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		<title>Black Matters</title>
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		<link>https://blackmattersus.com/</link>
		<description>BlackMattersUS.com</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2016 22:18:48 -0400</lastBuildDate>
		<language>en-US</language>
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			<title>Death Of Lennon Lacy: No Evidence That It Was Homicide</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9637-death-of-lennon-lacy-no-evidence-that-it-was-homicide</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9637-death-of-lennon-lacy-no-evidence-that-it-was-homicide#comments</comments>
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			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2016 19:17:41 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Most Popular</category>
			<description><![CDATA[He was found hanging from a belt that did not belong to him in a small town trailer park. However, after ‘a thorough’ investigation, the Justice Department said they found no evidence of Lacy's violent death.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Lennon Lacy, a 17-year-old Black high school student, was found dead hanging on a Child’s swing in the morning of August 29, 2014. He was from Bladenboro, North Carolina. When this happened, regardless all rumors of racially motivated killing, local police instantly labeled his death as a suicide. However, his family and friends think otherwise.

His family requested the help of the North Carolina NAACP in getting to the root of the case. Hence, their first call of action was to hire an expert pathologist to review the case. His report was surprising and left many unanswered questions.

In his preliminary report, he stated that “the basic protocol for investigating a death scene was not followed by local law enforcement.”

Lennon is remembered as a positive and active young man, too reasonable for a suicide. There are also many additional facts that complicate the case like Lacy’s controversial relationship with a white woman and his active contacts with both black an white communities. 

Meanwhile, from a federal prosecutor’s office in North Carolina, the Lacy family cannot go on to pursue criminal civil rights charges because they found no proof. So the U. S. Justice Department decided to close the investigation of Lacy’s death.

But one thing that we have to understand is that if he was a white teen, the matter would have been taken seriously and evidences wouldn’t have been allegedly tampered.

#Justice4Lennon #LennonLacy #ForwardTogether.

Share this article and help to fight against racism in the police and to help get justice for Lennon Lacy.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Racism In Beauty Industry Is Spreading</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9631-racism-in-beauty-industry-is-spreading</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9631-racism-in-beauty-industry-is-spreading#comments</comments>
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			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2016 17:27:58 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Most Popular</category>
			<description><![CDATA[“He said he didn’t have the time to do my hair and that my hair was like an animal he couldn’t tackle.”]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Bianca Dawkins went through the pain of having to face a Stylist, Justin Waltenberg, who was supposed to straighten her beautiful curly hair. To her surprise, he started grumbling that he didn’t have time to straighten it up and with all his experience and skills, he wouldn’t be able to handle her ‘animal’ hair.

He didn’t even stop there, he went on to call 5 other stylists to come and see, who could do her hair, but none of them could do what she wanted. It looked very much like a mockery. 

“So, what? Black girls can’t come in here and get their hair done?” she asked.

“Well, it isn’t the 1950s or ’60s, where we can just put up a sign in the window,” Waltenberg replied.

Prior to this time, she had made an appointment by calling to book a two-hour window frame and describing what style she wanted to have so that they would get the person, who could do this. But after all the humiliation and insults she received from this racist stylist, she left and went to VIP Hair and Nails Salon. She couldn’t stand it any longer.

When the day was over, she posted her unsatisfactory appointment at the white salon on Facebook which went viral. Dawkins remarks which she posted June 10, “I really felt disrespected being that I had already called a couple days before to let them know I would need a two-hour window frame and someone who could do my hair. What hurts my feelings the most, is that today my hair was called an animal by a white man who knows nothing about black girl curls. I’m disappointed.”

The owner of the saloon, Denny Kemp, replied on their Facebook page June 10.

“Though we believe that our stylist meant no harm and simply spoke inarticulately, his words were perceived as hurtful and completely contrary to what our salon stands for,” it said in part. “We have reached out to the client to apologize to her directly and spoken with our stylist in order to ensure that he understands that his words – intentional or not – were improper and offensive.”

Despite this unfortunate racist encounter, the salon still has Waltenberg as an employee because “he’s a good stylist.”

From this story, we can see how racism doesn’t only exist but is in every sphere of life. Some white people refuse to agree that institutional racism still exists but facts in this video may drastically change their perception.

