Boycott Coca Cola until they come out against Georgia's new Jim Crow voting law

By George L. Cook III African American Reports

I'm boycotting all Coca Cola products, and I hope that you join me.

Why?

The state of Georgia has passed a restrictive voting law that brings back the era of Jim Crow laws.

The new law includes language that adds a new ID requirement that will overwhemingly effect minority voters, allows voting precints to close at 5PM when many are just getting off work, makes it a crime to give water or food to those standing in line to vote, removes the secretary of state as chair of the State Election Board, allowing the SEB and lawmakers a process to temporarily take over elections offices and limiting the number, location and access to secure absentee drop boxes.

This new era of Jim Crow must be stopped now and it takes just not action from President Biden and Congress, but from us and big business. We may can have more of an immediate effect than our nation's lawmakers if we demand that businesses in Georgia come out against the new voting law. Let's be real here, money talks. If we withhold our dollars that sends a message that everyone, even racist Georgia lawmakers understand.

Coca Cola has it's corporate headquarters in Atlanta and is one of the biggest employers in the region. Not only that but they donate to Georgia politicians on a regular basis. That means they have a lot of pull in Georgia and can apply pressure to help to change this horrible voting law.

But they are not going to do this out of the kindess of their hearts. It is going to take a litle pressure from us to get the ball moving. So I and many others are boycotting Coca Cola products until the company comes out against this new Jim Crow legislation.

That means just not buying Coke, Diet Coke, Powerade, Vitaminwater, or Sprite it means not buying several of their brands. Here is a list of the many brands in their portfolio:

Coca Cola

Diet Coke

AdeS soy-based beverages

Aquarius

Ayataka green tea

Barqs

Chivita

Ciel water

Costa Coffee

Dasani waters

Del Valle juices and nectars

Fairlife

Fanta

Fresca

Fuze Tea

Georgia coffee

Gold Peak teas and coffees

Honest Tea

ILOHAS

innocent smoothies and juices

Minute Maid juices

Powerade sports drinks

Simply juices

Schweppes

smartwater

Sprite

Topo Chico

vitaminwater

Let's send a message that will not tolerate this voter suppression law by boycotting Coca Cola. It will send a message to not just them but to big business throughout the United States.

We can make a difference.

Stacey Abrams speech in support of Joe Biden at Atlanta Rally 11/02/2020

Former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks at a rally in support of Joe Biden and other Democrats at a rally hosted by former President Barrack Obama in Atlanta. Watch her entire speech below:

One million Black voters have cast ballots in Georgia

As Georgia wrapped up weeks of early voting on Friday for the Nov. 3 election, Black voter turnout had far surpassed the level seen at the same time in 2016.

Some 1 million Black voters have already cast ballots this year, up from 712,000 this time four years ago, according to TargetSmart, a Democratic analytics firm.

It is part of a rush to the polls in Georgia. More than 3.8 million Georgians had already cast ballots as of 5 p.m. on Friday, compared to 4.1 million overall in the last presidential election.

[SOURCE: YAHOO NEWS]

LeBron James responds to Ahmaud Arbery killing

Lakers superstar, Lebron James who has not been shy about discussing social issues that affect the Black community took to Twitter on Wednesday to respond to the killing of an Ahmaud Arbery by two white men in Georgia.

We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes! Can’t even go for a damn jog man! Like WTF man are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? No man fr ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!! I’m sorry Ahmaud(Rest In Paradise) and my prayers and blessings sent to the..... pic.twitter.com/r1PNxs8Vgn

— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 6, 2020

Black Georgia Democrat who endorsed Trump retracts resignation

Vernon Jones, the Georgia Democrat who said he would step down after endorsing President Trump for reelection retracted his resignation Thursday.

Jones announced on Twitter that he would remain in office for the remainder of his term after receiving support for his endorsement, which he said was “emotional” and “motivational.”

Yesterday, I announced my intentions to resign from my office. But shortly thereafter, the outpour of support I received was too great for me to ignore.

I will not allow the Democrats to bully me into submission. I will not let them win.

