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		<title>Black Matters</title>
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		<link>https://blackmattersus.com/</link>
		<description>BlackMattersUS.com</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Thu, 19 May 2016 09:31:03 -0400</lastBuildDate>
		<language>en-US</language>
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			<title>Chicago Cop Kills Black Woman And Resigns Only 4 Years Later</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8111-chicago-cop-kills-black-woman-and-resigns-only-4-years-later</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8111-chicago-cop-kills-black-woman-and-resigns-only-4-years-later#comments</comments>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2016 22:56:50 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Chicago officer Dante Servin, who fatally shot Rekia Boyd in 2012, resigns two days before he was to be fired.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The 22-year-old African-American, Boyd, was shot dead by Servin, who was off-duty on March 21, 2012. She and her friends were walking and chatting on the street when Servin came from nowhere without uniform and asked them to be quiet. Servin claimed that he shot Boyd because he saw her with a gun moving towards him, but only a cell phone was found at the scene.

Servin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but a year later, a judge Dennis Porter acquitted him from all charges. Porter said that Servin had been improperly charged.

Despite suggestions from the police superintendent Garry McCarthy and the Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to fire Servin, he was still in the police force until now.

The Chicago police board over the week announced that Servin had resigned two days before the board could decide whether to fire him or not.

Brandon Smith, a freelance journalist who sued the city to release a dash-cam video of Laquan McDonald’s fatal shooting in 2014, said &quot;If they had moved to fire him [Servin] in a matter of weeks ... they could have pointed to that as an example of how they aggressively investigated and discipline officers,&quot; he said. &quot;As it was, they had no examples.&quot;

The police board failed to set an example in disciplining officers who abuse their power. People like Servin should be in jail for murder, but they are left freely to move in the society without facing any punishment.

Share this article and help to fight against injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>$35,000 Reward For Info In 9-Year-Old Milwaukee Girl's Shooting</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8106-35000-reward-for-info-in-9-year-old-milwaukee-girls-shooting</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8106-35000-reward-for-info-in-9-year-old-milwaukee-girls-shooting#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/35000-Reward-For-Info-In-9-Year-Old-Milwaukee-Girls-Shooting.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2016 20:52:03 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[The FBI and an attorney offer a $35k reward for anyone who gives information on 9-year-old Za’layia Jenkins, who was struck by a stray bullet.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[An earlier report about the shooting of the black Milwaukee girl says that she was shot by a stray bullet in her home. But the police now say Za’layia was shot in extended family house, where she went to visit her relatives.

Za’layia died from injury sustained from gunshot on Monday, May 16, at the Milwaukee County Medical Center.

There has been no information about the shooters, but the police say they have been looking for a green Jeep Cherokee driver who might have information about the shooting.

However, on Tuesday, May 17, the FBI and an attorney offered to pay a total sum of $35,000 to anybody having information about the shooting of poor little girl who died because of the skyrocketing violent crimes in communities, which police have failed to contain.

One of Za'layia's aunts, Keyana Boone, said &quot;Turn yourself in. How do you sleep at night? You took an innocent life. A 9-year-old. She didn't do nothing to nobody. I don't understand how they sleep at night.&quot;

This brings a question about what exactly are the police doing. Violence continues to yeast in communities and police cannot get information on two armed groups involved in the shooting of Za'layia. Instead, the FBI pays citizens to get information about crimes that occur daily in the society. Ooh I see! The job of the police is killing innocent, unarmed black men and women.

Share this article and help to fight for justice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>White Man Kills Black Teen And Insults Parents</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8101-white-cop-kills-black-teen-and-insults-parents</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8101-white-cop-kills-black-teen-and-insults-parents#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/White-Cop-Kills-Black-Teen-And-Insults-Parents.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2016 18:58:05 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[‘They didn’t raise their son right,’ says George Zimmerman to 17-year-old Trayvon Martin’s parents.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[After killing a young African-American in 2012, George Zimmerman still shows no regrets for his actions. Over the week, in an interview with the Daily Beast, Zimmerman mocked Trayvon’s parents, blaming them of not nurturing their son well.

“They didn’t raise their son right,” Zimmerman said, adding that the teen’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, “did everything they could to capitalize on their son’s death.”

Zimmerman went ahead to insult Trayvon’s mother, saying, “She was never a mother figure to him. Tracy Martin couldn’t have cared less about their son. He treated him like a dog without a leash.”

