buzzfeed--2020-06-15--LGBTQ Americans Just Won A Massive Civil Rights Victory At The Supreme Court

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday issued its most sweeping decision ever to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination , finding that a federal ban on sex discrimination in workplaces also protects employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity .
Despite same-sex couples winning the right to marry in 2015 , firing workers for being LGBTQ has remained legal across much of the United States , since federal law does not specifically name sexual orientation or gender identity as protected classes , unlike race or national origin .
In a 6–3 decision , the court held that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on `` sex '' — Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — applied to cases involving LGBTQ workers .
`` Today , we must decide whether an employer can fire someone simply for being homosexual or transgender .
The answer is clear , '' Justice Neil Gorsuch — one of President Donald Trump 's two appointees to the court — wrote in the majority opinion .
`` An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision , exactly what Title VII forbids . ''
Monday 's decision will have a ripple effect across the nation , particularly by banning workplace bias in dozens of the country ’ s Republican-controlled states , which never enacted state laws banning anti-LGBTQ discrimination .
The ACLU , which was part of the team of lawyers representing LGBTQ workers who sued after being fired , released a statement calling on Congress to update other federal civil rights laws that prohibit sex-based discrimination to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals too .
`` Our work is not done .
There are still alarming gaps in federal civil rights laws that leave people — particularly Black and Brown LGBTQ people — open to discrimination in businesses open to the public and taxpayer-funded programs , '' James Esseks , director the ACLU 's LGBTQ & HIV Project , said in a statement .
`` Congress must affirm today ’ s decision and update our laws to ensure comprehensive and explicit protections for LGBTQ people and all people who face discrimination . ''
The Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Title VII to apply to workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity , reversing course from the Obama administration .
Trump touted the confirmations of Gorsuch and Kavanaugh as a political win and a means of advancing a broad conservative agenda , which has included rolling back protections for LGBTQ people .
But Monday 's decision highlights the fact that once judges and justices are confirmed to the federal bench , they enjoy lifetime tenure and are not beholden to the positions of the president who appointed them .
A Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request for comment .
Trump told reporters that he 'd read the ruling and called it a `` very powerful decision . ''
`` I 've read the decision , and some people were surprised but they 've ruled and we live with their decision , that 's what its all about , '' Trump said .
`` Very powerful .
A very powerful decision actually .
But they have so ruled , '' Trump said .
The decision comes just days after the Trump administration announced it was adopting a rule that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to transgender people .
Democrats in Congress called on the Trump administration to update federal regulations to reflect the court 's decision interpreting `` sex '' -based discrimination to apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity , including in the Affordable Care Act .
In a joint statement , House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler and Rep. Steve Cohen also urged the Senate to act on legislation already passed by the House that would update other civil rights laws that do n't ban sex-based discrimination .
`` [ T ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and this Supreme Court decision is just one step on the path to LGBTQ equality , '' Nadler and Cohen said .
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not immediately return a request for comment .
Title VII states that it 's unlawful for employers to refuse to hire someone , to fire a worker , or to otherwise discriminate based on `` race , color , religion , sex , or national origin . ''
Gorsuch wrote that Congress may not have been thinking about sexual orientation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term `` sex '' in that part of the Civil Rights Act , `` [ b ] ut the limits of the drafters ' imagination supply no reason to ignore the law 's demands . ''
`` The statute ’ s message for our cases is equally simple and momentous : An individual ’ s homosexuality or transgender status is not relevant to employment decisions , '' Gorsuch wrote .
`` That ’ s because it is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Roberts Jr. and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Stephen Breyer , Sonia Sotomayor , and Elena Kagan joined Gorsuch 's decision .
Justices Brett Kavanaugh — Trump 's other appointee to the court — Samuel Alito Jr. , and Clarence Thomas dissented .
Gorsuch rejected arguments by employers that as long as they treated all LGBTQ employees the same , it could n't be `` sex '' -based discrimination .
Employers had argued , for instance , that they could have a blanket policy of discriminating against LGBTQ people as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Gorsuch wrote that discrimination based on sexual orientation was ultimately about penalizing a man for being attracted to men and a woman for being attracted to women , and that gender identity discrimination was about punishing based on the sex they were identified with at birth .
`` Any way you slice it , the employer intentionally refuses to hire applicants in part because of the affected individuals ’ sex , even if it never learns any applicant ’ s sex , '' Gorsuch wrote .

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday issued its most sweeping decision ever to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination, finding that a federal ban on sex discrimination in workplaces also protects employees on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Despite same-sex couples winning the right to marry in 2015, firing workers for being LGBTQ has remained legal across much of the United States, since federal law does not specifically name sexual orientation or gender identity as protected classes, unlike race or national origin.
In a 6–3 decision, the court held that a federal law prohibiting workplace discrimination based on "sex" — Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 — applied to cases involving LGBTQ workers.
"Today, we must decide whether an employer can fire someone simply for being homosexual or transgender. The answer is clear," Justice Neil Gorsuch — one of President Donald Trump's two appointees to the court — wrote in the majority opinion.
"An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids."
Monday's decision will have a ripple effect across the nation, particularly by banning workplace bias in dozens of the country’s Republican-controlled states, which never enacted state laws banning anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
The ACLU, which was part of the team of lawyers representing LGBTQ workers who sued after being fired, released a statement calling on Congress to update other federal civil rights laws that prohibit sex-based discrimination to make clear that those laws apply to LGBTQ individuals too.
"Our work is not done. There are still alarming gaps in federal civil rights laws that leave people — particularly Black and Brown LGBTQ people — open to discrimination in businesses open to the public and taxpayer-funded programs," James Esseks, director the ACLU's LGBTQ & HIV Project, said in a statement.
"Congress must affirm today’s decision and update our laws to ensure comprehensive and explicit protections for LGBTQ people and all people who face discrimination."
The Justice Department under Trump had argued against interpreting Title VII to apply to workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, reversing course from the Obama administration. Trump touted the confirmations of Gorsuch and Kavanaugh as a political win and a means of advancing a broad conservative agenda, which has included rolling back protections for LGBTQ people.
But Monday's decision highlights the fact that once judges and justices are confirmed to the federal bench, they enjoy lifetime tenure and are not beholden to the positions of the president who appointed them.
A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. Trump told reporters that he'd read the ruling and called it a "very powerful decision."
"I've read the decision, and some people were surprised but they've ruled and we live with their decision, that's what its all about," Trump said. "Very powerful. A very powerful decision actually. But they have so ruled," Trump said.
The decision comes just days after the Trump administration announced it was adopting a rule that would allow health providers to deny services to transgender people.
Democrats in Congress called on the Trump administration to update federal regulations to reflect the court's decision interpreting "sex"-based discrimination to apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including in the Affordable Care Act.
In a joint statement, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler and Rep. Steve Cohen also urged the Senate to act on legislation already passed by the House that would update other civil rights laws that don't ban sex-based discrimination.
"[T]he forces against equality are still strong, and this Supreme Court decision is just one step on the path to LGBTQ equality," Nadler and Cohen said.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not immediately return a request for comment.
Title VII states that it's unlawful for employers to refuse to hire someone, to fire a worker, or to otherwise discriminate based on "race, color, religion, sex, or national origin."
Gorsuch wrote that Congress may not have been thinking about sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination when lawmakers included the term "sex" in that part of the Civil Rights Act, "[b]ut the limits of the drafters' imagination supply no reason to ignore the law's demands."
"The statute’s message for our cases is equally simple and momentous: An individual’s homosexuality or transgender status is not relevant to employment decisions," Gorsuch wrote. "That’s because it is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex."
Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan joined Gorsuch's decision. Justices Brett Kavanaugh — Trump's other appointee to the court — Samuel Alito Jr., and Clarence Thomas dissented.
Gorsuch rejected arguments by employers that as long as they treated all LGBTQ employees the same, it couldn't be "sex"-based discrimination. Employers had argued, for instance, that they could have a blanket policy of discriminating against LGBTQ people as long as they treated men and women the same.
But Gorsuch wrote that discrimination based on sexual orientation was ultimately about penalizing a man for being attracted to men and a woman for being attracted to women, and that gender identity discrimination was about punishing based on the sex they were identified with at birth.
"Any way you slice it, the employer intentionally refuses to hire applicants in part because of the affected individuals’ sex, even if it never learns any applicant’s sex," Gorsuch wrote.


