Officials are investigating claims that Newark police officers pulled their guns on a 10-year-old boy, Legend Preston after they allegedly mistook the child for an armed robbery suspect that was 6' tall adult suspect with dreadlocks. It's apparent to anyone with eyes that Preston does not have dreadlocks. Legend Preston told WABC-TV (NY) about his terrifying ordeal Watch that story below.
By George L. Cook III [EMAIL]
Donald Trump has recently been making "outreach" to African American voters. Now he is doing it by spouting negative stereotypes and lies about blacks living in the inner city masquerading as facts in front of predominantly white audiences. One of those lies is that most African Americans live in poverty. What was surprising to me was even black Republicans who have avoided even talking about Trump supported this statement as it fits into their attacks against the Democratic Party. They should know better. Now as the old Daniel Patrick Moynihan saying goes "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."
Trump's statement is simply not true. You can imagine the surprise among myself, family, and friends when we discovered via Trump that most of us lived in poverty. While none of us are rich most of us are lower to upper middle class, own homes, and have some savings.
Now there are those of us that live in poverty, and I know a few, but they are hardly the majority. According to the following sources 26%-27%of African Americans do live in poverty:
While 26%-27% is a nothing to be happy about and a percentage that needs to be improved it is in no way the majority of African Americans. I know Trump is good at spinning numbers but in no country, or planet, galaxy, universe, alternate universe, or multiverse in would that be true that 26%-27% is more than 73%-74%.
That would make Trump's statement a bold faced lie. Then why tell it? Because his supporters won't check those numbers and will eat it up because it fits in with their stereotypes of African Americans. Trump can then claim that he tried outreach to black voters while knowing that he was actually catering to the racial beliefs of his base.
Yeah, that's a great way to get the black vote.
George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com
Some may have heard of a new movie titled Southside with You is being released this Friday August 26,2016 about the first date of Barack Obama and then Michelle Robinson, but I'm sure many more have not. The film has John Legend as an executive producer and stars Parker Sawyers (Zero Dark Thirty, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) as Barack and Tika Sumpter (The Haves & the have Nots, Sparkle) as Michelle. Sumpter is also a producer of the film.
Inspired by Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date, SOUTHSIDE WITH YOU recounts the eventful summer day in 1989 when a young law firm associate named Barack Obama tried to woo lawyer Michelle Robinson during a daylong date that took them from the Art Institute of Chicago to a screening of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing to the site of their first kiss outside of an ice cream parlor. Watch the trailer below.
By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com EMAIL
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stirred up some controversy and angered many African-Americans by saying in front of a white audience that most of them live in poverty, send kids to failing schools, and have no jobs. Now African Americans know that not to be true, but something else Trump said caught my ear. He asked what the hell did African Americans have to lose by voting for him. Well, Mr. Trump here are four important things we will lose under a Trump presidency. There are more things blacks would lose, but these are things that would have an immediate negative impact on the Black community.
Healthcare: Yes, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) may have it flaws and may not have been the single payer system some progressives wanted, but it has helped millions of uninsured African Americans get health coverage. Trump has made it clear that on his first day in office he would attempt to repeal the ACA. If successful millions would lose their healthcare coverage with nothing there to replace it.
Voting rights: The Republican-led Congress has yet to take any action to fix the provision in the 1965 Voting Rights Act to stop states from using voter ID/registration laws in attempts at voter suppression. That would only get worse under a President Trump who has already indicated that the striking down of voting laws in states such as Wisconsin and North Carolina are a threat to his candidacy.
Education funding: Trump would cut federal education funding and may want to eliminate or severely cut the budget of the Department of Education. As a school board member, I can tell you that in poorer districts a good portion of their funding comes in the form of federal aid. Without that assistance, districts would be forced to cut programs that help poorer students or those with learning disabilities. He would also push for more charter schools which take money from traditional public schools forcing those public schools to cut even more programs.
Jobs: Trump's trade policies would make it harder for American companies to do business and make money overseas. Without that foreign business, companies would not need as many workers stateside as their global markets would be smaller. Those few manufacturing and factory jobs in the U.S. would be eliminated or made part time. That helps no one especially black and brown people.
So as you see Mr. Trump, we have a hell of a lot to lose by voting for you. Every time you open your mouth about African Americans you make it clearer that in this election Hillary Clinton is the obvious choice for black voters.
By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com EMAIL
By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com
Olympic boxer Shakur Stevenson didn't win the gold medal but he still made us in his home state of New Jersey proud. Shakur lost the gold medal match to Cuba's Robeisy Ramirez in a split decision of their three round fight (2-1). He will be bringing a silver medal back to his hometown of Newark NJ.
Shakur was distraught after the fight and believed that he let everyone down. The young man didn't let anyone down and we here in NJ are all proud of him. He is the first American man to bring back a boxing medal since 2004 and has a promising future ahead.
Today he didn't come out on top but he will be a champion at the next level one day. The silver medal is just the beginning of a long journey. American fighters like Michael Carbajal (5X Champion), Virgil Hill (4X champion), and Riddick Bowe (1x undisputed heavyweight champion) all won a silver medal and went on to have great careers.
Something tells me Shakur will join that list.
By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com
