Nick Cannon gets tough love from talk show host Joe Madison

Joe Madison, "The Black Eagle" — Eagle's Nest Studios, Madison issued some tough love to Nick Cannon who recently interviewed rock guitarist and NRA board of directors member Ted Nugent. During the interview, Nugent made several disparaging remarks about African Americans and even attacked President Obama for his recent comments after the George Zimmerman verdict. Joe Madison show listeners called in as well to express their disappointment in Nick Cannon for how he conducted the interview.

Radio personality Kidd Kraddick dies in New Orleans

Story by KFAA-TV Dallas

David "Kidd" Kraddick, the likable Dallas radio personality whose popularity expanded nationwide after his morning show was syndicated, died on Saturday at the age of 53.

He passed away in New Orleans at a fundraising event for his Kidd's Kids charity organization at Timberlane County Club in Gretna, Louisiana.

Local law enforcement confirmed that Kraddick was taken to West Jefferson Medical Center in New Orleans on Saturday.

Photos taken shortly before his death show Kraddick smiling and posing with participants at the golf tournament and with his staffers.

Richie Tomblin, described as the head golf professional at Timberlane on its website, told AP that Kraddick wasn't looking well when he saw him getting ready for Saturday's charity event.

"He came out and he borrowed my golf clubs and went out to the driving range," Tomblin told AP when contacted by phone. "It's kind of a freaky situation. He came out. He practiced a little bit. He hit the ball at the first tee and wasn't feeling good and after that I didn't see him."

Tomblin said the hundreds of amateur golfers taking part went ahead with the event Saturday. He added he only found out afterward that Kraddick had died and he was still shaken about it.

"I'm still trying to figure it out. I really don't know what happened. Everyone keeps texting me asking, `What's going on?' I really don't know," said Tomblin.

He added he was reluctant to even touch the set of clubs Kraddick had borrowed Saturday for his practice swings.

A staple of North Texas radio for almost three decades,he broadcast his nationally syndicated "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning" radio show from a studio at Las Colinas. It aired locally on KISS-FM 106.1.

Loyal listeners made a pilgrimage to the studio overnight, leaving flowers, candles and posters in his memory.

"All of us at KISS-FM, Clear Channel Dallas, YEA Networks and the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning crew are heartbroken over the loss of our dear friend and leader," a statement from Clear Channel Dallas said late Saturday night. "He died doing what he loved, and his final day was spent selflessly focused on those special children that meant the world to him."

The cause of Kraddick's death was not released. Clear Channel said that information will be made available "at the appropriate time."

Kraddick's family issued a brief statement asking that their privacy be respected in their mourning period.

KISS-FM altered its usual format late Saturday to celebrate Kraddick's life by playing music and taking calls from listeners.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," one caller said. "He's a part of everybody's family; he makes people laugh."

In a bitterly ironic twist, Kraddick did a radio segment just last week on "what he would say to each member of the show in his final moments on earth" as a comedy bit.

"Have you ever thought about those last moments of your life?" he asked his radio crew. "Nobody wants a long, lingering illness; nobody wants just that; but it would be nice if you could have a day or two where you know it's coming."

He then spent several minutes saying goodbye to each member of his on-air staff.

"When I die, you have permission to take a bunch of creepy pictures of my body," Kraddick said. "I want to thank all of you guys for being at my deathbed today. I'm going to miss you so much."

The final message posted on his official Twitter account was a promotion for his Kidd's Kids charity concert at the House of Blues on August 15. The proceeds will be used to send children with chronic or terminal illnesses to Disney World.

"Kidd's heart was what made him who he was, and he wasn't hesitant at all to invite anyone into his life," said singer Tim Halperin who will appear at the August 15 concert. "It wasn't just a radio show; to the people in the Metroplex, Kidd was a great friend."

The news of Kraddick's death was greeted with disbelief on social media.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban offered his condolences: "You were an amazing man and a friend," he wrote. "You are already missed."

"Oh Man, I just heard Kidd Kraddick died! He's my childhood dj. What a sad day. His poor family. He was always nice 2 me from the beginning," singer Kelly Clarkson tweeted.

Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, only recently announced as the headline act of next month's charity concert in Dallas, wrote: "The sad sad news about Kidd Kraddick is shocking. He will be missed greatly."

Regular fans were saddened as well. "I have listened to Kidd for the last 25 years," wrote Jackie Small Brown on Facebook. "Morning radio will never be the same again."

"Seems like I've just lost a friend, " Holli Younger said on Twitter.

And Tucker McLendon tweeted: "I think Monday all radio stations should have a moment of silence for Kidd."

Kraddick was divorced and has one daughter. He won a number of awards, including the Marconi Award for radio personality of the year in 2006.

Hedge Funds Raise Gold Bets as Goldman Sees Decline: Commodities

Story by Bloomberg
Written by Joe Richter

Hedge funds raised wagers on a gold rally as speculation that the Federal Reserve will hold off on curbing stimulus drove prices toward the biggest gain in 18 months. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. expects the rally to reverse.

Money managers increased their net-long position by 26 percent to 70,067 futures and options as of July 23, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show. The fourth consecutive weekly gain is the longest streak since October. Bullish wagers across 18 U.S.-traded commodities gained 7.4 percent to 615,140. Investors more than doubled bets on lower corn prices to a record net-short holding.

Gold futures rose 8.6 percent in July, heading for the largest monthly gain since January 2012, as Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke damped speculation that a cut in bond purchases is imminent. The metal remains in a bear market reached in April and is heading for the first annual loss in 13 years after some investors lost faith in bullion as a store of value. Goldman said July 22 that prices are likely to decline.

“Buyers are expecting that the tapering program that’s been much ballyhooed won’t begin quite as soon as a lot of people anticipated,” said Mark Luschini, the chief investment strategist of Janney Montgomery Scott, which oversees about $58 billion of assets. “It’s been a good month in a bad year.”
Gold Gains

Gold climbed 2.2 percent to $1,321.90 an ounce on the Comex in New York last week, the third consecutive gain, and advanced 0.8 percent to $1,332 at 11:47 a.m. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI Spot Index of 24 commodities dropped 2.1 percent, while the MSCI All-Country World index of equities rose 0.3 percent. A Bank of America Corp. Index shows Treasuries lost 0.2 percent.

More Americans than forecast filed for unemployment benefits last week and sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly fell in June, underscoring speculation that growth is not yet strong enough for the Fed to pull back from its asset purchases. Ending the $85 billion in monthly bond buying will depend on the performance of the economy, Bernanke said during testimony to Congress July 17.

The metal more than doubled from the end of 2008 to an all-time high of $1,923.70 in September 2011 as the Fed cut interest rates to a record low and bought debt. Russia and Kazakhstan expanded their bullion reserves for a ninth straight month in June, International Monetary Fund data showed July 25. Central banks will buy about 400 metric tons in 2013, after adding almost 535 tons last year, the most since 1964, according to the London-based World Gold Council.
Goldman View

Prices will decline as the U.S. economy improves, prompting a “less accommodative monetary policy stance,” Goldman analysts led by Jeffrey Currie, the bank’s head of commodities research in New York, wrote in a July 22 report. The metal will drop to $1,050 by the end of next year, the bank forecasts. Confidence among American consumers reached a six-year high in July, a private report showed July 26.

Traders are the least bullish on bullion in four weeks as jewelry purchases slowed during this month’s rally. Thirteen analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expect prices to rise this week, 10 were bearish and seven neutral, the lowest proportion of bulls since June 28.

“Gold has made a terrific recovery, but there’s going to be resistance from people who got caught before, so there’s not too much to the upside for now,” said Donald Selkin, who helps manage about $3 billion of assets as the New York-based chief market strategist at National Securities Corp. “People are going to wait and see what the Fed is going to do.”
Miner Writedowns

Prices dropped in eight of the past nine months as the dollar rallied and equity markets gained, curbing demand for the metal as an alternative asset. The declines forced mining companies, including Barrick Gold Corp. and Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM), to announce at least $15 billion of writedowns in the past two months.

Billionaire John Paulson’s PFR Gold Fund tumbled 23 percent in June, extending this year’s loss to 65 percent. He owns the largest stake in the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), the biggest exchange-traded product backed by bullion. Holdings in global ETPs retreated 25 percent this year to the lowest since May 2010, erasing $57.6 billion from the value of the assets.

Paulson & Co. has reiterated its commitment to investing in bullion and stocks of gold producers to hedge against currency debasement as central banks pump money into economies. Accelerating inflation is a risk and gold is an important part of any portfolio, Paulson said July 17 at the CNBC Institutional Investor Delivering Alpha Conference in New York.
$280 Million

Money managers withdrew $280 million from gold funds in the week ended July 24, according to Cameron Brandt, the director of research for Cambridge, Massachusetts-based EPFR Global, which tracks money flows. Outflows from commodity funds were $344 million, according to EPFR.

Goldman pared its 12-month commodity-return forecast to 0.1 percent on July 22. That compares with an expected gain of 2.3 percent over 12 months made in a June 12 report. Agriculture and precious metals will lead the declines, the bank said.

