huffpost--2020-06-14--Protests Continue In U.S. After Deaths Of More Black Men

Early Sunday , Atlanta police announced that an officer , Garrett Rolfe , had been fired following the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks , 27 , on Friday night , and another officer , Devin Brosnan , had been placed on administrative duty .
On Saturday , Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms had called for the immediate firing of the officer who opened fire on Brooks and announced that she had accepted the resignation of Police Chief Erika Shields .
Roughly 150 protesters marched outside the Wendy ’ s restaurant outside where Brooks was shot , reigniting demonstrations that had largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks after George Floyd , another black man , died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck .
Both Rolfe and Brosnan are white .
The Wendy ’ s was set aflame at one point Saturday night , although the fire was out before midnight .
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that Brooks , who was seen on body camera video sleeping in a car blocking the Wendy ’ s drive thru , failed a sobriety test and was shot in a struggle over a police Taser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people on Saturday marched to demand an investigation into the death of Robert Fuller , 24 , who was found hanging from a tree early Wednesday near city hall .
The protesters marched from where the body was found to a sheriff ’ s station , with many carrying signs that said “ Justice for Robert Fuller.
” Fuller ’ s death has brought to light the death of another black man found hanging from a tree on May 31 in Victorville , a desert city 45 miles ( 72 kilometers ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s spokeswoman , Jodi Miller , told Victor Valley News foul play was not suspected in 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch ’ s death but the man ’ s family said they were concerned it will be ruled a suicide to avoid further attention .
Meanwhile , the rapidly unfolding movement to take down Confederate statues in the U.S. grew over the weekend .
In Richmond , Virginia , a police SUV drove up on a curb and struck multiple protesters who were blocking the vehicle ’ s path during a demonstration Saturday night at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become a gathering place for racial justice demonstrations .
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that no one appeared to be seriously injured .
In messages posted on Twitter early Sunday morning , the Richmond Police Department said police are investigating the incident , including what it called “ a possible assault ” on an officer who was inside the vehicle .
The department said it is also investigating reports on social media “ that a person in the crowd may have been struck by the vehicle.
” Protesters in New Orleans tore down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who left part of his fortune to New Orleans ’ schools and then took the remains to the Mississippi River and rolled it down the banks into the water .
The pedestal is left after protesters removed a bust of John McDonogh , Saturday , June 13 , 2020 , in Duncan Plaza in New Orleans .
Demonstrators pulled down the bust of McDonogh , a slave owner who left his wealth to build schools , took the remains to the Mississippi River and rolled it into the water .
( AP Photo/Rebecca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Clemson University football team led hundreds of demonstrators on the school ’ s campus in South Carolina .
The march came a day after Clemson trustees voted to rename its honors college , stripping from the program the name of former vice president and slavery proponent John C. Calhoun .
In Milan , Italy , protesters scrawled ‘ ’ rapist ’ ’ and ‘ ’ racist ’ ’ in Italian on the statue of a late Italian journalist who had acknowledged having had a 12-year-old Eritrean bride while stationed in the Italian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1930s .
The statue of Indro Montanelli , inside a Milan park that bears his name , has been a flashpoint in Italy ’ s Black Lives Matter protests .

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The fatal shooting of a black man by a white Atlanta police officer and the death of another black man found hanging from a tree outside a city hall in California ignited new anti-racism protests over the weekend.
Early Sunday, Atlanta police announced that an officer, Garrett Rolfe, had been fired following the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks, 27, on Friday night, and another officer, Devin Brosnan, had been placed on administrative duty. On Saturday, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms had called for the immediate firing of the officer who opened fire on Brooks and announced that she had accepted the resignation of Police Chief Erika Shields.
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“I do not believe that this was a justified use of deadly force,” Bottoms said.
Roughly 150 protesters marched outside the Wendy’s restaurant outside where Brooks was shot, reigniting demonstrations that had largely simmered in the Georgia capital nearly three weeks after George Floyd, another black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee to his neck. Both Rolfe and Brosnan are white.
A person looks back as officials move closer during protests Saturday, June 13, 2020, near the Atlanta Wendy's where Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by police Friday evening following a struggle in the restaurant's drive-thru line in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Wendy’s was set aflame at one point Saturday night, although the fire was out before midnight. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that Brooks, who was seen on body camera video sleeping in a car blocking the Wendy’s drive thru, failed a sobriety test and was shot in a struggle over a police Taser.
Atlanta police said Sunday that 36 people had been arrested in connection with the protests, but gave no further details.
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Ashley Dopson paints a picture of Rayshard Brooks in the parking lot of the Wendy's in Atlanta where Brooks, a 27-year-old black man, was shot and killed by Atlanta police Friday evening during a struggle in the Wendy's drive-thru line. (Steve Schaefer/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In Palmdale, California, hundreds of people on Saturday marched to demand an investigation into the death of Robert Fuller, 24, who was found hanging from a tree early Wednesday near city hall. The protesters marched from where the body was found to a sheriff’s station, with many carrying signs that said “Justice for Robert Fuller.”
Authorities said the death appeared to be a suicide, but an autopsy was planned. The city said there were no outdoor cameras that could have recorded what happened.
Fuller’s death has brought to light the death of another black man found hanging from a tree on May 31 in Victorville, a desert city 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of Palmdale. A sheriff’s spokeswoman, Jodi Miller, told Victor Valley News foul play was not suspected in 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch’s death but the man’s family said they were concerned it will be ruled a suicide to avoid further attention.
Meanwhile, the rapidly unfolding movement to take down Confederate statues in the U.S. grew over the weekend. In Richmond, Virginia, a police SUV drove up on a curb and struck multiple protesters who were blocking the vehicle’s path during a demonstration Saturday night at the Robert E. Lee statue, which has become a gathering place for racial justice demonstrations.
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Hundreds of people turned out for the BLACK PRIDE RVA March to protest police killing George Floyd and racial justice on June 12, 2020 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Eze Amos/Getty Images) Eze Amos via Getty Images
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that no one appeared to be seriously injured. In messages posted on Twitter early Sunday morning, the Richmond Police Department said police are investigating the incident, including what it called “a possible assault” on an officer who was inside the vehicle. The department said it is also investigating reports on social media “that a person in the crowd may have been struck by the vehicle.”
Spokespersons for the department did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Sunday morning.
In Philadelphia, a group of about 100 people, some carrying guns and baseball bats, gathered around a statue of Christopher Columbus in Philadelphia on Saturday, saying they intended to protect it from vandals amid recent protests.
“It would be over my dead body before they got to this statue,” Anthony Ruggiero, 41, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “This is a part of history.”
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Mayor Jim Kenney condemned the “groups of armed individuals ‘protecting’” the statue in a Twitter post on Sunday.
Meanwhile, three people were charged in the vandalism of a Christopher Columbus statue in Providence, Rhode Island.
Protesters in New Orleans tore down a bust of a slave owner Saturday who left part of his fortune to New Orleans’ schools and then took the remains to the Mississippi River and rolled it down the banks into the water.
The pedestal is left after protesters removed a bust of John McDonogh, Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Duncan Plaza in New Orleans. Demonstrators pulled down the bust of McDonogh, a slave owner who left his wealth to build schools, took the remains to the Mississippi River and rolled it into the water. (AP Photo/Rebecca Santana) ASSOCIATED PRESS
And in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the Cherokee Nation’s principal chief watched as two Confederate monuments were removed that were placed in its tribal headquarters nearly a century ago by the Daughters of the Confederacy.
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Also Saturday, members of the Clemson University football team led hundreds of demonstrators on the school’s campus in South Carolina. The march came a day after Clemson trustees voted to rename its honors college, stripping from the program the name of former vice president and slavery proponent John C. Calhoun.
European protesters sought to show solidarity with their American counterparts and to confront bias in their own countries on Sunday. The demonstrations also posed a challenge to policies intended to limit crowds to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In Milan, Italy, protesters scrawled ‘’rapist’’ and ‘’racist’’ in Italian on the statue of a late Italian journalist who had acknowledged having had a 12-year-old Eritrean bride while stationed in the Italian colony on the horn of Africa in the 1930s. The statue of Indro Montanelli, inside a Milan park that bears his name, has been a flashpoint in Italy’s Black Lives Matter protests.
In Germany, protesters in Berlin on Sunday formed 5 ½-mile (9-kilometer) chain in a message against racism, among a range of other causes. Demonstrators were linked by colored ribbons, forming what organizers called a “ribbon of solidarity” that stretched southeast from the Brandenburg Gate to the Neukoelln neighborhood.
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This story corrects the summary to reflect that announcement of officer’s firing was Sunday, not Friday. The story also corrects the last name of the fired officer to Rolfe.
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huffpost--2020-06-14--Lebanon Protesters Call On Government To Resign Amid Crisis

