buzzfeed--2020-06-09--Black Campaign Staffers "Always Have Had An Awesome Burden." Now They're Struggling With George Floy

Black Campaign Staffers "Always Have Had An Awesome Burden." Now They're Struggling With George Floyd's Death.

Joe Biden spoke to his staff about the protests and Trump ’ s response in a video call that lasted nearly two hours .
Milton Patch was knocking on doors in southern Illinois four years ago when a police officer stopped him and demanded to see a permit .
As the young Black political operative gestured a few doors down to the elected official he was accompanying , the officer reached for a Taser .
“ I have never felt so scared before in my life , ” Patch , now a deputy organizing director for Joe Biden ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with BuzzFeed News .
“ Especially while doing my job.
” The painful memory came rushing back last month after the death of George Floyd , an unarmed Black man whose neck was crushed under the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis .
After days of protests that spread across the country and triggered President Donald Trump to threaten the use of deadly force against demonstrators , Biden convened his full staff for a video conference call .
The former vice president , according to those who dialed in , spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his Black employees .
A call most thought would last about 45 minutes went on for nearly two hours .
When Biden asked for questions , Patch worked through his nerves to pose a deeply personal one : What will Biden do if one of his canvassers is racially profiled while knocking doors this summer and fall ?
“ He said that if that ever happens to anyone , report it , and he will call the police department himself , ” Patch said .
“ He will not tolerate anyone treating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truly appreciated that.
” Like in so many other jobs , Black people who work on presidential campaigns and for the two major political parties continue that work amid the pain and trauma of another instance of a Black man dying in an encounter with white police .
The politics of this moment — and Trump ’ s incessant , inflammatory role in it — make that pain even more acute .
“ This campaign has been exciting , but also difficult , ” said Jamal Brown , a Black national press secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the president fan the flames of white supremacy and hatred .
We also see the unconscious bias on the political scene.
” Biden ’ s team , according to aides , moved quickly to offer support to Black staffers and others struggling to cope over the last two weeks .
The day after Floyd ’ s death , campaign manager Jen O ’ Malley Dillon emailed the entire staff to “ recognize the events of the last few days.
” O ’ Malley Dillon ’ s email , obtained by BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and racist behavior ” from the white woman who called police on a black birdwatcher in New York ’ s Central Park on the same day Floyd was killed .
And she lamented “ the continued divisive language ” from Trump .
“ These injustices , ” O ’ Malley Dillon wrote , “ have real impacts on all of us , especially our staff of color .
Everyone processes these sorts of events in different ways and I want to encourage you all to take care of yourselves and take the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most sense to you.
” Several Black staffers have taken her up on her encouragement to take time off .
Black leaders inside the Democratic National Committee , the party ’ s central political arm in Washington , described the two weeks since Floyd ’ s death as a nonstop effort to respond with action while also consoling colleagues who are processing trauma , some of them alone , separated from friends and loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ As Black people , we are dealing with a pandemic within a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senior adviser to Democratic Party Chair Tom Perez who quickly after Floyd ’ s death started hearing Black colleagues who were struggling .
By that Friday — when Minneapolis was engulfed in protests and police tear gas — she convened a Zoom call with Perez , who is Latino , and about two dozen Black DNC staffers .
“ We found that a lot of our team really was dealing with things we weren ’ t aware of , ” Clanton said .
“ We have staff who have been pulled over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have staff who had witnessed police officers kill their loved ones .
We had a lot of stories that came out.
” Clanton also asked a doctor with counseling and healing experience to join the call .
Brandon Gassaway , the DNC ’ s national press secretary , said the anxieties brought up by watching the news of Ahmaud Arbery , the 25-year-old Black man who was fatally shot while jogging in Georgia earlier this year , followed by Floyd ’ s death , were only compounded by the personal and emotional isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How much can my life be worth if it does n't matter how well educated I am , how much money I have , what family I came from , if you can walk outside and get choked out by a police officer just for being Black , ” Gassaway said .
“ Being in a pandemic while all this is happening , that feeling — that loss of value , that feeling of being alone — is amplified in that situation . ''
The pandemic itself has also had a particularly stark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates and have faced steep job losses .
And many of the Black staffers who work in Democratic politics — a liberal activist space where non-Black people have spent the last two weeks trying , often imperfectly , to be good allies — have taken on the added responsibility of helping their white colleagues navigate this moment .
Clanton said that after the Friday call , she started hearing from non-Black DNC staffers , including white people who lead various departments staffed by younger people of color , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put together a resource guide of sorts for people who felt “ like they don ’ t have the right words , ” she said , and encouraged her colleagues to listen and ask questions .
The following Monday , they held another Zoom call , this time with the entire DNC staff .
The result , said Clanton , has been a period of “ nonstop ” activity .
“ It 's been constant response and consoling and really trying to offer the support that our staff needs.
” Minyon Moore , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way for many Black women inside the party as an operative in the 1980s , has been a sounding board over the last two weeks for the younger generation of Black Democratic staffers trying to balance their own pain with the demands of their colleagues and the institutions where they work .
“ We always have had an awesome burden , ” Moore said in an interview .
“ I know it 's tough .
It 's tough on me .
I can not tell you how many calls I 've had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I take , I am happy to take it , because I want to be seen as a vessel .
And that 's what I tell them : ‘ You ’ re a vessel .
Use this moment to educate .
Do n't be tired right now.
’ ” The senior staffs of the Democratic and Republican national committees and the presidential campaigns , Biden ’ s included , remain largely white .
That ’ s a reality that can affect how sensitively , if at all , the leaders of these organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dennard , a Black senior communications adviser at the RNC , said in an emailed statement that the national party ’ s chief of staff “ communicated with the entire team in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder , peaceful protests and violent riots in many of America ’ s urban cities , including an incident involving Trump supporters in my home state of Arizona.
” “ As one of many Black American staffers here at the RNC I have felt a sense of community , understanding , and willingness to listen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just a Black issue , it is an American issue all of us are impacted by , ” said Dennard .
He added that his recent op-ed for RealClearPolitics — titled “ Black Lives Matter To President Trump ” — “ went out without hesitation.
” ( Asked in a follow-up email how many Black staffers work for the RNC , Dennard responded `` dozens . ''
) At the DNC , where Perez , the party chair , has faced criticism from Black political leaders inside and outside Congress since he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 50 % of senior staff are people of color and about 25 % are black women , according to a DNC official .
This spring , after Biden became the head of the party as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , DNC staffers of color were dismayed by his campaign ’ s choice to replace a woman of color who served as the DNC ’ s chief executive officer , Seema Nanda , as first reported by the New York Times .
Concerns over the decision came out in a tearful senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broke , with some staffers in disbelief that the Biden campaign had made it one of their first moves to remove one of the few women of color leading a major political institution , according to a person familiar with the call .
The DNC , under Perez , is now led by two white staffers : CEO Mary Beth Cahill and deputy CEO Sam Cornale .
Both the Biden and Trump campaigns are run at the upper levels mostly by white advisers .
Biden has boasted of having a very diverse staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been disputed , but also one that the campaign hasn ’ t quantified with data .
Even so , Black aides who spoke to BuzzFeed News said they are confident Biden ’ s decisions are informed by a diverse group , including Rep. Cedric Richmond , a Black campaign cochair who speaks with Biden often .
“ You can nitpick it how you want , but actually voices are being heard , ” said Kamau Marshall , the campaign ’ s director of strategic communications .
“ I don ’ t think we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that.
” “ I talk to Anita Dunn , ” Marshall added , referring to a white senior strategist .
“ She will ask for our input.
” A spokesperson for Trump ’ s reelection campaign did not respond to questions about whether senior officials there had communicated with staffers about Floyd ’ s death and the president ’ s rhetoric on it or how they were supporting those upset by the case .
In her May 26 email to staff , O ’ Malley Dillon reminded staffers of the free , campaign-funded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counseling .
“ I often say that we can do hard things , ” O ’ Malley Dillon wrote .
“ And we can .
But sometimes we just should n't have to — and that is true far too often for far too many people of color in this country .
Do n't ever forget that the work each and every one of you are doing every day is part of the ever-enduring work to make this country a better place.
” Two nights after the email , with protests continuing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spreading to other cities , Trump called demonstrators “ thugs ” in a series of late-night tweets .
He also threatened that “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts ” — a taunt dating to the civil unrest of the 1960s .
Twitter slapped a disclaimer on the tweets , asserting they violated the social media site ’ s rules and glorified violence .
“ I remember staying up all night , ” said Brown , the campaign ’ s press secretary .
On a call with the communications team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues he would be taking a mental health day .
“ Every single person on that call gave me my space , ” Brown said .
“ They all said take the time that you need to grieve and to heal and to just live.
” Biden , whose campaign is rooted in ending the racist behavior of the Trump era , addressed his staff later that day , via Zoom .
“ The VP is what I like to call an organic gentleman , ” Marshall said .
“ As a Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thoughtful , and keeping it real — that meant a lot on so many levels.
” The pandemic has temporarily closed the Biden campaign ’ s Philadelphia headquarters and left most employees working from home .
Like with the DNC staff , the lack of personal contact in a time of such distress has been a challenge , but Black staffers have banded together with virtual hangouts and happy hours — “ a platform just to talk , and ensure that we are OK and to just listen to one another , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have accommodated staffers who request time off to join protests , said Carahna Magwood , a deputy design director who took her 4-year-old son to one in Philadelphia .
“ He sees Omar Jimenez get arrested on CNN , and even he has questions about why he ’ s being arrested , ” Magwood said , referring to the CNN reporter who along with his crew was handcuffed and led away while covering protests in Minneapolis .
“ It ’ s hard , ” Magwood added , “ and I think what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for us in that moment because they saw it , they acknowledged it , and then they acted.
” Other staffers based in Philadelphia have struggled with proximity to the unrest .
Brown would go on morning runs past the police officers guarding the statue of former mayor and police commissioner Frank Rizzo , who was known for his hostility toward Black and LGBTQ citizens .
The city removed the statue , a target for protesters , last week .
Brown dashed by that morning , after it was gone .
He took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen .
“ It just gave me the reminder to keep going.
” At night , though , Brown would hear helicopters whirring around his Center City apartment .
He ’ d turn on the TV and see police officers “ right outside of my apartment tackling people who were outside past the curfew time.
” He ’ d smell the smoke of a fire nearby .
Late last week , Brown decided he ’ d had enough .
“ I had to leave Philadelphia because of the trauma of hearing a helicopter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the news every day to make sure your life wasn ’ t in imminent danger right outside your apartment , and having to be reminded of that while you ’ re trying to work , ” he said .
“ I had to leave the city and quarantine elsewhere so I could work healthily and turn my grief into purpose.
” ●