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>Quota System For Arrests And Tickets Is Trap For Blacks</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9625-quota-system-for-arrests-and-tickets-is-trap-for-blacks</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9625-quota-system-for-arrests-and-tickets-is-trap-for-blacks#comments</comments>
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			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2016 09:58:16 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Most Popular</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Making as many arrests as possible is the only goal of police across the country]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[It’s not surprising that the quality of police actions is measured by the number of arrests they made and amount of money they extorted from people. It means that corruption in law enforcement reached its highest. Without further ado, let’s take a glimpse into the so-called quota system which encourages police officers to treat everyone in community as a potential criminal.

Over the years, police have been operating under an unofficial quota program. It has become a common practice to conduct random traffic stops and fabricate charges against innocent people to meet monthly quotas.

Have you ever wondered why people from minority neighborhoods almost always get arrested for petty offenses? It’s a very common misconception that Black people are inherently more violent and much more likely to commit crimes than other racial groups. So, police commanders mostly send their officers to patrol these particular areas. It makes easier for corrupt police to cover up the unnecessary arrests they make as well as the illegally issued tickets.

The quota system has been denied for a long time and it is still so. However, when another evidence of police corruption hits the light its existence can’t be any longer denied.

The distrust between police and communities is already that huge that we simply can’t think otherwise.

Share this article and help to fight against racism in the police.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Charleston Anniversary: Should We Forgive The Shooter?</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9617-charleston-anniversary-should-we-forgive-the-shooter</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9617-charleston-anniversary-should-we-forgive-the-shooter#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/roof.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/roof.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jun 2016 00:17:33 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[The very same day the year before Dylann Roof entered Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston with a gun and murdered 9 black parishioners.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Families of the victims still remember that day like it was yesterday. An awful crime motivated by racial hatred took lives of 9 innocent people, who were peacefully studying Bible on June 17, 2015.

Nadine Collier, a daughter of one of the victims, surprised many people last year when she stood up during the court and said that she forgave Dylann Roof for what he had done. Her words raised a philosophical question about whether Roof should be forgiven or not.  As passionate believers some of victims' relatives have already forgiven the shooter.

Others don’t understand how this hateful crime could be ever forgiven, especially when murderer doesn’t show any repentance at all.

&quot;I’m not bitter,&quot; said Collier’s sister during an interview. &quot;But I’m just not ready to forgive you if you don’t even act like you want to be forgiven.&quot;

Well, of course, is a personal decision of every victim’s family member. The only fact we know for sure is that now Dylann Roof should be punished properly according the law. He faces lifelong imprisonment or death sentence for federal hate crime charges and a number of state charges.

According to the last poll most South-Carolinian African-Americans believe that Roof deserves life in prison without remission chance over death penalty.  It clearly shows how merciful black people are, they don’t want to see anyone’s blood but want justice to be restored.  However we can’t say the same about white Americans who usually advocate for the strictest punishment for all black offenders.

Dylan Roof is only a symptom of the disease spread through America.  He is a son of racist system which is stacked against black communities.

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>White Attorney Accused of Harassing Black Official with KKK Drawings</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9612-white-attorney-accused-of-harassing-black-official-with-kkk-drawings</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9612-white-attorney-accused-of-harassing-black-official-with-kkk-drawings#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/LA-Attorney-Weign-Spindler-01.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/LA-Attorney-Weign-Spindler-01.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 23:32:22 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Aaron Lewis]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Racism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[This racist man then sues city for his arrest, claiming he’s an ‘Emotional Wreck’.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Last month Wayne Spindler, an attorney, was arrested by the police for racially offensive drawing which he gave to the first ever Black city council president Herb Wesson. Now he turns around to sue the city for an outrageous sum of money.

After making criminal threats with a burning cross on his drawing, he declared a hate speech and signed “Herb=N*gger”.

Spindler has filed 2 cases against the city of Los Angeles claiming $775,000 in damages.

“They branded me a racist and scared the hell out of the judges and clients,” Spindler told City News Service. He added that he’s been emotionally disoriented and only gets about three hours of sleep each night.

His claims are lies and doesn’t line up with his frequent visits in the courtroom in a KKK hood. City’s Council President, Wesson also doesn’t agree with his hilarious claims.