The 32-year-old Zimmerman recently offered to sell his gun he used to murder the innocent black teen for a starting bid of $100,000. Zimmerman doesn’t care about how Trayvon’s parents feel, but what can be done about it?

In 2005, Zimmerman was arrested for underage drinking and for shoving an undercover cop. That same year, his ex-fiancée sued him for domestic violence. He was set free. In 2013 he was also charged with aggravated assault with a gun after threatening her girlfriend; and the Trayvon Martin’s case in 2012. Yet Zimmerman goes scot-free with all other encounters he had. Is this a just society we are living in?

Share this article and help to fight for justice in our communities. 

&amp;nbsp;]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>U.S. District Court Orders Cleveland School District To Integrate</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8097-u-s-district-court-orders-cleveland-school-district-to-integrate</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8097-u-s-district-court-orders-cleveland-school-district-to-integrate#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mississippi-school-district-to-be-fully-consolidated.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2016 17:27:53 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Aaron Lewis]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Racism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Mississippi school district to be fully consolidated, starting 2016-2017 academic year, after decades of desegregation. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Over six decades ago, US Supreme Court declared the policy of segregation in institutions for black and white students to be unconstitutional. But there are still institutions such as the Cleveland district middle and high schools that defy these policies.

Schools in Cleveland have remained segregated since the Civil Rights movement until now that they have been forced to dissolve the all-white and all-black schools to form a unified school system.

From Mississippi town map, the Illinois Central Railroad tracks clearly cut the line between white families, who live on the west, and black families on the east side. White children attend west side high school, while black children attend east side high school.

Judge Debra M. Brown wrote in a statement that “The delay in desegregation has deprived generations of students of the constitutionally guaranteed right of an integrated education. Although no court order can right these wrongs, it is the duty of the District to ensure that not one more student suffers under this burden.”

These schools are given three weeks to implement a unified system that will “create new opportunities for the children of Cleveland to learn, play and thrive together.”

According to reports, the middle school will enroll 692 students, 71 percent of which are blacks and 26 percent -whites, while the high school will compose of 63 percent black and 32 percent white.

The intent of segregation in Mississippi is just one of the evident examples of racism in the country.

Share this article and help to fight against racism in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Fed. Gov. Fails To Give Data On Police Killings Of Unarmed Black Men</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8094-fed-gov-fails-to-give-data-on-police-killings-of-unarmed-black-men</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8094-fed-gov-fails-to-give-data-on-police-killings-of-unarmed-black-men#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Fed.-Gov.-Fails-To-Give-Data-On-Police-Killings-Of-Unarmed-Black-Men.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2016 15:46:57 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[How many are killed; how many are black; how many are women and children? ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[We still don’t know how many people have been killed by police since last year, when the White House published a Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which was meant to be a guide for policy reforms.

FBI Director James Comey says, it is really “Embarrassing and ridiculous” that the government can’t give a number of people murdered by police officers. Totally “unacceptable”, he says, that we have to depend on newspapers, like The Guardian and Washington Post, to give an estimate of the statistics

“We are responding to a real human outcry,” says Stephen L. Morris, a senior FBI official whose division is to collect crime data. “People want to know what police are doing, and they want to know why they are using force. It always fell to the bottom before. It is now the highest priority.”

The federal government keeps record of “everything”, but not just killings of black people by police.  Every police shooting, fatal or not, should be documented by the government if we are to effectively address it as a national crisis.

It’s all centered towards racial inequality and injustice in the country. The rate at which innocent black men and women are killed by police triples day and night. Yet, officers face no criminal charges in these fatal shootings.

