Black Lives Matter-Ugliness of Racism.
- Thread starter Ocean Breeze
- Start date
Road rager used racial slurs in shocking Hamilton incident
Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Publishing date:Jul 12, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 1 minute read • 75 Comments
Know him? Cops say this man used a racial epithet in a road rage incident in Hamilton.
Know him? Cops say this man used a racial epithet in a road rage incident in Hamilton. PHOTO BY SCEREENGRAB /REDDIT
Hamilton cops are looking for witnesses after a race hate incident erupted between two drivers.
On Monday, officers became aware of a “hate incident” posted on social media.
In the NSFW video posted to Reddit, the raging middle-aged white man rolls in aggressively approaching the occupants of a vehicle. The driver tells him to “get the f*** back in your car.”
The angry man is having none of it: “You cut me off you stupid f****** son-of-a-bitch.”
The driver responds: “I cut YOU off?”
Angry man: “Yeah, that’s why I took your license plate you f****** d***.”
Driver: “Congratulations.”
Angry man: “You stupid f****** n***** lover!”
At that point, the driver loses his cool.
“What did you call my wife?”
The 53-second video can be viewed here.
Investigators believe the incident occurred in the Main St. E. and Ottawa St. N. area. The suspect is driving a grey Nissan Sentra.
So far, the incident has not been reported to police.
bhunter@postmedia.com
@HunterTOSun
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Publishing date:Jul 12, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 1 minute read • 75 Comments
Know him? Cops say this man used a racial epithet in a road rage incident in Hamilton.
Know him? Cops say this man used a racial epithet in a road rage incident in Hamilton. PHOTO BY SCEREENGRAB /REDDIT
Hamilton cops are looking for witnesses after a race hate incident erupted between two drivers.
On Monday, officers became aware of a “hate incident” posted on social media.
In the NSFW video posted to Reddit, the raging middle-aged white man rolls in aggressively approaching the occupants of a vehicle. The driver tells him to “get the f*** back in your car.”
The angry man is having none of it: “You cut me off you stupid f****** son-of-a-bitch.”
The driver responds: “I cut YOU off?”
Angry man: “Yeah, that’s why I took your license plate you f****** d***.”
Driver: “Congratulations.”
Angry man: “You stupid f****** n***** lover!”
At that point, the driver loses his cool.
“What did you call my wife?”
The 53-second video can be viewed here.
Investigators believe the incident occurred in the Main St. E. and Ottawa St. N. area. The suspect is driving a grey Nissan Sentra.
So far, the incident has not been reported to police.
bhunter@postmedia.com
@HunterTOSun
Road rager used racial slurs in shocking Hamilton incident
Hamilton cops are looking for witnesses after a race hate incident erupted between two drivers.
Emmett Till accuser, in memoir, denies wanting teen killed
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Jay Reeves And Allen G. Breed
Publishing date:Jul 14, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
DURHAM, N.C. — The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances before he was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 says she neither identified him to the killers nor wanted him murdered.
In an unpublished memoir obtained by The Associated Press, Carolyn Bryant Donham says she was unaware of what would happen to the 14-year-old Till, who lived in Chicago and was visiting relatives in Mississippi when he was abducted, killed and tossed in a river.
Now 87, Donham was only 21 at the time. Her then-husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam were acquitted of murder charges but later confessed in a magazine interview.
The contents of the 99-page manuscript, titled “I am More Than A Wolf Whistle,” were first reported by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. Historian and author Timothy Tyson of Durham, who said he obtained a copy from Donham while interviewing her in 2008, provided a copy to the AP on Thursday.
Tyson had placed the manuscript in an archive at the University of North Carolina with the agreement that it not be made public for decades, though he said he gave it to the FBI during an investigation the agency concluded last year. He said he decided to make it public now following the recent discovery of an arrest warrant on kidnapping charges that was issued for Donham in 1955 but never served.
“The potential for an investigation was more important than the archival agreements, though those are important things,” Tyson said. “But this is probably the last chance for an indictment in this case.”
In the memoir, Donham says she attempted to help Till once he’d been located by her husband and brother-in-law and brought to her in the middle of the night for identification.
“I did not wish Emmett any harm and could not stop harm from coming to him, since I didn’t know what was planned for him,” Donham says in the manuscript compiled by her daughter-in-law. “I tried to protect him by telling Roy that ‘He’s not the one. That’s not him. Please take him home.”‘ She claims in the manuscript that Till, who had been dragged from a family home at gunpoint in the middle of the night, spoke up and identified himself.
Donham adds that she “always felt like a victim as well as Emmett” and “paid dearly with an altered life” for what happened to him.
“I have always prayed that God would bless Emmett’s family. I am truly sorry for the pain his family was caused,” she says at the end of the manuscript, which is signed “Carolyn” but indicates that it was written by her daughter-in-law Marsha Bryant.
The memoir is remarkable not only because it’s the most extensive account of the sensational episode ever recorded by Donham, but also because it contains contradictions that raise questions about her truthfulness through the years, said Dale Killinger, a retired FBI agent who investigated the case more than 15 years ago.
For instance, Donham claims in the memoir to have yelled for help after being confronted by Till inside the family grocery store in Money, Mississippi, yet no one ever reported hearing her screams, Killinger said. Also, Donham never previously mentioned that she and Roy Bryant chatted about the abduction. In the manuscript, she says they did.
“That seems ludicrous,” Killinger said. “How would you have a major event in your life and not talk about it?”
The Justice Department closed its most recent investigation into the case in December and Mississippi authorities haven’t given any indication they plan to pursue the kidnapping warrant or other charges against Donham. But the Till family is pushing authorities to act.
Keith Beauchamp, a filmmaker whose documentary preceded the Justice Department probe in which Killinger was involved and that ended without charges in 2007, said the memoir shows that Donham “is culpable in the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Louis Till and to not hold her accountable for her actions, is an injustice to us all.”
“Our fight will continue until justice is finally served,” Beauchamp said.
It was Beauchamp, along with two of Till’s relatives, who discovered the arrest warrant with Donham’s name on it earlier this month in the basement of a Mississippi courthouse.
Tyson, the historian who provided the roughly 35,000-word manuscript to the AP, helped spur the government’s most recent investigation into the killing by publishing a book in 2017 in which he quoted Donham as saying she lied when she claimed Till grabbed her, whistled and made sexual advances.
In the memoir, however, she claims Till did do those things. During the most recent investigation, Donham told the FBI she had never recanted, the Justice Department said.
Tyson said Donham’s statements in the memoir exonerating herself of wrongdoing need to be taken with “a good-sized shovel full of salt,” particularly her claim that Till identified himself to the men who took him from the family home and later admitted killing him.
“Two big white men with guns came and dragged him out of his aunt and great-uncle’s house at 2 o’clock in the morning in the Mississippi Delta in 1955. I do not believe for one minute that he identified himself,” Tyson said.
Neither Donham nor any of her relatives have responded to messages and phone calls from the AP seeking comment. It is unclear where Donham currently lives or if she has an attorney. Her last known address was in Raleigh, North Carolina.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Jay Reeves And Allen G. Breed
Publishing date:Jul 14, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
DURHAM, N.C. — The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances before he was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 says she neither identified him to the killers nor wanted him murdered.
