Melissa Bell of London-based Soul II Soul has passed away. She was 53 years old

Melissa Bell

Story by MixMag

Melissa Bell, former vocalist of famed UK music group Soul II Soul, has passed away at the age of 53.


Song: Back to Life by Soul II Soul

Bell's daughter, Alexandra Burke, confirmed her mother's death in a heartfelt Twitter post, remembering "her unconditional love, support, charisma, strength and courage throughout her life".


Song: Keep on Movin by Soul II Soul

The late artist toured and recorded with Soul II Soul from 1993 to 1995 and left the group in 1999 to pursue a solo career. Bell famously sang on Soul II Soul's hit tracks 'Keep on Movin', 'Back to Life', and 'Jazzie's Groove'.


Song: Jazzie's Groove by Soul II Soul

No further details have been given on the musician's passing.

'GET OUT NOW': Levee at Columbia Lakes breached

Update by KTRK Houston TV ABC13 Eyewitness News
Video report: https://www.yahoo.com/news/bracing-harveys-return-worry-renews-worst-come-071059619.html

Officials in Brazoria County are telling Columbia Lakes to evacuate immediately after a levee was breached.

Cell phone use should be limited to emergency calls only at this time.

Emergency officials said cell phone lines have become jammed since the breach.

Stay with ABC13 Eyewitness News for more on this developing story.

The levees at Columbia Lakes CC have ruptured. If you are still in that area to GET OUT NOW! #Harvey2017 #BrazoriaCounty pic.twitter.com/9Q60rnR3eq

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/bracing-harveys-return-worry-renews-worst-come-071059619.html

A weary Houston likely to endure catastrophic flooding through Wednesday

Story by Houston Chronicle Staff

2:09 p.m.: City Council to join Harvey victims at GRB for regular meeting

Houston City Hall is without power and its underground parking is flooded, so City Council will join thousands of displaced flood victims at the George R. Brown Convention Center for its weekly Wednesday morning meeting.



The council has delayed its usual Tuesday afternoon session during which Mayor Sylvester Turner and the 16 council members hear from public speakers, and has added Harvey-related emergency items to the agenda.

Our Mike Morris has the full story here: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/City-Council-to-meet-in-emergency-session-12158768.php?cmpid=twitter-desktop



2:03 p.m. City officials update from George R. Brown Convention Center

Houston City Controller Chris B. Brown said Houston's City Council will announce a $20 million relief fund at tomorrow's meeting.

Tom McCasland, who directs Houston's housing and community development program, said the shelter at the George R. Brown Convention Center needs:

Toilettries
Medical supplies
Wheelchairs
Pillows
Packaged nonperishable food, or food prepared by a commercial kitchen

The city is not taking any more clothing donations, he said. Deliver donations to loading dock B at the back of the center.

McCasland said the shelter's doors remain open, even for people with pets and those with urgent medical needs.

Officials said there would be an additional shelter opening nearby sometime this afternoon.



1:57 p.m.: 200 homes take on water from Addicks and Barker reservoirs

Tuesday morning, more water along the edges of the Addicks Reservoir overflowed, putting seven subdivisions downstream of the dam at risk of flooding.

The inundated dams come after 34 inches of rain fell on watersheds upstream of both reservoirs, half of the rainfall expected over the course of a year, said Jeff Lindner of the Harris County Flood Control District.

Both reservoirs - which are designed to be dry - smashed on Tuesday record water levels from April of 2016. Tuesday morning, Addicks was at 108 feet. Barker was at 100 feet.

Our Margaret Kadifa and John Harden have the story here: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/Addicks-Reservoir-overflows-over-spillway-12144865.php

1:47 p.m.: Man drowns near Grand Parkway, in Spring

A man died after walking on Monday into flood waters near Spring Park Ridge and the Grand Parkway, in Spring, according to the South Montgomery County Fire Department.

Passersby spotted the man enter the water at about 11:30 p.m., but were unable to help him before he went under.

The South Montgomery County Fire Department, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable's Office and U.S. Coast Guard all tried, and failed, to rescue the man.

The man's identity is unknown. He is believed to have been between 60 and 70 years old, according to the South Montgomery County Fire Department.



1:37 p.m.: Trump calls Texas 'special'

Our Kevin Diaz has a running feed of President Donald Trump's trip to Texas. Follow along here: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/article/Running-Chronicle-of-President-Trump-s-trip-to-12131966.php?cmpid=premartcl

Trump noted he didn't want to congratulate anyone yet, but expressed hope that the response to Harvey would be seen as a textbook case.

"We want to do it better than ever before. We want to be looked at in five years, in ten years from now as, this is the way to do it. This was of epic proportion. Nobody's ever seen anything like this and i just want to say that working with the governor and his entire team has been an honor for us.

1:32 p.m.: Turner calls out "talking heads" questioning his decision not to evacuate

"Come join us and rescue the people who need to be rescued," Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference Tuesday morning. "This is the City of Houston. We are the fourth largest city. Can you imagine a city like LA moving in two days? We can't."

He said the city requested from FEMA additional cots and supplies to serve 10,000 more people.

Several thousand people came into the George R. Brown Convention Center after 9 p.m. Monday. He pledged to not turn people away.

Safety is a top priority, he said. "We're not going to tolerate any activity that's criminal in nature or that's disruptive."

Our Mike Morris has a full story here: http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Evacuation-in-face-of-Harvey-not-a-simple-call-12102890.php&cmpid=twitter-premium?utm_content=buffer40400&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer&cmpid=premartcl

12:58 a.m. (times eastern): Water from Lake Forest Utility District contaminated

The Lake Forest Utility District has alerted customers their water is no longer safe to drink.

The contaminated water comes after pressure loss in the district's distribution system, caused by flooding, according to a news release from the Harris County Public Health department.

Customers should boil their water before using it for drinking, cooking or making ice, according to the release.

Anyone with questions can contact: 832-467-1599 or 1-866-467-1599.

12:48 p.m.: UH, TSU students wait for rain to pass

On Tuesday morning, water pooled in scattered places around UH and TSU's campuses, with a few branches down around the grounds. Few students were on campus. They huddled under umbrellas as they walked from building to building. Several facilities were locked, and chairs and other outdoor equipment were tucked inside buildings.

The U.S. Department of Education urged student loan services to be flexible in managing loan payments and activated an emergency response contact center on Monday for those who need information or relief.

12:45 p.m.: Donald Trump touches down in Corpus Christi

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were greeted by Gov. Greg Abbott off of Air Force One in Corpus Christi.

The motorcade is headed to a fire station where Trump will meet local officials.

12:37 p.m.: At least six dead in Galveston County from flooding

At least six people died in Galveston County because of flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey, officials said Tuesday.

"There's more deaths than that," said Chief Investigator John Florence with the Galveston County Medical Examiner. "But we don't know if they're storm-related."

On Saturday, an elderly woman died in her Santa Fe home after her oxygen tank failed when the electricity went out. Crews recovered her body Sunday morning.

Florence did not immediately know how the other storm victims died because he did not have access Tuesday to his office records.

Most of the other five deaths were Sunday and Monday in Dickinson and League City.

One man was found dead Sunday in a La Marque Walmart parking lot, but it's not clear how he died or if it was storm-related.

