theroot--2020-08-07--Remodel Your Home With Wayfair's Sales of the Day

The best Wayfair sales for August 2020 are here .
If you ’ re keen on making some key home upgrades this summer , look no further than Wayfair .
The site has just about anything you could possibly need for your home , whether it ’ s a matress , pillows , blankets , tables , chairs , outdoor furniture , kitchen appliances , and so on and so forth .
Best of all , the site is packed with amazing deals , potentially saving you hundreds of dollars on furniture and delivering sizable savings on everything else .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , plus orders $ 35+ ship free .
Can you just imagine the outdoor luxury of hanging out in one of these ?
It ’ s like a recliner mixed with a hammock paired with an umbrella , except thankfully less absurd than that description implies .
We can definitely see ourselves wasting away some afternoons in this thing , and right now it ’ s 33 % off in grey , red , and teal from Wayfair .
If your dream bathroom aesthetic is modern but minimal , then this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might do the trick .
It ’ s slim and simple , yet makes a nice impression and has a small bottom shelf .
It ’ s perfect for a small bathroom that can ’ t fit ( or simply doesn ’ t need ) anything sizable .
It ’ s 49 % off right now .
If your pots and pans have seen better days , then you might want to jump on this stellar deal .
Right now , Wayfair has this 17-piece Farberware High Performance nonstick cookware set for 57 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s available at that price in black or champagne , both marked down from $ 160 , or you can pay extra for aqua or red .
Upgrade your bowl-and-plate game without breaking the bank thanks to this affordable Three Posts Wickham 16-piece dinnerware set .
You ’ ll get four place settings with a dinner plate , salad plate , cereal bowl , and cup for each , and this Gray color is knocked down the most from its original $ 100 price point .
A couple of other colors are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit more cash .
Want to get a little more ambitious with your outdoor cooking skills ?
Royal Gourmet ’ s two-in-one cooker has a small , dedicated smoker compartment alongside the large , barrel-shaped grill .
It has porcelain-enameled grates and an adjustable charcoal pan , and this versatile grill is currently 21 % off the list price at Wayfair .
Nothing says summer like kicking back in an Adirondack chair , and luckily Wayfair has some on deep discount right now .
Highland Dunes ’ Rivale wood Adirondack chair comes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the list price—as well as unfinished chairs for just $ 12 0 .
Summer is here , and if you ’ re in an area in which playgrounds are closed—and/or you don ’ t feel comfortable taking your tykes there—then you might need to invest in some backyard entertainment .
Luckily , Wayfair has this wooden sandbox frame with cover for 25 % off the list price ; sand not included , obviously .
If you ’ ve got a little one on the way , then you ’ re surely on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , yet high-quality .
Sorelle ’ s Montgomery 4-in-1 convertible crib seems to fit that bill .
Usually priced at $ 600 , it ’ s currently just over half-off on Wayfair in both white and espresso colors .
The convertible design means that it can grow with your child , from a full-sized crib into a toddler bed , daybed , and ultimately full-size bed ( mattress not included ) .
I live for an accent chair that doesn ’ t match the sofa .
The solid wood frame of this chair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a gorgeous greyish blue .
It ’ s easy to spot clean if need be , and the seat cushion is removable too .
This is another one customers said was easy to assemble and very comfortable to sit in .
Bookends are the perfect punctuation marks on your literary collections .
They can add an extra bit of character to any shelf .
Ideally , they will need to be heavy to keep your publications perpendicular .
These adorable bulldogs are up for the job of protecting any all periodicals .
Hand-painted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these cuties look like a treasured antique ... but only you will know that they are brand new .
Another item brought up multiple times by my friends is a chandelier .
There ’ s something modern and retro about this one ... which makes sense , because it was inspired by Sputnik .
The 10 60-watt medium-base bulbs will brightly illuminate any room you put it in .
Arranged strategically from crafted metal , the “ Space Race ” gives your home just the touch of mid-century modern style you were looking @ @

Sheilah Villari and Andrew Hayward on Roundups, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Featured Deal: Hurst Steel Wood Burning Outdoor Fire Pit | $17 0
Are you ready to cash in on one of Wayfair’s biggest sales of the year? That’s right, I’m talking about the Memorial Day Sale, where you can save up to 70% off on the website’s best-selling products.
Be sure to cash in on all of the summer essentials and everything you’ll need to host BBQs seamlessly. Spice up your indoor and outdoor spaces with the latest styles in decor and furniture!
While you’re at it, why not finance your sale with the Wayfair Mastercard? When you open a Wayfair credit card, not only will you get $40 off your first qualifying order of $250.
Here are some of the best discounts that Wayfair has to offer!
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How many of you are tired of heading off to your dingy local laundromat? Why not treat yourself to an in-unit laundry appliance, starting with the Samsung 4.5 Cubic Feet Cu. Ft. Front Load Washer. This washer is Energy Star Certified and highly efficient (because Samsung is looking out for your electrical bill). At 4.5 cubic feet, the drum will allow you to wash more in a single load to spend more time focusing on work, friends, and family. It also features an improved drum pattern to extract more water, more quickly during the rinse cycle and prevent snags during washes.
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At a whopping 59 % off, the Sealy 12" Plush Memory Foam Mattress provides the medium firmness to keep you snug at night. The knit cover is luxuriously soft, so you can enjoy the full benefits of this premium mattress. It also has low-motion transfer, so you won’t wake up when your partner rolls over at night. It’s even hypoallergenic and works well with adjustable bases for the ultra-sensitive sleeper.
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Does Joanna Gaines have you wishing your home had a rustic flair? Well, you’re in luck the Sand & Stable Laguna Coffee Table with Storage (Natural Pine Brown) is the perfect item to complete your living room transformation. Not only is it available in three beautiful finishes, but its metal accents will be the perfect accent for that farmhouse chic look you’re going for. This table even comes with a shelf for extra storage space.
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This Rachael Ray Cucina bakeware set is a must for your kitchen. This set is non-stick and PFOA and PTFE free for the ultimate ease and safety. Each baking pan is oven safe to 450°F and even has heat-safe silicone grips at the top and bottom of the handles to protect your hands. Just note that these pans are not dishwasher safe.
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Get the perfect chair to rock your baby to sleep with the Sand & Stable Baby & Kids Albie Upholstered Manual Glider Recliner. Available in Gray linen, beige, and dark gray, this product has a full 360°swiveling, reclining, and gliding capabilities. And the poped trim gives it a coastal farmhouse chic look! Note that the frame is built from solid and engineered wood with scooped arms and a wingback.
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For those lucky enough to experience warm weather year-round, it might be time to upgrade your outdoor decor. The Zipcode Design Wicker/Rattan 4 - Person Seating Group is perfect for chilling poolside or catching up with friends over drinks and a charcuterie board. Crafted from a steel frame, each piece is constructed with wicker rattan and is designed to outlast harsh sun and relentless rainstorms. This set also comes with removable cushions for your cleaning needs.
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Did you know that a fire pit can really tie an outdoor space together? At 59 % off, the Hurst Steel Wood Burning Outdoor Fire Pit is a great, high-quality option. Constructed from durable steel, this pit is guaranteed to outlast years of use. It’s also stylish and practical, complete with a mesh screen and handles that make it easy to lift and dump ashes.
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Finding the right tv stand that can pull a whole room together can definitely be a challenge. But not with the Three Posts Lorraine. This stand makes curling up on the couch such a cozy experience with a fireplace included. It even has two cabinets with shelves included, so you can organize your belongings as you see fit.
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Perfect your bedroom or sitting room with the Dmitry Tall Drawer End Table. This table’s bright color and compact design are great for sprucing up any room in your home. The drawers and lower shelf also provide some really handy storage and display options.
This article was originally published by Sheillah Villari on 5/19/22 and was updated by Miranda Martin on 9/7/22.