BEIRUT ( AP ) — Lebanese protesters took to the streets in Beirut and other cities Saturday in mostly peaceful protests against the government , calling for its resignation as the small country sinks deeper into economic distress .
The protests come after two days of rallies spurred by a dramatic collapse of the local currency against the dollar .
Those rallies degenerated into violence , including attacks on private banks and shops .
The local currency , pegged to the dollar for nearly 30 years , has been on a downward trajectory for weeks , losing over 60 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapse this week deepened public despair over the already troubled economy .
Lebanon is heavily dependent on imports , and the dollar and local currency have been used interchangeably for years .
The unparalleled economic and financial crises are proving a major challenge to the government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab , who took office earlier this year after his predecessor resigned amid nationwide protests .
Soon after taking office , Diab was faced with handling the coronavirus pandemic , which put the country in lockdown for months , further compounding the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Lebanon , Saturday , June 13 , 2020 .
Lebanese protesters took to the streets in Beirut and other cities in mostly peaceful gatherings against the government , calling for its resignation as the small country sinks deeper into economic distress .
( AP Photo/Hassan Ammar ) Diab ’ s government is supported by the powerful militant group Hezbollah and its allies , but has already been weakened by the economic crisis .
In a speech Saturday , Diab urged the public to be patient , saying there were a great many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said sought to undermine his government .
Diab offered no solutions to the crisis , nor did he name his opponents , but said his government is working to fight corruption and uphold the power of the state .
“ This current government proved to be a failure , ” said Badreddin , wearing a face mask featuring the Lebanese flag with its green cedar tree in the center .
“ We want a new government ... we want stability and we want to be able to live without begging or without people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Sidon , some directed their wrath at the central bank governor .
One protester raised a banner called him the “ protector of all thieves in Lebanon.
” In the northern city of Tripoli , army troops forcefully dispersed dozens of protesters who had blocked the road preventing trucks from moving forward , according to videos posted online .
The protesters allege the trucks were smuggling goods to Syria — a common complaint in Lebanon as the neighboring country grapples with its own economic hardships .
Later , Lebanon ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trucks were transporting U.N. aid destined to Syria .
After an emergency Cabinet meeting Friday to address the crisis , the government announced that the central bank would inject fresh dollars into the market to prop up the Lebanese pound — a measure that many say is likely to offer only temporary relief .

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BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese protesters took to the streets in Beirut and other cities Saturday in mostly peaceful protests against the government, calling for its resignation as the small country sinks deeper into economic distress.
The protests come after two days of rallies spurred by a dramatic collapse of the local currency against the dollar. Those rallies degenerated into violence, including attacks on private banks and shops.
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The local currency, pegged to the dollar for nearly 30 years, has been on a downward trajectory for weeks, losing over 60% of its value. But the dramatic collapse this week deepened public despair over the already troubled economy. Lebanon is heavily dependent on imports, and the dollar and local currency have been used interchangeably for years.
The unparalleled economic and financial crises are proving a major challenge to the government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab, who took office earlier this year after his predecessor resigned amid nationwide protests. Soon after taking office, Diab was faced with handling the coronavirus pandemic, which put the country in lockdown for months, further compounding the crisis.
Anti-government protesters shout slogans in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, June 13, 2020. Lebanese protesters took to the streets in Beirut and other cities in mostly peaceful gatherings against the government, calling for its resignation as the small country sinks deeper into economic distress. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Diab’s government is supported by the powerful militant group Hezbollah and its allies, but has already been weakened by the economic crisis.
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In a speech Saturday, Diab urged the public to be patient, saying there were a great many political hurdles, including from rivals he said sought to undermine his government. Diab offered no solutions to the crisis, nor did he name his opponents, but said his government is working to fight corruption and uphold the power of the state.
Anti-government protesters shout slogans against the government in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, June 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) ASSOCIATED PRESS
For the protesters Saturday, many of them members of organized political parties, Diab’s government has failed to handle the crisis.
Neemat Badreddin, a political activist, described the government as captive to the interests of political groups and not the public.
“This current government proved to be a failure,” said Badreddin, wearing a face mask featuring the Lebanese flag with its green cedar tree in the center. “We want a new government ... we want stability and we want to be able to live without begging or without people having to migrate.”
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Protesters in Beirut carried a banner that read “There is an alternative.”
In the southern city of Sidon, some directed their wrath at the central bank governor. One protester raised a banner called him the “protector of all thieves in Lebanon.”
An anti-government protester, right, sits near Lebanese army soldiers standing guard in Beirut, Lebanon, Saturday, June 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) ASSOCIATED PRESS
In the northern city of Tripoli, army troops forcefully dispersed dozens of protesters who had blocked the road preventing trucks from moving forward, according to videos posted online. The protesters allege the trucks were smuggling goods to Syria — a common complaint in Lebanon as the neighboring country grapples with its own economic hardships. Later, Lebanon’s customs authorities said in a statement that the trucks were transporting U.N. aid destined to Syria.
Tension continued in Tripoli on Saturday. A local TV station filmed a fire raging at a private bank branch in central Tripoli, while videos posted online showed protesters lobbing firecrackers in another neighborhood amid the sounds of rubber bullets being fired.
After an emergency Cabinet meeting Friday to address the crisis, the government announced that the central bank would inject fresh dollars into the market to prop up the Lebanese pound — a measure that many say is likely to offer only temporary relief.
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The dollar shortage, coupled with already negative economic growth, has crunched Lebanon’s middle class and increased poverty in the small Mediterranean nation of over five million that’s home to over 1 million Syrian refugees.
The heavily indebted government has been in talks for weeks with the International Monetary Fund after it asked for a financial rescue plan but there are no signs of an imminent deal.
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huffpost--2020-06-14--Health Expert Calls Trump's Tulsa Rally 'Extraordinarily Dangerous Move’

