Ben & Jerry's issues statement in support of Black Lives Matter

Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry's has released the following statement in support of Black Lives Matter:

Why Black lives matter.

Black lives matter.

They matter because they are children, brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers.

They matter because the injustices they face steal from all of us — white people and people of color alike. They steal our very humanity.

Systemic and institutionalized racism are the defining civil rights and social justice issues of our time. We’ve come to understand that to be silent about the violence and threats to the lives and well-being of Black people is to be complicit in that violence and those threats.

We ask you to join us in not being complicit.

There is good news: the first step in overcoming systemic racism and injustice is to simply understand and admit that there is a problem. It’s trying to understand the perspective of others whose experiences are different from our own. To not just listen, but to truly understand those whose struggle for justice is real, and not yet complete.

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President of the North Carolina NAACP, said it best when reacting to the recent police shooting in Charlotte, NC. He said, “Our objective is simple: to ensure justice-loving people act toward justice, with all evidence, and that we stand together and act from a place of power and love, rather than out of fear and anger.”

It’s been hard to watch the list of unarmed Black Americans killed by law enforcement officers grow longer and longer. We understand that numerous Black Americans and white Americans have profoundly different experiences and outcomes with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. That’s why it’s become clear to us at Ben & Jerry’s that we have a moral obligation to take a stand now for justice and for Black lives.

We want to be clear: we believe that saying Black lives matter is not to say that the lives of those who serve in the law enforcement community don’t. We respect and value the commitment to our communities that those in law enforcement make, and we respect the value of every one of their lives.

But we do believe that — whether Black, brown, white, or blue — our nation and our very way of life is dependent on the principle of all people being served equal justice under the law. And it’s clear, the effects of the criminal justice system are not color blind.

We do not place the blame for this on individual officers. Rather, we believe it is due to the systemic racism built into the fabric of our institutions at every level, disadvantaging and discriminating against people of color in ways that go beyond individual intent to discriminate. For this reason, we are not pointing fingers at individuals; we are instead urging us to come together to better our society and institutions so that we may finally fulfill the founding promise of this country: to be a country with dignity and justice for all.

All lives do matter. But all lives will not matter until Black lives matter.

We ask people to be open to understanding these issues, and not to reflexively retreat to our current beliefs. Change happens when people are willing to listen and hear the struggles of their neighbor, putting aside preconceived notions and truly seeking to understand and grow. We’ll be working hard on that, and ask you to as well.

- Your friends at Ben & Jerry’s

[SOURCE]

NAACP TO VOTE ON CONTROVERSIAL CHARTER MORATORIUM

The NAACP is set to vote this weekend on a controversial resolution calling for a halt to charter school expansion. It’s not exactly a new stance for the NAACP, which has passed numerous resolutions critical of charters since as far back as the late 1990s. But charter schools have seen rapid growth in recent years and are under increased scrutiny, so this vote is attracting a lot more attention — and resistance — than those in the past.

Read more: NAACP TO VOTE ON CONTROVERSIAL CHARTER MORATORIUM

Howard University Announces the Cathy Hughes School of Communications

Howard University president, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, today announced a multi-million dollar gift to its School of Communications from Alfred C. Liggins III, President and CEO of Radio One, Inc. This notable contribution was made through the Catherine L. Hughes and Alfred C. Liggins III Foundation and establishes that the School will be named in honor of Cathy Hughes, Radio One founder and Chairperson, and former Howard University staff member. An official ceremony to announce the naming of the “Cathy Hughes School of Communications” will be held on Sunday, October 23, 2016, at Howard University.

“The Howard community is thrilled that Mr. Liggins has chosen to honor his mother, Ms. Cathy Hughes, in this manner for her pioneering work in the field of communications,” said Dr. Frederick. “The gift will have a transformational impact on the School’s commitment to serve the communications industry and as a high-level producer of diverse media specialists.” He went on to acknowledge that Ms. Hughes is well known for her accomplishments at the School and University, particularly at WHUR-FM where she created the popular, urban music format known as the “Quiet Storm.” She is also the School’s third Time Warner Endowed Chair.

