theroot--2020-08-04--Black Man Who Didn't Commit a Crime Held at Gunpoint by Omaha Police

In Omaha , Neb.
, a Black man was held at gunpoint even though he didn ’ t commit any crime—he just “ fit the description.
” According to KETV , Timothy Hardy was walking his neighbor ’ s daughter home to make sure she arrived safely after hearing gunshots .
As he arrived home , he was confronted by a police officer on his front lawn who held him at gunpoint until more officers arrived .
The whole time this was happening , Hardy ’ s family was inside documenting what was happening .
“ I was scared .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t want them to witness me getting gunned down , ” Hardy told KETV .
Omaha Police sent a statement to KETV saying that they were in the area “ looking for an armed suspect that ran from a traffic stop .
The suspect was described as a Black male , dreadlocks , gray tank top , dark shorts , armed with a handgun.
” A commanding officer called in and said that Hardy met the description but was wearing white shorts .
“ I fit the description .
Black guy with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hardy told the station .
In a video of the incident , Hardy ’ s fiancée Alicia Gunter can be heard telling the officers that their four-month-old daughter was in the car but she was not allowed to get her .
“ It broke me .
When they finally let me get her , the first person I called was my dad .
I couldn ’ t even talk .
I couldn ’ t talk .
I was hysterical , ” Gunter told KETV .
“ My youngest son , after it all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And he said , ‘ Dad , are [ the ] police going to shoot you ?
” As he was being cuffed , Hardy informed the officers he had a concealed weapon , but it was one he had a permit for .
“ Shortly after [ Hardy ] was handcuffed , it was learned that he was not involved and not the suspect officers were looking for .
It was determined [ Hardy ] was a valid CCW holder , officers took the handcuff off of [ Hardy ] and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their statement .
Hardy has said that Omaha police simply walked away after the incident , and they ’ ve made no attempt to contact him since .
He and his fiancée simply wished the officers approached calmly and didn ’ t have their weapons drawn .
“ It could happen to any one of us .
Any one Black guy with dreads .
It could have been anybody , ” Hardy stressed .

In Omaha, Neb., a Black man was held at gunpoint even though he didn’t commit any crime—he just “fit the description.”
According to KETV, Timothy Hardy was walking his neighbor’s daughter home to make sure she arrived safely after hearing gunshots. As he arrived home , he was confronted by a police officer on his front lawn who held him at gunpoint until more officers arrived. The whole time this was happening, Hardy’s family was inside documenting what was happening. “I was scared. Scared for my family. I didn’t want them to witness me getting gunned down,” Hardy told KETV.
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Omaha Police sent a statement to KETV saying that they were in the area “looking for an armed suspect that ran from a traffic stop. The suspect was described as a Black male, dreadlocks, gray tank top, dark shorts, armed with a handgun.” A commanding officer called in and said that Hardy met the description but was wearing white shorts. “I fit the description. Black guy with dreads. Basically racial profiling,” Hardy told the station.
In a video of the incident, Hardy’s fiancée Alicia Gunter can be heard telling the officers that their four-month-old daughter was in the car but she was not allowed to get her. “It broke me. When they finally let me get her, the first person I called was my dad. I couldn’t even talk. I couldn’t talk. I was hysterical,” Gunter told KETV. “My youngest son, after it all happened, Timothy was coming outside. And he said, ‘Dad, are [the] police going to shoot you?”
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As he was being cuffed, Hardy informed the officers he had a concealed weapon, but it was one he had a permit for. “Shortly after [Hardy] was handcuffed, it was learned that he was not involved and not the suspect officers were looking for. It was determined [Hardy] was a valid CCW holder, officers took the handcuff off of [Hardy] and he was released,” Omaha police wrote in their statement.
Hardy has said that Omaha police simply walked away after the incident, and they’ve made no attempt to contact him since. He and his fiancée simply wished the officers approached calmly and didn’t have their weapons drawn.
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“It could happen to any one of us. Any one Black guy with dreads. It could have been anybody,” Hardy stressed.


theroot--2020-08-04--Black Church Bamboozled Into Hosting Blue Lives MAGA Rally Complete With Confederate Flags, Trump Si

Black Church Bamboozled Into Hosting Blue Lives MAGA Rally Complete With Confederate Flags, Trump Signs

