Top cop seeks to fire 7 officers for lying about Laquan McDonald shooting

Chicago's police superintendent has recommended that seven officers be fired for lying in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald in October 2014.

McDonald's death was captured in a video that contradicted the accounts of officers.

Superintendent Eddie Johnson emailed police Thursday morning, telling them that he had recommended seven officers be fired for making false statements. He also stripped the officers of their police powers.

Johnson's move came in response to Inspector General Joseph Ferguson's recent report on the shooting in which he recommended that 10 officers be fired. But Johnson wrote that he thought the evidence against one of the officers was insufficient to recommend termination.

Read more Top cop seeks to fire 7 officers for lying about Laquan McDonald shooting

While some hated on Gabby Douglas, Ryan Lochte became a national embarrassment

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com [EMAIL]

Last week many online denizens took it upon themselves to criticize Gabby Douglass for forgetting to place her hand over her heart during the playing of the national anthem after the USA Gymnastics team won the all around competition. People had heart attacks and conniptions (WTF is a conniption; he) about how unpatriotic Douglas was and how aloof she had become.

Some criticized Gabby for not seemingly fully embracing her teammate and the phenomenon that is Simone Biles, and then others, of course, went after her hair because they have absolutely no life.

So those same people that went after Gabby should be ready with the torches and pitchforks to go after Ryan Lochte who along with a few Olympic teammates embarrassed the United States by making up a false story of being robbed. They made up the story to cover the fact that while in a drunken state they had vandalized a gas station.

Let's be clear here, Lochte and crew exhibited thuggish behavior while in their drunken state and destroyed property. That's not boys being boys that's thugs being thugs.

Some are saying "the boys" mad a mistake and that a simple apology can make everything okay and others are already trying to cover up for Lochte and his crew.

We have to understand that these kids were trying to have fun,” IOC Rio Games spokesperson Mario Andrada said. “They came here; they represent their country to the best of their ability. They train for years. They competed under gigantic pressure. I understand they’re under investigation. I can’t go much further into the details."

“But let’s give these kids a break. Sometimes you take actions that you later regret. Lochte is one of the best swimmers of all times. They had fun, they made a mistake, life goes on.”

That's some BS right there. Ryan Lochte is 32 years old, he's not a kid by any stretch of the imagination. The man is a national embarrassment and while stripping him of his medals away may be extreme taking the prize money that goes with them is not. There should be a price for acting like a hooligan while you are representing your country. These miscreants took the spotlight off all that is great about Team USA and became the ugly Americans the world hates.

So, if what Gabby did got your dander up you should be downright livid right now, you should be seeing red, and your panties should be in a bunch.

If you were angry at Gabby and not at Ryan I have to wonder why. I mean what could be the difference between Gabby and Ryan? Both are Olympic athletes who have won multiple medals. Both represent the USA.

I mean what could possibly be the difference? (That's a rhetorical question people)

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

Black Men Launch #SpendBlack Campaign With an Innovative Twist

MIAMI, Aug. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, in response to the heart-wrenching and racially-charged shootings in July, black men in the BMe Community have launched a coordinated #spendblack campaign that has three innovative twists – it's visually inspiring, easy to join and asks people of all races to #spendblack. The visual inspiration comes from a beautiful photo-wall of those who have joined the campaign at www.Pictition.com/SpendBlack

You'll already find notable faces there, including Benjamin Jealous, former head of NAACP, "Greenleaf" co-star Lamman Rucker, and crowdfunding pioneer Charles Best of DonorsChoose.org.

#Spendblack's central message is, "We can all show support for black lives by simply supporting black livelihood."

Organizers estimate that if Americans spent just 2% more of their income in the 2.6-million black-owned businesses, it would create 1-million more jobs.

#Spendblack began with Detroiters Jason Wilson, Shawn Blanchard and Teferi Brent who are all leaders in BMe Community, a national network of inspired black men who have dedicated their lives to creating hope and opportunity. Through BMe, Jealous, Rucker, Best and two dozen BMe Leaders in Akron, Baltimore, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh joined them immediately.

"In order for there to be true change in our communities we've got to increase the economic power of the black-owned businesses that truly care about our community," says Jason Wilson, well-known for his inspiring videos teaching black boys lessons in manhood.

