will stop removing those boxes until after the election ) .
He also recently reassigned or removed 23 postal executives in a recent leadership shakeup , which analysts say puts most of the USPS power in DeJoy ’ s hands .
On Friday , USPS sent letters to 46 states warning that there was no guarantee that the postal service could deliver all mail-in ballots in time for the election .
For the TL ; DR crowd , Trump claims the postal service can ’ t handle mail-in voting , then hires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fuck up the post office .
And if you weren ’ t already confused , Trump then backtracked Monday on some of these claims , because of course , he did .
In a recent interview with Fox & Friends , the president of people who have one toothbrush in a 6-person household claimed he ’ d be in favor of people who were afraid of voting in person because of the coronavirus .
When asked if they could request an absentee ballot , Trump responded : “ I totally support that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ But isn ’ t that just mail-in voting ?
Well , yes .
Trump ’ s big fear is that mass mail-in voting will lead to voter fraud , despite there being no evidence to support this .
Most states require voters to ask for mail-in ballots to vote absentee ( see , it ’ s the same thing ! )
and some have even expanded the reasons needed to vote by mail-in ballot—like a pandemic .
Several states like Colorado and California are also doing universal vote-by-mail , where voters are automatically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the type of ballot Trump is railing against , but honestly , who knows ?
Oh , and if all of that isn ’ t enough to convince you that the president of people who wear tuxedo shirts to formal dinners is trying to steal the election , how about he admitted as much ?
He literally said that he ’ s withholding the funds the United States Postal Service desperately needs to function during a pandemic because he doesn ’ t want the money used for mail-in voting .
During an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if USPS does not receive the additional $ 25 billion funding request that Democrats included in the ongoing stimulus negotiations , then he believes the Post Office won ’ t be able to handle the influx of mail-in ballots in the upcoming election .
“ They want three and a half billion dollars for something that ’ ll turn out to be fraudulent , that ’ s election money basically .
They want three and a half billion dollars for the mail-in votes .
Universal mail-in ballots .
They want $ 25 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now they need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots , ” Trump said , repeating his false claims that mail-in voting would be “ fraudulent.
” Why is all of this happening ?
Well , that ’ s easy .
The president of the United States is trying to stay in power .
Believing that he won ’ t win , he ’ s doing everything he can during a global pandemic ( which is starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) to steal the election .
Republicans know that their people , the people who would rather walk into Piggly Wiggly with their butt-ass naked faces and fight those who tell them they can ’ t come in there like that , are willing to risk their lives to vote .
In-person voting works out better for the president and his people .
So Louis DeFuckHead has been singlehandedly fucking with the postal system as we know it so that he can help the president .
They are all complicit , a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late as they may be to the fight , are now working to try and stop the President and his merry band of thugs from stealing the election .
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has called for the House to come back from vacation ( yep , you read that right , with unemployment benefits all fucked up , no stimulus check in sight , no actual plan to reopening schools , and basically the world looking like it ’ s on fire , Congress was on a month-long vacation ) to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans .
But Pelosi and the Democratic half of Congress aren ’ t just trying to stop the Thanos of hatred and racism , some state attorney generals have also called for probes into how this bullshit went down .
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong accused Trump of trying to hijack the November election in a tweet Friday and said he is “ actively engaged in discussion with attorneys general across the nation to mount a vigorous defense of our postal service and the legitimacy of our election.
” Arizona Secretary of State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attorney General Mark Brnovich on Friday to investigate whether the recent changes to the USPS , combined with comments made by Trump about Postal Service funding , violate an Arizona law that makes it a crime to “ knowingly delay the delivery of a ballot.
” Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. ( D-N.J. ) made a criminal referral to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal Friday , asking him to empanel a grand jury to investigate “ subversion of election laws by Donald Trump , Louis DeJoy , and other Trump officials in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Friday New Jersey Gov .
