theroot--2020-07-31--I've Stopped Crying Tears of Joy Long Enough to Recap the NBA Restart

No , seriously .
It ’ s here .
It ’ s finally here .
One hundred forty-one days after the NBA shut down due to the coronavirus , the only thing on planet Earth that ’ s better than crab legs or cracked pepper made its triumphant return .
Here are some takeaways from re-opening night .
In the weeks leading up to the NBA ’ s restart , players were adamant that social justice would remain at the forefront and not be eclipsed by the return of sports .
So on its re-opening night , we saw players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the national anthem after weeks of players redirecting press interviews to discuss the death of Breonna Taylor .
But it was Utah Jazz star Donova n Mitchell who drove that point home by showing up to the game with a bulletproof vest adorned with the names of countless victims of police brutality , along with the message “ Respect Our Existence or Expect Resistance.
” As for the games themselves , all four teams scheduled to play on Thursday night took a knee during the national anthem , as had been rumored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
“ Grateful to be back doing what I love the most , ” Jazz star Rudy Gobert tweeted .
“ Let ’ s all keep inspiring the younger generations and make this world a better place for everyone.
” And with “ Black Lives Matter ” printed on the court , players wore their choice of social justice messages on their jerseys .
After the Lakers-Clippers game , LeBron James made it a point to shoutout the man who sacrificed his career by birthing this movement years ago .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proud , ” he said .
“ I hope we continue to make Kap proud every single day .
I hope I make him proud on how I live my life , not only out on the basketball floor but off the floor.
” Maybe We Don ’ t Need Fans After All I can ’ t speak on the energy in the arena , but in watching from home , I was astonished by the league ’ s ability to replicate a traditional basketball atmosphere despite the absence of fans .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was pleasantly surprised either .
Perhaps I was so captivated by the action on the court that I paid no mind to the inaction off of it .
But considering the roars ( and boos ) of the crowd are so intrinsic to NBA basketball , I wasn ’ t distracted at all by the fact that the best athletes in the world were playing in front of their peers—and virtual fans like former Miami Heat star Chris Bosh .
Now admittedly , while the virtual fans thing is innovative , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it didn ’ t detract from the experience overall since I barely paid them any mind , but when you see Kawhi Leonard shooting free throws while virtual Laker fans attempt to distract him , I couldn ’ t help but feel like I was trapped in a game of NBA 2K .
Once families are finally allowed to enter the bubble after the first round of the playoffs , this dynamic will change entirely .
But for the time being , this isn ’ t the game we all know and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the substitute teacher that deserves our scorn either .
It wasn ’ t until LeBron ’ s post-game interview that I realized how silent it actually was in the arena , although it was dope to see players from other teams at the games sizing up their competition .
Does King James know he ’ s supposed to be washed up ?
Age and attrition eventually laid claim to Michael Jordan , and even Kobe Bryant looked human in the twilight of his career , but outside of his graying beard and frayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God amongst men last night .
His box score wasn ’ t particularly flattering—16 points , 11 boards and 7 dimes is considered an off night when your name is LeBron James—but the dude looked nowhere near his 35 years of age .
Especially in the final moments of the game , when he put the clamps on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the same damn play to secure the Lakers ’ 103-101 victory .
LeBron spoke on the ongoing battle for Los Angeles after the game .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two teams that ’ s fighting for one common goal , ” he said .
“ And that ’ s to win a championship and bring it to the city of Los Angeles and [ each ] fan base .
[ ... ] No matter what the [ situation ] is , no matter what the bubble is , no fans , or [ with ] fans , basketball is basketball and competitive spirit is competitive spirit , so we ’ re right back to where we left off.
” And while he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took its toll on the four-time MVP .
“ First game back since March , ” he said in a video posted on Instagram .
“ And I ’ m on the floor .
”

It’s back!
No, seriously. It’s here. It’s finally here.
One hundred forty-one days after the NBA shut down due to the coronavirus, the only thing on planet Earth that’s better than crab legs or cracked pepper made its triumphant return. Here are some takeaways from re-opening night.
Social Justice Was Front and Center
In the weeks leading up to the NBA’s restart, players were adamant that social justice would remain at the forefront and not be eclipsed by the return of sports. So on its re-opening night, we saw players, coaches and referees take a knee during the national anthem after weeks of players redirecting press interviews to discuss the death of Breonna Taylor.
Advertisement
But it was Utah Jazz star Donova n Mitchell who drove that point home by showing up to the game with a bulletproof vest adorned with the names of countless victims of police brutality, along with the message “Respect Our Existence or Expect Resistance.”
Advertisement Advertisement
As for the games themselves, all four teams scheduled to play on Thursday night took a knee during the national anthem, as had been rumored in the days leading up to re-opening night.
“Grateful to be back doing what I love the most,” Jazz star Rudy Gobert tweeted. “Let’s all keep inspiring the younger generations and make this world a better place for everyone.”
Advertisement
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And with “Black Lives Matter” printed on the court, players wore their choice of social justice messages on their jerseys.
Advertisement
After the Lakers-Clippers game, LeBron James made it a point to shoutout the man who sacrificed his career by birthing this movement years ago.
Advertisement
“I hope we made [Colin Kaepernick] proud,” he said. “I hope we continue to make Kap proud every single day. I hope I make him proud on how I live my life, not only out on the basketball floor but off the floor.”
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Maybe We Don’t Need Fans After All
I can’t speak on the energy in the arena, but in watching from home, I was astonished by the league’s ability to replicate a traditional basketball atmosphere despite the absence of fans. I wasn’t the only one who was pleasantly surprised either.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Perhaps I was so captivated by the action on the court that I paid no mind to the inaction off of it. But considering the roars (and boos) of the crowd are so intrinsic to NBA basketball, I wasn’t distracted at all by the fact that the best athletes in the world were playing in front of their peers—and virtual fans like former Miami Heat star Chris Bosh.
Advertisement
Now admittedly, while the virtual fans thing is innovative, it is a bit awkward as hell. Again, it didn’t detract from the experience overall since I barely paid them any mind, but when you see Kawhi Leonard shooting free throws while virtual Laker fans attempt to distract him, I couldn’t help but feel like I was trapped in a game of NBA 2K.
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Once families are finally allowed to enter the bubble after the first round of the playoffs, this dynamic will change entirely. But for the time being, this isn’t the game we all know and love, but it’s not the substitute teacher that deserves our scorn either. It wasn’t until LeBron’s post-game interview that I realized how silent it actually was in the arena, although it was dope to see players from other teams at the games sizing up their competition.
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Good shit, NBA.
LeBron Refuses to Age
Does King James know he’s supposed to be washed up? Age and attrition eventually laid claim to Michael Jordan, and even Kobe Bryant looked human in the twilight of his career, but outside of his graying beard and frayed hairline, King James looked like a God amongst men last night. His box score wasn’t particularly flattering—16 points, 11 boards and 7 dimes is considered an off night when your name is LeBron James—but the dude looked nowhere near his 35 years of age. Especially in the final moments of the game, when he put the clamps on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the same damn play to secure the Lakers’ 103-101 victory.
Advertisement
LeBron spoke on the ongoing battle for Los Angeles after the game.
“We’re two teams in the same city and two teams that’s fighting for one common goal,” he said. “And that’s to win a championship and bring it to the city of Los Angeles and [each] fan base. [...] No matter what the [situation] is, no matter what the bubble is, no fans, or [with] fans, basketball is basketball and competitive spirit is competitive spirit, so we’re right back to where we left off.”
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And while he might not age, the game definitely took its toll on the four-time MVP.
“First game back since March,” he said in a video posted on Instagram. “And I’m on the floor.”
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Welcome back, NBA.


theroot--2020-07-31--Jeremy Pope and Janet Mock Are Teaming Up on a Scandalous Film About Sammy Davis Jr.

Hollywood is filled with scandal and we ’ re about to get a little bit more of it , thanks to Janet Mock and Jeremy Pope .
According to Deadline , Pope is set to star as Sammy Davis Jr. in Scandalous , an upcoming film based on the interracial love affair between Davis and Kim Novak ( Vertigo ) .
Mock will direct the drama as well as “ polish the script ” by Matthew Fantaci .
Speaking of draaaaama , Deadline has the scoop on what this biopic will explore : The drama is Romeo and Juliet set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system , when star images were carefully controlled .
Davis was the color barrier-breaking star who was making $ 25,000 a week at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas and became one of the first black stars to appear in a dramatic role on television on General Electric Theater .
Novak was a discovery of notorious Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn , who relied on her to replace previous discovery Rita Hayworth , whose string of marriages dimmed her starpower .
Novak was the next rising star of Vertigo , and when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matched up by Tony Curtis , the pressures brought to bear on both were unimaginable as word of their romance hit the Hollywood gossips .
Legend has it that each had reasons to fall in love : Davis had been the victim of extreme racism from the days he got his nose flattened in the army fighting his fellow soldiers all the time , and initially wasn ’ t able to stay in the Vegas hotels where he performed , until pal Frank Sinatra interceded .
He would later tell a biographer he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most desirable white woman .
As for Novak , she was being exploited by Cohn in loan-out deals to other studios that paid him fortunes while she made pennies starring in movies ; Cohn was also a suffocating and malignant influence on her .
This was a way to establish her independence .
But mostly , the stars just fell in love .
Throw in some civil rights leaders controversy , a reported hit taken out on Davis and a breakup ... and you have quite the recipe for a scandalous motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this initial casting and continuous partnership .
Following the premiere of Netflix ’ s Hollywood ( which Pope and Mock worked together on ) , Pope ’ s stardom blasted into the atmosphere on another level as viewers couldn ’ t help but take their eyes off of his stirring performance as “ Archie.
” Plus , the recent Emmy nominee already has historic real-life role experience as he portrayed Eddie Kendricks onstage in Ain ’ t Too Proud : The Life and Times of The Temptations ( for which he earned one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being for Choir Boy in 2019 , becoming the sixth actor to be nominated in two categories in the same year ) .
The plan for this pic is to find its Kim Novak and start shooting in Los Angeles this fall .
I ’ ll definitely keep an eye out for more details on this one .
Color me intrigued .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and social impact .
Subscribe for updates today !