12:30 p.m.: One trillion gallons of rainfall falls on Harris County

Enough water has fallen on Harris County over the past four days to power Niagra Fall for over two weeks, according to a tweet from Jeff Lindner, meteorologist with the Harris County Flood Control District.



12:27: p.m. Turner calls out "talking heads" questioning his decision not to evacuate

"Come join us and rescue the people who need to be rescued," Mayor Sylvester Turner said at a news conference Tuesday morning. "This is the City of Houston. We are the fourth largest city. Can you imagine a city like LA moving in two days? We can't."

He said the city requested from FEMA additional cots and supplies.

12:20 p.m.: First Harris County flood death confirmed

A man who drowned in his South Houston workplace is the first Harvey-related death confirmed by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Alexander Kwoksum Sung, 64, died in the 900 block of College Avenue at a clock repair and restoration business around 2:40 p.m. Sunday. He was found in 1.5 feet of "debris," according to the report released Monday evening.

There are additional decedents at the medical examiner's office who are presumed, but not confirmed, storm fatalities.

12:20 p.m.: No immigration enforcement at shelters or food banks

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced they will not be enforcing immigration laws at shelters or food banks in the Houston area.

"Routine non-criminal immigration enforcement operations will not be conducted at evacuation sites, or assistance centers such as shelters or food banks," CPB and ICE said in a joint statement.

The statement came after rumors circulated that people who are not residing in the United States legally could not go to shelters because they would reported to officials.

The Red Cross said it would not be asking people to show any identification to stay in their shelters, according to the statement.

People who are detained in the Port Isabel Detention Center are being transferred to other facilities for their safety, the statement added.

12 p.m.: Enough food at George R. Brown for evacuees, not enough cots

A.J. Mistretta, a spokesman for Houston First, said there is enough food for the more than 9,000 evacuees being housed at the George R. Brown Convention Center, but not enough cots.

He said additional police officers were brought in last night.

"Folks are safe," Mistretta said. "It is a safe facility."

Mistretta said no one is being turned away, but buses coming in with evacuees are being sent to other shelters.

He said the Mayor is expected to have an update on an additional shelter soon.

11:27 a.m. HPD officer drowns in patrol car in floodwaters

A Houston police officer drowned in his patrol car in Harvey floodwaters, according to three department officials.

The officer, an HPD veteran who has been with the department for more than 30 years, was in his patrol car driving to work downtown Sunday morning when he got trapped in high water at Interstate 45 and the Hardy Toll Road.

Search and rescue crews are currently recovering his body. The department has not yet formally notified the officer's family.

"He was trying different routes, and took a wrong turn," one high-ranking official said, asking not to be identified.

After getting trapped in high water, the officer tried to get out but was unable to.



11 a.m.: Tropical Storm Harvey to make second landfall in Louisiana

Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to make its second landfall in Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It is expected to reach the Texas-Louisiana border by Wednesday afternoon.

Harvey will remain a tropical storm through early Thursday.

Tuesday morning, it was 114 miles from Houston, moving at 5 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Maximum sustained winds are 145 mph.

11 a.m.: Lakewood Church open

The Lakewood Church is open for people who need shelter, according to a tweet from the church.

Lakewood will also be coordinating with Houston as a collection site for supplies. The church tweeted Tuesday morning it is accepting donations including baby food and baby formula.



11 a.m.: HEB stores to be open Tuesday until 3 p.m.

Sixty-three southeast Texas HEB stores will be open until 3 p.m. Tuesday. Houston area locations include the Alabama and Dunlavy, Buffalo Speedway, Wharton, San Felipe and Spring Cypress locations.

10:50 a.m.: Levee at Columbia Lakes in Brazoria County breached

The levee at Columbia Lakes in Brazoria County was breached Tuesday morning.

"Get out now," county officials said in a twitter message.

Residents are being told evacuate.

The county, south of Houston, is expected to be hit with even more flooding atop the already record-high water levels.

"That area is under mandatory evacuation," said Sharon Trower, spokeswoman for Brazoria County. "We have some residents there who didn't want to leave. We have first responders there getting them out now."

10:15 a.m.: U.S. Department of Labor approves $10 million grant for Harvey recovery efforts

The U.S. Department of Labor approved a $10 million National Dislocated Worker Grant to help with cleanup and recovery efforts in Texas.

The grant is being awarded to the Texas Workforce Commission, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Grant money will be available to counties impacted by the hurricane and subsequent heavy rainfall and flooding, as a supplement to state and local response and recovery efforts.

10 a.m.: Rainfall forecast low in the Houston area as Harvey moves east

Rainfall totals show Tropical Storm Harvey is winding down as the storm moves toward the Texas-Louisiana border, but Houstonians still aren't in the clear, according to the National Weather Service.

Through Thursday morning, less than 1.5-inches of rain is expected to hit Fort Bend, Brazoria, Austin, Waller, eastern Montgomery and eastern Harris counties.

Up to 3 inches could fall on eastern Harris, eastern Galveston and eastern Montgomery counties by Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Harder hit in the coming days will be counties further east, including those along the Texas-Louisiana border. Jefferson, Chambers, Orange, Hardin could be inundated with up to 15 more inches by Thursday morning.



9:45 a.m.: One-third of Friendswood homes flooded

Friendswood officials estimate that as many as 3,000 homes have been flooded by Harvey rains in the city, about one-third of the total homes.

The city is still conducting emergency operations, with multiple road closures and no access to area hospitals for ambulances.

The creeks have overflowed, leaving crossings impassable, and travel from one side of the city to the other is impossible without a boat.

Officials said about 1,000 homes are without power.
________________________________
Read more updates: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/hurricaneharvey/article/Houston-hunkers-to-Harvey-braces-for-long-storm-12003388.php

President Donald J. Trump Approves Texas and Louisiana Disaster Declaration

President Donald J. Trump Approves Texas Disaster Declaration

Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Texas and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey beginning on August 23, 2017, and continuing.

The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Bee, Goliad, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, and Refugio.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to the State and to eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the counties of Bee, Goliad, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, and Refugio Counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Brock Long, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Kevin L. Hannes as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV .

____________________________________________________________

President Donald J. Trump Approves Louisiana Emergency Declaration

Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that an emergency exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal assistance to supplement State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Harvey beginning on August 27, 2017, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts. This action will help alleviate the hardship and suffering that the emergency has inflicted on the local population, and provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the parishes of Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vermillion.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.

Brock Long, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named William J. Doran III as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.

Harvey: 'We just don't know when it's going to end,' lawmaker says

Follow live updates: http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/28/us/texas-harvey-latest/index.html

What you should know now
* Flooding: The flooding in Houston and other parts of Texas is "unprecedented." And the situation could get even worse if a record-breaking 50 inches of rain falls in coming days.
* Louisiana: A state of emergency was just declared as the storm barrels toward New Orleans and surrounding areas.
* Help needed: The head of FEMA made a plea for assistance this morning: "We need citizens to get involved. This is a landmark event."
_____________________________________________________________

Story below by CNN
Written by Eliott C. McLaughlin

Swollen rivers in east Texas aren't expected to crest until later this week, but federal officials are already predicting Tropical Storm Harvey will drive 30,000 people into shelters and spur 450,000 victims to seek some sort of disaster assistance.