“It has risen to the point that I have serious concerns about my safety, my family’s safety, my staff’s safety and the safety of my colleagues on the city council,” Wesson said.

A restraining order has been filed by Wesson against him but Spindler has vowed to file a federal suit if his suit is rejected. Wayne Spindler’s claims are just ridiculous; he obviously deserved to be arrested for promoting hate and threatening a black man.

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 Men Vs White Men: Who Is More Attentive To Their Children?</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9608-black-men-vs-white-men-who-is-more-attentive-to-their-children</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9608-black-men-vs-white-men-who-is-more-attentive-to-their-children#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_19-28-12.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_19-28-12.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 21:49:30 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Aaron Lewis]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Racism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A 3-year study by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) defies stereotypes of many black fathers.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Most often, people are quick to stereotype African-American fathers to not caring or paying much attention to their children as compared to White fathers.

The NCHS has released some new statistics which proves that out of 10 African-American fathers, 7 are most likely to be very personal with their children. They most of the times help their wives to bath, dress, feed and diaper children. But for Whites, statistics show that only 6 out of 10 will get that much involved with their children.

“Fatherhood for a young man, especially a young Black man, is incredibly important simply because it gives us a sense of strength in a world in which everybody seems to be against you. It breaks crippling stereotypes and strengthens the African-American family,” said Darius Bego, a 23-year-old father who is a student at the University of South Carolina.

He went on to say that, “most of all, having a father provides a great example of what it’s like to be strong man in a world that grows increasingly dangerous and challenging for a Black man. And when fathers instill such strength and wisdom into each of their children it strengthens the community as a whole for each generation.”

Jennifer Allen, 40, from LA agrees that a father can influence the life of his growing daughter.

“Young females without fathers can tend to be promiscuous and lost about love. This causes them to look and search for the lost love that’s been missing from the Black father,” she said. “They end up with somebody who doesn’t love them. A father that is home is special and should be. My father wasn’t home, but for some reason I could talk to him and tell him stuff that I couldn’t tell my mom. When a Black father is home he is truly the definition of a backbone and a protector.”

This makes us understand how black fathers have helped in raising responsible young women and men by their true actions and not what others perceive them to be.

Black people are the most prejudiced group in American society. As for black fathers they often are perceived as irresponsible and not caring about their own children. But in many cases stereotypes about blacks don’t portray the truth, as has been elaborated in this story.

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 Gets Almost $100K For Being ‘Manhandled And Roughed Up’</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9604-black-man-gets-almost-100k-for-being-manhandled-and-roughed-up</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9604-black-man-gets-almost-100k-for-being-manhandled-and-roughed-up#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_18-53-39.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_18-53-39.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 21:20:34 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA["They wanted to stay under six figures," Anthony Greene said. "We agreed to go at that ($99,999) number."]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[&amp;nbsp;

Black man who was “manhandled and roughed up” by a Grand Rapids Police officer finally received the settlement. The incident happened in May 2011, more than 5 years ago.

Jolly Jackson, was pulled over by Grand Rapids Police officer for not having his headlights on.  As it is the habit of racist cops, he ordered him to get out of his car, searched and found nothing but went ahead to handcuff Jackson kicking him with knee in the process.

The defendant, which is the city, argued that Jackson &quot;resisted the officers by repeated and continued failure or refusal to comply with their lawful commands and by physically resisting their lawful attempt to handcuff him.&quot;

However, these accusations were overruled. According to the federal judge reviewing the civil lawsuit, Jackson was “largely complaint” and that officers might have infringed on his Constitutional rights.

&quot;The entire factual record contradicts Defendants' contention that consent was given for any search, and calls into question the Officers' basis for any 'reasonable suspicion' that Jackson was 'armed and dangerous,' or probable cause for his 'arrest,'&quot; U.S. District Court Judge Paul Maloney reported on the case after declining the city’s proposal to come out with the suit.

Jackson’s attorney said they took the settlement because he didn’t want to see his client “to re-live all of it” in a trial.

We want to congratulate Mr. Jackson for triumphing over this case and showing us all that we can actually achieve justice if we fight for it and never give up.