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

Hollywood is filled with scandal and we’re about to get a little bit more of it, thanks to Janet Mock and Jeremy Pope.
According to Deadline, Pope is set to star as Sammy Davis Jr. in Scandalous, an upcoming film based on the interracial love affair between Davis and Kim Novak (Vertigo). Mock will direct the drama as well as “polish the script” by Matthew Fantaci.
Advertisement
Speaking of draaaaama, Deadline has the scoop on what this biopic will explore:
The drama is Romeo and Juliet set in the backdrop of the Hollywood studio system, when star images were carefully controlled. Davis was the color barrier-breaking star who was making $25,000 a week at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas and became one of the first black stars to appear in a dramatic role on television on General Electric Theater. Novak was a discovery of notorious Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn, who relied on her to replace previous discovery Rita Hayworth, whose string of marriages dimmed her starpower. Novak was the next rising star of Vertigo, and when she and Davis fell in love after being matched up by Tony Curtis, the pressures brought to bear on both were unimaginable as word of their romance hit the Hollywood gossips. Legend has it that each had reasons to fall in love: Davis had been the victim of extreme racism from the days he got his nose flattened in the army fighting his fellow soldiers all the time, and initially wasn’t able to stay in the Vegas hotels where he performed, until pal Frank Sinatra interceded. He would later tell a biographer he wanted to show them all by dating the most desirable white woman. As for Novak, she was being exploited by Cohn in loan-out deals to other studios that paid him fortunes while she made pennies starring in movies; Cohn was also a suffocating and malignant influence on her. This was a way to establish her independence. But mostly, the stars just fell in love.
Advertisement Advertisement
Throw in some civil rights leaders controversy, a reported hit taken out on Davis and a breakup...and you have quite the recipe for a scandalous motion picture.
I’m excited about this initial casting and continuous partnership. Following the premiere of Netflix’s Hollywood ( which Pope and Mock worked together on), Pope’s stardom blasted into the atmosphere on another level as viewers couldn’t help but take their eyes off of his stirring performance as “Archie.” Plus, the recent Emmy nominee already has historic real-life role experience as he portrayed Eddie Kendricks onstage in Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations (for which he earned one of his Tony noms, the other being for Choir Boy in 2019, becoming the sixth actor to be nominated in two categories in the same year).
Advertisement
The plan for this pic is to find its Kim Novak and start shooting in Los Angeles this fall. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for more details on this one. Color me intrigued.
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--2020-07-31--Stock Up With 24 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer for $34

If you still can ’ t get your hands on some much-needed sanitizer , it ’ s time to stock @ @ @ @ @ hand sanitizer in packs of 12 and 24 for $ 24 and $ 34 , @ @ @ @ @ a lot of hand sanitizer , but if you ’ re living in the viral @ @ @ @ @ America , you ’ ll need it .
These 10oz bottles are filled with 72 @ @ @ @ @ germ-killing agent , plus vitamin E and aloe to soothe your paws .
This deal @ @ @ @ @ Kennemer on 7/16/2020 and updated with new information on 7/31/2020 .

Quentyn Kennemer on Kinja Deals, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Bellapierre Hand Sanitizer (12 or 24 Pack) | $24-$34 | SideDeal
If you still can’t get your hands on some much-needed sanitizer, it’s time to stock up. Meh has Bellapierre hand sanitizer in packs of 12 and 24 for $24 and $34, respectively. That’s a lot of hand sanitizer, but if you’re living in the viral mosh pit formally known as America, you’ll need it. These 10oz bottles are filled with 72% alcohol for the active germ-killing agent, plus vitamin E and aloe to soothe your paws.
This deal was originally published by Quentyn Kennemer on 7/16/2020 and updated with new information on 7/31/2020.


theroot--2020-07-31--The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Errors and Omissions

To be fair , my Aunt Earlene has been married to a Pentecostal preacher , my Uncle Otis , since the mid-196os , so she knows very little about Black Thought—who has never spat even a mediocre bar .
She might not also be aware of Michaela Coel ’ s cheekbones , which were obviously constructed by God ’ s own hands .
But I get my aunt ’ s point .
Everyone makes mistakes .
And sometimes , instead of vehemently defending one ’ s missteps , a person can buttress their credibility by admitting that they , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Mailbag is dedicated to correcting a few of the errors that we have made .
Our first correction concerns our article about the new political group , Our Black Party .
From : Machete Once Again To : The Root Black people are 13 % of the population and can not elect officials in non-black-majority areas without allies .
Officials elected from such areas would be unable to leverage political capital beyond Black voting power in at most regional elections .
All of this is assuming 100 % Black alignment with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on candidates , which I am in enough black-only spaces of specific intersections to assure you is not going to be the case .
In this situations , Black becomes the virtue metric that people display performatively while questioning the authenticity of it in others ( e.g .
if you support trans rights , you ’ re anti Black family and anti Black male .
If you oppose trans rights , you are anti Black and ashy and don ’ t represent Black people .
and so on . )
There is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t involve our participation in the political scrum , and cooperation with those that don ’ t look like us .
I would rather continue to wrestle with the imperfect allies ( and expose faux allies ) in the machinery of the Democratic party than establish a new machinery with the same attendant infighting but with only a percentage of the power for what is still at best regional power .
From : Wall of Omas To : The Root This election is unlike any before .
We are 100 days away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an autocracy .
News Flash : Biden does not have to earn any votes .
He could sit in his basement and watch Blacks tell him that they will hold their vote , listen to Progressives saying that he has to earn their vote or else they will write in Jill Stein and your communities will suffer not his .
Joe Biden is a white man in America .
Even if Blacks hold their votes hostage , the progressives vote for Mickey Mouse and Donald Trump win re-election , Biden and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s those black and brown communities that will suffer more drastically than they are suffering right now .
Being left to die of COVID because this administration doesn ’ t give a damn .
Four more years of Trump and the black vote will mean absolutely nothing because Trump and the GOP will find a way to make him president for life and he will burn what ’ s left of the country down to the absolute ground and the Senate ( if the Senate is not taken back by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do you plan to hold hostage then ?
Your country is 98 days away from no longer being a democracy .
I implore you , please wake up and realize that this election is a binary choice whether we like it or not .
We ’ ve got former Republicans and Vets putting more advertising out there than the entire DNC because they know what ’ s at stake .
Most of then are responsible for this Frankenstein and they know the gravity of the situation .
If we do not have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just an election will be lost especially with Ruth Bader Ginsberg sick again .
She passes away and the Supreme Court will have a 6-3 conservative advantage and the United States will not be a country that you will want your children to have to be raised in .
When I tell people that I grew up poor , they sometimes assume that I didn ’ t have designer shoes or cable television , which is true .
But there were times that my family didn ’ t have water or lights .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ proud woman , also didn ’ t like to ask people for anything , which is something I inherited .
But my mother had one friend from church , Sister Wilma , who was also poor .
Because our telephone was frequently disconnected , whenever my mother had a financial emergency , she would write a note asking Sister Wilma for a few dollars .
I would walk the three blocks to Sister Wilma ’ s house and deliver the note , after which , the entire family would scrounge around the house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s husband , Uncle Charles , was almost an exact replica of Redd Foxx ’ s character Fred Sanford .
He was a self-taught repairman who would fix old appliances ( refrigerators , washing machines , televisions , etc . )
and resell them .
Sometimes business was good .
Sometimes business was bad .
But if business was good , he would send a few dollars to my mom without her even asking .
But times weren ’ t always hard .
Between January and April every year , we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taxes for damn near every Black person in town .
So , during “ tax time ” was when my sisters and I went clothes shopping , shoe shopping , etc .
During those times , whenever my went to the grocery store , we would also buy food and clothes for Sister Wilma , Uncle Charles and their kids .
I always thought that we could get more clothes , shoes and food if my mother didn ’ t split her tax-time bounty between two families .
But , whenever I suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same response : “ We ’ d still be broke , ” she ’ d say .
“ We ’ d just be broke all by ourselves.
” In the article , I should have explained that the idea of Our Black Party is not to form an independent third party .
The idea is to form a coalition of people with shared values that gain power through unity and holding candidates accountable .
For instance , instead of just following the Democratic template , a candidate for Congress would have to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members in their district .
There are a number of examples of small minority groups who have an outsized effect on politics by coalescing their united power , including : These coalitions exercise their power by forming a united front that politicians have to cater to in order to be elected .
A Republican can ’ t dream of getting elected without acknowledging the pro-life movement or evangelical Christians .
Democrats seek the endorsements of labor unions every election cycle .
Black people outnumber the number of people who are members of labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the size of the NRA and six times the total number of Jewish Americans .
But there is a good reason that Black voters don ’ t employ the same proven strategy that these groups use to influence the national political narrative : One time , my cousin and I rode our bikes to a local hood store to buy some candy .
When we went to the store , the neighborhood bully , Cooter , was outside with his crew .
We knew Cooter ’ s crew was gon na steal our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would make my mom and my aunt kick our asses .
We also knew that if we didn ’ t go inside , they ’ d assume we thought they were gon na steal our bikes and kick our asses .
So Tyran and I went inside .
Man , that was the slowest , most agonizing walk home ever .
When we arrived back home , as we walked into the yard , we noticed our bikes were in the yard .
It was a Christmas miracle !
We walked into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table was Michael , Terrance , George , Dean and Calvin—Aunt Wilma and Uncle Charles ’ kids—sipping glasses of Kool-Aid .
We didn ’ t have any reward for them , so we shared our haul from the candy store .
As we sat outside , they explained that Dean , the oldest one , had seen our bikes , so they just took them back from Cooter ’ s crew , who didn ’ t even put up a fight .
The reason politicians won ’ t accede to our demands is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who believe holding politicians accountable amounts to “ holding our votes hostage.
” There ’ s not a single serious person who has threatened to do that .
But you know who ’ s being held hostage ?
Black people .
They steal our votes because they know we are afraid .
And the reason we are afraid to pool our resources and fight our way out of this system is because we have been led to believe that there aren ’ t enough of us to cause change .
We keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how bad thing could be instead of trying to change the way things already are .
Instead of asking them to acknowledge our existence , a united black front would show them that the proverbial black vote is stronger than the assortment of gun-toting , bible-thumping semi-racist vagina controllers .
But we ’ re not all by ourselves .
And then there was this response on Instagram about Tom Cotton and Black Lives Matter : I could write a lengthy response about Black-on-Black crime or Black Lives Matter , but I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wondered why you would write this without looking up a response .
Then , I realized that you were just trolling .
Perhaps you are an actual reader .
I ’ ve heard that the comment section of The Root is filled with dumb white people who are sure they know what they are talking about .
The reason I don ’ t read the comments from unapproved commenters is that I know that stupid white trolls predate the internet .
Before I consider replying to someone bellyaching about Black people being racist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself of the history of dumb white people by reading an excerpt from a New York Times article from September 21 , 1964 .
Two months after the Civil Rights Act was passed and a year before the Voting Rights Act became law , the Times went to Times Square to survey progressive white New Yorkers .
So , you see , there is nothing that a white person can ever tell me about equality , justice or protest .
In fact , if I discover a widely held belief among the white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is either a misconception or an outright lie .
White people are the ones who lie about police brutality .
White people are the ones who lie about receiving government benefits .
White people lie about racism .
White people lie about reverse racism .
But nice try , though .
You ’ re right .
I think you have the perfect strategy .
We should test it out .
First , all of the companies , families and institutions that profited off slavery should give back the money they earned ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Then the money every white person made who went to whites-only schools built with the government money paid by Black taxpayers should give us a percentage of their savings .
Then all of the people whose families got Social Security , guaranteed mortgages , business loans and other government money that Black people were barred from receiving should give it back and let us redistribute it .
Then , the veterans who received the GI bill should give back their money so it can be distributed equally .
I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just want white people to learn how to survive on their own without white supremacy .
I don ’ t want them to be dependent on racism and government handouts .
I want them to learn how to provide for their families and educate them without stealing from Black people .
If you don ’ t rob a bank but help launder the money , you are still complicit in the crime .
Ultimately , if you are willing to silently receive the benefits of white supremacy without acknowledging how you got it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person who knowingly receives stolen property .
I don ’ t want you to suffer ...
I just want you to be a good person .