Biden’s team, according to aides, moved quickly to offer support to Black staffers and others struggling to cope over the last two weeks. The day after Floyd’s death, campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon emailed the entire staff to “recognize the events of the last few days.”
O’Malley Dillon’s email, obtained by BuzzFeed News, also called out “the callous and racist behavior” from the white woman who called police on a black birdwatcher in New York’s Central Park on the same day Floyd was killed. And she lamented “the continued divisive language” from Trump.
“These injustices,” O’Malley Dillon wrote, “have real impacts on all of us, especially our staff of color. Everyone processes these sorts of events in different ways and I want to encourage you all to take care of yourselves and take the time you need in whatever way makes the most sense to you.”
Several Black staffers have taken her up on her encouragement to take time off.
Black leaders inside the Democratic National Committee, the party’s central political arm in Washington, described the two weeks since Floyd’s death as a nonstop effort to respond with action while also consoling colleagues who are processing trauma, some of them alone, separated from friends and loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As Black people, we are dealing with a pandemic within a pandemic,” said Waikinya Clanton, a senior adviser to Democratic Party Chair Tom Perez who quickly after Floyd’s death started hearing Black colleagues who were struggling.
By that Friday — when Minneapolis was engulfed in protests and police tear gas — she convened a Zoom call with Perez, who is Latino, and about two dozen Black DNC staffers. “We found that a lot of our team really was dealing with things we weren’t aware of,” Clanton said. “We have staff who have been pulled over by police for no reason. We have staff who had witnessed police officers kill their loved ones. We had a lot of stories that came out.”
Clanton also asked a doctor with counseling and healing experience to join the call.
Brandon Gassaway, the DNC’s national press secretary, said the anxieties brought up by watching the news of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old Black man who was fatally shot while jogging in Georgia earlier this year, followed by Floyd’s death, were only compounded by the personal and emotional isolation of a public health crisis.
“How much can my life be worth if it doesn't matter how well educated I am, how much money I have, what family I came from, if you can walk outside and get choked out by a police officer just for being Black,” Gassaway said. “Being in a pandemic while all this is happening, that feeling — that loss of value, that feeling of being alone — is amplified in that situation."
The pandemic itself has also had a particularly stark impact on Black people, who have died from COVID-19 at disproportionate rates and have faced steep job losses.
And many of the Black staffers who work in Democratic politics — a liberal activist space where non-Black people have spent the last two weeks trying, often imperfectly, to be good allies — have taken on the added responsibility of helping their white colleagues navigate this moment.
Clanton said that after the Friday call, she started hearing from non-Black DNC staffers, including white people who lead various departments staffed by younger people of color, asking for help and advice. Clanton put together a resource guide of sorts for people who felt “like they don’t have the right words,” she said, and encouraged her colleagues to listen and ask questions. The following Monday, they held another Zoom call, this time with the entire DNC staff.
The result, said Clanton, has been a period of “nonstop” activity. “It's been constant response and consoling and really trying to offer the support that our staff needs.”
Minyon Moore, a veteran Democrat who helped pave the way for many Black women inside the party as an operative in the 1980s, has been a sounding board over the last two weeks for the younger generation of Black Democratic staffers trying to balance their own pain with the demands of their colleagues and the institutions where they work.
“We always have had an awesome burden,” Moore said in an interview. “I know it's tough. It's tough on me. I cannot tell you how many calls I've had to take like this. But every call I take, I am happy to take it, because I want to be seen as a vessel. And that's what I tell them: ‘You’re a vessel. Use this moment to educate. Don't be tired right now.’”


buzzfeed--2020-06-09--Donald Trump Amplified A Conspiracy Theory That Buffalo Protester Martin Gugino Was Trying To "Scan"

Donald Trump Amplified A Conspiracy Theory That Buffalo Protester Martin Gugino Was Trying To "Scan" The Police Before He Was Injured

President Donald Trump used his Twitter and Facebook accounts to spread a baseless conspiracy theory that injured protester Martin Gugino was trying to `` scan '' and `` black out '' police equipment prior to him being pushed to the ground by two Buffalo police officers .
Gugino , 75 , remains in serious condition in hospital after hitting his head on the ground in an incident that sparked national outrage .
Two Buffalo Police Department officers have been charged with second-degree assault , a felony .
Trump 's Tuesday morning tweet and Facebook post were inspired by an `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channel One America News Network , which has aired false information in the past .
The OAN report baselessly claims Gugino 's injury was the result of a `` false flag provocation by far-left group antifa , '' and said he appeared `` to use a police tracker '' on his phone .
There is zero evidence linking Gugino to an antifa organization , and the claim that he tracked or scanned police is based only on the fact that Gugino was holding a mobile phone .
Trump even suggested — again with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was intentional .
`` I watched , he fell harder than was pushed .
Was aiming scanner .
Could be a set up ? ''
the president said , amplifying false claims to millions of people .
`` No one from law enforcement has even suggested anything otherwise so we are at a loss to understand why the President of the United States would make such dark , dangerous , and untrue accusations against him , '' she said .
Gugino is described by friends as a longtime peace activist and a frequent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's activist past and online presence have been scrutinized since the incident , including the fact that a Blogger profile allegedly belonging to him cites times in the past when he was arrested for peaceful protest and never convicted of a crime .
This helped fuel conspiracies and false claims about him .
A YouTube video with more than 150,000 views appears to be the source of the claim that Gugino was using his phone to `` hack '' or otherwise interfere with police equipment .
It offers no evidence , and only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his phone .
Gugino was also falsely branded an `` Antifa provocateur '' by a fringe right-wing site that OAN later cited as one of its sources .
OAN is a San Diego–based cable outlet that has aggressively courted the president 's attention and affections .
It has a history of spreading false information from dubious sources .
Last week BuzzFeed News revealed that OAN 's White House correspondent used information from a pseudonymous Twitter account that claims to have sources inside the FBI , Trump Tower , and intelligence community .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an Italian sound engineer with a pattern of making unverified claims about his business relationships and expertise .

President Donald Trump used his Twitter and Facebook accounts to spread a baseless conspiracy theory that injured protester Martin Gugino was trying to "scan" and "black out" police equipment prior to him being pushed to the ground by two Buffalo police officers.
Gugino, 75, remains in serious condition in hospital after hitting his head on the ground in an incident that sparked national outrage. Two Buffalo Police Department officers have been charged with second-degree assault, a felony.
Trump's Tuesday morning tweet and Facebook post were inspired by an "absolutely insane" segment from little-watched cable channel One America News Network, which has aired false information in the past. The OAN report baselessly claims Gugino's injury was the result of a "false flag provocation by far-left group antifa," and said he appeared "to use a police tracker" on his phone. There is zero evidence linking Gugino to an antifa organization, and the claim that he tracked or scanned police is based only on the fact that Gugino was holding a mobile phone.


buzzfeed--2020-06-09--Democrats Are Calling For An Investigation Into The Trump Administration Denying DACA Recipients Fed

Democrats Are Calling For An Investigation Into The Trump Administration Denying DACA Recipients Federally Backed Housing Loans