Share this article and help to fight against injustice and police violence in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Orlando: Black Victims Need Support</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9599-orlando-black-victims-need-support</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9599-orlando-black-victims-need-support#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_18-39-30.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_18-39-30.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 20:49:36 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Black victims of Orlando massacre need our help as some of them struggling to raise money for medical treatment. #gofundme]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[We all know about the horrible tragedy happened early Sunday, June 12, in Orlando gay nightclub called Pulse. The whole country mourns and prays for the innocent people who lost their lives due to one man’s burning hatred.

No doubt it wasn’t race issue that led Omar Mateen to come into the nightclub and to committee the largest mass killing in America since 9/11. &quot;I don't have a problem with black people. Black people have suffered enough&quot;, said the shooter, according to witness. Still we can’t ignore the fact that black community has suffered irreparable losses in this incident.

Antonio Davon Brown, Darryl R. Burt, Tevin Eugene Crosby, Deonka Deidra Drayton, Paul Terrell Henry, Jason Benjamin Josaphat, Eddie Jamoldroy Justice,  Akyra Murray, Shane Evan Tomlinson – these names sound with distinct pain in our ears. We are not devaluing other victims, but blacks have always had special feeling of unity when it comes to our people.

We sincerely condole with families of passed away; nothing will bring them back their loved ones. But there is something that we can do for them and for those who managed to survive.

The story of one of the victims, Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, broke through the internet after texts he wrote to his mother at his last night were released. &quot;Mommy I love you&quot;, &quot;In club they shooting&quot;, &quot;He's coming. I'm gonna die&quot;, it’s hard to imagine what had felt his mother, when she had received these terrifying massages. Now Eddie is gone, but his family needs financial support to pay medical bills and funeral expenses. Here is GoFundMe platform for Eddie’s family.

Another victim, Rodney Sumter, was working in Pulse club at that horrible night and was shot 3 times during the attack. Now he is in hospital, he has a chance to recover but medical treatment isn’t a cheap thing. Here is GoFundMe platform for Rodney.

The youngest victim was only 18, her name was Akyra Murray, and she had just graduated from the school. She was beautiful, intelligent, ambitious young girl with huge plans for the future. Here is GoFundMe platform for Akyra’s parents.

“Sweezy” Bennett fortunately has stayed alive after shooting, but he has lost his close friend that night. Now he is in hospital, he doesn’t have a medical insurance and needs help to pay his medical bills. Here is GoFundMe platform for Sweezy.

It is not a secret that black people can only lean on black people in this country, because we are all we have. So, let’s not leave them face to face with their challenges.

“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people”, Martin Luther King Jn.

Kindly SHARE this article and don’t forget to support you people.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Innocent Black Man Released After Being Jailed For Almost 9 Years</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9593-innocent-black-man-released-after-being-incarcerated-for-almost-9-years</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9593-innocent-black-man-released-after-being-incarcerated-for-almost-9-years#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_16-05-12.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-16_16-05-12.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 18:14:31 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[An unknown hero paid for Davontae Sanford's massive court fees to fasten his release.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A young black teen, Davontae Sanford, who was 14-years-old at his arrest, was wrongfully jailed for the killings of four people in 2009. He was supposed to have served 37-90 years behind bars. Only a week later after murders were committed, the real gunman confessed to being the killer, but Sanford was still held in prison for nearly 9 years without any reason except being black.

When the news of his release got to his family, it was great long awaiting news but they could not celebrate as much as they would have. The bad news was they were to pay a total amount of $2500 as charges for his court fees and for a public defender. Don’t you find it kind of ridiculous that innocent man had to pay money for being released?

Where were they supposed to find this amount? This problem was going to delay his release after he has been acquitted of all charges by Wayne County Circuit Judge, Brian Sullivan. But when they least expected and were running up and down trying to gather some funds, a savior from nowhere paid the bills anonymously.

Davontae Sanford, the victim of injustice, walked free from an Ionia, Michigan prison on June 8. This was when the Judge had decided to vacate his conviction. He was to serve another two years for misdemeanor assault charges but paying the $2500 court fees had nullified that sentence.

“There was a very generous anonymous donor who knew about the case,” said Valerie Newman, an attorney who aided to get Sanford’s conviction rejected. “Whose response was, ‘I’m not going to let that happen. He’s not going to spend one more second locked up than he already has. I’m going to pay it.’ ”

“I want to try to put this behind me and move on with my life,”  Sanford said. “And move forward with my family, you know. Take one day at a time, one step at a time and just go from there.”