theroot--2020-08-07--Milwaukee Chief of Police Demoted Over Handling of George Floyd Protests

Milwaukee ’ s chief of police was demoted to captain Thursday due to the way he handled multiple situations , including the protests that happened in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death .
NBC News reports that Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales was demoted to captain following a unanimous vote by the city ’ s Fire and Police Commission .
Morales joined the department in 1993 and was promoted to chief in 2018 .
According to Morales ’ attorney , Franklyn Gimble , his relationship with the commission was rocky from the start after he refused the chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the officers involved in the 2018 arrest of Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown .
“ His conduct is unbecoming , filled with ethical lapses and flawed decisions , making it inconsistent with someone who has the privilege of leading the Milwaukee Police Department , ” Commissioner Raymond Robakowski said .
Milwaukee ’ s Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett felt that the commission acted unjustly in demoting Morales .
“ The discussion surrounding this decision tonight was completely lacking in transparency .
The action taken by the commission tonight was not good government , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when officers arrested Brown for parking illegally in January 2018 .
Officers swarmed the Bucks guard and used a stun gun on him when he didn ’ t remove his hands from his pockets .
The commission ’ s chairman , Steven DeVougas , who is Black , told Morales to fire one of the officers involved but Morales refused , the attorney said .
“ From there it got stressful , ” Gimbel said .
“ DeVougas viewed him as not being a team player.
” In February , the Milwaukee Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed an ethics complaint against DeVougas alleging he accompanied a real estate developer during an interview with police who suspected the developer of sexual assault .
DeVougas practices real estate law for the developer ’ s business .
The police association argued DeVougas ’ presence during the interview was a misuse of his position as commission chairman .
A city ethics board is investigating .
The protests surrounding police brutality in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death only further strained the relationship between Morales and the commission .
In May and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pepper spray to disperse protesters , a move that was condemned by both the commission and the mayor .
The commission banned the use of tear gas and pepper spray in June , which resulted in police departments around the state pulling out from assisting with the upcoming Democratic National Convention .
On July 20 , the commission ordered Morales to deliver records related to the tear gassing of protesters , Brown ’ s arrest and the arrest of a local Black activist for suspicion of burglary back in June .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop more transparent discipline protocols for officers and create a mandate requiring officers wear face masks during the pandemic .
Morales was told he would be disciplined or fired should he not respond to the requests within a week—a demand Gimbel believed was unfair as Morales ’ predecessor , Ed Flynn , was given 50 days to respond to a similar request .
On Wednesday , the police department responded to the orders , calling them vague and potentially illegal .
They pointed out the orders were not issued during an open meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be disclosed .
The mayor sent a letter to the commission asking for an “ orderly review ” of the orders as well as the removal of DeVougas as chairman since he is currently under investigation .
Morales ’ demotion comes as police chiefs across the country have either quit or been fired due to their response to the ongoing protests against police brutality .
Former Atlanta police chief Erika Shields resigned a day after Rayshard Brooks was killed by an Atlanta police officer and the Louisville chief of police was fired after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body cameras off the night David McAtee was shot and killed at a protest in June .

Milwaukee’s chief of police was demoted to captain Thursday due to the way he handled multiple situations, including the protests that happened in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
NBC News reports that Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales was demoted to captain following a unanimous vote by the city’s Fire and Police Commission. Morales joined the department in 1993 and was promoted to chief in 2018. According to Morales’ attorney, Franklyn Gimble, his relationship with the commission was rocky from the start after he refused the chairman’s request to fire one of the officers involved in the 2018 arrest of Milwaukee Bucks player Sterling Brown.
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“His conduct is unbecoming, filled with ethical lapses and flawed decisions, making it inconsistent with someone who has the privilege of leading the Milwaukee Police Department,” Commissioner Raymond Robakowski said.
Milwaukee’s Democratic Mayor Tom Barrett felt that the commission acted unjustly in demoting Morales. “The discussion surrounding this decision tonight was completely lacking in transparency. The action taken by the commission tonight was not good government,” Barrett said.
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From NBC News:
Gimbel said problems began when officers arrested Brown for parking illegally in January 2018. Officers swarmed the Bucks guard and used a stun gun on him when he didn’t remove his hands from his pockets. The commission’s chairman, Steven DeVougas, who is Black, told Morales to fire one of the officers involved but Morales refused, the attorney said. “From there it got stressful,” Gimbel said. “DeVougas viewed him as not being a team player.” In February, the Milwaukee Police Association, which represents rank-and-file officers, filed an ethics complaint against DeVougas alleging he accompanied a real estate developer during an interview with police who suspected the developer of sexual assault. DeVougas practices real estate law for the developer’s business. The police association argued DeVougas’ presence during the interview was a misuse of his position as commission chairman. A city ethics board is investigating.
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The protests surrounding police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death only further strained the relationship between Morales and the commission. In May and June, Milwaukee police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse protesters, a move that was condemned by both the commission and the mayor. The commission banned the use of tear gas and pepper spray in June, which resulted in police departments around the state pulling out from assisting with the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
On July 20, the commission ordered Morales to deliver records related to the tear gassing of protesters, Brown’s arrest and the arrest of a local Black activist for suspicion of burglary back in June. They also ordered the former police chief to develop more transparent discipline protocols for officers and create a mandate requiring officers wear face masks during the pandemic. Morales was told he would be disciplined or fired should he not respond to the requests within a week—a demand Gimbel believed was unfair as Morales’ predecessor, Ed Flynn, was given 50 days to respond to a similar request.
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On Wednesday, the police department responded to the orders, calling them vague and potentially illegal. They pointed out the orders were not issued during an open meeting and would demand information from ongoing investigations be disclosed. The mayor sent a letter to the commission asking for an “orderly review” of the orders as well as the removal of DeVougas as chairman since he is currently under investigation.
Morales’ demotion comes as police chiefs across the country have either quit or been fired due to their response to the ongoing protests against police brutality. Former Atlanta police chief Erika Shields resigned a day after Rayshard Brooks was killed by an Atlanta police officer and the Louisville chief of police was fired after it was found that officers turned their body cameras off the night David McAtee was shot and killed at a protest in June.