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — After months away from the campaign trail , President Donald Trump plans to rally his supporters this coming Saturday for the first time since most of the country was shuttered by the coronavirus .
Trump will head to Tulsa , Oklahoma — a state that has seen relatively few COVID-19 cases .
But health experts question the decision , citing the danger of infection spreading among the crowd and sparking outbreaks when people return to their homes .
The Trump campaign itself acknowledges the risk in a waiver attendees must agree to absolving them of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What Makes The Rally Really High Risk ?
Trump ’ s rally will be held indoors , at a 19,000-seat arena that has canceled all other events through the end of July .
Scientists believe the virus spreads far more easily in crowded enclosed spaces than it does outdoors , where circulating air has a better chance of dispersing virus particles .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines the highest risk events for transmission of the coronavirus this way : “ Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and attendees travel from outside the local area.
” The CDC recommends cloth masks in places where people might shout or chant .
Trump ’ s rallies typically draw tens of thousands of supporters .
They usually stand outside in line for hours before passing through airport-style security and cramming into an arena , where they sit side by side or stand shoulder to shoulder .
The rallies are typically raucous , with much shouting , cheering and chanting .
Some people dance and jeer at reporters .
Sometimes protesters are met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In its final phase of reopening , Oklahoma now allows public gatherings of any size as long as organizers consider social distancing .
Participants at any large gathering should stay 6 feet ( 1.8 meters ) apart and wear a cloth face covering when distancing is a challenge , the state health department said .
The state has a relatively low death rate compared with the rest of the nation , but new cases are rising .
In Tulsa , cases are increasing , with 71 new cases reported Friday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak linked to an indoor gathering of a large group of people .
“ I have concerns about large groups of people gathering indoors for prolonged lengths of time , ” Bruce Dart , executive director of the Tulsa Health Department , said in a statement Friday .
“ It is imperative that anyone who chooses to host or attend a gathering take the steps to stay safe.
” Trump has made clear that he believes empty seats are bad optics .
“ I can ’ t imagine a rally where you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every six seats are empty for every one that you have full .
That wouldn ’ t look too good , ” he said in April .
Trump has been eager to resume the rallies that are the centerpiece of his campaign .
The president revels in his large crowds .
The events let him vent and gauge the kind of rhetoric that will appeal to his ardent political base .
They also help his campaign expand its voter databases and will serve as a contrast to Democratic challenger Biden , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hasn ’ t attracted the same size of crowds .
But the decision to pull the trigger now was driven , in large part , by the mass anti-racism protests that have taken place across the country in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis .
Campaign and White House officials say the protests — and the limited public health outcry they generated — gave them cover .
If it was OK for tens of thousands of people to march through the streets , demanding racial justice , why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too ?

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WASHINGTON (AP) — After months away from the campaign trail, President Donald Trump plans to rally his supporters this coming Saturday for the first time since most of the country was shuttered by the coronavirus. Trump will head to Tulsa, Oklahoma — a state that has seen relatively few COVID-19 cases.
But health experts question the decision, citing the danger of infection spreading among the crowd and sparking outbreaks when people return to their homes. The Trump campaign itself acknowledges the risk in a waiver attendees must agree to absolving them of any responsibility should people get sick.
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What Makes The Rally Really High Risk?
Trump’s rally will be held indoors, at a 19,000-seat arena that has canceled all other events through the end of July. Scientists believe the virus spreads far more easily in crowded enclosed spaces than it does outdoors, where circulating air has a better chance of dispersing virus particles.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines the highest risk events for transmission of the coronavirus this way: “Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area.” The CDC recommends cloth masks in places where people might shout or chant.
Trump’s rallies typically draw tens of thousands of supporters. They usually stand outside in line for hours before passing through airport-style security and cramming into an arena, where they sit side by side or stand shoulder to shoulder. The rallies are typically raucous, with much shouting, cheering and chanting. Some people dance and jeer at reporters. Sometimes protesters are met with violence before they are removed by security.
Many attendees are older, which would put them at higher risk of severe complications from COVID-19. It’s not unusual for several individuals in the crowd to require medical attention when the temperature rises.
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The rallies also typically draw supporters from surrounding towns and states. Some die-hard fans travel across the country from rally to rally like groupies for a band.
Dr. Ashish Jha, director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute, called the upcoming Trump rally “an extraordinarily dangerous move for the people participating and the people who may know them and love them and see them afterward.”
Trump supporters coming from neighboring cities and states could carry the virus back home, Jha said. “I’d feel the same way if Joe Biden were holding a rally.”
Oklahoma Cases Low But Rising
In its final phase of reopening, Oklahoma now allows public gatherings of any size as long as organizers consider social distancing. Participants at any large gathering should stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart and wear a cloth face covering when distancing is a challenge, the state health department said.
The state has a relatively low death rate compared with the rest of the nation, but new cases are rising. In Tulsa, cases are increasing, with 71 new cases reported Friday. The Tulsa Health Department already was investigating an outbreak linked to an indoor gathering of a large group of people.
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“I have concerns about large groups of people gathering indoors for prolonged lengths of time,” Bruce Dart, executive director of the Tulsa Health Department, said in a statement Friday. “It is imperative that anyone who chooses to host or attend a gathering take the steps to stay safe.”
Dart said the risk of spreading the virus increases with higher numbers of people congregating for longer periods of time.
Oklahoma health authorities said that anyone who attends a large public event should get tested for COVID-19 shortly afterward.
Shelley Payne, director of the LaMontagne Center for Infectious Disease at the University of Texas at Austin, said the Trump rally meets every criteria for the riskiest type of event.
“I would certainly recommend that people wear masks and try to keep as much distance as possible,” Payne said.
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Julie Fischer, an associate research professor of microbiology and immunology at Georgetown University, said the event could have wide repercussions for the country.
“With a little bad luck, that scenario could end in the seeding of community outbreaks of COVID-19 across the U.S.,” she said.
Masks And Precautions
The Trump campaign has declined to respond to repeated questions about whether it will require attendees to wear masks, socially distance or take other measures to reduce the risk of virus transmission.
Trump has made clear that he believes empty seats are bad optics. “I can’t imagine a rally where you have every fourth seat full. Every — every six seats are empty for every one that you have full. That wouldn’t look too good,” he said in April.
Trump also insisted that the marquee event of the Republican National Convention — his acceptance of his party’s nomination for reelection — be moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida, after North Carolina’s Democratic governor refused to promise he would not impose restrictions.
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Why Now?
Trump has been eager to resume the rallies that are the centerpiece of his campaign. The president revels in his large crowds. The events let him vent and gauge the kind of rhetoric that will appeal to his ardent political base. They also help his campaign expand its voter databases and will serve as a contrast to Democratic challenger Biden, who has suspended campaign events because of the virus and hasn’t attracted the same size of crowds.
But the decision to pull the trigger now was driven, in large part, by the mass anti-racism protests that have taken place across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Campaign and White House officials say the protests — and the limited public health outcry they generated — gave them cover. If it was OK for tens of thousands of people to march through the streets, demanding racial justice, why can’t Trump rally his supporters, too?
Of course, the protests were held outside, with many participants wearing masks.
“Any large gathering, whether of protesters or ralliers, is dangerous,” Jha said. But infection is less likely at an outdoors moving march than at a crowded event in an enclosed space, he said, citing the air flow.
The Waiver
The Trump campaign, in recognition of the risk, has tried to protect itself from lawsuits with waiver language on its registration website.
“By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” the campaign advised those signing up for the rally. “By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.” liable for illness or injury.
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huffpost--2020-06-14--I've Decided To Come Out To The World As Genderfluid After Nearly Dying From COVID-19

