Faith Leaders Call On NFL to move Super Bowl from Arizona due to racist voting laws

A coalition of 400 faith leaders call on NFL to move Super Bowl LVII from Arizona in 2023 due to restrictive voting laws.

In 2021, Arizona passed three restrictive laws intended to limit the time voters can fix their absentee ballots, address signature issues, and allow for the removal of voters from the vote by mail list. The majority of voters harmed by these laws are African American, Latino, and Native American voters, as well as rural voters, and poor and low income voters.

In a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, Faith for Black Lives said:

"Nearly thirty years ago, the NFL relocated Super Bowl XXVII from Arizona because of the state's refusal to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We ask that you take the same action for Super Bowl LVII."

"Are we called to be merely spectators of a sport we love, or are we called to act, as the NFL did the last time it stood up to Arizona? As two of the NFL's slogans this season are "Inspire Change" and "It Takes All of Us," who precisely are the us to be inspired, but the very spectators who also happen to be voters?"

Link to full letter here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bAdcBXHvJm0liNdNHAQ2QMzEAqVDDNfue2o_KcItWOM/edit

"We are closer than ever to midnight for our democracy because Congress refuses to protect the right to vote," said Rev. Stephen A. Green, "now is the time for corporate America to join the fight to redeem the soul of America. We invite Chairman Goodell to meet with us to discuss moving Super Bowl LVII from Arizona and refuse to invest in states that intend to limit access to the ballot. We intend to escalate our request through nonviolent direct action if our demands are not met promptly."

For more information visit The Ballot or the Blackout

Statement from National African American Gun Association president on the killing of Amir Locke

Philip Smith, the president and founder of the National African American Gun Association (NAAGA) issued the following statement on the killing of legal gun owner, Amir Locke when Minneapolis Police carried out a no-knock warrant.

No Knock Equals No Justice

Amir Locke, a 22-year-old black man lay asleep just before 7am, when loud noises and unknown voices awoke him. Like many other law-abiding citizens, Amir had a legal firearm nearby when the Minneapolis Police Department entered his residence without warning. In just 9 seconds, police opened fire and Amir was shot and killed. There are no words to truly express the pain that I feel as I read about another black man recklessly killed by the laws and policies that are supposed to protect all of us.

As a husband and father, it is my job to protect my family. What would I do if someone were to kick in my door unannounced and uninvited? What would I say? I, like many of you, and like Amir Locke, would grab the closest firearm, trust my training, and do all I could to protect me and my family. We have a crisis unfolding before us and must do all we can to seek change and justice. The use of no-knock warrants has proven to be a deadly practice. This murder is another example of the unjust policies used to police our communities and justify the killing of black men. We must support the memory of Amir Locke and immediately end the use of no-knock warrants everywhere.

Yes, police have a job to do and it’s hard – I get it. It is a job that many of us couldn’t do on our best days. In the days since Amir’s story gained national attention, I took the time to speak with several officers that I consider good police. The conversations were tough but necessary. We don’t all have to agree on everything, but we do have to find common ground and a path forward. I believe no-knock warrants run over the rights of American citizens and they create an imbalanced application of justice. What you end up seeing is a "mob mentality " being played out behind the barrel of a gun, at the expense of our communities. Too many things can go wrong. It is my belief that ending no-knock warrants is a start. It is a conversation starter and the beginning of tough policy changes.

What do we do next? We use our voices and the power of voting to bring about real change. We contact our elected officials, both local and national, to express our opposition to no-knock warrants. We stand in unity against all unjust practices, then we ensure our votes are felt in the ballot boxes. Now is the time to come together and protect our communities. We must get rid of no-knock warrants as they have no place in our society.

Philip Smith

President & Founder

National African American Gun Association

About NAAGA:

The National African American Gun Association provides a network for all African American firearm owners, gun clubs and outdoor enthusiasts.

The goal of the National African American Gun Association is to have every African American introduced to firearm use for home protection, competitive shooting, and outdoor recreational activities. We are a pro 2nd amendment organization focused on the preservation of our community through armed protection and community building.

They welcome people of all religious, social, and racial perspectives.

They especially welcome active and retired African American members of law enforcement and the military.

American Erin Jackson wins 500m speed skating gold

US speed skater Erin Jackson won the women's 500m gold medal at the Winter Olympics in a time of 37.04 on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Jackson is the first US woman to win a speed skating gold at the Olympics since Bonnie Blair did so in 1994, as well as being the first Black American woman to win an Olympic speed skating medal.

"I wish I could describe how I feel. It is amazing. This medal means so much," Jackson told reporters.

She added: "It wasn't the perfect race, I had a couple of missteps on the back straight, but I could pull it together. Just a couple of missteps, that's all."

Black Gun Owners Association statement on the killing of Amir Locke

By George L. Cook III African American Reports.

Amir Locke, a legal gun owner was killed when Minneapolis Police carried out a no-knock warrant at an apartment belonging to a relative's girlfriend.

Locke had been sleeping under a blanket on the couch, and police body camera footage shows a gun in his hand as he begins to sit up when police begin to approach him. An officer can be seen shooting him less than 10 seconds after entering the room. He was not the target of an ongoing homicide investigation, according to an unsealed search warrant requested as part of a St. Paul Police Department homicide investigation.

I reached out to the Black Gun Owners Association (BGOA) for a statement on Locke's death and received the following response:

After the murder of Philando Castile we at BGOA begin to strategically focus and educate our members on how to successfully interact with police when being pulled over with a licensed fire arm , We realize there is a double standard as to the way black gun owners are perceived compared to gun owners who are white knowing this , we work tirelessly to try and change perception of how we are perceived.

However after the murders of Air Locke and Breonna taylor, We believe the practice of no knock warrants should be abolished and the officer involved should be charged with murder.

About the BGOA

The Black Gun Owner’s Association (B.G.O.A) is a non-profit organization which advocates gun rights and offers supportive services for gun owners. Our organization provides access to legal protection for our members through alliance’s with attorneys.

Coppin State University honors namesake with monument

Coppin State University honored the woman it was named after, Fanny Jackson Coppin with a statue.