theroot--2020-08-07--Utah Black Lives Matter Protesters Could Face Life in Prison Due to Gang Enhancement Added to Their

Utah Black Lives Matter Protesters Could Face Life in Prison Due to Gang Enhancement Added to Their Criminal Mischief Charges

Last month , a number of Black Lives Matter demonstrators smashed windows and splashed red paint all over the Salt Lake County District Attorney ’ s Office during a protest against racial injustice .
Now , they might be facing up to life in prison because prosecutors are adding a gang enhancement to their felony criminal mischief charges .
The Associated Press reports that prosecutors argued this week that the gang charges are justified because participants teamed up to cause thousands of dollars in property damage while protesting police brutality— and specifically , the case of 22-year-old Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatally shot while running from Salt Lake County police officers on May 23 .
The county ’ s district attorney , Sim Gill , argued in court last month that the officers shouldn ’ t be charged with crimes .
The District Attorney ’ s Office ’ s decision to add the 1990s- era gang enhancements law to protesters ’ charges isn ’ t sitting right with a lot of people , including , of course , those being charged .
“ This is so far beyond just the enforcement of the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madalena McNeil , who is facing a potential life sentence over felony criminal mischief and riot charges .
Charging documents say she bought red paint at a Home Depot before the July 9 demonstration sparked by a fatal police shooting ruling .
She later yelled at and shifted her weight as if to slam into police during the demonstration , charges state .
“ It ’ s really frustrating and scary ...
I just feel so much concern for what this means for the right to protest in general.
” The charges have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City , the liberal-leaning capital of conservative Utah , with the top county prosecutor arguing vandalism crossed a line and the mayor calling the charges too extreme .
According to the Salt Lake Tribune , six protesters—McNeil , Marvin Oliveros , Sofia Alcalá , Madison Alleman , Viviane Turman , Michelle Mower and Emanuel Hill—would normally be looking at second-degree felony charges at worst but the gang enhancement bumps them up to first-degree .
Attorneys for the protesters are arguing that Gill is simply being vindictive because his office was damaged .
Brent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the charges were “ retaliatory , ” claiming they are “ aimed at politics rather than justice.
” Cliff Venable , who represents Mustafic , said the charges against his client are “ not warranted.
” Jesse Nix , an attorney for Turman , called the charges “ despicable ” and “ an absolute conflict.
” “ I ’ m disappointed that they didn ’ t recognize the conflict and send it out to someone else to decide what to charge , ” Nix said , “ because right now , it feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage to his beautiful building so he ’ s going to do everything he can to scare protesters.
” It ’ s worth mentioning that gang enhancement laws came about during the same decade that the 1994 crime bill became virtually synonymous with the mass incarceration of mostly Black and Latino people .
In fact , The Guardian reports that , as of August 2019 , 92 percent of those convicted of crimes in California who had gang enhancements added to their charges were Black or Latino , according to data from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a not so subtle irony in using racist laws to prosecute protesters of racial injustice .
Even though the charges the protesters face come with a minimum five-year sentence , Gill says it ’ s unlikely they will go to prison because “ criminal cases often end with a plea to lesser counts , ” AP reports .
“ I don ’ t think anyone is going to be going to prison on this , ” Gill said adding that “ there ’ s some people who want to engage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be absolved of any behavior .
This is not about protest , this is about people who are engaging in criminal conduct .
”

Last month, a number of Black Lives Matter demonstrators smashed windows and splashed red paint all over the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office during a protest against racial injustice. Now, they might be facing up to life in prison because prosecutors are adding a gang enhancement to their felony criminal mischief charges.
The Associated Press reports that prosecutors argued this week that the gang charges are justified because participants teamed up to cause thousands of dollars in property damage while protesting police brutality— and specifically, the case of 22-year-old Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal, according to The Hill.
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Palacios-Carbajal was fatally shot while running from Salt Lake County police officers on May 23. The county’s district attorney, Sim Gill, argued in court last month that the officers shouldn’t be charged with crimes.
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The District Attorney’ s Office’s decision to add the 1990s- era gang enhancements law to protesters’ charges isn’t sitting right with a lot of people, including, of course, those being charged.
From AP:
“This is so far beyond just the enforcement of the law, it feels retaliatory,” said Madalena McNeil, who is facing a potential life sentence over felony criminal mischief and riot charges. Charging documents say she bought red paint at a Home Depot before the July 9 demonstration sparked by a fatal police shooting ruling. She later yelled at and shifted her weight as if to slam into police during the demonstration, charges state. “It’s really frustrating and scary ... I just feel so much concern for what this means for the right to protest in general.” The charges have Democratic leaders at odds in Salt Lake City, the liberal-leaning capital of conservative Utah, with the top county prosecutor arguing vandalism crossed a line and the mayor calling the charges too extreme.
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According to the Salt Lake Tribune, six protesters—McNeil, Marvin Oliveros, Sofia Alcalá, Madison Alleman, Viviane Turman, Michelle Mower and Emanuel Hill—would normally be looking at second-degree felony charges at worst but the gang enhancement bumps them up to first-degree. Attorneys for the protesters are arguing that Gill is simply being vindictive because his office was damaged.
From the Tribune:
Brent Huff, who represents Alleman, said the charges were “retaliatory,” claiming they are “aimed at politics rather than justice.” Cliff Venable, who represents Mustafic, said the charges against his client are “not warranted.” Jesse Nix, an attorney for Turman, called the charges “despicable” and “an absolute conflict.” “I’m disappointed that they didn’t recognize the conflict and send it out to someone else to decide what to charge,” Nix said, “because right now, it feels like Sim Gill is upset at the damage to his beautiful building so he’s going to do everything he can to scare protesters.”
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It’s worth mentioning that gang enhancement laws came about during the same decade that the 1994 crime bill became virtually synonymous with the mass incarceration of mostly Black and Latino people. In fact, The Guardian reports that, as of August 2019, 92 percent of those convicted of crimes in California who had gang enhancements added to their charges were Black or Latino, according to data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
There’s a not so subtle irony in using racist laws to prosecute protesters of racial injustice.
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Even though the charges the protesters face come with a minimum five-year sentence, Gill says it’s unlikely they will go to prison because “ criminal cases often end with a plea to lesser counts,” AP reports.
“I don’t think anyone is going to be going to prison on this,” Gill said adding that “there’s some people who want to engage in protest, but they want to be absolved of any behavior. This is not about protest, this is about people who are engaging in criminal conduct.”