Net-long positions in crude oil climbed 9.8 percent to 334,094 contracts, the highest since the CFTC data begins in June 2006. Prices fell 3.1 percent last week, the first drop in more than a month, as China announced plans to cut excess manufacturing capacity.
Copper Bets

Investors trimmed the net position in copper to a short holding of 12,974 contracts, from 15,673 a week earlier. Prices are down 14 percent this year on signs of slowing economic growth in China, the world’s top metals consumer. Supplies will exceed demand by 107,000 tons this year, and the surplus will expand to 387,000 tons in 2014, Barclays Plc said July 18.

A measure of net-long positions across 11 agricultural products tumbled 34 percent to 106,968 futures and options, the lowest since April 23. The S&P’s Agriculture Index of eight commodities fell to the lowest since August 2010 today.

Corn holdings expanded to a net-short position of 83,361 contracts from 37,262 a week earlier. That’s the most bearish since the data begins in 2006. The soybean net-long wagers dropped 12 percent to 109,642, the lowest since May 21. The U.S. government forecasts American farmers will harvest record crops.

“Supplies are high in a lot of commodities, and there’s an economic slowdown that’s manifesting itself and accelerating worldwide,” said Jeff Sica, who helps oversee more than $1 billion of assets as the president of Sica Wealth Management in Morristown, New Jersey. “These are major issues that are going to affect commodities prices.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Joe Richter in New York at jrichter1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steve Stroth at sstroth@bloomberg.net

President Obama's Weekly Address: A Better Bargain for the Middle Class

President Obama tells the American people about his speech at Knox College on Wednesday, where he discussed the cornerstones of what it means to be middle class, including having a good job, a home that is your own, quality education, a secure retirement, and affordable health care.

Congress begins new push for radio royalty.

Story by Inside Radio

Congress has remained on the sidelines for the past two years as the music industry has continued to press for a performance royalty on broadcast radio. But that will change in the coming days as Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) plans to introduce a royalty proposal before Congress takes its traditional August break.

The last time a royalty bill was filed was in 2009, eventually leading to negotiations and an offer that the record labels ultimately rejected. In the years since, several private deals have been reached between radio groups and indie labels. But the major record companies have so far resisted, and their supporters are once again taking the legislative route. “We have been talking about this for a while, and I believe it’s time to act on it,” Watt told his colleagues yesterday during a House Judiciary Committee hearing. He’s hoping to bring some co-sponsors onboard by positioning his bill as correcting something “extreme” and “unfair” to American artists, who aren’t able to collect international royalties since the U.S. doesn’t do the same for foreign musicians.

The National Association of Broadcasters “strongly opposes” the bill, saying it would “kill jobs” if stations were forced to pay a royalty. But the music-industry backed Music First Coalition applauded Watt’s planned bill, calling the lack of a radio royalty an “injustice that denies performers’ compensation when their work is played on AM/FM radio.”

The music industry has an uphill battle, having come up short on numerous occasions for decades. Since the start of the year NAB has already marshaled opposition to the idea from 154 members of Congress, who’ve all taken a public stand against the idea. When the radio royalty bill was debated in Congress in 2010 it never came to a full vote in Congress. Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) complained it was blocked by an “army of advocates” from both parties supporting broadcasters.

As Congress considers whether to insert itself more forcefully into the debate over performance royalties, deals continue to be reached between radio groups and record labels. Clear Channel has signed its 12th revenue-sharing arrangement, announcing the indie label Innovative Leisure will receive a share of revenue for on-air spins as well as on the iHeartRadio digital platform. It’s an arrangement similar to ones that Clear Channel, Entercom and Beasley Broadcast Group have struck with other record labels. It’s also an approach that the National Association of Broadcasters is pushing Congress to defer to. “We continue to support private, company-by-company negotiations that are driven by the free market,” spokesman Dennis Wharton says.

Not every label thinks Congress should remain hands-off. YepRoc Records co-founder Tor Hansen told the House Judiciary Committee yesterday that the “missing element” in figuring out what to do with internet radio royalties is a similar fee on over-the-air radio. “Independents have made inroads in airplay, and we thank terrestrial radio for the increased access,” he said. “But we still don’t have a performance right that would ensure music creators get paid when their sound recordings are broadcast on over-the-air radio, the only major country in the world without this right.” Without a change in the law, Hansen said musicians are missing out on royalties from foreign countries.

But Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), who has been leading the effort to come up with a legislative compromise on streaming royalties, pushed back on the idea radio can be replaced by Facebook or YouTube. He pressed Hansen on where his label goes to promote its acts. “It’s online, it’s on the radio, it’s in the clubs — it’s all over the place,” the label executive responded.

To that, Chaffetz said there’s “great value” in driving people to the clubs and creating awareness of acts. “We want artists to be fairly compensated,” Chaffetz fired back, “but there’s value to being on the radio — you’re not going to the yellow pages.”

Zimmerman Juror Says 'WE FELT HE was GUILTY'

Video by ABC
Story by ABC's Good Morning America
Written by Alyssa Newcomb

Trayvon Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, said it was "devastating" to hear a juror tell ABC News in an exclusive interview that the jury in the George Zimmerman case thought the former neighborhood watchman was guilty and "got away with murder."

"It is devastating for my family to hear the comments from juror B29, comments which we already knew in our hearts to be true. That George Zimmerman literally got away with murder," Fulton said in a statement released Thursday through The Trayvon Martin Foundation. "This new information challenges our nation once again to do everything we can to make sure that this never happens to another child.

"That's why Tracy [Martin] and I have launched The Trayvon Martin Foundation to try and take something very painful and negative and turn it into something positive as a legacy to our son," Fulton added.

Fulton's comments came hours after juror B29 emerged from the shadows and told "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts Thursday she believes she owes Martin's parents an apology because she feels "like I let them down."

"It's hard for me to sleep, it's hard for me to eat because I feel I was forcefully included in Trayvon Martin's death. And as I carry him on my back, I'm hurting as much [as] Trayvon Martin's mother because there's no way that any mother should feel that pain," said B29, who only wanted to be identified as Maddy.

Zimmerman was acquitted earlier this month of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the 2012 slaying of the unarmed teen. The case spawned heated national debates about racial profiling and the so-called Stand Your Ground self-defense laws in Florida and other states.

Maddy, a nursing assistant and mother of eight children, was the only minority member of the all-female panel. Maddy said she favored convicting Zimmerman of second-degree murder when deliberations began.

"I was the juror that was going to give them the hung jury. I fought to the end," she said.

Her feelings were eventually swayed by the second day of deliberations after she realized there wasn't enough proof to convict Zimmerman of murder or manslaughter under Florida law.

"You can't put the man in jail even though in our hearts we felt he was guilty," Maddy said. "But we had to grab our hearts and put it aside and look at the evidence."

But her feelings about Zimmerman's actions are clear.

"George Zimmerman got away with murder, but you can't get away from God. And at the end of the day, he's going to have a lot of questions and answers he has to deal with," Maddy said. "[But] the law couldn't prove it."

Zimmerman concedes he shot and killed Martin in Sanford Feb. 26, 2012, but maintains he fired in self-defense.

"That's where I felt confused, where if a person kills someone, then you get charged for it," Maddy said. "But as the law was read to me, if you have no proof that he killed him intentionally, you can't say he's guilty."

Maddy, who only recently moved to Florida from Chicago, said she has had trouble adjusting to life after the verdict, and has wrestled with whether she made the right decision.

"I felt like I let a lot of people down, and I'm thinking to myself, 'Did I go the right way? Did I go the wrong way?'" she said.

Stevie Wonder Launches a Boycott of Florida

Story from Urbanbuzz

After the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin, Stevie Wonder has signed, sealed and delivered his own verdict for the state of Florida. The musical icon says he is boycotting the Sunshine State until its "Stand Your Ground" law, which was cited at Zimmerman's trial, is reversed. "Until the 'Stand Your Ground' law is abolished, I will never perform there again," he said to cheers. "As a matter of fact, wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world."

We can now add Eddie Levert, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Patti LaBelle, Parliament/Funkadelic, Madonna, Alicia Keys, Usher, Will.I.Am, R. Kelly, Trey Songz, Mary Mary, Erykah Badu, Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Wale, Young Jeezy, Charlie Wilson, Joe, Ciara, Kelly Rowland, Keyshia Cole, Stephanie Mills and DL Hughley to the growing list of artists who refuse to perform in Florida until the laws are changed.

Prince Born to Be Britain’s King Is Named George Alexander Louis

Story by Bloomberg
Written by Thomas Penny

The son of Prince William and his wife Kate has been named George Alexander Louis.

Three people stand between the child, born July 22, and Britain’s throne: Queen Elizabeth II, who is 87; her eldest son Charles, the Prince of Wales, 64; and William, 31. William married Kate, who’s also 31, in April 2011.

“The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge,” William and Kate’s office in London said in an e-mailed statement today.

There is no guarantee that as monarch he would use his first name. His great-great-grandfather, George VI, was christened Albert Frederick Arthur George and used his fourth name when he came to the throne.