I will NOT resign. #MAGA pic.twitter.com/gR2MsU5Rb3

— Vernon Jones (@RepVernonJones) April 23, 2020

Black Georgia Democrat who endorsed Trump abruptly resigns

UPDATE 04/23/2020: Vernon Jones Retracts Resignation.

Vernon Jones, a polarizing Democratic state lawmaker in Georgia says that he is resigning after he broke party ranks to endorse President Donald Trump’s reelection.

Jones, who represents parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, said that he will not complete his current term because was "sick and tired of me and my family being attacked and harassed by the Democratic Party."

Jones’ endorsement of Trump was quickly blasted by other Georgia Democrats. State Sen. Nikema Williams, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia, issued a statement calling Jones an “embarrassment” and said he “does not stand for our values.”

On Wednesday, the Georgia lawmaker responded, saying that he was an "independent thinking " and that his "first amendment right to freedom of speech is under seige."

"I intend to help the Democrat Party get rid of its bigotry against Black people that are independent and conservative. I endorsed the White guy (Donald J. Trump) that let Blacks out of jail, and they endorsed the White guy (Joe Biden) that put Blacks in jail," Jones said. "Turn the lights off, I have left the plantation. Someone else can occupy that suite."

Jones said his resignation was effective immediately.

[FOX ATLANTA]

Dems go all-out to recruiting Stacey Abrams to run for U.S. Senate seat in 2020

Democrats are doing a full-court press to draft Stacey Abrams into Georgia’s 2020 Senate race, a move that would put in play a state that hasn’t gone blue in two decades and could reshape the party’s path to retaking the Senate majority.

The problem is that Abrams still has hopes of becoming governor — it’s where she could have the most direct impact on issues like voting rights — and isn’t sold on the Senate. But the pressure on her to run in 2020, capitalizing on her rise to national prominence last year and her continued popularity in Georgia despite losing the 2018 governor’s race, is only growing.

Abrams is giving serious consideration to a Senate run, and she met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) in recent weeks. As she deliberates, Abrams also sat down with three of the most prominent African-Americans in the Democratic Party: Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who has been close with Abrams since they overlapped in law school, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.). Lewis said that he wasn’t urging Abrams to choose a path forward, but that he’d be a “strong supporter” of whatever she does next. Abrams has also been keeping supporters fired up with a statewide tour billed as an opportunity to thank her backers in 2018.

State Rep. Al Williams, a close ally of Abrams’, said Abrams is getting the “hard sell” from national and local Democrats who want her to run in 2020, but that she hasn’t indicated to him whether she’s leaning towards or against a run.

“The Democratic Party certainly needs candidates like Stacey Abrams, so there will be a lot of push for her to run,” Williams said.

The biggest thing in the way of that push is Abrams' ambition to be Georgia's governor. “She's the obvious frontrunner for the race. But I still think she wants to be the governor and she always has, and that's going to weigh on her,” said Jason Carter, Democrats' 2014 gubernatorial nominee and the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter.

Read more: Dems go all-out to land top Senate recruit: Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams meets with top Democratic leaders about potential 2020 Senate run

Stacey Abrams met with leading Senate Democrats in Washington this week to discuss a potential 2020 challenge to U.S. Sen. David Perdue as she weighs her next step.

The Democrat met separately on Thursday with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Cortez Masto, who heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to an aide.

She’s given herself until the end of March to decide whether to run against Perdue, one of Donald Trump’s staunchest allies, or prepare for what could be a rematch in 2022 against Kemp.

[SOURCE: AJC]

Cummings: Kemp should testify about voter suppression allegation

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who's expected to become the next chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said he wants Georgia Gov.-elect Brian Kemp (R) to testify before Congress about allegations that he suppressed minority voters during his tenure as Georgia's secretary of state.

“I want to be able to bring people in, like the new governor-to-be of Georgia, to explain ... why is it fair for wanting to be secretary of state and be running [for governor],” Cummings told HuffPost in an article published Monday.

A news report a few months before Election Day found that a disproportionate number of the state's thousands of stalled voter applications were from black residents.

