theroot--2020-08-28--Fake Black Accounts That Spammed Pro-Trump Tweets Removed by Twitter

On Tuesday , Twitter removed two fake accounts that spammed tweets about Black people leaving the Democratic P arty .
According to NBC News , the fake accounts used pictures of Black men as their profile pictures to create the illusion they were run by Black people .
One of the accounts , @ WentDemtoRep , was created on Tuesday and used a Black man as its profile picture .
Shortly after its creation , the account posted a tweet about how the user was a lifelong Democrat who felt compelled to vote Republican as a result of the Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PeterGammo and @ KRon619 in a reply to the tweet ; both were fake accounts that also used images of Black men for their profile pictures .
A spokesperson for Twitter confirmed to NBC News that all three accounts had been suspended due to spam and “ specifically , artificially manipulative behavior.
” At least five different tweets from the accounts had been retweeted up to 10,000 times .
A tweet from @ Kron619 that claimed the user was a “ Dem my whole life ” before he “ left the Dems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retweets .
Another tweet from the account that pleaded for “ Blacks and whites ” not to let “ the Democrat media and the communist rioters divide us , ” received almost 12,000 retweets as well .
Twitter also deleted the account of Peter Gammo , a Turkish man based in San Diego .
The @ KRon619 account repeatedly retweeted Gammo , who frequently tweeted pro-Trump messages and footage from the Black Lives Matter protests that have taken hold across the country .
When NBC News contacted Gammo he denied running the spam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts from Twitter .
Posts viewed by NBC News from WentDemToRep and Kron619 were copied and pasted and separately tweeted hundreds of times by other accounts that were created this month claiming to be those of African Americans .
This sort of repeated posting of a single string of text , sometimes used to troll or simulate support , is known as posting “ copypasta , ” which Twitter said in a statement has increased in recent days .
“ We ’ ve seen an increase in ‘ copypasta , ’ an attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Tweet the same phrase .
When we see this behavior , we may limit the visibility of the Tweets , ” a Twitter spokesperson said in a tweet .
“ The point is to provide ammunition against Black people for policymakers so they can point to things that are being said , allegedly from a Black person ’ s account , to reinforce the idea that Black Lives Matter is a terrorist threat and put them on equal footing as white nationalists in terms of content moderation , ” Brandi Collins-Dexter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nonprofit Color o f Change , told NBC News .
These digital manipulation campaigns are nothing new , sadly .
During the 2016 election , Russia ’ s Internet Research Agency u til ized a “ troll farm , ” to create memes aimed at Black voters to depress the turnout for then-Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton , according to American intelligence agencies .
Collins-Dexter referenced a more recent campaign by members of the internet cesspool that is 4Chan .
In April , users on 4Chan posed a Black people who had received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them on alcohol in “ an effort to perpetuate the ‘ Welfare Queen ’ myth , ” Collins-Dexter told NBC News .
On Wednesday , one of the most viral tweets from @ WentDemtoRep was posted as a copypasta to 4Chan multiple times .

On Tuesday, Twitter removed two fake accounts that spammed tweets about Black people leaving the Democratic P arty.
According to NBC News, the fake accounts used pictures of Black men as their profile pictures to create the illusion they were run by Black people. One of the accounts, @WentDemtoRep, was created on Tuesday and used a Black man as its profile picture.
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Shortly after its creation, the account posted a tweet about how the user was a lifelong Democrat who felt compelled to vote Republican as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement. The account tagged @PeterGammo and @KRon619 in a reply to the tweet; both were fake accounts that also used images of Black men for their profile pictures.
A spokesperson for Twitter confirmed to NBC News that all three accounts had been suspended due to spam and “specifically, artificially manipulative behavior.”
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At least five different tweets from the accounts had been retweeted up to 10,000 times. A tweet from @Kron619 that claimed the user was a “Dem my whole life” before he “left the Dems last month,” received over 12,000 retweets. Another tweet from the account that pleaded for “Blacks and whites” not to let “the Democrat media and the communist rioters divide us,” received almost 12,000 retweets as well.
Twitter also deleted the account of Peter Gammo, a Turkish man based in San Diego. The @KRon619 account repeatedly retweeted Gammo, who frequently tweeted pro-Trump messages and footage from the Black Lives Matter protests that have taken hold across the country. When NBC News contacted Gammo he denied running the spam accounts and said he only knew the accounts from Twitter.
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From NBC News:
Posts viewed by NBC News from WentDemToRep and Kron619 were copied and pasted and separately tweeted hundreds of times by other accounts that were created this month claiming to be those of African Americans. This sort of repeated posting of a single string of text, sometimes used to troll or simulate support, is known as posting “copypasta,” which Twitter said in a statement has increased in recent days. “We’ve seen an increase in ‘copypasta,’ an attempt by many accounts to copy, paste, and Tweet the same phrase. When we see this behavior, we may limit the visibility of the Tweets,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a tweet.
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“The point is to provide ammunition against Black people for policymakers so they can point to things that are being said, allegedly from a Black person’s account, to reinforce the idea that Black Lives Matter is a terrorist threat and put them on equal footing as white nationalists in terms of content moderation,” Brandi Collins-Dexter, a fellow at online racial justice nonprofit Color o f Change, told NBC News.
These digital manipulation campaigns are nothing new, sadly. During the 2016 election, Russia’s Internet Research Agency u til ized a “troll farm,” to create memes aimed at Black voters to depress the turnout for then-Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, according to American intelligence agencies. Collins-Dexter referenced a more recent campaign by members of the internet cesspool that is 4Chan.
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In April, users on 4Chan posed a Black people who had received their stimulus check and bragged about using them on alcohol in “an effort to perpetuate the ‘Welfare Queen’ myth,” Collins-Dexter told NBC News. On Wednesday, one of the most viral tweets from @WentDemtoRep was posted as a copypasta to 4Chan multiple times.


theroot--2020-08-28--The Root's Clapback Mailbag: The More Things Change

On August 25 , 2017 , The Root changed the world when it began a feature called the Clapback Mailbag .
Back then I thought white people would NEVER stop being racist but I must admit I was wrong .
We ’ re really proud of the part we played in changing the national zeitgeist .
Thanks to us , you get to live in a totally different world from the 2017 America that had a white nationalist president , belligerent white women and murderous police .
But the Mailbag isn ’ t about me .
It ’ s about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how much things have changed we decided to juxtapose some of our earliest Mailbag responses to some new ones to highlight how much progress white people have made in three short years .
We did that .
Remember when white women were upset about being called “ Becky ?
” Here is my ( totally different ) response : Dear Karens First of all , , @ pgs_twips , stop laughing .
Sure , I ’ m laughing , too , but I ’ m giggling at the hilarity of a group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m laughing at how meta this all is .
But you , Christine , are cyberbullying .
It ’ s different .
Second , to both Karens , and to the Karens around the globe , I ’ d like to apologize .
I separated Karens into specific categories , but I was obviously wrong .
I had no idea that there was an unrecognized class of Karens that managed to fit into every single category .
You , dear sweethearts , are a rare find , and I apologize for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also like to commend you on the degree of difficulty of your tweets .
This is the first time I have ever seen a “ not all white women ” combined with the gymnastics of a # BlackLivesMatter , a 180-degree reverse-racism ending with a white-tears landing .
I give it a 9.7 , even though the Russian judge might disagree .
I would also like to address your fear of the terrible prospect of radical Becky terrorism sweeping the nation .
While I specifically said that “ not all white women are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong enough in my repudiation of Beckyphobia .
I condemn both the anti- Karen violence and the Mike supremacists .
There were bad people ... on both sides .