buzzfeed--2020-06-15--Many Police Departments Have Software That Can Identify People In Crowds

As protesters demand an end to police brutality and the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the nation , police departments around the country are using software that can track and identify people in crowds from surveillance footage — often with little to no public oversight or knowledge .
Dozens of cities around the country are using BriefCam , which sells software that allows police to comb through surveillance footage to monitor protests and enforce social distancing , and almost all of these cities have hosted protests against police brutality in the weeks since George Floyd was killed in police custody , BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities using BriefCam ’ s technology — such as New Orleans and St. Paul — have been the site of extreme police violence , with officers using rubber bullets , tear gas , and batons on protesters .
Authorities in Chicago ; Boston ; Detroit ; Denver ; Doral , Florida ; Hartford , Connecticut ; and Santa Fe County , New Mexico have also used it .
Some cities said they were not using BriefCam in conjunction with the protests or the pandemic .
The St. Paul Police Department told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to detect social distancing or face masks ” or “ for crowd detection/monitoring protests.
” The department representative did not respond when asked if there is department policy that prevents it .
BriefCam shows the line between contact tracing , policing , and surveillance can be thin — as cities can spend tens of thousands of dollars for powerful technology , with few restrictions on how police can use it .
BriefCam did not return multiple requests for comment or respond to a detailed list of questions .
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ telling BuzzFeed News , “ This product appears to offer exactly the kind of indiscriminate surveillance that makes so many Americans concerned about government use of facial recognition technology.
” `` Congress should step in and block the use of facial recognition by police in this manner until there are ironclad rules to protect against inaccurate discriminatory algorithms and misuse , '' Wyden added .
`` This company should be held responsible for any and all harm that springs from misidentifications as the company is knowingly marketing a product that can not provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Founded in 2007 by Hebrew University researchers and now owned by camera company Canon , the Israel-based company sells a system called “ Protect & Insights ” that lets police and private companies filter hours of closed circuit television and home surveillance and create excerpts of a few relevant moments .
Protect & Insights has built-in facial recognition and license plate reader searches , and lets police create “ Watch Lists ” of faces and license plates .
The company also said its tool could filter out “ men , women , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , animals , size , color , speed , path , direction , dwell time , and more.
” This month , BriefCam launched a new “ Proximity Identification '' feature , which it marketed as a way to combat the COVID-19 pandemic .
The company claimed it could gauge the distance between individuals , detect who is wearing a mask and who is n't , and identify crowds and bottlenecks .
In a brochure , BriefCam said that these features could be combined with facial recognition to determine the identities of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Advanced multi-camera search powerfully identifies men , women and children in video with speed and precision , ” BriefCam claims on its website .
“ Accurate face recognition can be leveraged to rapidly pinpoint people of interest using digital images extracted from the video or from external sources .
”

It’s unclear if BriefCam can do everything it claims. The company is not a registered vendor of facial recognition software through the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which evaluates facial recognition vendors that are operating worldwide. BriefCam representatives have also never conducted any of the University of Washington’s MegaFace tests, commonly used to assess the accuracy of facial recognition software, according to a list of vendors that downloaded a MegaFace dataset as of February 2020, obtained via public record request.
However, the company has made stunning claims about its ability to parse video footage and extract information about people captured on camera. And police departments have a large appetite for what the company claims to offer: “real-time” crime intelligence, and the ability to "react preventively and proactively” to information” and help in ”reducing the crime rate, spurring economic growth, and enabling situational awareness.”
City governments around the country have paid significant amounts of money to use BriefCam. Denver paid more than $250,000 for BriefCam licenses in 2019. Tulare County, California paid over $119,000 for BriefCam. When Springfield, Massachusetts, paid Motorola $1 million for "hardware, software and radio system upgrades" in 2018, BriefCam was part of the package. Motorola is one of BriefCam's biggest investors, although BriefCam was acquired by Canon in 2018 for a reported $90 million.
Some of the biggest police departments in the country have used BriefCam. The Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, where law enforcement has unleashed some of the most severe violence on protesters in the country, paid for BriefCam in 2015. An MPD spokesperson told BuzzFeed News the department did not currently use it, but did not say when it had stopped.
A spokesperson for Arlington, Texas, which paid $76,000 for BriefCam in 2019, told BuzzFeed News that its police department only used BriefCam for criminal investigations. “We do NOT use the program for social distancing, face mask, to monitor protests, or any other reasons,” the spokesperson said. But there is a department policy that prevents these applications of the technology, according to the spokesperson.
Police departments outside the US have also used BriefCam, including the Abu Dhabi Monitoring & Control Centre, the Paris Police Prefecture, the Indonesian National Police, the Singapore Police Force, and the Royal Thai Police, according to the company. BriefCam’s technology was also used in Brazil at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and the Boston Police Department said they used it to investigate the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
BriefCam isn’t always used or managed by a city or county’s local police department. A representative for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department — a county that paid for BriefCam as a part of a Motorola services package in 2016 — said that the county Regional Emergency Communication Center manages BriefCam, not the sheriff’s department. But the RECC is still a law enforcement agency.
Other cities that have paid for BriefCam include Beverly Hills, California; Overland Park, Kansas; Miami Gardens, Florida, according to the company, as well as Lawrence, Kansas, in 2020; Inglewood, California, and Glendale, Arizona, in 2018; and Coral Gables, Florida in 2016.
“Our primary use of BriefCam has been reviewing large segments of recorded video to locate a suspect or find an event,” an Overland Park Police Department representative told BuzzFeed News. “If we need to review 24 hours of video to locate someone or an offense we can usually get through that in about 20 to 30 minutes with BriefCam. This is a huge time saver for the PD making us much more productive.”
San Diego; Mooresville, North Carolina; Lansing, Michigan, and West Hollywood, California, have all considered BriefCam recently, but it’s unclear if they followed through with contracts.
There are currently no federal guidelines restricting the use of video analytics, license plate reader, and facial recognition software offered by companies like BriefCam. Neema Singh Guliani a senior legislative counsel with the ACLU said that city governments often acquire these technologies without public oversight or debate.
“If something is for a public health purpose, like contact tracing, there’s no need for it to be secret,” Singh Guliani said. “The fact that there hasn’t been that proactive transparency I think is a giant red flag, and I think it raises questions about whether it will contribute to the deterioration in trust of public health efforts more broadly.”


buzzfeed--2020-06-16--A Black Lives Matter Protester Was Shot At A Demonstration In Albuquerque

A protester in Albuquerque , New Mexico is in “ critical but stable condition ” after he was shot on Monday evening , police announced .
The unidentified demonstrator was part of a group calling for the removal of a statue of a 16th century ruler linked to the massacre of hundreds of Native Americans .
In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd , demonstrators around the world have been tearing down statues of figures linked to slavery and racism .
Footage online shows several clashes between protesters and members of the New Mexico Civil Guard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protect the statue of the ruler , Juan de Oñate .
The demonstration was disrupted by gunshots .
Albuquerque police detained members of the militia for questioning , as well as one other man who was on the scene and appeared to be involved in a confrontation with several protesters but was dressed differently than the militia members .
“ We are receiving reports about vigilante groups possibly instigating this violence , ” the police announced .
“ If this is true will be holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and prosecution.
” The New Mexico Civil Guard have made their presence felt at local demonstrations , including a Black Lives Matter protest which took place at the University of New Mexico .
Members arrived dressed in body armor and armed with assault style weapons .
The same right-wing group has previously patrolled borders to detain migrant families at gunpoint before turning them in to Border Patrol agents .

