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		<title>Black Matters</title>
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		<link>https://blackmattersus.com/</link>
		<description>BlackMattersUS.com</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:00:26 -0400</lastBuildDate>
		<language>en-US</language>
				<item>
			<title>Another Officer In #FreddieGray Trial Acquitted Of All Charges</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9939-another-officer-in-freddiegray-trial-acquitted-of-all-charges</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9939-another-officer-in-freddiegray-trial-acquitted-of-all-charges#comments</comments>
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			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jun 2016 16:01:12 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[First was Officer William Porter in December, 2nd was Nero which ended last month and now Officer Goodson, who faced the most serious charges among the 6 officers.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The Baltimore Police van driver, Caesar Goodson Jr., accused of 7 different charges including three counts of manslaughter and “reckless riding”, had been cleared of all charges, Circuit Judge Barry Williams declared on Thursday.

Williams said that, the timeline of Gray’s injuries is still unclear and the state &quot;failed to meet its burden&quot; to present enough evidence to back its assertions.

&quot;As the trier of fact, the court can't simply let things speak for themselves,&quot; Williams said.

Now, the rest of the officers have also pleaded not guilty and their charges are similar to Goodson’s, so all hopes are extinguishing in finding any of them guilty. It means that there is no justice going to be restored in Freddie Gray’s case and none of the officers will be brought to account.

But there is no doubt all of the officers are guilty. We don’t know what exactly had happened in the police van, but we know that humans’ spines don’t break without any impact. Was it a reckless driving or a brutal beating? We can’t say, but none of the officers had called the ambulance, none of them had tried to help Freddie and save his life. We demand justice for Gray, not just a settlement which doesn’t amount to the value of his life. Civil settlement is not justice! Cops should pay for their crimes.

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>Water Engineering Companies Are Sued Over Flint Crisis</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9933-water-engineering-companies-are-sued-over-flint-crisis</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9933-water-engineering-companies-are-sued-over-flint-crisis#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/flint1.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jun 2016 09:41:06 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[The companies Veolia and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam are blamed for the tainted water in Flint ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has filed a civil lawsuit against two private water engineering companies that were involved in Flint's lead-tainted water crisis.

The firms Veolia and Lockwood, Andrews &amp;amp; Newnam, or LAN, were accused of worsening Flint’s water crisis through professional negligence and fraud.

In simple words, two corporations were hired by the City of Flint to fix the problems at the water treatment plant. However, they failed to detect the lack of corrosion which resulted in lead leaching into the water that further went to thousands of homes.

Multi-million dollar contracts were awarded to the companies which were expected to help Flint and its desperately poor citizens who were deprived of water. Instead, they acted irresponsibly, which exacerbated the current drinking water problems in the city.

Now let’s look at this from another angle. The city decided to switch to a cheaper and more polluted water source, then hired the private companies to advise it about using the Flint River as its drinking water source. The government was as responsible for what happened as the private companies. They both overlooked a number of serious problems which led to the disastrous consequences.

Even though the government will never admit it was wrong, it’s the first one to be blamed for saving money instead of providing people with good quality water.

Share this article and help to #Save_Flint_Today.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>This Is How You Rock Your Natural Hair!</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9925-this-is-how-you-rock-your-natural-hair</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9925-this-is-how-you-rock-your-natural-hair#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bride1.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jun 2016 08:10:46 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Entertainment</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A beautiful Texas bride and her bridesmaids rocked their natural hair and got viral across the Internet.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Nakyia Whitty, a happy young wife from Houston, Texas, never expected to become popular all over the Internet when she posted some of her June 11 wedding photos on Instagram.

However, the pics that featured her and her bridesmaids all rocking their natural hair became extremely viral and earned a lot of love and support from the Black community.

“I wore my hair this way because it’s how I wear my hair every day,” Nakyia told The Huffington Post. “It’s a part of me. I’m proud enough to wear it daily, even more proud to rock it at such a momentous occasion.”

“The choices that were made for our wedding were strictly made for our enjoyment. For our photo book, our memories. I knew a statement was being made. I didn’t realize it’d be a public one. But since it has been, I’m glad. I’m glad the stereotypes and negative image on our hair is being exposed. Whoever said our natural hair couldn’t be versatile, classy, or professional? Whoever that was lied.”

BlackMattersUS wishes Nakyia and her young husband many happy years together. We are happy that bright, beautiful messages like this change the stereotypes about Black people and our very nature every day!