“There ain’t been a perfect person on earth since Jesus took to the sky; and there won’t be none until he comes back” — Aunt Earlene
To be fair, my Aunt Earlene has been married to a Pentecostal preacher, my Uncle Otis, since the mid-196os, so she knows very little about Black Thought—who has never spat even a mediocre bar. She might not also be aware of Michaela Coel’s cheekbones, which were obviously constructed by God’s own hands.
Advertisement
But I get my aunt’s point. Everyone makes mistakes. And sometimes, instead of vehemently defending one’s missteps, a person can buttress their credibility by admitting that they, too, are not infallible.
So today’s Mailbag is dedicated to correcting a few of the errors that we have made.
Advertisement Advertisement
Our first correction concerns our article about the new political group, Our Black Party.
From: Machete Once Again
To: The Root Black people are 13% of the population and cannot elect officials in non-black-majority areas without allies. Officials elected from such areas would be unable to leverage political capital beyond Black voting power in at most regional elections. All of this is assuming 100% Black alignment with this third party and 100% agreement on candidates, which I am in enough black-only spaces of specific intersections to assure you is not going to be the case. In this situations, Black becomes the virtue metric that people display performatively while questioning the authenticity of it in others (e.g. if you support trans rights, you’re anti Black family and anti Black male. If you oppose trans rights, you are anti Black and ashy and don’t represent Black people. and so on.) There is no equation of Black power that doesn’t involve our participation in the political scrum, and cooperation with those that don’t look like us. I would rather continue to wrestle with the imperfect allies (and expose faux allies) in the machinery of the Democratic party than establish a new machinery with the same attendant infighting but with only a percentage of the power for what is still at best regional power.
From: Wall of Omas
To: The Root This election is unlike any before. We are 100 days away from a banana republic and 99 days away from an autocracy. News Flash: Biden does not have to earn any votes. He could sit in his basement and watch Blacks tell him that they will hold their vote, listen to Progressives saying that he has to earn their vote or else they will write in Jill Stein and your communities will suffer not his. Joe Biden is a white man in America. Even if Blacks hold their votes hostage, the progressives vote for Mickey Mouse and Donald Trump win re-election, Biden and his entire family will be absolutely fine. It’s those black and brown communities that will suffer more drastically than they are suffering right now. Being left to die of COVID because this administration doesn’t give a damn. Four more years of Trump and the black vote will mean absolutely nothing because Trump and the GOP will find a way to make him president for life and he will burn what’s left of the country down to the absolute ground and the Senate (if the Senate is not taken back by the Democrats) will let him. What do you plan to hold hostage then? Your country is 98 days away from no longer being a democracy. I implore you, please wake up and realize that this election is a binary choice whether we like it or not. We’ve got former Republicans and Vets putting more advertising out there than the entire DNC because they know what’s at stake. Most of then are responsible for this Frankenstein and they know the gravity of the situation. If we do not have a unified vote in November, more than just an election will be lost especially with Ruth Bader Ginsberg sick again. She passes away and the Supreme Court will have a 6-3 conservative advantage and the United States will not be a country that you will want your children to have to be raised in.
Advertisement
Dear Wall and Omas,
When I tell people that I grew up poor, they sometimes assume that I didn’t have designer shoes or cable television, which is true. But there were times that my family didn’t have water or lights. But my mother, who was a proud woman, also didn’t like to ask people for anything, which is something I inherited.
Advertisement
But my mother had one friend from church, Sister Wilma, who was also poor. Because our telephone was frequently disconnected, whenever my mother had a financial emergency, she would write a note asking Sister Wilma for a few dollars. I would walk the three blocks to Sister Wilma’s house and deliver the note, after which, the entire family would scrounge around the house and find the money.
Sister Wilma’s husband, Uncle Charles, was almost an exact replica of Redd Foxx’s character Fred Sanford. He was a self-taught repairman who would fix old appliances (refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, etc.) and resell them. Sometimes business was good. Sometimes business was bad. But if business was good, he would send a few dollars to my mom without her even asking.
Advertisement
But times weren’t always hard. Between January and April every year, we were OK, because my mom did the taxes for damn near every Black person in town. So, during “tax time” was when my sisters and I went clothes shopping, shoe shopping, etc. During those times, whenever my went to the grocery store, we would also buy food and clothes for Sister Wilma, Uncle Charles and their kids.
I always thought that we could get more clothes, shoes and food if my mother didn’t split her tax-time bounty between two families. But, whenever I suggested that, my mother always had the same response:
“We’d still be broke,” she’d say. “We’d just be broke all by ourselves.”
I made a mistake.
In the article, I should have explained that the idea of Our Black Party is not to form an independent third party. The idea is to form a coalition of people with shared values that gain power through unity and holding candidates accountable. For instance, instead of just following the Democratic template, a candidate for Congress would have to ask for the support of Our Black Party members in their district.
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There are a number of examples of small minority groups who have an outsized effect on politics by coalescing their united power, including:
The Tea Party
The evangelical christian movement
AIPAC
Pro-life movement
The NRA
The AARP
The labor movement
The environmental movement
The LGBT movement
These coalitions exercise their power by forming a united front that politicians have to cater to in order to be elected. A Republican can’t dream of getting elected without acknowledging the pro-life movement or evangelical Christians. Democrats seek the endorsements of labor unions every election cycle.
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Black people outnumber the number of people who are members of labor unions. We are probably 10 times the size of the NRA and six times the total number of Jewish Americans. But there is a good reason that Black voters don’t employ the same proven strategy that these groups use to influence the national political narrative:
They’re scared.
One time, my cousin and I rode our bikes to a local hood store to buy some candy. When we went to the store, the neighborhood bully, Cooter, was outside with his crew. We knew Cooter’s crew was gonna steal our bikes if we went inside, which would make my mom and my aunt kick our asses. We also knew that if we didn’t go inside, they’d assume we thought they were gonna steal our bikes and kick our asses. So Tyran and I went inside.
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Cooter nem stole our bikes.
Man, that was the slowest, most agonizing walk home ever. When we arrived back home, as we walked into the yard, we noticed our bikes were in the yard. It was a Christmas miracle!
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We walked into the house and sitting at our dining room table was Michael, Terrance, George, Dean and Calvin—Aunt Wilma and Uncle Charles’ kids—sipping glasses of Kool-Aid. We didn’t have any reward for them, so we shared our haul from the candy store. As we sat outside, they explained that Dean, the oldest one, had seen our bikes, so they just took them back from Cooter’s crew, who didn’t even put up a fight.
The reason politicians won’t accede to our demands is that there are too many fearful black people who believe holding politicians accountable amounts to “holding our votes hostage.” There’s not a single serious person who has threatened to do that. But you know who’s being held hostage?
Black people.
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They steal our votes because they know we are afraid. And the reason we are afraid to pool our resources and fight our way out of this system is because we have been led to believe that there aren’t enough of us to cause change. We keep trying to run from the possibility of how bad thing could be instead of trying to change the way things already are. Instead of asking them to acknowledge our existence, a united black front would show them that the proverbial black vote is stronger than the assortment of gun-toting, bible-thumping semi-racist vagina controllers.
And that’s how politics works.
Black might be poor...
But we’re not all by ourselves.
And then there was this response on Instagram about Tom Cotton and Black Lives Matter:
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Dear Shaunking_debunked:
I could write a lengthy response about Black-on-Black crime or Black Lives Matter, but I’ve done that so many times that I wondered why you would write this without looking up a response.
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Then, I realized that you were just trolling.
Perhaps you are an actual reader. I’ve heard that the comment section of The Root is filled with dumb white people who are sure they know what they are talking about. The reason I don’t read the comments from unapproved commenters is that I know that stupid white trolls predate the internet.
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Before I consider replying to someone bellyaching about Black people being racist and getting handouts, I always remind myself of the history of dumb white people by reading an excerpt from a New York Times article from September 21, 1964. Two months after the Civil Rights Act was passed and a year before the Voting Rights Act became law, the Times went to Times Square to survey progressive white New Yorkers.
Here’s how they felt:
A majority of white New Yorkers questioned here in the last month in a survey by The New York Times said they believed the Negro civil rights movement bad gone too far. While denying any deep-seated prejudice against Negroes, a large number of those questioned used the same terms to express their feelings. They spoke of Negroes’ receiving “everything on a silver platter” and of “reverse discrimination” against whites.
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So, you see, there is nothing that a white person can ever tell me about equality, justice or protest. In fact, if I discover a widely held belief among the white community, then I immediately know that it is either a misconception or an outright lie. White people are the ones who lie about police brutality. White people are the ones who lie about receiving government benefits. White people lie about racism. White people lie about reverse racism.
But nice try, though.
And finally a comment on this:
From: Sandy
To: Michael
Subject: Good white people Hi, I read your article on whether good white people exist and wanted you to know that being a good person doesn’t equate to being a social justice warrior or a democrat. There are people who want black people to learn how to survive on their own without help from the government. If they educated themselves and kept their families together, they would get more equality than marching in the streets. I didn’t vote for Trump bit I think that saying only Democrats and libs are good people is dumb.
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Dear Sandy,
You’re right. I think you have the perfect strategy.
We should test it out.
First, all of the companies, families and institutions that profited off slavery should give back the money they earned (plus interest) from free Black labor. Then the money every white person made who went to whites-only schools built with the government money paid by Black taxpayers should give us a percentage of their savings. Then all of the people whose families got Social Security, guaranteed mortgages, business loans and other government money that Black people were barred from receiving should give it back and let us redistribute it. Then, the veterans who received the GI bill should give back their money so it can be distributed equally.
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I’m not blaming white people, Sandy.
I’m not even asking for a handout.
I just want white people to learn how to survive on their own without white supremacy. I don’t want them to be dependent on racism and government handouts. I want them to learn how to provide for their families and educate them without stealing from Black people.
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If you don’t rob a bank but help launder the money, you are still complicit in the crime. Ultimately, if you are willing to silently receive the benefits of white supremacy without acknowledging how you got it, you are no better than a person who knowingly receives stolen property.
Give me your money, Sandy.
I don’t want you to suffer...
I just want you to be a good person.