Share this article and help to fight against injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Are You Ready to Die for Justice? Frisco Five Were.</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8089-are-you-ready-to-die-for-justice-frisco-five-were</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8089-are-you-ready-to-die-for-justice-frisco-five-were#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/edwinav.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2016 11:09:36 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Your Voices</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the last few years, American Black community has witnessed too many police killings of women, men, and children of color. We are tired of it, and all around America, we stand up against police violence. Two recent police shootings of Black men in San Francisco became the final straw for the citizens of the city. On April 21, a 17-day hunger strike began. Five demonstrators, called the “Frisco Five”, have been refusing to eat until San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr resigns or is fired. I managed to have a telephone interview with Edwin Lindo, one of the Frisco 5 activists. It is funny that when I reached him he said that he was busy having lunch. That's how I knew that the hunger strike is over. Maybe because of this, maybe because of the tiredness of the protester the interview came out short but emotional.]]></description>
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			<title>A Young Black Mother Neglected By Jail Died Of Injuries</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8084-a-young-black-mother-neglected-by-jail-died-of-injuries</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8084-a-young-black-mother-neglected-by-jail-died-of-injuries#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo_2016-05-18_10-51-37.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo_2016-05-18_10-51-37.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2016 09:55:55 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[22-year-old Symone Nicole Marshall died in police custody after she was denied hospitalization.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Symone Nicole Marshall, 22, the mother of a 3-year-old daughter died in a Texas jail on Tuesday, May 10, two weeks after she was involved in a serious car wreck. Head injuries she sustained in the accident demanded immediate medical attention. However, instead of being hospitalized, Marshall was booked into jail.

Marshall’s sister knew about the car accident only after Symone called and told her that someone had run her off the road. She was incredibly concerned about her sister’s condition that was characterized with recurring headaches and blackouts. Symone Marshall was being held at the local jail for two weeks before she died due to a blood clot in her lung.

“I called the jail several times and requested for them to take her to a real hospital and they wouldn’t do so. If they would have this, her death could have been prevented and my sister would still be here. My heart hurts so bad. She was my best friend. I am so angry that they did this to her.”, said Honey Marshall.

Marshall’s death adds to the string of black women who died in police custody. Remember Sandra Bland, 28, who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on July 13, 2015.

Since Texas is ranked number 1 racist state among the rest, we are forced to believe these deaths are caused by racist police.

Authorities have however remained tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding the death of Marshall but unfortunately for them, incidents like this cannot be left unspoken. It is disheartening to see the negative and discriminatory treatment of this nation towards black citizens who are no less smart, beautiful and decent than most white residents.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Stroke Hospitalization Rate Increases For African-Americans</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8069-stroke-hospitalization-rate-increases-for-african-americans</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8069-stroke-hospitalization-rate-increases-for-african-americans#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo793758661686175696.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo793758661686175696.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2016 22:10:15 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A new study by American Heart Association gives information about the skyrocketing rate of stroke hospitalizations among African-Americans.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[According to the report, the overall rate, at which people are being hospitalized for ischemic strokes, that are caused by artery blockages, has significantly dropped by 18.4 percent over a ten-year survey from 2000 to 2010.  Unfortunately, the trend doesn’t apply to black Americans.

Lucas Ramirez, a neurology resident at Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California in Los Angeles said, “Overall, the hospitalization rate is down, with the greatest drop in people aged 65 and older. We can’t say from this study design what factors have led to this decline, but it may be that preventive efforts, such as better blood pressure and blood sugar control, are having the effect that we want in this age group.”

The report revealed that the ischemic stroke hospitalization rate lessened in both whites - by 12.4 percent and Hispanics - by 21.7 percent, but increased by 13.7 percent in blacks.

Ramirez noted that, “African Americans already had the highest rate of stroke hospitalizations and it has unfortunately increased. This reinforces that we need to make sure that our efforts for stroke prevention and education reach all groups.”

One of the reasons of such rapid increase in stroke hospitalization and other major health problems for black Americans is racial inequality. The growth also shows that the government doesn’t really care about black people as to whether they are living in healthy environment or not.

Share this article and help to fight against racial inequality in our society. 

&amp;nbsp;]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>What To Know About The 2016 “State Of Black America” Report</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8052-what-to-know-about-the-2016-state-of-black-america-report</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8052-what-to-know-about-the-2016-state-of-black-america-report#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo793758661686175695.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2016 21:18:26 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[How do African Americans live today compared to White Americans?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A report released on Tuesday, May 17, by the National Urban League gives a comprehensive look at how Black people in America live today.

The semiannual study details how unequally the country treats black people in terms of life quality compared to whites, taking into account economics, education, health, social justice and civic engagement index of black Americans across the nation. The study also breaks down successes and hitches of blacks since 1976 when it was founded.

The president and chief executive of the National Urban League, Marc Morial, said in a news report, “This is one of the most important reports that’s going to be released this year. This is not a public opinion poll, these are the facts on where this country stands today on the challenging issues of racial disparities.”