I had been regularly consulting with medical professionals via video conferencing after I first started experiencing symptoms in March .
My entire household had come down with it at the same time , and I , being the hopeless paranoid neurotic that I am , was obsessively watching everyone for any sign that things might be taking a turn for the worse with them .
I was so worried about everyone else that I nearly missed what was happening with me .
When I arrived at the ER , I was told that despite being alert and communicative , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unconscious person .
I tested positive for the coronavirus ( shocker ) and was admitted for acute respiratory failure .
The green cat , extended staircase and wrong-sized drawer turned out to be the result of hypoxemia ― unbeknownst to me , I was suffocating to death by inches .
I was told that if I hadn ’ t come in , it was better than even odds that I would have died in my sleep that night or perhaps the next , and if I had survived longer than that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kept getting worse with each passing day .
I came to realize I was non-binary ― specifically genderfluid , meaning I variously identify as male , female , and every point in between ― relatively late in my life , when my career and family life had already calcified around me in a shape that didn ’ t seem to leave a lot of room to rock the boat .
It wasn ’ t until I read a blog outlining someone ’ s experiences with being genderfluid that I realized what they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I ’ ve felt throughout my life .
For more than 20 years , I had operated under the assumption that since I was attracted to the opposite sex and my plumbing matched the gender I was assigned at birth , I was a heterosexual cisgender individual .
All those impulses to engage in behavior or activities associated with the opposite gender , those fleeting moments where my own internal conception of myself did not match the outside , all those momentary but intensely fervent desires to be another me , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t know what I thought those were .
Just aberrations that could be safely shoved into a box and ignored , I suppose .
But when I went back and reexamined those instances through the lens of what I had learned , a great many things suddenly came into sharp focus .
Initially , I didn ’ t do much to act on this new revelation .
I shared it with my wife ( who has been incredibly supportive ) , my kids ( who have been incredibly indifferent ) and my best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that was as far as I went .
I was content with having a better understanding of who I was ― and maybe mixing up some of what I wore with clothes that came from the other side of the department store but could still read as my assigned gender at first glance .
At the time , that was enough for me .
I also joined a few online spaces where fellow non-binary people gathered .
Mostly I remained on the periphery , wondering if I was non-binary “ enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least partially , as my assigned gender ) to merit a seat at the table .
And even if I did , the overwhelming majority of people I was sporadically interacting with who also identified as non-binary were young enough to be my offspring if I had been a teenage parent , which made me acutely uncomfortable in discussing these sorts of issues with them .
So , I began plotting how to go about coming out but ran into two immediate problems : First , I live in the state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of this writing , still under an extremely prudent lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus , rendering face-to-face interactions difficult .
Second , every decision in my life has been motivated by a pathological need to avoid ridicule and embarrassment , which makes potentially everything about the process of coming out as non-binary difficult for me .
It ’ s a troublesome circle to square , to say the least .
To expand upon that second point , I have , with depressing regularity , debilitating problems with introversion .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cognitive distortion issues where my default read of a person is always that they think the absolute worst of me .
I was initially hesitant about opening up to my own parents about my gender identity , even though , intellectually , I had every reason to expect that two people with a track record as progressive as theirs would accept and support me no matter what .
But emotionally , what stuck out in my mind was an incident when I was 18 years old and my mom briefly got it into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To me , she seemed entirely too excited at the prospect , which had made me uncomfortable .
All I could think while contemplating telling her about being non-binary was that while she would probably be nominally supportive of my gender identity , I could ultimately be relegated to being her LGBTQ fashion pet to earn wokeness points with her circle of aging liberal boomer friends .
I recognize this extrapolation was completely irrational and without merit ( and , needless to say , did not actually occur ) , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other baseless fears still bend my thoughts and actions .
Because of that , it didn ’ t take long for me to fall into the plan of not announcing myself as non-binary , but rather living my truth out in the open without comment and allowing others to draw their own conclusions .
Or at least as out in the open as I could manage during the pandemic when I can ’ t leave the house for anything more than a quick trip to the store to get ingredients for taco night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just before I got sick ( fun fact : I came home from the hospital to find an email informing me that someone in my work area had tested positive for COVID-19 and that I may have been exposed , which was amusing ) , so we are all telecommuting to work and communicating through channels such as Microsoft Teams .
I don ’ t have a webcam , so while I am free to wear whatever I please , gender norms be damned , there ’ s no one to see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to myself by the gender I was assigned at birth , but that ’ s a subtle trick I don ’ t actually think anyone else is likely to pick up on .
As far as everyone in front of their monitors is concerned , the line demarcating the “ me ” before I nearly died from COVID-19 from the “ me ” after I recovered might as well not exist .
Still , the fact I ’ ve gotten this far is tremendous progress that I wouldn ’ t have thought possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that I am where I am today , I wouldn ’ t have thought possible even last week .
But recently I decided that the passive-aggressive approach wasn ’ t working for me .
So I ’ m rocketing from , Oh , I ’ ll cop to it if someone asks me about it , to just ripping off the Band-Aid and announcing to the world , Oh , by the way , I ’ m good with both feminine and masculine forms of address .
Also , you can call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with it .
And not only am I announcing it today , I ’ m doing it in one of the most public ways imaginable ― on a huge global media website .
I guess if you ’ re going to do it , you might as well do it big , right ?
I ’ m rocketing from , 'Oh , I ’ ll cop to it if someone asks me about it , ' to just ripping off the Band-Aid and announcing to the world , 'Oh , by the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feminine and masculine forms of address .
Also , you can call me Claire if you ’ re cool with it . '
And not only am I announcing it today , I 'm doing it in one of the most public ways imaginable ― on a huge global media website .
I ’ ve also realized that despite coming out publicly today via this essay , I won ’ t ever get to stop ripping off that Band-Aid .
Every new person who enters my life is potentially another opportunity to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that makes me nervous as all hell because there ’ s always going to be that chance that they don ’ t respond kindly to what I ’ ve told them .
That fear imbues the closet with a magnetic attraction ― the closet is safer , the closet is familiar , the closet is easier ― that I expect I ’ m going to be fighting against for the rest of my waking days , but I ’ m convinced it ’ s a fight worth having .
It ’ s difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to normalcy as we knew it , but I still have to hope that there ’ s going to be a happy tomorrow .
That I ’ ll be able to actually meet other LGBTQ folk and make the inroads and connections that I previously was never courageous enough to forge .
That I will have the confidence to shop in whatever clothing section I want as the mood suits me .
That I will be daring and proudly outwardly present my gender identity .
That I will not look back at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through ― or if I do , that I won ’ t let myself walk back through it .