Parishioners at a Texas church were shocked to discover their parking lot filled with crimson-necked , pickup-truck-driving , Confederate flag-waving MAGA cyclists who had hoodwinked the house of worship into hosting a Blue Lives Matter rally on Communion Sunday .
Friendship-West Baptist Church ( no relation to Kanye ) in Dallas is not just a place where saints and sinners can go to get a guaranteed response when they turn to their neighbors and say “ God is good all the time… ” The church is active in the fight for justice and equality , even displaying a huge “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrance .
But on Sunday , they were unexpectedly participating in a Blue Lives Matter rally that was either in support of Dr. Manhattan , Smurfs or the less than .2 percent of police officers who were convicted of an on-duty police killing between 2005 and 2015 .
( Smurfette was fine , though . )
“ Today we experienced deceit and hate from a group of individuals in support of Blue Lives Matter ” explains a statement on the church ’ s Facebook page .
“ An individual contacted us in need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter Rally .
In support of the movement , we agreed to allow the Black Lives Matter Rally happen in our parking lot.
” But according to KHOU , the rally turned out to be a “ Back the Blue ” rally that was part of a 127-mile trek organized by auto enthusiasts , motorcycle groups and 10 Dodge Ram pickup truck clubs that paraded around the Dallas-Fort Worth Area to show their support for law enforcement officers who are under fire for disproportionately killing black people .
I feel like anyone who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North Texas Jeep Club—two of the groups who sponsored the 127-mile cruise—keeps a Confederate flag and a MAGA hat in their glove compartment right next to their beef jerky .
And you know they were blasting that devil ’ s music on the church grounds .
This is why the Devil went down to Georgia—because those Waylon Jennings motherfuckers in Texas were too racist for Satan .
Where is Walker , Texas Ranger when you need him ?
“ The rally turned out to be a Blue Lives Matters meet up where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confederate Flag , ” the statement from Friendship-West Baptist church statement continued , “ Once we realized the deceit and false information , our staff and Senior Pastor , Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes , III .
immediately asked the individuals to shut it down and leave ...
This event was only able to happen because of deceitfulness and lies and in no way reflects the mission and ministry of Friendship-West Baptist Church.
” My favorite part is the black woman who walked into the valley of the shadow of rednecks by herself to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ get thee behind me ” —or at least get their asses out of Jesus ’ parking space .
Instead of turning the other cheek , the True Saints of God showed up to confront the NASCAucasians cruisers .
Black folks who didn ’ t even attend the church showed up to lay hands on the Confederate devils , including State Sen. Royce West , Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and Concord Church pastor Bryan Carter , who collectively suggested that the Dicks of Hazzard leave before they raised an offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the pastor ’ s name is literally Frederick Douglass .
And he was wearing Kente cloth , so you know he wasn ’ t there to give a testimony !
Nathan Abrams , the organizer of the racist flag-waving caravan was genuinely apologetic when he discovered that Black people didn ’ t like the Trump signs and the white supremacist symbols , KHOU reports : “ We wanted to have a place where we can have a pit stop at where everyone can rest , ” Abrams said .
“ My heart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heart goes out to the pastor.
” Leaders from the church and the Blue Lives Matter rally both acknowledge that there were several political flags and at least one Confederate flag .
Abrams said the event grew larger than they expected and outsiders brought those flags to the rally .
He remained apologetic .
“ I want to personally say to the members of that church and the pastor that I ’ m sorry that there was conflict , ” Abrams said .
“ That was not my heart , that is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white people eventually left and , as the sound of Waylon Jennings blasted in the distance , Friendship-West held their own rally through the streets of Dallas to denounce the Trump train .
“ They better be glad I wasn ’ t there , ” said Jesus , when asked for comment .
“ Y ’ all know what I did to those money lenders in the temple , ” added the Lord and Savior… “ Imagine what I would have done to racists in the parking lot .
”