# # KarenLivesMatter P.S : I wish I had read the part about me hiding behind a “ racially ambiguous name.
” Nigga , what ?
Do names have races ?
How is a name racially ambi ... Oh , I see .
You mean , because there are white people named Michael , then a black person named Michael must have a kinda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Does this mean that marrying a Black woman named Karen mean that I ’ m in an interracial marriage ?
White people honestly think everything is theirs .
They took the Hebrew name Mikha-el , which literally means “ Who is like God ?
” and made it theirs .
I ’ m just repaying the favor .
Sincerely Someone who is like God .
Our readers have changed a lot .
We no longer get comments like this one that was in the very first Mailbag : The trolls in our grays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The “ pending approval ” thing is at the bottom .
Finally , to show you how much has changed , this is the very first letter to receive a response in the Mailbag : Luckily , our current readers have grown far more sophisticated .
For instance , here are two readers who blame Black Lives Matter for creating the need for Black Lives Matter : I have very mixed feelings over cancelling completely unrelated activities to make a statement when , while a tragedy happened , it ’ s not like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silence makes sense .
Tossing the livelihoods of thousands of other employees down the drain so stars can make a statement does not .
I won ’ t heavily criticize the team for doing this for one game .
I will , however , very much oppose anyone trying to flame or cancel others for not doing it too .
Not obeying a hive reaction to something is not racism .
Nor for that matter is being alarmed at the “ with us or against us ” delusion some people have on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even if it ’ s well meaning for now .
Taken too far , it ’ s going to put the far right in power long enough for them to take away political freedom .
This mob mentality lately of organizations not just having to not say the wrong thing , and not even just having to say something , but having to say exactly the “ proper ” thing demanded of them or be cancelled or treated like racists/fascists is terrifying .
Having a problem with inserting activism into everything 24/7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tragedies .
I think it ’ s completely unreasonable to cancel a season ... for what purpose exactly ?
What purpose would ending the livelihood of everyone working in that entertainment industry accomplish ?
Is it supposed to raise awareness , when people are already aware ?
Is it supposed to protest inaction when there isn ’ t inaction in this case ?
People can ’ t enjoy something ( in the middle of a pandemic no less ) because they should have an obsession with this problem ?
Some people talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think police are running around gunning down thousands of people of color all the time .
That ’ s not the reality .
The percentages don ’ t lie .
There is a huge problem of disproportionate shootings of non-white people in general by police .
It is not , however , like police running rampant indiscriminately shooting random people though .
It ’ s a very tragic situation , but when the reaction starts to cause more harm than good something is wrong .
Oh shit !
Thanks for the scoop , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Editor Monique Judge will be heartbroken when she discovers her favorite rapper has been gunned down , she wants us to break more stories .
We had no idea Megan the Stallion ’ s assault was followed by Cardi B also being gunned down by a mediocre emcee we never heard of .
Your attention to Black issues is obviously informed by your intimate knowledge of the Black community .
I didn ’ t even know this happened but , to be fair , they all look alike .
But before I break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to take issue with the other part of you and Patriot ’ s argument that Black people brought this on themselves .
You ’ re right , the vast majority of cops don ’ t kill people , so it ’ s puzzling why Black people always run .
I ’ ve always believed the reason that antelopes start running as soon as they spot a cheetah is that National Geographic keeps pushing their leftist anti-tiger agenda .
It ’ s like when my mama used to try to discipline me by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself.
” I don ’ t believe in corporal punishment because I think it is harmful and counterproductive .
If you can train a dog without hitting it , there is no question in my mind that you can train a child without violence .
I also believe Black people ’ s predisposition to use violence as a tool of discipline is a vestige of slavery .
People do what they are taught .
Whenever I voice this opinion , people will insist that their mother whipped their ass and they turned out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know my mama wasn ’ t anti-Michael .
She loved me .
She fed me .
She clothed me .
She made me the person I am today .
And sometimes she used the Jesus Belt .
I think this story might help brighten up Z ’ s depression about having to trade a world where Black men get murdered by police for the horror of a place with only some basketball .
Hopefully , this will cheer you up : My mama had a belt that could make you catch the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it produced a sound similar to the wind whipping through Donald Trump ’ s empty head on a breezy day .
She didn ’ t use this belt for all ass-whoopings .
It was a special occasion belt .
In my mother ’ s house , there were many spankings and each one had its own tier : • Hand shit : This consists of an open hand on the back of the head , your hand or even your butt .
This was for toddlers .
She also employed this technique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stupid such as using profanity ( the word “ lie ” was a cuss word in my home ) or keeping your eyes open when the head deacon was praying .
• Switch-hitting : This was a hand-picked switch from a Japanese bush outside our driveway .
My memory is fuzzy , but I think I looked it up and discovered that the plant ’ s scientific name is Donmaykmi Cohminnthayre .
For instance , if you HYPOTHETICALLY knocked over the entire Boo Berry cereal display in the Piggly Wiggly , you would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She wouldn ’ t even listen to your explanation that you bumped into the Boo Berry pyramid because you were walking around with your eyes closed and your hand in your pockets because she told you “ not to ask for nothing , not to look at nothing and not to touch nothing ... ” I grew up in the house my grandfather built .
He died before I was born and my uncles left home long before I was an idea , so my mama had to get this big , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps Noah killed a Tyrannosaurus Rex on the Ark .
It was made of thick cowboy leather that is only found in horse saddles and Bernie Sanders ’ neck skin .
I don ’ t know if earthly men like my uncles even had the requisite core strength and calf musculature to even wear a belt that heavy .
I don ’ t know where it came from and I don ’ t know how it got to my house , which is why Jesus giving it to my mom is the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holy Ghost in that belt .
It had obviously been moisturized with anointing oil and the blood of Jesus because when you got hit with it , you were going to call on his Holy name and make a less-than-joyful noise unto the Lord .
When I started going to school , I had heard of report cards from after-school specials and episodes of Diff ’ rent Strokes .
But when I was introduced to interim reports , I was flabbergasted .
What the hell is an interim report ?
If a school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , aren ’ t all report cards essentially interim reports ?
But interim reports were about more than grades , they were about behavior.
, so I was appalled that my teacher , Mrs .
Sellers , wrote on my interim report that I “ sometimes disturbed the class.
” HOW AM I DISTURBING THE CLASS WHEN I ’ M JUST MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH ?
I demand evidence and a trial by a jury of my peers !
I have seen no actual evidence of my peers being disturbed .
OK , maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether or not snot was the only ingredient in a booger or did it require a foreign object ( yes , that was an actual thing ) , but no one seemed disturbed when I offered my classmates a quarter per booger ( which , I think , should have been refunded by my mom because they were technically “ school supplies ” ) .
But I had a trick for Mrs.
Sellers ’ azz .
I was gon na forge my mama ’ s name .
My plan was simple .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sisters to stay quiet about this interim fuckshit .
I waited until bath time and slid all the required forgery tools into my folded washcloth ( OK , white people , a washcloth is ... never mind ) .
All this scheme required was my interim report and a pen ( In my youth , you had to be grown to use a pen .
Until then , you just used a # 2 pencil .
Unless , of course , you were the child of a multimillionaire oil magnate or something , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afford those mechanical pencils all the rich kids had .
I didn ’ t want one anyway .
The leads were fragile than white women ’ s egos ) My plan was to do all of this in the bathroom because the bathroom mirror had fluorescent lighting and I could put my mom ’ s signature under the interim report and just trace it .
And I know you ’ re thinking : “ Dude , your fifth-grade teacher was checking for signatures like that ?
” To answer your questions , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so hold on : But if I was going to carry out this supervillain forgery , I had a very important decision to make .