Practice is the key to success

From conversation to action: After Trayvon

Commentary by Rev. Jesse Jackson

President Barack Obama eloquently described the agony experienced among African-Americans from the slaying of Trayvon Martin. He called for a more thoughtful “conversation” on race, convened not by politicians, but among families, in churches and workplaces. He suggested modest steps to provide greater training on racial profiling with police, greater efforts to figure out how to do a “better job helping young African-American men feel that they’re a full part of this society and that they’ve got pathways and avenues to succeed.”

The president’s courageous comments merit praise and consideration. But we’ve had a long conversation about race in America. No small part of American history has been devoted to that “conversation” and that struggle. And as the president said, great progress has been made.

What we need now is action. The president’s personal narrative must translate into policy. His sentiments must be turned into meaningful solutions.

Young African-American boys need positive reinforcement, but they also need adequate nutrition as infants, good education as children, and jobs once they get out of school. Unemployment among black teenagers not in school hit a staggering 42.6 percent in June (up from a miserable 36.4 percent a year ago).

Blacks and Hispanics are clustered into low-wage, unstable jobs, and physically concentrated in impoverished ghettos and barrios, mostly in our nation’s cities. According to the census, in 31 cities, the unemployment rate is above 40 percent. In six of them, the unemployment rate is above 50 percent, which makes these young men fodder for the prison industrial complex. This is a global disgrace.

These men need more than a conversation about them from those who already have jobs. They need a plan. Lift them up where they belong. This is good policy for Americans. Lifting them is cheaper and much more wholesome than talking about them and leaving them in the margins.

Yet, the last time we had any major effort targeted at the concentrated areas of poverty and joblessness was Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty in the 1960s. In fact, Johnson’s war was remarkably successful, reducing childhood poverty and providing work or training to millions. But its programs fell victim to the costs of the Vietnam War.

Now, instead of concerted programs to provide hope and opportunity, African-Americans witness concerted attacks on the poor. North Carolina, for example, has become one of six southern states to introduce new voter ID laws since the Supreme Court’s conservative justices dismembered the Voting Rights Act. The Senate version requires a state issued ID, disqualifies student IDs for voting. The House version cuts early voting, same day registration and more. Of the 316,000 registered voters without a state-issued ID, 34 percent are African-American and 55 percent registered Democrats.

Since Republicans took control in North Carolina in 2012, the state has taken a hard shift to the right. So far this year, bills passed or pending by Republicans would eliminate the Earned Income Tax Credit for 900,000 low wage workers, reduce Medicaid benefits for 500,000 and federal unemployment benefits for 170,000, cut 30,000 kids out of pre-K, and transferred $90 million from public to voucher schools.

In North Carolina, people of conscience realized that a conversation about the situation wasn’t enough. The Rev. William Barber III, president of the North Carolina NAACP, helped create “Moral Mondays,” weekly protests at the state capitol to “dramatize the shameful condition of our state.” These protests have grown dramatically, with thousands getting arrested in peaceful civil disobedience to challenge the assault on voting rights and on the poor.

This week, President Obama will travel to Knox College in Illinois to outline out his agenda on jobs and the economy once more. He will contrast “middle-out” economics, a focus on the strengthening the middle class, with the trickle-down economics of Republicans. If we are to provide hope for young African-American boys, we need a bottom up economics, as well, targeted to provide jobs in communities scarred by high levels of unemployment and poverty.

Whatever the president’s agenda, Rev. Barber is right. Nothing will get through the obstructionists in Congress unless citizens of conscience mobilize across the nation and demand action. That will create the conversation we need to make progress once more.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Keep up with Rev. Jackson and the work of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition at www.rainbowpush.org

Trayvon Inspired Obama to Act Like the First Black President

Commentary by Raynard Jackson, NNPA Columnist

In 2004, at the Democratic National Committee’s presidential convention, I was mesmerized by Barack Obama, a little known state senator from Illinois. He electrified the convention and created a global buzz among those who watched on TV. In 2006, I was proud to see him elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois.

In 2008, I was even more proud to see a Black man elected to be president of the United States. Americans throughout the U.S. celebrated this historic accomplishment. This was one of America’s best moments.

In 2013, I am most proud that the first Black president finally seemed to find his voice before the American people on an issue that was of particular concern to the Black community. After more than four years in the White House, President Obama finally spoke to America and directly to Black America simultaneously.

For the first time, Obama did not lecture or speak down to Blacks. He spoke as one of us. He spoke from his heart to our hearts, to my heart.

He did not give a speech, for that would have been cynical and would have fallen flat. He simply exposed his soul to us; but he also allowed us to penetrate the veil that he had erected that prevented him from connecting with his own people. For the first time, he actually showed an emotional connection to the plight of Blacks in this country.

Lord knows, in my columns, I have been one of his biggest critics of how he interacts with the Black community. I would be nothing short of a hypocrite not to praise him for speaking directly to the American people in the aftermath of the Zimmerman trial, especially in a way that connected to Black Americans.

He didn’t take a position one way or the other on the jury’s verdict; that wasn’t the important thing at that moment. He spoke as president of all of America, but at the same time spoke directly to the Black community without separating the country. Non-Blacks of goodwill for certain will understand my statement.

This is the Obama I have been seeking for almost five years. It was quite obvious that Obama was touched by the emotions that were raging from within the Black community since the tragic night of Trayvon Martin’s death.

Policy considerations aside, Blacks have always wanted Obama to show us that he understood the plight of being Black in America. We have wanted him to connect to our issues like he showed the residents of Newtown, Conn. after the massacre last year.

Sometimes one can be so beat up that you just want someone to say, “I feel your pain, I understand what you are going through, “even if you can’t make the pain go away. Nothing Obama said will bring Trayvon back. But for once, America saw its first Black president in public.

Some of my readers will not understand anything I am writing; it is not you to whom I am writing. Those with similar backgrounds and experiences as mine will understand intrinsically what I am saying.

I don’t expect some to understand why I behave the way I do when a policeman pulls me over or approaches me while I am parked.

Policemen will ask me why I am putting both of my hands out of the driver’s window like I did two weeks ago. I tell them because I don’t want them to have any allusions about my being armed and to make sure they know that I am no threat to them. They don’t seem to understand that before I reach into my glove compartment that I tell them that I am about to reach into the glove box to retrieve my car information that they are requesting (title, proof of insurance, etc.).

In my professional life, I constantly have to prove my abilities, even though my records of accomplishments are part of the public domain, as any Google search would reveal. In meetings, I tell the attendees that I will call a certain person and get them to do a certain thing. I report back to the group only to be asked, “Wow, so you really do know that person?” They are actually amazed that I have personal relations with some of the most powerful people in the world; they have a hard time reconciling my background (being a Black kid from the hood of St. Louis) with knowing certain types of people.

Yes, America has come a long way since the days of Jim Crow and segregation; but please don’t criticize our president or the Black community for wanting, every now and then, for the leaders of our country (regardless of color) to be touched with the feelings of our struggles.

Sometimes we just want to be told that together we will all be OK.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm.

Michelle Alexander: "Zimmerman Mindset" Endangers Young Black Lives with Poverty, Prison & Murder

"Michelle Alexander, a law professor at Ohio State University and author of the best-selling book, "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness." Alexander says the biases that led to Martin’s death and let his killer go free are deeply embedded in U.S. society and in the criminal justice system itself: "The [Zimmerman mindset] that views black men and boys as a perpetual problem to be dealt with has infected our criminal justice system, infected our schools, has infected our politics in ways that have had disastrous consequences, birthing a prison system unprecedented in world history, and stripping millions of people of basic civil and human rights once they have been branded criminals and felons. It’s this mindset that some of us, defined largely by race and class, are unworthy of our basic care and concern and can be dealt with harshly, written off with impunity."

Cornel West: Obama’s Response to Trayvon Martin Case Belies Failure to Challenge "New Jim Crow"

Dr. Cornel West, professor at Union Theological Seminary and author of numerous books. On Obama’s remarks comparing himself to Trayvon Martin, West says: "Will that identification hide and conceal the fact there’s a criminal justice system in place that has nearly destroyed two generations of precious, poor black and brown brothers? [Obama] hasn’t said a word until now — five years in office and can’t say a word about a 'new Jim Crow.' … Obama and [Attorney General Eric] Holder — will they come through at the federal level for Trayvon Martin? We hope so — [but] don’t hold your breath. There’s going to be many people who say, 'We see this president is not serious about the criminalizing of poor people.'"

Joe Madison Awarded By NAACP For Excellence In Media

Joe Madison, “The Black Eagle”, host of The Joe Madison Show on SiriusXM Urban View, was presented with an award at last week’s annual NAACP Convention in Orlando, Florida.

The award was given to Madison “for excellence in the use of media in the promotion of civil rights for all Americans”. Roslyn Brock, Chair of the NAACP, and Ben Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP, presented the award to Mr. Madison.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Madison has been named Talker Magazine’s 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts ten times. For Madison, it was activism that prepped him for a career in radio. In 1974, several years after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, Madison was appointed Executive Director of the 10,000 member Detroit NAACP at 24, becoming the youngest person appointed to this position in NAACP history. Four years later, he was promoted to Director of the NAACP Political Action Department in 1978 by former president and CEO of the NAACP, Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks.