Family lawyer also gave remarks about how they are looking forward to file a civil lawsuit against the city of Detroit and Wayne County officials for this injustice. We hope the authorities will pay him for each and every year the had lost in jail.

Now Sanford is a free man because of this generous hero who didn’t fold his arms allow this injustice to pass him by. Come to think of it, how many innocent black people are sitting in jail for nothing?

Share this article and help to fight against injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Fewer Blacks Killed In Cities With More African-American Police Officers</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9583-fewer-blacks-killed-in-cities-with-more-african-american-police-officers</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9583-fewer-blacks-killed-in-cities-with-more-african-american-police-officers#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cops1.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/cops1.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 09:27:29 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Research reveals rare shootings of people of color at the hands of Black police ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A recent study by New York University sociologist Joscha Legewie and Columbia law professor Jeffrey Fagan revealed that African American police officers are less likely to shoot Black people than their White fellow officers.

The idea to create the Fatal Encounters database of all deaths through police interaction in the USA since January 1, 2001 appeared in the wake of the fatal officer-involved shooting of a naked, unarmed University of South Alabama student back in 2012.

The figures obtained from the Fatal Encounters shown that fewer Black civilians are killed by police in cities with more black officers. The research also revealed that in cities with relatively equal numbers of Black and White residents, the rate of death for people of color at the hands of police was lower when law enforcement was represented by close numbers of White and Black officials.

It is clear that the U.S. police departments have to promote diversity in law enforcement by recruiting officers from Black communities. The more black candidates will be attracted to police force, the less African Americans will be the victims of homicides.

Share this article and help to fight against profiling and stereotypes in the police.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Protest Guru Micah White: Time To Start Revolution</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9575-protest-guru-micah-white-time-to-start-revolution</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9575-protest-guru-micah-white-time-to-start-revolution#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/micahwhite.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/micahwhite.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 08:50:06 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Your Voices</category>
			<description><![CDATA[The instruction on how to start a revolution from the creator of Occupy Wall Street Micah White.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Micah White is an extraordinary person. The only American creator of the Occupy Wall Street movement, the former editor of Adbusters magazine, the author of the book &quot;The End Of Protest: A New Playbook For Revolution&quot; Micah White knows a lot about protest movements and how to start a revolution. Being free is a dream of every honest person. Learn what steps to freedom, equality, and justice every person can take from the protest guru Micah White.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Veteran Of Color Saves Dozens In Orlando. Media Keeps Silent.</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9569-war-veteran-of-color-saves-dozens-during-orlando-shooting-media-remains-silent</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9569-war-veteran-of-color-saves-dozens-during-orlando-shooting-media-remains-silent#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/os3.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/os3.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2016 07:12:40 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA["I wish I could have saved more, to be honest," said a brave ex-marine who had saved 70 people during Orlando nightclub shooting.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Many witnesses of Orlando shooting said that they mistook the gunfire for the part of the show. Luckily, Imran Yousuf, a 24-year-old Hindu who left the Marine Corps just two months prior to the shooting, was working as a bouncer at the Pulse nightclub on Saturday night on June 11. The brave young man recognized the gunfire right away.

“The initial one was three or four (shots),” he said. “That was a shock. Three of four shots go off and you could tell it was a high caliber. Everyone froze. I'm here in the back and I saw people start pouring into the back hallway, and they just sardine pack everyone.”

Yousuf was at the back of the club when the gunman Omar Mateen walked in and started shooting at people. About 70 people panicked and got trapped in the corridor where Yousuf was. They all were so shocked that could do nothing but wait for the deadly shooter to come to them. No one thought to try a locked door leading out the pack of the club onto the street

“There was only one choice. Either we all stay there and we all die, or I could take the chance, and I jumped over to open that latch and we got everyone that we can out of there,&quot; the brave young man said. “As soon as people found that door was open they kept pouring out and after that, we just ran.”

Yousuf stayed after he saved all those people to help carry the wounded to ambulances. Thanks to his training in the Marine Corps, Imran Yousuf was prepared and used strategies from that to pull off this feat and save dozens of lives. Yet, American mainstream media has not covered this act of courage at all. The person of color interests no one.