Cummings told HuffPost that he hopes to address the issue of voter suppression when Democrats are the majority in the 116th Congress.

“One of the things about my committee, you know, it’s called Oversight and Government Reform," he told HuffPost. “Oversight, you know, you gotta research and find out what the hell is going on and then, if it is appropriate, to do those things to reform the system.”

Cummings said he also wants to call on election officials from Kansas and North Carolina accused of suppressing Latino and African-American votes.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

Stacey Abrams "concession" speech

Democrat Stacey Abrams on Friday ended her campaign in the hotly contested Georgia governor’s race, saying she saw "no legal path forward" against Republican Brian Kemp.

“Concession means to acknowledge an action is right, true or proper,” she said. “As a woman of conscience and faith, I cannot concede. But my assessment is that the law currently allows no further viable remedy.”

Watch her concession speech below.

Lucy McBath, mother of slain teen Jordan Davis wins U.S. House seat

Lucy McBath, the mother of a slain teen Jordan Davis running on a gun-control platform has won a long held Republican House seat that Georgia Republicans held onto just last year in what was then the nation's most expensive congressional race.

"We've sent a strong message to the entire country," Lucy McBath tweeted on Thursday after Rep. Karen Handel conceded.

"Absolutely nothing – no politician & no special interest – is more powerful than a mother on a mission," she said.

McBath became a spokeswoman for the Everytown for Gun Safety group after her son was slain in a Florida shooting. McBath made gun control a key issue. Her 17-year-old son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a white man, Michael Dunn who was angry over the loud music the black teenager and his friends had been playing in their car.

A jury rejected Dunn's self-defense claim and convicted him of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2014.

McBath, a former flight attendant, told Elle Magazine she decided to run for office to make a difference on her son's behalf. She said she wanted to work to strengthen gun control especially after the February mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

McBath's margin of victory was narrow enough for Handel to have requested a recount. The Associated Press declared McBath the winner Thursday after Handel conceded.

[SOURCE: CBS NEWS]

Video: Former President Obama rallies for Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams in Georgia

Former President Obama held a Friday night rally in Atlanta, Georgia for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Watch Obama's full remarks.

VIDEO: Oprah Winfrey campaigning with and for Stacey Abrams

Billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey joined Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams at a campaign rally in Marietta Georgia. Winfrey, who took the stage to booming applause, said she wanted to come to Georgia to support Abrams because she saw how Abrams is "handling herself" amid an onslaught of "haters."

Watch the entire rally below:

Oprah to hit campaign trail for Stacey Abrams

Media icon Oprah Winfrey will hit the campaign trail this week for Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

Winfrey will participate in two town hall events with Abrams -- one in Marietta and one in Decatur -- on Thursday to aide her campaign in what has become a highly competitive, closely watched race.

"Oprah Winfrey has inspired so many of us through the years with her unparalleled ability to form real connections and strengthen the bonds of family and community," Abrams said in a statement Wednesday. "I am honored to have Oprah join me for uplifting and honest conversations with voters about the clear choice before us in this election and the boundless potential of Georgians."

It's a rare political endorsement for Winfrey, who backed former President Barack Obama during the primaries in 2008 and lent her support to Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. On Tuesday, she appeared in a video with NBC News' Maria Shiver to urge people to vote, saying she's a political independent before adding, "people think I'm a Democrat."

Read more: Oprah to hit campaign trail for Stacey Abrams

Thousands of absentee ballot applications “missing” in largely black Georgia county

Democratic officials in Georgia say that thousands of absentee voter requests have gone “missing” in one of the state's most heavily Democratic counties.

The Georgia Democratic Party reports that more than 4,700 vote-by-mail applications went missing in DeKalb County, a Atlanta-area county where more than 54 percent of residents are black.

The New York Times reports that county officials confirmed the missing applications in a phone call with Democratic officials and vowed to notify affected voters of the error. But a spokesman for the county elections board would not confirm the call and Sam Tillman, the chairman of the board, insisted that the county had received just 50 requests of the 4,700 names the party said it submitted.