Phil Murphy announced the state will largely vote by mail , and Pascrell argued that interference with voting by mail and state elections by the Trump administration may violate New Jersey state laws designed to protect the electoral process .
So now we wait for some voting by Democrats that the president and Louis DeFuckBoy will most likely ignore and prepare ourselves to mask up and stand in line to cast a ballot for president because Trump would rather run the risk of killing Americans than lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

If you have been paying attention to Trump’s latest attempts to steal the presidential election or waiting on a check to come in the mail, you’ve probably not been up on game. It’s OK, I got you.
Alright, so boom: Basically, Trump has been doing the thing he does when he’s trying to steal an election but wants to act like he’s not. First, he argued that expanding mail-in voting will lead to voter fraud. This is not true. It’s not even remotely true. Not even a little bit true and a nyone who deals with mail and mail-in voting has come out and said this isn’t true. Detectives have said this isn’t true. Inspector Gadget has said this is bullshit. Luther (the Idris one, not Vandross) has said this isn’t true. Perry Mason (the old one not the HBO one) has said this isn’t a thing but Trump and his team have continued to push this foolishness to the forefront.
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Then, Trump put a heavy Republican donor in charge of USPS as postmaster general. Seriously, he put some dude named Louis DeJoy—who is a major Louis DeAsshole with no experience in the mail delivery business, has never worked in the postal service and couldn’t tell you where a mailbox is because he has someone take his mail to the post office (#richpeopleshit)—in charge of the postal service. Oh, and he’s bringing in a salary of $291,650 to basically fuck the postal system up.
Since DeJoy took the job, he’s deployed some “cost-cutting measures” such as slashing overtime, which has been vital to ensuring mail is delivered on time. He told postal workers to leave mail at distribution centers if it delays carriers getting onto their routes, and has shut down or had mail sorters removed from postal service buildings. Carriers have been complaining that they’ve been given less mail to deliver and recently, photos were captured of postal workers removing those blue letter-collection boxes we see on every corner. (A USPS spokesman claims the agency will stop removing those boxes until after the election). He also recently reassigned or removed 23 postal executives in a recent leadership shakeup, which analysts say puts most of the USPS power in DeJoy’s hands. On Friday, USPS sent letters to 46 states warning that there was no guarantee that the postal service could deliver all mail-in ballots in time for the election.
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For the TL;DR crowd, Trump claims the postal service can’t handle mail-in voting, then hires a major donor with no experience to fuck up the post office. And if you weren’t already confused, Trump then backtracked Monday on some of these claims, because of course, he did. In a recent interview with Fox & Friends, the president of people who have one toothbrush in a 6-person household claimed he’d be in favor of people who were afraid of voting in person because of the coronavirus. When asked if they could request an absentee ballot, Trump responded: “I totally support that. That’s a great thing.”
But isn’t that just mail-in voting? Well, yes. Trump’s big fear is that mass mail-in voting will lead to voter fraud, despite there being no evidence to support this. Most states require voters to ask for mail-in ballots to vote absentee (see, it’s the same thing!) and some have even expanded the reasons needed to vote by mail-in ballot—like a pandemic. Several states like Colorado and California are also doing universal vote-by-mail, where voters are automatically mailed ballots, which seems to be the type of ballot Trump is railing against, but honestly, who knows?
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Oh, and if all of that isn’t enough to convince you that the president of people who wear tuxedo shirts to formal dinners is trying to steal the election, how about he admitted as much? He literally said that he’s withholding the funds the United States Postal Service desperately needs to function during a pandemic because he doesn’t want the money used for mail-in voting.
From CNN:
During an interview on Fox News, Trump said that if USPS does not receive the additional $25 billion funding request that Democrats included in the ongoing stimulus negotiations, then he believes the Post Office won’t be able to handle the influx of mail-in ballots in the upcoming election. “They want three and a half billion dollars for something that’ll turn out to be fraudulent, that’s election money basically. They want three and a half billion dollars for the mail-in votes. Universal mail-in ballots. They want $25 billion, billion, for the Post Office. Now they need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” Trump said, repeating his false claims that mail-in voting would be “fraudulent.”