And yet, forecasters say, more rain is coming. Lots more.
Several locales have already received 2 feet or more of rain, and forecasters say a reprieve won't arrive till week's end at the earliest. By then, rain totals could reach another 2 feet -- with isolated instances of 40 to 50 more inches -- along the upper Texas coast.

"This is a landmark event for Texas," FEMA Administrator Brock Long said. "Texas has never seen an event like this."
But, Long warned, Harvey presents a dynamic situation, and "every number we put out right now is going to change in 30 minutes."

Harvey will likely surpass 2008's Hurricane Ike and 2001's Tropical Storm Allison, two of the most destructive storms to hit the Gulf Coast in recent memory, he said. Around 13 million people from Corpus Christi to New Orleans were under flood watches and warnings as of Monday morning as Harvey's storm bands repeatedly pummel the same areas.
For state and federal officials working to mitigate Harvey's devastation, one of the more frustrating aspects of the storm is uncertainty.

"The word catastrophic does not appropriately describe what we're facing," said US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. "We just don't know when it's going to end."

Keep track of Harvey

Early Monday, Harvey was just barely clinging to tropical storm status, but the danger is far from over. The storm is forecast to head southeast toward the Matagorda Bay and Gulf of Mexico where it will pick up additional moisture before sliding back over Galveston and Houston, cities it's already hammered.

The slow-moving nature of the storm -- it's traveled at about 3 mph, human walking speed, since Friday's landfall -- has fueled the rain and flooding. Houston's William P. Hobby Airport recorded more than a foot of rain Saturday and 11 inches of rain Sunday, the two wettest days recorded since 1930.

Even when the rain is gone, dangers will persist, said National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini, because "the flooding will be very slow to recede."

Latest developments
-- Early tallies indicate at least 5,500 people have arrived at shelters in Houston and another 1,000 in Friendswood.
-- The average annual rainfall in Houston is 50 inches. The city has seen 25 inches of rain in two days. Another 25 could fall by Saturday.
-- Several cities, including Alvin, Friendswood, League City, Pasadena, Pearland, Seabrook and Webster, have issued 11 p.m. curfews.
-- A mandatory evacuation order was issued for areas along the Brazos River in Fort Bend County.
-- Dallas is opening a "mega-shelter" at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, but Mayor Mike Hutchins said, "We may have thousands upon thousands upon thousands of more individuals that will get bigger than this convention center."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/28/us/harvey-houston-texas-louisiana/index.html

FCC Activates Disaster Info System For Texas, Louisiana

Story by Inside Radio

Ahead of Hurricane Harvey’s expected landfall in South Texas, the Federal Communications Commission has announced it will have 24-hour staffing through the weekend and has activated the Disaster Information Reporting System, or “DIRS” for 56 counties across Texas and Louisiana.

NBA's Kyrie Irving or Isaiah Thomas? Cleveland or Boston?

NBA's Kyrie Irving or Isaiah Thomas? Who is the best player. Cleveland or Boston? After the trade, which is the best team

W.E.B DuBois on Robert E. Lee in 1928

Story by Civil War Memory
Presented by Kevin. Levi

Yesterday I shared a brief passage from W.E.B. DuBois on Confederate monuments. Below is an short essay from DuBois on Robert E. Lee’s legacy published in 1928.

Robert E. Lee

Each year on the 19th of January there is renewed effort to canonize Robert E. Lee, the greatest confederate general. His personal comeliness, his aristocratic birth and his military prowess all call for the verdict of greatness and genius. But one thing–one terrible fact–militates against this and that is the inescapable truth that Robert E. Lee led a bloody war to perpetuate slavery. Copperheads like the New York Times may magisterially declare: “of course, he never fought for slavery.” Well, for what did he fight? State rights? Nonsense. The South cared only for State Rights as a weapon to defend slavery. If nationalism had been a stronger defense of the slave system than particularism, the South would have been as nationalistic in 1861 as it had been in 1812.

No. People do not go to war for abstract theories of government. They fight for property and privilege and that was what Virginia fought for in the Civil War. And Lee followed Virginia. He followed Virginia not because he particularly loved slavery (although he certainly did not hate it), but because he did not have the moral courage to stand against his family and his clan. Lee hesitated and hung his head in shame because he was asked to lead armies against human progress and Christian decency and did not dare refuse. He surrendered not to Grant, but to Negro Emancipation.

Today we can best perpetuate his memory and his nobler traits not by falsifying his moral debacle, but by explaining it to the young white south. What Lee did in 1861, other Lees are doing in 1928. They lack the moral courage to stand up for justice to the Negro because of the overwhelming public opinion of their social environment. Their fathers in the past have condoned lynching and mob violence, just as today they acquiesce in the disfranchisement of educated and worthy black citizens, provide wretchedly inadequate public schools for Negro children and endorse a public treatment of sickness, poverty and crime which disgraces civilization.

It is the punishment of the South that its Robert Lees and Jefferson Davises will always be tall, handsome and well-born. That their courage will be physical and not moral. That their leadership will be weak compliance with public opinion and never costly and unswerving revolt for justice and right. it is ridiculous to seek to excuse Robert Lee as the most formidable agency this nation ever raised to make 4 million human beings goods instead of men. Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not. If he did not he was a fool. If he did, Robert Lee was a traitor and a rebel–not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God.

Barack & Michelle Obama Move Malia Into Harvard During Solar Eclipse

(L-R): Michelle, Malia and Barack Obama at Harvest restaurant in Cambridge (Facebook user Jason Corey, Aug. 21, 2017)

Story by EUR

*The gap year is over for Barack and Michelle Obama’s eldest daughter Malia.

Under the cover of daytime darkness, the 19-year-old was dropped off at Harvard University on Monday by her proud parents to begin her freshman year.

Although Tuesday was move-in day for the Class of 2021, the Obamas strategically arranged to drop off Malia the day before, when the rest of the world was preoccupied with the solar eclipse. As the moon slipped across the sun in Cambridge, the Obamas slipped onto campus in a two-SUV envoy with members of the Secret Service in tow.


Former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama move Malia to Harvard

According to reports, Barack and Michelle got emotional after Malia was all moved in and it was time to say goodbye, with paps capturing the couple sporting sunglasses and keeping their heads down while leaving Malia’s dorm and rushing into their waiting SUV.

Classes at Harvard are scheduled to begin on August 30.

Meanwhile, photos and video of the former first daughter around Harvard Square have popped up on social media. On Monday, one Facebook video showed Malia and her parents leaving the Harvest restaurant as Barack waved to onlookers.

MLB Hall of Famer Hank Aaron defends Colin Kaepernick: 'Give him a chance'

Hank Aaron says to the NFL owners to give Colin a chance (video by TV One)

Congressman Elijah Cummings(Md.) Statement on Passing of Dick Gregory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 20, 2017

Contact: Fabion Seaton (202) 225-4741

Cummings Statement on Passing of Dick Gregory

Washington, D.C. (August 20, 2017) — Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) issued the following statement on the passing of comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory: “I am deeply saddened by the death of my friend, teacher and mentor, Dick Gregory. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. Dick’s comedy, speeches and activism brought laughter to millions, gave a voice to the voiceless, and spoke truth to power. He will be missed by many.”