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson speaks in the Oval Office of the White House , June 25 , 2019 .
A group of Democrats in Congress are asking the federal housing agency ’ s inspector general to investigate why federal housing officials have told lenders to deny DACA recipients government-backed home loans , and why agency officials misled Congress and the public about the policy .
A letter making the request to the Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis was signed by 13 Senate and 32 House Democrats , headed up by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Rep. Juan Vargas .
It comes in response to a BuzzFeed News ’ report last week , which revealed that Department of Housing and Urban Development officials did make a policy change to exclude DACA recipients from home loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration while denying that there had been a change to the public and to Congress .
“ Specifically we are concerned that HUD imposed a new , nonpublic , and legally erroneous policy prohibiting the issuance of FHA-insured loans to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the implementation and enforcement of this new policy , ” they wrote in the letter .
BuzzFeed News initially reported that DACA recipients and their mortgage lenders were being told they were no longer eligible for the program , which they had been able to access for years until the Trump administration moved to rescind DACA in 2017 .
On several instances after BuzzFeed News published that story , Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and other housing officials assured members of Congress in public hearings and in private meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The facts are clear : HUD officials implemented a secret policy change to discriminate against DACA recipients .
HUD failed to disclose this change publicly and misrepresented that a change in policy had occurred in Congressional hearings , letter responses , and briefings to Congressional staff , ” Menendez told BuzzFeed News in a statement on Monday .
” This is wrong and unacceptable .
We are requesting that HUD ’ s Inspector General investigate potential violations of federal law and failure to disclose this policy change to Congress , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress last year that after reading the initial story from BuzzFeed News , he had “ asked around ” his department .
“ No one was aware of any changes that had been made to the policy whatsoever .
I ’ m sure we have plenty of DACA recipients who have FHA-backed loans , ” he said during testimony before a House committee in April last year , well after the emails obtained by BuzzFeed News show that officials within the agency had decided to exclude DACA recipients .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change the rules to stop DACA recipients from achieving the dream of home ownership .
It ’ s equally unacceptable that the HUD Secretary would lie to Congress about the Trump Administration ’ s discriminatory housing practices , '' Aguilar told BuzzFeed News in a statement .
In December 2018 , Sens .
Menendez , Cory Booker , and Catherine Cortez Masto wrote to HUD officials asking why federal housing officials told lenders to deny DACA recipients government-backed home loans .
Responding to that letter , HUD ’ s Assistant Secretary for Congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ [ t ] he Department wants to be very clear that it has not implemented any policy changes during the current Administration , either formal or informal , with respect to FHA eligibility requirements for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) recipients .
HUD has longstanding policy regarding eligibility for non-U.S. citizens without lawful residency .
Those policies have not been altered.
” In another exchange of letters , Wolfson wrote in July last year that HUD “ has not implemented any policy changes during the current Administration with respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” '' HUD chose to exclude lawful homebuyers from accessing FHA-backed home loans , ” said Vargas in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ DREAMers earned the right to buy a home as taxpaying participants in our country ’ s labor force.
” In their letter to the inspector general on Tuesday , Democrats pointed to Wolfson ’ s responses , Carson ’ s testimony , and the internal documents and emails that show that a specific decision was made to interpret a requirement for legal residency for the loans to exclude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and documents demonstrate what we believe was a change of policy without sound and unambiguous legal reasoning , without an opportunity for public input under Section 553 of the APA , and without communication to FHA-approved lenders and Congress , ” they wrote .

A group of Democrats in Congress are asking the federal housing agency’s inspector general to investigate why federal housing officials have told lenders to deny DACA recipients government-backed home loans, and why agency officials misled Congress and the public about the policy.
A letter making the request to the Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis was signed by 13 Senate and 32 House Democrats, headed up by Sen. Bob Menendez, Rep. Pete Aguilar, and Rep. Juan Vargas. It comes in response to a BuzzFeed News’ report last week, which revealed that Department of Housing and Urban Development officials did make a policy change to exclude DACA recipients from home loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration while denying that there had been a change to the public and to Congress.
“Specifically we are concerned that HUD imposed a new, nonpublic, and legally erroneous policy prohibiting the issuance of FHA-insured loans to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and knowingly misrepresented to Congress the implementation and enforcement of this new policy,” they wrote in the letter.
BuzzFeed News initially reported that DACA recipients and their mortgage lenders were being told they were no longer eligible for the program, which they had been able to access for years until the Trump administration moved to rescind DACA in 2017.
On several instances after BuzzFeed News published that story, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and other housing officials assured members of Congress in public hearings and in private meetings that there had been no policy change.
“The facts are clear: HUD officials implemented a secret policy change to discriminate against DACA recipients. HUD failed to disclose this change publicly and misrepresented that a change in policy had occurred in Congressional hearings, letter responses, and briefings to Congressional staff,” Menendez told BuzzFeed News in a statement on Monday.
”This is wrong and unacceptable. We are requesting that HUD’s Inspector General investigate potential violations of federal law and failure to disclose this policy change to Congress," Menendez said.
Carson told members of Congress last year that after reading the initial story from BuzzFeed News, he had “asked around” his department.
“No one was aware of any changes that had been made to the policy whatsoever. I’m sure we have plenty of DACA recipients who have FHA-backed loans,” he said during testimony before a House committee in April last year, well after the emails obtained by BuzzFeed News show that officials within the agency had decided to exclude DACA recipients.
“It’s unacceptable for the Trump Administration to secretly change the rules to stop DACA recipients from achieving the dream of home ownership. It’s equally unacceptable that the HUD Secretary would lie to Congress about the Trump Administration’s discriminatory housing practices," Aguilar told BuzzFeed News in a statement.
In December 2018, Sens. Menendez, Cory Booker, and Catherine Cortez Masto wrote to HUD officials asking why federal housing officials told lenders to deny DACA recipients government-backed home loans.
Responding to that letter, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations Len Wolfson wrote, “[t]he Department wants to be very clear that it has not implemented any policy changes during the current Administration, either formal or informal, with respect to FHA eligibility requirements for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. HUD has longstanding policy regarding eligibility for non-U.S. citizens without lawful residency. Those policies have not been altered.”
In another exchange of letters, Wolfson wrote in July last year that HUD “has not implemented any policy changes during the current Administration with respect to FHA eligibility requirements for DACA recipients.”
"HUD chose to exclude lawful homebuyers from accessing FHA-backed home loans,” said Vargas in a statement to BuzzFeed News. “DREAMers earned the right to buy a home as taxpaying participants in our country’s labor force.”
In their letter to the inspector general on Tuesday, Democrats pointed to Wolfson’s responses, Carson’s testimony, and the internal documents and emails that show that a specific decision was made to interpret a requirement for legal residency for the loans to exclude DACA recipients.
“The above timeline and documents demonstrate what we believe was a change of policy without sound and unambiguous legal reasoning, without an opportunity for public input under Section 553 of the APA, and without communication to FHA-approved lenders and Congress,” they wrote.


buzzfeed--2020-06-09--It Was A Completely Peaceful Protest Against Police Brutality. Then The Cops Attacked.

An entirely peaceful protest in Manhattan ended in chaos , panic , and violence when a mass of police officers in riot gear confronted protesters we were following near Grand Army Plaza , at the entrance to Central Park .
Since an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect on Tuesday to curb looting , there have been nightly clashes between peaceful protesters and police across the city .
Looting is down , but the NYPD continues to make mass arrests for curfew violations —sometimes violently .
The NYPD did not use tear gas or rubber bullets on this group of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other parts of the country .
But the rapid escalation of Thursday night ’ s protest illustrates just how quickly a peaceful march can turn into mayhem .
In the end , police shoved , hit , and arrested dozens of people .
BuzzFeed reporters were caught up in the clash .
As we tried to record the arrests on video , a police officer shoved one of us with a baton , despite the fact that we had identified ourselves as press .
Another officer , in a white shirt , grabbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was about to handcuff and arrest her , and only stopped after other officers intervened .
All around us , batons were swinging and people were running as police rounded up marchers .
The night had begun peacefully .
And for a time , it looked as though it was going to remain that way .
After a week of protests , the chants were familiar .
The chants come over megaphones from organizers , from teenagers cupping their hands to their mouths , and from groups of friends holding up signs saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — as the protesters marched in a giant loop starting in Times Square , moving south to Herald Square , west to Chelsea , back east to Union Square , and finally north to Central Park — the event was peaceful and relaxed .
Even when the 8 p.m. curfew hit , things stayed calm .
Dozens of police officers on bikes and foot trailed the group , and spirits remained high .
“ It ’ s our right to peacefully protest , ” the crowd chanted , marching down city blocks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Drivers smiled and pumped their fists .
The protesters roared back in grateful appreciation .
Others handed out water to keep the crowd hydrated on the hot and humid day .
Up above , residents standing on their balconies cheered , clapped , and banged pots and pans to show solidarity .
“ I love the fact that there ’ s been support from everywhere , it wasn ’ t just Black people , ” said Angelo La Roche , remarking on the diversity of the crowd .
“ It really felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel that vibe and energy from everyone , ” the 32-year-old added .
“ People just want to protest , ” Jill , an education worker , told BuzzFeed News .
“ They just want to have their voices heard , and they ’ re angry… They ’ re killing us on camera with witnesses .
We don ’ t wan na be here !
It ’ s a pandemic !
” One police officer told BuzzFeed News that the previous nights of looting were some of the worst he ’ s ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But this crowd , he said , “ They ’ ve been great .
They ’ re having a good time.
” NYPD Intelligence Bureau officers were also monitoring the crowd , looking for outbreaks of looting or violence .
One officer told BuzzFeed News that it was up to the NYPD to decide whether or not to enforce the curfew .
At several points , the group made stops near subways , for people who had been walking all day and needed to get home .
Most of the crowd chose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a half after curfew , the group was still several hundred strong .
Some marchers played music from a speaker and danced together as they walked .