"For weeks our community has been peacefully protesting against racism that has been ingrained so deeply in our system and the system around the country," Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said during a press conference. "The shooting last night in old town at the Oñate sculpture was [a] horrific and unacceptable act of violence. This is something that despite all of that dialogue should never happen."
While the investigation is ongoing, Keller said Tuesday it appears that Baca was "agitating" protesters well before the shooting took place.
"Multiple witnesses and some videos and reports have shown that he violently was throwing a woman to the ground before the fighting broke out," he said.
According to a criminal complaint filed by police, Baca was observed utilizing pepper spray on protesters before being struck with a longboard by another person in the crowd.
After Baca fell to the ground, a second individual, identified as the victim, picked up the longboard and began swinging toward his head, the complaint said. At that point, Baca allegedly fired several gunshots.
It wasn't clear whether Baca had an affiliation with any militia groups. On Facebook, the Curry County chapter of the New Mexico Civil Guard claimed Baca was not associated with their group.
"Our members had stepped away from the protestors, stepped back to watch them pull the statue down. They were no where near the shooter," the post reads. "They ran towards the shooter when they heard the shots, disarmed the shooter, preventing anymore protestors from being shot. They circled to shooter to prevent any of the protestors from their continuing attacks. Our members did not pick a side, they stopped the violence on both sides."
The New Mexico Civil Guard have made their presence felt at local demonstrations, including a Black Lives Matter protest which took place at the University of New Mexico.
Members arrived dressed in body armor and armed with assault-style weapons.
The same right-wing group has previously patrolled borders to detain migrant families at gunpoint before turning them in to Border Patrol agents.
“We are receiving reports about vigilante groups possibly instigating this violence,” the police announced. “If this is true will be holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law, including federal hate group designation and prosecution.”


buzzfeed--2020-06-16--The Supreme Court's LGBTQ Decision Will Have Huge Impacts For Those In States With No Prior Protecti

The Supreme Court's LGBTQ Decision Will Have Huge Impacts For Those In States With No Prior Protections

It was estimated last year that half of all LGBTQ Americans lived in states where they had no legal protections from workplace discrimination .
Not any more .
She tossed and turned for hours , knowing it was possible that a court ruling could come out in the morning that could change not only her life , but the lives of so many people like her .
She woke up , took a long shower to calm her nerves , and then checked her phone .
It was blowing up with messages that all said the same thing : Across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal to discriminate against LGBTQ people in the workplace .
“ I was just shaking uncontrollably and crying , ” Mosby , 52 , told BuzzFeed News .
“ I had to kind of pull myself together from that because it was just sheer joy.
” Monday ’ s Supreme Court decision marks one of the greatest civil rights victories in the history of the LGBTQ community .
In a sweeping 6–3 vote , the top US court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , a federal law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` sex , ” also applied to discrimination against LGBTQ people .
In an instant , the monumental decision secured worker rights for people like Mosby , a transgender woman in Georgia , who live in conservative states where such protections did not yet exist .
“ I ’ ve got a queer kid as well , and she ’ s with me , and we were both having a great cry-fest , ” Mosby said .
“ This is going to mean a lot , for my kid as well , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mosby previously worked as the fire chief in Byron , Georgia , a position she held for over a decade .
When she came out to her colleagues as transgender in 2018 , she said she began experiencing workplace discrimination , including misgendering , being called anti-trans slurs , and being reprimanded for wearing a skirt , according to court filings .
In June 2019 , she was fired .
Officials blamed her dismissal on poor performance , but Mosby said she does not believe that ’ s the real reason .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a lawsuit against her city , alleging discrimination based on her gender identity .
Now , with discrimination against LGBTQ people being made illegal nationwide , Mosby said she feels newfound confidence that she will win her case .
“ It gave me an immediate sense of validation and put me on a little more sure footing for my outlook for the future , especially with my case going forward , ” she said .
“ It makes me extremely optimistic now that we will win.
” Some 21 states already had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual orientation and gender identity , according to an analysis last year from the think tank Movement Advancement Project , but Monday ’ s ruling has made it the law of the land .
Prior to the decision , roughly half of the more than 8 million LGBTQ people in the US lived in states without explicit protections if they experienced discrimination at work .
In the wake of the decision , Raquel Willis — one of the founders of the Transgender Law Center 's Black Trans Circles , a program aimed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Midwest — paid tribute on Twitter to one of the plaintiffs who died prior to Monday 's decision and recalled once being afraid to come out in the workplace .
`` At my first job , I was stealth out of survival .
I was n't out as trans because I was afraid of being fired , '' Willis wrote .
`` Today 's # SCOTUS ruling will encourage so many more folks to move beyond that fear .
We honor you , Mrs. Aimee Stephens , for your fight .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Stacy Bailey , an elementary school art teacher in Texas , settled a discrimination lawsuit in February against her school district after it suspended her in 2017 for showing students a photo of her wife , Julie Vazquez .
For Bailey , Monday ’ s ruling was a moment of both celebration and reflection .
“ My wife ran towards me , we hugged and jumped and she started crying , ” said the 34-year-old teacher .
“ It was a very dramatic scene in the Bailey-Vazquez household.
” They immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balcony .
“ It really brought me to my knees , ” she said , “ and to tears to think maybe people really aren ’ t going to have to deal with this much longer and maybe other gay teachers like me are not going to have to go through the trauma and the battle that I had to go through.
” Bailey donated her payout from the settlement to Dallas Resource Center Youth First , a Texas charity for young LGBTQ people , but she lost her beloved job at an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local high school .
“ Unfortunately , I will feel the pain of what happened to me for the rest of my life , ” Bailey said .
“ Nothing can undo what happened to me because of discrimination.
” “ [ The court ’ s decision ] was just overwhelming for someone like me , whose life has been completely turned upside down and faced a lot of trauma because of discrimination in the workplace , ” said Bailey .
Jasmine Beach-Ferrara , the executive director of the Campaign for Southern Equality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights and protections for LGBTQ Southerners , told BuzzFeed News that a Supreme Court ruling , rather than state-by-state laws , creates protections for LGBTQ workers “ in a universal way , rather than a patchwork sort of blanket that we ’ ve been dealing with.
” “ The South is home to more than 5 million LGBT folks , and most people have lacked the basic protections around workplace discrimination , ” Beach-Ferrara said .
“ It ’ s a tremendous and historic day , and another significant step forward in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law for LGBTQ people.
” Beach-Ferrara said that as recently as this past weekend , she ’ d received an email from someone experiencing this form of workplace discrimination .
“ [ This decision ] means that people will be protected from being fired because of who they are or who they love , ” she said .
“ What this ruling means is that in every single town , in every state across the South , people will now have those protections in place.
” But Bailey , the Texas teacher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinions will change as easily .
She called on school districts , states , and governments to continue to push for antidiscrimination policies that line up with the Supreme Court ruling .
“ I do want people like me to be very aware that just because a federal ruling has passed , ” said Bailey , “ it does not erase the decades of prejudice that surround us , especially in Texas , especially in rural or small communities.
” Cierra , a 23-year-old bisexual woman in Missouri , told BuzzFeed News she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her former workplace , an ice rink in St. Louis .
( Cierra asked that her last name not be used because she is not currently out to her whole family . )
“ This decision that came out today is so important because , while I don ’ t always tell the people I work with my sexual identity , I have been in a room with my former boss and he made homophobic statements but I was too scared to say anything , ” she said .
“ I just remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over , I just wanted to get out of this situation and not have him know that this made me feel uncomfortable.
” With Monday ’ s SCOTUS ruling , Cierra said she feels a sense of relief that she does not ever have to put up with such treatment .
“ If another employee or boss makes a comment , ” she said , “ I can take a stand [ and ] calmly inform them , but know that I can come back to work the next day and not lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most important thing to get across now is that we , in the community , have a little more freedom than yesterday , ” Cierra said .
“ And while we still don ’ t have the same rights as a straight person , life is a little better today.
” Bailey agreed , comparing the historic decision to the joy she felt in marriage equality becoming law , which she said allowed her to say the word “ wife ” in any public situation .
“ That word came with power and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does something similar to us , ” she said .
“ We ’ re going to be able to walk into our workplace with our head up .
We are allowed to be ourselves .
”