Anyone who grew up in a Black household knows my dilemma .
You don ’ t lock the doors in a Black mama ’ s house .
In a Black house , you can ’ t even jiggle a doorknob unless you got half on the light bill .
If you were dookying and you wanted some privacy , then I suggest you find a mama who gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an open room .
It ’ s common knowledge to every Black child that , no matter how big your house is , that ain ’ t even your room .
Your mama just allows you to sleep there until you can learn enough Bible verses and long division to survive in the real world .
I knew that if my mama jiggled the bathroom doorknob and found it locked , I might as well flush myself down the toilet , so I decided to leave the door unlocked .
And because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like ...
I dunno know ... 18 feet high , I had to climb on the sink and lean in the mirror to complete the forgery .
And wouldn ’ t you know it , she walked into the bathroom !
I don ’ t even think she had to pee .
She would later say that she got a sign from God but I think she was just wondering why she didn ’ t hear water running in the tub ( that was the flaw in my plan ) .
But when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the sink and damn near knocked myself out .
“ Mikey , what is you doing ?
” she asked .
“ Nuffin , ” I replied ( I know that ’ s not a very creative answer , but I was dazed . )
And just as I said that , like a mighty wind , the interim report came fluttering right to her toes .
If you lived in a Jesus Belt household , you ’ d understand that it is used sparingly and with great ceremony .
Your mama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over her decision ( Or maybe she just has to warm up her whipping arm , I ’ m not sure ) .
I just know that I ’ ve never seen the Jesus Belt in the daytime .
It only comes out at night right before bed .
So after I took my bath ( I wasn ’ t grown enough to take showers , yet ) I just lay in bed waiting for the Jesus Belt .
But , of course , a great genius like me always has a plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very complex strategy based on logic and science : I was just gon na take it .
Even if your mama didn ’ t have a Jesus Belt ( During a pre-pastor ’ s anniversary suit-shopping expedition to J.C. Penny , I would later find out that they were widely available ) everyone knows the cardinal rules of getting a belt whooping : • “ Move your hand or it ’ s gon ’ be worse.
” • “ Don ’ t cry !
You weren ’ t crying when you were playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • “ Don ’ t make me run after you or you REALLY gon ’ get it !
” So , according my precise calculations , keeping my hands by my side , staying quiet and standing still would decrease the Jesus Belt ’ s intensity by at least 18 percent .
Just as I was crossing the threshold where your fake sleep turns into real sleep , I heard my mother rummaging through the secret mama compartment where she stored the Jesus Belt .
I heard her footsteps approach the door .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I could see the light come on .
As I opened my eyes , she gave the pre-Jesus Belt speech about how this hurts her more than it hurts me and how this was just a lesson on honesty and trust because now she would have to check out my book bag to see if I wasn ’ t smuggling notes from my teacher like I was the Indiana Jones of interim reports because the art forgery game wasn ’ t very lucrative and why did I enlist my sisters in this scheme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I needed prayer .
But first I needed to get this Jesus Belt .
As she lifted the belt to the heavens like when Abraham sacrificed Ishmael , I vowed to stay still and quiet .
Even before I felt the mighty pain of God ’ s wrath , hit my little 11-year-old thigh for the first time ...
I ran like Usain Bolt on cocaine .
I was hurdling furniture like I was in the bedroom Olympics .
I wasn ’ t worried about being struck down by God ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have caught me that night .
By the time I made it to the kitchen , I had to wait for my mama to catch her breath .
I tried to juke her but she had somehow gotten faster .
She grabbed a handful of my pajama shirt and—you know little boy pajamas are made of extra-strength material like Wakanda silk or something—I knew she had me .
Somehow , I took off my pajama shirt before she could swing and I darted through her legs .
I knew there was nowhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t even want to run .
I still wanted to stick to my plan but I couldn ’ t stop my legs from moving , so I ran back to my bedroom and I ... *I know y ’ all won ’ t believe this , but I ... .
**It ’ s one of the worst decisions I ever made in my life but I ...
Readers , please believe Black women when they say that shit about Black girl magic .
Know that there is something special inside each one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because my mama twisted the knob off the door with her bare hands !
Now she was mad .
Now , there was nowhere to run .
( Again , I didn ’ t even want to run . )
My mama stood in that doorway with that Jesus Belt , huffing and puffing like a leopard about to pounce on an antelope .
And I , a mere wildebeest fawn , just curled up in a ball on the bed , wrapped my arms around my legs to stop them from moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m trying not to run but I can ’ t !
I ’ m trying not to run but I can ’ t !
” And you know what my mama did ?
She turned around and went to bed .
We know police use deadly force because they are trained to use deadly force .
Perhaps they disproportionately inflict violence on Black people because this country ’ s criminal justice system has always seen non-white citizens as criminals who can only be controlled with violence .
Or maybe they perceive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re just prey .
As an adult , I ’ ve had conversations with my mother about corporal punishment .
She now says that she raised us in the same way that she was raised and admits that she probably wouldn ’ t ever hit us if she knew then what she knows now .
We are trying to get you to know now .
But let ’ s say there is only there are only a small number of police officers who kill Black people .
Let ’ s say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these Black men and women to run away or resisting or sleeping in their own house or reaching for a legally registered gun or trying to breathe .
There is a flaw in your argument .
Black people resist for the same reason every animal , man or wildebeest , always does : Because we want to live .
But ...
If the tiger was not a predator , couldn ’ t he stop himself from pouncing ?

On August 25, 2017, The Root changed the world when it began a feature called the Clapback Mailbag.
Back then I thought white people would NEVER stop being racist but I must admit I was wrong. We’re really proud of the part we played in changing the national zeitgeist. Thanks to us, you get to live in a totally different world from the 2017 America that had a white nationalist president, belligerent white women and murderous police.
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But the Mailbag isn’t about me. It’s about you.
So, to show you how much things have changed we decided to juxtapose some of our earliest Mailbag responses to some new ones to highlight how much progress white people have made in three short years.
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We did that.
You’re welcome.
Remember when white women were upset about being called “Becky?”
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Social media is totally different now:
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Here is my (totally different) response:
Dear Beckys Karens
First of all, Christine M. Carter , @pgs_twips, stop laughing. Sure, I’m laughing, too, but I’m giggling at the hilarity of a group of actual Beckys Beckying Karen-ing about an article about Beckys . I’m laughing at how meta this all is. But you, Christine, are cyberbullying. It’s different.
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Second, to both Beckys Karens, and to the Beckys Karens around the globe, I’d like to apologize. I separated Beckys Karens into specific categories, but I was obviously wrong. I had no idea that there was an unrecognized class of Beckys Karens that managed to fit into every single category. You, dear sweethearts, are a rare find, and I apologize for leaving you out.
I’d also like to commend you on the degree of difficulty of your tweets. This is the first time I have ever seen a “not all white women” combined with the gymnastics of a #BlackLivesMatter, a 180-degree reverse-racism ending with a white-tears landing. I give it a 9.7, even though the Russian judge might disagree.
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I would also like to address your fear of the terrible prospect of radical Becky terrorism sweeping the nation. While I specifically said that “not all white women are Beckys Karens,” perhaps I was not strong enough in my repudiation of Beckyphobia. I condemn both the anti- Becky Karen violence and the Mike supremacists. There were bad people...on both sides.
# BeckyLivesMatter #KarenLivesMatter
P.S: I wish I had read the part about me hiding behind a “racially ambiguous name.”
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Nigga, what?
Do names have races? How is a name racially ambi...Oh, I see. You mean, because there are white people named Michael, then a black person named Michael must have a kinda white name, which is hilarious. Does this mean that marrying a Black woman named Karen mean that I’m in an interracial marriage?