In 1986, Madison’s talents were called upon once again, when NAACP convention delegates elected him to the national board of directors and re-elected him for the next 14 years. In 1996, Madison accepted the challenge of restoring prominence to the NAACP Image Awards when he was appointed its chairman. At the time of his appointment, the Image Awards was $2.5 million in debt and near termination. But under Madison’s leadership, the Image Awards regained its national prominence and reversed its debt position to $1 million in profit within two years.

Madison was a talk show host for Radio One's flagship station WOL for two decades and its' Program Director for five years.

This past Saturday Joe Madison gave a passionate, resounding speech at the Washington location for the 100-City "Justice For Trayvon" rally.

On top of all this, Joe Madison currently serves on the American Red Cross Board of Governors.

Trayvon Martin's Mother speaks out at Saturday's New York "Justice for Trayvon" Vigil

One week after a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, people began to gather for rallies scheduled nationwide. Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, spoke to a New York crowd.

Black boys denied the right to be young

Story by the Washington Post
Commentary by Eugene Robinson

Justice failed Trayvon Martin the night he was killed. We should be appalled and outraged, but perhaps not surprised, that it failed him again Saturday night, with a verdict setting his killer free.

Our society considers young black men to be dangerous, interchangeable, expendable, guilty until proven innocent. This is the conversation about race that we desperately need to have — but probably, as in the past, will try our best to avoid.

George Zimmerman’s acquittal was set in motion on Feb. 26, 2012, before Martin’s body was cold. When Sanford, Fla., police arrived on the scene, they encountered a grown man who acknowledged killing an unarmed 17-year-old boy. They did not arrest the man or test him for drug or alcohol use. They conducted a less-than-energetic search for forensic evidence. They hardly bothered to look for witnesses.

Only a national outcry forced authorities to investigate the killing seriously. Even after six weeks, evidence was found to justify arresting Zimmerman, charging him with second-degree murder and putting him on trial. But the chance of dispassionately and definitively establishing what happened that night was probably lost. The only complete narrative of what transpired was Zimmerman’s.

Jurors knew that Zimmerman was an overeager would-be cop, a self-appointed guardian of the neighborhood who carried a loaded gun. They were told that he profiled Martin — young, black, hooded sweatshirt — as a criminal. They heard that he stalked Martin despite the advice of a 911 operator; that the stalking led to a confrontation; and that, in the confrontation, Zimmerman fatally shot Martin in the chest.

The jurors also knew that Martin was carrying only a bag of candy and a soft drink. They knew that Martin was walking from a 7-Eleven to the home of his father’s girlfriend when he noticed a strange man in an SUV following him.

To me, and to many who watched the trial, the fact that Zimmerman recklessly initiated the tragic encounter was enough to establish, at a minimum, guilt of manslaughter. The six women on the jury disagreed.

Those jurors also knew that Martin, at the time of his death, was just three weeks past his 17th birthday. But black boys in this country are not allowed to be children. They are assumed to be men, and to be full of menace.

I don’t know if the jury, which included no African Americans, consciously or unconsciously bought into this racist way of thinking — there’s really no other word. But it hardly matters, because police and prosecutors initially did.

The assumption underlying their ho-hum approach to the case was that Zimmerman had the right to self-defense but Martin — young, male, black — did not. The assumption was that Zimmerman would fear for his life in a hand-to-hand struggle but Martin — young, male, black — would not.

If anyone wonders why African Americans feel so passionately about this case, it’s because we know that our 17-year-old sons are boys, not men. It’s because we know their adolescent bravura is just that — an imitation of manhood, not the real thing.

We know how frightened our sons would be, walking home alone on a rainy night and realizing they were being followed. We know how torn they would be between a child’s fear and a child’s immature idea of manly behavior. We know how they would struggle to decide the right course of action, flight or fight.

And we know that a skinny boy armed only with candy, no matter how big and bad he tries to seem, does not pose a mortal threat to a healthy adult man who outweighs him by 50 pounds and has had martial arts training (even if the lessons were mostly a waste of money). We know that the boy may well have threatened the man’s pride but likely not his life. How many murders-by-sidewalk have you heard of recently? Or ever?

The conversation we need to have is about how black men, even black boys, are denied the right to be young, to be vulnerable, to make mistakes. We need to talk about why, for example, black men are no more likely than white men to smoke marijuana but nearly four times as likely to be arrested for it — and condemned to a dead-end cycle of incarceration and unemployment. I call this racism. What do you call it?

Trayvon Martin was fighting more than George Zimmerman that night. He was up against prejudices as old as American history, and he never had a chance.

President Obama: "Trayvon Martin Could Have Been Me 35 Years ago"

This afternoon, President Obama spoke from the White House Press Briefing Room about Trayvon Martin and the verdict of the court trial that followed the Florida teenager’s death.

"Justice for Trayvon" National Day of Action Vigils in 100 Cities - City Listings and Contacts -

Below is the list of 100 cities for Saturday’s Noontime Vigil that Sharpton announced on the Today Show this past Monday. The Link for Sharpton’s updates is at very bottom.

________________________________________

"Justice for Trayvon" National Day of Action Vigils in 100 Cities
July 20th, 2013 12:00 PM
Federal Court Buildings
Nationwide
________________________________________

“Justice for Trayvon” National Day of Action Vigils in 100 Cities outside of Federal Court Buildings Saturday, July 20th – 12 Noon
The vigils, taking place in 100 cities, will be a call to action pushing for federal charges against George Zimmerman leading up to the Saturday, August 24 March on Washington

FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO REGISTER AS AN ORGANIZER OR A PARTICIPANT;
CALL 877-626-4651 OR LOGON TO WWW.NATIONALACTIONNETWORK.NET
________________________________________

Locations:

Additional cities are coming in very frequently.

1. Anniston, AL
Group of concerned Parents
1129 noble Street
10:00 AM
832-499-8731
Callelegantevents@yahoo.com

2. Birmingham, AL
Hugo Black Federal Courthouse
1729 5th Avenue North
Birmingham AL 35203
Meeting at Kelly Ingram Park (5th Avenue North And 16th Street) at 11am
Contact: Sheila Tyson 205-249-8559
Shirley Floyd 205-552-3035
Hezekiah Jackson 205-516-9806

3. Birmingham, AL (2)
1800 5th avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Contact: Marcella Lee
sking10@bham.rr.com

4. Montgomery / Mobile, AL
403 West Powell st.
Contact: The Ordinary People Society
334-791-2433
topssociety@yahoo.com

5. Mobile, AL
U.S. Federal Court House, Southern District of Alabama
113 Saint Joseph St.
12 Noon.
Contact: Robert Battles
(252) 518-1262
Email: rbattlesafricatown@att.net

6. Montgomery, AL
U.S. Federal Court House, Middle District of Alabama @
One Court Street Center
11:00 a.m–2:00p.m.
Contact: Minister Earl S. Wagner
(334) 322-8837
Email: topscoord@yahoo.com
Dr. Sharon Richards
(334) 819-0307

7. Los Angeles, CA
Berendo Middle School
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Contact: Sofia Francis
213-984-8308
krazy.friends123@gmail.com

8. Los Angeles, CA (2)
312 N. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Date: 7/2013
Time: 9:00 am
Tel: (323) 546-8173

9. Riverside, CA
Federal Building and United States Courthouse
3470 12th Street
Riverside, CA 92501
Time: 9AM – 12PM
Contact: Carolyn Huyck
951-236-9372
carolynhuyck@facebook.com
https://www.facebook.com/events/372538802868211/

10. San Bernardino, CA
351 N. Arrowhead
Time: 9AM
Contact: Daughters of Nefertiti
909-910-3603
daughter_moss@yahoo.com

11. Seaside, CA
Broadway (ObamaWay) Post Office
9:00 am
Contact: First Baptist Church of pacific grove/ Monterey NAACP
831-373-0741
Rev.rfmont@gmail.com

12. Washington, D.C.
The E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse
333 Constitution Avenue N.W.
Washington D.C. 20001

13. Fort Myers, FL
Martin Luther King Blvd.
6:00PM
Contact: ANF
239-785-5560
jonestw27@yahoo.com

14. Fort Pierce, FL
Federal Courthouse
101 S. U.S Hwy 1
772-801-1965
lashonda1975@aol.com

15. Jacksonville, FL
Duvall Federal Courthouse
Contact: Michael Brown
904-333-9974
m.troy.brown@gmail.com

16. Jacksonville, FL (2)
Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse
300 North Hogan Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
Pastor Perry Robinson 904-881-9961
12PM

17. Miami, FL
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. United States Courthouse
400 North Miami Avenue
Miami, FL 33128
Time: 10:00 AM
786-362-5746
nansouthflorida@gmail.com

18. Miami, FL (2)
21300 SW 114 Ave.
305-300-4684
nansouthflorida@gmail.com

19. Orlando, FL
80 N. Hughey Avenue
407-900-9569
bettyjdean47@gmail.com

20. Tallahassee, FL
United States Courthouse
111 N. Adams St.
Tallahassee, Florida 32301-7730
Rev. Don Tolliver
850-330-9311
quartress@gmail.com
12PM

21. Tampa, FL
Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse
12:00 PM
Contact: PUSH – Persists Until Something Happens
813-325-7715
Jebony21@gmail.com

