The 114th Congress that convenes Tuesday will count more African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and women than ever, although lawmakers remain overwhelmingly white and male in the Republican-controlled House and Senate. Look at the chart below to see a complete breakdown.
Cleveland has transferred its investigation into the fatal police shooting of a 12-year-old boy to the Cuyahoga County sheriff's department, city officials said on Friday.
Cleveland police shot and killed Tamir Rice at a park in November while he was carrying a replica gun that typically shoots plastic pellets. Police, who were responding to a 911 call that a man was pointing a gun at people, shot Rice within seconds of arriving at the scene.
"I believe that the best way to ensure accountability in a use of force investigation is to have it completed by an outside agency," Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said in a statement.
Read more: Sheriff to take over probe of police shooting death of Tamir Rice
According to Fox News on Dec. 30, there is a controversy going on about Target's "Annie" ad. The retail store is being criticized for “Annie”-themed clothing ads showing white models as Annie, as opposed to an African-American model, or Quvenzhané Wallis, the actress who plays the lead character in the holiday remake.
Wallis, 11, has been nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for the role she plays in "Annie" alongside Jamie Foxx. In May 2014, Wallis was named the face of Armani Junior, Giorgio Armani's line for children and teens. This makes her the first major child celebrity to be the face of a luxury brand. Consumers like LaSean Rinique can't understand while Wallis is not in any of Target's clothing ads. Rinique has launched a Change.org petition to address the issue. This came to light for Rinique after her daughter, who is an “Annie” fan, noticed that a girl in the ads wearing Annie’s signature red dress and locket was white. The white model was not at all like the black Annie her daughter had gotten accustomed to seeing in the movie.
Read more: Target uses white girls in 'Annie' ads, not black star Quvenzhané Wallis
Lorenzo Morris, a political science professor at Howard University in Washington, D.C., said that the Black community shouldn’t expect much from the Black Republicans during the next legislative session, because they won largely without Black voters. In addition, he said, their rank as freshmen lawmakers will limit their influence within the party.
“Their collective impact, if they are really outspoken, will just be on the plus side of zero, barely zero,” said Morris. “The obvious impact for Republicans is positive only to the extent that it shows visually, if not substantively, an outreach to minorities.”
Scott earned an “F” on the NAACP’s legislative report card during the first session of the 113th Congress from January 2013 – December 26, 2013.
Read more" Elected Black Republicans Not Expected to be a Plus for the Community
My wife and I had the privilege of attending a prayer service in Roselle, Dec. 29, for black men gunned down by police. There were many clergy and some elected officials from Roselle, Elizabeth, Hillside and Plainfield at the service, which was put together by the Rev. David Ford at the St. Matthew Baptist Church. I heard many great speakers discuss issues of special interest to the African-American community.
Because it was an open and honest dialogue, black-on-black crime was mentioned and our responsibility to address and deal with it were discussed.
Roselle Mayor Jamel Holley gave a great speech about the need for parents to step up, instill values in their children and value education. Myrtle Counts, president of the Roselle NAACP, gave an impassioned speech that, yes, black lives matter, but they must also be of value to us as African Americans.
The Rev. Ford mentioned not wanting to live in a world without police, but wanting to have a good and respectful police corps. I heard Councilwoman Rev. Tracey Brown of Plainfield lament the fact that she had made more than 100 eulogies in 2014, and most of those were for young people.
As I looked around, I saw the nodding heads and heard the “Amen”’s and shouts of “Yes!” But I also noticed something else: As great as the speakers were, the message they were delivering didn't need to be given to the 50 or so people in the church. They were preaching to the choir.
What good is a great and possibly life-saving message if the people who need to hear it don't hear it?
We as elected officials, clergy and community leaders need to take the message that “Yes, black lives matter, but they have to matter to us African Americans, too,” from the churches and meeting halls to the streets. Delivering that message won't be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is. I don't pretend to have all the answers on how to do that, but if we all work together, I'm sure we’ll find a way.
It's imperative that we get out there and deliver that message. As an elected official, I'm ready to do my part and hope that others will do the same. Our children's lives depend on it.
George L. Cook III, Hillside Board of Education. Email georgelcookiii@gmail.com
The opinions expressed here are mine and do not reflect the opinions of the entire Hillside NJ Board of Education.
Op-ed published by The Times of Trenton: http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/01/opinion_go_tell_it_on_the_streets_black_lives_also_have_to_matter_to_blacks.html#incart_river
The South Florida Times: http://www.sfltimes.com/opinion/that-black-on-black-crime-sermon-deliver-it
Frost Illustrated: http://www.frostillustrated.com/2015/take-message-black-black-crime-streets/