theroot--2020-08-01--Protests Planned in St. Louis, Mo. After New Prosecutor Says He Won't Make Criminal Charges in Polic

Protests Planned in St. Louis, Mo. After New Prosecutor Says He Won't Make Criminal Charges in Police Killing of Michael Brown

Protests are scheduled to happen in St. Louis , Missouri this Sunday in response to Prosecuting Attorney for the County , Wesley Bell ’ s recent announcement that he will not file criminal charges against former Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown .
Two weeks of riots and unrest took place on the streets of Ferguson , Missouri in the summer of 2014 , after Wilson shot and killed the 18-year-old and claimed self-defense .
Despite being elected in 2018 on a campaign of criminal justice reform in the wake of Brown ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office could not charge Wilson under the law .
According to the St. Louis American , protestors are planning to gather in Clayton , St. Louis on Sunday afternoon to demonstrate against the decision , which Brown ’ s mother Lezly McSpadden says has left her son without due process .
McSpadden was disappointed that Bell did no new investigation but relied solely on the forensics and interviews collected in 2014 in a process handled by McCulloch and the St. Louis County Police Department that few in the community trusted at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliance on existing evidence limited Bell .
“ You know that when you direct the investigation you control the narrative , ” Christmas said .
Bell did no new investigation , but McCulloch and the county police were not his only sources of evidence .
The Civil Rights Division of President Obama ’ s Department of Justice ( DOJ ) did its own investigation and published its own report .
Like McCulloch and ultimately Bell , the DOJ did not charge Wilson. A lawyer for McSpadden says the prosecutor should take the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St. Louis decide .
But in an interview with the Associated Press on Friday , Bell pointed to legislation that offers police officers more protections from prosecution than civilians as the real barrier to trying a case against Wilson .
“ We see those types of laws throughout the country , and it is something that handcuffs prosecutors in numerous ways when you are going about prosecuting officers who have committed unlawful use of force or police shootings , ” he said .
Given the nationwide uprising against police killings and lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it does not appear that the people of St. Louis are going to let the life of Michael Brown be forgotten anytime soon .
“ The fight is not over , ” said his mother to the St. Louis American .
“ Continue to pray for us , and continue to support us .
”

Protests are scheduled to happen in St. Louis, Missouri this Sunday in response to Prosecuting Attorney for the County, Wesley Bell’s recent announcement that he will not file criminal charges against former Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown.
Two weeks of riots and unrest took place on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri in the summer of 2014, after Wilson shot and killed the 18-year-old and claimed self-defense.
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Despite being elected in 2018 on a campaign of criminal justice reform in the wake of Brown’s death, Bell said on Thursday that his office could not charge Wilson under the law.
According to the St. Louis American, protestors are planning to gather in Clayton, St. Louis on Sunday afternoon to demonstrate against the decision, which Brown’s mother Lezly McSpadden says has left her son without due process.
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From the St. Louis American:
McSpadden was disappointed that Bell did no new investigation but relied solely on the forensics and interviews collected in 2014 in a process handled by McCulloch and the St. Louis County Police Department that few in the community trusted at the time. “He didn’t do a proper investigation,” McSpadden said. Her attorney Jerryl Christmas said the reliance on existing evidence limited Bell. “You know that when you direct the investigation you control the narrative,” Christmas said. Bell did no new investigation, but McCulloch and the county police were not his only sources of evidence. The Civil Rights Division of President Obama’s Department of Justice (DOJ) did its own investigation and published its own report. Like McCulloch and ultimately Bell, the DOJ did not charge Wilson.
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A lawyer for McSpadden says the prosecutor should take the case to trial and let the people of St. Louis decide.
But in an interview with the Associated Press on Friday, Bell pointed to legislation that offers police officers more protections from prosecution than civilians as the real barrier to trying a case against Wilson.
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“We see those types of laws throughout the country, and it is something that handcuffs prosecutors in numerous ways when you are going about prosecuting officers who have committed unlawful use of force or police shootings,” he said.
Given the nationwide uprising against police killings and lack of accountability for cops that continues to happen, it does not appear that the people of St. Louis are going to let the life of Michael Brown be forgotten anytime soon.
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“The fight is not over,” said his mother to the St. Louis American. “Continue to pray for us, and continue to support us.”
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--2020-08-01--Long Sleeve or Short, JACHS NY Has Just The Henley For You

If case you haven ’ t noticed , I can ’ t get enough of JACHS NY ’ s awesome @ @ @ @ @ be the best sale of all , though , because I can ’ t resist @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have to resist either , because if you use code HNLY at @ @ @ @ @ get 60 % off these shirts .
Some of these get as low as $ @ @ @ @ @ style will you grab ?
I ’ m a long-sleeve Henley person myself .
That @ @ @ @ @ for the summer , but hey , some of these long-sleeve Henleys are at $ @ @ @ @ @ stock up ?
If you want something to wear now , though , JACHS NY @ @ @ @ @ stock up and have a versatile shirt available whenever you need it !