In an unpublished memoir obtained by The Associated Press, Carolyn Bryant Donham says she was unaware of what would happen to the 14-year-old Till, who lived in Chicago and was visiting relatives in Mississippi when he was abducted, killed and tossed in a river.
Now 87, Donham was only 21 at the time. Her then-husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam were acquitted of murder charges but later confessed in a magazine interview.
The contents of the 99-page manuscript, titled “I am More Than A Wolf Whistle,” were first reported by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. Historian and author Timothy Tyson of Durham, who said he obtained a copy from Donham while interviewing her in 2008, provided a copy to the AP on Thursday.
Tyson had placed the manuscript in an archive at the University of North Carolina with the agreement that it not be made public for decades, though he said he gave it to the FBI during an investigation the agency concluded last year. He said he decided to make it public now following the recent discovery of an arrest warrant on kidnapping charges that was issued for Donham in 1955 but never served.
“The potential for an investigation was more important than the archival agreements, though those are important things,” Tyson said. “But this is probably the last chance for an indictment in this case.”
In the memoir, Donham says she attempted to help Till once he’d been located by her husband and brother-in-law and brought to her in the middle of the night for identification.
“I did not wish Emmett any harm and could not stop harm from coming to him, since I didn’t know what was planned for him,” Donham says in the manuscript compiled by her daughter-in-law. “I tried to protect him by telling Roy that ‘He’s not the one. That’s not him. Please take him home.”‘ She claims in the manuscript that Till, who had been dragged from a family home at gunpoint in the middle of the night, spoke up and identified himself.
Donham adds that she “always felt like a victim as well as Emmett” and “paid dearly with an altered life” for what happened to him.
“I have always prayed that God would bless Emmett’s family. I am truly sorry for the pain his family was caused,” she says at the end of the manuscript, which is signed “Carolyn” but indicates that it was written by her daughter-in-law Marsha Bryant.
The memoir is remarkable not only because it’s the most extensive account of the sensational episode ever recorded by Donham, but also because it contains contradictions that raise questions about her truthfulness through the years, said Dale Killinger, a retired FBI agent who investigated the case more than 15 years ago.
For instance, Donham claims in the memoir to have yelled for help after being confronted by Till inside the family grocery store in Money, Mississippi, yet no one ever reported hearing her screams, Killinger said. Also, Donham never previously mentioned that she and Roy Bryant chatted about the abduction. In the manuscript, she says they did.
“That seems ludicrous,” Killinger said. “How would you have a major event in your life and not talk about it?”
The Justice Department closed its most recent investigation into the case in December and Mississippi authorities haven’t given any indication they plan to pursue the kidnapping warrant or other charges against Donham. But the Till family is pushing authorities to act.
Keith Beauchamp, a filmmaker whose documentary preceded the Justice Department probe in which Killinger was involved and that ended without charges in 2007, said the memoir shows that Donham “is culpable in the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Louis Till and to not hold her accountable for her actions, is an injustice to us all.”
“Our fight will continue until justice is finally served,” Beauchamp said.
It was Beauchamp, along with two of Till’s relatives, who discovered the arrest warrant with Donham’s name on it earlier this month in the basement of a Mississippi courthouse.
Tyson, the historian who provided the roughly 35,000-word manuscript to the AP, helped spur the government’s most recent investigation into the killing by publishing a book in 2017 in which he quoted Donham as saying she lied when she claimed Till grabbed her, whistled and made sexual advances.
In the memoir, however, she claims Till did do those things. During the most recent investigation, Donham told the FBI she had never recanted, the Justice Department said.
Tyson said Donham’s statements in the memoir exonerating herself of wrongdoing need to be taken with “a good-sized shovel full of salt,” particularly her claim that Till identified himself to the men who took him from the family home and later admitted killing him.
“Two big white men with guns came and dragged him out of his aunt and great-uncle’s house at 2 o’clock in the morning in the Mississippi Delta in 1955. I do not believe for one minute that he identified himself,” Tyson said.
Neither Donham nor any of her relatives have responded to messages and phone calls from the AP seeking comment. It is unclear where Donham currently lives or if she has an attorney. Her last known address was in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Emmett Till accuser, in memoir, denies wanting teen killed
DURHAM, N.C. — The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances before he was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 says she neither iden…
Snipers shot man who died in Minneapolis police standoff
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Publishing date:Jul 15, 2022 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read • 7 Comments
Marcia Howard, activist and George Floyd Square caretaker, right, takes a moment as she lights candles during a vigil for 20-year old Andrew Tekle Sundberg Thursday, July 14, 2022 outside the apartment building where he was killed by Minneapolis Police.
Marcia Howard, activist and George Floyd Square caretaker, right, takes a moment as she lights candles during a vigil for 20-year old Andrew Tekle Sundberg Thursday, July 14, 2022 outside the apartment building where he was killed by Minneapolis Police. PHOTO BY AARON LAVINSKY /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS — Two Minneapolis police snipers fatally shot a man from the roof of an apartment building across the street from where he had been holed up in an overnight standoff, according to documents filed Friday.
But authorities have not yet said what prompted officers to shoot 20-year-old Andrew Tekle Sundberg early Thursday after around six hours of efforts to persuade him to surrender. The officers were identified as Aaron Pearson and Zachary Seraphin.
A gun was recovered from Sundberg’s third-floor apartment, according to the state agency leading the investigation.
Officers activated their body cameras, according to a police report, but the video has not been released.
Investigators collected a .38-calibre handgun with an extended magazine from a bed, and live .45-calibre cartridges from a closet and a bowl in the living room, according to search warrant affidavits. At least seven spent bullets were recovered in the search of a separate unit on the same floor.
The affidavits also listed numerous “less lethal” rounds found inside and outside the building. They’re projectiles — often 40 mm foam rounds — meant to incapacitate a person without killing them. That indicates officers fired them at some point during the standoff, but court filings don’t say when they used them.
When the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension collected the officers’ rifles, their magazines still held more rounds, the filings said.
Police have said officers first responded Wednesday night after a third-floor tenant called 911 to report that someone fired gunshots through the wall of her unit. Officers moved her, her two young children and others to safety. Police said Sundberg had isolated himself in a neighboring apartment. Police attempted to negotiate with him by phone and by loudspeaker. Sundberg was shot about 4:30 a.m. Thursday.
Sgt. Sherral Schmidt, president of the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation, said “many tactics” were used to try to persuade Sundberg to surrender.
“These efforts became futile when the suspect endangered the lives of others and to prevent death or great bodily harm to another, officers used deadly force,” Schmidt said in a statement late Friday.
The Sundberg family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has also represented the families of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and other Black people killed by police in recent years, often securing multimillion-dollar settlements. Crump also worked with his local partner Jeff Storms for the families of Amir Locke and Daunte Wright, who were both killed by Minneapolis-area police officers.
Investigators have not released information about Sundberg’s race, but an online fundraising campaign from 2015, after the then-13-year-old was injured in an ATV crash, said he was born in Ethiopia and adopted into a Minnesota family.
A GoFundMe organized for his funeral expenses describes him as “a brother, friend, uncle, son … talented artist, hilarious and energetic. His life was taken too soon by the Minneapolis Police Department. … He leaves behind many loving family members and friends.”
Sundberg’s death was the second involving Minneapolis police this year. Locke was shot at a downtown apartment on Feb. 2 while officers executed an early morning no-knock search warrant. Both officers who fired at Sundberg were also part of the SWAT team at the scene when Locke, 22, was shot.