theroot--2020-08-07--Trump Thinks Biden Is Going to Punch the Bible and Drop Kick God if Elected President

President Trump believes that if Joe Biden is elected president , his first days in office would include Biden placing the Bible on the floor of the White House bedroom and the 77-year-old diving off the bed to deliver a big elbow to the helpless Bible .
The president of people who ’ ve thrown out all their watches because he ’ s banned Tik Tok also believes that Biden is going to get into an argument with God that includes Obama ’ s former No .
2 sucker-punching God in the face .
Or at least that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spin it .
The president of people who love the Bible yet openly and actively hate people who don ’ t look like them or love like them told a crowd that Biden wants to “ Take away your guns , take away your Second Amendment .
No religion , no anything .
Hurt the Bible .
Hurt God .
He ’ s against God .
He ’ s against guns .
He ’ s against energy , our kind of energy.
” The Washington Post reports .
And what energy would that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Oompa Loompa energy ?
The Post notes that Biden was America ’ s first Catholic vice president and if elected president he will be “ the first Catholic president in more than a half-century .
” Sources told the Post that Biden is rarely without his rosary beads and was even seen holding them during the Osama Bin Laden raid in 2011 .
Biden speaks often about how his faith has helped shape him into the man he is today and it ’ s helped him grieve the loss of his first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden called Trump ’ s attack “ shameful , ” saying that his faith is the “ bedrock foundation of my life.
” “ President Trump ’ s decision today to profane God and to smear my faith in a political attack , ” Biden said , “ is a stark reminder of what the stakes of this fight truly are , ” the Post reports .
As it stands , Trump still can ’ t quote a Bible verse— or even tell you what verse is his favorite .
Let the congregation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had hundreds of peaceful protesters tear-gassed so that he could pose in front of a boarded-up church with a Bible that he was quick to note wasn ’ t his Bible .
Most importantly , these were the images of Trump holding the Bible which proves he ’ s never held or read a book in his life if this is how he handles it .
But , yes , tell me more about Biden and how he ’ s going to take on God in a no-holds-barred cage match , you soulless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 !

President Trump believes that if Joe Biden is elected president, his first days in office would include Biden placing the Bible on the floor of the White House bedroom and the 77-year-old diving off the bed to deliver a big elbow to the helpless Bible. The president of people who’ve thrown out all their watches because he’s banned Tik Tok also believes that Biden is going to get into an argument with God that includes Obama’s former No. 2 sucker-punching God in the face.
Or at least that’s how Trump’s been trying to spin it.
The president of people who love the Bible yet openly and actively hate people who don’t look like them or love like them told a crowd that Biden wants to “Take away your guns, take away your Second Amendment. No religion, no anything. Hurt the Bible. Hurt God. He’s against God. He’s against guns. He’s against energy, our kind of energy.” The Washington Post reports.
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And what energy would that be? Orange-painted-skin energy? Also known as Oompa Loompa energy?
The Post notes that Biden was America’s first Catholic vice president and if elected president he will be “the first Catholic president in more than a half-century .”
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Sources told the Post that Biden is rarely without his rosary beads and was even seen holding them during the Osama Bin Laden raid in 2011. Biden speaks often about how his faith has helped shape him into the man he is today and it’s helped him grieve the loss of his first wife, daughter and son Beau.
Biden called Trump’s attack “shameful,” saying that his faith is the “bedrock foundation of my life.”
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“President Trump’s decision today to profane God and to smear my faith in a political attack,” Biden said, “is a stark reminder of what the stakes of this fight truly are,” the Post reports.
As it stands, Trump still can’t quote a Bible verse— or even tell you what verse is his favorite. Let the congregation not forget that it was Trump who had hundreds of peaceful protesters tear-gassed so that he could pose in front of a boarded-up church with a Bible that he was quick to note wasn’t his Bible. Most importantly, these were the images of Trump holding the Bible which proves he’s never held or read a book in his life if this is how he handles it.
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But, yes, tell me more about Biden and how he’s going to take on God in a no-holds-barred cage match, you soulless ghoul.
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--2020-08-07--Reel Pieces: Mudbound Director Dee Rees to Join 92nd Street Y's Racial Justice-Themed Online Film Co

Reel Pieces: Mudbound Director Dee Rees to Join 92nd Street Y's Racial Justice-Themed Online Film Course