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

Summer Henley Blowout Sale | JACHS NY | Use code HNLY
If case you haven’t noticed, I can’t get enough of JACHS NY’s awesome sales. This week might be the best sale of all, though, because I can’t resist a good Henley. You don’t have to resist either, because if you use code HNLY at checkout, you’ll get 60% off these shirts. Some of these get as low as $15!
So, what style will you grab? I’m a long-sleeve Henley person myself. That’s not the best for the summer, but hey, some of these long-sleeve Henleys are at $15, and why not stock up? If you want something to wear now, though, JACHS NY has you covered. So stock up and have a versatile shirt available whenever you need it!


theroot--2020-08-01--After a Summer of Social Media Trolling By Gen Z, Trump Says He's Going to Ban TikTok From America

The petty President of the United States says his government will be banning the social media app TikTok from operating in America , and that it could happen as soon as this weekend .
Trump announced his plans to end use of the Chinese-owned video sharing platform in the U.S. to reporters on Friday , reports NBC .
“ As far as TikTok is concerned we ’ re banning them from the United States , ” Trump said aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington after a fundraising trip to Florida .
Trump described the action as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an order as soon as Saturday .
“ Well , I have that authority , ” he said .
“ I can do it with an executive order or that , ” Trump said , referring to emergency economic powers .
The declaration comes from a president who has not hidden his obsession with China since taking office , and follows rumors that Microsoft is in talks to acquire the app from the Chinese company that owns it .
Trump also said on Friday that he does not approve of a deal between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Are private negotiations between two businesses something that the federal government should be inserting itself in ?
Who knows ?
It ’ s 2020 and the Trump Administration has been hopping merrily along for almost four years , upending rules of governmental propriety with impunity .
TikTok has soared in popularity in the U.S. this year , as much of the country has been using the platform to occupy themselves with all sorts of viral videos and challenges while staying-at-home during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Young people in America have also been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Trump Administration , most notably using it to organize thousands of fake registrations to the President ’ s campaign rally in Tulsa in June that ended up being laughably under-attended .
I suspect this embarrassment has more than little bit to do with Trump now deciding to target TikTok .
If this administration truly does end up banning the social media platform from America it will be bear more than a passing resemblance to the Chinese government , which notoriously restricts the internet use of its citizens and already stops them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several other technology platforms that Trump himself has also threatened to regulate through the power of his office .

The petty President of the United States says his government will be banning the social media app TikTok from operating in America, and that it could happen as soon as this weekend.
Trump announced his plans to end use of the Chinese-owned video sharing platform in the U.S. to reporters on Friday, reports NBC.
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From NBC:
“As far as TikTok is concerned we’re banning them from the United States,” Trump said aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington after a fundraising trip to Florida. Trump described the action as “severance” and said he could sign an order as soon as Saturday. “Well, I have that authority,” he said. “I can do it with an executive order or that,” Trump said, referring to emergency economic powers.
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The declaration comes from a president who has not hidden his obsession with China since taking office, and follows rumors that Microsoft is in talks to acquire the app from the Chinese company that owns it.
Trump also said on Friday that he does not approve of a deal between the two companies, according to NBC.
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Are private negotiations between two businesses something that the federal government should be inserting itself in? Who knows? It’s 2020 and the Trump Administration has been hopping merrily along for almost four years, upending rules of governmental propriety with impunity.
TikTok has soared in popularity in the U.S. this year, as much of the country has been using the platform to occupy themselves with all sorts of viral videos and challenges while staying-at-home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Young people in America have also been leveraging the platform to carry out resistance against the Trump Administration, most notably using it to organize thousands of fake registrations to the President’s campaign rally in Tulsa in June that ended up being laughably under-attended. I suspect this embarrassment has more than little bit to do with Trump now deciding to target TikTok.
If this administration truly does end up banning the social media platform from America it will be bear more than a passing resemblance to the Chinese government, which notoriously restricts the internet use of its citizens and already stops them from accessing Twitter, Facebook, and several other technology platforms that Trump himself has also threatened to regulate through the power of his office.
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theroot--2020-08-01--Jamaica's Supreme Court Rules That School Can Ban Child With Dreadlocks (No, We're Not Kidding)

If you ’ ve ever heard the statement ‘ anti-Blackness is global ’ and wondered what it truly meant , consider this news : the Supreme Court in Jamaica , an island whose population is around 80 percent Black people , has ruled in favor of a school that said a seven-year-old could not attend their classes unless she cut her dreadlocks .
“ I expected that Jamaica would lead the charge against somewhat systemic racism as it relates to our hair , ” the child ’ s father Dale Virgo told the J amaica Gleaner of the decision , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in 2018 that his daughter needed to cut her hair for reasons of ‘ discipline ’ and ‘ hygiene , ’ a policy which the country ’ s government said was legitimate .
You may expect Jamaica to lead the charge too , given that the Caribbean country proudly boasts itself as the birthplace of Bob Marley—possibly the world ’ s most well-known wearer of dreadlocks—and honors its son Marcus Garvey—who spoke of Blackness as “ a glorious symb ol of national greatness ” —as a national hero .
But it actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamaica ’ s Ministry of Education for the little girl in question to even be allowed to attend the school in question while wearing her natural Black hair .
The Supreme Court had granted an injunction for the child to attend school after Jamaicans for Justice filed a motion on behalf of the child and her parents in August 2019 .
Her mother said that her daughter has performed exceptionally in the two years she has been at the institution , despite the controversy surrounding her hairstyle .
Virgo said that her daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and second year and was looking forward to going into grade three this September .
“ The most I can do as a Jamaican , as a mother , is to continue to instill good values in my child and continue to encourage her and continue to let her know that she is beautiful regardless , ” she said .
There is a strong thread of anti-Blackness and colonialism that still exists in Jamaica despite its majority-Black population , exemplified by the irony that this ruling came right as the country is celebrating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there on August 1 , 1834 .
Rastafarians , who follow a philosophy grounded in Blackness , have historically experienced persecution and discrimination from the Jamaican government , including a state-sponsored massacre of them in 1963—a few years after the country gained its independence from Britain .
Though the Virgos are not adherents of the Rastafarian religion , the couple ’ s attorney Isat Buchanan told the Washington Post that the ruling against their daughter wearing her Black hair in natural locks , “ marks an unfortunate for Black people and for Rastafarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an opportunity the Jamaican government and the legal system had to right these wrongs and lead the world and make a change , ” the child ’ s father told WaPo.
“ But they have decided to keep the same system.
” Despite happily promoting Jamaicans with dreadlocks in commercials that encourage tourists to visit the island , elected leaders there seem to have little allegiance to the cultural exemplifiers of Jamaican Blackness that they happily leverage to sell the country to foreigners .
“ I ’ m very cautious about where I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject like that , ” said the country ’ s Minister of Education Karl Samuda , in declining to make a comment on the ruling to the Washington Post .
The Virgo family says they plan to appeal the decision , which could mean it goes to the Privy Council in the United Kingdom— still the country ’ s ultimate court of appeal .
How ironic would it be if Jamaica ’ s ‘ former ’ colonial masters end up being the ones to make the nation celebrate markers of Blackness in their @ @ @

If you’ve ever heard the statement ‘anti-Blackness is global’ and wondered what it truly meant, consider this news: the Supreme Court in Jamaica, an island whose population is around 80 percent Black people, has ruled in favor of a school that said a seven-year-old could not attend their classes unless she cut her dreadlocks.
“I expected that Jamaica would lead the charge against somewhat systemic racism as it relates to our hair,” the child’s father Dale Virgo told the Jamaica Gleaner of the decision, which came after the Kensington Primary School said in 2018 that his daughter needed to cut her hair for reasons of ‘discipline’ and ‘hygiene,’ a policy which the country’s government said was legitimate.
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You may expect Jamaica to lead the charge too, given that the Caribbean country proudly boasts itself as the birthplace of Bob Marley—possibly the world’s most well-known wearer of dreadlocks—and honors its son Marcus Garvey—who spoke of Blackness as “a glorious symbol of national greatness”—as a national hero.
But it actually took an injunction from the court against Jamaica’s Ministry of Education for the little girl in question to even be allowed to attend the school in question while wearing her natural Black hair.
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From the Jamaica Gleaner:
The Supreme Court had granted an injunction for the child to attend school after Jamaicans for Justice filed a motion on behalf of the child and her parents in August 2019. Her mother said that her daughter has performed exceptionally in the two years she has been at the institution, despite the controversy surrounding her hairstyle. Virgo said that her daughter topped her class for both the first and second year and was looking forward to going into grade three this September. “The most I can do as a Jamaican, as a mother, is to continue to instill good values in my child and continue to encourage her and continue to let her know that she is beautiful regardless,” she said.
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There is a strong thread of anti-Blackness and colonialism that still exists in Jamaica despite its majority-Black population, exemplified by the irony that this ruling came right as the country is celebrating the anniversary of the emancipation of slaves there on August 1, 1834.
Rastafarians, who follow a philosophy grounded in Blackness, have historically experienced persecution and discrimination from the Jamaican government, including a state-sponsored massacre of them in 1963—a few years after the country gained its independence from Britain.
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Though the Virgos are not adherents of the Rastafarian religion, the couple’s attorney Isat Buchanan told the Washington Post that the ruling against their daughter wearing her Black hair in natural locks, “marks an unfortunate for Black people and for Rastafarian people in Jamaica.”
“This is an opportunity the Jamaican government and the legal system had to right these wrongs and lead the world and make a change,” the child’s father told WaPo.“But they have decided to keep the same system.”
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Despite happily promoting Jamaicans with dreadlocks in commercials that encourage tourists to visit the island, elected leaders there seem to have little allegiance to the cultural exemplifiers of Jamaican Blackness that they happily leverage to sell the country to foreigners.
“I’m very cautious about where I tread, especially on a sensitive enough subject like that,” said the country’s Minister of Education Karl Samuda, in declining to make a comment on the ruling to the Washington Post.
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The Virgo family says they plan to appeal the decision, which could mean it goes to the Privy Council in the United Kingdom— still the country’s ultimate court of appeal.
How ironic would it be if Jamaica’s ‘former’ colonial masters end up being the ones to make the nation celebrate markers of Blackness in their own people?
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theroot--2020-08-02--Rumored VP Candidate Rep. Karen Bass Explains Video of Her Praising Church of Scientology, Denounces