Urban League President Mourns Dick Gregory's Passing

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement in response to the passing of civil rights activist and comedian Dick Gregory:

"Dick Gregory was both a personal friend and a strong supporter of the Urban League Movement. He was a guest at my wedding, and spent two weeks campaigning for me in New Orleans neighborhoods during my 1994 runoff campaign for Mayor. He was a frequent speaker at Urban League events and his sharp-witted insight will be sorely missed. With the nation facing a crisis of racial hostility, we would do well to be guided by his unwavering dedication to justice."

U.S. Comedian And Activist Dick Gregory dead at 84

Dick Gregory (photo by epa)


Dick Gregory on CBS Sunday Morning

Story by BBC
Guardian Link: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/20/dick-gregory-obituary?CMP=share_btn_fb
Wikipedia bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Gregory

(Photo of Dick Gregory, Dr. Claude Anderson, and I) US comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory has died at the age of 84, his family has announced.

Gregory died at hospital in Washington DC after being admitted with an undisclosed illness.

The family shared the news of their "enormous sadness" in a post on social media on Saturday.

From the 1960s Gregory mocked racism in his stand-up routines. He was among the first US black comedian to perform regularly in front of white audiences.


Dick Gregory in 1962

"It is with enormous sadness that the Gregory family confirms that their father, comedic legend and civil rights activist Mr Dick Gregory departed this earth tonight in Washington, DC," his son, Christian, wrote on Instagram.

He added that the family "appreciates the outpouring of support and love" but requested that their privacy be respected "during this very difficult time".

US civil rights activist Jesse Jackson paid tribute to Gregory on Twitter:
"He taught us how to laugh. He taught us how to fight.He taught us how to live.Dick Gregory was committed to justice.I miss him already. #RIP"
9:57 PM - Aug 19, 2017

Gregory was a no-holds-barred comedian, delivering lines in his performances that were likely to raise eyebrows.


Dick Gregory for President against Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey in 1968

"A Southern liberal?" he once said, "that's a guy that'll lynch you from a low tree".

"Segregation is not all bad," Gregory said on another occasion. "Have you ever heard of a collision where the people in the back of the bus got hurt?"


Dick Gregory on Donald Trump

Gregory was also involved in a number of civil rights activities in the 1960s. He campaigned against the Vietnam War and his protests often involved hunger strikes.


Dick Gregory on New York's Breakfast Club Radio Show
_________________________________________

Read more:
Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/20/dick-gregory-obituary?CMP=share_btn_fb
Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoinc/ct-dick-gregory-0822-chicago-inc-20170821-story.html

Congressman John Conyers on Steve Bannons' removal as White House Chief Strategist

Stay informed and connected: Democrats.Judiciary.House.Gov/ @HouseJudDems

For Immediate Release:
August 18, 2017
Contact: Shadawn Reddick-Smith 202-225-6906

CONYERS: BANNON’S REMOVAL DOESN’T ADDRESS TRUMP’S SUPPORT OF WHITE SUPREMACY & RACISM

Conyers: We Must Boldly Condemn Racist Un-American Ideals

Detroit, MI– House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) today released the following statement in response to the news that Steve Bannon will no longer serve as White House Chief Strategist:

“As I said in November, Steve Bannon is the standard-bearer for the worst instincts in American society. Whether Bannon personally trades in violence, racism, and bigotry - he allowed Brietbart - his media organization - to become a platform for white nationalism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, and anti-immigrant sentiment of the worst kind.

“I am pleased that he is no longer serving in the White House, he should have never been appointed. However, his removal will not undo the damage that has already been done and it will not reconcile the hate-filled agenda of the Trump Administration.

“President Donald Trump has shown us his true colors. He sided with un-American white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and all those who give racism and hatred a voice. Trump's failure to reflect on his dangerous rhetoric continues to embolden these groups and ideals.

“This administration must reverse its pattern of discriminatory positions in notable areas including voting rights, policing, immigration, and affirmative action. Beyond wringing our hands, we must use this opportunity to enact meaningful change.”

###

Texas Congressman Al Green on Cohen's call to Impeach Trump

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
Kamau Marshall (Communications Director) Cell Phone: 202-809-5602 Email: kamau.marshall@mail.house.gov

Congressman Al Green's Statement Supporting Rep. Cohen’s (D-TN) Call to Impeach President Trump

Houston, TX -- On Friday, August 18, 2017, Congressman Al Green (TX) released a statement supporting Representative Steve Cohen (D-TN) on his introduction of Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump, after his comments on Charlottesville:

"I stand with my colleague, Rep. Cohen (D-TN). As events unfold, the facts remain simple and indisputable. In his statements, the President intimated that there were very fine people on the side of the Klan, White Supremacists, and the Neo-Nazis. There are no good Klansmen, there are no good White Supremacists, and there are no good Nazis. This was an act of deadly domestic terrorism. The President’s statements only accentuate the impeachable acts he has already committed. A Nazi sympathizer, Klan defender, and supremacist protector should not be President of the greatest country in the world."

Trump's credibility is shaken at home more than abroad by Dr. Raymond Tanter

Donald Trump (Getty)

Story by The Hill
Opinion by Dr. Raymond Tanter

Both domestic and foreign crises provide opportunities for President Trump to emerge stronger than before the crisis. Mishandling a crisis, as he has with Charlottesville, will work to his detriment. For the other major crises of the young administration, North Korea and Iran, the jury is still out.

Consider three characteristics of a crisis: surprise, threat, and short response time. In Charlottesville, Trump was surprised, there was a threat to his presidency and he had little time to respond in a way that wouldn’t require him to make tradeoffs he did not want to make.

A Domestic Crisis: Charlottesville

Trump’s credibility is at stake in mismanagement of Charlottesville, Va.. That city was immersed in violence on Aug.12, as “white nationalists” and counter-protesters clashed in a bloody fight over removal of a statue memorializing Gen. Robert E. Lee.

This author, along with Steve Emerson at The Investigative Project on Terrorism, criticized President Obama, who declined to use terms like “radical Islamic terrorism,” in the wake of jihadist violence. Likewise, on Aug. 12, Trump’s failure to denounce explicitly by name the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists was morally decadent.

In an oft-quoted phrase, Trump referred to “hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides, on many sides.” Such a phrase implies false moral equivalency. The Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists marched with long guns, permitted in “open-carry” Virginia and in many other southern as well as western states. The protesters had no guns and were overwhelmingly nonviolent.

On Monday, Aug.14, Trump’s final denunciation of Saturday’s racists who provoked the counter-protesters in Charlottesville seemed rather tepid, at best. Trump condemned “the egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence” at the “Unite the Right” protests, and denounced “the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups,” as hooligans. But when Trump began his press conference by citing economic gains, it minimized the evil of Americans causing the deaths of other citizens over political differences, per Emerson.

But wait: On Tuesday, Aug. 15, the president held another press conference in NYC, in which he reversed himself again. He doubled down on his initial reaction to a deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, laying blame on “both sides” and asking why the “alt-left” isn’t being held accountable for the violent clashes.”

On Wednesday, Aug. 16, a dozen of the country’s most influential CEOs joined a conference call and agreed as a group to withdraw from acting in an advisory capacity to the president, giving a huge blow to a president who came into office boasting of his close ties with business leaders. Trump heard about the mass defection and tweeted, “Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both. Thank you all!”

To make matters even worse, members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also implicitly turned against their commander in chief. They issued separate tweets, decrying racism and celebrating diversity.