“After reviewing the list of names, there is only evidence that the county received 50 of those voter absentee ballot request forms,” he said. “All 50 of those forms have been processed. At this time, there is no evidence that there are any missing or lost absentee ballot request forms. The Elections Department receives request forms daily and processes them within three days of receipt. At this time there are approximately 250 forms pending processing.”

Georgia Democratic Party spokesman Seth Brigman rejected the denial and said the episode is another example of voter suppression, a charge that has been leveled repeatedly in the state against Secretary of State Brian Kemp and other officials. Kemp is running in a tight gubernatorial race against former state legislator Stacey Abrams, who would become the nation's first black female governor if elected.

“Our message to voters is this: If you requested a vote-by-mail ballot from your county and your county did not send you a ballot, go in-person if you are able to an early voting site,” Brigman told the Times. “We will not allow Brian Kemp’s voter suppression or mistakes by election officials to take away your right to vote.”

Read more: Thousands of absentee ballot applications “missing” in largely black Georgia county

Judge moves to block Georgia election officials from tossing out absentee ballots

A federal district court judge said she will issue an order to temporarily block election officials in Georgia from tossing out absentee ballots or applications when a voter’s signature does not match the signature on their voter registration card.

Judge Leigh Martin May, on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, said election officials should have to notify voters first before they can reject absentee ballots with mismatched signatures.

May gave Georgia's Secretary of State office as well as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which had filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Georgia Muslim Voter Project against Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and county registrars, until noon on Thursday to respond to her proposal.

The judge said she will then consider their suggestions and immediately enter an injunction.

"This is not meant to be an opportunity to readdress the propriety of entering the injunction — only its form," she said.

Read more: Judge moves to block Georgia election officials from tossing out absentee ballots

Democrat Lucia McBath is running for Congress

Lucia  McBath,  the mother of Jordan Davis is running for Congress from the state of Georgia. She faces an uphill battle as a gun control activist in a state that loves their guns. McBath is facing off against Rep. Karen Handel who is supported by the NRA.  Learn more about Lucia McBath here:  https://lucyforcongress.com/

Lucia “Lucy” McBath is a mother, wife, businesswoman and activist for social justice. After a 30-year career with Delta Air Lines, her second career has focused on reform that will make our communities safer and better for every American of every background.

Lucy’s passion for public service was awakened by her family’s tragedy in 2012. She is the mother of Jordan Davis, who was shot and killed at a gas station in Jacksonville, Fla. that year by a man objecting to the music he was playing in his car. The shooter used Florida’s stand-your-ground law as his defense. He was not found guilty of murder in his first trial. In an October 2014 retrial, the shooter was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Losing her son in such a senseless way has fueled her lifelong commitment to community activism and the importance of political engagement. Early on, McBath’s sense of public service came from an extensive family background involving civil rights. Her father was the Illinois Branch president of the NAACP for over twenty years and served on its national board as well. As a child, she traveled with her family attending marches and rallies supporting the civil rights movement and the coalitions of organizations fighting alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Her mother was a registered nurse, often helping students completing coursework with tutoring and other support to further their healthcare careers.

Before running for Congress, Lucy held dual roles as the national spokesperson for Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, as well as Faith and Outreach Leader for both. Her work included testifying in state capitols and speaking with lawmakers, activists, universities and community organizers across the county. In Washington, D.C. she has testified before the US Senate Judiciary Committee, lobbied members of Congress, and spoke at the White House Summit on Educational Excellence for African Americans. She served as a surrogate for the Hillary Clinton for President campaign in 2016 as one of the “Mothers of The Movement”. Here at home, McBath lobbies Georgia’s Congressional, State House and State Senate delegations to enact common sense gun violence prevention laws that save lives.

Lucy’s work in her home community in Cobb County includes creating the “Champion in The Making Legacy Foundation” which provides charitable and educational assistance to graduating high school students attending traditional as well as technical and training colleges and universities – with two recipients attending Kennesaw State University. The foundation has expanded its program with its mentorship program which provides support and guidance in building life skills for the young men and women striving for academic success, with an incubator headquartered in Powder Springs. She serves as Lead Usher at Trinity Chapel (Seven Springs Church) and is an active member with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Marietta / Roswell alumni chapter.