It is sad that like every other person of color Mr. Yousuf never got the attention he deserved. I am sure, if Imran was white he would be praised and glorified. This country is so white and only Whites have the attention of public here.

Share this article and help to spread the word about the feat of a person of color.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Chicago IPRA Finally Gets Dashcam Video Of Darius Pinex Shooting</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9561-chicago-ipra-finally-gets-dashcam-video-of-darius-pinex-shooting</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9561-chicago-ipra-finally-gets-dashcam-video-of-darius-pinex-shooting#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_20-55-16.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_20-55-16.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2016 23:08:32 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[It took over five years for the IPRA to get the key evidence in the fatal police shooting of a black Chicago man committed in 2011. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The Independent Police Review Authority’s spokesman claimed over the week that the agency has finally gotten what was the key to unlock one of their oldest police shooting cases - a dashcam video showing a traffic stop that ended up with fatal shooting of an African-American, Darius Pinex.

Pinex family said that the video released tells a different story about the shooting, than a police officer, Mosqueda, had fabricated before to save himself from being charged with murder. The video shows only what happened before and after the shooting, but not exactly the moment of the murder. Still it shows that Darius Pinex hadn't tried to drive away as it was claimed by the officers before.

In 2012, the family of the deceased filed a lawsuit against city, but it took the city officials over four years to agree on settling them. The family’s attorney Steve Greenberg said that whatever agreement they will come to, the city will pay “in excess of $2 million”.

As the IPRA re-examine the fatal shooting of Darius Pinex, the family hopes that justice will be served and that those officers will be punished accordingly.

Share this article and help to fight against injustice and police violence in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Black Teen Sentenced To 19 Years For Actions Led To Cop’s Death</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9557-black-teen-sentenced-to-19-years-for-actions-led-to-cops-death</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9557-black-teen-sentenced-to-19-years-for-actions-led-to-cops-death#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_19-36-40-1.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_19-36-40-1.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2016 22:01:15 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Aaron Lewis]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Racism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A 19-year-old African-American, Marcell Dockery, was convicted of murder, and other charges for setting fire on a mattress in Brooklyn, NYC.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Marcell Dockery, a black New Yorker, was convicted on Tuesday, June 14, of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and fourth-degree arson for a fire incident, which occurred on April 6, 2014 that led to the death of a responding officer, Dennis Guerra.

Dockery was at first charged with reckless endangerment, arson and assault and faced 25 years in jail. But when Guerra later died in hospital from complications due to the smoke inhalation, he was again charged with second-degree murder.

Prosecutors portrayed the black teen to be a troubled son that showed no remorse for what happened. Although teen wasn't intended to kill anyone, he just liked to watch flame and was young and inexperienced enough to set fire inside the apartment.

Dockery was given 19 years in jail while killer-cops leave court rooms as free men almost every week, which enlightens racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

People of color, more especially blacks, are likely to face harsh punishments than whites with the similar crimes. A similar example is the Stanford vs Brain Banks rape case, where a white rapist is sent to a six month on vacation in jail while a an innocent black man spends almost six years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

Share this article and help to fight against injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Pepper-Sprayed Victim Donates $100K Settlement To Social Justice</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9551-pepper-sprayed-victim-donates-100k-settlement-to-social-justice</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9551-pepper-sprayed-victim-donates-100k-settlement-to-social-justice#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_18-11-52.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_18-11-52.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:15:26 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A Seattle high school history teacher Jesse Hagopian, pepper-sprayed by police, says he’ll donate the $100K settlement to help movement for justice. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Jesse Hagopian, who was pepper-sprayed by police just after he finished giving a speech at an annual rally marked to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr., announced Tuesday, June 14, that the settlement he received from the city will be used to help people in similar or worse situations.

Sometime in January 2015, Hagopian, while on call with his mother just after his speech, was pepper-sprayed without a reason by a female police officer, Sandra Delafuente.

A video of the incident was captured showing Officer Delafuente showering pepper spray on a group of protesters. Hagopian was not part of the demonstration, he was just a passerby.

Hagopian later filed a $500K lawsuit against the city for the pain he went through after being pepper-sprayed; he was settled, with a sum of $100,000 after months of fighting the suit.