22. Atlanta, GA
Richard B. Russell Federal Building
75 Spring St. SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
12noon EST

23. Atlanta, GA (2)
3201 Summer Wood Circle
Atlanta, GA
678-362-3728
stephens.savannah@gmail.com

24. Augusta, GA
1850 Gordon Hwy.
Contact: Reach One Teach One
706-210-9142
jenkinsandassociates@yahoo.com

25. Augusta, GA (2)
Stomping out Injustice: Rally for Trayvon
Augusta Richmond County Judicial Center
735 9th St
Time: 3:00 PM
(706) 869-2093
heathergates222@yahoo.com

26. Lafayette, GA
5921 Hwy 151
Contact: Let’s Make A Difference, Inc.
Rev.Dr. Willie Womble
lmadfaith@yahoo.com

27. Savannah, GA
125 Bull St.
912-713-1132
camanor1981@gmail.com

28. Thomasville, GA
Aqueelah
417 W. Walcott
229-236-8328
keala_watson@yahoo.com

29. Davenport, IA
Michael Parker
Federal Courthouse
131 E. 4th Street
Contact: Michael Parker
563-940-0888
Successful340970@yahoo.com

30. Chicago, IL
Dirksen Federal Building
219 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL
Time: 12PM – 3PM
Contact Information:
Maureen Forte’, President – 708.653.6545
Pastor Ira J. Acree – 773.378.3300
Rev. Dr. Marshall Elijah Hatch Sr. – 773.909.5051

31. Peoria, IL
210 N. Richard Pryor Pl.
Time: 10:00 AM
Contact: Bethel United Methodist Church
309-360-4370
rmbookerj@aol.com

32. Indianapolis, IN
3858 Red Mill Place
Time: 1:00PM
Contact: Terrell Harris
317-656-1503
deboi07@yahoo.com

33. Wichita, KS
17th and Hillside
Time: 4:00PM
316-351-1922
alycia.trotter@yahoo.com

34. Bowling Green, KY
Warren County Justice Center
1001 Center Street
Time: 10:00 AM CDT
Contact: Martin Luther King Jr. Planning Committee
(270) 320-8432
mccray20@insightbb.com

35. Lexington, KY
US District Court
101 Barr St.
Lexington, KY 40507
Time 12-2
Contact: Gina De Arth
330-978-0884
momsmostwanted411@gmail.com

36. Baton Rouge, LA
1201 N. Third Street, Ste. 7-210
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Contact: Jermaine Hutchinson
225-349-9360
crazywrapstar@yahoo.com

37. New Orleans, LA
United Stated District Court Federal Bldg.
500 Poydras Street
New Orleans, La. 70130
Contact: Kimberly Gibson
(504) 388-2004
Time: 11:00 – 1:00

38. Shreveport, LA
300 Fannin St.
Contact: Dr. Artis Cash
318-773-7947
drartiscash@msn.com

39. Detroit, MI
US DOJ
211 Fort Street Detroit, MI
12PM
Contact: Charles Williams II
313.312.5287
NANDetroit@gmail.com

40. Pontiac, MI
154 Wall Street
Pontiac, MI
12PM-2PM
Contact: Melvin Grigsby
Meazy2010@gmail.com
248-648-5432

41. Pontiac, MI (2)
10 Water St.
Pontiac, MI 48342
10AM
Contact: MBM
musicbymista@gmail.com
502-330-0525

42. Minneapolis, MN
United States Federal Courthouse
300 South 4th Street
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

43. Maryland Heights, MO
P.O. Box 1801
Maryland Heights, MO
Contact: Louis Holmes
314 341-5564
EJSServicelh.@gmail.com

44. St. Louis, MO
Federal Court Building
Downtown St. Louis
shineonthecommunity@gmail.com
636-385-2922
https://www.facebook.com/events/582440218473615/?ref=2

45. St. Louis, MO (2)
United States Attorneys Office
111S 10th St
St. Louis, MO 63102
Contact: Dr. James E. Coleman, Jr.
1-434-426-2507

46. St. Louis, MO (3)
Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse
111 South 10 Street
St. Louis, MO 63102
10:30AM-11:30AM
trayvonstl@gmail.com

47. Charlotte, NC
401 W. Trade Street
Contact: Charlotte for Peace & Justice
704-458-1374
CookieWilliams@live.com

48. Waldorf, MD
St. Charles Town Center
11110 Mall Cir Waldorf, MD 20603
12pm
Contact: Pastor Thirkel Freeman
(301) 653-4404
http://www.truegospel-churchministry.org/

49. Billings, MT
Federal Building
12:00 Noon MDT
Contact: Pamela Hill
406-671-9295
pamfrommontana@yahoo.com

50. Fayetteville, NC
117 Dick St.
Time: 3PM
Contact: Kelechi Group
803-743-2839
Kelechigroup@gmail.com

51. Fayetteville, NC (2)
Hay Street Downtown
6:00PM – 8:30PM
910-339-5918
alainaclark3.ac@gmail.com

52. Goldsboro, NC
508 E. Walnut street Apt. 109b
Contact: Carol Durante
540-455-4394
dbaby2659@gmail.com

53. Greensboro, NC
US Federal Court Building
L. Richardson Preyer Building
324 East Market Street
Greensboro NC
Contact: Monica Archie
Mdarchie.ma@gmail.com
(336)491-5181

54. New Bern, NC
US Federal Courthouse
413 Middle Street
Contact: L.A. Jamison
252-638-1518
Jdillslove@peoplepc.com

55. Wilkesboro, NC
Old Courthouse
6:30PM
336-818-0215
ladyjmillz69@aol.com

56. Winston-Salem, NC
1200 N. Trade Street
Winston-Salem, NC
Time: 11:00 AM
Contact: Union Baptist Church
336-283-1709
charry@eleganteventz.net

57. Camden, NJ
Camden City Hall Plaza
12:00 Noon
58. Jersey City, NJ
William T. Brennan Courthouse
583 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ
Contact: Florence Holmes
201-333-1509

59. Newark, NJ
Federal Building
On the corner of Broad & Walnut St.
Time: 12PM
Contact: Steffie Bartley
(908) 296-6786

60. Las Vegas, NV
333 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Time: 8AM
Contact: Unity in the Community
702-609-4420
chaneljackson83@ymail.com

61. Buffalo, NY
Downtown Niagara Square
Buffalo, NY 14202
Time: 6PM
716-299-8299
bflonan@gmail.com

62. Hollis, NY
191019 Jamaica Ave.
Contact: True Worship Church of Christ
347 279-7430
truewc@aol.com

63. Nassau County, NY
Nassau County Criminal Court House
99 Main St.
Hempstead, NY
12 Noon
Contact Info:
Nassau County Chapter of NAN
516 543-7812
Aedennis@nassaunan.org

64. New York, NY
1 Police Plaza
New York, NY

65. New York, NY (2)
45 Central Park North HDFC
New York, NY
Time: 9PM
917-721-1186
deborah.sanders@rocketmail.com

66. Staten Island, NY
Borough Hall
10 Richmond Terrace (Opposite the Staten Island Ferry)
Contact: Cynthia Davis
347-938-1769

67. Syracuse, NY
James M. Hanley Federal Building
100 S. Clinton Street
Syracuse, New York 13202

68. Akron, OH
2 So. Main St.
Contact: Dr. Jerome Parker
330-835-1982
drartiscash@msn.com

69. Canton, OH
Time: 3:00PM
Contact: Ellsey Project
330-341-9571
Tamaracrable9909@gmail.com

70. Cincinnati, OH
Federal Court House
100 E. Fifth Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Bishop Bobby Hilton
513-858-8131

71. Columbus, OH
4828 Wendler Blvd.
Contact: Chantay Flowers
614-269-7699
Chanflowers@yahoo.com

72. Greater Cleveland, OH
Carl B. Stokes US District Federal Court
801 W. Superior Ave.
Cleveland, OH 4413
Contact: Maria L. McCoy
216-374-0913

73. Oberlin, OH
199 Eastern Ave
12:00pm
Community of Oberlin Ohio
440-821-9015
annessa.wyman@oberlin.edu

74. Toledo, OH
795 Jackson Street
5:30-7:00pm
419-514-5260
scorpianbosslady@yahoo.com

75. Toledo, OH (2)
Toledo (Lucas County) Common Pleas Court
700 Adams St. Toledo, Ohio 43609
5:30pm – 7pm
Chris McBrayer
419.419.1770
oneday_betr@aol.com

76. Allentown, PA
Jalil Rasheed
Federal Courthouse
5th & Hamilton
484-426-3280

77. Harrisburg, PA
Federal Building & Courthouse
228 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, PA 17108
Contact:Rev. Micah C. T. Sims, organizer
micahctsims@gmail.com
267.629.9648 cell

78. Philadelphia, PA
James A. Byrne U.S. Federal Court House
601 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone #: 215-765-6181
Email: thepananoffice@yahoo.com

79. Philadelphia, PA (2)
9:00 AM
Contact: Justice 4 All
215-287-0400
cliffy4469@gmail.com

80. West Chester, PA
High & Market Sts
1:00pm
Citizens Against Gun Violence
484-321-1530
jasminejones928@gmail.com

81. Chattanooga, TN
Joel Solomon Federal Building (Corner of MLK and Georgia)
5:00 PM
Contact: Concerned Citizens for Justice
423-401-8893
ccjstreetteam@gmail.com

