Obama signs measure striking 'oriental' and 'negro' from federal law

President Obama has signed legislation striking outdated racial terms such as “Oriental” and “Negro” from federal laws.

Two sections in the U.S. Code written in the 1970s governing public health and civil rights attempted to define minority groups by using the outdated terms.

Thanks to the new law, references to the term “Oriental” will be replaced with “Asian American” and the word “Negro” will be changed to “African American.”

[SOURCE]

Bernie Sanders Supporters Democratic National Convention Survival Kit

Yeah I'm a Hillary Clinton supporter and since I'm a nice guy and I do feel for Bernie Sanders supporters, I have decided to introduce the Bernie Sanders Supporters Democratic Convention Survival Kit. Check out the video below:

Dem. Congressman Donald Payne: Bernie Sanders wants to destroy Democratic Party

During an interview with the political site PolitikerNJ, NJ Congressman Donald Payne (A Hillary Clinton supporter) voiced his displeasure with democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. Payne went so far as to say that "Sanders Is Trying to ‘Damage and Destroy’ Democratic Party."

Other comments he made:

On Bernie running as a democrat: “We need to remember that Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat,” Payne told PolitickerNJ. “Everyone has a right to run for president in this country but he should have run as an independent as he has been for the past 30 years rather than using the Democratic Party in order to gain traction in his campaign.”

On Sanders supporting Hillary Clinton if she wins the primary: “It is incumbent upon him, if he is going to do this properly, that once the decision is made by the voters in the Democratic primaries that he comes together and says he is supporting the nominee so lets see what happens,” Payne said. “If he doesn’t do that then the whole thing was a sham. I feel very strongly about it. It is really beginning to annoy me that he has turned out the be this divisive and it is not right.”

On Hillary Clinton winning the general election: “Last time I checked, she is leading in the popular vote. I believe and I am confident that she will win the Electoral College and she will have the popular vote. She is heads above either candidate,” said Payne, referring to both Sanders and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

NAACP FILES LAWSUIT OVER FLINT WATER CRISIS

State Officials, Companies Named in Class Action Civil Suit

BALTIMORE — Attorneys with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have filed a federal class action lawsuit on behalf of people and businesses affected by the failure to provide safe drinking water to the city of Flint, Michigan.

The civil suit filed in U.S. District Court alleges that the state of Michigan, many city and state officials and two engineering firms hired to evaluate water quality in Flint failed to detect problems and properly treat water that caused extensive lead contamination in the city while Flint was under supervision of state-appointed emergency managers.

The plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit include Flint residents and members of the local branch of the NAACP, whose national attorneys are working with the firms of Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll of Washington, D.C. and the Houston-based firm of Susman Godfrey.

The complaint seeks property damages, pain and suffering damages, emotional distress damages, medical monitoring, and other injunctive relief for affected city residents and businesses to be determined by the court.  

“The people of Flint have been harmed through the failure of state officials to provide professional and accountable basic services mandated by federal law and expected by any person living in a major city,” said Cornell William Brooks, the national president and CEO of the NAACP. “Our organization stands with the citizens of Flint to demand a clear timeline, deadline and price tag for fixing this crisis as well as effective remedies for the harms that have already occurred and complete compensation for each and every victim of this unimaginable tragedy.” 

Governor Rick Snyder is named as an individual defendant in the suit, along with six former high-ranking officials with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and three men who were emergency managers during the prolonged exposure period. Two engineering firms hired to analyze water in the city, Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam Inc. and Veolia North America, also failed to satisfy their professional duties and affirmatively worsened the extent of the lead exposure, according to the complaint.

The 103-page complaint alleges that the officials and companies supervising the water system failed to properly treat the water supply for salt and other chemicals, which caused lead to leech from corroded pipes into the drinking water for years. Officials repeatedly denied and dismissed reports of poor water quality and pipe corrosion before acknowledging widespread failures to act.  

The NAACP’s Flint Branch and Michigan State Conference have diligently worked over the last two years to inform the public about the poisoned water and its potential effects on city children and residents, and called for federal and state action to provide relief.

The NAACP and attorneys in the case are planning to host Town Hall meetings with residents in the near future in Flint to discuss further action.

Visit here to read the full court complaint.

###

Hank Aaron wants to see more African Americans in baseball

While attending the SportsBusiness Daily/Global/Journal 2016 Sports Business Awards, baseball legend Hank Aaron made the following comment about the lack of African Americans in baseball.

“I think from the commissioner’s office to every major-league team in baseball should look at it because it is an American sport,” Aaron said. “Jackie Robinson held his head up high, Willie Mays, myself and Frank Robinson, all of us. And now it’s a dying sport as far as African-Americans. It’s got to be turned around.”