White people honestly think everything is theirs. They took the Hebrew name Mikha-el, which literally means“Who is like God?” and made it theirs.
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I’m just repaying the favor.
Sincerely
Someone who is like God.
Our readers have changed a lot. We no longer get comments like this one that was in the very first Mailbag:
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The trolls in our grays are totally different now:
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See? The “pending approval” thing is at the bottom.
Finally, to show you how much has changed, this is the very first letter to receive a response in the Mailbag:
From: J. Subject: YOUR LIST OF RACIST GROUPS YOU LEFT ONE FUCKING RACIST GROUP OFF YOUR SO CALLED RACIST GROUP LIST. .. BLACK LIVES MATTER. ..IT’S A HATE GROUP TOO...RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE WHITE SUPREMIST... KKK AND NAZIS... YOUR RACISM IS SHOWING. SHAME ON YOU!
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Luckily, our current readers have grown far more sophisticated. For instance, here are two readers who blame Black Lives Matter for creating the need for Black Lives Matter:
From: A. Patriot
To: Michael Harriot Dear nigger boy, If you and black lives matter wasn’t telling the world that police are racist and kill them maybe black guys would comply instead of running and end up dead.
From: Lance and Selena T. To: Michael Harriot Dear Michael, do you there would be fewer police shootings if outlets like the root at least balanced your coverage of police to show more good cops?
I think that some people fight and resist because they have seen so many videos of deadly police encounters and it makes them resist. You may think its crazy but Cardi-B said she didn’t snitch on the rapper sho shot her because she has seen so many black people killed by the police. How do we know if he hasn’t done this before and gotten away with it? I’m not saying there are not racist cops but the culture of snitching and black lives matter should take some responsibility for promoting this leftist agenda.
From: ZWis
To: The Root I have very mixed feelings over cancelling completely unrelated activities to make a statement when, while a tragedy happened, it’s not like it was ignored. A moment of silence makes sense. Tossing the livelihoods of thousands of other employees down the drain so stars can make a statement does not. I won’t heavily criticize the team for doing this for one game. I will, however, very much oppose anyone trying to flame or cancel others for not doing it too. Not obeying a hive reaction to something is not racism. Nor for that matter is being alarmed at the “with us or against us” delusion some people have on the subject. This trend is extremely dangerous, even if it’s well meaning for now. Taken too far, it’s going to put the far right in power long enough for them to take away political freedom. This mob mentality lately of organizations not just having to not say the wrong thing, and not even just having to say something, but having to say exactly the “proper” thing demanded of them or be cancelled or treated like racists/fascists is terrifying. Having a problem with inserting activism into everything 24/7 doesn’t mean lessening the news of tragedies. I think it’s completely unreasonable to cancel a season... for what purpose exactly? What purpose would ending the livelihood of everyone working in that entertainment industry accomplish? Is it supposed to raise awareness, when people are already aware? Is it supposed to protest inaction when there isn’t inaction in this case? People can’t enjoy something (in the middle of a pandemic no less) because they should have an obsession with this problem? Some people talking about this talk as if they actually think police are running around gunning down thousands of people of color all the time. That’s not the reality. The percentages don’t lie. There is a huge problem of disproportionate shootings of non-white people in general by police. It is not, however, like police running rampant indiscriminately shooting random people though. It’s a very tragic situation, but when the reaction starts to cause more harm than good something is wrong.
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Oh shit! Thanks for the scoop, Lance and/or Selena!
Even though News Editor Monique Judge will be heartbroken when she discovers her favorite rapper has been gunned down, she wants us to break more stories. We had no idea Megan the Stallion’s assault was followed by Cardi B also being gunned down by a mediocre emcee we never heard of. Your attention to Black issues is obviously informed by your intimate knowledge of the Black community. I didn’t even know this happened but, to be fair, they all look alike.
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But before I break the bad news to Monique, I want to take issue with the other part of you and Patriot’s argument that Black people brought this on themselves. You’re right, the vast majority of cops don’t kill people, so it’s puzzling why Black people always run. I’ve always believed the reason that antelopes start running as soon as they spot a cheetah is that National Geographic keeps pushing their leftist anti-tiger agenda. It’s like when my mama used to try to discipline me by explaining that I “brought this on myself.”
I don’t believe in corporal punishment because I think it is harmful and counterproductive. If you can train a dog without hitting it, there is no question in my mind that you can train a child without violence. I also believe Black people’s predisposition to use violence as a tool of discipline is a vestige of slavery. People do what they are taught. Whenever I voice this opinion, people will insist that their mother whipped their ass and they turned out fine.
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They are never fine.
I know my mama wasn’t anti-Michael. She loved me. She fed me. She clothed me. She made me the person I am today.
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And sometimes she used the Jesus Belt.
Wait, your mothers didn’t have a Jesus Belt?
I think this story might help brighten up Z’s depression about having to trade a world where Black men get murdered by police for the horror of a place with only some basketball. Hopefully, this will cheer you up:
My mama had a belt that could make you catch the Holy Ghost and when she swung it, it produced a sound similar to the wind whipping through Donald Trump’s empty head on a breezy day. She didn’t use this belt for all ass-whoopings. It was a special occasion belt.
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In my mother’s house, there were many spankings and each one had its own tier:
Hand shit: This consists of an open hand on the back of the head, your hand or even your butt. This was for toddlers. She also employed this technique when my sisters or I did something stupid such as using profanity (the word “lie” was a cuss word in my home) or keeping your eyes open when the head deacon was praying.
Switch-hitting: This was a hand-picked switch from a Japanese bush outside our driveway. My memory is fuzzy, but I think I looked it up and discovered that the plant’s scientific name is Donmaykmi Cohminnthayre.
For instance, if you HYPOTHETICALLY knocked over the entire Boo Berry cereal display in the Piggly Wiggly, you would have to pick out your own switch. She wouldn’t even listen to your explanation that you bumped into the Boo Berry pyramid because you were walking around with your eyes closed and your hand in your pockets because she told you “not to ask for nothing, not to look at nothing and not to touch nothing...” Jesus Belt: The ultimate punishment.
I grew up in the house my grandfather built. He died before I was born and my uncles left home long before I was an idea, so my mama had to get this big, thick leather belt from Jesus, or perhaps Noah killed a Tyrannosaurus Rex on the Ark. It was made of thick cowboy leather that is only found in horse saddles and Bernie Sanders’ neck skin. I don’t know if earthly men like my uncles even had the requisite core strength and calf musculature to even wear a belt that heavy. I don’t know where it came from and I don’t know how it got to my house, which is why Jesus giving it to my mom is the only thing that made sense.
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This is a Jesus Belt:
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There was Holy Ghost in that belt. It had obviously been moisturized with anointing oil and the blood of Jesus because when you got hit with it, you were going to call on his Holy name and make a less-than-joyful noise unto the Lord.
Like when I discovered interim reports.
When I started going to school, I had heard of report cards from after-school specials and episodes of Diff’rent Strokes. But when I was introduced to interim reports, I was flabbergasted. What the hell is an interim report? If a school year has a beginning and an end, aren’t all report cards essentially interim reports? But interim reports were about more than grades, they were about behavior., so I was appalled that my teacher, Mrs. Sellers, wrote on my interim report that I “sometimes disturbed the class.”
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HOW AM I DISTURBING THE CLASS WHEN I’M JUST MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH?