One main revelation from the report shows that today’s equality index of African America stands at 72.2 percent compared to a 100 percent white benchmark.

Although the economics index for black Americans slightly increased about 0.8 percent from 55.5 percent in 2015 to 56.2 percent this year, the civic engagement index, however, dropped from 104 percent to 100.6 percent as a result of low voter registration, the same happened to the health index, which decreased from 79.6 percent to 79.4 percent.

The study gives an insight into challenges black neighborhoods face and shows a need for stronger policies that will help fight against racial inequality in the Country.

Share this article and help to fight against racial inequality in our society. 

&amp;nbsp;]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>9-Year-Old Black Wisconsin Girl Dies From Gunshot Wounds</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8047-9-year-old-black-wisconsin-girl-dies-from-gunshot-wounds</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8047-9-year-old-black-wisconsin-girl-dies-from-gunshot-wounds#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo793758661686175694.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2016 19:54:37 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Za’layia Jenkins, a week before she died, asked police officers to keep her safe, but unfortunately, they failed. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A young African-American girl was shot by a stray bullet while watching TV at home at around 8:30 p.m. on May 5.

According to reports, the shooting was a result of gunfire exchange between two armed groups, which police have still not giving any detailed information about.

There has been no arrest since the incident happened, but the Milwaukee Police said they are searching for a green Jeep Cherokee driver, who they believe might have information about the shooting.

Za’layia was pronounced dead on Monday, May 16, at the Milwaukee County Medical Center, just a day before her birthday. Before she died, a rally had already been scheduled in her honor on Tuesday, May 17.

Precious Boone, one of Za’layia’s aunts, told local network TMJ 4 during the rally, “Today is her day. It’s her birthday so we want friends to come march with us and show Lay Lay you love her.”

In recent years, homicides in Milwaukee have rapidly increased as a result of police poorly doing their job. According to a Journal-Sentinel research, 145 people were murdered in 2015.

Share this article and help to make our society a better place to live]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Black Woman Sues White Cop For Raping Her In front Of Her Son</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8042-black-woman-sues-white-cop-for-raping-her-in-front-of-her-son</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8042-black-woman-sues-white-cop-for-raping-her-in-front-of-her-son#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo793758661686175693.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo793758661686175693.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2016 18:18:53 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Black woman, Maleatra Montanez, has filed a $7M lawsuit against Syracuse Cop, Chester Thompson, for forcing her into having sex over a year ago. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[It was on Valentine’s Day 2015 when Montanez called to report her missing daughter. In a twinkle of an eye, a Syracuse police officer, Chester Thompson, showed up at her house.

According to the 40-year-old Black mother, the officer started “complimenting” her, saying, she looked “pretty”, just after she opened the door. And so, he began commenting on what her butt was like and said, her lips “looked like it could hold…a penis.”

In the sworn deposition Montanez filed, she wrote that after Thompson rubbed his dick for a while, he removed his pants and demanded a blow job. “All I know is I said, ‘Whoa!'I noticed on his penis…he had a mark on his testicle and he had a mark on his penis…like a mole or a sore or something,” she wrote. 

The mother of four children pleaded through tears with Thompson, saying, “we don’t have to do this,” but he insisted. He had a gun so he forced her to face her son while she was raped from behind.

A day after the incident, Montanez went to hospital for checkups and reported the incident to police, who later suspended Thompson. 

According to reports, Thompson was charged and convicted of official misconduct, a misdemeanor, and sentenced to three years’ probation. Somehow, he was able to escape his jail term.

Montanez’s sued Thompson over the week and other heads of Syracuse Police Department because they reportedly knew the officer had a past history of sexual misconduct and he was still in the force abusing poor innocent women and children. People like him should be isolated from the society as they pose a threat to those they are supposed to protect. 

Share this article and help to fight against police sexual harassment in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Chicago Mayor To Replace City’s Police Authority With CPIA</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8037-chicago-mayor-to-replace-citys-police-authority-with-cpia</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8037-chicago-mayor-to-replace-citys-police-authority-with-cpia#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo793758661686175692.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2016 16:27:15 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[“The new board will give a voice to Chicago residents whose lives are affected daily by police practices.”]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, announced on Friday, May 13, his plans to replace the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA), which his very own Police Accountability Task Force describes as “badly broken”, with a Civilian Police Investigation Agency (CPIA) that will give voice to voiceless families affected daily by police brutal practices.