Rumored VP Candidate Rep. Karen Bass Explains Video of Her Praising Church of Scientology, Denounces Fidel Castro

Rep. Karen Bass ( D-Calif. ) is doing plenty of walking back this weekend after increased media scrutiny into her past statements , amid reports that she is one of a few Black women under consideration for Joe Biden ’ s running mate position .
On Saturday , the Congresswoman responded to a video recently unearthed by The Daily Caller which shows her praising Scientology at the opening of one of their churches in 2010 .
“ This day and this new Church of Scientology is an exciting moment because I know your goal and your commitment is truly to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bass at the time .
“ The Church of Scientology I know has made a difference , because your creed is a universal creed and one that speaks to all people everywhere.
” “ Ten years ago , I attended a new building opening in my district and spoke to what I think all of us believe in—respect for one another ’ s views , to treat all people with respect , and to fight oppression wherever we find it , ” Rep. Bass tweeted of her remarks at the Scientology church opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts in books , interviews , and documentaries have exposed this group , ” she added .
“ Everyone is now aware of the allegations against Scientology.
” On Sunday , Rep. Bass also appeared on Fox News to renounce a statement she gave about Fidel Castro when the former head of Cuba died in 2016 .
On “ Fox News Sunday , “ the California Democrat faced questions about several visits to Cuba in the 1970s and a statement she released after Castro ’ s 2016 death saying , “ the passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great loss to the people of Cuba .
Bass told Fox host Chris Wallace that her perspective “ developed over time ” and that she now understood that the Castro government “ was a brutal regime.
” Bass said she spoke with colleagues from Florida who raised concerns about her comments and that she “ would not do that again , for sure.
” One of the Congresswoman ’ s colleagues from Florida , Rep. Marco Rubio , has already been using her statement about Castro to rile people up about her suitability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be the highest-ranking Castro sympathizer in the history of the United States government , ” Rep. Rubio said in a recent call organized by the Trump campaign , according to the Palm Beach Post .
Biden is expected to choose his VP nominee this week and announce his choice to the public during the week of August 10 , reports the New York Times .
Other Black women being considered for Biden ’ s VP ticket include California Senator Kamla Harris , Representative Val Demings from Florida , Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rice , who was national security adviser under the Obama Administration .
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 !

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) is doing plenty of walking back this weekend after increased media scrutiny into her past statements, amid reports that she is one of a few Black women under consideration for Joe Biden’s running mate position.
On Saturday, the Congresswoman responded to a video recently unearthed by The Daily Caller which shows her praising Scientology at the opening of one of their churches in 2010.
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“This day and this new Church of Scientology is an exciting moment because I know your goal and your commitment is truly to make a difference,” said Rep. Bass at the time.
“The Church of Scientology I know has made a difference, because your creed is a universal creed and one that speaks to all people everywhere.”
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“Ten years ago, I attended a new building opening in my district and spoke to what I think all of us believe in—respect for one another’s views, to treat all people with respect, and to fight oppression wherever we find it,” Rep. Bass tweeted of her remarks at the Scientology church opening.
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“Since then, published first accounts in books, interviews, and documentaries have exposed this group,” she added. “Everyone is now aware of the allegations against Scientology.”
On Sunday, Rep. Bass also appeared on Fox News to renounce a statement she gave about Fidel Castro when the former head of Cuba died in 2016.
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From Politico:
On “Fox News Sunday,“ the California Democrat faced questions about several visits to Cuba in the 1970s and a statement she released after Castro’s 2016 death saying, “the passing of the Comandante en Jefe is a great loss to the people of Cuba. Bass told Fox host Chris Wallace that her perspective “developed over time” and that she now understood that the Castro government “was a brutal regime.” Bass said she spoke with colleagues from Florida who raised concerns about her comments and that she “would not do that again, for sure.”
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One of the Congresswoman’s colleagues from Florida, Rep. Marco Rubio, has already been using her statement about Castro to rile people up about her suitability to be vice president.
“She will be the highest-ranking Castro sympathizer in the history of the United States government,” Rep. Rubio said in a recent call organized by the Trump campaign, according to the Palm Beach Post.
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Biden is expected to choose his VP nominee this week and announce his choice to the public during the week of August 10, reports the New York Times.
Other Black women being considered for Biden’s VP ticket include California Senator Kamla Harris, Representative Val Demings from Florida, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Stacy Abrams, and Susan Rice, who was national security adviser under the Obama Administration.
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theroot--2020-08-02--Get Some Masks That Match Your Ties At $30 For a Pack of Five

There ’ s no excuse—wear a mask !
Just wear one .
It ’ s not up for debate , @ @ @ @ @ rocket science , either .
If you need a few more to bolster collection , @ @ @ @ @ loads of laundry , The Tie Bar has five packs of cotton masks for just @ @ @ @ @ The Tie Bar has quite the selection too , with all sorts of bundles that @ @ @ @ @ attire .
By the way , you should wear a mask if you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ too .
Be courteous .
There ’ s also a rather colorful set of masks @ @ @ @ @ wash your hands , while you ’ re at it .

Cotton Face Masks (5-Pack) | $30 | The Tie Bar
There’s no excuse—wear a mask! Just wear one. It’s not up for debate, and it’s not rocket science, either . If you need a few more to bolster collection, so you have enough between loads of laundry, The Tie Bar has five packs of cotton masks for just $30 right now!
The Tie Bar has quite the selection too, with all sorts of bundles that’ll match your office attire. By the way, you should wear a mask if you’re just “normal” sick too. Be courteous. There’s also a rather colorful set of masks, too!
Oh and wash your hands, while you’re at it.


theroot--2020-08-02--Amazing Artists From Africa I Learned About From Watching Africans Celebrate Them In Beyoncé's Black

Amazing Artists From Africa I Learned About From Watching Africans Celebrate Them In Beyoncé's Black Is King

I love Beyoncé .
But more importantly , I really love when members of the global Black diaspora connect with each other .
It brings me joy to listen to Afrobeat , the genre that dominates the soundtrack for The Lion King which turned into the visual album Black Is King that Beyoncé released on Friday .
I remember the first time I realized I could understand a lot of what Nigerian artist Burna Boy was singing in his country ’ s dialect , because something of our shared African ancestry lives on in the patois language I grew up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this to explain why much of the enjoyment I got from watching Beyoncé ’ s latest creative production came from seeing images of Blackness in Africa ( a continent which I haven ’ t yet had the privilege to visit ) that felt somehow familiar to me and also magically , wonderfully new .
Even after two watches of the visual film , I knew I couldn ’ t fully appreciate the all those wonderfully new images with my own limited knowledge about the place where much of it was made .
Given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exhaustive credits at the end of the film , I was immediately curious not only to hear more about those who helped make the masterpiece but also to see how Africans themselves are reacting to this showcase of artistry from their continent .
Luckily , the film aired across the continent on Saturday through a deal with Disney and a number of African television networks , according to Billboard .
Below are just some of the incredibly talented African creatives I ’ ve learned about from reading the reactions of people watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mary Twala , a South African actress who fittingly played an elder in Black is King .
Blitz Bazawule , a Ghanian director who also worked on the film , revealed on Twitter that Twala died recently and the performance was likely one of her last .
South Africans have also been celebrating the performances of actors Nyaniso Dzedze , Nandi Madida , Folajomi Akinmurele , Warren Masemola , and Connie Chiume , who all play starring roles in the film .
There ’ s also South African artists Busiswa and Moonchild who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the film dedicated to the song “ My Power , ” alongside scenes with Beyoncé , Philadelphia rapper Tierra Whack , American singer-songwriter Nija Charles , and Future Queen of Everything Blue Ivy : Creatives and artists from other African countries who worked on Black Is King have also been proudly talking up their involvement in the masterpiece , including Ghanian dancehall artist Shatta Wale who features in the song “ Already ” and accompanying video : Also celebrating her appearance in Black Is King is Nigerian singer Yemi Alade , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song “ Don ’ t You Me Jealous Me ” with Afrobeat artists Tekno Miles , Mr. Eazi and Lord Afrixana .
There were also Nigerian dancers Stephen Ojo , who features in a memorable dance duet with Bey in “ Already ” , and Picture Kodak , who sadly died earlier this year : Outside of those in front of the camera , there were countless creatives from Africa informing the film behind the scenes—not to mention all the other members of the global Black diaspora who contributed to it .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from this gorgeous and inspiring visual album , it ’ s that Africa is in all of us .
Shoutout to Beyoncé for the reminder and opportunity to learn more about our beautiful brothers and sisters from the motherland .
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 !