Rachel Mosby could barely sleep Sunday night.
She tossed and turned for hours, knowing it was possible that a court ruling could come out in the morning that could change not only her life, but the lives of so many people like her. She woke up, took a long shower to calm her nerves, and then checked her phone. It was blowing up with messages that all said the same thing: Across the United States, it was now illegal to discriminate against LGBTQ people in the workplace.
“I was just shaking uncontrollably and crying,” Mosby, 52, told BuzzFeed News. “I had to kind of pull myself together from that because it was just sheer joy.”
Monday’s Supreme Court decision marks one of the greatest civil rights victories in the history of the LGBTQ community. In a sweeping 6–3 vote, the top US court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law prohibiting discrimination in the workplace based on "sex,” also applied to discrimination against LGBTQ people.
In an instant, the monumental decision secured worker rights for people like Mosby, a transgender woman in Georgia, who live in conservative states where such protections did not yet exist.
“I’ve got a queer kid as well, and she’s with me, and we were both having a great cry-fest,” Mosby said. “This is going to mean a lot, for my kid as well, and for the generations that come behind this.”
Mosby previously worked as the fire chief in Byron, Georgia, a position she held for over a decade. When she came out to her colleagues as transgender in 2018, she said she began experiencing workplace discrimination, including misgendering, being called anti-trans slurs, and being reprimanded for wearing a skirt, according to court filings.
In June 2019, she was fired. Officials blamed her dismissal on poor performance, but Mosby said she does not believe that’s the real reason. Just over a month ago, she filed a lawsuit against her city, alleging discrimination based on her gender identity.
Now, with discrimination against LGBTQ people being made illegal nationwide, Mosby said she feels newfound confidence that she will win her case. “It gave me an immediate sense of validation and put me on a little more sure footing for my outlook for the future, especially with my case going forward,” she said. “It makes me extremely optimistic now that we will win.”


buzzfeed--2020-06-16--He Trains Cops On Riot Control. He Admits He “Fluffed Up” His Résumé.