Since the death of Laquan McDonald, a black 17-year-old teen, who was fatally shot 16 times by ex-officer Jason Van Dyke, citizens have called for a system reform in the Chicago police department.

In Mayor Emanuel’s statement on Friday, he wrote, “Almost since its inception, there have been questions about whether the agency performed its work fairly, competently, with rigor and independence. The answer is no. Cases go uninvestigated, the agency lacks resources and IPRA’s findings raise troubling concerns about whether it is biased in favor of police officers. Up until recently, the agency has been run by former law enforcement, who allowed leadership to reverse findings without creating any record of the changes. IPRA has lost the trust of the community, which it cannot function without.”

Mayor Emanuel hopes to propose what he calls “a comprehensive plan to fundamentally reshape our system of police accountability” during a council meeting, which will be held on June 22, 2016.

The question about how effective the new board will function compared to the IPRA is a mystery at the moment. Unless the CPIA consists of members from black communities and Black Lives Matter, else, it’s just the same old system that doesn’t care about how minorities are being marginalized in the society.

Ensure to visit this page for all exclusive updates and uncensored news. Kindly SHARE this article on any social media of your choice.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Black Man Suffocated To Death By CA Police</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8033-black-man-suffocated-to-death-by-ca-police</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8033-black-man-suffocated-to-death-by-ca-police#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo_2016-05-17_11-12-59.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo_2016-05-17_11-12-59.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2016 10:15:45 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A man was killed by police in a way similar to that of Eric Garner.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[We have hardly had time to recover from the shock of a tragic death of Eric Garner when the disturbing news of police committing another sickening murder hit the media and immediately captured national attention.

James Greer was killed by BART police officers during a traffic stop on May 23, 2014. Police blatantly lied about what occurred prior to Greer’s death but were exposed after the video of the “execution-style killing” went public.

The man was pulled over for driving erratically and allegedly refused to take a field sobriety test. However, the footage showed him being actually obedient and ready to cooperate with police.

A struggle started after Greer, scared of the massive police presence, attempted to back away with his hands up. Apparently, police didn’t like that decision of James Greer which, unfortunately, cost him his life.

The officers grabbed the man, forced his hands back and pinned him to the ground. Cops placed Greer in handcuffs still holding him down which led to excruciating pains in his stomach.

To make the situation worse, the cops piled on top of Greer and tased him multiple times. The man was gasping for breath as the cops were suffocating him for more than 6 minutes. Handcuffed and motionless on the ground, he did not receive immediate aid and was later pronounced dead at the Saint Rose Hospital.

Both Greer and Garner were killed by strangulation for the offenses that didn’t cause any harm to people around. Those terrible murders sparked massive outrage among black people across the country.

Now let’s think of how many footages showing police abuse of power are being withheld in order to cover their wrongdoings? How many officers remain unpunished and walk free with blood on their hands? We demand all recordings capturing police misconducts to be publicly released in the interests of transparency!

Ensure to visit this page for all exclusive updates and uncensored news. Kindly SHARE this article on any social media of your choice.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>What Has Changed Six Years After Aiyana Stanley-Jones murder?</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8025-what-has-changed-six-years-after-aiyana-stanley-jones-murder</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8025-what-has-changed-six-years-after-aiyana-stanley-jones-murder#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/aiyana2.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/aiyana2.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2016 05:20:34 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Yesterday, all the American Black community mourned the death of a little Black girl, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, again. On May 16, 2010, an innocent 7-year-old baby was brutally killed by a Detroit police officer during a raid. What has changed in the life of the family of the slaughtered girl and in the life of the murderer since then? ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The answer to this question is too sad: nothing has changed for both the family and the murderer of Aiyana Stanley-Jones.


On January 28, 2015, a prosecutor cleared the killer, Officer Joseph Weekley, of the last remaining charge against him.  And though this tragedy triggered the nationwide discussion on the state of black girlhood in America, the Stanley-Jones family still seeks justice and the murderer still works on the force, enjoys his blue privilege and can potentially kill another Black kid. 