So, for the Charlottesville crisis, the president’s credibility is seriously challenged. It is inconceivable that Trump will benefit from Charlottesville and emerge stronger because he mishandled this crisis. He now is unable to use it as an opportunity; just the opposite is true. Trump elected to follow, rather than lead and compounded his problems by again doubling down on apparent support of the KKK, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists.

Foreign Crises: North Korea and Iran

Crises involving Washington with Pyongyang and Tehran manifest varying degrees of concurrence with crisis characteristics. North Korea meets all the criteria, Iran adheres to high threat at the moment.

North Korea

Critics disapprove of crisis management of the president, because of a threat of escalation via miscalculation. Think of the game of “chicken.” Supporters argue presidential skills are superb; ditto for Kim Jung un. Think of the “madman” theory for both. This author concurs with the idea Trump is a “madman,” while Kim is crazy like a fox, (to mix the metaphor). For the most part, Trump effectively uses threats to deter and compel.

So long as Trump’s actions do not match his deeds, escalation is unlikely. That said, National Security Council advisor Gen (ret.) H.R. McMasters said U.S. missile defenses would shoot down any of Pyongyang’s missiles headed toward Guam. And Tokyo said it had the capacity and will to do the same for missiles flying close to Japan.

Otherwise, there has not been an increase in deployment of American forces to the region, and soon-to-be held military exercises with Seoul are an annual event. Nevertheless, expect Pyongyang to respond with another nuclear test or missile launch, which is consistent with its prior behavior.

On to Tehran, which requires more elaboration than Pyongyang.

Iran

The need for the president to certify to Congress whether Tehran is in compliance with U.S. law and terms of the nuclear deal comes up every 90 days, so that the body can decide whether or not to extend sanctions relief. The next time for certification is in October. In mid-September, the Trump administration will have about a month to decide whether to certify, seek to renegotiate for a better deal, or withdraw.

U.S. Iran sanctions target the country’s ballistic missile program, destabilizing activities in the Middle East, and human rights abuses. Under the deal, Tehran agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for international sanctions being dropped.

On Aug. 14, the publication Al Arabiya traced the growing role of Congress in taking the lead on Iran policy from the president. In July 2014, several senior American figures, including Sen. Roy Blunt, vice president of the Republican conference and member of the Appropriation and Select Intelligence committees, staged a Senate briefing, which the author attended.

Speakers strongly condemned Iran’s destructive intervention in its western neighbor, Iraq. Characterizing Tehran as part of the problem and not the solution, Sen. Blunt demanded the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) members’ urgent and speedy transfer from Camp Liberty, a former U.S. base west of Baghdad, to countries abroad to save their lives. Yielding to such pressure, Iraq agreed and the majority migrated to Albania.

In April 2017, Sen. John McCain, became the most senior U.S. official to visit NCRI members in Albania; he also supports regime change from within Iran. On Aug. 12, a senior delegation from the Senate met with NCRI President-elect Maryam Rajavi in Tirana and discussed NCRI issues in Albania. The Senate delegation was headed by Sen. Blunt.

The Way Forward

First, because Trump’s credibility is at stake in mismanagement of Charlottesville, he needs to enhance his skills in crisis management for domestic issues.

Second, Trump has to make sure his “madness” doesn’t slip into escalation via miscalculation and use coercive diplomacy to convince Kim to do the same.

Third, the mainly Republican-dominated support for the NCRI has to be broadened into a more bipartisan coalition of supporters. Similarly, that organization has to expand its coalition by bringing other dissidents who reject clerical rule Iran under a huge tent.
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Dr. Raymond Tanter (@AmericanCHR) served as a senior member on the National Security Council staff in the Reagan-Bush White House and is now professor emeritus at University of Michigan.

Congressman Elijah Cummings (Md.) Statement on Firing of Steve Bannon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 18, 2017

Contact: Fabion Seaton (202) 225-4741

Cummings Statement on Firing of Steve Bannon

Washington D.C. (August 18, 2017) Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (MD) issued the following statement on the firing of White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon:

“One of the most important elements of leadership is not what you do, but what your actions say about you. This week, the American people looked for the President to defend the values that make America great. We are still waiting.

“I welcome the firing of Steve Bannon, because a man who is loved and supported by white supremacist groups has no place in the White House, earning a salary paid for by American taxpayers. President Trump must now show real leadership by disavowing white supremacy and he must completely rid his administration of anyone who sows hatred and bigotry in our country.

“At this moment in our nation’s history, it is important that the American people not turn against each other, but toward each other to create a more perfect union. Our history teaches us that the United States is strongest when we embrace diversity and a multicultural society. Proof of this tenet is the outpouring of support from the American people to Charlottesville residents and marginalized communities nationwide.

“Our democracy and our values have allowed Americans to thrive and prosper. We must continue fighting together to uphold those values in order to build a brighter future for all Americans.”

NBA Legend Kevin Durant soaks up the love from his hometown

Story by The Undefeated
Written by Rhiannon Walker

SEAT PLEASANT, Maryland — Golden State Warrior Kevin Durant spoke in the Seat Pleasant Activity Center to a gymnasium full of kids, family, friends and admirers on Thursday as his hometown celebrated Kevin Durant Day.

“I appreciate all of the love and support. It’s amazing,” the NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP said. “We leaned on each other in this building [SPAC]. We raised some pretty amazing kids here, so thank you so much. I owe you guys way more than you owe me.”

Durant then made his way out the back door to a black, extended cab van. Before taking his seat on the left-hand side of the vehicle, Durant moved through the crowd signing autographs, dapping people up and hugging people from his Seat Pleasant neighborhood.


Young community members and fans wave to Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors as Durant passes by in the parade during the Kevin Durant Day celebrations in Capitol Heights, MD on Aug 17, 2017.

In the front of the crowd there was a group of little boys yelling, “KD, KD, KD,” handing him books, T-shirts and jerseys. Little kids who couldn’t reach the front begged their mothers, fathers and older siblings to find a way to reach Durant so they could go home with signed paraphernalia as well. Even when Durant disappeared into the van, his mother, Wanda Durant, entered it continuing to hand him material to sign until the van and motorcade finally took off.

Earlier in the day, Durant, his friends and family rode in a parade around his native Seat Pleasant as the city celebrated Durant’s first NBA championship and all of his charity to the Prince George’s County city. Durant sat in the back of a Chevrolet Corvette and rode from Hill Road to Seat Pleasant Drive to Addison Road. He took a short break just past Greendale Recreation Center on Crown Street.

After stopping to sign autographs on Crown Street, Durant headed to the SPAC, where he received the Governor’s Citation from Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford. Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III presented both Kevin and Wanda with recognition for their contributions to the city, county and state.


Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors signals to fans and community members as holds the NBA Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy riding on a Chevrolet Corvette during the Kevin Durant Day celebrations parade in Capitol Heights, MD on Aug 17, 2017.

On May 15, Durant donated two new basketball courts to Seat Pleasant Elementary School and the SPAC, with his mother cutting the ribbon on his behalf. Wanda said the goal was for Kevin to not only reach the NBA Finals but to win the championship.

She didn’t predict an NBA Finals MVP trophy, but when the clock struck 0:00 and Kevin, who averaged 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game in the Finals, was named Finals MVP, Wanda famously told her son that “no matter what nobody say, you did it.”