An entirely peaceful protest in Manhattan ended in chaos, panic, and violence when a mass of police officers in riot gear confronted protesters we were following near Grand Army Plaza, at the entrance to Central Park.
Since an 8 p.m. curfew went into effect on Tuesday to curb looting, there have been nightly clashes between peaceful protesters and police across the city. Looting is down, but the NYPD continues to make mass arrests for curfew violations —sometimes violently. The NYPD did not use tear gas or rubber bullets on this group of protesters, as police have used in other parts of the country. But the rapid escalation of Thursday night’s protest illustrates just how quickly a peaceful march can turn into mayhem.
In the end, police shoved, hit, and arrested dozens of people. BuzzFeed reporters were caught up in the clash. As we tried to record the arrests on video, a police officer shoved one of us with a baton, despite the fact that we had identified ourselves as press. Another officer, in a white shirt, grabbed the other reporter’s arms and was about to handcuff and arrest her, and only stopped after other officers intervened. All around us, batons were swinging and people were running as police rounded up marchers.
The night had begun peacefully. And for a time, it looked as though it was going to remain that way. After a week of protests, the chants were familiar.
“SAY HIS NAME”
“GEORGE FLOYD”
“NO JUSTICE”
“NO PEACE”
“WHOSE STREETS?”
“OUR STREETS”
The chants come over megaphones from organizers, from teenagers cupping their hands to their mouths, and from groups of friends holding up signs saying “Black Lives Matter.”
For hours — as the protesters marched in a giant loop starting in Times Square, moving south to Herald Square, west to Chelsea, back east to Union Square, and finally north to Central Park — the event was peaceful and relaxed.
Even when the 8 p.m. curfew hit, things stayed calm. Dozens of police officers on bikes and foot trailed the group, and spirits remained high. “It’s our right to peacefully protest,” the crowd chanted, marching down city blocks.
MTA buses and cars beeped their support. Drivers smiled and pumped their fists. The protesters roared back in grateful appreciation. Others handed out water to keep the crowd hydrated on the hot and humid day. Up above, residents standing on their balconies cheered, clapped, and banged pots and pans to show solidarity.
“I love the fact that there’s been support from everywhere, it wasn’t just Black people,” said Angelo La Roche, remarking on the diversity of the crowd. “It really felt amazing to have that love, and feel that vibe and energy from everyone,” the 32-year-old added.
“People just want to protest,” Jill, an education worker, told BuzzFeed News. “They just want to have their voices heard, and they’re angry… They’re killing us on camera with witnesses. We don’t wanna be here! It’s a pandemic!”
One police officer told BuzzFeed News that the previous nights of looting were some of the worst he’s ever seen in his time on the force. But this crowd, he said, “They’ve been great. They’re having a good time.”
NYPD Intelligence Bureau officers were also monitoring the crowd, looking for outbreaks of looting or violence. One officer told BuzzFeed News that it was up to the NYPD to decide whether or not to enforce the curfew.
At several points, the group made stops near subways, for people who had been walking all day and needed to get home. Most of the crowd chose to keep marching.
Even an hour and a half after curfew, the group was still several hundred strong. Some marchers played music from a speaker and danced together as they walked.


buzzfeed--2020-06-09--These Charts And Maps Show Where The Coronavirus Is Surging Across The US — And Where It Is In Decli

These Charts And Maps Show Where The Coronavirus Is Surging Across The US — And Where It Is In Decline

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
New coronavirus infections are on the rise in parts of the country , while falling in former hot spots like New York .
As the weeks and months drag on , experts expect to see a patchwork of surging and subsiding local epidemics — particularly if the virus starts to spread rapidly in places that are relaxing lockdowns that have brought the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and maps below will help you track this shifting landscape and will be updated regularly .
The colors indicate whether the number of new cases has risen or fallen in the last two weeks .
In locations highlighted in pink , new cases have surged , while green shows where the number has declined .
The darker the shade of pink or green , the larger the relative rise or fall .
Because the number of confirmed new cases on any day can fluctuate widely , we have used the daily average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide a more stable measure on any given day .
Locations shown in light gray have either had very few cases in the past two weeks , or the number has changed by less than 5 % .

New coronavirus infections are on the rise in parts of the country, while falling in some former hot spots.
As the weeks and months drag on, experts expect to see a patchwork of surging and subsiding local epidemics — particularly if the virus starts to spread rapidly in places that are relaxing lockdowns that have brought the economy to its knees.
The charts and maps below will help you track this shifting landscape and will be updated regularly. The colors indicate whether the number of new cases has risen or fallen in the last two weeks. In locations highlighted in pink, new cases have surged, while green shows where the number has declined. The darker the shade of pink or green, the larger the relative rise or fall.
Because the number of confirmed new cases on any day can fluctuate widely, we have used the daily average of new cases over the last seven days to provide a more stable measure on any given day. Locations shown in light gray have either had very few cases in the past two weeks, or the number has changed by less than 5%.
States


buzzfeed--2020-06-11--House Democrats Are Pushing To Remove The Names Of Confederate Officers From Military Bases After Tr

House Democrats Are Pushing To Remove The Names Of Confederate Officers From Military Bases After Trump Defended Them

WASHINGTON — After President Donald Trump tweeted that his administration “ won ’ t even consider ” renaming military bases in the US named after Confederate officers , House Democrats are introducing a bill to do just that .
Rep. Yvette Clarke will introduce , for a second time , the Honoring Real Patriots Act , which would rename military bases named for “ any individual who took up arms against the United States during the American Civil War.
” The renewed push comes as Americans protest nationwide against police brutality and systemic racism and as statues commemorating figures with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been pulled down around the US and across the globe .
“ We are a country with racism in our DNA , ” Clarke , who will formally reintroduce the bill on Thursday , told BuzzFeed News in a statement .
“ And while we see it play out today in so many ways , including police brutality against Black people , this is not a new mindset for a country that has a history of shackling up Black people , counting Black people as just three-fifths a person and , to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ naming military bases , street names and buildings after them.
” The bill requires the secretary of defense to change the names of the bases no later than a year after the bill ’ s enactment .
The legislation would impact Fort Pickett , Fort A.P .
Hill , and Fort Lee in Virginia ; Fort Bragg in North Carolina ; Fort Benning and Fort Gordon in Georgia ; Fort Polk and Camp Beauregard in Louisiana ; Fort Hood in Texas ; and Fort Rucker in Alabama .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 statues of Confederate soldiers and officials be removed from the US Capitol .
Clarke ’ s proposal comes as the Marines Corps and the Navy banned the use of the Confederate flags on all its military installations earlier this week .
On Monday , Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said they were “ open ” to a bipartisan discussion on renaming the 10 American bases .
On Wednesday , Trump openly condemned the idea on Twitter .
“ These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom , ” Trump tweeted in a 3-part thread .
“ The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds , and won two World Wars .
Therefore , my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations.
” A printed copy of Trump ’ s tweets was distributed to members of the White House press corps ahead of a briefing by Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany Wednesday , in which she echoed the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be signing legislation that renames America ’ s forts , ” Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters .
“ That is an absolute non-starter for the President , ” she added .
The bill would have to pass the Republican-led Senate and Trump would have to sign the legislation for it to become law .
A similar movement sputtered in 2017 during a push to remove Confederate monuments after a pro-gun rally turned deadly in Charlottesville , VA. At the time , Clarke and Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries , Nydia Velazquez , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rename streets inside a New York military base which were named after two generals in the Confederate Army , Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson .
When the Army refused , Clarke pushed back with the same legislation she ’ s reintroducing Thursday .
“ It ’ s no surprise that America ’ s Bigot-in-Chief , Donald J. Trump , has taken to Twitter to commend the naming of these racist Confederate military bases because it ’ s just more of the same from him as he continues to spew hatred and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mouth and by tweet , ” Clarke said .