Did the family of Aiyana make peace with their tragic loss six years after it? They didn't and they never will until the murderer is free and working for the force. The murderers must rot in jail. Simple as that. No privilege (white or blue) should give the right to kill a Black baby and go free. The peace for the Black community is impossible until Joseph Weekley is brought to justice for taking Aiyana’s life.


If you agree that American Black children must have the right to live without the threat of being killed or injured by police, join us on May 21, 2016, during the rally held by BlackmattersUS in Detroit outside the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>‘Banning The Box’ Doesn’t Guarantee Equality For Black Applicants</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8018-banning-the-box-doesnt-guarantee-equality-for-black-applicants</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8018-banning-the-box-doesnt-guarantee-equality-for-black-applicants#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688195.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688195.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2016 22:57:58 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[There is a controversy concerning popular “ban the box” initiative for colleges and businesses, because absence of data may worsen discrimination. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The initiative for banning or refusing to request information concerning past convictions from future college students and employees of the businesses is growing more and more widespread. Even President Obama’s administration asked colleges to give up offering such uncomfortable questions to prospective applicants. 

U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King proposed a new policy to the educational institutions, saying, “We believe in second chances and we believe in fairness.” 

“We must ensure that more people … have the chance at higher education opportunities.”

At the same time, the supporters of this effort face quite unexpected negative consequences. Institutional racism turned out to be rooted too deeply in the hearts of American officials, business owners and recruiting personnel at all levels. 

A similar situation is connected with college admittance. As there are no clear rules of how to treat the information about criminal past, educational institutions rather often refuse to deal with ex-convicts wishing them to rethink their lives. 

In the end, bias and racism, which continue to poison our society has led to gloomy unemployment statistics. In the first quarter of 2015 there were about 16 percent of unemployed white young men in America but for blacks this number reached 27.5 percent, for the men aged between 20 and 24 these values were 9.1 percent and 17.8 percent respectively. 

Experts from urban institute are sure that high incarceration of black men is mostly to blame for the situation as the latter make just 37 percent of the country’s population but 67 percent of local prison inmates. 

Criminal past becomes a lifelong stigma preventing one from entering into respectable colleges or finding decent jobs. Especially this problem touches upon the people of color adding more discrimination to what they have to face every day.

Urban institute offers to reconsider “ban the box” practice and says, “What is needed instead are policies and programs that address problems much farther upstream, where members of minority communities are being funneled into the criminal justice system.”

Share this article and help to fight against racial discrimination in our communities]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>NYPD Using ‘Modern Straightjacket’ To Restrain A Black Man</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8013-nypd-using-modern-straightjacket-to-restrain-a-black-man</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8013-nypd-using-modern-straightjacket-to-restrain-a-black-man#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688193-1.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688193-1.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2016 22:26:56 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[This dehumanizing act should end immediately.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A stunned and horrified onlooker recorded and uploaded on YouTube a video showing NYPD officers using an inhumane type of restraint device, a “body bag”, on an African-American man. 

In the video uploaded this March the man is seen lying on the ground not far a subway stop with his wrists tied and legs taped. The officers are literally packing the poor guy in a kind of long bag which is then zipped over his face. 

The passersby were clearly heard expressing their shock:

“This is the craziest s–t I’ve ever seen done to somebody in my whole f–king life. Holy s–t. What do you call that thing?”

“Never in my life have I seen anything like this. What the f–k is wrong with you people? There’s a man in that bag like an animal.”

The viewers soon got all the information the NYPD thought they deserved to know. The terrible thing was called ‘EDP bag’ and was used by police for restraining allegedly emotionally disturbed individuals.

“[The NYPD] uses the device when an EDP is violent and may cause harm to themselves or others. The bag is ventilated and they can breathe,” a spokeswoman for the NYPD noted in a statement.

DeSantis Company produces these modern torture instruments and seems to be proud of its invention.  It was called a “modern straightjacket reinvented.” The bag is recommended to police as a “durable” solution in cases of “bringing in an emotionally-disturbed person (EDP) to the psychiatric emergency room or temporarily to a holding cell.”

The description on the producer’s site continues with lots more gruesome details and features including handles for even distribution of bodyweight and strong material, easy to clean and allowing bodily fluids pass through. 

The only problem, which may rise from the use of such “convenient” product, is that according to experts it traumatizes an already traumatized person even more. 

Carla Rabinowitz is an advocacy coordinator for Community Access, a New York-based support organization for people living with mental illness, says, “Use of such restraint traumatizes a person in emotional distress and exacerbates the condition and experience of the crisis for the individual.”