The author in June 2020 Courtesy of Mike Miksch
I had a mild case of COVID-19 until my cat turned green.
I had been regularly consulting with medical professionals via video conferencing after I first started experiencing symptoms in March. My entire household had come down with it at the same time, and I, being the hopeless paranoid neurotic that I am, was obsessively watching everyone for any sign that things might be taking a turn for the worse with them. I was so worried about everyone else that I nearly missed what was happening with me.
In my defense, this was still fairly early on in the coronavirus pandemic and I wasn’t showing any of the extreme danger signs that were widely known at the time. I wasn’t having any real trouble breathing, I didn’t have any unusual shortness of breath, my fever was annoying but not dangerously high, and my coughing was manageable.
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But then I started to have cognitive problems. At first, it was just using the wrong words for things, but I soon began suffering perception issues. The dimensions of a bathroom drawer, for instance, didn’t seem to be quite right, and our staircase felt like it had more steps than usual. It wasn’t until my cat ― an orange tabby named OJ ― appeared to be a shade of sage green that I realized something was terribly wrong.
When I arrived at the ER, I was told that despite being alert and communicative, I had the blood oxygen saturation level of an unconscious person. I tested positive for the coronavirus (shocker) and was admitted for acute respiratory failure. The green cat, extended staircase and wrong-sized drawer turned out to be the result of hypoxemia ― unbeknownst to me, I was suffocating to death by inches. I was told that if I hadn’t come in, it was better than even odds that I would have died in my sleep that night or perhaps the next, and if I had survived longer than that, the chances of dying would have just kept getting worse with each passing day.
When I was discharged from the hospital a week later, I was 20 pounds lighter than I’d been at the start of my ordeal, had briefly participated in a clinical trial for remdesivir, and was filled with a determination that surprised me with both its intensity and its purpose: I wasn’t going to live in the closet anymore.
It’s just that coming out hasn’t gone exactly to plan so far.
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I came to realize I was non-binary ― specifically genderfluid, meaning I variously identify as male, female, and every point in between ― relatively late in my life, when my career and family life had already calcified around me in a shape that didn’t seem to leave a lot of room to rock the boat. It wasn’t until I read a blog outlining someone’s experiences with being genderfluid that I realized what they were describing tracked almost exactly with much of what I’ve felt throughout my life.
For more than 20 years, I had operated under the assumption that since I was attracted to the opposite sex and my plumbing matched the gender I was assigned at birth, I was a heterosexual cisgender individual. All those impulses to engage in behavior or activities associated with the opposite gender, those fleeting moments where my own internal conception of myself did not match the outside, all those momentary but intensely fervent desires to be another me, those were just ... I honestly don’t know what I thought those were. Just aberrations that could be safely shoved into a box and ignored, I suppose. But when I went back and reexamined those instances through the lens of what I had learned, a great many things suddenly came into sharp focus.
“When I was discharged from the hospital ... I was filled with a determination that surprised me with both its intensity and its purpose: I wasn’t going to live in the closet anymore.”
Initially, I didn’t do much to act on this new revelation. I shared it with my wife (who has been incredibly supportive), my kids (who have been incredibly indifferent) and my best girlfriend (back to incredibly supportive), but that was as far as I went. I was content with having a better understanding of who I was ― and maybe mixing up some of what I wore with clothes that came from the other side of the department store but could still read as my assigned gender at first glance. At the time, that was enough for me.
I also joined a few online spaces where fellow non-binary people gathered. Mostly I remained on the periphery, wondering if I was non-binary “enough” (since I still identify, at least partially, as my assigned gender) to merit a seat at the table. And even if I did, the overwhelming majority of people I was sporadically interacting with who also identified as non-binary were young enough to be my offspring if I had been a teenage parent, which made me acutely uncomfortable in discussing these sorts of issues with them.
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But a whole hell of a lot of that trepidation and uncertainty about my validity evaporated when I got home from the hospital. The news I’d dodged a date with death lit a fire under my ass, and I discovered that I really did not want to go to my grave without ever living my life as I truly wanted ― and as I truly am.
So, I began plotting how to go about coming out but ran into two immediate problems: First, I live in the state of Washington, which is, at the time of this writing, still under an extremely prudent lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus, rendering face-to-face interactions difficult. Second, every decision in my life has been motivated by a pathological need to avoid ridicule and embarrassment, which makes potentially everything about the process of coming out as non-binary difficult for me. It’s a troublesome circle to square, to say the least.
To expand upon that second point, I have, with depressing regularity, debilitating problems with introversion. These are wrought by anxiety disorders and cognitive distortion issues where my default read of a person is always that they think the absolute worst of me. I was initially hesitant about opening up to my own parents about my gender identity, even though, intellectually, I had every reason to expect that two people with a track record as progressive as theirs would accept and support me no matter what.
But emotionally, what stuck out in my mind was an incident when I was 18 years old and my mom briefly got it into her head that I might be gay. To me, she seemed entirely too excited at the prospect, which had made me uncomfortable. All I could think while contemplating telling her about being non-binary was that while she would probably be nominally supportive of my gender identity, I could ultimately be relegated to being her LGBTQ fashion pet to earn wokeness points with her circle of aging liberal boomer friends. I recognize this extrapolation was completely irrational and without merit (and, needless to say, did not actually occur), but the gravitational force of this and a thousand other baseless fears still bend my thoughts and actions.
Because of that, it didn’t take long for me to fall into the plan of not announcing myself as non-binary, but rather living my truth out in the open without comment and allowing others to draw their own conclusions. Or at least as out in the open as I could manage during the pandemic when I can’t leave the house for anything more than a quick trip to the store to get ingredients for taco night.
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My office underwent the work-from-home diaspora just before I got sick (fun fact: I came home from the hospital to find an email informing me that someone in my work area had tested positive for COVID-19 and that I may have been exposed, which was amusing), so we are all telecommuting to work and communicating through channels such as Microsoft Teams. I don’t have a webcam, so while I am free to wear whatever I please, gender norms be damned, there’s no one to see it. I’ve also stopped referring to myself by the gender I was assigned at birth, but that’s a subtle trick I don’t actually think anyone else is likely to pick up on. As far as everyone in front of their monitors is concerned, the line demarcating the “me” before I nearly died from COVID-19 from the “me” after I recovered might as well not exist.
Still, the fact I’ve gotten this far is tremendous progress that I wouldn’t have thought possible even six months ago. And the fact that I am where I am today, I wouldn’t have thought possible even last week. But recently I decided that the passive-aggressive approach wasn’t working for me. So I’m rocketing from, Oh, I’ll cop to it if someone asks me about it, to just ripping off the Band-Aid and announcing to the world, Oh, by the way, I’m good with both feminine and masculine forms of address. Also, you can call me Claire if you’re cool with it. And not only am I announcing it today, I’m doing it in one of the most public ways imaginable ― on a huge global media website. I guess if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it big, right?
“I’m rocketing from, 'Oh, I’ll cop to it if someone asks me about it,' to just ripping off the Band-Aid and announcing to the world, 'Oh, by the way, I’m good with both feminine and masculine forms of address. Also, you can call me Claire if you’re cool with it.' And not only am I announcing it today, I'm doing it in one of the most public ways imaginable ― on a huge global media website.”
I’ve also realized that despite coming out publicly today via this essay, I won’t ever get to stop ripping off that Band-Aid. Every new person who enters my life is potentially another opportunity to come out, and the mere prospect of that makes me nervous as all hell because there’s always going to be that chance that they don’t respond kindly to what I’ve told them. That fear imbues the closet with a magnetic attraction ― the closet is safer, the closet is familiar, the closet is easier ― that I expect I’m going to be fighting against for the rest of my waking days, but I’m convinced it’s a fight worth having.
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It’s difficult for me to envision the world returning to normalcy as we knew it, but I still have to hope that there’s going to be a happy tomorrow. That I’ll be able to actually meet other LGBTQ folk and make the inroads and connections that I previously was never courageous enough to forge. That I will have the confidence to shop in whatever clothing section I want as the mood suits me. That I will be daring and proudly outwardly present my gender identity. That I will not look back at the beckoning closet doorway I’ve stepped through ― or if I do, that I won’t let myself walk back through it.
I’m not all the way there. Not yet. But I’m out in the open now and I’m going to stay there.
Mike Miksch is a writer who hails from the Pacific Northwest, where he lives with his wife, kids and entirely too many cats. She’s not picky about her pronouns, so call him (or her) whichever you like. You can find her (or him) on Twitter at @HeyItsClaire.
The parades may be canceled, but Pride isn’t. Head here to check out our calendar packed with a month of protests, panels, dance parties, teach-ins, concerts, happy hours and more to help you celebrate.


huffpost--2020-06-12--Biden Comes This Close To Dropping An F-Bomb On Trump's 'Very Fine' Racists

Former Vice President Joe Biden caught himself before he used the f-word on Thursday to describe the racists who take @ @ @ @ @ words used by President Donald Trump .
Instead , Biden paused and admonished himself to @ @ @ @ @ before ultimately settling on “ folks.
” Biden was speaking at a roundtable discussion about @ @ @ @ @ economy amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
But he also took some shots at Trump @ @ @ @ @ the president was pitting Americans against each other based on race .
Biden recalled Trump @ @ @ @ @ violent clashes between white supremacists and protesters in Charlottesville , Virginia , in 2017 .
@ @ @ @ @ ‘ very fine people ’ on both sides , ” Biden said .
“ No @ @ @ @ @ the United States of America has ever said anything remotely like that.
” “ When @ @ @ @ @ matter how good or bad he is , people listen .
And when he speaks @ @ @ @ @ racist f― ”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Former Vice President Joe Biden caught himself before he used the f-word on Thursday to describe the racists who take comfort in some of the words used by President Donald Trump. Instead, Biden paused and admonished himself to “watch my language” before ultimately settling on “folks.”
Biden was speaking at a roundtable discussion about his plan to reopen the economy amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But he also took some shots at Trump’s divisiveness, saying the president was pitting Americans against each other based on race.
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Biden recalled Trump’s comments after the violent clashes between white supremacists and protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
“He said there were ‘very fine people’ on both sides,” Biden said. “No president in the history of the United States of America has ever said anything remotely like that.”
Biden also noted that the president’s words matter.
“When a president speaks, no matter how good or bad he is, people listen. And when he speaks and gives credibility to these racist f―”
That’s when he caught himself:


huffpost--2020-06-12--List For Biden’s VP Pick Narrows Down To Warren, Harris, Susan Rice And More