McBath’s work has been recognized widely. She is honored to have been the recipient of the Chairman’s Award of the Georgia Democratic Party in 2017, “Mother of the Year 2016” by VH1 Television, voted as one of Refinery29’s 26 National Treasures, and an EMILY’s List Honoree. Her media appearances include Georgia Public Television, CNN, MSNBC, HLN, TV One and her son’s story has been featured in Jet, Rolling Stone, and Ebony and Essence magazines and in the documentaries “The Armor of Light” and “3 ½ Minutes: 10 Bullets.”

Lucy was employed by Delta Airlines In-Flight Service for 30 years. She received her B.A. degree in political science from Virginia State University in 1982. Lucy is married, and these days, doesn’t have a lot of free time, but when she does she enjoys motorcycling, serving her church, and walking her beloved dogs.

Georgia county swears in first elected black judge

The first African-American to be elected to any countywide position in Gwinnett County, Georgia, was sworn in as a judge Thursday afternoon.

Ronda Colvin-Leary, a Snellville attorney, won the seat in May. While multiple African-American judges have been appointed to serve on magistrate, juvenile and recorders courts, Colvin-Leary is the first to win an election for state court, the county’s Administrative Office of the Courts confirmed after her election.

Colvin-Leary has been a member of the Georgia bar since 2001, after earning a law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Auburn University. Before her election, she was the solicitor for the city of Winder and ran her own law practice in Lawrenceville for more than a decade.

Gwinnett County State Court handles civil actions, misdemeanors and traffic violations. Colvin-Leary likes the court’s role in the judicial system because it can address more minor legal issues before they escalate, she told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after her election.

“I love State Court because, for me, I like to think that … if you come to State Court we can try to address it before something else major happens and you wind up in Superior Court for a more serious offense,” Colvin-Leary said.

[SOURCE: WPXI]

Barack Obama endorses Stacey Abrams for governor of Georgia

President Barack Obama has endorsed Stacey Abrams for governor of Georgia. Read his statement of support below:

“I am so excited to endorse Stacey Abrams for Governor of Georgia. She’s not running a campaign built on division or distraction; she’s running to lead one Georgia where everybody has opportunity, and everybody’s voice is heard. And she’s got the record of building consensus that shows she can deliver – with good jobs, great public education, expanded Medicaid, and secure, affordable health insurance for everyone. In a time when too many folks are focused simply on how to win an election, Stacey’s somebody who cares about something more important: why we should. That’s the kind of politics we should practice. That’s why I’m proud to give Stacey Abrams my support.”

“It is a profound honor to receive President Obama’s endorsement,” said Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia Stacey Abrams. “President Obama’s legacy is marked by integrity, a deep commitment to service, and an ability to find solutions that put the well-being of people first. I am grateful for his support as I continue a campaign for governor grounded in hope, optimism, and a boundless belief that we can do more to make sure every family in Georgia has the opportunity to thrive.”

Stacey Abrams Wins Georgia Democratic Primary for Governor

Georgia Democrats selected the first black woman to be a major party nominee for governor in the United States on Tuesday, choosing Stacey Abrams, a liberal former State House leader, who will test just how much the state’s traditionally conservative politics are shifting.

By defeating Stacey Evans, also a former state legislator, Ms. Abrams also became Georgia’s first black nominee for governor, a prize that has eluded earlier generations of African-American candidates in the state. The general election is sure to draw intense national attention as Georgia voters determine whether a black woman can win in the Deep South, a region that has not had an African-American governor since Reconstruction.

She will face either Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, the top Republican vote getter Tuesday, or Secretary of State Brian Kemp. Mr. Cagle and Mr. Kemp will vie for their party’s nomination in a July runoff. [SOURCE: NYTIMES]

Stacey Abrams rolled to victory with 76.5% of the vote to Stacey Evans 23.5%.