“It is a dehumanizing tactic, and promotes stigma against people with mental health issues.” 

The man in the YouTube clip, Johnell Muhammad, was only suspected of not paying for subway. 

According to The Times, the practice of  turning a suspect into living luggage has been used by the NYPD more than once a day during the period between January 1 and April 20 of this year.

The relevance of mental health is growing quicker and quicker when we speak about the relations between African Americans and police.

There is a long list of names of nonviolent Black people suffering from psychic disorders and killed by police. Take Kevin Matthews from Michigan, Anthony Hill from Georgia, or Ezell Ford from Los-Angeles. 

All these deaths seem to be approved by general public considering mentally disabled people dangerous. A study by the American Psychological Association shows that only 7.5 percent of crimes committed by mentally ill people are directly connected to the symptoms of their diseases. 

Jillian Peterson, the study’s lead researcher states, “When we hear about crimes committed by people with mental illness, they tend to be big headline-making crimes so they get stuck in people’s heads.”

“The vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent, not criminal and not dangerous.”

What we see clearly proves that police feels responsible for serving and protecting preferably white and healthy citizens while treating the rest like animals. Freddie Gray died being restrained in a much more ‘gentle’ way, because he was deprived from the right to get medical assistance. Can you imagine how many black people can die the same way if they are place in such ‘comfortable’ and ‘safe’ bags?!

Share this article and help to fight against racial discrimination and police brutality in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Justice War For Freddie Gray Continues</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8008-justice-war-for-freddie-gray-continues</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8008-justice-war-for-freddie-gray-continues#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688192.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688192.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2016 21:26:01 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A defendant testifies against a co-defendant in Maryland. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[This week Maryland court and its Circuit Judge Barry Williams, who’s instead of jury to make a decision concerning the fate of Officer Nero, are taking part in a unique trial. Edward Nero is facing misdemeanor charges of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in connection with the death of a young black man, Freddie Gray.

The trial is so special because it is the first time when a defendant (Officer Garrett Miller) has to testify against a co-defendant with his own charges pending. In order not to force Officer Miller to testify against himself (the trial is to take place in July) he was provided with immunity.

One of the defense attorneys involved in the case said, &quot;We're seeing things we've never seen before: defendants in the midst of criminal charges pending against them being called to testify against the co-defendant.&quot;

Marc Zayon, Edward Nero’s defender, and Chief Deputy State's Attorney Michael Schatzow though have already done their best to discredit Miller’s words by objecting him and trying to contrast his statements to police investigators with his current testimony.


In one of the interviews Nero stated: &quot;Miller and I, we got him in custody,&quot; but later his defender asked not to treat &quot;one misstated pronoun&quot; as a basis for the state assault case. Zayon also insisted that Nero touched Gray only once in order to help him find his inhaler.

Miller testified that Officer Nero didn’t participate in ‘grabbing’ Gray.

Schatzow asked Miller, &quot;Did there come a time when you and the defendant apprehended Mr. Gray?&quot;

&quot;I did, sir,&quot; Miller answered.

This hearing conducted in such an unusual way may arouse many arguments even between the prosecutors because the reason of the chase, which led to forcible placing Freddie Gray in the police van without buckling the seatbelt, still remains unclear.

We hope that no matter what, the judge will decide wisely from all the evidence and testimonies and refuse to be swayed away by any false testimony by a police officer, thereby shifting guilt.

Ensure to visit this page for all exclusive updates and uncensored news. Kindly SHARE this article on any social media of your choice]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Modern Teens Don’t Believe In Future Without Racism Any More</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/8001-modern-teens-dont-believe-in-future-without-racism-any-more</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/8001-modern-teens-dont-believe-in-future-without-racism-any-more#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688191.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo752143744302688191.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2016 20:06:34 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Aaron Lewis]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Racism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Youth don’t think that situation with racial discrimination has got better than 50 years ago.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A recent poll conducted by Newsweek shows that president Obama might be the only person in the country thinking that now is the best time to be “young, gifted, and black’ in America”. 

The poll involved 2,057 citizens between the ages of 13 and 17. The results showed that 82 percent of young people today are completely sure that racism is a plague of their time. By a way of contrast only 44 percent of youngsters in 1966 shared such opinion. The gap is even deeper for teenagers of color: 91 percent of those at the moment think that racial discrimination is not gone yet, though in 1966 only 33% of black teens were taking this view. 