WASHINGTON — After President Donald Trump tweeted that his administration “won’t even consider” renaming military bases in the United States named after Confederate officers, House Democrats are introducing a bill to do just that.
Rep. Yvette Clarke will introduce, for a second time, the Honoring Real Patriots Act, which would rename military bases named for “any individual who took up arms against the United States during the American Civil War.” The renewed push comes as Americans protest nationwide against police brutality and systemic racism and as statues commemorating figures with backgrounds linked to slavery and racism have been pulled down around the US and across the globe.
“We are a country with racism in our DNA,” Clarke, who will formally reintroduce the bill on Thursday, told BuzzFeed News in a statement. “And while we see it play out today in so many ways, including police brutality against Black people, this is not a new mindset for a country that has a history of shackling up Black people, counting Black people as just three-fifths a person and, to this day, memorializes racist Confederate generals in naming military bases, street names and buildings after them.”
The bill requires the secretary of defense to change the names of the bases no later than a year after the bill’s enactment.
The legislation would impact Fort Pickett, Fort A.P. Hill, and Fort Lee in Virginia; Fort Bragg in North Carolina; Fort Benning and Fort Gordon in Georgia; Fort Polk and Camp Beauregard in Louisiana; Fort Hood in Texas; and Fort Rucker in Alabama.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday also wrote a letter requesting that 11 statues of Confederate soldiers and officials be removed from the Capitol Building.
Clarke’s proposal comes as the Marines Corps and the Navy banned the use of the Confederate flags on all its military installations earlier this week. On Monday, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said they were “open” to a bipartisan discussion on renaming the 10 US bases. On Wednesday, Trump openly condemned the idea on Twitter.
“These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom,” Trump wrote in a three-tweet thread. “The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations.”
A printed copy of Trump’s tweets was distributed to members of the White House press corps ahead of a briefing by press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday, during which she echoed the president’s sentiments.
“The President will not be signing legislation that renames America’s forts,” McEnany told reporters. “That is an absolute nonstarter for the president.”
For the bill to become law, it would have to pass the Republican-led Senate and Trump would have to sign the legislation.
A similar movement sputtered in 2017 during a push to remove Confederate monuments after the "Unite the Right" rally turned deadly in Charlottesville, Virginia. At the time, Clarke and Democratic Reps. Hakeem Jeffries, Nydia Velazquez, and Jerry Nadler called for the Army to rename streets inside a New York military base that were named after two generals in the Confederate Army, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. When the Army refused, Clarke pushed back with the same legislation she’s reintroducing Thursday.
“It’s no surprise that America’s Bigot-in-Chief, Donald J. Trump, has taken to Twitter to commend the naming of these racist Confederate military bases because it’s just more of the same from him as he continues to spew hatred and bigotry every single day out of his mouth and by tweet,” Clarke said.


buzzfeed--2020-06-11--Health Experts Are Sounding The Alarm About A Coronavirus Surge In Arizona

Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey lifted the state 's stay-at-home order on May 15 .
New cases and hospitalizations began to rise just over a week later .
Arizona is one of more than a dozen states — many in the West — that have experienced a sharp rise in new infections .
The state has seen an average of 1,021 coronavirus cases a day over the last week , according to a BuzzFeed News analysis , up more than 200 % compared to Memorial Day .
Over the past two weeks , the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % — currently at more than 1,200 , according to data from the COVID Tracking Project .
“ Every indicator is pointing in the wrong direction , ” Will Humble , executive director for the Arizona Public Health Association and a former state health director , told BuzzFeed News .
He described the situation as akin to when the “ check engine ” light is on in a car .
“ Something bad is going to happen if you don ’ t do something different , ” Humble said .
A recent surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has health experts alarmed that a crisis is just around the corner .
Numbers plotted for any day reflect the average for the preceding seven days .
Dotted lines mark the lifting of the statewide stay-at-home order .
More than half of the new cases in the state are in Maricopa County , where Phoenix is located .
Looking ahead to potential cases in the future , the state ’ s capital has also been the site of continuing protests against police brutality sweeping the nation .
And on Wednesday , President Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the planned locations for his restarted campaign rallies , which went on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Although Arizona has also seen a dramatic expansion in testing capacity , experts say that doesn ’ t fully explain the state ’ s case spike or its steady increase in hospitalizations .
“ It ’ s not from increased testing , it ’ s more from community spread , ” Humble said about the surge .
Arizona Gov .
Doug Ducey lifted the state ’ s stay-at-home order on May 15 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
State officials also did not put in place a tiered reopening plan , nor did they require widespread mask use or set up a system that would fine or punish businesses that did not obey social distancing measures .
Gyms , pools , sports leagues , and restaurants have all been open for the last month .
Politicians and public health experts have condemned Ducey 's decision to lift the restrictions .
“ When Governor Ducey lifted Arizona ’ s stay-at-home order on May 15th , many worried it was too soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ranking member of the Arizona House of Representatives ’ Health and Human Services Committee , by email .
“ Now , three weeks later , with cases and deaths spiking and hospitals sounding the alarm , it ’ s obvious we were not ready.
” New cases and hospitalizations began to rise just over a week after the stay-at-home order was lifted .
Arizona has seen a resurgence in transmissions that “ appears to be picking up steam , ” said Joe Gerald , an associate professor and health services researcher at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s pretty clear that opening as early as we did contributed to the problem today.
” The governor is standing by his decisions .
On Wednesday , Daniel Scarpinato , Ducey 's chief of staff , claimed on Twitter that the state has sufficient hospital capacity , personal protective equipment , ventilators , and increased testing .
`` We are not in a crisis situation , '' he wrote .
But Cara Christ , the state ’ s health director , last week directed hospitals to “ fully activate your facility emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elective surgeries in response to the coronavirus outbreak , according to a June 6 letter obtained by the Arizona Republic .
Banner Health , the state ’ s largest hospital system , tweeted on Monday that its intensive care units were filling up with patients sick with COVID-19 and that the system had “ recently reached capacity for patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ( ECMO ) treatment.
” The number of patients on ventilators in Banner Health hospitals had quadrupled since May 15 , the hospital said .
Dignity Health hospitals are “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” according to a cardiologist in Phoenix who asked to remain anonymous .
“ It ’ s always an uneasy feeling that we have to come in without the proper protective equipment , ” the cardiologist said .
He added that the equipment , such as N95 respirator masks , is kept under lock and key at multiple Phoenix hospitals and sparingly handed out , so he ’ s resorted to reaching out to companies like Honeywell to try to secure masks for himself and his colleagues .
“ Healthcare providers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Butler said .
“ I sure hope Governor Ducey is listening .
”

More than half of the new cases in the state are in Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located. Looking ahead to potential cases in the future, the state’s capital has also been the site of continuing protests against police brutality sweeping the nation. And on Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that Arizona would be one of the planned locations for his restarted campaign rallies, which went on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Although Arizona has also seen a dramatic expansion in testing capacity, experts say that doesn’t fully explain the state’s case spike or its steady increase in hospitalizations. “It’s not from increased testing, it’s more from community spread,” Humble said about the surge.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey lifted the state’s stay-at-home order on May 15, earlier than many health experts had recommended. State officials also did not put in place a tiered reopening plan, nor did they require widespread mask use or set up a system that would fine or punish businesses that did not obey social distancing measures. Gyms, pools, sports leagues, and restaurants have all been open for the last month.
Politicians and public health experts have condemned Ducey's decision to lift the restrictions.
“When Governor Ducey lifted Arizona’s stay-at-home order on May 15th, many worried it was too soon,” said Rep. Kelli Butler, the ranking member of the Arizona House of Representatives’ Health and Human Services Committee, by email. “Now, three weeks later, with cases and deaths spiking and hospitals sounding the alarm, it’s obvious we were not ready.”
New cases and hospitalizations began to rise just over a week after the stay-at-home order was lifted.
Arizona has seen a resurgence in transmissions that “appears to be picking up steam,” said Joe Gerald, an associate professor and health services researcher at the University of Arizona. “It’s pretty clear that opening as early as we did contributed to the problem today.”
The governor is standing by his decisions. On Wednesday, Daniel Scarpinato, Ducey's chief of staff, claimed on Twitter that the state has sufficient hospital capacity, personal protective equipment, ventilators, and increased testing. "We are not in a crisis situation," he wrote.
But Cara Christ, the state’s health director, last week directed hospitals to “fully activate your facility emergency plan” and consider reducing or suspending elective surgeries in response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a June 6 letter obtained by the Arizona Republic.
Banner Health, the state’s largest hospital system, tweeted on Monday that its intensive care units were filling up with patients sick with COVID-19 and that the system had “recently reached capacity for patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment.” The number of patients on ventilators in Banner Health hospitals had quadrupled since May 15, the hospital said.
Dignity Health hospitals are “a week or two away from that,” according to a cardiologist in Phoenix who asked to remain anonymous.
“It’s always an uneasy feeling that we have to come in without the proper protective equipment,” the cardiologist said. He added that the equipment, such as N95 respirator masks, is kept under lock and key at multiple Phoenix hospitals and sparingly handed out, so he’s resorted to reaching out to companies like Honeywell to try to secure masks for himself and his colleagues.
“Healthcare providers and hospitals in Arizona are issuing dire warnings,” Butler said. “I sure hope Governor Ducey is listening.”


buzzfeed--2020-06-10--Amazon Is Suspending Police Use Of Its Facial Recognition Tech For One Year

Amazon said in a blog post on Wednesday that it would be implementing a one-year suspension on law enforcement use of Rekognition , the company ’ s facial recognition technology .
The move comes during a national moment of protests against police brutality , which have swept the country after police killed two unarmed Black people , George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville , Kentucky .
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Although activists have for years demanded that tech companies stop selling facial recognition to police , only this week have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , IBM CEO Arvind Krishna announced that his company would no longer sell or provide facial recognition to law enforcement and would halt research on the technology .
Amazon ’ s Rekognition gained notoriety in 2018 after it falsely matched 28 members of Congress with mugshots , disproportionately matching politicians of color with criminal suspects .
Rekognition is not the only facial recognition technology that Amazon owns .
The company also owns Ring , which has been developing its own proprietary facial recognition technology since 2016 and once had a `` head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1,300 police departments have signed contracts with the home surveillance company to let them request footage from camera owners without warrants .
Amazon said in the blog post that the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children , as well as technology companies Thorn and Marinus Analytics , would still have access to Rekognition for human trafficking cases .
It ’ s unclear how Amazon will enforce the moratorium for police departments that already have access to Rekognition .
The announcement drew skepticism from some activist groups , including Mijente , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrating just yet . ''