Parishioners at a Texas church were shocked to discover their parking lot filled with crimson-necked, pickup-truck-driving, Confederate flag-waving MAGA cyclists who had hoodwinked the house of worship into hosting a Blue Lives Matter rally on Communion Sunday.
Friendship-West Baptist Church (no relation to Kanye) in Dallas is not just a place where saints and sinners can go to get a guaranteed response when they turn to their neighbors and say “God is good all the time…” The church is active in the fight for justice and equality, even displaying a huge “Black Lives Matter” banner above the entrance. But on Sunday, they were unexpectedly participating in a Blue Lives Matter rally that was either in support of Dr. Manhattan, Smurfs or the less than .2 percent of police officers who were convicted of an on-duty police killing between 2005 and 2015. (Smurfette was fine, though.)
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“Today we experienced deceit and hate from a group of individuals in support of Blue Lives Matter” explains a statement on the church’s Facebook page. “An individual contacted us in need of meeting space for a Black Lives Matter Rally. In support of the movement, we agreed to allow the Black Lives Matter Rally happen in our parking lot.”
But according to KHOU, the rally turned out to be a “Back the Blue” rally that was part of a 127-mile trek organized by auto enthusiasts, motorcycle groups and 10 Dodge Ram pickup truck clubs that paraded around the Dallas-Fort Worth Area to show their support for law enforcement officers who are under fire for disproportionately killing black people.
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I feel like anyone who belongs to the Texas Ram Club or the North Texas Jeep Club—two of the groups who sponsored the 127-mile cruise—keeps a Confederate flag and a MAGA hat in their glove compartment right next to their beef jerky. And you know they were blasting that devil’s music on the church grounds. This is why the Devil went down to Georgia—because those Waylon Jennings motherfuckers in Texas were too racist for Satan. Where is Walker, Texas Ranger when you need him?
“The rally turned out to be a Blue Lives Matters meet up where individuals flew Trump 2020 flags and a Confederate Flag,” the statement from Friendship-West Baptist church statement continued, “Once we realized the deceit and false information, our staff and Senior Pastor, Dr. Frederick Douglass Haynes, III. immediately asked the individuals to shut it down and leave... This event was only able to happen because of deceitfulness and lies and in no way reflects the mission and ministry of Friendship-West Baptist Church.”
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My favorite part is the black woman who walked into the valley of the shadow of rednecks by herself to let Hades’ angels know they had to “get thee behind me”—or at least get their asses out of Jesus’ parking space.
Instead of turning the other cheek, the True Saints of God showed up to confront the NASCAucasians cruisers. Black folks who didn’t even attend the church showed up to lay hands on the Confederate devils, including State Sen. Royce West, Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and Concord Church pastor Bryan Carter, who collectively suggested that the Dicks of Hazzard leave before they raised an offering of “that smoke.” After all, the pastor’s name is literally Frederick Douglass. And he was wearing Kente cloth, so you know he wasn’t there to give a testimony!
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Nathan Abrams, the organizer of the racist flag-waving caravan was genuinely apologetic when he discovered that Black people didn’t like the Trump signs and the white supremacist symbols, KHOU reports:
“We wanted to have a place where we can have a pit stop at where everyone can rest,” Abrams said. “My heart goes out to the church, my heart goes out to the pastor.” Leaders from the church and the Blue Lives Matter rally both acknowledge that there were several political flags and at least one Confederate flag. Abrams said the event grew larger than they expected and outsiders brought those flags to the rally. He remained apologetic. “I want to personally say to the members of that church and the pastor that I’m sorry that there was conflict,” Abrams said. “That was not my heart, that is not what I’m about.”
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The white people eventually left and, as the sound of Waylon Jennings blasted in the distance, Friendship-West held their own rally through the streets of Dallas to denounce the Trump train.
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“They better be glad I wasn’t there,” said Jesus, when asked for comment.
“Y’all know what I did to those money lenders in the temple,” added the Lord and Savior…
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“Imagine what I would have done to racists in the parking lot.”


theroot--2020-08-04--Tulsa Protesters Place Symbolic Tombstones With Names of Black Wall Street Victims on Black Lives Ma

Tulsa Protesters Place Symbolic Tombstones With Names of Black Wall Street Victims on Black Lives Matter Mural in Last-Ditch Effort to Stop Its Removal