Democrats with knowledge of the process said Biden ’ s search committee has narrowed the choices to as few as six serious contenders after initial interviews .
Those still in contention include Sens .
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California , as well as Susan Rice , who served as President Barack Obama ’ s national security adviser .
The process remains somewhat fluid , according to those with knowledge , and additional candidates may still be asked to submit to the extensive document review process now underway for top contenders .
Those familiar with Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the process .
Biden , who has already said he will pick a woman as his running mate , is facing increased calls from Democrats to put a woman of color on the ticket — both because of the outsize role that Black voters played in Biden ’ s road to the nomination and because of the reckoning over racism and inequality roiling the nation following the death of George Floyd .
The Black Minneapolis man died after a white police officer pressed his knee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an episode that was captured on video .
Terry McAuliffe , the former Virginia governor and former Democratic National Committee chairman , said that while Biden ’ s choice was likely to be “ all about personal chemistry , ” it would be “ exciting for the party ” to have a Black woman on a major party presidential ticket for the first time .
Biden ’ s vetting committee had conversations with a larger group of women earlier this spring ; those continuing on in the process have been asked to turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other documentation .
Biden has had various public and private interactions with many of the women his vetting committee has considered thus far , but has not yet had any formal one-on-one interviews expressly to discuss the No .
2 spot on the ticket .
Those aren ’ t expected for several weeks .
Rice , who worked closely with Biden during his time as vice president , has emerged as a favorite among some former Obama administration officials and is personally close to the former president .
She has never held elected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations .
She ’ s also been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration since leaving the White House and considered running for U.S. Senate in Maine .
Rice has long been a target of Republicans , including for statements she made after the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi , Libya .
Republicans have also accused her of spying on Michael Flynn , Trump ’ s first national security adviser , though records declassified by the Trump administration show no evidence of Rice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden have forged a surprising bond in recent months and talk regularly about the progressive policy ideas the Massachusetts senator put at the forefront of her campaign .
Biden already has adopted her proposed bankruptcy law overhaul .
And now , with the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic slowdown elevating the nuts-and-bolts of governing , some Democrats see Warren ’ s policy credentials as an asset to the ticket .
Harris is the lone Black contender who has won statewide office , notable experience given Biden ’ s emphasis on wanting a partner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Biden have also demonstrated a comfortable manner with each other in online fundraisers .
Harris is an expert voice in discussions of criminal justice , but some Black progressives view her background as a prosecutor skeptically .
One contender whose standing does appear to have fallen is Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , who was a prosecutor years ago in the county that includes Minneapolis .
During that period , more than two dozen people — mostly minorities — died during encounters with police .
While the people with knowledge of Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , she is widely viewed among Democrats with close ties to the Biden campaign as less likely to be tapped given recent events .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden’s search for a running mate is entering a second round of vetting for a dwindling list of potential vice presidential nominees, with several Black women in strong contention.
Democrats with knowledge of the process said Biden’s search committee has narrowed the choices to as few as six serious contenders after initial interviews. Those still in contention include Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California, as well as Susan Rice, who served as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser.
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The process remains somewhat fluid, according to those with knowledge, and additional candidates may still be asked to submit to the extensive document review process now underway for top contenders. Those familiar with Biden’s search spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the process.
Biden, who has already said he will pick a woman as his running mate, is facing increased calls from Democrats to put a woman of color on the ticket — both because of the outsize role that Black voters played in Biden’s road to the nomination and because of the reckoning over racism and inequality roiling the nation following the death of George Floyd. The Black Minneapolis man died after a white police officer pressed his knee on his neck for several minutes, an episode that was captured on video.
Terry McAuliffe, the former Virginia governor and former Democratic National Committee chairman, said that while Biden’s choice was likely to be “all about personal chemistry,” it would be “exciting for the party” to have a Black woman on a major party presidential ticket for the first time.
The campaign’s short list includes several Black women, including Harris and Rice. Advisers have also looked closely at Florida Rep. Val Demings and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, both of whom are Black, and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Latina woman.
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Biden’s vetting committee had conversations with a larger group of women earlier this spring; those continuing on in the process have been asked to turn over financial records, past writings and other documentation. Biden has had various public and private interactions with many of the women his vetting committee has considered thus far, but has not yet had any formal one-on-one interviews expressly to discuss the No. 2 spot on the ticket. Those aren’t expected for several weeks.
Rice, who worked closely with Biden during his time as vice president, has emerged as a favorite among some former Obama administration officials and is personally close to the former president. She has never held elected office but has extensive foreign policy experience, including as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. She’s also been an outspoken critic of the Trump administration since leaving the White House and considered running for U.S. Senate in Maine.
Rice has long been a target of Republicans, including for statements she made after the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya. Republicans have also accused her of spying on Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, though records declassified by the Trump administration show no evidence of Rice improperly accessing any information.
Harris and Warren have been seen as top contenders for the No. 2 spot since ending their own presidential campaigns.
Warren and Biden have forged a surprising bond in recent months and talk regularly about the progressive policy ideas the Massachusetts senator put at the forefront of her campaign. Biden already has adopted her proposed bankruptcy law overhaul. And now, with the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic slowdown elevating the nuts-and-bolts of governing, some Democrats see Warren’s policy credentials as an asset to the ticket.
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A Biden-Warren pairing would mean both Democrats on the ticket are white and in their 70s. Biden is 77, and Warren is 70.
Harris is the lone Black contender who has won statewide office, notable experience given Biden’s emphasis on wanting a partner “ready to be president.” She and Biden have also demonstrated a comfortable manner with each other in online fundraisers. Harris is an expert voice in discussions of criminal justice, but some Black progressives view her background as a prosecutor skeptically.
One contender whose standing does appear to have fallen is Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who was a prosecutor years ago in the county that includes Minneapolis. During that period, more than two dozen people — mostly minorities — died during encounters with police.
While the people with knowledge of Biden’s vetting process did not rule Klobuchar out, she is widely viewed among Democrats with close ties to the Biden campaign as less likely to be tapped given recent events.
___
Barrow reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.


huffpost--2020-06-12--Republicans Move Convention Events, Trump Nomination Acceptance To Jacksonville, Florida