Amazon said in a blog post on Wednesday that it would be implementing a one-year suspension on law enforcement use of Rekognition, the company’s facial recognition technology.
The move comes during a national moment of protests against police brutality, which have swept the country after police killed two unarmed Black people, George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.
When reached for comment, an Amazon spokesperson said, "We’re not answering any further questions at this time."
Although activists have for years demanded that tech companies stop selling facial recognition to police, only this week have companies started to act: Two days ago, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna announced that his company would no longer sell or provide facial recognition to law enforcement and would halt research on the technology.
Amazon’s Rekognition gained notoriety in 2018 after it falsely matched 28 members of Congress with mugshots, disproportionately matching politicians of color with criminal suspects.
Rekognition is not the only facial recognition technology that Amazon owns. The company also owns Ring, which has been developing its own proprietary facial recognition technology since 2016 and once had a "head of facial recognition research." More than 1,300 police departments have signed contracts with the home surveillance company to let them request footage from camera owners without warrants.
Amazon said in the blog post that the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, as well as technology companies Thorn and Marinus Analytics, would still have access to Rekognition for human trafficking cases.
It’s unclear how Amazon will enforce the moratorium for police departments that already have access to Rekognition.
The announcement drew skepticism from some activist groups, including Mijente, which tweeted, "Let's hold off celebrating just yet."


buzzfeed--2020-06-10--The Performative Political BS Has To Stop

On Tuesday night , hundreds of protesters swarmed Seattle City Hall to demand the resignation of Jenny Durkan , Seattle ’ s first woman mayor in nearly100 years and its second consecutive openly LGBTQ mayor , who recently instituted a 30-day ban on police using tear gas on protesters — only for cops to ignore it a day later .
The mayor of Washington , DC , Muriel Bowser — only the second woman to hold the position — recently proposed to increase the police department ’ s budget by $ 45 million , and was just sued by Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a citywide curfew .
The group wasn ’ t placated by her decision last Friday to paint its motto in huge bright yellow letters on a street just outside the White House , according to its statement : “ Mayor Muriel Bowser must be held accountable for the lip service she pays in making such a statement while she continues to intentionally underfund and cut services and programs that meet the basic survival needs of Black people in DC.
” The group called the gesture “ a performative distraction from real policy changes.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesters added their own message , and their own demand , right next to Bowser ’ s mural : “ Defund the police.
” It ’ s heartening , though perhaps a bit premature , to watch a growing , collective unwillingness to accept lip service in lieu of action from authority figures .
Police officers can ’ t expect to be applauded for their performative gestures of hugging and kneeling with protesters when video evidence reveals they ’ re teargassing and arresting them minutes after the fact .
Neither can lawmakers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about why they ’ re protesting expect their presence alone to be enough , especially when they ’ re caught on hot mics admitting that “ if I didn ’ t have a primary , I wouldn ’ t care , ” as was the case recently with New York Rep. Eliot Engel .
De Blasio just announced that New York City will paint “ Black Lives Matter ” on streets in all five boroughs , inspired by DC — but this seems unlikely to resuscitate his increasingly poor reputation among his disillusioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our countries look like if we keep demanding more than this ?
Already , protesters who ’ ve demanded more than murals have seen significant wins , from the repeal of a New York law that ’ s long shielded police records from public view to Minneapolis lawmakers pledging to dismantle the city ’ s police department .
Identity representation politics and gestures of symbolic support for Black lives ( and queer lives , and poor lives ) aren ’ t going to cut it ; they never did to begin with .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ their battle against Trump by playing his games .
The kente cloth debacle isn ’ t so different , after all , from the president ’ s Bible-wielding photo op in front of a DC church — though to their credit , Pelosi and co. didn ’ t teargas a bunch of peaceful protesters to make it happen .
“ We have a reliance in this country on asymmetrical displays that allow us to dwell in , and never penetrate beyond , the level of the cultural , ” St. Félix wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ white pantsuit , and of the hot-pink knitted pussyhat .
I am thinking of the canonization of certain moments of pacification : Obama singing ‘ Amazing Grace ’ at the funeral of Clementa Pinckney , who was murdered by Dylann Roof ; Bill Clinton , while leading an Administration that codified mass incarceration , being sanctified for knowing how to play the saxophone so well.
” For too long , so many of us have been soothed by the symbolic , the poignant , all these “ nice ” moments .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of June , Hillary Clinton tweeted a couple of photos , side by side , to mark the beginning of Pride Month while simultaneously taking a swipe at Trump .
They were two images of the White House — one from 2015 , after the Supreme Court vote on marriage equality , when it was decked out in rainbow lights , and one from this year , when , amid the George Floyd protests , 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue went dark , as if to unconvincingly signal to disappointed trick-or-treaters that nobody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elections matter , ” with a Vote.org link .
The tweet is a perfect encapsulation of the neoliberal obsession with symbolism over substance — and of the political establishment ’ s delusions about its own influence .
Marriage for same-sex couples was legalized during Obama ’ s presidency ; that much is true .
But it was really decades ’ worth of organizing by activists — who have called for queer justice far beyond marriage equality and still haven ’ t seen crucial wins realized , like universal healthcare or prison abolition — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) victory .
The Democrats , including Obama , only got on board with marriage equality after it was politically palatable .
During the turmoil of the Trump presidency , Obama and other Democratic leaders have kept encouraging Americans to vote our problems away , saying that “ real change ” on racial inequity starts in the voting booth .
That sentiment is perhaps the biggest empty gesture of all : a promise that if people are able to overcome layers upon layers of voter suppression , and are able to actually cast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , then they ’ ll finally see the changes they seek .
Wesley Lowery , the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who ’ s been documenting the Black Lives Matter movement for the past decade , notes in his latest story for the Atlantic that “ Obama did as much as , if not more than , any other American president to push for policing reform , ” but “ not even he can claim absolute moral credibility on these matters.
” Now , he writes , “ to suggest that Obama could silence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fundamentally misunderstand the origins of the protests of recent years : They were , in part , a direct response to the perception among young Black activists that his administration had failed to address persistent racial inequalities with adequate urgency.
” He quotes a Ferguson activist : “ I voted for Barack Obama twice and still got teargassed.
” In the months and years between opportunities to vote , activists and organizers are hard at work demanding more from our elected officials and other authority figures right here , right now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets ; they are signing petitions and calling into local budget meetings ; they are distributing their wealth via mutual aid funds and directly supporting people in their communities .
They are refusing to accept performative allyship in lieu of solidarity , accountability , and — finally — justice .
●

Sometimes — a lot of the time, really — these performances work. For most (white) Americans, or at least those who aren’t activists or organizers or obsessive politicos, it’s often enough for leaders to at least look like they’re doing or saying the right things. Democrats and Republicans alike who find themselves longing for the guidance of presidents past — who still think there’s a world in which we could conceivably “go back to normal” — aren’t so much hungering for better policies, but for better optics. Trump, though he’s finally lost the support of some Republican leaders who say they won’t back his reelection, has nonetheless faithfully (if oafishly) executed much of the Republican agenda, from rollbacks of LGBTQ rights and environmental protections to flooding the courts with conservatives. Meanwhile, the liberals who wish Obama were still in power are banking on the symbolic promise of our first Black president, even though, as Cornel West put it to Anderson Cooper in a recent viral CNN clip, “the Black Lives Matter movement emerged under a Black president and a Black attorney general … and they still couldn’t deliver.”
So why all this nostalgia? Why are people like Katie Couric longing for Obama and George W. Bush to jointly address the nation as if the problems we’re facing today — born from systemic racism and unchecked corporate greed — didn’t flourish under both of their tenures? Why has Biden been able to run a successful campaign practically fueled by Obama-era reminiscence? It’s nostalgia not for policy so much as performance — for men who were more “presidential” and respectable than Trump, with his openly racist clownery, and for leaders who knew better than to say the quiet parts out loud.
But even though that nostalgia persists, it also seems as though more and more Americans, at least lately, are unwilling to be lulled into a sense of complacency by a strong, soothing leader. For many, it is no longer enough for those in power — from politicians and corporations to celebrities and influencers — to make mere gestures of solidarity with Black people without also doing the work. Now that evidence of police brutality and other racist evils is finally encouraging more white people to care, thanks in large part to the tireless work of activists and citizen journalists, performative allyship like the kente cloth disaster in Congress looks all the more absurd and all the more infuriatingly meager. As the protests keep unfolding, and as anti-racist activists continue making their voices heard — yielding extraordinary early results — it’s becoming much harder to ignore the gulf between a well-meaning but ultimately worthless tactical gesture and real, radical, substantive change.


buzzfeed--2020-06-10--A 16-Year-Old Boy Is Suing The Trump Administration, Claiming It's Using The Pandemic As An Excuse T