With months of quarantine now behind us ( and who knows how many more to go ) , hopefully , you ’ ve been indulging in some online education as well as entertainment—and starting on Sunday , New York City ’ s famed 92nd Street Y debuts an online course that offers both .
Continuing its popular online film course , Reel Pieces Remote : Classic Films with Annette Insdorf , 92nd Street Y is offering a four-week series focused on racial justice , and kicking off Sunday , August 9 at 8 p.m. with a screening of Dee Rees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herself as a special guest !
Per a release shared with The Root : Annette Insdorf is the longtime moderator of 92Y ’ s Reel Pieces film series , and a Columbia University professor and author whose latest book is 2017 's Cinematic Overtures : How to Read Opening Scenes .
Aside from Rees , special guests during the four-week course , which is part of the 92Y Confronts Hate initiative and open for registration now , will include : Trey Ellis , a Peabody and Emmy-winning producer , and Columbia University Screenwriting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Associate Director of Essence for Acting ; Jamal Joseph , a filmmaker , activist , and Columbia professor ; and Mark Ethan Toporek , an actor , teacher , and producer of the video , “ To Carry On : An Anthem of the American Immigrant Experience.
” As one might guess , there is both a syllabus and small tuition for getting schooled by talents and academics of this caliber .
The cost of the four-week course is $ 120 ( per week , that ’ s about the cost of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us aren ’ t going to see in person right now , minus the popcorn ) , and the syllabus for the Aug. 9-30 course is as follows : August 9 : Mudbound ( 2017 ) , directed by Dee Rees .
This powerful ensemble piece juxtaposes the perspectives of two poor farming families—one black , one white—in the segregated Mississippi Delta of the 1940s .
The cast includes Carey Mulligan , Mary J. Blige , Garrett Hedlund , Rob Morgan , Jason Clarke , and Jason Mitchell .
Its visual richness resulted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography .
August 16 : Marshall ( 2017 ) , directed by Reginald Hudlin .
From a script by Jacob Koskoff and Michael Koskoff , this powerful docu-drama focuses on the young Thurgood Marshall ( Chadwick Boseman , who plays the brilliant lawyer as convincingly as he did James Brown and Jackie Robinson ) representing the NAACP in a Connecticut case of racial tension in 1941 .
Co-starring Sterling K. Brown , Josh Gad , and Kate Hudson .
Guest : Jamal Joseph .
August 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defiant Ones ( 1958 ) , directed by Stanley Kramer .
Poitier and Tony Curtis play escaped convicts fleeing a Southern prison gang .
But , since they ’ ve been chained together , can they escape their mutual racial hatred ?
Co-starring Theodre Bikel in an Oscar-nominated performance .
Guest : Trey Ellis August 30 : Focus on Sidney Poitier , Mandela and DeKlerk ( 1997 ) , directed by Joseph Sargent .
Poitier stars as Nelson Mandela in this dramatization of his 27 years in prison ( filmed on Robbin Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protracted negotiations with F.W .
de Klerk ( Michael Caine ) , before he was released and became South Africa ’ s president .
In addition to the feature Mandela and DeKlerk , Insdorf will discuss Poitier ’ s career with guests Mark Toporek ( who has prepared clips from 9 films ) and actor Franz Jones .
Again , registration is open now—so get your film buff on through the thought-provoking lens of racial justice .

Maiysha Kai on The Grapevine, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

With months of quarantine now behind us (and who knows how many more to go), hopefully, you’ve been indulging in some online education as well as entertainment—and starting on Sunday, New York City’s famed 92nd Street Y debuts an online course that offers both.
Continuing its popular online film course, Reel Pieces Remote: Classic Films with Annette Insdorf, 92nd Street Y is offering a four-week series focused on racial justice, and kicking off Sunday, August 9 at 8 p.m. with a screening of Dee Rees’ Oscar-nominated Mudbound, with the screenwriter-director herself as a special guest!
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Per a release shared with The Root:
The August 9-30 course features four seminal films that have confronted the oppression of black people in the United States and South Africa (including two Sidney Poitier movies), as well as special guests who will join Insdorf for thought-provoking Sunday evening conversations.
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Annette Insdorf is the longtime moderator of 92Y’s Reel Pieces film series, and a Columbia University professor and author whose latest book is 2017's Cinematic Overtures: How to Read Opening Scenes. Aside from Rees, special guests during the four-week course, which is part of the 92Y Confronts Hate initiative and open for registration now, will include: Trey Ellis, a Peabody and Emmy-winning producer, and Columbia University Screenwriting professor; Franz Jones, an actor and Associate Director of Essence for Acting; Jamal Joseph, a filmmaker, activist, and Columbia professor; and Mark Ethan Toporek, an actor, teacher, and producer of the video, “To Carry On: An Anthem of the American Immigrant Experience.”
As one might guess, there is both a syllabus and small tuition for getting schooled by talents and academics of this caliber. The cost of the four-week course is $120 (per week, that’s about the cost of two tickets to the movies most of us aren’t going to see in person right now, minus the popcorn), and the syllabus for the Aug. 9-30 course is as follows:
August 9: Mudbound (2017), directed by Dee Rees. This powerful ensemble piece juxtaposes the perspectives of two poor farming families—one black, one white—in the segregated Mississippi Delta of the 1940s. The cast includes Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund, Rob Morgan, Jason Clarke, and Jason Mitchell. Its visual richness resulted in Rachel Morrison becoming the first woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. August 16: Marshall (2017), directed by Reginald Hudlin. From a script by Jacob Koskoff and Michael Koskoff, this powerful docu-drama focuses on the young Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman, who plays the brilliant lawyer as convincingly as he did James Brown and Jackie Robinson) representing the NAACP in a Connecticut case of racial tension in 1941. Co-starring Sterling K. Brown, Josh Gad, and Kate Hudson. Guest: Jamal Joseph. August 23: Focus on Sidney Poitier, The Defiant Ones (1958), directed by Stanley Kramer. Poitier and Tony Curtis play escaped convicts fleeing a Southern prison gang. But, since they’ve been chained together, can they escape their mutual racial hatred? Co-starring Theodre Bikel in an Oscar-nominated performance. Guest: Trey Ellis August 30: Focus on Sidney Poitier, Mandela and DeKlerk (1997), directed by Joseph Sargent. Poitier stars as Nelson Mandela in this dramatization of his 27 years in prison (filmed on Robbin Island, where Mandela was jailed) and protracted negotiations with F.W. de Klerk (Michael Caine), before he was released and became South Africa’s president. In addition to the feature Mandela and DeKlerk, Insdorf will discuss Poitier’s career with guests Mark Toporek (who has prepared clips from 9 films) and actor Franz Jones.
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Again, registration is open now—so get your film buff on through the thought-provoking lens of racial justice.