I demand evidence and a trial by a jury of my peers! I have seen no actual evidence of my peers being disturbed. OK, maybe there was that science project that explored whether or not snot was the only ingredient in a booger or did it require a foreign object (yes, that was an actual thing), but no one seemed disturbed when I offered my classmates a quarter per booger (which, I think, should have been refunded by my mom because they were technically “school supplies”).
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But I had a trick for Mrs. Sellers’ azz.
I was gonna forge my mama’s name.
My plan was simple. I gathered all my tools and convinced my sisters to stay quiet about this interim fuckshit. I waited until bath time and slid all the required forgery tools into my folded washcloth (OK, white people, a washcloth is...never mind). All this scheme required was my interim report and a pen (In my youth, you had to be grown to use a pen. Until then, you just used a #2 pencil. Unless, of course, you were the child of a multimillionaire oil magnate or something, in which case, you could probably afford those mechanical pencils all the rich kids had. I didn’t want one anyway. The leads were fragile than white women’s egos)
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My plan was to do all of this in the bathroom because the bathroom mirror had fluorescent lighting and I could put my mom’s signature under the interim report and just trace it. And I know you’re thinking: “Dude, your fifth-grade teacher was checking for signatures like that?” To answer your questions, I will need to switch to italics, so hold on:
I.
Was.
Eleven.
But if I was going to carry out this supervillain forgery, I had a very important decision to make. Anyone who grew up in a Black household knows my dilemma.
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Do I lock the door?
You don’t lock the doors in a Black mama’s house. In a Black house, you can’t even jiggle a doorknob unless you got half on the light bill. If you were dookying and you wanted some privacy, then I suggest you find a mama who gives a damn and see if she has an open room. It’s common knowledge to every Black child that, no matter how big your house is, that ain’t even your room. Your mama just allows you to sleep there until you can learn enough Bible verses and long division to survive in the real world.
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I knew that if my mama jiggled the bathroom doorknob and found it locked, I might as well flush myself down the toilet, so I decided to leave the door unlocked. And because I was little and the vanity mirror was like...I dunno know...18 feet high, I had to climb on the sink and lean in the mirror to complete the forgery.
And wouldn’t you know it, she walked into the bathroom!
I don’t even think she had to pee. She would later say that she got a sign from God but I think she was just wondering why she didn’t hear water running in the tub (that was the flaw in my plan). But when she opened the door, I jumped off the sink and damn near knocked myself out.
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“Mikey, what is you doing?” she asked.
“Nuffin,” I replied (I know that’s not a very creative answer, but I was dazed.)
And just as I said that, like a mighty wind, the interim report came fluttering right to her toes.
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This was Jesus Belt territory.
If you lived in a Jesus Belt household, you’d understand that it is used sparingly and with great ceremony. Your mama has to contemplate its use and pray over her decision (Or maybe she just has to warm up her whipping arm, I’m not sure). I just know that I’ve never seen the Jesus Belt in the daytime. It only comes out at night right before bed. So after I took my bath (I wasn’t grown enough to take showers, yet) I just lay in bed waiting for the Jesus Belt.
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But, of course, a great genius like me always has a plan. So I came up with a very complex strategy based on logic and science:
I was just gonna take it.
Even if your mama didn’t have a Jesus Belt (During a pre-pastor’s anniversary suit-shopping expedition to J.C. Penny, I would later find out that they were widely available) everyone knows the cardinal rules of getting a belt whooping:
“Move your hand or it’s gon’ be worse.”
“Don’t cry! You weren’t crying when you were playing Pablo Picasso in the bathroom!”
“Don’t make me run after you or you REALLY gon’ get it!”
So, according my precise calculations, keeping my hands by my side, staying quiet and standing still would decrease the Jesus Belt’s intensity by at least 18 percent.
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Just as I was crossing the threshold where your fake sleep turns into real sleep, I heard my mother rummaging through the secret mama compartment where she stored the Jesus Belt. I heard her footsteps approach the door. Even though my eyes were closed, I could see the light come on.
As I opened my eyes, she gave the pre-Jesus Belt speech about how this hurts her more than it hurts me and how this was just a lesson on honesty and trust because now she would have to check out my book bag to see if I wasn’t smuggling notes from my teacher like I was the Indiana Jones of interim reports because the art forgery game wasn’t very lucrative and why did I enlist my sisters in this scheme, which was really a bad idea and I needed prayer. But first I needed to get this Jesus Belt.
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As she lifted the belt to the heavens like when Abraham sacrificed Ishmael, I vowed to stay still and quiet. Even before I felt the mighty pain of God’s wrath, hit my little 11-year-old thigh for the first time...
I cried like a motherfucker.
I ran like Usain Bolt on cocaine. I was hurdling furniture like I was in the bedroom Olympics. I wasn’t worried about being struck down by God’s fury because his swiftest archangel couldn’t have caught me that night. By the time I made it to the kitchen, I had to wait for my mama to catch her breath. I tried to juke her but she had somehow gotten faster. She grabbed a handful of my pajama shirt and—you know little boy pajamas are made of extra-strength material like Wakanda silk or something—I knew she had me.
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Somehow, I took off my pajama shirt before she could swing and I darted through her legs. I knew there was nowhere for me to run. I didn’t even want to run. I still wanted to stick to my plan but I couldn’t stop my legs from moving, so I ran back to my bedroom and I...
*I know y’all won’t believe this, but I....
**It’s one of the worst decisions I ever made in my life but I...
I locked the motherfucking door!
Readers, please believe Black women when they say that shit about Black girl magic. Know that there is something special inside each one of them that comes from the supernatural because my mama twisted the knob off the door with her bare hands!
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Now she was mad. Now, there was nowhere to run. (Again, I didn’t even want to run.) My mama stood in that doorway with that Jesus Belt, huffing and puffing like a leopard about to pounce on an antelope. And I, a mere wildebeest fawn, just curled up in a ball on the bed, wrapped my arms around my legs to stop them from moving and started crying, yelling:
“I’m trying not to run but I can’t!
I’m trying not to run but I can’t!”
And you know what my mama did?
She turned around and went to bed.
The end.
We know police use deadly force because they are trained to use deadly force. Perhaps they disproportionately inflict violence on Black people because this country’s criminal justice system has always seen non-white citizens as criminals who can only be controlled with violence. Or maybe they perceive us as more dangerous. Or perhaps we’re just prey.
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As an adult, I’ve had conversations with my mother about corporal punishment. She now says that she raised us in the same way that she was raised and admits that she probably wouldn’t ever hit us if she knew then what she knows now.
We are trying to get you to know now.
But let’s say there is only there are only a small number of police officers who kill Black people. Let’s say Cardi B and The Root caused all these Black men and women to run away or resisting or sleeping in their own house or reaching for a legally registered gun or trying to breathe.
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There is a flaw in your argument.
Black people resist for the same reason every animal, man or wildebeest, always does: Because we want to live. But...
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If the tiger was not a predator, couldn’t he stop himself from pouncing?


theroot--2020-08-28--Top Kenosha Police, Prosecutor Under Increased Scrutiny in Wake of Jacob Blake, Protest Shootings: ‘

Top Kenosha Police, Prosecutor Under Increased Scrutiny in Wake of Jacob Blake, Protest Shootings: ‘Some People...Aren’t Worth Saving’

In the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake , all eyes are on top law enforcement in Kenosha , Wis .
, as organizers and civil liberties groups around the country question the culture of policing that permeates the city .
Among the officials under renewed scrutiny is Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth , whose comments about a group of Black defendants not being “ worth saving ” have resurfaced .
The remarks were made just two years ago at a press conference and concerned a case where five young Black people were charged with stealing $ 5,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from police , the alleged shoplifters struck a 16-year-old driver in his car .