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Why is all of this happening? Well, that’s easy. The president of the United States is trying to stay in power. Believing that he won’t win, he’s doing everything he can during a global pandemic (which is starting to feel more like a national pandemic) to steal the election. Republicans know that their people, the people who would rather walk into Piggly Wiggly with their butt-ass naked faces and fight those who tell them they can’t come in there like that, are willing to risk their lives to vote. In-person voting works out better for the president and his people. So Louis DeFuckHead has been singlehandedly fucking with the postal system as we know it so that he can help the president. They are all complicit, a whole lot of them.
Democrats, as late as they may be to the fight, are now working to try and stop the President and his merry band of thugs from stealing the election. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has called for the House to come back from vacation (yep, you read that right, with unemployment benefits all fucked up, no stimulus check in sight, no actual plan to reopening schools, and basically the world looking like it’s on fire, Congress was on a month-long vacation) to try and thwart the president’s plans.
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From Politico:
The House is expected to vote as early as Saturday, Aug. 22, on a proposal to block the Trump administration’s plan for overhauling the Postal Service. This is weeks earlier than Pelosi and the House Democratic leaders had originally planned to return to Washington. But the revised House schedule comes amid a national uproar over a crisis within the Postal Service ahead of a national election that will see an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots.
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But Pelosi and the Democratic half of Congress aren’t just trying to stop the Thanos of hatred and racism, some state attorney generals have also called for probes into how this bullshit went down.
From Forbes:
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong accused Trump of trying to hijack the November election in a tweet Friday and said he is “actively engaged in discussion with attorneys general across the nation to mount a vigorous defense of our postal service and the legitimacy of our election.” Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs asked the state’s Attorney General Mark Brnovich on Friday to investigate whether the recent changes to the USPS, combined with comments made by Trump about Postal Service funding, violate an Arizona law that makes it a crime to “knowingly delay the delivery of a ballot.” Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) made a criminal referral to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal Friday, asking him to empanel a grand jury to investigate “subversion of election laws by Donald Trump, Louis DeJoy, and other Trump officials in their accelerating arson of the Post Office.” On Friday New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced the state will largely vote by mail, and Pascrell argued that interference with voting by mail and state elections by the Trump administration may violate New Jersey state laws designed to protect the electoral process.
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So now we wait for some voting by Democrats that the president and Louis DeFuckBoy will most likely ignore and prepare ourselves to mask up and stand in line to cast a ballot for president because Trump would rather run the risk of killing Americans than lose the White House.
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!


theroot--2020-08-17--On the 19th Amendment's Centennial, Michelle Obama Urges Us to Honor Women's Work in Securing the Vo

On the 19th Amendment's Centennial, Michelle Obama Urges Us to Honor Women's Work in Securing the Vote

Just like our forever F irst L ady Michelle Obama , we are not going to stop talking about the importance of voting this election cycle—no matter how unenthused you might be .
While there were many factors that led to the outcome of what we ’ d feared would be a disastrous 2016 election ( Electoral College , we ’ re looking at you ) , apathy was among them , and it ’ s not a risk we can afford to take again—especially with so many other present risks to our democracy and lives .
In the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in particular , these are rights our ancestors fought for us to be able to exercise .
On August 6 , we celebrated the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act , which was the hard-won result of the deadly civil rights movement of the mid-last century—and significantly , marked the day that Black women were fully enfranchised to vote .
It was the completion of a battle that had begun 45 years earlier when the 19th Amendment was ratified , which ostensibly gave American women the right to vote by stating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
” While we know the 19th amendment didn ’ t include all women ( read : us ) , it has nevertheless been 100 years since its passage ; a date Mrs. Obama ’ s two-year-old When We All Vote initiative commemorated Monday morning in an exclusive video with Harper ’ s Bazaar , which appropriately acknowledged our exclusion , noting : The video features many of our foremothers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B .