theroot--2020-08-07--The Root's Clapback Mailbag: White People Are Crazy

Managing Editor Genetta Adams is off today , so I do not have to adhere to the usual format .
Every week , I try to explain to Genetta that the Mailbag doesn ’ t require a lede but , instead of listening to my argument , she insists that I follow the rules of journalism and inform the audience of the overall theme of the week ’ s collection of rants , insults , queries and retorts from our readers .
But , since News Editor Monique Judge is editing today and I know she ’ s probably still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last night ( which , at The Root , is the equivalent of Jesus dropping some new sermons ) , I ’ m doing what the hell I wan na do .
* Today ’ s first letter is not about anything we wrote this week .
First , let me say I ’ m a fan of your work .
I follow you on twitter ( I ’ m redacted ) and read the Root as well .
I ’ m a teacher in Michigan but I taught in Florida for seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I wanted to email you .
I ’ m about as white as they come .
There ’ s just no getting around it .
I understand privilege .
I ’ m an ally .
I wouldn ’ t say that I ’ m , “ woke , ” because there ’ s always more work to do , so , that ’ s it .
I hope you get my sincerity .
Anyway , I had a student during my first year in Florida , and after his time in my class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s six years younger than I am .
We both have kids the same age , and he and his wife are friends with my wife and I.
He ’ s also African-American , in Florida , in Polk County , which is awful .
The last year or so , he ’ s really gotten into conspiracy theories and is a QAnon member , he doesn ’ t believe the world is a sphere , and thinks Bill Gates is out to track him with the virus .
My question for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him about being so far down the rabbit hole without sounding like an asshole ?
I figured you would be the best person to ask because you ’ re one of the smartest people I ’ ve ever read .
Earlier this week , a few of my very educated friends were in our group chat talking about a version of this very thing , namely the conspiracy theory about how Bill Gates and the government are using the vaccine as an excuse to inject us with Windows-based tracking chips so they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t adhere to the New World Order celebrity child pedophile ring that was hidden in Hillary ’ s emails ( I ’ m paraphrasing and joking ... kinda ) .
In the discussion , someone asked why Black people are so susceptible to conspiracy theories .
One of my friends , who has a Ph.D. in counseling and clinical psychology , suggested that a lot of people don ’ t actually know how clinical trials work .
Another , who is a tenured professor , said people don ’ t read anymore .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but for the past 1000 years , disseminating information involved so much work that people naturally assumed that what they read was true .
But now , because the internet is relatively new , he believes a lot of people still have that mindset and believe random Facebook posts with the same veracity as a story in the New York Times .
When this conversation was taking place , I was not in the group chat to give my thoughts .
Later , after the conversation died down , I was reading it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is also something you should be aware of .
There is a good reason black people are attracted to conspiracy theories : For instance , Pete Buttigieg , a Harvard-educated history major and Rhodes Scholar , explained to a roomful of children that the “ the people who wrote the Constitution did not understand that slavery was a bad thing and did not respect civil rights.
” Although that lie is provably false , in many schools , it is taught as a fact .
Most medical students believe Black people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pain .
This is also why the vast majority of Americans believe that the Civil War was about “ states ’ rights.
” As someone who was homeschooled , I am often astounded at how much information we accept as fact when a reasonably intelligent critical thinker could dismantle the story with basic logic or a little research .
But because of the way America ’ s education system is set up , the acceptance and regurgitation of flawed information passes for education and knowledge and questioning widely-accepted facts is actually frowned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the things that white people tell you .
When white people push the lie that government handouts will doom Black people to generations of laziness , they don ’ t mention how the white middle class was built by government handouts that specifically excluded Black Americans .
When they talk about high crime rates in Black communities , they don ’ t mention how crime is linked to poverty more than any other social or economic factor .
No one ever explains that poor white people actually commit more crimes than poor Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the lies they have been taught , the only thing any reasonably intelligent Black person can conclude is that all the shit they have been told might be a lie and that it is a conspiracy .
I know a little boy who was smart as fuck and still believed all that bullshit about criminality and America and the Constitution .
Civil War .
He thought Lincoln freed the slaves .
Then he discovered that white people be lying .
As he learned more , he realized it was all bullshit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he told people to stop committing crimes and to lift themselves up by their bootstraps , that he was wrong .
He started talking shit and running with gangs .
When Martin Luther King Jr. protested , they thought he was crazy conspiracy theorists .
Sen. Strom Thurmond said that the Voting Rights Act shows that “ King must always have an agitation objective lest he end up in the street one day without a drum to beat or a headline to make.
” When King ’ s white liberal friends told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hatred ” against white people with his conspiracy theory , he told them : He tried to tell them that white people were the ones who were getting all of the free government help , explaining : In 1863 the negro was freed from the bondage of physical slavery by through the emancipation proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln ...
He didn ’ t have any family life because it was a crime for the negro during slavery to get married they destroyed the negro family .
He didn ’ t have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid anything ; he didn ’ t have any education because it was a crime for a negro to learn to read and write actually during the days of slavery ...
Yes we were given emancipation but no land to make it meaningful .
And you know what ?
At that same time , America was giving away millions of acres of land in the west and the midwest .
It was said the nation was willing to undergird its white peasants from Europe with an economic floor .
Yet it would not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the land , brought here in chains for 244 years so emancipation for the negro was freedom to hunger .
And you know what happened ?
Now , I ’ m not equating Martin Luther King Jr. with your friend .
But no conspiracy theory is stupider than the next .
So how do you talk your friend down without being an asshole ?
There is no reason any logical Black man should believe that a white person is telling him the truth .
The belief that the coronavirus vaccine is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different from thinking Black people are lazy criminals who hate hard work after their labor built the most powerful economy in the world Assuming that Black people are prone to criminality but have also collectively decided to not to commit violence against the group who oppressed , killed and stole their ancestors ’ wealth is the same as believing that the solar system ain ’ t shit but flat , round objects in God ’ s 9-disk CD changer .
You wan na hear about someone who believed a batshit insane conspiracy theory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gone With the Wind premiered in Atlanta , Ga. Now , some Black people tried to say the movie ’ s celebration of the “ lost cause ” of the Confederacy was racist but white people insisted it wasn ’ t .
The theater hired white men to dress in Confederate uniforms but wouldn ’ t allow one of the stars , Hattie McDaniel ( who won an Oscar for her role as “ Mammy ” ) to sit in the audience because of segregation laws .
But a few Black people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizers dressed a boys choir up as slaves so they could sing negro spirituals to honor the racist film .
If you adjust for the value of today ’ s dollars , Gone WIth The Wind is still the highest-grossing movie of all time even though a Chicago Defender review called it “ a weapon of terror against Black America ” and Black people were pissed off at the time .
In my opinion , any Black parent who would allow their child to parade around as a slave in front of white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But those Black kids ’ parents dismissed the protest as a conspiracy to derail the movie .
Your friend ’ s belief that the earth is flat might sound as stupid to you as Black kids singing slave carols to honor white supremacy sounds to me but it doesn ’ t mean your friend is going off the deep end .
In fact , one of those choir members went crazy and became more famous than Hattie McDaniel .
The six-year-old slave-cosplayer got so famous that he went crazy and started to believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin Luther King Jr .
Speaking of conspiracy theorists and Hoowhyte people , they went crazy on the article about white privilege and Oprah .
Well , this should be fun .
First of all , let ’ s start out with a poem : In fact , I am against all forms of violence and pain .
I am this way because this is how my mother raised me and my sisters .
All my life , she explicitly stated that we could not hit each other for any reason , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found a loophole .
I don ’ t know who discovered the “ doing this first ” loophole ( probably Comelita ) , but one of my siblings discovered a way we could inflict pain upon each other without technically engaging in an act of violence .
The best time to do it was when someone had to pee .
When I or one of my sisters had wronged another one of us , we would grab the broom , block the door to the room they were entering ( or exiting ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and side to side .
Therefore , if anyone wanted to leave or enter the room , they ’ d have to endure the punishment of the broom .
And , as we waved the broom so that our captor couldn ’ t escape without getting clocked by those cornstraw bristles , we would yell , “ I was doing this first !
” I can ’ t tell you how many times my sisters and I have beaten each other to death with a broomstick .
I ’ m also not sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existed because , if you got hit with the broom when someone was “ doing this first , ” you simply didn ’ t tell .
In our minds , “ doing this first ” this was not a breach of the rules because , technically , the victim was choosing to suffer the consequences by interfering in an activity that was clearly in progress .
Also , we figured we weren ’ t technically “ hitting ” the victim of the broom gauntlet—the broom was doing the hitting .
But this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white privilege .
It is white people who created this gauntlet that favors them .
It is white people who created these arbitrary rules that favor them .
They are the ones who weaponize white supremacy and use it to block the entrance to the American Dream .
And white people who see us getting knocked upside our heads and don ’ t say shit .
I get all that .
I ’ m not even complaining about it because wypipo are always gon na white and I don ’ t expect them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whenever someone asks Black people why they can ’ t seem to escape the confines of poverty and waltz into the luxurious land of opportunity or why we always have a knot on our heads , don ’ t act like you don ’ t even know what a broom is .
White privilege is being allowed to inflict pain upon Black people while continually painting us as “ violent.
” White privilege is getting to wield whiteness like a billy club while pretending racism has nothing to do with our bruises .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rules of our society after you had the benefit of creating the rules .
And I know it hurts to hear Black people say “ white people ” did all that , especially if you worked hard and don ’ t have a “ racist bone in your body.
” But you got ta admit ... You were doing this first .