Pearson used a key to enter the apartment where Locke stirred beneath a blanket on the couch and reached for a handgun. Officer Mark Hanneman fatally shot Locke within 10 seconds — an encounter recorded on Pearson’s body camera. Seraphine, a SWAT team medic, provided medical care to Locke on the scene, according to the BCA.
No officers were charged in Locke’s death.
The Minneapolis department has long been under scrutiny over allegations of brutality and racial injustice. Floyd’s killing in 2020 led to a state investigation that found the department has engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least the past decade.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Publishing date:Jul 15, 2022 • 1 day ago • 3 minute read • 7 Comments
Marcia Howard, activist and George Floyd Square caretaker, right, takes a moment as she lights candles during a vigil for 20-year old Andrew Tekle Sundberg Thursday, July 14, 2022 outside the apartment building where he was killed by Minneapolis Police.
Marcia Howard, activist and George Floyd Square caretaker, right, takes a moment as she lights candles during a vigil for 20-year old Andrew Tekle Sundberg Thursday, July 14, 2022 outside the apartment building where he was killed by Minneapolis Police. PHOTO BY AARON LAVINSKY /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS — Two Minneapolis police snipers fatally shot a man from the roof of an apartment building across the street from where he had been holed up in an overnight standoff, according to documents filed Friday.
But authorities have not yet said what prompted officers to shoot 20-year-old Andrew Tekle Sundberg early Thursday after around six hours of efforts to persuade him to surrender. The officers were identified as Aaron Pearson and Zachary Seraphin.
A gun was recovered from Sundberg’s third-floor apartment, according to the state agency leading the investigation.
Officers activated their body cameras, according to a police report, but the video has not been released.
Investigators collected a .38-calibre handgun with an extended magazine from a bed, and live .45-calibre cartridges from a closet and a bowl in the living room, according to search warrant affidavits. At least seven spent bullets were recovered in the search of a separate unit on the same floor.
The affidavits also listed numerous “less lethal” rounds found inside and outside the building. They’re projectiles — often 40 mm foam rounds — meant to incapacitate a person without killing them. That indicates officers fired them at some point during the standoff, but court filings don’t say when they used them.
When the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension collected the officers’ rifles, their magazines still held more rounds, the filings said.
Police have said officers first responded Wednesday night after a third-floor tenant called 911 to report that someone fired gunshots through the wall of her unit. Officers moved her, her two young children and others to safety. Police said Sundberg had isolated himself in a neighboring apartment. Police attempted to negotiate with him by phone and by loudspeaker. Sundberg was shot about 4:30 a.m. Thursday.
Sgt. Sherral Schmidt, president of the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation, said “many tactics” were used to try to persuade Sundberg to surrender.
“These efforts became futile when the suspect endangered the lives of others and to prevent death or great bodily harm to another, officers used deadly force,” Schmidt said in a statement late Friday.
The Sundberg family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has also represented the families of George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and other Black people killed by police in recent years, often securing multimillion-dollar settlements. Crump also worked with his local partner Jeff Storms for the families of Amir Locke and Daunte Wright, who were both killed by Minneapolis-area police officers.
Investigators have not released information about Sundberg’s race, but an online fundraising campaign from 2015, after the then-13-year-old was injured in an ATV crash, said he was born in Ethiopia and adopted into a Minnesota family.
A GoFundMe organized for his funeral expenses describes him as “a brother, friend, uncle, son … talented artist, hilarious and energetic. His life was taken too soon by the Minneapolis Police Department. … He leaves behind many loving family members and friends.”
Sundberg’s death was the second involving Minneapolis police this year. Locke was shot at a downtown apartment on Feb. 2 while officers executed an early morning no-knock search warrant. Both officers who fired at Sundberg were also part of the SWAT team at the scene when Locke, 22, was shot.
Pearson used a key to enter the apartment where Locke stirred beneath a blanket on the couch and reached for a handgun. Officer Mark Hanneman fatally shot Locke within 10 seconds — an encounter recorded on Pearson’s body camera. Seraphine, a SWAT team medic, provided medical care to Locke on the scene, according to the BCA.
No officers were charged in Locke’s death.
The Minneapolis department has long been under scrutiny over allegations of brutality and racial injustice. Floyd’s killing in 2020 led to a state investigation that found the department has engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least the past decade.
Snipers shot man who died in Minneapolis police standoff
MINNEAPOLIS — Two Minneapolis police snipers fatally shot a man from the roof of an apartment building across the street from where he had been holed up in an overn…
'OUTRIGHT RACIST': U.S. soprano Angel Blue slams use of blackface in opera
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Frances D'emilio
Publishing date:Jul 16, 2022 • 16 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
ROME — Soprano Angel Blue says she won’t perform in an opera in Italy this month because blackface was used in the staging of a different work this summer on the same stage.
The U.S. singer posted a note on her angeljoyblue Instagram page saying she will be bowing out of “La Traviata” at Verona’s Arena this month because the theatre recently mounted another Giuseppe Verdi opera, “Aida,” that had performers in blackface.
She blasted such use of “archaic” theatrical practices as “offensive, humiliating, and outright racist.”
Angel Blue, however, was still listed Saturday on the Arena’s website as singing the role of Violetta in “La Traviata” on July 22 and 30.
The theatre said it was hoping that Blue, who is Black, would accept an invitation to meet with Arena officials in a “dialogue” over the issue. The Arena, in a statement Friday, said it had “no reason nor intent whatsoever to offend and disturb anyone’s sensibility.”
For decades, U.S. civil rights organizations for decades have publicly condemned blackface — in which white performers blacken their faces — as dehumanizing Blacks by introducing and reinforcing racial stereotypes.
The Arena this summer has mounted performances of “Aida” based on a 2002 staging of the opera classic by Italian director Franco Zeffirelli who died in 2019. That staging uses blackface.
“Dear Friends, Family, and Opera Lovers,” began the soprano’s Instagram post. “I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I will not be singing La Traviata at Arena di Verona this summer as planned.”
Referring to Arena’s decision to use blackface makeup in “Aida,” the singer wrote: “Let me be perfectly clear: the use of blackface under any circumstances, artistic or otherwise, is a deeply misguided practice based on archaic theatrical traditions which have no place in modern society. It is offensive, humiliating and outright racist.”
She wrote that she couldn’t “in good conscience associate myself with an institution which continues this practice.”
The theatre’s statement said “Angel Blue knowingly committed herself to sing at the Arena” even though the “characteristics” of the 2002 Zeffirelli staging were “well known.”
Still, the theatre stressed its hope that her protest would ultimately improve understanding between cultures as well as educate Italian audiences.
“Every country has different roots, and their cultural and social structures developed along different historical and cultural paths,” said the statement by the Arena of Verona Foundation. “Common convictions have often been reached only after years of dialogue and mutual understanding.”
The Arena statement stressed dialogue, “in effort to understand others’ point of view, in respect of consciously assumed artistic obligations.”
“Contraposition, judgments, labeling, lack of dialogue only feed the culture of contrasts, which we totally reject,” said the statement, appealing for cooperation “to avoid divisions.”
arena.it
Instagram
instagram.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Frances D'emilio
Publishing date:Jul 16, 2022 • 16 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
ROME — Soprano Angel Blue says she won’t perform in an opera in Italy this month because blackface was used in the staging of a different work this summer on the same stage.