I love Beyoncé. But more importantly, I really love when members of the global Black diaspora connect with each other.
It brings me joy to listen to Afrobeat, the genre that dominates the soundtrack for The Lion King which turned into the visual album Black Is King that Beyoncé released on Friday. I remember the first time I realized I could understand a lot of what Nigerian artist Burna Boy was singing in his country’s dialect, because something of our shared African ancestry lives on in the patois language I grew up speaking in Jamaica.
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I say all this to explain why much of the enjoyment I got from watching Beyoncé’s latest creative production came from seeing images of Blackness in Africa (a continent which I haven’t yet had the privilege to visit) that felt somehow familiar to me and also magically, wonderfully new.
Even after two watches of the visual film, I knew I couldn’t fully appreciate the all those wonderfully new images with my own limited knowledge about the place where much of it was made.
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Given the lengthy list of African names in the exhaustive credits at the end of the film, I was immediately curious not only to hear more about those who helped make the masterpiece but also to see how Africans themselves are reacting to this showcase of artistry from their continent. Luckily, the film aired across the continent on Saturday through a deal with Disney and a number of African television networks, according to Billboard.
Below are just some of the incredibly talented African creatives I’ve learned about from reading the reactions of people watching the film in Africa.
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There was Mary Twala, a South African actress who fittingly played an elder in Black is King. Blitz Bazawule, a Ghanian director who also worked on the film, revealed on Twitter that Twala died recently and the performance was likely one of her last.
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South Africans have also been celebrating the performances of actors Nyaniso Dzedze, Nandi Madida, Folajomi Akinmurele, Warren Masemola, and Connie Chiume, who all play starring roles in the film.
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There’s also South African artists Busiswa and Moonchild who did the damn thing in the part of the film dedicated to the song “My Power,” alongside scenes with Beyoncé, Philadelphia rapper Tierra Whack, American singer-songwriter Nija Charles, and Future Queen of Everything Blue Ivy:
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Creatives and artists from other African countries who worked on Black Is King have also been proudly talking up their involvement in the masterpiece, including Ghanian dancehall artist Shatta Wale who features in the song “Already” and accompanying video:
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Also celebrating her appearance in Black Is King is Nigerian singer Yemi Alade, who magnificently dances in the film to her song “Don’t You Me Jealous Me” with Afrobeat artists Tekno Miles, Mr. Eazi and Lord Afrixana.
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There were also Nigerian dancers Papi Ojo, who features in a memorable dance duet with Bey in “Already”, and Picture Kodak, who sadly died earlier this year:
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Outside of those in front of the camera, there were countless creatives from Africa informing the film behind the scenes—not to mention all the other members of the global Black diaspora who contributed to it.
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Basically:
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If it’s one thing I took away from this gorgeous and inspiring visual album, it’s that Africa is in all of us. Shoutout to Beyoncé for the reminder and opportunity to learn more about our beautiful brothers and sisters from the motherland.
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--2020-08-02--Michigan Appeals Court Grants Release of Black Girl Who Was Detained After Not Doing Online Homework

A 15-year-old Black girl who was being detained in a juvenile facility in Detroit for failing to complete online schoolwork has been granted release by the Michigan Court of Appeals .
The teenage girl in question , referred to as Grace to protect her privacy , had been held in detention at the Children ’ s Village center for 78 days since being ordered there by Judge Mary Ellen Brennan in May .
Despite widespread outcry after ProPublica Illinois reported on the case in July , publicizing it at a time when conversations about systemic racism are happening nationally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grace ’ s lawyers to release her from detention .
Thankfully , her lawyers Jonathan Biernat and Saima Khalil took it to the state ’ s appellate court who ruled on Friday that Grace could go home .
The three-judge appellate court panel ordered that Grace be “ immediately released from detention to the custody of her mother.
” She will remain free pending the appeal of Judge Mary Ellen Brennan ’ s decision in May that found Grace “ guilty on failure to submit to any schoolwork and getting up for school.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ( the ) community , ” citing the assault and theft charges that led to her probation this spring .
Michigan lawmakers and school board members have called for the girl ’ s release , more than 300,000 people signed an online petition and federal lawmakers asked the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Justice Department to intervene .
There were several protests outside the courthouse where the case was heard .
Grace will remain on probation pending a final ruling on Judge Brennan ’ s decision .
She will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a GPS tether , which makes me feel saddened and heartbroken in a way I can not fully describe .
According to ProPublica , the terms of Grace ’ s release require her to have individual and family counseling , have limited access to phones outside of permission from her probation officer , follow her mother ’ s rules , and attend school and do schoolwork as directed .
A statement released on behalf of Grace and her mother said , “ They are both extremely and deeply appreciative of the outpouring of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Grace ’ s release ; she is anxious to be with her family.
” 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 !

A 15-year-old Black girl who was being detained in a juvenile facility in Detroit for failing to complete online schoolwork has been granted release by the Michigan Court of Appeals.
The teenage girl in question, referred to as Grace to protect her privacy, had been held in detention at the Children’s Village center for 78 days since being ordered there by Judge Mary Ellen Brennan in May.
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Despite widespread outcry after ProPublica Illinois reported on the case in July, publicizing it at a time when conversations about systemic racism are happening nationally, Judge Brennan denied a recent request from Grace’s lawyers to release her from detention.
Thankfully, her lawyers Jonathan Biernat and Saima Khalil took it to the state’s appellate court who ruled on Friday that Grace could go home.
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From ProPublica:
The three-judge appellate court panel ordered that Grace be “immediately released from detention to the custody of her mother.” She will remain free pending the appeal of Judge Mary Ellen Brennan’s decision in May that found Grace “guilty on failure to submit to any schoolwork and getting up for school.” Brennan called Grace a “threat to (the) community,” citing the assault and theft charges that led to her probation this spring. Michigan lawmakers and school board members have called for the girl’s release, more than 300,000 people signed an online petition and federal lawmakers asked the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Justice Department to intervene. There were several protests outside the courthouse where the case was heard.
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Grace will remain on probation pending a final ruling on Judge Brennan’s decision. She will be on home arrest and have to wear a GPS tether, which makes me feel saddened and heartbroken in a way I cannot fully describe.
According to ProPublica, the terms of Grace’s release require her to have individual and family counseling, have limited access to phones outside of permission from her probation officer, follow her mother’s rules, and attend school and do schoolwork as directed.
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A statement released on behalf of Grace and her mother said, “They are both extremely and deeply appreciative of the outpouring of support from around the country, and for Grace’s release; she is anxious to be with her family.”
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--2020-08-04--'Back the Blue' Mural in Tampa Is Almost as Ugly as the Message It Sends

Over the weekend , a group of people who likely think “ racial profiling ” refers to white people using Black emojis on their social media posts painted a “ Back the Blue ” mural on a street outside the Tampa Police Department headquarters .
At least I think it reads “ Back the Blue.
” It might also read “ Bock the Blup , ” which could be some kind of European sex position I never want described to me .
Or maybe that ’ s supposed to be “ Black ?
” “ Black the Blue ?
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crips diversifying their membership ?
Perhaps it just reads “ Back That Azz Up ” in commemoration of the time Cash Money took over for the ‘ 99 and 2000 .
All we really know is that this illegible ass shit is a whole eyesore .
According to the Tampa Bay Times , a melanin-free woman named Kristen Krutz helped organize this color-clashing piece of white supremacist hideousness with the help of some 40 members of the Back the Blue Florida online community .
“ They ’ re being defunded and things that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job are not going to be provided anymore , ” Krutz told the Times proving that , like most white people and Tyler Perry , her understanding of the “ Defund the police ” movement is simplistic as fuck .
“ Obviously , that would make anybody feel unappreciated , unwanted , and that ’ s the opposite of what we wanted them to see with the mural on the street.
” What ’ s worse is that the mural was painted before they got the permission of the city of Tampa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ property , which means this bunch of vandalizing hooligans decided to show their support for law enforcement by ... breaking the law .
Unfortunately , white people don ’ t see irony as well as they see non-existent oppression everywhere .
Without a permit , Krutz said they used orange cones and their personal vehicles to block the road while they worked .
“ The reason why we decided to proceed without a permit is because Black Lives Matter has murals all over the city that say Black Lives Matter , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Krutz said she filed a records request with the city for permits issued for Black Lives Matter murals and was told none were issued .
City of Tampa spokesperson Ashley Bauman said the Back the Blue mural was in the process of approval .
She said the city would have a statement on the mural later Monday .
Listen : I ’ m not about to waste time explaining that police officers in America don ’ t need anyone ’ s protection or advocacy , that they ’ re already treated like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re all just being a bunch of whiny little bitches over the fact that systemic racism in policing is finally getting a worldwide spotlight .
I ’ ve already made those arguments here , here and here .
I really just want to talk about how fucking ugly this thing is .
Nigga , this shit looks like it was painted by someone who was born with two right hands but happened to be left-handed .
This shit looks like your toddler ’ s drawings that you keep giving the “ bless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find room on the refrigerator to pin them on with magnets .
For comparison , here ’ s a look at the Black Lives Matter mural in Tulsa that the city was planning to remove after someone requested a “ B ack the Blue ” mural to counter it with .
( The decision to remove the mural has since been delayed . )
I mean , this isn ’ t exactly van Gogh quality either , but notice the symmetrical lettering , proper spacing and solid , bright color .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without a person instantly developing cataracts .
I almost want the mural in Tampa to stay right where it is as a reminder that cop-humping wypipo are as talentless as they are simple-minded .