Geoff Perrin acknowledges he inflated his résumé , but says it hasn ’ t helped him get work with American police departments “ because they just go , ‘ What do you guys know about guns ?
’ ” The day before federal police officers gassed peaceful protesters to make way for a President Donald Trump photo op , Geoff Perrin posted a picture on Instagram of officers bearing riot shields and squaring off with a group of demonstrators .
Perrin was “ at the White House , ” where he “ served as an adviser to the US Secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protecting the area , ” his company announced , using the hashtags “ # riotcontrol ” and “ # publicorder.
” A second post showed a line of armored police vehicles .
“ We are just waiting for them to pull the pin , ” Perrin wrote in the caption .
Perrin has trained police officers around the country .
His website features Molotov cocktails , riot vans , and semiautomatic assault rifles .
Muscular and tanned with a salt-and-pepper crew cut , Perrin dishes out wisdom in a clipped South London accent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he explains how riot shields “ could be used as a weapon as well if need be.
” Perrin ’ s teaching draws on martial arts , as well as American and British police tactics , the latter of which he has claimed to have learned during years as an elite instructor and “ tactical adviser ” for the UK ’ s Metropolitan Police Service .
But several of those claims are false .
Perrin was never a `` tactical adviser '' and he did not teach the advanced instruction courses he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former officers say the methods he has been teaching US law enforcement are far more aggressive than anything advocated by the Met .
Perrin ’ s teachings are “ self-made , unproven , and legally not defensible , ” a British police training coordinator told BuzzFeed News on condition of anonymity .
“ The only reason why he 's got so far is because the US police are so far back in methodology and tactics therefore they believe his bullshit.
” In phone interviews , Perrin admitted that he has made erroneous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience .
Less than an hour after the first phone call , Perrin ’ s biography on his company website was taken down .
Perrin also acknowledged that , contrary to the impression his social media has created , he has not been working as a formal “ adviser ” with the Secret Service or the Park Police during the George Floyd protests .
He said he has previously trained officers from both agencies , and wanted to give them a “ basic refresh ” and to supply them with helmets and limbguards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch officers get injured because they didn ’ t have any equipment , ” Perrin said .
He said he has not been paid for this work , and that he “ did not write ” the company announcement that described him as an adviser .
Neither the Secret Service nor the Park Police responded to repeated requests for comment about their relationship , if any , with Perrin .
The Maryland State Police confirmed to BuzzFeed News that it has worked with him and said that he gave the department legitimate credentials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with British police .
Federal records show that his company has also won contracts with the Department of Defense .
Perrin said he left the UK for family reasons , and because he believes that higher-ups there don ’ t do enough to protect cops who are trying to subdue crowds .
But he was also sharply critical of “ dinosaur tactics ” in US policing .
Many police departments offer “ no training for what these guys are facing , ” Perrin said .
“ Because they ’ re so dumb , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to see a different viewpoint other than use of force ” when responding to protesters .
“ They just say , ‘ Geoff , this is how we do things in America , ’ ” he said .
“ My team are quite excited about the fact that US is actually going to look at some reforms because it needs to happen.
” Perrin told BuzzFeed News that he is a “ massive advocate ” against the use of tear gas .
Before officers in Washington cleared the protest to make way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of St. John 's church , Perrin said he had been “ concerned ” about how much tear gas officers had and pushed commanders to “ use other tactics.
” He claimed the Secret Service and Park Police largely followed his advice , and he blamed “ other agencies ” — namely the DC Metropolitan Police — for its use .
He also pointed out that there were other federal officers there that night who refused to identify themselves .
Both the Secret Service and the Park Police have acknowledged using chemical agents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the officers on the ground had “ honest intentions , ” Perrin said , and were short on both staff and supplies .
“ The police did the best they could with the equipment and the personnel they had.
” In 2001 , violence erupted in the South London neighborhood of Brixton after an unarmed Black man named Derek Bennett was shot dead by the police .
Metropolitan Police officers were accused of using excessive force to control the crowds .
Geoff Perrin was a medic with the force at the time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London borough of Lewisham .
He grew up in Brixton , and said the way police used to target his Black friends influenced his decision to join the force .
“ I wanted to see a change to policing , ” he said .
But Perrin said he grew outraged at the way that police leadership responded to the 2001 unrest — he felt that rank-and-file officers were “ thrown under the bus like sacrificial lambs.
” Neither the Met and nor the UK 's Home Office responded to repeated requests for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2004 , Perrin left the Met .
Soon afterward he moved to the US .
He claimed that his training methods had drastically reduced the number of officer injuries in Lewisham , and told BuzzFeed News he believed he might help police departments in the US do the same .
In 2006 , he helped start Survival Edge Tactical Solutions , based in Utah , with a fellow ex-cop , Jared Wihongi .
Once in the US , Perrin began winning contracts with American police forces to train them on crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as on the use of protective gear .
Perrin also claimed during one phone interview that he spent a few years “ teaching counterterrorism stuff for the FBI for their missions overseas.
” The bio on his website listed work in numerous countries , including Cyprus , Germany , Croatia , Mongolia , Kenya , France , Canada , Singapore , and the Netherlands .
The FBI did not respond to a request for comment .
His website says he has worked with a number of state and local departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta Police Department .
Neither force responded to a request for comment .
While in Utah , Perrin was involved in the creation of a charity calendar featuring British bikini models firing guns , riding tanks , and posing with heavy artillery and soldiers in uniform .
Two Utah police officers and several Utah National Guard members were suspended after a video of the “ Hot Shots ” shoot — featuring Perrin ’ s name in the credits — was posted on YouTube .
“ There was nothing untoward , it was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perrin said .
But “ it raised a hell of a lot of money for the help for heroes and special ops charities over here.
” That same year , he began working with the Maryland State Police , which was reviewing its own practices in the wake of mass unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray .
Thanks to his training , “ we have updated our personal protective equipment to better protect our troopers and implemented tactics that enable us to end volatile situations quickly , while protecting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
It is unclear exactly when Perrin started overstating his credentials , but a Salt Lake Tribune article about the “ Hot Shots ” controversy refers to Perrin as a “ tactical adviser.
” This is a phrase that holds serious meaning in UK policing circles — it reflects a specific job and elite training .
To qualify for the job , an officer must pass a four-week course that is “ generally regarded as the most physical course in the police , ” a former public order instructor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very highly regarded role.
” Perrin used that term in the now-deleted bio on his website , and it is referenced in Facebook posts and in interviews .
In an interview that Perrin did with an apparel company selling protective gear , an officer is photographed back to camera wearing a helmet plastered with a Union Jack sticker and the insignia `` Tactical Advisor . ''
Perrin also claimed to have been an elite instructor for the Met ’ s public order unit .
Perrin acknowledged that he wasn ’ t as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his résumé , and that he didn ’ t work in the police ’ s central headquarters but at a local level , in the London borough of Lewisham .
“ I ’ ll own it , ” Perrin said of his résumé .
“ Yes , you know what , it was definitely fluffed up , and it ’ s being cleaned up 100 % .
” Perrin told BuzzFeed News that he hadn ’ t used the statements in his bio to obtain any of his current contracts , because “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British policing , ” so he has to win business by doing demonstrations .
“ Nothing on that CV has helped me at all , ” he said , “ because they just go ‘ What do you guys know about guns ?
What do you guys know about policing the type of violence we police here ?
’ ” Perrin insisted he got to where he is by hard work alone .
Perrin describes the methods behind his “ hybrid ” police-martial arts model in a number of videos online .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his arm in a punching motion to demonstrate how to “ distance people.
” Perrin says this is an effective “ defensive ” method if the officer doesn ’ t have a baton .
The move bears an eerie resemblance to one used by a Park Police officer on June 1 against an Australian news camera operator , which prompted an apology from the Park Police after Australia ’ s prime minister denounced the incident .
Perrin told BuzzFeed News that the officer used his elbow in a way that “ we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s taste , the officer “ would have to justify ” his use of the technique .
But he said the video doesn ’ t necessarily show the whole picture .
“ I can ’ t give you his perception or his fear of what happened , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t know what happened before in that corner.
” “ I can ’ t speak for what was going through his head at that period of time , ” he added .
“ I don ’ t know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ d done continued days of 16 hours extended tours , I just don ’ t know .
Everyone has a different perception of fear.
” Perrin said his methods are all about reducing violence in riot control — by properly protecting officers .
“ You can ’ t expect them to stand out there and take projectiles , ” he said .
“ Nobody wants to get hurt , and when an officer gets hurt , they can sometimes use more force than they may have intended.
” Three of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to BuzzFeed News said Perrin ’ s methods had little in common with what is taught in the UK , where officers rarely wear heavy-duty anti-riot equipment or military gear , and are taught to use force less frequently .
Perrin told BuzzFeed News the difference is intentional .
He believes British police leaders don ’ t do enough to protect cops trying to subdue crowds , and that Americans often go too far .
His “ hybrid ” approach is a balance between the two , he said .
Perrin believes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his success .
“ There ’ s a few people back home who are jealous that a South London boy who has come from pretty much nothing has done quite well for himself , ” he said .
Perrin also pointed out that the mayhem in Washington on June 1 contrasted sharply with the work of his clients a short drive away in Maryland .
The Maryland State Police were called into action in Baltimore , where protests broke out soon after George Floyd ’ s death .
According to multiple news reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did in other cities .
The day before Trump 's walk to Lafayette Square , Perrin wrote about a double role — and dizzying schedule — on Instagram .
`` From being down at the White House supporting our US Secret Service Level 1 team to then running with two Maryland State Police Level 1 teams to Baltimore .
The teams did could [ sic ] crushed any problems in the City and Baltimore did not burn .
Outstanding work and am safe and now in bed at 05.46 . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrying the president overhead .
`` Mr T coming home last night just before we got the call to go to Baltimore , '' the caption read .
Perrin did not post anything about the events at Lafayette Square .
And he has continued to post on social media , including from inside the White House , about working with the federal government .
On June 6 , D-Day , Perrin posted a video saying he `` was down at the White House training the White House personnel as in secret service '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the map room to look at World War II maps .
D-Day was a reminder of when “ America showed everybody what they can do , ” he said .
●

In 2001, violence erupted in the South London neighborhood of Brixton after an unarmed Black man named Derek Bennett was shot dead by the police. Metropolitan Police officers were accused of using excessive force to control the crowds.
Geoff Perrin was a medic with the force at the time, and an officer safety instructor in the London borough of Lewisham. He grew up in Brixton, and said the way police used to target his Black friends influenced his decision to join the force. “I wanted to see a change to policing,” he said.
But Perrin said he grew outraged at the way that police leadership responded to the 2001 unrest — he felt that rank-and-file officers were “thrown under the bus like sacrificial lambs.” Neither the Met and nor the UK's Home Office responded to repeated requests for comment about Perrin's time with British police.
In 2004, Perrin left the Met. Soon afterward he moved to the US. He claimed that his training methods had drastically reduced the number of officer injuries in Lewisham, and told BuzzFeed News he believed he might help police departments in the US do the same. In 2006, he helped start Survival Edge Tactical Solutions, based in Utah, with a fellow ex-cop, Jared Wihongi.
Once in the US, Perrin began winning contracts with American police forces to train them on crowd management and how to de-escalate tense situations, as well as on the use of protective gear.
Perrin also claimed during one phone interview that he spent a few years “teaching counterterrorism stuff for the FBI for their missions overseas.” The bio on his website listed work in numerous countries, including Cyprus, Germany, Croatia, Mongolia, Kenya, France, Canada, Singapore, and the Netherlands. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment.
His website says he has worked with a number of state and local departments, including the Utah Highway Patrol and Atlanta Police Department. Neither force responded to a request for comment.
While in Utah, Perrin was involved in the creation of a charity calendar featuring British bikini models firing guns, riding tanks, and posing with heavy artillery and soldiers in uniform. Two Utah police officers and several Utah National Guard members were suspended after a video of the “Hot Shots” shoot — featuring Perrin’s name in the credits — was posted on YouTube.
“There was nothing untoward, it was just way too racy for Utah,” Perrin said. But “it raised a hell of a lot of money for the help for heroes and special ops charities over here.”
That same year, he began working with the Maryland State Police, which was reviewing its own practices in the wake of mass unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray. Thanks to his training, “we have updated our personal protective equipment to better protect our troopers and implemented tactics that enable us to end volatile situations quickly, while protecting the rights of peaceful protesters," a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News.
It is unclear exactly when Perrin started overstating his credentials, but a Salt Lake Tribune article about the “Hot Shots” controversy refers to Perrin as a “tactical adviser.”
This is a phrase that holds serious meaning in UK policing circles — it reflects a specific job and elite training. To qualify for the job, an officer must pass a four-week course that is “generally regarded as the most physical course in the police,” a former public order instructor told BuzzFeed News. “It's a very highly regarded role.”
Perrin used that term in the now-deleted bio on his website, and it is referenced in Facebook posts and in interviews. In an interview that Perrin did with an apparel company selling protective gear, an officer is photographed back to camera wearing a helmet plastered with a Union Jack sticker and the insignia "Tactical Advisor."