On Friday , The Root reported that the city of Tulsa made a decision last week to remove the Black Lives Matter mural painted on a street in the district where the Black Wall Street race riot occurred in 1921 .
They made the decision because someone requested that a “ Back the Blue ” mural be painted in the city as a counter-message .
On Monday , protesters placed on the mural symbolic tombstones bearing the names of Black people who were either killed by police officers or died during the Tulsa massacre nearly 100 years ago .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to remove the mural .
The Washington Post reports that protesters were “ braced for a standoff ” with law enforcement to prevent the city from removing the mural that was painted on Juneteenth .
“ I felt like displaying the names of the victims of police brutality and the names of the victims of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre would help people understand why we say , ‘ Black Lives Matter , ’ ” Tiffany Crutcher , twin sister of Terence Crutcher who was fatally shot by a Tulsa police officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not guilty , told the Post .
Placing the symbolic tombstones on the mural was a noble effort to preserve the 250-foot-long statement that the Black Lives Matter movement isn ’ t going anywhere .
Unfortunately , the city ultimately decided to move forward with its removal .
According to ABC affiliate KOCO News 5 , Mayor G.T .
Bynum simply decided that the whole thing had become too complicated and too much of a hassle to sort out because , while the city gave permission for the mural to be painted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not .
The Tulsa mayor said city officials are faced with two options : They can start permitting messages in streets or they can “ vacate ” the street and turn it over to the adjacent property owners .
“ Permitting for use of streets is at the discretion of the Tulsa City Council , ” Bynum wrote .
“ Last week , the consensus of the council was that turning streets into messaging forums created too many potential challenges – foremost among them that once you allow one message to be displayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message to be displayed .
If we start permitting messages , it potentially turns every street in town into a billboard.
” When a street is vacated by the city , the street becomes the property of the adjacent land owners .
In this case , the land on either side of Greenwood Avenue between Archer Street and the Interstate 244 overpass , where the sign was painted , is owned by the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce .
“ It was brought to my attention on Friday that the property owner really had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the art and hadn ’ t been really involved in any of the discussion to date around what should be done there , ” Bynum said .
On Tuesday , Bynum posted a lengthy explanation of why the mural has to be removed to Facebook .
“ It is a beautiful mural , ” Bynum wrote .
“ The message is an important one , and its location is a powerful one given all that Greenwood means to Tulsa .
It was also placed in a public street without the permission of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , by people who told police it was temporary paint that would wash away in a few days .
”

On Friday, The Root reported that the city of Tulsa made a decision last week to remove the Black Lives Matter mural painted on a street in the district where the Black Wall Street race riot occurred in 1921. They made the decision because someone requested that a “Back the Blue” mural be painted in the city as a counter-message.
On Monday, protesters placed on the mural symbolic tombstones bearing the names of Black people who were either killed by police officers or died during the Tulsa massacre nearly 100 years ago. This prompted city officials to temporarily suspend the decision to remove the mural.
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The Washington Post reports that protesters were “braced for a standoff” with law enforcement to prevent the city from removing the mural that was painted on Juneteenth.
“I felt like displaying the names of the victims of police brutality and the names of the victims of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre would help people understand why we say, ‘Black Lives Matter,’” Tiffany Crutcher, twin sister of Terence Crutcher who was fatally shot by a Tulsa police officer in 2016 and whose killer was found not guilty, told the Post.
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Placing the symbolic tombstones on the mural was a noble effort to preserve the 250-foot-long statement that the Black Lives Matter movement isn’t going anywhere. Unfortunately, the city ultimately decided to move forward with its removal.
According to ABC affiliate KOCO News 5, Mayor G.T. Bynum simply decided that the whole thing had become too complicated and too much of a hassle to sort out because, while the city gave permission for the mural to be painted, the property owners on the street did not.
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From News 5:
The Tulsa mayor said city officials are faced with two options: They can start permitting messages in streets or they can “vacate” the street and turn it over to the adjacent property owners. “Permitting for use of streets is at the discretion of the Tulsa City Council,” Bynum wrote. “Last week, the consensus of the council was that turning streets into messaging forums created too many potential challenges – foremost among them that once you allow one message to be displayed, you legally have to allow any message to be displayed. If we start permitting messages, it potentially turns every street in town into a billboard.”
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From Tulsa World:
When a street is vacated by the city, the street becomes the property of the adjacent land owners. In this case, the land on either side of Greenwood Avenue between Archer Street and the Interstate 244 overpass, where the sign was painted, is owned by the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. “It was brought to my attention on Friday that the property owner really had not been involved in the installation of the art and hadn’t been really involved in any of the discussion to date around what should be done there,” Bynum said.
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On Tuesday, Bynum posted a lengthy explanation of why the mural has to be removed to Facebook.
“It is a beautiful mural,” Bynum wrote. “The message is an important one, and its location is a powerful one given all that Greenwood means to Tulsa.
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It was also placed in a public street without the permission of the businesses or property owners on either side of it, by people who told police it was temporary paint that would wash away in a few days.”