Wells , Fannie Lou Hamer , Rosa Parks , Dorothy Pitman Hughes and more .
“ It took decades of marching , organizing , and standing up to folks who thought that democracy should be of , by , and for only some of the people , ” says Mrs. Obama ( h/t Bazaar ) .
“ And then we had to fight for decades more to ensure that women of color could cast their ballots as well .
These victories were hard-won .
But the struggle was worth it because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our voice .
It gives us the power to determine the course of our lives and the direction of our country .
And this year in this election , we can not take that power for granted.
” She further notes that even in these very bleak times , we have good reason to be encouraged—and momentum to build upon .
Along with the “ blue wave ” that took over the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections , as previously reported by The Root , a record-breaking number of Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this November .
“ In 2018 , women showed up to the polls in a major way , ” says Mrs. Obama , who last week urged us to prepare early to vote by mail and protect our votes .
“ We all know that some people out there are just hoping that we decide to give up our power and stay home on Election Day .
But we can ’ t let that happen .
Not this year , not any year .
We owe it to ourselves , and to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voices heard .
That ’ s what our mothers and grandmothers did for us .
And now it ’ s our turn.
” Join the discussion !
The Root is hosting its first-ever , virtual Root Institute , presented by Target , featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics , culture , health , community building and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

Just like our forever F irst L ady Michelle Obama, we are not going to stop talking about the importance of voting this election cycle—no matter how unenthused you might be. While there were many factors that led to the outcome of what we’d feared would be a disastrous 2016 election (Electoral College, we’re looking at you), apathy was among them, and it’s not a risk we can afford to take again—especially with so many other present risks to our democracy and lives.
In the case of Black people, and Black women, in particular, these are rights our ancestors fought for us to be able to exercise. On August 6, we celebrated the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, which was the hard-won result of the deadly civil rights movement of the mid-last century—and significantly, marked the day that Black women were fully enfranchised to vote. It was the completion of a battle that had begun 45 years earlier when the 19th Amendment was ratified, which ostensibly gave American women the right to vote by stating that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”
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While we know the 19th amendment didn’t include all women (read: us), it has nevertheless been 100 years since its passage; a date Mrs. Obama’s two-year-old When We All Vote initiative commemorated Monday morning in an exclusive video with Harper’s Bazaar, which appropriately acknowledged our exclusion, noting:
Continued organizing and activism pushed for a democracy that included all races and genders—and the fight continues today, one hundred years after the historic amendment’s ratification.
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The video features many of our foremothers, including pioneering activists Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Dorothy Pitman Hughes and more.
“It took decades of marching, organizing, and standing up to folks who thought that democracy should be of, by, and for only some of the people,” says Mrs. Obama (h/t Bazaar). “And then we had to fight for decades more to ensure that women of color could cast their ballots as well. These victories were hard-won. But the struggle was worth it because our foremothers knew that our vote is our voice. It gives us the power to determine the course of our lives and the direction of our country. And this year in this election, we cannot take that power for granted.”
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She further notes that even in these very bleak times, we have good reason to be encouraged—and momentum to build upon. Along with the “blue wave” that took over the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections, as previously reported by The Root, a record-breaking number of Black women are running for seats in Congress this November.
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“In 2018, women showed up to the polls in a major way,” says Mrs. Obama, who last week urged us to prepare early to vote by mail and protect our votes. “We all know that some people out there are just hoping that we decide to give up our power and stay home on Election Day. But we can’t let that happen. Not this year, not any year. We owe it to ourselves, and to our kids and grandkids, to make our voices heard. That’s what our mothers and grandmothers did for us. And now it’s our turn.”
Join the discussion! The Root is hosting its first-ever, virtual Root Institute, presented by Target, featuring several of the leading minds in our community talking about politics, culture, health, community building and social impact. Subscribe for updates today!