Reflecting on that postgame interview with ESPN’s Doris Burke, Wanda said she wanted to make sure Kevin understood no one could take the achievement away from him.

“After everything you have gone through, not just the rhetoric from last season, but from the beginning, you did it,” she said. “I want you to be proud of that as a man, because that creates fortitude and posture within yourself. I wanted him to enjoy the moment, because as they won each game, he would always say, ‘We gotta get to the next game,’ and I would always say, ‘No, celebrate this moment right now, because it’s going to be over soon.’ I wanted him to be in the mode to celebrate on that particular night too.”


Family Members rest in a room named Durant’s Den at the Seat Pleasant Community Center, dedicated to Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, in Seat Pleasant, MD on Aug 17th 2017.

The All-Star forward spoke to ESPN’s Chris Haynes on Thursday about why he won’t visit a White House occupied by President Donald Trump if the Warriors are invited, and he was introspective about the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, during a white supremacist rally over the weekend.

The Warriors have not received a formal invitation to the White House. Golden State will be in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28 to face off against the Wizards.

“Nah, I won’t do that,” Durant told Haynes in an exclusive interview. “I don’t respect who’s in office right now.

“I don’t agree with what he agrees with, so my voice is going to be heard by not doing that. That’s just me personally, but if I know my guys well enough, they’ll all agree with me.

Read more: https://theundefeated.com/features/kevin-durant-soaks-up-the-love-from-his-hometown/

Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon out at W.H.

Story by the Hill
Written by Jonathan Easley and Jordan Fabian

President Trump's chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, is leaving the White House, a stunning turn of events for the man who had been the caretaker and champion of Trump's populist campaign message.

His departure is another sign that new chief of staff John Kelly has broad authority to clean house in a West Wing that has been hobbled by infighting and leaks.

"White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve's last day. We are grateful for his service and wish him the best," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in a statement.

Trump this year has fired two other aides who helped him win the White House — Reince Priebus and Michael Flynn — but the departure of Bannon, the former head of Breitbart News, is perhaps the most significant change yet.

The move came as a shock to Bannon’s allies inside and outside the White House, who were certain that Trump would stand by his loyal chief strategist.

One senior administration official said the president had been inundated in recent days from “high-level Republican donors and activists” pleading with the president to keep Bannon on.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) had spoken to Trump this week, urging him not to fire Bannon, GOP sources said. Meadows argued that Bannon was helpful to conservatives' agenda.

“Steve Bannon was integral to Trump’s victory last November,” said one senior administration official. “The president built his own platform, but Steve translated it into policy. He’s the man that most embodies the base outside of the president. He’s the highest-level expression of the platform that got the president elected, and the president knows that.”

The president had signaled Bannon stood on shaky ground Tuesday when he was asked by a reporter if he still had confidence in his chief strategist.

"We'll see what happens with Mr. Bannon," Trump responded, adding that while he believes he is a "good person," Bannon "came on very late" to the campaign.

Bannon did not attend a national security meeting on Afghanistan with Trump at Camp David on Friday, even though he had been involved in the debate over troop levels.

The controversial strategist is adored by Trump’s base of supporters, who had warned there would be backlash among grassroots conservatives if he were cut loose.

But Bannon had few allies left in the White House following the departure of Priebus as chief of staff. The two men had formed a strategic partnership out of political convenience but had become genuine allies.

But Bannon’s worldview is at odds with many of Trump’s senior aides, and he clashed with the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn and national security adviser H.R. McMaster. Their feuds would often spill into the press, exacerbating tensions in the White House.

Bannon was already suspected of leaking to reporters about his political enemies, and a surprising on-the-record interview he gave this week to left-wing site American Prospect reinforced that notion.

In that interview, Bannon swiped at Cohn and undercut the president’s military threats directed at North Korea.

In the days that followed, Bannon, who rarely spoke on the record with the press, gave several more high-profile interviews, giving the appearance that he was seeking to go out on his own terms.

In one interview, Bannon encouraged the president to engage in the culture wars over race. Shortly after, Trump inflamed the controversy around the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., by defending Confederate monuments that critics say should be taken down.

With Priebus gone, Bannon was at the mercy of Kelly, a retired Marine general who has been running a tight ship and is eager to rid the White House of drama.

Bannon may have become a political liability in the wake of the Charlottesville protests.

Democrats cast Bannon, who once described Breitbart as “the platform for the alt-right,” as one of the “racists in the White House.” Pressure had been growing on Trump to cut ties with his nationalist wing, which also includes advisers Sebastian Gorka and Stephen Miller.

Even some Republicans called for Bannon to go, calling him a divisive figure who had muddied the president’s authority on international issues.

But Bannon is also a conduit to Trump’s base. His departure could provoke a backlash among Trump’s core supporters, who are fearful that the president is now being advised by liberals and who they refer to as “globalists” like Cohn, Kushner and McMaster.

Breitbart News has been hammering McMaster in particular, who in recent weeks successfully rid the National Security Council of several of Bannon’s allies.

“Steve’s allies in the populist nationalist movement are ready to ride to the gates of hell with him against the West Wing Democrats and globalists like [national security aide] Dina Powell, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Gary Cohn and H.R. McMaster,” said one Bannon ally.

“They should all be very worried that they’re efforts to undermine the president will be exposed. If they think what’s happened with Steve is rough, wait until they see what he does outside the White House.”

Read more:

The Hill: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/347102-trump-fires-stephen-bannon
NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/18/us/politics/steve-bannon-trump-white-house.html
Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-decides-to-get-rid-of-white-house-chief-strategist-stephen-bannon/2017/08/18/98cd5c40-8430-11e7-902a-2a9f2d808496_story.html?utm_term=.c380f81e839c
USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/18/controversial-adviser-steve-bannon-out-white-house/568190001/
AlJazeerra: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/steve-bannon-trump-top-strategist-white-house-170818170120625.html
NPR: http://www.npr.org/2017/08/18/523778912/reports-steve-bannon-out-as-chief-white-house-strategist
Time: http://time.com/4906897/steve-bannon-leaving-white-house-donald-trump/
PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/steve-bannon-leave-white-house/
CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-has-decided-to-remove-steve-bannon-from-white-house/

Stonewall Jackson's Great-Great-Grandsons Call for Removal of Confederate Monuments - Video and Open Letter -

Below: Full text of letter from William and Warren Christian, the great, great grandsons of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson to Richmond, Virginia (Confederate Capital City) Mayor Levar Stoney and Members of the Monument Avenue Commission.

Dear Mayor Stoney and Members of the Monument Avenue Commission,

We are native Richmonders and also the great, great grandsons of Stonewall Jackson. As two of the closest living relatives to Stonewall, we are writing today to ask for the removal of his statue, as well as the removal of all Confederate statues from Monument Avenue. They are overt symbols of racism and white supremacy, and the time is long overdue for them to depart from public display. Overnight, Baltimore has seen fit to take this action. Richmond should, too.

In making this request, we wish to express our respect and admiration for Mayor Stoney’s leadership while also strongly disagreeing with his claim that “removal of symbols does [nothing] for telling the actual truth [nor] changes the state and culture of racism in this country today.” In our view, the removal of the Jackson statue and others will necessarily further difficult conversations about racial justice. It will begin to tell the truth of us all coming to our senses.