82. Memphis, TN
191 Beale St.
Time: 6pm
Contact: James Richardson
901-674-5598
jamesfrich@gmail.com

83. Memphis, TN (2)
Lorraine Motel (National Civil Rights Museum)
11:00 AM
Contact: Charlise Clark
901-210-0143
charlise.clark@gmail.com

84. Columbia ,SC
South Carolina State Court House on Gervais St
Time: 10:00 AM
803-206-4687
Buildingcommunitiesandfamilies@gmail.com

85. Nashville, TN
United States District Court – Middle District of Tennessee
Contact: Magaela Bethune
615-332-2757
J4tnashville@gmail.com

86. Austin, TX
1100 Congress Avenue
12 Noon
Contact: Chas Moore
713-459-2333
chas.d.moore@gmail.com

87. Bastrop, TX
PO. Box 144
655 E. Durango Blvd
Contact: Yolanda Miller
210-227-5800
ymkgentertainment@gmail.com

88. Dallas, TX
1100 Commerce Street
Dallas, TX
877-998-4623
cwcentgroup@gmail.com

89. Dallas, TX (2)
1100 S. Commerce Street
Contact: Kingdom W.A.R. Church
214-845-1313
info@thekingdomwar.org

90. Dallas, TX (3)
8717 Jennie Lee Ln.
Contact: Brandon Horlsey-Thompson
757-768-5591
horsley.thompsonb@gmail.com

91. Houston, TX
Mickey Leland Federal Building
1919 Smith Street
Houston, TX
713-822-6372

92. Houston, TX (2)
City Hall 901 BABGY
Contact: The Community Of Faith Church King’s Dome
1023 Pinemont Drive
Houston, TX 77018
Telephone: (713) 688-2900, extension 224
Fax: (713) 688-3682
Bishop James W.E. Dixon, II – Senior Pastor
www.cofempowers.org

93. Jasper, TX
1013 Helen Street
Time: 7:00PM
Contact: Walter G. Diggles Foundation
409-489-2540
wdiggles1@gmail.com

94. San Antonio, TX
Federal Courthouse
655 E. Durango Blvd
Time: 11:00 AM
Contact: Community of Churches for Social Action
210-227-5800
ccsasatx@yahoo.com

95. Wichita Falls, TX
2003 Collins Ave
2pm
Contact: North Texas Cultural Diversity Society
615-210-5810
crystal.washington@wds.co

96. Harrisonburg, VA
Harrisonburg District Court, Court Square
Contact: Communities for Solutions
540-432-5555
Communitiesforsolutions@gmail.com

97. Lynchburg, VA
Federal Court Building
11th and Main Street
Lynchburg, VA
Dr. Carl B. Hutcherson, Jr.
1-434-665-4339

98. Newport News, VA
2400 West Avenue
Contact: Fatimah Walton
757-597-3274
ffewalton@Gmail.com

99. Newport News, VA (2)
25th St & West Ave
Time: 9:00 AM
Contact: Citizens of Newport News
757-768-6459
sjeffersn@yahoo.com

100. Norfolk, VA
600 Granby Street, Federal Court
12PM
Contact: United Council for Equality
757-402-9245 (Tomeka M. Winborne)
unitedcouncilforequality@gmail.com

101. Roanoke, VA
Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge
Roanoke, VA
Time: 6:00 PM
Contact: One Accord for Justice
540-793-0520
samariapope@gmail.com

102. Milwaukee, WI
517 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Contact: Milwaukee Matters
414-202-7606
kbailey@milwaukeematters.com

103. Racine, WI
1250 Lathrop Avenue
Racine, WI
Contact: Pastor Mark Freeman & Second Missionary Baptist Church
262-995-4863
mark.freeman47@aol.com


Rev Al Sharpton’s Vigil Update Link: http://nationalactionnetwork.net/events/563/justice-for-trayvon-national-day-of-action-vigils-in-100-cities/

"Justice for Trayvon" National Day of Action Vigils in 100 Cities

July 20th, 2013 12:00 PM

Federal Court Buildings

Nationwide

“Justice for Trayvon” National Day of Action Vigils in 100 Cities outside of Federal Court Buildings Saturday, July 20th – 12 Noon

The vigils, taking place in 100 cities, will be a call to action pushing for federal charges against George Zimmerman leading up to the Saturday, August 24 March on Washington

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 877-626-4651

Link to the 100 Cities: http://nationalactionnetwork.net/events/563/justice-for-trayvon-national-day-of-action-vigils-in-100-cities/

Stevie Wonder won’t perform in Florida because of ‘stand your ground’ law, Zimmerman verdict

While performing in Quebec City on July 14th 2013, Stevie Wonder reacts to the not-guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial that followed the shooting of Trayvon Martin. He declares he will not perform in Florida as long as the Stand-your-ground law isn't revoked there, or anywhere else in the world with such a law. I am the author of this video.

Story by AP

Stevie Wonder says he won’t perform in Florida and other states with a “stand your ground” law.

In a video posted on YouTube, the 63-year-old singer said at a concert in Quebec City, Canada, on Sunday “that until the ‘stand your ground’ law is abolished in Florida, I will never perform there again.”

Wonder added: “Wherever I find that law exists, I will not perform in that state or in that part of the world.”

The “stand your ground” law allows people to use deadly force if they believe their life is in danger.

George Zimmerman shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin during a February 2012 confrontation in Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman said he fired his gun in self-defense.

A six-member jury acquitted Zimmerman of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges on Saturday.

Wonder’s representative said the singer had no further comment.

Op-ed by Ben Jealous: Department of Justice Petition

Op-Ed by Ben Jealous (photo above)

One million people.

As of Tuesday morning, one million people have signed an NAACP petition asking the Department of Justice to pursue federal and civil rights charges against George Zimmerman after he was founded not guilty in the murder of Trayvon Martin.

I knew I was not alone in my outrage, anger, and heartbreak over this decision. When a teenager's life is taken, and there is no accountability for the man who killed him, nothing seems right in the world.

But we cannot let these emotions rule us. Instead, in these most challenging of times, we are called to act. That begins with the pursuit of justice for Trayvon Martin, and it continues with a comprehensive campaign to fight the underlying problems factors that led to his death.

The first step is clear: we must make sure that George Zimmerman is held accountable for his actions. The jury's decision must be respected and the rule of law upheld, but that does not mean the investigation should be considered complete. The trial judge's decision to discount debate about race or racial profiling in the courtroom leaves open questions about Zimmerman's motivation and intent.

The Department of Justice has the power to investigate whether Zimmerman's actions constitute a hate crime under federal law. The Department has closely monitored the case since March, and only put their investigation on hold to respect the state's trial. Since the verdict and the overwhelming response, Attorney General Eric Holder has agreed to re-open his investigation.

As he told the Delta Sigma Theta convention this week, "We are determined to meet division and confusion with understanding and compassion - and also with truth."

This is the power of one million voices. One voice in angry protest can be ignored, but when one million people speak as one - and thousands more take to the street in peaceful protest, rallies and vigils - we can change the world.

So what comes next? As we closely follow the Department of Justice's investigation, we must continue to draw on our collective outrage and refuse to let the memory of Trayvon Martin fade from the hearts and minds of the nation.

Trayvon Martin's death did not occur in a vacuum. Ours was supposed to be the first generation of black Americans to be judged not by our race or the color of our skin. Instead, we find ourselves to be the most murdered generation in the country and the most incarcerated on the planet. Meanwhile, racial profiling continues to rear its ugly head in law enforcement and civilian life alike.

At this moment we have a chance to address some of these societal ills. We have a chance to challenge racial profiling in all its forms, and to fight the underlying cause of violence in our communities - by the good guys and bad guys alike.

This last year we have already changed the world. Not a single state in the continental United States has passed a "stand your ground" law in 2013 - the first time in eight years. And last month the New York City Council passed a strong bill banning the racially abusive practice of "stop and frisk" policing, after hundreds of thousands of people protested in the name of Trayvon.

We have a choice. We can be felled by our sorrows over the jury's decision. Or we can turn our frustration into action. We will demand the Department of Justice address the travesties of this tragedy. We will advance our movement to end racial profiling in America.

And with one million people at our back, we will make sure that the memory Trayvon Martin never fades from the hearts and minds of this nation.

Sign the NAACP's petition at www.naacp.org.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Ben Jealous is president/CEO of the NAACP.
Contact: Ben Wrobel 917-846-0658 bwrobel@naacpnet.org @NAACPPress

TRAYVON MARTIN’S FRIEND, RACHEL JEANTEL, OFFERED FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP FROM TOM JOYNER

(Dallas) - Rachel Jeantel was thrust into the spotlight after she testified in the George Zimmerman trial detailing her friendship with her slain friend, Trayvon Martin. Jeantel’s testimony and her recent appearance on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight”, greatly impacted radio legend Tom Joyner and since he first saw her on the stand, Joyner has been determined to help Jeantel.