The donation recognizes the extraordinary vigor of Howard’s School of Communications and its faculty, students, staff, and alumni. It demonstrates Ms. Hughes’ and Mr. Liggins’ firm beliefs in the role that the School plays in providing and sustaining a range of educational and leadership alternatives for African Americans within the communications sector. In 2013, the School reorganized its undergraduate programs and departments, graduate studies, and interdisciplinary options. Now in its 45th year of existence, the School proudly boasts four progressive departments: Communication Culture and Media Studies; Communication Sciences and Disorders; Media, Journalism and Film; and Strategic, Legal and Management Communication.

The Catherine L. Hughes and Alfred C. Liggins III Fund at Howard University will assist the School in acquiring cutting-edge technology and equipment, which will support its academically rich programs. Radio One invites its supporters and business partners to join its effort to promote and support Howard-educated communication leaders who will continue the cycle of influence and upliftment personified by Ms. Hughes. Donations should be made to Howard University and designated for the Cathy Hughes School of Communications.

As Howard University approaches its sesquicentennial anniversary, its enthusiasm about the next 150 years is heightened by the generosity of Ms. Hughes and Mr. Liggins, and the legacy that they are graciously leaving behind.

Republican candidate offers black voters watermelon, fried chicken, & Kool Aid to attend rally

Here's one that has Donald Trump wondering why he didn't think of this first. Jon Girodes' a Republican candidate running for a New York State Senate seat to represent Harlem offered black voters watermelon, fried chicken, and Kool-Aid to attend a campaign rally. That's right Kool Aid cause you will need something to wash all this racism down with. I think Republicans insulted African Americans less when they weren't talking to us/them; the racist comments have only gotten worse with this so-called outreach. Watch the story on Jon Girodes' below. George Cook AfricanAmericanReports.Com

Why Trump's plan for his supporters to monitor election sites in "urban" areas wont work.

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com

During a campaign rally in Detroit Donald Trump encouraged his overwhelmingly white supporters to go into "urban" areas on election day and to monitor what is going on. Read his quote below:

Here's the full Trump riff on voter fraud from this evening in Novi. Mich., in which he urges his supporter to monitor polling places. pic.twitter.com/S3Vt1TzOvW

— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) September 30, 2016

Like most Trump ideas this has not been very well thought out.

Now I have to ask what exactly are these monitors supposed to do? In many states, monitors/challengers have to be appointed by a candidate or party chair, and a list of challengers has to be submitted to the county board of elections at least two weeks before the election. They must also wear challenger badges even to go into the polling place to review what is going on and to challenge anyone they feel is not a legitimate voter. Also, you just can't challenge someone because you feel they shouldn't be there, there has to be a valid reason for that challenge and beings as these monitors don't live in the area or know the people that vote at that site on what basis would they question?

Here is a list of things challengers can't do here in my home state of New Jersey:

 challenge any voter on the basis of race, ethnicity, expected manner of voting, or the location of the voter’s actual residence in a housing complex, ward or other part of town or county (N.J.S.A. 19:15-18);

 sit with the district board workers;

 stand over the district board workers;

 touch any election materials;

 go to the voting machine during the voting hours;

 challenge the voter directly;

 participate in the signature comparison process, which is the exclusive responsibility of the board worker;

 harass or intimidate voters or cause any disturbance in the polling place. N.J.S.A. 19:34-29;

 wear any campaign insignia whatsoever. This includes buttons or any clothing with indicia relating to any candidate, a political party or referendum. N.J.S.A. 19:34-15;

 decline, refuse or neglect to wear the challenger badge or fail to present the challenger credentials to the district board upon arrival at the polling place. N.J.S.A. 19:7-6.

I'm sure most states have similar regulations for monitors/challengers and with that in mind what could they possibly do other than to hope to intimidate voters in "urban" areas. Unfortunately for those Trump supporters dumb enough to follow Trump's advice they will find out that black voters from 18 to 90 years old don't intimidate easily. These fools who felt that had some type of power because they support Trump will find themselves being the ones who are intimidated and quickly realizing that like voting for Trump this was a bad idea.

By George L. Cook III AfricanAmericanReports.Com