These figures are sad indeed as they show that regardless all efforts to fight racial bias the situation hasn’t got better and has even got worse. Our black president is finishing his second term, the schools were desegregated quite long ago, but the future prospective still doesn’t seem too bright for the younger generation. 

Who is to blame? Why does not the most diverse generation share the dreams and ideas of their predecessors, who had to literally struggle for freedom and equality? Possibly, they face the same ‘old racism’ in a different form, even in the 21st century.

&quot;Teenagers are growing up under this black president, yet at the end of his presidency we are seeing a constant stream of police killings and a new civil rights movement that’s really turning the narrative on its head,&quot; Nikole Hannah-Jones, a New York Times journalist, told Newsweek.

ProPublica 2014 report concerning police killings says that teenagers of color have 21 times more chances to be shot than their white counterparts. One can constantly see names like Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and Tamir Rice all over the media. These guys are much closer to modern youth than some romantic stories from the past. So the present they see, hear, and feel forms their attitude, it also frightens the representatives of racial minority among them. And when you are frightened you can’t have high hopes or dreams. 

Share this article and help to fight against injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>John Lewis’ Graphic Novel to Be Taught in NYC Public Schools</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/7996-john-lewis-graphic-novel-to-be-taught-in-nyc-public-schools</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/7996-john-lewis-graphic-novel-to-be-taught-in-nyc-public-schools#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/NYC-CRM.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/NYC-CRM.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2016 19:11:19 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[MARCH, a graphic novel by John Lewis will now reach the nation’s largest public school system.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The New York City Department of Education, largest and most segregated in the country, will henceforth include in its Social Studies curriculum John Lewis’ graphic novel series, ‘March’, to instruct students on the civil rights movement.

‘MARCH’ is a graphic novel trilogy that tells the first-hand account of Congressman John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights.

“I am deeply moved that New York City Public Schools are adding March to the Social Studies curriculum. This is a major step to ensuring every young person receives the best possible education about Nonviolence and the Civil Rights Movement,” Lewis wrote on his Facebook page.

This is a good initiative by the NYC Department of Education which will aid stop and end discrimination, as children will grow up knowing their history and the value of their culture, rights and privileges. We hope that other departments of education in different states will follow this good example.

Kindly SHARE this article on any social media of your choice.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Innocent Black Man Cleared After 17 Years In Jail</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/7990-innocent-black-man-cleared-after-17-years-in-jail</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/7990-innocent-black-man-cleared-after-17-years-in-jail#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo_2016-05-16_10-28-02.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/photo_2016-05-16_10-28-02.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2016 09:31:08 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Most Popular</category>
			<description><![CDATA[It took the criminal justice system 17 years and multiple DNA tests to drop charges against a wrongfully convicted man who wasted half of his life in prison.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A perfectly innocent man, Malcolm Bryant, was thrown behind bars for the crime he did not commit and was finally freed after long 17 years in prison.

A bloody murder of a 16-year-old teen, Toni Bullock, back in 1998 put Bryant in a jail cell where he was obviously doomed to die. Thankfully, Bryant’s nightmare of wrongful imprisonment was over after prosecutor Marilyn Mosby’s decision to reopen and investigate the case. Over the years had prosecutors resisted multiple DNA tests of Bullock's nail clippings and the T-shirt she wore prior to the murder.

After all, when the tests eventually got into the court, their ambiguous results put Bryant’s guilt of the crime under the question. The latest lab test revealed the presence of the other DNA profile that didn’t match Bryant's.

Malcolm Bryant has always maintained his innocence, and now, the evidence seems to indicate he was telling the truth. Bryant’s case is not an isolated or surprising one. It only exposes the American criminal justice system's biggest weakness and the total lack of accountability.

Mosby told it was prosecutors’ responsibility to determine who the other profile might have belonged to.

Marilyn Mosby is one of those who advocate justice for people of color. Unlike the rest of corrupt criminal justice system’s representatives, Mosby provides a bright example of a person who serves her country faithfully.

Since the Black nation can’t reach justice themselves, we need more people like Mosby who could represent Black interests in the government.



Share this article and help to fight against judicial injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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