Tuesday morning on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, Joyner offered Jeantel a possible full scholarship to any HBCU through the Tom Joyner Foundation.

Zimmerman Verdict- A Travesty in “Post Racial” America by Ron Daniels

Commentary by Dr Ron Daniels

The George Zimmerman Verdict
A Travesty in “Post Racial” America

Black America and people of goodwill of all races watched in utter dismay as the jury in the George Zimmerman Trial issued its verdict of not guilty in the murder of Trayvon Martin. Once the case finally surfaced (after inexplicably being buried with no arrest of the killer for weeks), it was absolutely clear that Trayvon Martin was “racially” profiled as a “dangerous looking” Black man by a wannabe cop turned self-appointed vigilante named George Zimmerman. But, in “post racial” America, apparently this was not at all clear to the policing authorities in Sanford, Florida, who would have never arrested and charged Zimmerman had it not been for the massive national outcry and protests. There is absolutely no doubt in the minds of the vast majority of Africans in America that if a 28 year old Black man had pursued, confronted and killed an unarmed 17 year old White teenager, who was simply returning home after shopping at the local convenience store, that Black man would have been arrested, charged and eventually found guilty. Such is the state of race relations and racial justice in what far too many people would like to conveniently believe is “post racial” America.

From the outset I expressed serious doubt about the prospects of Trayvon Martin’s family receiving justice because Sanford, Florida is a bastion of White Republican conservatism. The selection of an all White, female jury (one of whom was a Latina) from a Jury pool in this community compounded my concerns. Moreover, the prosecution and the Martin family legal team were reluctant to introduce racial profiling as a key element in the case, choosing instead the more subtle tact of saying that Trayvon was “criminally” profiled. Virtually no one in Black America doubts that young Black boys/men are profiled as suspects simply because of their race. This is precisely why Trayvon’s murder resonated with Black mothers, fathers and young people all across this country. Indeed, we must not forget that the “Stand Your Ground Law” which George Zimmerman initially used in his defense was created to defend “decent, law abiding citizens” (White people) against the “criminal elements” in our society (dangerous Black men). These specious laws propagated by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) with the backing of the rightwing, billionaire Koch brothers have spread to several states. They are part of a calculated strategy to guard against the menacing criminal hordes.

Racial profiling and Trayvon Martin’s right to “stand his ground” to defend himself from a “creepy looking cracker” who was following him, despite being told by the 911 Police Dispatcher not to do so, should have been the heart of the case against George Zimmerman. Instead, the Prosecution chose to take race off the table and focus on whose voice was heard screaming on the tapes and who was on top in what should have been characterized as a “fist fight” where the aggressor had a gun. It is entirely possible that a frightened Trayvon Martin defended himself against a “creepy cracker” and was frantically administering a good old fashioned whipping on Zimmerman before he pulled his gun and killed Trayvon. How is it that in a fist fight, which was precipitated by Zimmerman’s unnecessary and unauthorized pursuit of Trayvon, can he (Zimmerman) claim the right to use deadly force in self-defense? An all White Jury drawn from a predominantly White, Republican, conservative locale concluded that Zimmerman was the victim who feared for his life and therefore was not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin.

Defense Attorney Don West even declared that it was a tragedy that could have become a travesty if George Zimmerman had been convicted. In an awkward attempt to empathize with the Martin Family, lead Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara equated Trayvon’s murder to a family’s loss of a son in a car accident or to cancer! The Zimmerman verdict and the post-trial gloating by the defense team demonstrate that the idea of a post-racial America is delusional. Substantial sectors of White America have no clue about what it means to be a young Black man in America whether rich, middle class or poor. The negative portrayals of Black men in the media, some of which are attributable to the War on Drugs, crime, violence and fratricide in America’s “dark ghettos,” has reduced all Black men to suspects. The George Zimmerman verdict was a travesty which did little to engender faith in the criminal justice system.

Recent Supreme Court verdicts further limiting Affirmative Action and gutting the Voting Rights Act of 1965 further illustrate the degree to which conservatives and a fair number of Whites of all political persuasions are convinced that race no longer matters as a major impediment to Black progress. These decisions coupled with the George Zimmerman verdict have produced widespread frustration and anger in Black America. But, this frustration and anger will be for naught unless Blacks and people of goodwill mobilize/organize to advance an agenda to finish the unfinished civil rights/human rights agenda for equality and opportunity in this nation. Those systems and institutions which commit injustices against our people must feel some pain! For example, the Stand Your Ground Law in Florida must be changed. That will require that Blacks, Latinos, Asians and progressive Whites register and march on ballot boxes with a vengeance to change the composition of the state legislature. Simultaneously, perhaps, a National Coalition of Conscience should declare an economic boycott against Florida (the NAACP National Convention is occurring in Orlando at this very moment, pumping millions of dollars into Florida’s economy) until the Stand Your Ground Law is changed – GREEN POWER will produce policy change. The highly successful Moral Mondays organized by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, NAACP State President in North Carolina, are also an excellent model of resistance which should be examined for possible adoption in other states.

The point is that anger without action is just anger. There are still millions of Blacks across the country who are not registered or who do not vote on Election Day. Those who are frustrated by the Zimmerman verdict can take it out at the ballot box by registering and then voting to rid this nation of the scourge of radical conservatism. We can use Black dollars as a weapon to advance an inclusive, progressive Black agenda by boycotting those states that adopt voter identification laws or Stand Your Ground Laws one at a time. As we gather for the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, hopefully, our national leaders will offer a concrete plan for resisting the “intolerable acts” that are being heaped on Africans in America. Frederick Douglass put it best when he said: “Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.”

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Dr. Ron Daniels is President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century and Distinguished Lecturer at York College City University of New York. His articles and essays also appear on the IBW website www.ibw21.org and www.northstarnews.com . To send a message, arrange media interviews or speaking engagements, Dr. Daniels can be reached via email at info@ibw21.org .

Al Sharpton announces 100-City Rally at Federal Buildings Saturday July 20th

Rev. Al Sharpton, host of Reach Media News-Talk Network's "Keeping it Real with Al Sharpton" radio show, and Attorney Lisa Bloom discuss the results of the George Zimmerman trial and the possibility that criminal civil rights charges could be filed by the Justice Department on NBC's Today Show. Video by NBC

George Zimmerman's verdict: "Not Guilty" -- Zimmerman's Defense Attorneys Controversial Reaction

Trayvon Benjamin Martin
Born February 5, 1995
Died February 26, 2013

@DwyaneWade: "How do I explain this to my young boys????"

Link to honor the life of Trayvon B. Martin: http://www.forevermissed.com/trayvon-martin/#about

Tracy Martin, father of the late Trayvon Martin, following the "Not-Guilty" Zimmerman verdict. He tweets: “God blessed Me & Sybrina with Tray and even in his death I know my baby proud of the FIGHT we along with all of you put u [sic],” tweeted Tracy Martin. “Thanks to everyone who are with us and who will be with us si [sic] we together can make sure that this doesn’t happen again. Even though I am broken-hearted my faith is unshattered I WILL ALWAYS LOVE MY BABY TRAY.”

Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon's mother, tweeted: Lord during my darkest hour I lean on you. You are all that I have. At the end of the day, GOD is still in control. Thank you all for your prayers and support. I will love you forever Trayvon!!! In the name of Jesus!!!


"Not Guilty" Verdict for George Zimmerman read in the Sanford, Fl. courtroom (CBS News video)


Defense Attorneys controversial reaction to the 'Not Guilty' verdict. (Video by CBS News)


Prosecution Attorneys reaction to George Zimmerman being found 'Not Guilty' of the killing of Trayvon Martin (video by CBS News)

Entrepreneur Jay Z

Interviews from Power 105.1 FM in New York

NABOB pushes feds to spend more on radio.

Story by Inside Radio

The U.S. government spends $750 million a year in paid commercial advertising and National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters executive director Jim Winston believes more transparency is needed to make sure that money is being fairly distributed. At NABOB’s urging, the Department of Defense is being urged to put more of its $450.1 million ad budget into radio.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) inserted language into the Defense Reauthorization Bill that encourages a shift in media buying strategy. “The broad reach of radio makes it an effective media vehicle to utilize to reach both recruits and influencers,” the House Report on the bill now reads, noting radio reaches 92% of Americans each week. NABOB determined the Department of Defense spends less than 2% of its ad budget on radio, even though it’s cost effective — something high on the minds of lawmakers.

At the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council conference this week in Washington, Winston said the broader issue is the need for disclosures of where those ad dollars are flowing. “That should be on the public record,” Winston said. He believes that transparency will reveal whether minority-targeted stations – whose listeners disproportionately make up the military ranks — are getting their fair share of those ad dollars.

As things stand today, Winston thinks most black-owned stations get almost no federal advertising buys. His group is also pushing other federal departments, including Treasury, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Homeland Security to put more of their ad budget into radio — and specifically minority-targeted stations.

Tax certificate still viewed as fix for minority broadcasters

Story by Inside Radio

It has been nearly two decades since the minority tax certificate program was abolished. It’s credited with helping grow the number of women- and minority-owned stations during its 17 year existence, and for that reason it’s never far from discussion at the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council’s annual Access to Capital conference.