After weeks of speculation and uncertainty about the future of this year ’ s Republican National Convention , the GOP said Thursday that several of the convention ’ s major events would be moved from Charlotte , North Carolina , to Jacksonville , Florida .
The announcement marks the conclusion of a tense and lengthy deadlock between convention organizers and North Carolina Gov .
Roy Cooper ( D ) , who had refused to relax his state ’ s social-distancing restrictions for the event .
President Donald Trump , who had repeatedly threatened to move the convention unless Cooper changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event would be relocated to an alternate city ― though he didn ’ t specify which .
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel confirmed Thursday that Jacksonville , Florida ’ s most populous city , had been chosen to host the nominating convention ’ s larger events .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) is a staunch ally of Trump ’ s , and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry , a long-serving GOP official , said last month that he ’ d be “ honored ” to host the convention .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ momentous occasion in the great city of Jacksonville , ” McDaniel said .
“ Not only does Florida hold a special place in President Trump ’ s heart as his home state , but it is crucial in the path to victory in 2020.
” We are thrilled to hold @ realDonaldTrump 's acceptance of the Republican nomination in the great city of Jacksonville !
Not only is Florida his home state , it is crucial to victory .
We look forward to bringing this great celebration and economic boon to the Sunshine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOPChairwoman ) June 12 , 2020 As The Wall Street Journal noted , some convention business will still be conducted in Charlotte as the Republican National Committee had signed a contract with the city .
Instead of a four-day event , however , a limited number of delegates ― about 330 ― will officially nominate the party ’ s candidates for president and vice president in Charlotte on a single day at the end of August .
The convention will then move to Jacksonville for its larger events , including Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be held Aug. 24-27 , the Journal reported , quoting people familiar with the event .
Some health precautions will be taken , including temperature checks , the paper said ; but it ’ s expected that masks won ’ t be mandatory .
CORRECTION : An earlier version of this article referred to Gov .
Roy Cooper as a Republican .
He is a Democrat .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
After weeks of speculation and uncertainty about the future of this year’s Republican National Convention, the GOP said Thursday that several of the convention’s major events would be moved from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida.
The announcement marks the conclusion of a tense and lengthy deadlock between convention organizers and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), who had refused to relax his state’s social-distancing restrictions for the event.
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President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly threatened to move the convention unless Cooper changed his tune, said last week that the event would be relocated to an alternate city ― though he didn’t specify which.
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel confirmed Thursday that Jacksonville, Florida’s most populous city, had been chosen to host the nominating convention’s larger events. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is a staunch ally of Trump’s, and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, a long-serving GOP official, said last month that he’d be “honored” to host the convention.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this momentous occasion in the great city of Jacksonville,” McDaniel said. “Not only does Florida hold a special place in President Trump’s heart as his home state, but it is crucial in the path to victory in 2020.”
We are thrilled to hold @realDonaldTrump's acceptance of the Republican nomination in the great city of Jacksonville!
Not only is Florida his home state, it is crucial to victory.
We look forward to bringing this great celebration and economic boon to the Sunshine State! — Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) June 12, 2020
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As The Wall Street Journal noted, some convention business will still be conducted in Charlotte as the Republican National Committee had signed a contract with the city.
Instead of a four-day event, however, a limited number of delegates ― about 330 ― will officially nominate the party’s candidates for president and vice president in Charlotte on a single day at the end of August.
The convention will then move to Jacksonville for its larger events, including Trump’s acceptance speech.
The convention is expected to be held Aug. 24-27, the Journal reported, quoting people familiar with the event. Some health precautions will be taken, including temperature checks, the paper said; but it’s expected that masks won’t be mandatory.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article referred to Gov. Roy Cooper as a Republican. He is a Democrat.


huffpost--2020-06-12--Evangelical Leader Calls On Denomination To Retire Gavel Named For Slaveholder

Now , as symbols of the Confederacy are taken down across the country in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death , the historic gavel and its place in the Southern Baptist Convention ’ s traditions are being questioned .
“ While we do not want to , nor could we , erase our history , it is time for this gavel to go back into the display case at the Executive Committee offices , ” Greear wrote in a statement on the Baptist Press , the SBC ’ s official news site .
Greear ’ s proposal is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confront its racist roots .
The SBC was formed in 1845 by a breakaway group of Baptists in the South who believed it was moral for Christian missionaries to own slaves .
The SBC is now a network of 47,000 autonomous , predominantly white , conservative evangelical churches .
The Broadus gavel has long held a cherished place in the SBC ’ s traditions and history .
It was reportedly constructed with wood from Jerusalem , to symbolize Jesus ’ s ministry , according to the SBC ’ s historical records .
Broadus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it has been used at most of the SBC ’ s annual gatherings since then .
Greear , a North Carolina megachurch pastor who was elected SBC president in 2018 , said he felt uneasy about using the Broadus gavel during last year ’ s annual meeting .
Greear said he didn ’ t know that he had a choice to use other historic SBC gavels .
The Broadus gavel wouldn ’ t have been used this year regardless , since the SBC ’ s annual meeting was canceled due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Greear said he ’ s going to consider using other options , such as the Annie Armstrong gavel , which is named after a Baptist missionary .
Retiring the Broadus gavel would send “ a symbolic yet tangible message that we are a convention of all people , made in the image of God , and who matter deeply to God , ” Greear wrote .
Some Black Southern Baptist pastors have criticized the denomination ’ s use of the Broadus gavel in the past .
Days before Greear ’ s post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pastor in Texas , wrote on Twitter that the “ John Broadus gavel must go.
” “ I ’ m grateful to see this shifting and not excuse-making for keeping these Confederate relics and celebration of Confederate heroes , ” McKissic said .
R. Albert Mohler Jr. , president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , compared Broadus ’ s place in SBC history to that of America ’ s Founding Fathers .
“ The reality is , you can ’ t tell the story of the SBC without John Broadus , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the denomination ’ s next president , told the Post .
“ That does not mean a president should choose his gavel in 2020 or in 2021 to tell that story.
” Broadus is revered in SBC circles as one of the founders of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville , Kentucky .
He ’ s also known for being an expert in homiletics , the art of preaching .
Historical records show that in 1860 , Broadus owned at least two slaves .
During an 1863 Baptist meeting , Broadus drafted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Confederacy during the Civil War .
He served as a chaplain for Confederate soldiers and had a standing invitation to preach for Gen. Robert E. Lee .
After the war , Broadus and other faculty at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary defended white rule and the continued disenfranchisement of Black Americans , according to a report issued by the seminary in 2018 .
By 1882 , Broadus had repudiated the American system of chattel slavery , according to the report .
But his white supremacist ideas persisted .
He continued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morally and biologically inferior to white people .
In a paper Broadus wrote in 1883 , he suggested that the “ typical ” Black person is a “ barbarian ” and “ vastly inferior in point of intelligence.
” In that same paper , he suggested slavery had actually been beneficial to some Black people .
The seminary refused to admit Black students until 1940 and officially affirmed integration in 1951 .
It wasn ’ t until 1995 that the SBC issued a formal apology for defending slavery at its founding , failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and allowing some of its congregations to exclude African Americans from membership .
In 2017 , the SBC came very close to blocking the passage of a resolution , championed by McKissic , to officially condemn white supremacy and the extreme right .
A revised version of the resolution ultimately passed , but only after considerable internal debate and social media backlash .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
For decades, America’s largest Protestant denomination has opened its annual meetings with a gavel named for a slaveholder.
Now, as symbols of the Confederacy are taken down across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death, the historic gavel and its place in the Southern Baptist Convention’s traditions are being questioned.
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SBC President J.D. Greear is calling for the nearly 150-year-old gavel, named after Southern Baptist leader and white supremacist John A. Broadus, to be retired.
“While we do not want to, nor could we, erase our history, it is time for this gavel to go back into the display case at the Executive Committee offices,” Greear wrote in a statement on the Baptist Press, the SBC’s official news site.
Greear’s proposal is the denomination’s latest attempt to confront its racist roots. The SBC was formed in 1845 by a breakaway group of Baptists in the South who believed it was moral for Christian missionaries to own slaves. The SBC is now a network of 47,000 autonomous, predominantly white, conservative evangelical churches.
The Broadus gavel has long held a cherished place in the SBC’s traditions and history. It was reportedly constructed with wood from Jerusalem, to symbolize Jesus’s ministry, according to the SBC’s historical records. Broadus presented it to the convention in 1872, and it has been used at most of the SBC’s annual gatherings since then.
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The Broadus gavel, which every president since 1872 has taken up to call the SBC to order. #SBC16 pic.twitter.com/6TQaLtNoOC — Barry McCarty (@barrymccarty) June 14, 2016
Greear, a North Carolina megachurch pastor who was elected SBC president in 2018, said he felt uneasy about using the Broadus gavel during last year’s annual meeting. Greear said he didn’t know that he had a choice to use other historic SBC gavels.
The Broadus gavel wouldn’t have been used this year regardless, since the SBC’s annual meeting was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. But next year, Greear said he’s going to consider using other options, such as the Annie Armstrong gavel, which is named after a Baptist missionary.
Retiring the Broadus gavel would send “a symbolic yet tangible message that we are a convention of all people, made in the image of God, and who matter deeply to God,” Greear wrote.
Some Black Southern Baptist pastors have criticized the denomination’s use of the Broadus gavel in the past. Days before Greear’s post, Dwight McKissic, a Black SBC pastor in Texas, wrote on Twitter that the “John Broadus gavel must go.”
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A slave handing the pen to the signers of the Declaration of Independence, documented its hypocrisy, the John Broadus gavel does likewise in the SBC. The John Broadus gavel must go. It’s the spirit that gave name & heroic status to the gavel, that’s created the current divide. — Dwight McKissic (@pastordmack) June 7, 2020
McKissic told The Washington Post on Wednesday that Greear’s announcement seemed to be a “substantive” step.
“I’m grateful to see this shifting and not excuse-making for keeping these Confederate relics and celebration of Confederate heroes,” McKissic said. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, compared Broadus’s place in SBC history to that of America’s Founding Fathers. “The reality is, you can’t tell the story of the SBC without John Broadus,” Mohler, who is expected to become the denomination’s next president, told the Post. “That does not mean a president should choose his gavel in 2020 or in 2021 to tell that story.”
Broadus is revered in SBC circles as one of the founders of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He’s also known for being an expert in homiletics, the art of preaching.
But the denomination recently began grappling with his racism.
Historical records show that in 1860, Broadus owned at least two slaves. During an 1863 Baptist meeting, Broadus drafted and presented resolutions pledging Southern Baptist support for the Confederacy during the Civil War. He served as a chaplain for Confederate soldiers and had a standing invitation to preach for Gen. Robert E. Lee.
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Southern Baptist leader John Albert Broadus, who died in 1895, owned slaves and served as a pastor for Gen. Robert E. Lee. Public Domain
After the war, Broadus and other faculty at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary defended white rule and the continued disenfranchisement of Black Americans, according to a report issued by the seminary in 2018.
By 1882, Broadus had repudiated the American system of chattel slavery, according to the report. But his white supremacist ideas persisted. He continued to advance the idea that Black people were morally and biologically inferior to white people.
In a paper Broadus wrote in 1883, he suggested that the “typical” Black person is a “barbarian” and “vastly inferior in point of intelligence.” In that same paper, he suggested slavery had actually been beneficial to some Black people.
“It is a vast and difficult task to lift up the lower races of mankind into Christian enlightenment,” Broadus wrote in 1883. He became the seminary’s president in 1889.
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The seminary refused to admit Black students until 1940 and officially affirmed integration in 1951. It wasn’t until 1995 that the SBC issued a formal apology for defending slavery at its founding, failing to adequately support the civil rights movement and allowing some of its congregations to exclude African Americans from membership.
Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear speaks to the denomination's executive committee last year in Nashville. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
In 2017, the SBC came very close to blocking the passage of a resolution, championed by McKissic, to officially condemn white supremacy and the extreme right. A revised version of the resolution ultimately passed, but only after considerable internal debate and social media backlash.