On Tuesday, Hagopian said in an interview, “While that money isn’t justice, that money is going to help the movement for justice. He continued, saying “I want to want to announce today that I am using the money to help fund an initiative in our city called ‘Black Education Matters’, a student activist award. And I am going to use the money for community organizations who are in the pursuit of racial justice, to support Black Lives Matter initiatives, and social justice initiatives in our city that can help in the fight for real justice.”

It has come to a juncture when members of black communities have realized that they only can lean on themselves in this country, because the government refuses to support minorities and solve their problems. This is why communities need people like Hagopian, who can do whatever it takes to fight for justice.

Share this article and help to fight for justice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Brutal Alabama Cop Fatally Shoots Black Teen Holding Cellphone</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9547-brutal-alabama-cop-fatally-shoots-black-teen-holding-cellphone</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9547-brutal-alabama-cop-fatally-shoots-black-teen-holding-cellphone#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_15-53-48.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_15-53-48.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2016 18:06:50 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A mobile police officer fatally shot a 19-year-old black teen, Michael Moore, during a traffic stop Monday, June 13 in Toulminville, Alabama. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[On Monday, just before 6:30 p.m., a police officer shot and killed an African-American, Michael Moore, as he stepped out of his car with his cellphone in his hand.

Moore and his two friends were driving on the Stanton Road, near USA Medical Center, when the officer stopped them for overtaking another driver. The officer told Moore to step out of the car knowing that he hadn’t a driver’s license.

The officer reported that he shot Moore because he believed that the black teen had a gun with him.

A neighbor, Willie Westbrook, who saw the incident, explained that as the black teen stepped out of his car holding his cellphone, the officer straight way shot him without a second taught. Even when the teen fell on the ground, the officer was still not satisfied, so he stood over him and continued shooting.

“… after he shoots him the fourth time, he says don’t move turn over. The guy couldn’t turn over...,” Westbrook said. She told officials that the teen didn’t pose any threat to the officer.

The police department, carrying out an investigation of the shooting, says that the officer, whose name has not been disclosed, had no body camera on him because he wasn’t yet on the clock.

Cases like these when cops prejudice black people happen day and night in almost every state. Police officers take our kids' lives like they don't cost a thing. It’s not an “incident” but a systematic violence stacked against black communities.

One might say Moore had stolen the car, but even if he did, did he deserve death for this crime? And if he was shot dead for stealing a car or for not driving properly, then what should be done with the killer-cop?

Share this article and help fight against police brutality in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>NYPD Cop Pulls A Gun On Black Cyclist In Fender-Bender</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9541-nypd-cop-pulls-a-gun-on-black-cyclist-in-fender-bender</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9541-nypd-cop-pulls-a-gun-on-black-cyclist-in-fender-bender#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_13-52-01.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_13-52-01.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2016 16:19:42 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A 21-year-old black cyclist plans to sue a white NYPD police officer for threatening his life by pointing a gun at him during a fender-bender.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[A video posted online over the week shows a white off-duty New York police officer, Sgt. Gregory Abbott, pointing a gun at a black bicycle messenger, Dejaune Jones, during a confrontation.

On Monday afternoon, June 13, the Sgt. Gregory Abbott alleged that Jones hit his vehicle’s side-view mirror and got back to take out something that looked like a gun.

The officer immediately pointed a gun at the black cyclist, although Jones said he had never even had a gun not to talk about taking it out. He explained that he had been trying to pick up his Allen keys that fell from his pocket, which he uses to adjust his bicycle. However these keys apparently made the officer feel extremely threatened.

Jones said that the plainclothes officer did not identify himself as a police officer when he asked him to drop down what he was holding. At some point in time, the officer, trying to joke, said,  “Let me know when I’m on WorldStarHipHop,” a website that posts videos about police assaults and violence.

The NYPD spokesman Stephen Davis said Tuesday, June 14, that the “incident remains an active investigation”.

One question in mind is that what if Jones was white; would Officer Abbott have pulled a gun on him? Definitely not, but a black man is always a target because of racist instincts, it’s just the character of police in AmeriKKKa.