Last weekend, Charlottesville showed us unequivocally that Confederate statues offer pre-existing iconography for racists. The people who descended on Charlottesville last weekend were there to make a naked show of force for white supremacy. To them, the Robert E. Lee statue is a clear symbol of their hateful ideology. The Confederate statues on Monument Avenue are, too — especially Jackson, who faces North, supposedly as if to continue the fight.

We are writing to say that we understand justice very differently from our grandfather’s grandfather, and we wish to make it clear his statue does not represent us.

Through our upbringing and education, we have learned much about Stonewall Jackson. We have learned about his reluctance to fight and his teaching of Sunday School to enslaved peoples in Lexington, Virginia, a potentially criminal activity at the time. We have learned how thoughtful and loving he was toward his family. But we cannot ignore his decision to own slaves, his decision to go to war for the Confederacy, and, ultimately, the fact that he was a white man fighting on the side of white supremacy.

While we are not ashamed of our great great grandfather, we are ashamed to benefit from white supremacy while our black family and friends suffer. We are ashamed of the monument.

In fact, instead of lauding Jackson’s violence, we choose to celebrate Stonewall’s sister — our great, great, grand-aunt — Laura Jackson Arnold. As an adult Laura became a staunch Unionist and abolitionist. Though she and Stonewall were incredibly close through childhood, she never spoke to Stonewall after his decision to support the Confederacy. We choose to stand on the right side of history with Laura Jackson Arnold.

Confederate monuments like the Jackson statue were never intended as benign symbols. Rather, they were the clearly articulated artwork of white supremacy. Among many examples, we can see this plainly if we look at the dedication of a Confederate statue at the University of North Carolina in which a speaker proclaimed that the confederate soldier “saved the very life of the Anglo-Saxon race in the South.” Disturbingly, he went on to recount a tale of performing the “pleasing duty” of “horse whipping” a black woman in front of Federal Soldiers. All over the South, this grotesque message was attached to similar monuments. As importantly, this message is clear to today’s avowed white supremacists.

There is also historical evidence that the statues on Monument Avenue were rejected by black Richmonders at the time of their construction. In the 1870s, John Mitchell, a black city councilman, called the monuments a tribute to “blood and treason” and voiced strong opposition to the use of public funds for building them. Speaking about the Lee Memorial, he vowed that there would come a time when African Americans would “be there to take it down.”

Ongoing racial disparities in incarceration, educational attainment, police brutality, hiring practices, access to health care and, perhaps most starkly, wealth, make it clear that these monuments do not stand somehow outside of history. Racism and white supremacy, which undoubtedly continue today, are neither natural nor inevitable. Rather, they were created in order to justify the unjustifiable, in particular slavery.

One thing that bonds our extended family, besides our common ancestor, is that many have worked, often as clergy and as educators, for justice in their communities. While we do not portend to speak for all of Stonewall’s kin, our sense of justice leads us to believe that removing the Stonewall statue and other monuments should be part of a larger project of actively mending the racial disparities that hundreds of years of white supremacy has wrought. We hope other descendants of Confederate generals will stand with us.

As cities all over the South are realizing now, we are not in need of added context. We are in need of a new context — one in which the statues have been taken down.

Respectfully,

William Jackson Christian

Warren Edmund Christian

Great great grandsons of Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson

William Jackson “Jack” Christian graduated from what is now the Maggie Walker Governor’s School in 1997, and attended The College of William Mary. Currently, he teaches in the English department at Westfield State University, and lives in Western Massachusetts.

Warren Edmund Christian attended James River High School and Davidson College. Currently, he works with international students at the University of North Carolina, where he received his MA and PhD in Education.

Warning: Viewer discretion advised -- Video of Car Terrorist incident in Charlottesville, Virginia

Neo-Nazi Terrorist James Alex Fields from Ohio, killed Heather Heyer and injured 19 people, after running his car into protesters. (TMZ Video above)

Deadly Hate in Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlottesville, Va. August 2017. 20-year-old Neo-Nazi James Alex Fields from Ohio has been arrested for the car terrorist attack.

National Urban League Statement on Charlottesville

National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial issued the following statement on the violence in Charlottesville, VA:

“Horrifying expressions of white supremacy and Nazi sympathies sadly are nothing novel in the United States, even in the 21st Century. What is shocking is that these demonstrations - with apparent deliberate fatal assaults against counter-protesters - should take place without a clear condemnation from the highest levels of government. What we are witnessing is a failure of our national institutions. We in the Urban League Movement call upon everyone with a voice on our national stage to condemn these demonstrations and these racist sentiments in the strongest possible terms. This is not who we are as a society and as a nation.”

Baltimore Confederate Monuments Removed: A timeline of how Baltimore got there

Story by Baltimore Sun
Written by Sean Welsh
Link: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/breaking/bs-md-confederate-statues-timeline-20170816-story.html

The removal of Baltimore’s Confederate statues was swift, materializing rather quickly over a three-day span. But the timeline that led to Wednesday’s overnight action begins more than 24 months ago.

Wednesday’s removal of four statues came one year to the day after a city commission issued a report on how to move forward with monuments to the Confederate era in Baltimore.

Here’s a timeline looking back at the past two-plus years and what preceded Wednesday morning’s action in Baltimore.

June 17, 2015 » Nine people are killed in an historic Charleston, S.C. church in a mass shooting carried out by a white male with a racist motive. The incident leads to renewed discussions surrounding the use of the Confederate flag in public places.

June 22, 2015 » Leaders in Baltimore and Baltimore County say they want to rename Robert E. Lee Park.

June 23, 2015 » Gov. Larry Hogan says he is “against” the use of Confederate flag images on Maryland license plates.

June 25, 2015 » Antietam and other parks stop selling items with the Confederate flag.

June 30, 2015 » Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announces she would convene a commission of experts to review Baltimore’s Confederate monuments.

July 10, 2015 » South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley signs a bill ordering the Confederate flag to be removed from the state’s capitol.

July 17, 2015 » City legislation is introduced to rename Robert E. Lee Park.

Sept. 4, 2015 » Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake names members of the commission to review monuments in the city.

Sept. 16, 2015 » Rawlings-Blake’s task force begins its review.

Sept. 28, 2015 » Robert E. Lee Park is renamed for Lake Roland by Baltimore County, which operates the park — which is owned by the city.

Dec. 11, 2015 » The University System of Maryland Board of Regents vote to rename Byrd Stadium in College Park. The Terps’ football stadium would be renamed “Maryland Stadium.” The stadium was named for Harry C. “Curley” Byrd, a former university president who opposed racial integration.

Jan. 14, 2016 » The city commission recommends removing two of the statues studied — the Roger B. Taney Monument on Mount Vernon Place and the Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson Monument in the Wyman Park Dell.

Aug. 16, 2016 » The city commission issues its report.

Sept. 14, 2016 » Rawlings-Blake — not seeking re-election for office, and with her term ending in just a few months — calls for installing “interpretive signage” to add context to statues in the city while considering what to do next.

Dec. 6, 2016 » Catherine Pugh takes office as Baltimore’s 50th mayor.

March 18, 2017 » Taney statue is moved from outside Frederick City Hall.

Aug. 12, 2017 » A woman is killed in Charlottesville, Va., during a white supremacist rally surrounding the planned removal of a Robert E. Lee monument. A rally is held in Baltimore to show solidarity.