Marie Johns, a former Small Business Administration official in the Obama administration, thinks there should be an increased focus on entrepreneurship to bring more minorities into high-growth sectors like media – but said there’s no one magic bullet to address the issues of too few owners. “We have to think about changing strategies and tactics to make sure we are addressing the issues before us,” Johns said.

Former Florida Republican congressman Cliff Stearns said that could mean looking at different ways to expand the tax certificate policy beyond just those who sell a station to a woman or minority broadcaster. Stearns suggested giving venture capitalists tax breaks on the capital gains they net from investments in minority-owned businesses. He also threw his support behind bills introduced by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) that would allow crowd-sourced funding for minority entrepreneurs. Stearns said something must be done because many banks are “fearful” that if they make too many loans, federal regulators will step in and make them raise more capital because some of their loans are deemed high-risk.

But the tax certificate seems just as far away as it did at the last MMTC event one year ago. “Unfortunately in recent times here in Washington we have seen a lack of support for programs designed to increase minority ownership in broadcasting – not to mention programs that need to be created to get us into the new technologies,” National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters executive director Jim Winston said.

Yet getting anything through a gridlocked Congress – even something like tax breaks that have bipartisan support – could be tough. “It’s as bad as it looks and probably worse,” Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) said of the Washington standoff. Instead, he suggested the focus be put at the agency level where policies can be more easily changed. “Outdated regulations are not beneficial to industry and it’s the American people that ultimately pay the price of burdensome rules,” he said.

Roland Martin to Host New Morning News Program "News One Now" on TV One

Press Release by TV One

TV ONE ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR LIVE DAILY MORNING NEWS PROGRAM: NEWS ONE NOW TO BE HOSTED BY ROLAND S. MARTIN

Live Daily News Show, to Focus on African American News and Current Affairs, will be Simulcast on Radio One Network Stations, streamed on NewsOne.com

SILVER SPRING, MD, JULY 9, 2013 ― TV One, which entertains, informs and inspires Black adult viewers, has announced the creation of News One Now, a live one-hour, weekday morning news program slated to premiere September 2013. Roland S. Martin, national award-winning journalist, will serve as host and managing editor of the program that will be a multi-platform experience on radio, television, and online.

News One Now, culled from the third hour of a three-hour radio program to be syndicated on Radio One network stations, will provide viewers with a morning news program that for the first time in history, will offer news and analysis of politics, entertainment, sports and culture, from an African American perspective. The morning show, based in Washington, D.C., will feature a broad spectrum of experts, newsmakers and celebrities who will share their insights on current affairs with Martin. Additionally, the program will implement a “Skype Net” component giving various Radio One hosts a platform to provide daily weigh-ins on News One Now content, as well as inform the audience on hot topics in their respective regions.

News One Now will be a three-screen experience, allowing viewers and listeners to experience the show on radio, TV and through NewsOne.com, a website from Radio One’s web division, Interactive One. Various studies show that African Americans have a high usage of social media, and News One Now will heavily incorporate social media throughout the show (#NewsOneNow), allowing for a truly interactive experience with our audience.

Martin, the 2013 National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalist of the Year, most recently served as the host of TV One’s long-running, award-winning weekly news program, Washington Watch with Roland Martin, which concluded its four-year series run in May. Parallel to the creation of News One Now, TV One has signed an agreement with Martin's media company, Nu Vision Media, Inc.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of News One Now, which continues Radio One and TV One’s pledge to serving our audience with compelling, quality coverage of current news events, issues and trends affecting the Black community,” said Alfred Liggins, chairman of TV One and CEO and president of Radio One.

“African Americans are some of the most highly engaged cable news consumers, and it’s vital that we meet that thirst with a daily morning show that speaks to our issues, our concerns, from our perspective,” said Martin. “News One Now will launch as the pre-eminent destination for the pulse of Black America.”

Craig Henry (Washington Watch, Parole Diaries) will be the executive in charge of News One Now on behalf of TV One.

Mother of Trayvon Martin, Sabrina Fulton: "Trayvon Benjamin Martin was the voice that screamed for help" on the 911 call

Trayvon Martin's Parents (Tracy Martin, Sabrina Fulton) and I at the 2013 National Action Network Convention in New York, NY. Trayvon's Mother Sabrina Fulton, who testified today, center in above photo.

Story below by AP
Sanford, Florida - The mother and brother of Trayvon Martin testified Friday that screams for help captured on audio of a 911 call came from the 17-year-old.

Sybrina Fulton and Jahvaris Fulton took the witness stand during the trial of George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in Martin's shooting death. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty and says he shot the teen in self-defense during a fight.

After the audio was played, prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked Sybrina Fulton, "Who do you recognize that to be?" She replied, "Trayvon Benjamin Martin."

Identifying the screams on the 911 call could be critical to the case because it may help determine who was the aggressor during the scuffle between Zimmerman and Martin.

Under cross-examination, defense attorney Mark O'Mara suggested that Sybrina Fulton may have been influenced by others who listened to the 911 call, including relatives and her former husband.

O'Mara also asked Fulton hypothetically whether she would have to accept it was Zimmerman yelling for help if the screams did not come from her son. He also asked if she hoped Martin didn't do anything that led to his death.

"I heard my son screaming," Fulton said. "I would hope for this to never have happened and he would still be here."

Jahvaris Fulton, Martin's brother, also testified the screaming voice was that of Martin.



But O'Mara asked him why last year he had told a reporter that he wasn't sure if the voice belonged to Martin. Jahvaris Fulton, in explaining his comment to the reporter, told O'Mara he was "shocked" when he heard it.

"I didn't want to believe it was him," Jahvaris Fulton said.

O'Mara asked to play the television interview for jurors, but Judge Debra Nelson denied his request for the time being.

Jahvaris Fulton's testimony was broken up by efforts to unlock the evidence room adjacent to the courtroom. Unable to open it, court officials called a locksmith with a drill to help them out.

Before testifying, Sybrina Fulton posted on Twitter "I pray that God gives me the strength to properly represent my Angel Trayvon."

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Story below by Reuters,
Parents Photo left by Reuters,
Story written by Barbara Liston



SANFORD, Florida - Trayvon Martin's mother said in court on Friday she recognized the voice of her son screaming for help in an emergency call on the night the black Florida teenager was shot dead by neighborhood watchman George Zimmermann.

Sybrina Fulton's testimony came as the state was preparing to wrap up its murder case against Zimmerman after nearly two weeks of testimony. The prosecution has sought to expose inconsistencies in his account of the fight in Sanford, Florida, in February last year that ended with Martin's death.

Fulton told jurors she was certain it was her son who can be heard screaming for help in the background of an emergency call made to police moments before he died.

"I heard my son screaming," said Fulton, who added that she first heard the recording in the office of the mayor of this town near Orlando where her son died.

Testimony from voice-recognition experts has been ruled inadmissible in the trial on the grounds that it was impossible to tell from the brief, poor-quality recording whether it was Martin or Zimmerman calling for help.

In addition to Martin's mother, the state's final witnesses included his brother, 22-year-old Jahvaris Fulton, who said he too was convinced it was his brother who can be heard screaming on the recording.

Other witnesses on Friday, as the state ran through the last of dozens of people it has called to testify, included the central Florida medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Martin.

Dr Shiping Bao said Martin did not die instantly, even though the lone bullet from Zimmerman's 9 mm Kel-Tec semi-automatic handgun pierced the right ventricle of his heart.

"It is my opinion that he was still alive, he was still in pain, he was still suffering," said Bao, even as he stressed that the wound was something Martin could not possibly have survived.

TOOK UP TO 10 MINUTES TO DIE

"I believe that he was alive for one to 10 minutes after he was shot," he added.



Bao's testimony was accompanied by graphic photographs from the autopsy that were shown to jurors.

Once the prosecution rests its so-called "case in chief," it will be the turn of the defense to present its case.

Legal experts said that before doing so, Zimmerman's legal team could simply make an argument for acquittal on grounds that the state has failed to meet its burden of proof.

It is still unclear whether the defense will choose to put Zimmerman, who is 29 and part Hispanic, on the stand to testify.

The former neighborhood watchman contends that he killed Martin in self-defense. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.

After the defense concludes its case, the prosecution is entitled to present a rebuttal.

In testimony on Wednesday, before a one-day break for the U.S. Independence Day holiday, jurors heard that Zimmerman was well versed in Florida's self-defense laws before he shot Martin, despite his previous claim to the contrary.

On Tuesday, Judge Debra Nelson let the jury hear a television interview in which Zimmerman said he had no knowledge of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which underpins his trial defense.

But an army prosecutor who taught Zimmerman in a 2010 college class on criminal litigation, testified that he often covered Florida's self-defense and "Stand Your Ground" laws in his 2010 course. Army Captain Alexis Carter said Zimmerman "was probably one of the better students in the class," calling him an "A" student.

Under Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which was approved in 2005 and has been copied in some form by about 30 other U.S. states, people fearing for their lives can use deadly force even if is possible for them to retreat from a confrontation.

The statute is central to Zimmerman's defense in a case that has captivated the United States because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman based on his self-defense argument and the right to use deadly force under Florida law.