Managing Editor Genetta Adams is off today, so I do not have to adhere to the usual format.
Every week, I try to explain to Genetta that the Mailbag doesn’t require a lede but, instead of listening to my argument, she insists that I follow the rules of journalism and inform the audience of the overall theme of the week’s collection of rants, insults, queries and retorts from our readers.
Advertisement
But, since News Editor Monique Judge is editing today and I know she’s probably still giddy because Cardi B released a song last night (which, at The Root, is the equivalent of Jesus dropping some new sermons), I’m doing what the hell I wanna do.*
Read the headline, nigga.
Ain’t no lede.
*Please don’t tell Genetta.
Today’s first letter is not about anything we wrote this week.
From: Pete
To: Michael Harriot Hello, Mr. Harriot! First, let me say I’m a fan of your work. I follow you on twitter ( I’m redacted )and read the Root as well. I’m a teacher in Michigan but I taught in Florida for seven years, and it’s why I wanted to email you. I’m about as white as they come. There’s just no getting around it. I understand privilege. I’m an ally. I wouldn’t say that I’m, “woke,” because there’s always more work to do, so, that’s it. I hope you get my sincerity. Anyway, I had a student during my first year in Florida, and after his time in my class, we have become friends. He’s six years younger than I am. We both have kids the same age, and he and his wife are friends with my wife and I. He’s also African-American, in Florida, in Polk County, which is awful. The last year or so, he’s really gotten into conspiracy theories and is a QAnon member, he doesn’t believe the world is a sphere, and thinks Bill Gates is out to track him with the virus. My question for you is how do I talk to him about being so far down the rabbit hole without sounding like an asshole? I figured you would be the best person to ask because you’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever read. Best, Peter
Dear Peter,
Earlier this week, a few of my very educated friends were in our group chat talking about a version of this very thing, namely the conspiracy theory about how Bill Gates and the government are using the vaccine as an excuse to inject us with Windows-based tracking chips so they can restart us every time we don’t adhere to the New World Order celebrity child pedophile ring that was hidden in Hillary’s emails (I’m paraphrasing and joking...kinda). In the discussion, someone asked why Black people are so susceptible to conspiracy theories.
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One of my friends, who has a Ph.D. in counseling and clinical psychology, suggested that a lot of people don’t actually know how clinical trials work. Another, who is a tenured professor, said people don’t read anymore. Another doctor said that people actually read but for the past 1000 years, disseminating information involved so much work that people naturally assumed that what they read was true. But now, because the internet is relatively new, he believes a lot of people still have that mindset and believe random Facebook posts with the same veracity as a story in the New York Times.
When this conversation was taking place, I was not in the group chat to give my thoughts. Later, after the conversation died down, I was reading it and offered my opinion on the subject, which is also something you should be aware of. There is a good reason black people are attracted to conspiracy theories:
White people be lying.
For instance, Pete Buttigieg, a Harvard-educated history major and Rhodes Scholar, explained to a roomful of children that the “the people who wrote the Constitution did not understand that slavery was a bad thing and did not respect civil rights.” Although that lie is provably false, in many schools, it is taught as a fact. Most medical students believe Black people have thicker skin and are more tolerant of pain. This is also why the vast majority of Americans believe that the Civil War was about “states’ rights.”
Advertisement
White people be lying...all the time.
As someone who was homeschooled, I am often astounded at how much information we accept as fact when a reasonably intelligent critical thinker could dismantle the story with basic logic or a little research. But because of the way America’s education system is set up, the acceptance and regurgitation of flawed information passes for education and knowledge and questioning widely-accepted facts is actually frowned upon. You are supposed to accept the things that white people tell you.
Advertisement
When white people push the lie that government handouts will doom Black people to generations of laziness, they don’t mention how the white middle class was built by government handouts that specifically excluded Black Americans. When they talk about high crime rates in Black communities, they don’t mention how crime is linked to poverty more than any other social or economic factor. No one ever explains that poor white people actually commit more crimes than poor Black people. And when Black people discover all of the lies they have been taught, the only thing any reasonably intelligent Black person can conclude is that all the shit they have been told might be a lie and that it is a conspiracy.
I know a little boy who was smart as fuck and still believed all that bullshit about criminality and America and the Constitution. Civil War. He thought Lincoln freed the slaves.
Advertisement
Then he discovered that white people be lying.
As he learned more, he realized it was all bullshit, even capitalism. He realized that when he told people to stop committing crimes and to lift themselves up by their bootstraps, that he was wrong. He started talking shit and running with gangs.
Advertisement
When Martin Luther King Jr. protested, they thought he was crazy conspiracy theorists. Sen. Strom Thurmond said that the Voting Rights Act shows that “King must always have an agitation objective lest he end up in the street one day without a drum to beat or a headline to make.”
When King’s white liberal friends told him that he was“creating hostility and hatred” against white people with his conspiracy theory, he told them:
“What insane logic it is to condemn the robbed man because his possession of money precipitates the evil act of robbery. Society must condemn the robber and never the robbed...We must condemn those who are perpetuating the violence, and not those individuals who engage in the pursuit of their constitutional rights.”
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He tried to tell them that white people were the ones who were getting all of the free government help, explaining:
In 1863 the negro was freed from the bondage of physical slavery by through the emancipation proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln... He didn’t have any family life because it was a crime for the negro during slavery to get married they destroyed the negro family. He didn’t have any money because he didn’t get paid anything; he didn’t have any education because it was a crime for a negro to learn to read and write actually during the days of slavery... Yes we were given emancipation but no land to make it meaningful. And you know what? At that same time, America was giving away millions of acres of land in the west and the midwest. It was said the nation was willing to undergird its white peasants from Europe with an economic floor. Yet it would not do it for those who had been in the land, brought here in chains for 244 years so emancipation for the negro was freedom to hunger.
Advertisement
And you know what happened?
They killed that man.
Now, I’m not equating Martin Luther King Jr. with your friend. But no conspiracy theory is stupider than the next.
Advertisement
So how do you talk your friend down without being an asshole?
You can’t.
There is no reason any logical Black man should believe that a white person is telling him the truth. The belief that the coronavirus vaccine is a plot to bring back Mapquest is no different from thinking Black people are lazy criminals who hate hard work after their labor built the most powerful economy in the world
Advertisement
Assuming that Black people are prone to criminality but have also collectively decided to not to commit violence against the group who oppressed, killed and stole their ancestors’ wealth is the same as believing that the solar system ain’t shit but flat, round objects in God’s 9-disk CD changer.
You wanna hear about someone who believed a batshit insane conspiracy theory?
On December 5, 1939, Gone With the Wind premiered in Atlanta, Ga. Now, some Black people tried to say the movie’s celebration of the “lost cause” of the Confederacy was racist but white people insisted it wasn’t. The theater hired white men to dress in Confederate uniforms but wouldn’t allow one of the stars, Hattie McDaniel (who won an Oscar for her role as “Mammy”) to sit in the audience because of segregation laws. But a few Black people were allowed in the building because the event organizers dressed a boys choir up as slaves so they could sing negro spirituals to honor the racist film.
Advertisement
If you adjust for the value of today’s dollars, Gone WIth The Wind is still the highest-grossing movie of all time even though a Chicago Defender review called it “a weapon of terror against Black America” and Black people were pissed off at the time.
In my opinion, any Black parent who would allow their child to parade around as a slave in front of white people is either brainwashed or insane. But those Black kids’ parents dismissed the protest as a conspiracy to derail the movie.
Advertisement
Your friend’s belief that the earth is flat might sound as stupid to you as Black kids singing slave carols to honor white supremacy sounds to me but it doesn’t mean your friend is going off the deep end.
In fact, one of those choir members went crazy and became more famous than Hattie McDaniel. The six-year-old slave-cosplayer got so famous that he went crazy and started to believe in crazy conspiracies.
Advertisement
His name was Martin Luther King Jr.
Speaking of conspiracy theorists and Hoowhyte people, they went crazy on the article about white privilege and Oprah.
Advertisement
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From: Sam
To: Michael Dear Michael, If white privilege is real, who do you think has more power to stop it. Don’t you think what you call privilege can be overcome by just following the rules and being the best human being you can be?
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Well, this should be fun.
First of all, let’s start out with a poem:
I hope that didn’t hurt.
In fact, I am against all forms of violence and pain. I am this way because this is how my mother raised me and my sisters. All my life, she explicitly stated that we could not hit each other for any reason, and we complied...
Advertisement
Until one of us found a loophole.
I don’t know who discovered the “doing this first” loophole (probably Comelita), but one of my siblings discovered a way we could inflict pain upon each other without technically engaging in an act of violence.
Advertisement
The best time to do it was when someone had to pee.
When I or one of my sisters had wronged another one of us, we would grab the broom, block the door to the room they were entering (or exiting) and wave the broom up and down and side to side. Therefore, if anyone wanted to leave or enter the room, they’d have to endure the punishment of the broom.
Advertisement
And, as we waved the broom so that our captor couldn’t escape without getting clocked by those cornstraw bristles, we would yell, “I was doing this first!”
I can’t tell you how many times my sisters and I have beaten each other to death with a broomstick. I’m also not sure if my mother even knew this loophole existed because, if you got hit with the broom when someone was “doing this first,” you simply didn’t tell. In our minds, “doing this first” this was not a breach of the rules because, technically, the victim was choosing to suffer the consequences by interfering in an activity that was clearly in progress. Also, we figured we weren’t technically “hitting” the victim of the broom gauntlet—the broom was doing the hitting.
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I know it sounds stupid.
But this is how white people sound when they deny white privilege.
It is white people who created this gauntlet that favors them. It is white people who created these arbitrary rules that favor them. They are the ones who weaponize white supremacy and use it to block the entrance to the American Dream. And white people who see us getting knocked upside our heads and don’t say shit.
Advertisement
I get all that.
I’m not even complaining about it because wypipo are always gonna white and I don’t expect them to do anything less.
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But, whenever someone asks Black people why they can’t seem to escape the confines of poverty and waltz into the luxurious land of opportunity or why we always have a knot on our heads, don’t act like you don’t even know what a broom is.
White privilege is being allowed to inflict pain upon Black people while continually painting us as “violent.” White privilege is getting to wield whiteness like a billy club while pretending racism has nothing to do with our bruises. White privilege is telling us to follow the rules of our society after you had the benefit of creating the rules.
Advertisement
And I know it hurts to hear Black people say “white people” did all that, especially if you worked hard and don’t have a “racist bone in your body.” But you gotta admit...
You were doing this first.