Over the weekend, a group of people who likely think “racial profiling” refers to white people using Black emojis on their social media posts painted a “Back the Blue” mural on a street outside the Tampa Police Department headquarters.
At least I think it reads “Back the Blue.” It might also read “Bock the Blup, ” which could be some kind of European sex position I never want described to me. Or maybe that’s supposed to be “Black?” “Black the Blue?” Maybe somebody doesn’t want the Crips diversifying their membership? Perhaps it just reads “Back That Azz Up” in commemoration of the time Cash Money took over for the ‘99 and 2000. All we really know is that this illegible ass shit is a whole eyesore.
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According to the Tampa Bay Times, a melanin-free woman named Kristen Krutz helped organize this color-clashing piece of white supremacist hideousness with the help of some 40 members of the Back the Blue Florida online community.
“They’re being defunded and things that they need and require to do their job are not going to be provided anymore,” Krutz told the Times proving that, like most white people and Tyler Perry, her understanding of the “Defund the police” movement is simplistic as fuck. “Obviously, that would make anybody feel unappreciated, unwanted, and that’s the opposite of what we wanted them to see with the mural on the street.”
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What’s worse is that the mural was painted before they got the permission of the city of Tampa, which means they really just defaced public property, which means this bunch of vandalizing hooligans decided to show their support for law enforcement by...breaking the law. Unfortunately, white people don’t see irony as well as they see non-existent oppression everywhere.
From the Times:
Without a permit, Krutz said they used orange cones and their personal vehicles to block the road while they worked. “The reason why we decided to proceed without a permit is because Black Lives Matter has murals all over the city that say Black Lives Matter, and they were not permitted,” Krutz said. Krutz said she filed a records request with the city for permits issued for Black Lives Matter murals and was told none were issued. City of Tampa spokesperson Ashley Bauman said the Back the Blue mural was in the process of approval. She said the city would have a statement on the mural later Monday.
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Listen: I’m not about to waste time explaining that police officers in America don’t need anyone’s protection or advocacy, that they’re already treated like a protected class, and that they’re all just being a bunch of whiny little bitches over the fact that systemic racism in policing is finally getting a worldwide spotlight. I’ve already made those arguments here, here and here. I really just want to talk about how fucking ugly this thing is.
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Nigga, this shit looks like it was painted by someone who was born with two right hands but happened to be left-handed. This shit looks like your toddler’s drawings that you keep giving the “bless your heart” look while you struggle to find room on the refrigerator to pin them on with magnets.
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For comparison, here’s a look at the Black Lives Matter mural in Tulsa that the city was planning to remove after someone requested a “B ack the Blue” mural to counter it with. (The decision to remove the mural has since been delayed.)
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I mean, this isn’t exactly van Gogh quality either, but notice the symmetrical lettering, proper spacing and solid, bright color. At least this one can actually be read without a person instantly developing cataracts.
I almost want the mural in Tampa to stay right where it is as a reminder that cop-humping wypipo are as talentless as they are simple-minded.


theroot--2020-08-03--What Are the Best Clippers for Cutting Your Hair at Home?

Say , for no reason in particular , I wanted to cut my own hair .
As evidenced by my dated Kinja avi and my much more recent Twitter profile pic , my hairdo is turning into a hairdon ’ t .
I mean , around this time last year , I was rocking the shaved head look in an effort to grow it back out evenly .
Previously , yes , I had an undercut I wore in a man-bun ... before rightly acknowledging it wasn ’ t 2015 anymore and it was time to try something new .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul McCartney and John Lennon , and let me tell you , folks , I don ’ t know what the hell I ’ m doing anymore .
My beard is untamed , the mop on my head is protesting the Vietnam War , and I can ’ t see shit past my face .
Maybe it ’ s time to learn how to cut my own hair , or even just the beard with a proper set of clippers in lieu of my ageing and functionally limited Philips Norelco beard trimmer ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with plenty of guard options as suited to luscious manes as it is to stubble .
If I wanted a multipurpose set of hair clippers to shape up my beard and at the very least shave my own neck as I decide what to do with my hair , what would you recommend ?
With any luck and a bit of guidance from our community , I ’ ll transform this beehive into a sweet pot o ’ honey .
Before long , maybe I ’ ll join the likes of everyone else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times .
And in the event I chicken out , hey , I ’ m sure your recs will help someone in the comments .
1 ) Your nomination should contain the name of a specific set of hair clippers , why you think they ’ re the best , a link where it can be purchased , and an image .
2 ) You can nominate multiple products , but please put each one in a separate comment .
4 ) Please do not duplicate nominations .

Gabe Carey on Co-op, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Say, for no reason in particular, I wanted to cut my own hair. As evidenced by my dated Kinja avi and my much more recent Twitter profile pic, my hairdo is turning into a hairdon’t. I mean, around this time last year, I was rocking the shaved head look in an effort to grow it back out evenly. Previously, yes, I had an undercut I wore in a man-bun ... before rightly acknowledging it wasn’t 2015 anymore and it was time to try something new.
Now I’m caught somewhere between Paul McCartney and John Lennon, and let me tell you, folks, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore. My beard is untamed, the mop on my head is protesting the Vietnam War, and I can’t see shit past my face. Maybe it’s time to learn how to cut my own hair, or even just the beard with a proper set of clippers in lieu of my ageing and functionally limited Philips Norelco beard trimmer (no longer sold new). Something with plenty of guard options as suited to luscious manes as it is to stubble.
If I wanted a multipurpose set of hair clippers to shape up my beard and at the very least shave my own neck as I decide what to do with my hair, what would you recommend? With any luck and a bit of guidance from our community, I’ll transform this beehive into a sweet pot o’ honey. Before long, maybe I’ll join the likes of everyone else DIYing their lives through these socially distant times. And in the event I chicken out, hey, I’m sure your recs will help someone in the comments.
1) Your nomination should contain the name of a specific set of hair clippers, why you think they’re the best, a link where it can be purchased, and an image.


theroot--2020-08-03--US Navy to Investigate Video of a Kaepernick Stand-In Being Used in an Attack Dog Demonstration at N

US Navy to Investigate Video of a Kaepernick Stand-In Being Used in an Attack Dog Demonstration at Navy SEALS Museum

The Navy SEALS museum in Fort Pierce , Fla. , is under investigation after video surfaced of a Colin Kaepernick stand-in being used for an attack dog demonstration .
NBC News reports that the videos were shared over the weekend on documentary filmmaker Billy Corben ’ s Twitter account and showed attack dogs attacking a white man wearing a cut up Kaepernick jersey over his protective gear .
The demonstration , which took place last year , was a part of a fundraiser for the independently operated museum .
In the video , after the dogs let go of him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Aw man , I will stand , ” to laughs from the crowd .
The Navy said that no active duty personnel were on scene during the demonstration and an investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding it .
“ The inherent message of this video is completely inconsistent with the values and ethos of Naval Special Warfare and the US Navy .
We are investigating the matter fully , and initial indications are that there were no active duty Navy personnel or equipment involved with this independent organization ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Kaepernick , if you weren ’ t aware , was the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2016 .
He garnered much praise and even more criticism when he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest the ongoing issues of systemic racism and police brutality in the country .
In recent weeks , more athletes have followed in his footsteps to protest the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor earlier this year .
The NBA and MLB have seen players kneel during the anthem and the women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court when the anthem was being played .
To this day , I will never understand the vitriol that both white folks and sentient Rolo Jason Whitlock have towards Colin Kaepernick .
Not a damn person cared about the anthem until he took a knee .
Like , I ’ d maybe get the outrage if it was the Ruff Ryders ’ Anthem or perhaps even the Dipset Anthem , but the Star Spangled Banner ?
Nah , b. Additionally , Kaepernick was released from the NFL in 2016 , making this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transpired .
Lastly , the biggest question I ’ ve had about the situation is this : W ho the fuck just goes to an attack dog demonstration ?
I can name five things off top that I ’ d rather do than watch a dog ( fake ) brutalize someone .

The Navy SEALS museum in Fort Pierce, Fla. , is under investigation after video surfaced of a Colin Kaepernick stand-in being used for an attack dog demonstration.
NBC News reports that the videos were shared over the weekend on documentary filmmaker Billy Corben’s Twitter account and showed attack dogs attacking a white man wearing a cut up Kaepernick jersey over his protective gear. The demonstration, which took place last year, was a part of a fundraiser for the independently operated museum. In the video, after the dogs let go of him, the man in the jersey says “Aw man, I will stand,” to laughs from the crowd.
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The Navy said that no active duty personnel were on scene during the demonstration and an investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding it. “The inherent message of this video is completely inconsistent with the values and ethos of Naval Special Warfare and the US Navy. We are investigating the matter fully, and initial indications are that there were no active duty Navy personnel or equipment involved with this independent organization’s event,” the Navy said in a statement.
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Kaepernick, if you weren’t aware, was the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2016. He garnered much praise and even more criticism when he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest the ongoing issues of systemic racism and police brutality in the country. In recent weeks, more athletes have followed in his footsteps to protest the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor earlier this year. The NBA and MLB have seen players kneel during the anthem and the women of the WNBA straight up walked off the court when the anthem was being played.
To this day, I will never understand the vitriol that both white folks and sentient Rolo Jason Whitlock have towards Colin Kaepernick. Not a damn person cared about the anthem until he took a knee. Like, I’d maybe get the outrage if it was the Ruff Ryders’ Anthem or perhaps even the Dipset Anthem, but the Star Spangled Banner? Nah, b. Additionally, Kaepernick was released from the NFL in 2016, making this a dated reference even when it initially transpired.
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Lastly, the biggest question I’ve had about the situation is this: W ho the fuck just goes to an attack dog demonstration? I can name five things off top that I’d rather do than watch a dog (fake) brutalize someone.
Ugh.
White people are just weird, y’all.