No serious injuries were sustained in the incident , but Beth let loose his personal feelings about the suspects at a news conference shortly afterward .
“ I ’ m to the point where I think society has to come to a threshold where there are some people that aren ’ t worth saving , ” Beth said .
“ We need to build warehouses to put these people into it and lock them away for the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could care less about that 16-year-old who just got his driver ’ s license yesterday .
They drove through a red light , they stole thousands of dollars worth of clothing , and they don ’ t care.
” “ Let ’ s put them in jail .
Let ’ s stop them from , truly , at least some of these males , going out and getting 10 other women pregnant and having small children .
Let ’ s put them away .
At some point , we have to stop being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care what race , I don ’ t care how old they are .
If there ’ s a threshold that they cross .
These people have to be warehoused , no recreational time in jails .
We put them away for the rest of their lives so the rest of us can be better.
” Beth claimed his comments had nothing to do with the race of the suspects , whose ages ranged from 16 to 23 years old , though the stereotypes and ideas he leaned on say otherwise .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested would go on to impregnate “ 10 other women ; ” his desire to see them unable to bear children reeking of racist eugenics .
And this doesn ’ t even touch Beth ’ s view of criminality—which he spoke about as one would , say , about a rat infestation .
The people who commit crimes are to be disposed of , erased and forgotten to the extent they can be .
As the Kenosha News reported at the time , Beth quickly walked his comments back , saying he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of him .
The Kenosha chapter of the NAACP met with him afterward , with chapter president Veronica King saying she felt the experience was a “ learning lesson ” for the sheriff .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s a reflection of the entire Sheriff ’ s Department , ” she said .
“ I think he ’ ll have a much more prepared statement next time.
” But not everyone agreed with King .
Alderman Anthony Kennedy called Beth ’ s apology the best “ sorry/not sorry ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You need to do better and you can do better , ” Kennedy told the Kenosha News .
“ I ’ m not willing to give him a pass.
” Neither is the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin , which called for Beth ’ s resignation this week .
The group—along with many other local activists and organizers—also accused sheriff ’ s deputies of supporting armed militias at protests in Kenosha on Tuesday , writes the Washington Post .
Seventeen-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of shooting and killing two protesters that night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of gunshots , they walked past Rittenhouse , who was carrying a semiautomatic weapon .
Witnesses at the scene told police he was the shooter .
Rittenhouse wasn ’ t arrested until the next day .
The ACLU also called for the Kenosha Chief of Police Daniel Miskinis to resign .
In a press conference about the protest shooting on Wednesday , Miskinis blamed victims of the shooting for being outside past curfew .
“ Everybody involved was out after the curfew .
I ’ m not going to make a great deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curfew is in place to protect , ” said Miskinis .
“ Had the persons not been ... in violation of that , perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened.
” Sheskey and another police officer remain on administrative duty as the state ’ s Department of Justice investigates the shooting ; Kenosha District Attorney Michael Graveley will determine whether to charge the officers with a crime .
Graveley is best known for his decision to charge a 17-year-old Black girl who killed her alleged sex trafficker in self-defense with murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million bond .
His office was investigating the accused child abuser , Andy Volar , at the time of his death but had not detained him , despite finding home videos of him sexually abusing underage girls—all of whom were Black .
Blake , meanwhile , is still receiving treatment at a Wauwatosa , Wis. hospital , where his family says he is currently shackled to his hospital bed , despite being partially paralyzed .

In the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake, all eyes are on top law enforcement in Kenosha, Wis ., as organizers and civil liberties groups around the country question the culture of policing that permeates the city. Among the officials under renewed scrutiny is Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, whose comments about a group of Black defendants not being “worth saving” have resurfaced.
The remarks were made just two years ago at a press conference and concerned a case where five young Black people were charged with stealing $5,000 worth of clothing. As they sped away from police, the alleged shoplifters struck a 16-year-old driver in his car.
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No serious injuries were sustained in the incident, but Beth let loose his personal feelings about the suspects at a news conference shortly afterward.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, emphasis mine:
“I’m to the point where I think society has to come to a threshold where there are some people that aren’t worth saving,” Beth said. “We need to build warehouses to put these people into it and lock them away for the rest of their lives. These five people could care less about that 16-year-old who just got his driver’s license yesterday. They drove through a red light, they stole thousands of dollars worth of clothing, and they don’t care.” “Let’s put them in jail. Let’s stop them from, truly, at least some of these males, going out and getting 10 other women pregnant and having small children. Let’s put them away. At some point, we have to stop being politically correct. I don’t care what race, I don’t care how old they are. If there’s a threshold that they cross. These people have to be warehoused, no recreational time in jails. We put them away for the rest of their lives so the rest of us can be better.”
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Beth claimed his comments had nothing to do with the race of the suspects, whose ages ranged from 16 to 23 years old, though the stereotypes and ideas he leaned on say otherwise. He suggested the Black boys and men he arrested would go on to impregnate “10 other women;” his desire to see them unable to bear children reeking of racist eugenics. And this doesn’t even touch Beth’s view of criminality—which he spoke about as one would, say, about a rat infestation. The people who commit crimes are to be disposed of, erased and forgotten to the extent they can be.
As the Kenosha News reported at the time, Beth quickly walked his comments back, saying he had simply let his emotions get the better of him.
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The Kenosha chapter of the NAACP met with him afterward, with chapter president Veronica King saying she felt the experience was a “learning lesson” for the sheriff.
“I don’t think it’s a reflection of the entire Sheriff’s Department,” she said. “I think he’ll have a much more prepared statement next time.”
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But not everyone agreed with King. Alderman Anthony Kennedy called Beth’s apology the best “sorry/not sorry” he’d ever heard.
“You need to do better and you can do better,” Kennedy told the Kenosha News. “I’m not willing to give him a pass.”
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Neither is the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, which called for Beth’s resignation this week. The group—along with many other local activists and organizers—also accused sheriff’s deputies of supporting armed militias at protests in Kenosha on Tuesday, writes the Washington Post. Seventeen-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of shooting and killing two protesters that night; as police responded to the sounds of gunshots, they walked past Rittenhouse, who was carrying a semiautomatic weapon. Witnesses at the scene told police he was the shooter.
Rittenhouse wasn’t arrested until the next day.
The ACLU also called for the Kenosha Chief of Police Daniel Miskinis to resign. In a press conference about the protest shooting on Wednesday, Miskinis blamed victims of the shooting for being outside past curfew.
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“Everybody involved was out after the curfew. I’m not going to make a great deal of it but the point is the curfew is in place to protect,” said Miskinis. “Had the persons not been...in violation of that, perhaps the situation that unfolded would not have happened.”
Sheskey and another police officer remain on administrative duty as the state’s Department of Justice investigates the shooting; Kenosha District Attorney Michael Graveley will determine whether to charge the officers with a crime. Graveley is best known for his decision to charge a 17-year-old Black girl who killed her alleged sex trafficker in self-defense with murder, handing her an unfathomable $1 million bond. His office was investigating the accused child abuser, Andy Volar, at the time of his death but had not detained him, despite finding home videos of him sexually abusing underage girls—all of whom were Black.
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Blake, meanwhile, is still receiving treatment at a Wauwatosa, Wis. hospital, where his family says he is currently shackled to his hospital bed, despite being partially paralyzed.


theroot--2020-08-28--Trailer Roundup: What Is The Forty-Year-Old Version of Noughts & Crosses?

After having to suffer through a week of witnessing Satan ’ s minions trot out a batch of Black friends , yet another instance of heinous police brutality , the subsequent domestic terrorism at a protest and a major sports strike ... it feels like we ’ re living in a nightmarish dystopian movie .