The U.S. singer posted a note on her angeljoyblue Instagram page saying she will be bowing out of “La Traviata” at Verona’s Arena this month because the theatre recently mounted another Giuseppe Verdi opera, “Aida,” that had performers in blackface.
She blasted such use of “archaic” theatrical practices as “offensive, humiliating, and outright racist.”
Angel Blue, however, was still listed Saturday on the Arena’s website as singing the role of Violetta in “La Traviata” on July 22 and 30.
The theatre said it was hoping that Blue, who is Black, would accept an invitation to meet with Arena officials in a “dialogue” over the issue. The Arena, in a statement Friday, said it had “no reason nor intent whatsoever to offend and disturb anyone’s sensibility.”
For decades, U.S. civil rights organizations for decades have publicly condemned blackface — in which white performers blacken their faces — as dehumanizing Blacks by introducing and reinforcing racial stereotypes.
The Arena this summer has mounted performances of “Aida” based on a 2002 staging of the opera classic by Italian director Franco Zeffirelli who died in 2019. That staging uses blackface.
“Dear Friends, Family, and Opera Lovers,” began the soprano’s Instagram post. “I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that I will not be singing La Traviata at Arena di Verona this summer as planned.”
Referring to Arena’s decision to use blackface makeup in “Aida,” the singer wrote: “Let me be perfectly clear: the use of blackface under any circumstances, artistic or otherwise, is a deeply misguided practice based on archaic theatrical traditions which have no place in modern society. It is offensive, humiliating and outright racist.”
She wrote that she couldn’t “in good conscience associate myself with an institution which continues this practice.”
The theatre’s statement said “Angel Blue knowingly committed herself to sing at the Arena” even though the “characteristics” of the 2002 Zeffirelli staging were “well known.”
Still, the theatre stressed its hope that her protest would ultimately improve understanding between cultures as well as educate Italian audiences.
“Every country has different roots, and their cultural and social structures developed along different historical and cultural paths,” said the statement by the Arena of Verona Foundation. “Common convictions have often been reached only after years of dialogue and mutual understanding.”
The Arena statement stressed dialogue, “in effort to understand others’ point of view, in respect of consciously assumed artistic obligations.”
“Contraposition, judgments, labeling, lack of dialogue only feed the culture of contrasts, which we totally reject,” said the statement, appealing for cooperation “to avoid divisions.”
La Traviata at Arena di Verona 2025 | Info, Dates & Tickets
Immerse yourself in the intense romance of Violetta and Alfredo at the Verona Arena. Find dates for "La Traviata" 2025 performances and buy your tickets now!"
arena.it
instagram.com
'OUTRIGHT RACIST': U.S. soprano Angel Blue slams use of blackface in opera
A U.S. soprano says she won't perform in an opera in Italy because blackface was used in the staging of a different work on the same stage.
Emmett Till accuser, in memoir, denies wanting teen killed
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Jay Reeves And Allen G. Breed
Publishing date:Jul 14, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 4 minute read • Join the conversation
DURHAM, N.C. — The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances before he was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 says she neither identified him to the killers nor wanted him murdered.
In an unpublished memoir obtained by The Associated Press, Carolyn Bryant Donham says she was unaware of what would happen to the 14-year-old Till, who lived in Chicago and was visiting relatives in Mississippi when he was abducted, killed and tossed in a river.
Now 87, Donham was only 21 at the time. Her then-husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam were acquitted of murder charges but later confessed in a magazine interview.
The contents of the 99-page manuscript, titled “I am More Than A Wolf Whistle,” were first reported by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. Historian and author Timothy Tyson of Durham, who said he obtained a copy from Donham while interviewing her in 2008, provided a copy to the AP on Thursday.
Tyson had placed the manuscript in an archive at the University of North Carolina with the agreement that it not be made public for decades, though he said he gave it to the FBI during an investigation the agency concluded last year. He said he decided to make it public now following the recent discovery of an arrest warrant on kidnapping charges that was issued for Donham in 1955 but never served.
“The potential for an investigation was more important than the archival agreements, though those are important things,” Tyson said. “But this is probably the last chance for an indictment in this case.”
In the memoir, Donham says she attempted to help Till once he’d been located by her husband and brother-in-law and brought to her in the middle of the night for identification.
“I did not wish Emmett any harm and could not stop harm from coming to him, since I didn’t know what was planned for him,” Donham says in the manuscript compiled by her daughter-in-law. “I tried to protect him by telling Roy that ‘He’s not the one. That’s not him. Please take him home.”‘ She claims in the manuscript that Till, who had been dragged from a family home at gunpoint in the middle of the night, spoke up and identified himself.
Donham adds that she “always felt like a victim as well as Emmett” and “paid dearly with an altered life” for what happened to him.
“I have always prayed that God would bless Emmett’s family. I am truly sorry for the pain his family was caused,” she says at the end of the manuscript, which is signed “Carolyn” but indicates that it was written by her daughter-in-law Marsha Bryant.
The memoir is remarkable not only because it’s the most extensive account of the sensational episode ever recorded by Donham, but also because it contains contradictions that raise questions about her truthfulness through the years, said Dale Killinger, a retired FBI agent who investigated the case more than 15 years ago.
For instance, Donham claims in the memoir to have yelled for help after being confronted by Till inside the family grocery store in Money, Mississippi, yet no one ever reported hearing her screams, Killinger said. Also, Donham never previously mentioned that she and Roy Bryant chatted about the abduction. In the manuscript, she says they did.
“That seems ludicrous,” Killinger said. “How would you have a major event in your life and not talk about it?”
The Justice Department closed its most recent investigation into the case in December and Mississippi authorities haven’t given any indication they plan to pursue the kidnapping warrant or other charges against Donham. But the Till family is pushing authorities to act.
Keith Beauchamp, a filmmaker whose documentary preceded the Justice Department probe in which Killinger was involved and that ended without charges in 2007, said the memoir shows that Donham “is culpable in the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Louis Till and to not hold her accountable for her actions, is an injustice to us all.”
“Our fight will continue until justice is finally served,” Beauchamp said.
It was Beauchamp, along with two of Till’s relatives, who discovered the arrest warrant with Donham’s name on it earlier this month in the basement of a Mississippi courthouse.
Tyson, the historian who provided the roughly 35,000-word manuscript to the AP, helped spur the government’s most recent investigation into the killing by publishing a book in 2017 in which he quoted Donham as saying she lied when she claimed Till grabbed her, whistled and made sexual advances.
In the memoir, however, she claims Till did do those things. During the most recent investigation, Donham told the FBI she had never recanted, the Justice Department said.
Tyson said Donham’s statements in the memoir exonerating herself of wrongdoing need to be taken with “a good-sized shovel full of salt,” particularly her claim that Till identified himself to the men who took him from the family home and later admitted killing him.
“Two big white men with guns came and dragged him out of his aunt and great-uncle’s house at 2 o’clock in the morning in the Mississippi Delta in 1955. I do not believe for one minute that he identified himself,” Tyson said.
Neither Donham nor any of her relatives have responded to messages and phone calls from the AP seeking comment. It is unclear where Donham currently lives or if she has an attorney. Her last known address was in Raleigh, North Carolina.