buzzfeed--2020-06-16--Ilhan Omar's Father Died From The Coronavirus

`` No words can describe what he meant to me and all who knew and loved him . ''
Rep. Ilhan Omar 's father , Nur Omar Mohamed , died Monday after contracting COVID-19 , Omar 's office announced Monday .
He was 67 years old .
`` No words can describe what he means to me and all who knew him , '' Omar said in a press release .
`` My family and I ask for your respect and privacy during this time . ''
Omar also shared `` tremendous sadness and pain '' on her social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ilayhi raji'cuun , '' she wrote .
`` Surely we belong to God and to him shall we return . ''
`` Our smiles always match , '' she wrote on an Instagram story caption to a recent photograph with her father and her husband , Tim Mynett .
Before they left Somalia due to the civil war , her father used to train teachers .
They stayed in Dadaab , the refugee camp in Kenya , for four years and arrived in the United States in 1996 .
Upon arrival , Omar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't the same as the one she saw .
`` This doesn ’ t look like the America you promised , ” she said .
`` We ’ re getting to our America , Ilhan .
You have to be patient , '' her dad replied , according to the Minneapolis City Pages .
Her daughter , Isra Hirsi , tweeted a photo with her grandfather .
`` Love you forever and always Awoowe , '' she wrote .
`` Miss you already . ''
So far more than 115,000 people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .

Before they left Somalia due to the civil war, her father used to train teachers. They stayed in Dadaab, the refugee camp in Kenya, for four years and arrived in the United States in 1996.
Upon arrival, Omar noticed the US depicted on TV wasn't the same as the one she saw. "This doesn’t look like the America you promised,” she said.
"We’re getting to our America, Ilhan. You have to be patient," her dad replied, according to the Minneapolis City Pages.
Her daughter, Isra Hirsi, tweeted a photo with her grandfather. "Love you forever and always Awoowe," she wrote. "Miss you already."


buzzfeed--2020-06-16--LGBTQ Americans Just Won A Massive Civil Rights Victory At The Supreme Court


buzzfeed--2020-06-16--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--2020-06-17--Facebook And Instagram Will Let You Turn Off Political Ads

Facebook and Instagram users in the US will soon be able to turn off political advertisements in their feeds , Facebook announced in a blog post on Tuesday .
“ Everyone wants to see politicians held accountable for what they say — and I know many people want us to moderate and remove more of their content , ” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in USA Today .
“ For those of you who ’ ve already made up your minds and just want the election to be over , we hear you — so we ’ re also introducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ads .
We ’ ll still remind you to vote.
” Users will be able to turn off ads from candidates and political action committees , as well as ads about social issues .
The feature will initially be available to a small group of people but will gradually roll out to the rest of the country and the world .
With the 2020 election heating up , Facebook has faced increasing pressure to more aggressively police lies and misleading content in political ads .
Last year , the Trump campaign released a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without evidence that former Vice President Joe Biden offered a $ 1 billion bribe to officials in Ukraine to stop an investigation into his son .
At the time , Facebook rejected a request from the Biden presidential campaign to take it down and claimed that the ad did not violate the company ’ s policies .
Last week , the Biden campaign wrote wrote an open letter to Zuckerberg demanding that the social networking giant revise its speech policies ahead of the November elections .
Facebook largely has not budged .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not crack down on false and misleading political ads , saying that it “ didn ’ t think decisions about political ads should be made by private companies.
” This sparked a backlash from critics , who have accused the company of accepting ad money from politicians who use its platform to spread misinformation and propaganda .
Tuesday 's announcement will address some concerns , but will not stop Facebook from making money off of political ads .
And Facebook still does not go as far as Twitter and Google in restricting false @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced that it was launching a Voting Information Center to give millions of Americans guidance on how to cast their ballots .

Facebook and Instagram users in the US will soon be able to turn off political advertisements in their feeds, Facebook announced in a blog post on Tuesday.
“Everyone wants to see politicians held accountable for what they say — and I know many people want us to moderate and remove more of their content,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in USA Today. “For those of you who’ve already made up your minds and just want the election to be over, we hear you — so we’re also introducing the ability to turn off seeing political ads. We’ll still remind you to vote.”
Users will be able to turn off ads from candidates and political action committees, as well as ads about social issues. The feature will initially be available to a small group of people but will gradually roll out to the rest of the country and the world.
With the 2020 election heating up, Facebook has faced increasing pressure to more aggressively police lies and misleading content in political ads.
Last year, the Trump campaign released a 30-second video ad on the platform claiming without evidence that former vice president Joe Biden offered a $1 billion bribe to officials in Ukraine to stop an investigation into his son. At the time, Facebook rejected a request from the Biden presidential campaign to take it down and claimed that the ad did not violate the company’s policies.
Last week, the Biden campaign wrote an open letter to Zuckerberg demanding that the social networking giant revise its speech policies ahead of the November elections.
Facebook largely has not budged. The company announced in January that it would not crack down on false and misleading political ads, saying that it “didn’t think decisions about political ads should be made by private companies.”
This sparked a backlash from critics, who have accused the company of accepting ad money from politicians who use its platform to spread misinformation and propaganda.
Tuesday's announcement will address some concerns, but will not stop Facebook from making money from political ads. And the platform still does not go as far as Twitter and Google in restricting false and misleading political content.
Facebook also announced that it was launching a Voting Information Center to give millions of Americans guidance on how to cast their ballots.


buzzfeed--2020-06-17--The Minnesota Freedom Fund Raised Over $30 Million After George Floyd’s Death. Now It’s A Target.