A 16-Year-Old Boy Is Suing The Trump Administration, Claiming It's Using The Pandemic As An Excuse To Deport Him

BuzzFeed News has reporters around the world bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations filed a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday challenging a controversial Trump administration policy that has turned back thousands of immigrants at the southern border , including children apprehended alone and asylum-seekers .
The lawsuit , filed in federal court in Washington , DC , was filed on behalf of a 16-year-old Honduran boy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection from persecution in his home country .
The teen , who is seeking to stop his imminent deportation , is the first to challenge an unprecedented policy that has all but shut down asylum at the southern border .
The ACLU also filed a second lawsuit challenging the policy on behalf of a 13-year-old girl from El Salvador who has already been deported under the new measures after coming to the US in April .
She had fled El Salvador because she was targeted by gangs that had previously threatened her mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint states .
“ During her apprehension , she fell into the Rio Grande River because she was trying to get away from CBP patrol dogs .
CBP sent her to the hospital , ” the suit , which was also filed in federal court in Washington , DC , states .
The girl was later deported on April 27 .
Meanwhile , the threat of persecution and torture to the girl `` is imminent and real , '' her lawyers wrote .
`` El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings of women and girls , ” they added .
Administration officials have said they are following public health orders designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the US , but advocates like the ACLU say they are using the health orders to violate federal laws that govern the processing of unaccompanied minors .
Department of Homeland Security officials have turned around thousands of immigrants , including children , at the southern border by using a March order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the country without authorization .
Previously , unaccompanied children from Central America picked up by Border Patrol agents would be sent to the Office of Refugee Resettlement ( ORR ) , where they would be housed in shelters across the country as they began officially applying for asylum and waited to be reunited with family members in the US .
But those referrals have dipped since the issuance of the CDC order and the agency received just 58 children for the entire month of April — lower than the average number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period prior to the order .
Instead , unaccompanied children at the border are turned back and deported by Department of Homeland Security officials under the CDC order .
“ The Administration ’ s use of [ the CDC order ] is a transparent end-run around Congress ’ s considered decision to provide protection to children and others fleeing danger even where communicable disease is a concern—and to address that concern through the use of testing and quarantines , not deportation , ” read the ACLU ’ s lawsuit .
The ORR referral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection Reauthorization Act , which was signed by then-president George W. Bush in 2008 .
Under the law , US Customs and Border Protection officials are generally required to refer the children within 72 hours to the US refugee agency .
The 16-year-old Honduran boy facing expulsion has been in CBP custody since June 4 , according to the lawsuit .
He fled the Central American country , attorneys said , after witnessing a murder and gang members threatened him afterward .
His father lives in the US .
Advocates said the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in seeking to eliminate statutory protections for vulnerable non-citizens and children .
And it is not only a ban on entry , but provides for summary expulsion for those who entered the country.
” They also note in the lawsuit that the US is already dealing with an outbreak of the disease .
“ Despite Defendants ’ claimed fear of ‘ introducing ’ infected individuals into the country , the United States is experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 that is substantially more serious than most of its neighbors , ” the lawsuit read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 death toll and one of the highest infection rates in the entire world .
As of June 7 , 2020 , the United States had over 1.94 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 , a rate of 5.91 people per thousand.
” The ACLU is requesting the order be declared unlawful as it applied to the 16-year-old child and to stop them from using it against him .
The deportation has temporarily been put on hold for 24 hours after advocates and the government came to an agreement .

The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations filed a lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday challenging a controversial Trump administration policy that has turned back thousands of immigrants at the southern border, including children apprehended alone and asylum-seekers.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, DC, was filed on behalf of a 16-year-old Honduran boy who fled to the US to seek protection from persecution in his home country. The teen, who is seeking to stop his imminent deportation, is the first to challenge an unprecedented policy that has all but shut down asylum at the southern border.
The ACLU also filed a second lawsuit challenging the policy on behalf of a 13-year-old girl from El Salvador who has already been deported under the new measures after coming to the US in April. She had fled El Salvador because she was targeted by gangs that had previously threatened her mother, a former police officer, the complaint states.
“During her apprehension, she fell into the Rio Grande River because she was trying to get away from CBP patrol dogs. CBP sent her to the hospital,” the suit, which was also filed in federal court in Washington, DC, states.
The girl was later deported on April 27.
Meanwhile, the threat of persecution and torture to the girl "is imminent and real," her lawyers wrote.
"El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates in the world and in particular gender-motivated killings of women and girls,” they added.
Administration officials have said they are following public health orders designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the US, but advocates like the ACLU say they are using the health orders to violate federal laws that govern the processing of unaccompanied minors.
Department of Homeland Security officials have turned around thousands of immigrants, including children, at the southern border by using a March order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that bars the entry of those who cross into the country without authorization.
Previously, unaccompanied children from Central America picked up by Border Patrol agents would be sent to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), where they would be housed in shelters across the country as they began officially applying for asylum and waited to be reunited with family members in the US.
But those referrals have dipped since the issuance of the CDC order and the agency received just 58 children for the entire month of April — lower than the average number of referrals in a single day in the period prior to the order. Instead, unaccompanied children at the border are turned back and deported by Department of Homeland Security officials under the CDC order.
“The Administration’s use of [the CDC order] is a transparent end-run around Congress’s considered decision to provide protection to children and others fleeing danger even where communicable disease is a concern—and to address that concern through the use of testing and quarantines, not deportation,” read the ACLU’s lawsuit.
The ORR referral process was created by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, which was signed by then-president George W. Bush in 2008. Under the law, US Customs and Border Protection officials are generally required to refer the children within 72 hours to the US refugee agency.
The 16-year-old Honduran boy facing expulsion has been in CBP custody since June 4, according to the lawsuit. He fled the Central American country, attorneys said, after witnessing a murder and gang members threatened him afterward. His father lives in the US.
Advocates said the use of the CDC order is “extreme in seeking to eliminate statutory protections for vulnerable non-citizens and children. And it is not only a ban on entry, but provides for summary expulsion for those who entered the country.”
They also note in the lawsuit that the US is already dealing with an outbreak of the disease.
“Despite Defendants’ claimed fear of ‘introducing’ infected individuals into the country, the United States is experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 that is substantially more serious than most of its neighbors,” the lawsuit read. “This country has the highest COVID-19 death toll and one of the highest infection rates in the entire world. As of June 7, 2020, the United States had over 1.94 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, a rate of 5.91 people per thousand.”
The ACLU is requesting the order be declared unlawful as it applied to the 16-year-old child and to stop them from using it against him.
The deportation has temporarily been put on hold for 24 hours after advocates and the government came to an agreement.