View attachment 14802
Emmett Till accuser, in memoir, denies wanting teen killed
DURHAM, N.C. — The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances before he was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 says she neither iden…"""""""
‘Sesame Street’ theme park accused of racism after video shows character snubbing two Black girls
Author of the article
enette Wilford
Publishing date:Jul 19, 2022 • 14 hours ago • 1 minute read • 24 Comments
Sesame Place in Philadelphia was branded racist after video shows a character actor in costume brushing off two little Black girls.
A mom took to Instagram to share video of Rosita waving and high-fiving fans as her daughters tried to get the character’s attention — but were “blatantly” ignored.
“We were on our way out of sesame place and the kids wanted to stop to see the characters,” the irate mother wrote. “THIS DISGUSTING person blatantly told our kids NO then proceeded to hug the little white girl next to us!”
She explained that she complained about the incident but she was also ignored.
“I asked the lady who the character was and I wanted to see a supervisor and she told me SHE DIDNT KNOW!!,” she continued. “I will never step foot in @sesameplace ever again!”
Sesame Place Philadelphia issued a statement about the encounter, saying the actor confirmed the dismissive “’no’ hand gesture… was not directed to any specific person” but rather a response to photo requests from another guest.
But by then, the video had gone viral and many outraged people chimed in, including singer Kelly Rowland, who commented on Sesame Place’s post, “Those gorgeous girls will never forget that feeling! THEY ARE KIDS!!!!! You should be ASHAMED of yourselves for this pathetic statement.”
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Place, has since promised “bias training” for its workers along with a “thorough review of the ways in which they engage with families and guests.”
Sesame Place Philadelphia added a new statement of its own: “We sincerely apologize to the family for their experience in our park on Saturday; we know that it’s not OK.
“We will conduct training for our employees so they better understand, recognize and deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience to our guests.”
instagram.com
instagram.com
Instagram
instagram.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article
enette WilfordPublishing date:Jul 19, 2022 • 14 hours ago • 1 minute read • 24 Comments
Sesame Place in Philadelphia was branded racist after video shows a character actor in costume brushing off two little Black girls.
A mom took to Instagram to share video of Rosita waving and high-fiving fans as her daughters tried to get the character’s attention — but were “blatantly” ignored.
“We were on our way out of sesame place and the kids wanted to stop to see the characters,” the irate mother wrote. “THIS DISGUSTING person blatantly told our kids NO then proceeded to hug the little white girl next to us!”
She explained that she complained about the incident but she was also ignored.
“I asked the lady who the character was and I wanted to see a supervisor and she told me SHE DIDNT KNOW!!,” she continued. “I will never step foot in @sesameplace ever again!”
Sesame Place Philadelphia issued a statement about the encounter, saying the actor confirmed the dismissive “’no’ hand gesture… was not directed to any specific person” but rather a response to photo requests from another guest.
But by then, the video had gone viral and many outraged people chimed in, including singer Kelly Rowland, who commented on Sesame Place’s post, “Those gorgeous girls will never forget that feeling! THEY ARE KIDS!!!!! You should be ASHAMED of yourselves for this pathetic statement.”
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Place, has since promised “bias training” for its workers along with a “thorough review of the ways in which they engage with families and guests.”
Sesame Place Philadelphia added a new statement of its own: “We sincerely apologize to the family for their experience in our park on Saturday; we know that it’s not OK.
“We will conduct training for our employees so they better understand, recognize and deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience to our guests.”
Sesame Workshop on Instagram: "Sesame Workshop is aware of the recent incident at Sesame Place Philadelphia, which we take very seriously. What these children experienced is unacceptable. We have been in contact with Sesame Place, our licensed park
880 likes, 527 comments - sesameworkshop on July 18, 2022: "Sesame Workshop is aware of the recent incident at Sesame Place Philadelphia, which we take very seriously. What these children experienced is unacceptable. We have been in contact with Sesame Place, our licensed park partner, and...
instagram.com
Sesame Place Philadelphia on Instagram
12K likes, 40K comments - sesameplace on July 17, 2022
instagram.com
instagram.com
‘Sesame Street’ theme park accused of racism after video shows character snubbing two Black girls
A Sesame Street amusement park was branded racist after video shows a character actor in costume brushing off two little Black girls.
Police video doesn't show if man held gun before he was shot
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Steve Karnowski
Publishing date:Jul 20, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
MINNEAPOLIS — Police released body-camera video Thursday from a six-hour standoff that ended with officers fatally shooting a Black Minneapolis man, but the images did not show whether he was holding a gun or threatening officers.
Authorities had said previously that two police snipers shot and killed 20-year-old Andrew Tekle Sundberg early last Thursday. His family has said he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Mayor Jacob Frey and interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman declined to characterize the footage from officers at the scene. They urged anyone who might have other videos to come forward.
The police videos included audio of gunshots and officers saying “shots fired,” but the recordings did not make clear whether it was Sundberg or police who fired the shots.
Huffman said at a news conference that she had met with Sundberg’s parents and that they had seen the videos.
The family’s attorney, Jeff Storms, did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment.
Police went to the scene Wednesday night after a 911 call from a neighbor of Sundberg’s who said he was firing a gun into her apartment, endangering her and her 2- and 4-year-old sons. One video from an officer in a stairwell showed officers bringing them to safety.
Police tried for hours to persuade Sundberg to surrender. They can be heard on one video, from an officer on ground level, telling him just minutes before he was shot that he was under arrest.
“We don’t want to hurt you, we just want to go home,” one officer said.
The video from ground level showed Sundberg leaning in and out of his third-floor window, but it did not make clear what he may have been holding, nor did it show him being shot.
A video from one of the snipers across the street did not show Sundberg at all, but one officer could be heard asking “Is that a cellphone?” before saying the word “gun.” Two shots could be heard. It also appeared to show one officer pulling the trigger of his rifle.
Investigators collected a .38-caliber handgun with an extended magazine from a bed in Sundberg’s apartment, and live .45-caliber cartridges from a closet and a bowl in the living room, according to search warrant affidavits released Friday.
John Baker, a professor of criminal justice studies at St. Cloud State University who trains aspiring officers, said in an interview Tuesday that the key question to determining if the shooting was justified was whether there was an imminent threat to officers or others at the specific time they fired.
The shooting of Sundberg, who often went by his middle name of Tekle, stoked some activists’ mistrust of the Minneapolis Police Department and their perception that officers are quick to take Black lives while going to greater lengths to capture white suspects alive.
Police spokesman Howie Padilla said the department has so far not identified video showing “the clearest image” of what happened. He asked anyone with additional video to notify the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is investigating the shooting.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Steve Karnowski
Publishing date:Jul 20, 2022 • 13 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
MINNEAPOLIS — Police released body-camera video Thursday from a six-hour standoff that ended with officers fatally shooting a Black Minneapolis man, but the images did not show whether he was holding a gun or threatening officers.
Authorities had said previously that two police snipers shot and killed 20-year-old Andrew Tekle Sundberg early last Thursday. His family has said he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Mayor Jacob Frey and interim Police Chief Amelia Huffman declined to characterize the footage from officers at the scene. They urged anyone who might have other videos to come forward.
The police videos included audio of gunshots and officers saying “shots fired,” but the recordings did not make clear whether it was Sundberg or police who fired the shots.