But , we ’ re not ...
I ’ m sorry to say that this is absolutely reality .
What are we left to do other than attempt to process all of this trauma ?
Find a means of escape ( even though , art @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s why I ’ m here .
Let ’ s get into some of these trailers ... First Impressions : This week Peacock announced a bunch of content , so expect this list to be dominated by them .
First up , is Anthony , which follows the real-life tragic killing of British student Anthony Walker .
The film appears to be an experimental project that explores what Anthony ’ s life would be like if he had lived .
Whew .
That is a lot to take in .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Show official trailer / Peacock ( YouTube ) First Impressions : This documentary will chronicle an oft-forgotten or unknown moment in Black History .
In February 1968 , Harry Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show in place of Johnny Carson for a whole week .
It marked the first time an African-American person had done so .
Plus , he used his platform smartly , giving a spotlight to important Black figures such as Sidney Poitier and Martin Luther King Jr .
In the trailer , Tamron Hall echoes my feelings , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Yeah , sign me all the way up for this , immediately .
First Impressions : This documentary takes the time to to celebrate the full humanity of Black boys in America because Black lives absolutely matter .
They are not “ Black bodies , ” but fully realized human beings with feelings , thoughts and voices .
From the trailer ( which features notables such as Jemele Hill and Carmelo Anthony ) , this film looks beautiful and emotional and I ’ d love to see the Black Girls counterpart one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activist Malcolm Jenkins serves as executive producer .
First Impressions : I appreciate that this film will follow the impact of the public library has on homeless / houseless people .
What is typically a sanctuary that provides temporary shelter as well as access to technology and information , becomes a center for conflict when a group of homeless residents of Cincinnati engage in a standoff with police in order to avoid the bitter cold .
While I ’ m a bit suspicious that this could reek of a white savior trope , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be gripping performances from Gabrielle Union , Che “ Rhymefest ” Smith , Michael K. Williams and Jeffrey Wright .
First Impressions : “ What if Africa had colonized Europe ?
” is the opening tagline of the trailer , which caused quite the bit of side-eye on Black ( American ) Twitter .
As a background , this show is based on a popular U.K. book series by Malorie Blackman ( here ’ s some good context via a Twitter thread ) which provides context on racism by flipping the switch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One sweet day , we ’ ll be able to freely make attention-grabbing content that doesn ’ t have to be dominated by the white gaze .
That said , I ’ m willing to give this show a chance on sheer curiosity alone ( and in case the trailer did , in fact , misrepresent the premise of the show as has been claimed ) , as I ’ ve heard great things about the character of Persephone “ Sephy ” Hadley and Masali Baduza ’ s performance .
Anonymous Killers ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premiere on Oct. 6 , 2020 , with wide release on Oct. 20 , 2020 ) First Impressions : Director A.R .
Hilton came up with this film ’ s concept while he was incarcerated and it is an exploration of the horrors of the social justice system .
In Hilton ’ s first feature film , a group of captive killers face a sadistic mastermind who forces them to undergo a cruel social experiment where each person has to share the motives behind their crimes and then undergo judgement by their peers—ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Yikes .
The film will also explore the prejudices that arise in this kind of system .
First Impressions : The aptly Stars and Strife is a documentary that examines the hatred in America .
Though I doubt this will be anything new for Black Americans who ’ ve always been familiar with America ’ s hatred ( it took one term of a Trump administration and a global pandemic for some other folks to catch up ) , what piqued my interest is that President of Black Lives Matter of Greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film .
You may remember that name as the guy who completely eviscerated Martha McCallum ’ s trite and racist talking points on Fox News in a viral clip .
If not , I highly suggest you check him out .
First Impressions : We already blogged about the announcement of this cool new show , but now we can highlight the trailer !
Hosted by Marley Dias , the trailer showcases intros by Tiffany Haddish , Common , Marsai Martin , Lupita Nyong ’ o , Misty Copeland and more , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read a book to the kiddies .
Experiencing the joy of an adult go full animated energy when reading a story is a childhood memory I cherish , so having these personalities use their talents to do the same on this large platform in such an interactive way so that Black children across the world can see themselves onscreen and on the page is dope .
You feel that ?
That ’ s my heart warming up .
First Impression : I caught this film during a Sundance preview and let me tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goddamn star .
The Forty-Year-Old Version is a breath of fresh air that follows a 40-year-old playwright who decides to become a rapper .
This gem of a film tackles the idea that it ’ s never too late to pursue your dream in a unique and endearing way .
While I didn ’ t get to write about it out of Sundance , I was thrilled to see it landed at Netflix , which I believe is the perfect platform for audiences to appreciate it .
You ’ ll likely be seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so stay tuned .
OWN Spotlight : They Call Me Dad ( OWN ; Release Date : Sept. 15 , 2020 , at 9 p.m. ET/PT ) OWN Spotlight : They Call Me Dad teaser trailer / OWN ( YouTube ) First Impressions : This special will follow the lives of Black dads such as DJ D-Nice , Bishop T.D .
Jakes , Anthony Hamilton and Malcolm Jenkins as it fights against the “ absent Black father ” myth .
Though these guys have heightened profiles due to their jobs and positions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into what is likely their most important role in life .
Meagan Good , Laila Ali and Sarah Jakes Roberts will also appear in the special .
First Impressions : Have y ’ all been watching guilty pleasure Selling Sunset like me ?
Well , this show seems to be in the same vein exceptt I actually spy a prominent Black person in the cast !
Now , this can be good or bad because that also means that cast member ( real estate broker Noel Roberts ) could be subject to frustrating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white world .
I live for mindless entertainment these days so I guess I ’ ll see soon !
I had to laugh at his retort in the trailer telling the white girl ( Peggy Zabakolas ) that if she wants a friend to get a damn dog , though .
First Impressions : As a Black woman , the phrase “ American Utopia ” sounds like an oxymoron , but I am curious about this upcoming project .
It ’ s a filmed broadcast of David Bryne ’ s critically acclaimed Broadway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ musicians , singers , and dancers from around the globe , inviting audiences into a joyous dreamworld where human connection , self-evolution , and social justice are paramount.
” Oh , and did I mention that this is a Spike Lee joint ?
Interesting .
First Impressions : I love that this film unpacks the idea that escaping America as a Black person is finding complete freedom from tyranny .
Not so much .
Myth of a Colorblind France is a doc following Black artists such as Josephine Baker James Baldwin , Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Barbara Chase-Riboud and Lois Mailou Jones who all famously fled the U.S. and emigrated to Paris .
While these and many other Black folks have found a sense of liberation and peace , it has to be noted that racism is a global issue .
Is France truly colorblind ?
Or is it just racism wrapped in another package ?
What of the African citizens and other people of color living in France ?
I ’ m very much into this .
That ’ s all for this week , y ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Tonja Renée Stidhum on The Grapevine, shared by Tonja Renée Stidhum to The Root

After having to suffer through a week of witnessing Satan’s minions trot out a batch of Black friends, yet another instance of heinous police brutality, the subsequent domestic terrorism at a protest and a major sports strike...it feels like we’re living in a nightmarish dystopian movie. But, we’re not...I’m sorry to say that this is absolutely reality.
What are we left to do other than attempt to process all of this trauma? Find a means of escape (even though, art does tend to imitate life). That’s why I’m here. Let’s get into some of these trailers...
Advertisement
Anthony (Peacock; Release Date: Sept. 4, 2020)
Anthony official trailer / Peacock (YouTube)
First Impressions: This week Peacock announced a bunch of content, so expect this list to be dominated by them. First up, is Anthony, which follows the real-life tragic killing of British student Anthony Walker. The film appears to be an experimental project that explores what Anthony’s life would be like if he had lived. Whew. That is a lot to take in.
