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Issue: 716

November 02, 2017

Cover Story

The National Anthem Is Not A National Test

By Perry Redd Columnist

What’s disrespectful is that white people ignore the lives of Black people in this country! What is disrespectful is that juries continue to acquit white people when they kill unarmed Black people in this country. What is disrespectful is that prosecutors across this country choose not to charge police officers when they shoot and kill unarmed (and in some cases, armed) Black people in this country.

It’s a no-brainer, right? If there’s no clause, amendment or article saying you have to, then you don’t have to, right? Obviously that’s not the case.…

Continue reading 5 min

Commentary

Trump: “REALLY, Really Easy” Not To Take Drugs, as Opioids Rip the U.S

By John Funiciello Columnist

if Trump actually took the advice of his brother and avoided strong drink, it may be the only example of his taking anyone’s advice on anything. Rather, he seemed to want to show that he can do just about anything better than just about anyone else.

With considerable fanfare, President Donald Trump announced last week that he had directed the Department of Health and Human Services to declare the opioid epidemic a…

Continue reading 8 min

Sharp n’ Blunt

My Fellow Black Americans . . . Rememeber Rosewood!

By Desi Cortez Columnist

how dare any of you tell me Donald J Trump isn’t “capable” of genocide. Trump is Black America’s nightmare: “white trash” with money . . . and power.

My fellow Black Americans . . . . I’m not sure if the barbarians are at the gates of our Black American Empire, but I do…

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Commentary

A Victory for the Financial Industry – A Loss For Consumers

By Dr. Julianne Malveaux, PhD Editorial Board

The Republican focus on “free” markets only reminds us that markets are not free when one party has significantly more power than another. One consumer hardly has the wherewithal to stand up to a large bank or credit card company, but a class of consumers can collectively flex power in the fight for fairness.

In the dead of night on October 24, Vice President Mike Pence struck a blow against consumers, further empowering the banks and financial institutions that he…

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Color of Law

Betty Shelby’s Record is Clean Because Nobody Gives AF About Black Life

By David A. Love, JD Executive Editor

In a country where police kill a lot of people and almost never face discipline, much less indictment, it is not surprising that officers can walk away and pretend they didn’t do what we all know they did.

Are we witnessing the new normal, a new phase in the erasure of Black lives? If recent events in Tulsa, Oklahoma are any indication, it’s time…

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Commentary

The Koch Bros.’ and Cartel’s Use of Minority Leaders in its Blitz on Public and Higher Education

By Dr. Walter C. Farrell, Jr., PhD, M.S.P.H. Columnist

The Cartel and the Koch Bros. have spent more than a billion dollars pushing Voter ID, charter and voucher schools, anti-collective bargaining, anti-union, anti-minimum wage, pro-gun National Rifle Association (NRA) efforts, and repeal Obama Care policies that will have a disproportionately negative impact on African Americans. They have also employed the same strategy in the white community where they have used George Mason University as a base camp to launch many of their libertarian plans.

The Koch Bros., Charles and David, singlehandedly established the Cartel of corporate reformers whose goals are to shrink government at all levels to the size that…

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Commentary

1983 and the Invasion of Grenada

By Dr. Conrad W. Worrill, PhD Columnist

Just as we observe the United States destabilization tactics in the Middle East today, these were the same tactics used in Grenada thirty years ago.

Given the current media attention being given to the war against terrorism, African people should not forget significant events in our history. One of the events…

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