Huffman said at a news conference that she had met with Sundberg’s parents and that they had seen the videos.
The family’s attorney, Jeff Storms, did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment.
Police went to the scene Wednesday night after a 911 call from a neighbor of Sundberg’s who said he was firing a gun into her apartment, endangering her and her 2- and 4-year-old sons. One video from an officer in a stairwell showed officers bringing them to safety.
Police tried for hours to persuade Sundberg to surrender. They can be heard on one video, from an officer on ground level, telling him just minutes before he was shot that he was under arrest.
“We don’t want to hurt you, we just want to go home,” one officer said.
The video from ground level showed Sundberg leaning in and out of his third-floor window, but it did not make clear what he may have been holding, nor did it show him being shot.
A video from one of the snipers across the street did not show Sundberg at all, but one officer could be heard asking “Is that a cellphone?” before saying the word “gun.” Two shots could be heard. It also appeared to show one officer pulling the trigger of his rifle.
Investigators collected a .38-caliber handgun with an extended magazine from a bed in Sundberg’s apartment, and live .45-caliber cartridges from a closet and a bowl in the living room, according to search warrant affidavits released Friday.
John Baker, a professor of criminal justice studies at St. Cloud State University who trains aspiring officers, said in an interview Tuesday that the key question to determining if the shooting was justified was whether there was an imminent threat to officers or others at the specific time they fired.
The shooting of Sundberg, who often went by his middle name of Tekle, stoked some activists’ mistrust of the Minneapolis Police Department and their perception that officers are quick to take Black lives while going to greater lengths to capture white suspects alive.
Police spokesman Howie Padilla said the department has so far not identified video showing “the clearest image” of what happened. He asked anyone with additional video to notify the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is investigating the shooting.
Police video doesn't show if man held gun before he was shot
MINNEAPOLIS — Police released body-camera video Thursday from a six-hour standoff that ended with officers fatally shooting a Black Minneapolis man, but the images …
California beachfront taken from Black couple given to heirs
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Publishing date:Jul 20, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Los Angeles County officials on Wednesday presented the deed to prime California oceanfront property to the heirs of a Black couple who built a beach resort for African Americans but were harassed and finally stripped of the land nearly a century ago.
The event marked the final step in a complex effort to address the long-ago wrong suffered by Charles and Willa Bruce, entrepreneurs whose resort on the shore of the now-upscale city of Manhattan Beach was known as Bruce’s Beach.
Against the backdrop of waves washing onto the sunny Manhattan Beach shoreline, county Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan handed a certified copy of the land transfer to Anthony Bruce, a great-great-grandson of the Bruces.
State Sen. Steven Bradford, who authored a state bill that was necessary to enable the county to transfer the land to the heirs, said it will not reverse the injustice.
“But it represents a bold step in the right direction,” he said. “It represents a template for other states to follow.”
The land was purchased by the Bruces in 1912. They suffered racist harassment from white neighbors, and in the 1920s, the Manhattan Beach City Council condemned the property and took the land through eminent domain. The city, however, did nothing with the property, and it was transferred to the state of California in 1948.
In 1995, the state transferred it to Los Angeles County, with restrictions against further transfers. The county built its lifeguard training headquarters on the property, which also includes a small parking lot.
Janice Hahn, a member of the county Board of Supervisors, learned about the property’s history and launched the complex process of returning the property to the heirs of the Bruces after consulting county attorneys.
“They told me nothing like this had ever been done before,” she told the gathering, adding that such a move is now no longer unprecedented.
In addition to the state legislation, the transfer required votes by the board as well as a process of identifying who should get the land.
The county ultimately determined that Marcus and Derrick Bruce, the great-grandsons of Charles and Willa Bruce, are their legal heirs.
The great-grandsons formed a company to hold the property, and LA County announced an agreement for the property to be leased back to the county for 24 months, with an annual rent of $413,000 plus all operation and maintenance costs, and the county’s right to purchase the land for up to $20 million.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Publishing date:Jul 20, 2022 • 12 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Los Angeles County officials on Wednesday presented the deed to prime California oceanfront property to the heirs of a Black couple who built a beach resort for African Americans but were harassed and finally stripped of the land nearly a century ago.
The event marked the final step in a complex effort to address the long-ago wrong suffered by Charles and Willa Bruce, entrepreneurs whose resort on the shore of the now-upscale city of Manhattan Beach was known as Bruce’s Beach.
Against the backdrop of waves washing onto the sunny Manhattan Beach shoreline, county Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan handed a certified copy of the land transfer to Anthony Bruce, a great-great-grandson of the Bruces.
State Sen. Steven Bradford, who authored a state bill that was necessary to enable the county to transfer the land to the heirs, said it will not reverse the injustice.
“But it represents a bold step in the right direction,” he said. “It represents a template for other states to follow.”
The land was purchased by the Bruces in 1912. They suffered racist harassment from white neighbors, and in the 1920s, the Manhattan Beach City Council condemned the property and took the land through eminent domain. The city, however, did nothing with the property, and it was transferred to the state of California in 1948.
In 1995, the state transferred it to Los Angeles County, with restrictions against further transfers. The county built its lifeguard training headquarters on the property, which also includes a small parking lot.
Janice Hahn, a member of the county Board of Supervisors, learned about the property’s history and launched the complex process of returning the property to the heirs of the Bruces after consulting county attorneys.
“They told me nothing like this had ever been done before,” she told the gathering, adding that such a move is now no longer unprecedented.
In addition to the state legislation, the transfer required votes by the board as well as a process of identifying who should get the land.
The county ultimately determined that Marcus and Derrick Bruce, the great-grandsons of Charles and Willa Bruce, are their legal heirs.
The great-grandsons formed a company to hold the property, and LA County announced an agreement for the property to be leased back to the county for 24 months, with an annual rent of $413,000 plus all operation and maintenance costs, and the county’s right to purchase the land for up to $20 million.
California beachfront taken from Black couple given to heirs
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Los Angeles County officials on Wednesday presented the deed to prime California oceanfront property to the heirs of a Black couple who bu…
the black kids could have been carrying knives, guns, etc.‘Sesame Street’ theme park accused of racism after video shows character snubbing two Black girls
Author of the article
Publishing date:Jul 19, 2022 • 14 hours ago • 1 minute read • 24 Comments
Sesame Place in Philadelphia was branded racist after video shows a character actor in costume brushing off two little Black girls.
A mom took to Instagram to share video of Rosita waving and high-fiving fans as her daughters tried to get the character’s attention — but were “blatantly” ignored.
“We were on our way out of sesame place and the kids wanted to stop to see the characters,” the irate mother wrote. “THIS DISGUSTING person blatantly told our kids NO then proceeded to hug the little white girl next to us!”
She explained that she complained about the incident but she was also ignored.
“I asked the lady who the character was and I wanted to see a supervisor and she told me SHE DIDNT KNOW!!,” she continued. “I will never step foot in @sesameplace ever again!”
Sesame Place Philadelphia issued a statement about the encounter, saying the actor confirmed the dismissive “’no’ hand gesture… was not directed to any specific person” but rather a response to photo requests from another guest.
But by then, the video had gone viral and many outraged people chimed in, including singer Kelly Rowland, who commented on Sesame Place’s post, “Those gorgeous girls will never forget that feeling! THEY ARE KIDS!!!!! You should be ASHAMED of yourselves for this pathetic statement.”