Share this article and help to fight against racism and police violence in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>145 Years After Killing Of Civil Rights Leader Octavius V. Catto</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9536-145-years-after-killing-of-civil-rights-leader-octavius-v-catto</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9536-145-years-after-killing-of-civil-rights-leader-octavius-v-catto#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_18-33-07.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-15_18-33-07.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2016 10:58:00 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[One of the most prominent African Americans striving for equality was fatally shot by Whites  145 years ago]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Today we honor Octavius V. Catto, renowned as a co-founder of the National Equal Rights League and one of Philadelpia’s most distinguished Black leaders who played a crucial role in the fight against slavery.

Catto was born in Charleston, which still mourns the Charleston Church shooting victims gunned down by white supremacist Dylann Roof on June 17, 2015.

Fortunately, the city is famous not only for that horrific massacre. Charleston can boast its outstanding citizen who became one of the most influential African Americans in the black history.

At that point, Philadelphia was home to America’s largest free-black community and Catto was the one who contributed a lot to its development.

Catto was an outstanding man in many respects. Upon graduating from the Institute for Colored Youth in 1858 he launched his career as assistant to the principal. He was engaged in politics and strove to gain civil liberties for Blacks. During the War he raised a company of Black volunteers to help lead the Union army to victory.
Catto alongside his beautiful fiancee made efforts to gain equal access to public transportation sitting on all-whites street cars.

Catto’s death came at a time of the 15th Amendment’s ratification when he was fatally shot by Frank Kelly, a Democratic Party operative and associate of the Party's boss on Election Day.

For Whites, the very thought of an educated man interfering with their business was unbearable. They realized that Catto wouldn’t stop fighting to make Black people free and used lethal force to make him stop.

Not a day goes by without black people being somehow oppressed. We become victims of racist police officers, teachers and doctors. We have to struggle every to survive in the world of White privilege. We are less in number but we will go on to exercise our rights until the war on Blacks is over!

Ensure to visit this page for all exclusive updates and uncensored news. Kindly Share this Article on any social site to help set Jasmine Free.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Friend Of Black Activist Explains Reasons Behind His Suicide</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9525-friend-of-black-activist-explains-reasons-behind-his-suicide</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9525-friend-of-black-activist-explains-reasons-behind-his-suicide#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CP7JAaoXAAAac4Z.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/CP7JAaoXAAAac4Z.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jun 2016 09:20:12 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Your Voices</category>
			<description><![CDATA[The interview on the death of activist MarShawn McCarrel with his close friend, Dante Barry]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Being the director of @MillionHoodies, a Black racial justice membership organization, Dante Barry is one of those people who lead the Black community and help us to change our lives for better. Yet, activism is a two-side coin. There are times when a person feels empty and lets his demons win. This is what happened to MarShawn McCarrel, an activist and a friend of Dante Barry. On February 8, 2016, MarShawn took his own life in front of Ohio's Statehouse. This suicide shocked everyone. Today we will raise uneasy questions on this unfortunate death and activism in general.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Chicago IPRA Investigates Video Of White Cop Stomping Black Man’s Head</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9517-chicago-ipra-investigates-video-of-white-cop-stomping-black-mans-head</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9517-chicago-ipra-investigates-video-of-white-cop-stomping-black-mans-head#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-14_21-24-42.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-14_21-24-42.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jun 2016 23:27:29 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A white Chicago cop has been stripped of his badge after he was caught on video stomping a 24-year-old black man’s head.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The Chicago Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) has launched an investigation into a video showing an officer trying to arrest a black man in the North Lawndale neighborhood while another stomps his head and face on the ground.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in an email that “After careful consideration and reviewing the video footage, Superintendent (Eddie) Johnson has decided to relieve one of the officers involved in the incident that occurred on the 3900 block of West Grenshaw of his police powers while IPRA investigates the case.”

In the video, one of the officers can be seen struggling to arrest an African-American, while the other officer, without police uniform, is trying to control the crowd. At some point in time, the cop making the arrest calls for back up and there the plainclothes officer goes and stomps the head of the black man lying on the ground.

Protesters gathered in numbers on the West Side of Chicago because of the “video released of a young man experiencing police brutality”.

The excessive use of force has taken a new high in almost every state, as there have been over 400 shootings, most of which are African-Americans, in the previous months in Chicago alone.  Since day one, the country has oppressed black people and it seems like the police are given power brutalize them the more.

These officers definitely need to be punished for their baric actions in order to get just and effective police system.



Share this article and help to fight against police brutality in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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