huffpost--2020-05-19--Speech Disorder Advocate And Widow Of U.S. Sen. John Glenn Dies At 100

At the time of John Glenn ’ s death in 2016 , the two had been married 73 years .
She had moved out of the apartment they shared in Columbus in recent years and gone to live with her daughter , Lyn , according to Wilson .
Annie Glenn was thrust into the spotlight in 1962 , when her husband became the first American to orbit Earth .
She shied away from the media attention because of a severe stutter .
Later , she underwent an intensive program at the Communications Research Institute at Hollins College , now Hollins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that gave her the skills to control her stutter and to speak in public .
Former astronaut and senator John Glenn and his wife Annie Glenn answer questions during an interview with the Associated Press at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus , Ohio , in this May 14 , 2015 , file photo .
By the time 77-year-old John Glenn returned to space in 1998 aboard space shuttle Discovery , Annie showed she had become comfortable in her public role when she acknowledged that she had reservations about the retired senator ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one year before that he was going to retire as a senator , so I was looking forward to having him as my own because I had given him to our government for 55 years , ” she told a NASA interviewer .
Her career in advocacy for those with communication disorders included service on the advisory boards of numerous child abuse and speech and hearing organizations .
The Annie Glenn Award was created to honor individuals who overcome a communication disorder .
Defense Secretary William Cohen honored Annie Glenn with the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1998 .
He called her “ a hero in her own right ” and praised her for being “ a strong voice for children , speech and communications , and the disabled.
” In 2009 , Glenn received an honorary doctorate of public service from Ohio State , where she served as an adjunct professor of speech pathology in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science .
The department bestows an Annie Glenn Leadership Award annually .
Glenn was born Anna Margaret Castor on Feb. 17 , 1920 , in Columbus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ children growing up in New Concord .
She was offered an organ scholarship to The Julliard School , but World War II began and John proposed — so she decided to stay with him , according to a biography on the Glenn College ’ s website .
The high school sweethearts attended Muskingum College and were married in 1943 .
They had two children , David and Lyn .
The Glenns served on the board of trustees of the college , now Muskingum University , and Annie Glenn was named a distinguished alumni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A virtual memorial service will be held on Saturday , June 6 , 2020 , at 11 a.m EDT .
The service will be officiated by the Rev .
Amy Miracle , pastor for the Broad Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus .
The memorial will be virtual with no parishioners or guests in attendance due to the COVID-19 restrictions .

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Annie Glenn, the widow of astronaut and U.S. Sen. John Glenn and a communication disorders advocate, died Tuesday at age 100.
Glenn died of COVID-19 complications at a nursing home near St. Paul, Minnesota, said Hank Wilson, a spokesman for the Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University.
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At the time of John Glenn’s death in 2016, the two had been married 73 years. She had moved out of the apartment they shared in Columbus in recent years and gone to live with her daughter, Lyn, according to Wilson.
Annie Glenn was thrust into the spotlight in 1962, when her husband became the first American to orbit Earth. She shied away from the media attention because of a severe stutter.
Later, she underwent an intensive program at the Communications Research Institute at Hollins College, now Hollins University, in Roanoke, Virginia, that gave her the skills to control her stutter and to speak in public.
Former astronaut and senator John Glenn and his wife Annie Glenn answer questions during an interview with the Associated Press at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, in this May 14, 2015, file photo. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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By the time 77-year-old John Glenn returned to space in 1998 aboard space shuttle Discovery, Annie showed she had become comfortable in her public role when she acknowledged that she had reservations about the retired senator’s second flight.
“John had announced one year before that he was going to retire as a senator, so I was looking forward to having him as my own because I had given him to our government for 55 years,” she told a NASA interviewer.
Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, left, and his wife, Annie Glenn, speak with reporters during a campaign stop on Nov. 30, 1983, in Detroit, Mich. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Her career in advocacy for those with communication disorders included service on the advisory boards of numerous child abuse and speech and hearing organizations. The Annie Glenn Award was created to honor individuals who overcome a communication disorder.
Defense Secretary William Cohen honored Annie Glenn with the Department of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service in 1998. He called her “a hero in her own right” and praised her for being “a strong voice for children, speech and communications, and the disabled.”
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In 2009, Glenn received an honorary doctorate of public service from Ohio State, where she served as an adjunct professor of speech pathology in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science. The department bestows an Annie Glenn Leadership Award annually.
Glenn was born Anna Margaret Castor on Feb. 17, 1920, in Columbus. She met her husband while they were children growing up in New Concord. She was offered an organ scholarship to The Julliard School, but World War II began and John proposed — so she decided to stay with him, according to a biography on the Glenn College’s website. The high school sweethearts attended Muskingum College and were married in 1943. They had two children, David and Lyn.
The Glenns served on the board of trustees of the college, now Muskingum University, and Annie Glenn was named a distinguished alumni fellow in speech communications at the school.
A virtual memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2020, at 11 a.m EDT. The service will be officiated by the Rev. Amy Miracle, pastor for the Broad Street Presbyterian Church in Columbus. The memorial will be virtual with no parishioners or guests in attendance due to the COVID-19 restrictions.