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Place, has since promised “bias training” for its workers along with a “thorough review of the ways in which they engage with families and guests.”
Sesame Place Philadelphia added a new statement of its own: “We sincerely apologize to the family for their experience in our park on Saturday; we know that it’s not OK.
“We will conduct training for our employees so they better understand, recognize and deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience to our guests.”
Sesame Workshop on Instagram: "Sesame Workshop is aware of the recent incident at Sesame Place Philadelphia, which we take very seriously. What these children experienced is unacceptable. We have been in contact with Sesame Place, our licensed park
880 likes, 527 comments - sesameworkshop on July 18, 2022: "Sesame Workshop is aware of the recent incident at Sesame Place Philadelphia, which we take very seriously. What these children experienced is unacceptable. We have been in contact with Sesame Place, our licensed park partner, and...Sesame Place Philadelphia on Instagram
12K likes, 40K comments - sesameplace on July 17, 2022‘Sesame Street’ theme park accused of racism after video shows character snubbing two Black girls
A Sesame Street amusement park was branded racist after video shows a character actor in costume brushing off two little Black girls.
Well, I suppose if you're ignorant enough to think the President makes laws, that makes sense.
TikTok algorithm pushes violent videos to minorities, lawsuit says
Author of the article:Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Evan Peng
Publishing date:Jul 21, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
TikTok faces a claim that its algorithm steers more violent videos to minority subscribers than to White users in a lawsuit blaming the platform for the death of a 14-year-old African-American girl.
The complaint, which also names Meta Platforms Inc., Snap Inc., and TikTok parent company ByteDance Ltd. as defendants, is among a stream of lawsuits that attempt to hold social media companies accountable for teens getting addicted to their platforms.
Parents of Englyn Roberts, who died in September 2020 about two weeks after she tried to take her own life, allege that TikTok is aware of biases in its algorithm relating to race and socio-economic status. Roberts wouldn’t have seen and been addicted to the harmful content that contributed to her death if not for TikTok’s programming, according to the complaint filed Wednesday in San Francisco federal court.
“TikTok’s social media product did direct and promote harmful and violent content in greater numbers to Englyn Roberts than what they promoted and amplified to other, Caucasian users of similar age, gender, and state of residence,” the parents alleged.
The complaint was filed by Social Media Victims Law Center, a Seattle-based advocacy group.
A spokesperson for Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, declined to comment, but provided a list of policies and resources for supporting and reducing harm to teens and others struggling with mental health, including parental controls, age verification, and reporting tools.
Representatives of TikTok and Snap didn’t respond to requests for comment.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Evan Peng
Publishing date:Jul 21, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
TikTok faces a claim that its algorithm steers more violent videos to minority subscribers than to White users in a lawsuit blaming the platform for the death of a 14-year-old African-American girl.
The complaint, which also names Meta Platforms Inc., Snap Inc., and TikTok parent company ByteDance Ltd. as defendants, is among a stream of lawsuits that attempt to hold social media companies accountable for teens getting addicted to their platforms.
Parents of Englyn Roberts, who died in September 2020 about two weeks after she tried to take her own life, allege that TikTok is aware of biases in its algorithm relating to race and socio-economic status. Roberts wouldn’t have seen and been addicted to the harmful content that contributed to her death if not for TikTok’s programming, according to the complaint filed Wednesday in San Francisco federal court.
“TikTok’s social media product did direct and promote harmful and violent content in greater numbers to Englyn Roberts than what they promoted and amplified to other, Caucasian users of similar age, gender, and state of residence,” the parents alleged.
The complaint was filed by Social Media Victims Law Center, a Seattle-based advocacy group.
A spokesperson for Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, declined to comment, but provided a list of policies and resources for supporting and reducing harm to teens and others struggling with mental health, including parental controls, age verification, and reporting tools.
Representatives of TikTok and Snap didn’t respond to requests for comment.
TikTok algorithm pushes violent videos to minorities, lawsuit says
TikTok faces a claim that its algorithm steers more violent videos to minority subscribers than to White users in a lawsuit blaming the platform for the death of a …
Well, I'm smart enough to know the President has to SIGN laws into existence. And while Carter Glass and Robert Owen get credit for drafting up the Federal Reserve stuff, Wilson did help craft it as well.
It was simpler back then, but these days I don't think the elected officials ever actually read the bill.
Course, given some of the Yahoos and dimwits we elect, that could be a good thing.
But, just for the record, nobody except you and your fellow bellyaching rightards ever said that everything a racist ever did is bad.
Man in Hamilton road-rage video 'no longer employed'
While it was a hate incident, cops said nothing illegal took place.
Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Publishing date:Aug 03, 2022 • 19 hours ago • 1 minute read • 26 Comments
A screengrab from video posted to Reddit of a man Hamilton cops say used a racial epithet in a road-rage incident.
A screengrab from video posted to Reddit of a man Hamilton cops say used a racial epithet in a road-rage incident. PHOTO BY SCEREENGRAB /REDDIT
A man who unleashed a racial epithet during a Hamilton road-rage incident in July is no longer employed by Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS).
According to CBC News, the unidentified man whose freak out was captured on video has been put on ice.
HHS spokesperson Wendy Stewart confirmed to CBC Hamilton that the man — whose job title was not provided — was gone but didn’t say whether he resigned or was fired.
“HHS condemns racism and intimidation in every form,” she said in an email to the network, adding that HHS began investigating on July 12 after the video went viral.
Cops had issued a press release at the time looking for information and describing the interaction as a “hate incident.”
In the not-safe-for-work 53-second video posted to Reddit, a raging middle-aged white man rolls in aggressively, approaching the occupants of a vehicle. The driver tells him to “get the f*** back in your car.”
The angry man is having none of it: “You cut me off you stupid f***ing son of a b****.”
The driver responds: “I cut you off?” Angry man: “Yeah, that’s why I took your licence plate, you f***ing d***.”
Driver: “Congratulations.” Angry man: “You stupid f***ing n***** lover!” At that point, the driver loses his cool.
“What did you call my wife?”
Cops spoke with the raging man but while it was a hate incident, they said nothing illegal took place, CBC reported.
bhunter@postmedia.com
@HunterTOSun
torontosun.com
While it was a hate incident, cops said nothing illegal took place.
Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Publishing date:Aug 03, 2022 • 19 hours ago • 1 minute read • 26 Comments
A screengrab from video posted to Reddit of a man Hamilton cops say used a racial epithet in a road-rage incident.
A screengrab from video posted to Reddit of a man Hamilton cops say used a racial epithet in a road-rage incident. PHOTO BY SCEREENGRAB /REDDIT
A man who unleashed a racial epithet during a Hamilton road-rage incident in July is no longer employed by Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS).
According to CBC News, the unidentified man whose freak out was captured on video has been put on ice.
HHS spokesperson Wendy Stewart confirmed to CBC Hamilton that the man — whose job title was not provided — was gone but didn’t say whether he resigned or was fired.
“HHS condemns racism and intimidation in every form,” she said in an email to the network, adding that HHS began investigating on July 12 after the video went viral.
Cops had issued a press release at the time looking for information and describing the interaction as a “hate incident.”
In the not-safe-for-work 53-second video posted to Reddit, a raging middle-aged white man rolls in aggressively, approaching the occupants of a vehicle. The driver tells him to “get the f*** back in your car.”