buzzfeed--2020-06-10--Trump’s Tweets Have Casualties

Trump’s Tweets Have Casualties

President Donald Trump has for years used Twitter , his rallies , and the White House podium as bully pulpits to launch harassment campaigns against his chosen targets : women , people of color , immigrants , protesters , reporters , Democrats , rivals , widowers , employees of social media companies .
In the early hours of Friday , he was finally held somewhat accountable , when Twitter hid a tweet threatening state violence against people protesting the police killing of George Floyd , a black man in Minneapolis .
The move was celebrated by some of Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by those concerned about the power of social media companies , and with condemnation by the president ’ s supporters .
It came one day after Trump issued an executive order that aims to make it easier for people to sue social media companies , a fight he has framed as a free speech issue after Twitter labeled two of his tweets as potential misinformation .
In the same meeting where he signed the order , he also said he would shut down Twitter altogether if he could , in case anyone thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a personal campaign by a president who can not stomach being challenged , even in the smallest way .
Is it useful to have direct access to the president ’ s brain ?
To know that not only would he like to unleash the military on protesters , but that he carries a saying from the 1960s by a racist Miami police chief — ” when the looting starts , the shooting starts ” — in his back pocket , typed out to the world as if it was no big deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after three years of this , believe that Trump doesn ’ t always understand the references he is making — like when he praised the “ bloodlines ” of famed anti-Semite Henry Ford during a visit to a Ford factory in Michigan last week .
The content of the Minneapolis tweet shows that to be untrue .
The debate is not dissimilar to the questions raised by Trump ’ s weekslong daily briefings near the start of the coronavirus crisis — is it harmful for him to suck up all the oxygen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the undecided or embarrassed white Trump voters who will swing the election in November , to be stripped of the privileged choice to ignore what he is really like ?
These questions will rage , but what they obscure is the effect on the people on whom Trump sets his ire .
His tweets have casualties .
The effects are real .
That was spelled out powerfully this week in a letter by Timothy Klausutis , a widower caught in the crosshairs of Trump ’ s erratic and conspiracy-laden missives about his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something that Gretchen Whitmer , the governor of Michigan , thinks about .
After Trump ’ s tweets , and statements — complete with nicknames , references to “ that woman , ” “ woman governor , ” and more — calling out her handling of the COVID crisis , protesters descended on the state capitol .
They also descended on her home , where she lives with her husband and daughters .
“ We all stood in the front of the residence and looked out the window and saw armed gunmen out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the front door , ” Whitmer told me this week .
“ It 's really destructive and it 's hurtful.
” Asked if she thought Trump shared the blame for the harassment she is experiencing , she got quiet for a moment and then said “ yes.
” “ I never anticipated being in the midst of a global pandemic , having to fend off political attacks while I 'm trying to save lives — political attacks from officeholders in Washington , DC , and here at our state capitol , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of the same observations my male colleagues have — in swing states and in not swing states — and I have been treated differently.
” It ’ s not just who Trump targets — overwhelmingly men and women of color , white women , immigrants — it is how he does it .
“ It 's messaging and it 's symbolism , ” Nina Muckenthaler , the president of the National Organization for Women in Michigan , told me .
“ He refuses to refer to her as governor or use her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s language about Whitmer .
“ When you 're reducing a person to a pronoun — her or she — and totally ignoring their status as a political leader , you ’ re erasing that .
And you 're erasing them as a person , you 're erasing their identity .
Once you do that , it 's much easier to hate people or to make them a target.
” “ It 's a form of disempowering them or trying to disempower them as people and to turn them into objects and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much easier to target them and it 's much more dangerous , ” Muckenthaler said .
“ I think it is an act of violence , at least symbolic violence .
And I think it can lead to actual physical violence.
” It ’ s a direct line from there to calling the protesters in Minneapolis “ thugs.
” Eboni Taylor , the Michigan executive director of Mothering Justice , a Michigan group that focuses on mothers of color , said hearing Trump ’ s attacks on the leadership in Michigan — not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel , the first openly gay woman to hold statewide office — was “ the nail in the coffin for me .
It actually was really hurtful.
” “ I think a lot of us have wondered , wow , what if I ran for secretary of state ? ''
Taylor said .
`` What if this were me ?
How much more would be coming down on me ?
How much more would this be coming down on another woman of color with the added layer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to folks of color ?
“ How much worse would this be , from protests to the armed folks showing up to the governor 's home ?
How much further could this be taken if it were a black woman or a Latinx woman ?
” There is a keen awareness that Trump uses his Twitter account , and his choice of targets , not just to set the agenda , but to rile up his active followers .
The call to shoot “ looters ” was an obvious provocation of Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s tweets when Trump sent it out just after midnight Friday .
That was made even more explicit by Friday morning , when the official White House Twitter account copy-and-pasted the message , practically daring Twitter to step in again , which it ultimately did .
The cycle this sets off among Trump ’ s loyalists has been repeated throughout his presidency : act as some of the worst harassers on the platform , and then cry censorship when the rules are applied .
And so they become the victims of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are going after .
Speaking about his targeting of the women in Michigan , Carolyn Cassin , president of Michigan Women Forward , said , “ I think fundamentally it is not as much gender motivated as it is politically motivated .
There 's gender bias in everything just like there 's racial bias .
“ But do I think that our president gets up every morning and thinks about how he can trash women ?
Probably not .
I do n't think he thinks we 're important enough to trash .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gets up every morning and thinks about what plays well to his base.
” That is clear in his polar opposite approaches to the largely white protesters in Michigan who have been demanding Whitmer change her coronavirus strategy , and to those protesting racist police violence in Minneapolis .
To Trump , gun-toting white protesters are “ very good people ” who deserve to be spoken to ; protesters in Minneapolis are “ thugs ” who deserve to be shot .
The shadow of his “ very fine people on both sides ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large .

President Donald Trump has for years used Twitter, his rallies, and the White House podium as bully pulpits to launch harassment campaigns against his chosen targets: women, people of color, immigrants, protesters, reporters, Democrats, rivals, widowers, employees of social media companies. In the early hours of Friday, he was finally held somewhat accountable, when Twitter hid a tweet threatening state violence against people protesting the police killing of George Floyd, a black man in Minneapolis.
The move was celebrated by some of Trump’s critics, met with conflicted thoughts by those concerned about the power of social media companies, and with condemnation by the president’s supporters. It came one day after Trump issued an executive order that aims to make it easier for people to sue social media companies, a fight he has framed as a free speech issue after Twitter labeled two of his tweets as potential misinformation. In the same meeting where he signed the order, he also said he would shut down Twitter altogether if he could, in case anyone thought the issue was actually free speech rather than a personal campaign by a president who cannot stomach being challenged, even in the smallest way.
Is it useful to have direct access to the president’s brain? To know that not only would he like to unleash the military on protesters, but that he carries a saying from the 1960s by a racist Miami police chief — ”when the looting starts, the shooting starts” — in his back pocket, typed out to the world as if it was no big deal? There are those who, somehow, after three years of this, believe that Trump doesn’t always understand the references he is making — like when he praised the “bloodlines” of famed anti-Semite Henry Ford during a visit to a Ford factory in Michigan last week. The content of the Minneapolis tweet shows that to be untrue.
The debate is not dissimilar to the questions raised by Trump’s weekslong daily briefings near the start of the coronavirus crisis — is it harmful for him to suck up all the oxygen? Or is it useful, including for the undecided or embarrassed white Trump voters who will swing the election in November, to be stripped of the privileged choice to ignore what he is really like?
These questions will rage, but what they obscure is the effect on the people on whom Trump sets his ire. His tweets have casualties. The effects are real. That was spelled out powerfully this week in a letter by Timothy Klausutis, a widower caught in the crosshairs of Trump’s erratic and conspiracy-laden missives about his dead wife.
It’s also something that Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, thinks about. After Trump’s tweets, and statements — complete with nicknames, references to “that woman,” “woman governor,” and more — calling out her handling of the COVID crisis, protesters descended on the state capitol. They also descended on her home, where she lives with her husband and daughters.
“We all stood in the front of the residence and looked out the window and saw armed gunmen out there with automatic rifles standing yards from the front door,” Whitmer told me this week. “It's really destructive and it's hurtful.”
Asked if she thought Trump shared the blame for the harassment she is experiencing, she got quiet for a moment and then said “yes.”
“I never anticipated being in the midst of a global pandemic, having to fend off political attacks while I'm trying to save lives — political attacks from officeholders in Washington, DC, and here at our state capitol,” she said. “I have made a lot of the same observations my male colleagues have — in swing states and in not swing states — and I have been treated differently.”
It’s not just who Trump targets — overwhelmingly men and women of color, white women, immigrants — it is how he does it.
“It's messaging and it's symbolism,” Nina Muckenthaler, the president of the National Organization for Women in Michigan, told me. “He refuses to refer to her as governor or use her name,” she said of Trump’s language about Whitmer. “When you're reducing a person to a pronoun — her or she — and totally ignoring their status as a political leader, you’re erasing that. And you're erasing them as a person, you're erasing their identity. Once you do that, it's much easier to hate people or to make them a target.”
“It's a form of disempowering them or trying to disempower them as people and to turn them into objects and depersonalize them, and therefore it becomes much easier to target them and it's much more dangerous,” Muckenthaler said. “I think it is an act of violence, at least symbolic violence. And I think it can lead to actual physical violence.”
It’s a direct line from there to calling the protesters in Minneapolis “thugs.”
Eboni Taylor, the Michigan executive director of Mothering Justice, a Michigan group that focuses on mothers of color, said hearing Trump’s attacks on the leadership in Michigan — not just Whitmer, but Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, the first openly gay woman to hold statewide office — was “the nail in the coffin for me. It actually was really hurtful.”
“I think a lot of us have wondered, wow, what if I ran for secretary of state?" Taylor said. "What if this were me? How much more would be coming down on me? How much more would this be coming down on another woman of color with the added layer because we've seen how he's responded to folks of color?
“How much worse would this be, from protests to the armed folks showing up to the governor's home? How much further could this be taken if it were a black woman or a Latinx woman?”
There is a keen awareness that Trump uses his Twitter account, and his choice of targets, not just to set the agenda, but to rile up his active followers.
The call to shoot “looters” was an obvious provocation of Twitter’s newfound concern over the president’s tweets when Trump sent it out just after midnight Friday. That was made even more explicit by Friday morning, when the official White House Twitter account copy-and-pasted the message, practically daring Twitter to step in again, which it ultimately did. The cycle this sets off among Trump’s loyalists has been repeated throughout his presidency: act as some of the worst harassers on the platform, and then cry censorship when the rules are applied. And so they become the victims of the narrative — rather than the people whom they are going after.
Speaking about his targeting of the women in Michigan, Carolyn Cassin, president of Michigan Women Forward, said, “I think fundamentally it is not as much gender motivated as it is politically motivated. There's gender bias in everything just like there's racial bias.
“But do I think that our president gets up every morning and thinks about how he can trash women? Probably not. I don't think he thinks we're important enough to trash. I would say that I think he gets up every morning and thinks about what plays well to his base.”
That is clear in his polar opposite approaches to the largely white protesters in Michigan who have been demanding Whitmer change her coronavirus strategy, and to those protesting racist police violence in Minneapolis. To Trump, gun-toting white protesters are “very good people” who deserve to be spoken to; protesters in Minneapolis are “thugs” who deserve to be shot. The shadow of his “very fine people on both sides” comments regarding the extremists in Charlottesville looms large.


buzzfeed--2020-06-11--A 16-Year-Old Boy Is Suing The Trump Administration, Claiming It's Using The Pandemic As An Excuse T