A tiny Minnesota nonprofit was caught at the center of an online firestorm Tuesday after left-wing activists and right-wing agitators both attacked a disclosure that the group had so far spent just $ 200,000 of some $ 35 million raised for a bail fund .
After three tumultuous weeks , The Minnesota Freedom Fund , a small local bail fund started in 2017 , has found itself at the nexus of a massive surge in online fundraising and online misinformation about Black Lives Matter groups .
A slew of far-right accounts boosted widespread fears of money stolen from the pockets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35 million ” started trending .
So did “ # wheresthemoney.
” There was a simple explanation for the relatively small sum that the Minnesota Freedom Fund had spent on bail so far , said Jared Mollenkof , a board member : The group has had just a few weeks to build out a tiny operation .
Already , the fund has spent twice its typical annual budget .
And , the fund says , it has bailed out all of the protesters it could find — every last one .
Groups associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reform have been on the receiving end of tens of millions of dollars after the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis last month touched off global protests over police brutality .
But a vital influx of money has also come with serious hurdles , as organizations that once survived on shoestring budgets try to figure out how to use the staggering infusion of cash .
Such groups are beginning to feel pressure from new donors — an open letter to two other Minnesota nonprofits , Reclaim the Block and Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how they would use the millions they had raised after Floyd ’ s death .
But pressure has also come from another place : Black Lives Matter opponents interested in making their work appear nefarious .
The Minnesota Freedom Fund had just a single paid full-time staffer when it raised nearly 350 times its annual budget almost overnight last month .
After celebrities and others boosted them online , the nonprofit was so overwhelmed with donations that they shut them down altogether for several days , urging people to donate elsewhere .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have chosen not to bail out , and that ’ s simply not the case , ” said Mollenkof , who is Black and works as a public defender in Minneapolis .
“ We have bailed out anyone and everyone that we ’ ve been told was arrested in relation to the protests.
” The remaining money will eventually go far beyond protesters and their legal costs , towards bailing out people across the state — “ abolishing the cash bail system , ” Mollenkof said , which has been the group ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
That includes people in immigration detention centers .
But , Mollenkof pleaded , building that kind of operation without losing sight of donors ’ intent for the money takes time .
The group wants to keep its focus on “ direct action , ” rather than letting its mission creep into other areas .
“ We ’ re trying to scale up with integrity , ” he said .
The Internet , however , didn ’ t want to wait .
The Minnesota Freedom Fund ’ s tweet Monday night announcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread like wildfire in two directions , said Jacquelyn Mason , an investigative researcher with the fact-checking nonprofit First Draft .
At first , Minnesota Freedom Fund ’ s post spread as Black Lives Matter supporters and influencers reacted with concern over how little money had been spent , Mason said .
A BuzzFeed story hours earlier had highlighted how an unaffiliated group , the Black Lives Matter Foundation , had siphoned millions of dollars of donations for a mission — “ creating unity with the police ” — at odds with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Activists noticed that Minnesota Freedom Fund ’ s board appeared to be entirely white , and that the page showing their names had been quickly removed .
And Minnesota Freedom Fund ’ s statement , which used the phrase “ y ’ all , ” looked suspiciously to some like appropriation .
Mollenkof said that page was no longer accurate ; four of the group ’ s seven board members are people of color , including the president , a Black woman .
They had deleted the page when they realized it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board members .
Questions have been raised about the Freedom Fund ’ s single employee , Tonja Honsey , who an anonymous group alleged was lying about her identity as an Indigenous woman .
It ’ s unclear if Honsey , who denied those allegations to the New York Times , still works with the Fund .
Many of the early viral tweets about the Freedom Fund — including one from an influencer that had garnered more than 50,000 retweets — were deleted .
But the damage had been done .
Andy Ngo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other right-wing voices had begun to amplify the discord .

A tiny Minnesota nonprofit was caught at the center of an online firestorm Tuesday after left-wing activists and right-wing agitators both attacked a disclosure that the group had so far spent just $200,000 of some $35 million raised for a bail fund.
After three tumultuous weeks, the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a small local bail fund started in 2016, has found itself at the nexus of a massive surge in online fundraising and online misinformation about Black Lives Matter groups. A slew of far-right accounts boosted widespread fears of money stolen from the pockets of black organizers. The number “35 million” started trending. So did “#wheresthemoney.”
There was a simple explanation for the relatively small sum that the Minnesota Freedom Fund had spent on bail so far, said Jared Mollenkof, a board member: The group has had just a few weeks to build out a tiny operation.
Already, the fund has spent twice its typical annual budget. And, the fund says, it has bailed out all of the protesters it could find — every last one.
Groups associated with Black Lives Matter and criminal justice reform have been on the receiving end of tens of millions of dollars after the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis last month touched off global protests over police brutality. But a vital influx of money has also come with serious hurdles, as organizations that once survived on shoestring budgets try to figure out how to use the staggering infusion of cash.
Such groups are beginning to feel pressure from new donors — an open letter to two other Minnesota nonprofits, Reclaim the Block and Black Visions Collective, called for increased transparency about how they would use the millions they had raised after Floyd’s death.
But pressure has also come from another place: Black Lives Matter opponents interested in making their work appear nefarious.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund had just a single paid full-time staffer when it raised nearly 350 times its annual budget almost overnight last month. After celebrities and others boosted it online, the nonprofit was so overwhelmed with donations that it shut them down altogether for several days, urging people to donate elsewhere.
“People think there are protesters we have chosen not to bail out, and that’s simply not the case,” said Mollenkof, who is Black and works as a public defender in Minneapolis.
“We have bailed out anyone and everyone that we’ve been told was arrested in relation to the protests.”
The remaining money will eventually go far beyond protesters and their legal costs, toward bailing out people across the state — “abolishing the cash bail system,” Mollenkof said, which has been the group’s mission since it was founded in 2017. That includes people in immigration detention centers.
But, Mollenkof pleaded, building that kind of operation without losing sight of donors’ intent for the money takes time. The group wants to keep its focus on “direct action,” rather than letting its mission creep into other areas.
“We’re trying to scale up with integrity,” he said.
The internet, however, didn’t want to wait.
The Minnesota Freedom Fund’s tweet Monday night announcing it had spent $200,000 so far spread like wildfire in two directions, said Jacquelyn Mason, an investigative researcher with the fact-checking nonprofit First Draft.
At first, the Minnesota Freedom Fund’s post spread as Black Lives Matter supporters and influencers reacted with concern over how little money had been spent, Mason said. A BuzzFeed story hours earlier had highlighted how an unaffiliated group, the Black Lives Matter Foundation, had siphoned millions of dollars of donations for a mission — “creating unity with the police” — at odds with the goals of the real Black Lives Matter.
Activists noticed that the Minnesota Freedom Fund’s board appeared to be entirely white and that the page showing their names had been quickly removed. And the fund’s statement, which used the phrase “y’all,” looked suspiciously to some like appropriation.
Mollenkof said that page was no longer accurate; four of the group’s seven board members are people of color, including the president, a Black woman. They had deleted the page when they realized it was spreading along with anti-Semitic tropes about board members.
Questions have been raised about the Freedom Fund’s single employee, Tonja Honsey, who an anonymous group alleged was lying about her identity as an Indigenous woman. It’s unclear if Honsey, who denied those allegations to the New York Times, still works with the Fund.
Many of the early viral tweets about the Freedom Fund — including one from an influencer that had garnered more than 50,000 retweets — were deleted.
But the damage had been done. Andy Ngô, Mike Cernovich, Charlie Kirk, and other right-wing voices had begun to amplify the discord.


buzzfeed--2020-06-17--A Black Lives Matter Protester Was Shot At A Demonstration In Albuquerque