Aug. 14, 2017 » Pugh says she has spoken with contractors about removing the statue, and says she is in favor of removing them. City Council unanimously votes to remove the statues.

Aug. 16, 2017 » In the dark of the early morning, four statues linked to the Confederacy are removed from public places in Baltimore.
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Read more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/16/us/baltimore-confederate-statues.html
http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/16/us/baltimore-confederate-monuments-removal/index.html

Sports Legends Spencer Haywood and Curt Flood versus the NBA in 1971 and MLB in 1972

Source: Wikipedia

Haywood v. National Basketball Association

401 U.S. 1204 (1971), was a U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled, 7–2, against the National Basketball Association’s old requirement that a player may not be drafted by an NBA team unless he waited four years (which meant playing at the college level in most cases) following his graduation from high school.

Background

Spencer Haywood turned pro after his sophomore season at the University of Detroit, joining the American Basketball Association’s Denver Rockets and leading the league in scoring (30.0 per game) and rebounding (19.5 per game) in 1969-70 before jumping to the NBA the following season. Seattle SuperSonics owner Sam Schulman signed Haywood to a six-year, $1.5 million contract, ignoring the rule that a player cannot join the league until he is four years out of high school. As a result, the NBA threatened to disallow the contract and implement various punitive sanctions against the SuperSonics.

Procedural History

Haywood challenged this decision by commencing an antitrust action against the NBA. As part of his claim against the NBA, Haywood argued that the conduct of the NBA was a "group boycott" and a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The central issue that had to be determined was whether the NBA draft policy was a restraint on trade and therefore was illegal in accordance with the Sherman Act.

The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, which issued an injunction in Haywood's favor,
ruling: “If Haywood is unable to continue to play professional basketball for Seattle, he will suffer irreparable injury in that a substantial part of his playing career will have been dissipated, his physical condition, skills, and coordination will deteriorate from lack of high-level competition, his public acceptance as a super star will diminish to the detriment of his career, his self-esteem, and his pride will have been injured and a great injustice will be perpetrated on him.”

The NBA appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which stayed the injunction. Joined by the SuperSonics, Haywood appealed to the Supreme Court, which upheld the District Court, reinstated that court's injunction against the NBA, and remanded the case to the District Court for further proceedings.

Impact

Shortly after the Supreme Court's decision, the league and Haywood reached an out-of-court settlement which allowed him to stay with the Sonics permanently.
The decision allowed a significant number of high school graduates and college attendees to make themselves eligible for the NBA Draft before completing four years in college.

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Curt Flood versus Major League Baseball - Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_v._Kuhn

Flood v. Kuhn, 407 U.S. 258 (1972), was a United States Supreme Court decision upholding, by a 5–3 margin, the antitrust exemption first granted to Major League Baseball (MLB) in Federal Baseball Club v. National League. It arose from a challenge by St. Louis Cardinals' outfielder Curt Flood when he refused to be traded to the Philadelphia Phillies after the 1969 season. He sought injunctive relief from the reserve clause, which prevented him from negotiating with another team for a year after his contract expired. Named as initial respondents were baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, MLB and all of its then-24 member clubs.

Although the Court ruled in baseball's favor 5–3, it admitted the original grounds for the antitrust exemption were tenuous at best, that baseball was indeed interstate commerce for purposes of the act and the exemption was an "anomaly" it had explicitly refused to extend to other professional sports or entertainment. That admission set in motion events which ultimately led to an arbitrator's ruling nullifying the reserve clause and opening the door for free agency in baseball and other sports...

Legacy

The decision is often remembered today as paving the way for free agency in baseball. However, it did so, according to Bill James, only by showing players they could not rely on the courts to strike down the antitrust exemption and the reserve clause along with it. But the effort by a player of Flood's stature did galvanize the players, and according to Marvin Miller it made the general public aware of the reserve clause.

Labor law proved a more fruitful opportunity for the invalidation of the reserve clause. The next year the National Labor Relations Board voted that baseball came under its jurisdiction, and that led to the Seitz decision three years later that Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally were free agents after they had played out a year without signing new contracts. That event is considered the true beginning of baseball free agency.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_v._Kuhn

Al Sharpton: "Progressives' are shortchanging African Americans — again"

Democrats might care about issues that are important to us. But are they fueling African-American participation or interest? Not even close.

Story by USA Today
Commentary by Civil Rights Leader, Radio/TV Talk Show Host Al Sharpton

When Jesse Jackson ran for president during the 1980s, as when I ran in 2004, there were progressives in America just like there are today. Those progressives were well meaning individuals and politicians who shared our views and strongly believed in what we believed in. Despite this progressive political presence, our presidential campaigns were so important and necessary because the voices of black, brown and poorer white voters were not heard by the elites in American politics and government. Our agendas were not getting carried out. There was a great deal of talk back then, but no real action. That same dynamic holds true today.

The press speaks a great deal about the supposed fact that the “Democratic base” is riled up and activated by the state of play in America. This assessment ignores the most important segment of that base: the African-American voter. We are not motivated by anyone right now. While Sen. Bernie Sanders did a remarkable job in the 2016 presidential primaries and went further than anyone thought possible, he did so without the African-American vote, losing among African-American voters by more than 50 percentage points.

While that progressive coalition purported to speak FOR the African-American voter, it did not talk TO African Americans. The so-called Hillary Clinton base of the party, while crushing Sanders, attracted substantially fewer black voters to turn out than in recent presidential primaries, and in the general election, running against a novice, the black voter turnout rate declined for the first time in 20 years in a presidential election, falling 7 percentage points compared to 2012. Arguably, that disinterested Black vote cost Hillary Clinton the Presidency.

It would be unfair to claim that leaders like Clinton and Sanders do not care about issues that are important to people of color. They do. However, it is equally inaccurate to claim that the current progressive movement is fueling African-American participation or interest in our political process. It is not. Blacks largely sit on the sidelines while the game of politics is being played around us. In the post-Obama era there is the sense that Democrats feel people of color — African Americans in particular — have had their chance and that we should now take a back seat to new leadership and let them handle the politics of today. However, such a sentiment is both foolhardy and wrong.

The 21st century version of the rainbow coalition lacks vision and color. Remarkably, Blacks still need to fight for a seat at the table and are too often simply "stage props" for allied elected leaders to make their points. Consider this: In 2016, when the officially independent Sanders ran for president as a Democrat, there were more black chiefs of staff in the Senate working for Republicans (1) than for Sanders (0) or the Democrats (0).

Talk is not enough anymore to be on the righteous path for justice and black political participation. Nor is caring about, or sympathy over, unjust policies. An effective progressive movement is more than an intellectual exercise espousing policy goals: it requires action and results. And people of color need to be at the table in large enough numbers to help make that difference. We cannot depend upon action from well-meaning progressives or others who want to fight our fight for us. History proves that change comes too slowly when we rely on that model.

Perhaps it is time for another African-American presidential campaign to fuel black voter interest. Perhaps it’s time to remind people that progressive politics cannot be advanced without results and a fully vibrant rainbow of colors working to make that difference. Two things are certain: African Americans will not be taken for granted again and progressives invite failure yet again if they try.
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Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/08/09/progressives-shortchanging-african-americans-again-al-sharpton-column/549338001/