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The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show (Peacock; Release Date: Sept. 10, 2020)
The Sit-In: Harry Belefonte Hosts The Tonight Show official trailer / Peacock (YouTube)
First Impressions: This documentary will chronicle an oft-forgotten or unknown moment in Black History. In February 1968, Harry Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show in place of Johnny Carson for a whole week. It marked the first time an African-American person had done so. Plus, he used his platform smartly, giving a spotlight to important Black figures such as Sidney Poitier and Martin Luther King Jr. In the trailer, Tamron Hall echoes my feelings, “How did I not know this?” Yeah, sign me all the way up for this, immediately.
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Black Boys (Peacock; Release Date: Sept. 10, 2020)
Black Boys official trailer / Peacock (YouTube)
First Impressions: This documentary takes the time to to celebrate the full humanity of Black boys in America because Black lives absolutely matter. They are not “Black bodies,” but fully realized human beings with feelings, thoughts and voices. From the trailer (which features notables such as Jemele Hill and Carmelo Anthony), this film looks beautiful and emotional and I’d love to see the Black Girls counterpart one day! Two-time Super Bowl champion and activist Malcolm Jenkins serves as executive producer.
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The Public (Peacock; Release Date: Sept. 4, 2020)
The Public trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: I appreciate that this film will follow the impact of the public library has on homeless / houseless people. What is typically a sanctuary that provides temporary shelter as well as access to technology and information, becomes a center for conflict when a group of homeless residents of Cincinnati engage in a standoff with police in order to avoid the bitter cold. While I’m a bit suspicious that this could reek of a white savior trope, I’m looking forward to what could be gripping performances from Gabrielle Union, Che “Rhymefest” Smith, Michael K. Williams and Jeffrey Wright.
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Noughts & Crosses (Peacock; Release Date: Sept. 4, 2020)
Noughts & Crosses official trailer / Peacock (YouTube)
First Impressions: “What if Africa had colonized Europe?” is the opening tagline of the trailer, which caused quite the bit of side-eye on Black (American) Twitter. As a background, this show is based on a popular U.K. book series by Malorie Blackman (here’s some good context via a Twitter thread) which provides context on racism by flipping the switch. Timing is everything, though. One sweet day, we’ll be able to freely make attention-grabbing content that doesn’t have to be dominated by the white gaze. That said, I’m willing to give this show a chance on sheer curiosity alone (and in case the trailer did, in fact, misrepresent the premise of the show as has been claimed), as I’ve heard great things about the character of Persephone “Sephy” Hadley and Masali Baduza’s performance.
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Anonymous Killers (Digital Theaters; Release Date: limited premiere on Oct. 6, 2020, with wide release on Oct. 20, 2020)
Anonymous Killers trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: Director A.R. Hilton came up with this film’s concept while he was incarcerated and it is an exploration of the horrors of the social justice system. In Hilton’s first feature film, a group of captive killers face a sadistic mastermind who forces them to undergo a cruel social experiment where each person has to share the motives behind their crimes and then undergo judgement by their peers—ending in two outcomes: live or die. Yikes. The film will also explore the prejudices that arise in this kind of system.
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Stars and Strife (Starz; Release Date: Sept. 21, 2020)
Stars and Strife official trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: The aptly Stars and Strife is a documentary that examines the hatred in America. Though I doubt this will be anything new for Black Americans who’ve always been familiar with America’s hatred (it took one term of a Trump administration and a global pandemic for some other folks to catch up), what piqued my interest is that President of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York Hawk Newsome appears in this film. You may remember that name as the guy who completely eviscerated Martha McCallum’s trite and racist talking points on Fox News in a viral clip. If not, I highly suggest you check him out.
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Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices (Netflix; Release Date: Sept. 1, 2020)
Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices / Netflix Jr. (YouTube)
First Impressions: We already blogged about the announcement of this cool new show, but now we can highlight the trailer! Hosted by Marley Dias, the trailer showcases intros by Tiffany Haddish, Common, Marsai Martin, Lupita Nyong’o, Misty Copeland and more, all of whom have taken the time to read a book to the kiddies. Experiencing the joy of an adult go full animated energy when reading a story is a childhood memory I cherish, so having these personalities use their talents to do the same on this large platform in such an interactive way so that Black children across the world can see themselves onscreen and on the page is dope. You feel that? That’s my heart warming up.
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The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix; Oct. 9, 2020)
The Forty-Year-Old Version official trailer / Netflix (YouTube)
First Impression: I caught this film during a Sundance preview and let me tell you this right now—Radha Blank is a goddamn star. The Forty-Year-Old Version is a breath of fresh air that follows a 40-year-old playwright who decides to become a rapper. This gem of a film tackles the idea that it’s never too late to pursue your dream in a unique and endearing way. While I didn’t get to write about it out of Sundance, I was thrilled to see it landed at Netflix, which I believe is the perfect platform for audiences to appreciate it. You’ll likely be seeing more in-depth coverage from me soon, so stay tuned.
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OWN Spotlight: They Call Me Dad (OWN; Release Date: Sept. 15, 2020, at 9 p.m. ET/PT)
OWN Spotlight: They Call Me Dad teaser trailer / OWN (YouTube)
First Impressions: This special will follow the lives of Black dads such as DJ D-Nice, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Anthony Hamilton and Malcolm Jenkins as it fights against the “absent Black father” myth. Though these guys have heightened profiles due to their jobs and positions, this seems to be a sweet peek into what is likely their most important role in life. Meagan Good, Laila Ali and Sarah Jakes Roberts will also appear in the special.
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Million Dollar Beach House (Netflix; Now Streaming)
Million Dollar Beach House official trailer / Netflix (YouTube)
First Impressions: Have y’all been watching guilty pleasure Selling Sunset like me? Well, this show seems to be in the same vein exceptt I actually spy a prominent Black person in the cast! Now, this can be good or bad because that also means that cast member (real estate broker Noel Roberts) could be subject to frustrating micro-aggressions working in this predominately rich and white world. I live for mindless entertainment these days so I guess I’ll see soon! I had to laugh at his retort in the trailer telling the white girl (Peggy Zabakolas) that if she wants a friend to get a damn dog, though.
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David Byrne’s American Utopia (HBO; Release Date: Oct. 17, 2020, at 8 p.m. ET/PT)
David Byrne’s American Utopia official teaser / HBO (YouTube)
First Impressions: As a Black woman, the phrase “American Utopia” sounds like an oxymoron, but I am curious about this upcoming project. It’s a filmed broadcast of David Bryne’s critically acclaimed Broadway show featuring an “ensemble of 11 musicians, singers, and dancers from around the globe, inviting audiences into a joyous dreamworld where human connection, self-evolution, and social justice are paramount.” Oh, and did I mention that this is a Spike Lee joint? Interesting.
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Myth of a Colorblind France (Virtual Cinemas; Release Date: Sept. 25, 2020)
Myth of a Colorblind France trailer / YouTube
First Impressions: I love that this film unpacks the idea that escaping America as a Black person is finding complete freedom from tyranny. Not so much. Myth of a Colorblind France is a doc following Black artists such as Josephine Baker James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Beauford Delaney, Augusta Savage, Barbara Chase-Riboud and Lois Mailou Jones who all famously fled the U.S. and emigrated to Paris. While these and many other Black folks have found a sense of liberation and peace, it has to be noted that racism is a global issue. Is France truly colorblind? Or is it just racism wrapped in another package? What of the African citizens and other people of color living in France? I’m very much into this.
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That’s all for this week, y’all! See you next Friday!