“ The shooting tonight was a tragic , outrageous , and unacceptable act of violence and it has no place in our city . ''
A protester was shot in Albuquerque , New Mexico , Monday evening after violence broke out at a demonstration calling for the removal of a statue of a 16th-century ruler linked to the massacre of hundreds of Native Americans .
Footage online showed several clashes between protesters and members of the New Mexico Civil Guard , a self-proclaimed militia who were trying to protect the statue of the ruler , Juan de Oñate .
Albuquerque @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were stationed nearby to monitor the situation started seeing pepper spray being deployed on some in the area , then minutes later shots were fired .
Albuquerque police detained members of the militia for questioning , as well as one other man who was on the scene and appeared to be involved in a confrontation with several protesters but was dressed differently than the militia members .
The protester who was shot was transported to a local hospital and was in “ critical but stable condition '' Monday .
Later Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had arrested Stephen Ray Baca , 31 , on a charge of aggravated battery .
According to local news station KOB4 , Baca previously ran for the Albuquerque City Council .
`` For weeks our community has been peacefully protesting against racism that has been ingrained so deeply in our system and the system around the country , '' Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said during a press conference .
`` The shooting last night in old town at the Oñate sculpture was [ a ] horrific and unacceptable act of violence .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dialogue should never happen . ''
While the investigation is ongoing , Keller said Tuesday it appears that Baca was `` agitating '' protesters well before the shooting took place .
`` Multiple witnesses and some videos and reports have shown that he violently was throwing a woman to the ground before the fighting broke out , '' he said .
According to a criminal complaint filed by police , Baca was observed utilizing pepper spray on protesters before being struck with a longboard by another person in the crowd .
After Baca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual , identified as the victim , picked up the longboard and began swinging toward his head , the complaint said .
At that point , Baca allegedly fired several gunshots .
It was n't clear whether Baca had an affiliation with any militia groups .
On Facebook , the Curry County chapter of the New Mexico Civil Guard claimed Baca was not associated with their group .
`` Our members had stepped away from the protestors , stepped back to watch them pull the statue down .
They were no where near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They ran towards the shooter when they heard the shots , disarmed the shooter , preventing anymore protestors from being shot .
They circled to shooter to prevent any of the protestors from their continuing attacks .
Our members did not pick a side , they stopped the violence on both sides . ''
The New Mexico Civil Guard have made their presence felt at local demonstrations , including a Black Lives Matter protest which took place at the University of New Mexico .
Members arrived dressed in body armor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right-wing group has previously patrolled borders to detain migrant families at gunpoint before turning them in to Border Patrol agents .
“ We are receiving reports about vigilante groups possibly instigating this violence , ” the police announced .
“ If this is true will be holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law , including federal hate group designation and prosecution.
” Earlier this month , the Albuquerque Police Department announced that it was investigating an unauthorized meeting between “ a couple of our officers ” and the group .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ city officials condemned the presence of armed civilians at demonstrations .
They said police recovered more than 20 guns , about 34 magazines , and numerous knives at the scene following the shooting .
`` We have done everything possible to keep them peaceful and protect the protesters , but the continued involvement of agitators whether its a single individual or a group of vigilantes is resulting in this violence , '' Police Chief Mike Geier said .
`` We also discourage the presence of armed citizens at protests which has the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We saw this last night . ''
Keller said the state police would be taking over the investigation to ensure an independent review and that an oversight board would be reviewing law enforcement 's tactics .
In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd , demonstrators around the world have been tearing down statues of figures linked to slavery and racism .
In 1599 , hundreds of Native Americans were killed in the Acoma Massacre in what is now New Mexico .
Juan de Oñate is known for having ordered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans in retaliation for the killing of his nephew .
Keller said Monday that the statue would be removed due to the public safety risk .
“ This sculpture has now become an urgent matter of public safety , '' Keller said .
`` In order to contain the public safety risk , the City will be removing the statue until the appropriate civic institutions can determine next steps .
”


buzzfeed--2020-06-18--Trump Wants To Make It Harder For Social Media Sites To Censor Hateful Content

A Department of Justice proposal released Wednesday is the formal follow-through on the president 's threats to “ strongly regulate ” social media companies over his belief that they censor conservative voices .
But the proposed changes , if passed by Congress , could also make it harder for social media sites to crack down on hateful or offensive content .
The Trump administration is proposing to change liability law to make it harder for social media platforms to censor content that is hateful or objectionable but not specifically illegal .
... .happen again .
Just like we can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ root in our Country .
It would be a free for all on cheating , forgery and the theft of Ballots .
Whoever cheated the most would win .
Likewise , Social Media .
Clean up your act , NOW !
!
!
!
Currently , internet companies have broad protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act from being sued for content posted to their platforms as long as they act in good faith to restrict posts that are obscene , lewd , lascivious , filthy , excessively violent , harassing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s that last clause — “ otherwise objectionable ” — that the Trump administration argues is too broad and can be used to stifle free speech .
The DOJ would rewrite the good faith protections to remove broad discretion about objectionable content and replace it with the mandate to moderate content that is believed to be illegal or promotes violence or terrorism .
The Department of Justice released only a description rather than legislative text that spells out their plan precisely .
The outline says that without broad immunity , social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explicit in their terms of service as to what can and can not be posted .
This could make it more difficult for sites to remove content that they deem objectionable but is not clearly illegal .
Matthew Feeney , director of the Cato Institute ’ s Project on Emerging Technologies , warned there is a lot of content that is legal speech but that people don ’ t want to see on their social media .
“ There ’ s a reason why [ Facebook CEO Mark ] Zuckerberg doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Feeney .
“ And there ’ s a reason why the vast majority of people on social media want an environment where a lot of legal but awful content is prohibited , like pornography or images of people being murdered .
Those sorts of things.
” Increasing liability would likely make social media sites more cautious and willing to censor content , which seems to be the opposite of what the Trump administration wants , said Mark Lumley , director of the Stanford Program in Law , Science , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the classic problem of content moderation on the net — the government wants you to take down all the bad content and none of the good content , ” he said in an email .
“ But that 's impossible , not only because content moderation is hard and the scale is so immense , but because reasonable people ( to say nothing of the Trump administration ) can and do disagree on what is good and what is bad.
” The administration can not amend the Communications Decency Act by itself and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Congress , where there is growing momentum on the Republican right to regulate big tech immunity .
The unusual coalition ranges from otherwise staunch anti-regulation conservatives to Josh Hawley , the junior Republican senator from Missouri who has made regulating social media companies a key part of his populist pitch .
Hours before the Department of Justice proposal was released , Hawley released a bill to limit Section 230 immunity for tech companies .
A partisan bill is unlikely to pass a split Congress , but the desire to reform Section 230 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IT Act , which would condition tech company immunity on taking action against child sexual exploitation , is being pushed by both Democratic and Republican senators .
Critics have said the bill is a way to strong-arm tech companies out of providing their users — criminals and law-abiding citizens alike — the ability to send encrypted messages that would not be accessible to federal authorities .

Currently, internet companies have broad protection under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act from being sued for content posted to their platforms as long as they act in good faith to restrict posts that are obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or “otherwise objectionable.”
It’s that last clause — “otherwise objectionable” — that the Trump administration argues is too broad and can be used to stifle free speech. The DOJ would rewrite the good faith protections to remove broad discretion about objectionable content and replace it with the mandate to moderate content that is believed to be illegal or promotes violence or terrorism.
The Department of Justice released only a description rather than legislative text that spells out their plan precisely. The outline says that without broad immunity, social media sites would need to be clear and explicit in their terms of service as to what can and cannot be posted. This could make it more difficult for sites to remove content that they deem objectionable but is not clearly illegal.
Matthew Feeney, director of the Cato Institute’s Project on Emerging Technologies, warned there is a lot of content that is legal speech but that people don’t want to see on their social media.
“There’s a reason why [Facebook CEO Mark] Zuckerberg doesn’t want videos of beheadings on his site,” said Feeney. “And there’s a reason why the vast majority of people on social media want an environment where a lot of legal but awful content is prohibited, like pornography or images of people being murdered. Those sorts of things.”
Increasing liability would likely make social media sites more cautious and willing to censor content, which seems to be the opposite of what the Trump administration wants, said Mark Lumley, director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science, and Technology.
“I think this has the classic problem of content moderation on the net — the government wants you to take down all the bad content and none of the good content,” he said in an email.
“But that's impossible, not only because content moderation is hard and the scale is so immense, but because reasonable people (to say nothing of the Trump administration) can and do disagree on what is good and what is bad.”
The administration cannot amend the Communications Decency Act by itself and its proposals would need to be adopted by Congress, where there is growing momentum on the Republican right to regulate big tech immunity. The unusual coalition ranges from otherwise staunch anti-regulation conservatives to Josh Hawley, the junior Republican senator from Missouri who has made regulating social media companies a key part of his populist pitch.
Hours before the Department of Justice proposal was released, Hawley released a bill to limit Section 230 immunity for tech companies.
A partisan bill is unlikely to pass a split Congress, but the desire to reform Section 230 immunity crosses both parties. The EARN IT Act, which would condition tech company immunity on taking action against child sexual exploitation, is being pushed by both Democratic and Republican senators.
Critics have said the bill is a way to strong-arm tech companies out of providing their users — criminals and law-abiding citizens alike — the ability to send encrypted messages that would not be accessible to federal authorities.