Unlike most hashtag campaigns, #spendblack provides resources and ongoing motivation to help you actually spend black.

Everyone who signs up at www.Pictition.com/SpendBlack is told where to download a mobile app that works like Yelp for black-owned food, clothing, and furniture stores, as well as entertainment and professional services that you may not have known where to find.

Participants are encouraged to keep the visual fun going by taking pictures of themselves spending black and posting them on Instagram and Twitter with "#spendblack."

BMe Community, the network supporting the campaign, is known for its 2015 New York Times bestseller "REACH: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading and Succeeding", and for funding over 160 BMe Leaders who directly serve over 500,000 people annually by creating businesses, educating children and protect human rights in 6 cities.

BMe is backed by private donations and leading philanthropies including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Campaign for Black Male Achievement, The Heinz Endowments, and The William R. Keenan Jr. Charitable Trust. Visit www.BMeCommunity.org or contact Media@BMeCommunity.org for more information.

6 Ways Donald Trump Shows He Doesn't Want The Black Vote.

by George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com EMAIL

A recent NY Times article states that the G.O.P is urging Donald Trump to broaden his outreach to black voters The G.O.P which itself has no significant record of outreach to black voters should really be asking Trump not to increase but to begin outreach to black voters.

It should be no surprise that despite Donald Trump's rhetoric that "the blacks love him" polls show he will only get 2% of black voters in November's presidential election. The man has done done everything possible not to get the black vote.

In my belief the only reason Trump is polling so low with black voters is because he doesn't care about black voters or want their votes. Here are six reasons why I believe that to be so.

1. Donald Trump has refused to speak to African American organizations such as the NAACP and the National Urban League unlike John McCain, Mitt Romney and George W. Bush. These civil rights organizations are the end all be all when it comes to getting the black vote but not speaking to them says volumes.

2. Donald Trump has refused tp speak with black media, radio, newspapers, television, etc. Listeners of know the Joe Madison radio show know that there is an open invitation for Trump to show up and discuss his political viewpoints, all he has to do is have someone pick up the phone and call in. People who watch Roland Martin on NewsOne know that there is a similar invitation for Trump to go on that show. Both shows reach millions of black voters, but both shows have host who call people on their BS so that may be why Trump avoids them.

3. Donald Trump has not made visits to black neighborhoods. I don't mean flying into a city on his private jet to make a speech and then high-tailing it home. I mean going to black churches, barbershops, and restaurants where black voters are. I guess he's scared he may have to kiss some black babies.

4. When Donald Trump does decide to reach out to black voters he for some reason thought he could do it through black pastors who preach the prosperity gospel. Yup, the genius thought that a bunch of pimps in the pulpit could sway black voters.

5. He picked a former reality show star, Omarosa Manigault to be head of his outreach to African American voters. That one is self-explanatory.

6. Donald Trump just learned 3 or 4 months ago to stop calling African American's "the blacks" cause it's kinda sorta racist. Hell he just learned the term African American.

Is there still any real doubt that Donald Trump doesn't give a damn about African Americans?

George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s children end Nobel medal dispute

Martin Luther King Jr.'s heirs have agreed to end their legal fight over who owns the slain civil rights leader's 1964 Nobel Peace Prize medal, according to a court document filed on Monday, but did not disclose if the item will be sold.

A trial to settle the years-long dispute over the medal had been set to start in Atlanta on Monday. It would have pitted King's two sons against his surviving daughter, who were at odds over whether to sell the medal.

The three siblings serve as directors of a corporation formed to manage the estate of King, who had no will when he was assassinated in 1968 by a white supremacist in Memphis, Tennessee.

Martin Luther King III and Dexter King voted in January 2014 to sell the medal and a Bible their father carried during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Bernice King objected to a sale, calling the heirlooms "sacred" to the family.

Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney had ordered the items to be kept in a court-controlled safe deposit box pending the outcome of the lawsuit.

The judge on Monday signed an order in which the parties asked for the suit to be dismissed and agreed the keys to the box should be given to Martin Luther King III, who serves as chairman of the estate board.

Read more: Martin Luther King Jr.'s heirs end Nobel medal dispute