The angry man is having none of it: “You cut me off you stupid f***ing son of a b****.”
The driver responds: “I cut you off?” Angry man: “Yeah, that’s why I took your licence plate, you f***ing d***.”
Driver: “Congratulations.” Angry man: “You stupid f***ing n***** lover!” At that point, the driver loses his cool.
“What did you call my wife?”
Cops spoke with the raging man but while it was a hate incident, they said nothing illegal took place, CBC reported.
bhunter@postmedia.com
@HunterTOSun
Man in Hamilton road-rage video 'no longer employed'
A man who unleashed a racial epithet during a Hamilton road rage incident in July is no longer employed by Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS).
Police chasing white suspect wrongly arrest Black man: Suit
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Alanna Durkin Richer
Publishing date:Aug 03, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
BOSTON — A suburban Boston police officer who was pursuing a white suspect pinned a 20-year-old Black man to the ground as he was walking home and placed a knee on the man’s neck despite having no evidence that he was involved in any crime, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Donovan Johnson was minutes away from home after leaving work in February 2021 when a white officer who had been chasing the white suspect ran up to Johnson, drew his gun and threw him to the snow-covered ground face first, the lawsuit filed against the town of Arlington, Massachusetts, and three of its officers alleges.
The lawsuit says that the officer at one point pinned Johnson to the ground by placing a knee on Johnson’s neck. The complaint says Johnson yelled “I can’t breathe!”, but the officer “continued to pin Mr. Johnson to the ground with his knee,” while the white suspect police had been pursuing “was left unattended.”
The lawsuit filed in Boston federal court alleges that police violated Johnson’s constitutional rights when they stopped him, searched him, handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a cruiser before releasing him with no charges.
Johnson said in an interview that the incident took such an emotional toll on him that he struggled to manage his daily life to the point that he almost lost his job as a grants administrator for a hospital.
“I was wrongfully arrested and wrongfully searched just because of the fact that he thought I was the person that he was chasing down,” Johnson said.
Arlington Police Chief Julie Flaherty said in an email that police couldn’t comment as neither police nor the town had yet been served the lawsuit.
Johnson’s lawyers say an internal investigation found that the officers violated several department policies and procedures. One of Johnson’s attorneys, Mirian Albert of Lawyers for Civil Rights, said they hope the case brings systematic changes to eradicate racial profiling practices in the department.
“All people should feel safe in their own communities. Mr. Johnson’s rights were violated within view of his home and this is exactly the type of police misconduct that fuels the mistrust between communities of colour and law enforcement,” she said.
Police were were initially called to an Arlington hotel about a man seen there who the staff believed was previously involved in the theft of televisions, the lawsuit says. The white man was “known to police” for “prior criminal acts” and when officers arrived at the hotel, officer Steven Conroy showed a photo of the man to the front desk clerk, who said it appeared to be the same person.
Police went to the room to investigate, but the man escaped and they began to chase him, according to the lawsuit. Johnson, who was almost to his Somerville home, saw the man jog past him before Conroy approached and yelled at both men to “get the (expletive) on the floor.”
The white suspect got on his knees, but Johnson stayed standing, the lawsuit says. After that, Johnson says Conroy drew his gun, threw him to the ground and pinned him down with a knee on his neck.
Another officer who arrived in a cruiser recognized the white man and put him in handcuffs, and the suspect told the officer he didn’t know Johnson, according to the lawsuit. A third officer who arrived “immediately jumped on” Johnson to help Conroy hold him down, according to the complaint.
Lawyers for Johnson say the officers had no reason to believe Johnson was involved in any crime: Police had a photo of the white suspect they were looking for, Johnson and the other man both told officers they didn’t know each other and “nothing in the investigation indicated that there was more than one male suspect involved,” the lawsuit says.
The complaint says Johnson was released at the hotel after its staff told officers they had never seen him before. Police left him to find his own way home, the lawsuit says.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Alanna Durkin Richer
Publishing date:Aug 03, 2022 • 18 hours ago • 3 minute read • Join the conversation
BOSTON — A suburban Boston police officer who was pursuing a white suspect pinned a 20-year-old Black man to the ground as he was walking home and placed a knee on the man’s neck despite having no evidence that he was involved in any crime, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Donovan Johnson was minutes away from home after leaving work in February 2021 when a white officer who had been chasing the white suspect ran up to Johnson, drew his gun and threw him to the snow-covered ground face first, the lawsuit filed against the town of Arlington, Massachusetts, and three of its officers alleges.
The lawsuit says that the officer at one point pinned Johnson to the ground by placing a knee on Johnson’s neck. The complaint says Johnson yelled “I can’t breathe!”, but the officer “continued to pin Mr. Johnson to the ground with his knee,” while the white suspect police had been pursuing “was left unattended.”
The lawsuit filed in Boston federal court alleges that police violated Johnson’s constitutional rights when they stopped him, searched him, handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a cruiser before releasing him with no charges.
Johnson said in an interview that the incident took such an emotional toll on him that he struggled to manage his daily life to the point that he almost lost his job as a grants administrator for a hospital.
“I was wrongfully arrested and wrongfully searched just because of the fact that he thought I was the person that he was chasing down,” Johnson said.
Arlington Police Chief Julie Flaherty said in an email that police couldn’t comment as neither police nor the town had yet been served the lawsuit.
Johnson’s lawyers say an internal investigation found that the officers violated several department policies and procedures. One of Johnson’s attorneys, Mirian Albert of Lawyers for Civil Rights, said they hope the case brings systematic changes to eradicate racial profiling practices in the department.
“All people should feel safe in their own communities. Mr. Johnson’s rights were violated within view of his home and this is exactly the type of police misconduct that fuels the mistrust between communities of colour and law enforcement,” she said.
Police were were initially called to an Arlington hotel about a man seen there who the staff believed was previously involved in the theft of televisions, the lawsuit says. The white man was “known to police” for “prior criminal acts” and when officers arrived at the hotel, officer Steven Conroy showed a photo of the man to the front desk clerk, who said it appeared to be the same person.
Police went to the room to investigate, but the man escaped and they began to chase him, according to the lawsuit. Johnson, who was almost to his Somerville home, saw the man jog past him before Conroy approached and yelled at both men to “get the (expletive) on the floor.”
The white suspect got on his knees, but Johnson stayed standing, the lawsuit says. After that, Johnson says Conroy drew his gun, threw him to the ground and pinned him down with a knee on his neck.
Another officer who arrived in a cruiser recognized the white man and put him in handcuffs, and the suspect told the officer he didn’t know Johnson, according to the lawsuit. A third officer who arrived “immediately jumped on” Johnson to help Conroy hold him down, according to the complaint.
Lawyers for Johnson say the officers had no reason to believe Johnson was involved in any crime: Police had a photo of the white suspect they were looking for, Johnson and the other man both told officers they didn’t know each other and “nothing in the investigation indicated that there was more than one male suspect involved,” the lawsuit says.
The complaint says Johnson was released at the hotel after its staff told officers they had never seen him before. Police left him to find his own way home, the lawsuit says.
Police chasing white suspect wrongly arrest Black man: Suit
BOSTON — A suburban Boston police officer who was pursuing a white suspect pinned a 20-year-old Black man to the ground as he was walking home and placed a knee on …