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>Teacher’s Lawsuit Over Central Park 5 Lesson Can Be Dismissed By NYC</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9909-teachers-lawsuit-over-central-park-5-lesson-can-be-dismissed-by-nyc</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9909-teachers-lawsuit-over-central-park-5-lesson-can-be-dismissed-by-nyc#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688354.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 23:15:07 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Does it mean that a teacher now doesn’t have the freedom to talk about our history in class anymore? Her 1st Amendment right would be infringed upon.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Jeena Lee-Walker, the teacher who had a lesson on Central Park 5, which has raised controversy, was accused of being biased, talking about the wrongfully convicted Black teens, and got fired. This week, the teacher filed a lawsuit.

According to Lee-Walker, she thinks that “because [the students’] instinctual reaction was, like, ‘Oh my God, this is such an injustice, cops are bad’ — just very emotional responses— maybe that was part of what the administrators felt fearful about or unbalanced.”

The truth is always hard to say and until we face the truth about the Justice System and mass incarceration of mostly black and Latino people in this country, we will never get to the root of it. All that she was doing was informing these young pupils.

In Lee-Walker’s lawsuit, she said that most of the students were blacks and Latinos, so the information was relevant to them.

Even though the school officials did not stop her from giving her English lessons, they cornered her to compromise her opinions by being “fair and evenhanded”.

In her lawsuit, she stated that her lecture was a form of political speech, which is protected by the First Amendment.

 “So long as the teacher — consistent with the overall goals of the curriculum — instructs her students without manufacturing history or misleading them, there is no legitimate governmental interest in restraining a teacher’s classroom instruction over fears that students will ‘riot’ or otherwise lose control while learning about an historical event.”

But city’s motion over-rules her argument and they claim she was doing her work as a public school teacher and hence is not protected by First Amendment. If this goes through as it stands now, the freedom of speech will soon become a myth and it will first of all touch upon black people, as the state seems to interested in depriving them from the knowledge of institutionalized racism or systematic injustice  - nobody wants us to fight for our rights.

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>NYPD’s Negligence Caused Death Of A Black Man</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9898-nypds-negligence-caused-death-of-a-black-man</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9898-nypds-negligence-caused-death-of-a-black-man#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688351.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 22:27:14 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Officers refused to give Williams CPR after he got a serious asthma attack. Family sue city for inappropriate death.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The fatal incident that happened at the Yankee Stadium has made waves on the Internet as NYPD officers ignored a black man, who laid unconscious, for 10 minutes. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed last year.

Barrington Williams was chased by police under suspicion of a minor offense, he was caught and restrained, which might have caused the asthma attack.

According to the family’s lawyer, who got the opportunity to see the video record of the incident when investigators turned it in, “for 10 minutes the officers were indifferent and apathetic to Barrington’s life, and those 10 minutes can be the difference between life and death.”

We can see that cops are enthusiastic about attacking black people, but when their professionalism is required to aid a Black citizen, they feel reluctant or do not act at all.

On text on the NYPD cars says CPR – which stands for Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect respectively. But we do not see this in the way they handled Williams’ case so now they should answer for going against their sworn pledge to protect lives.

Lately, it seems that the only thing they are skillful in is shooting and brutalizing people of color.

The IAB investigation reported that excessive force was not used by officers. The Bronx district attorney’s office concluded there was no criminal activity involved. This might be true, but isn’t lethal indifference a crime?

We all remember Eric Garner, a Black man, who was choked to death by an officer, as he had problems with breathing too. Nobody was indicted in his death, and if nobody is indicted now the criminal negligence towards black people may become a dangerous habit of police officers.

Share this article to fight police misconduct.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Tennessee’s 3rd District Candidate, Rick Tyler, Advertises His Racism</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9891-tennessees-3rd-district-candidate-rick-tyler-advertises-his-racism</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9891-tennessees-3rd-district-candidate-rick-tyler-advertises-his-racism#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688350.jpg</image>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 22:15:59 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Most Popular</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Congressional Candidate has installed a “Make America White Again” billboard in Polk County.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[With all due respect, even in view of the First Amendment, Rick Tyler’s idea to put up a giant sign with the text distorting Donald Trump’s election campaign slogan and turning it into a racist proclamation, was too much.

The billboard saying, “Make America White Again” is located in Polk County,  Tennessee; it has caused reasonable outrage and allegations of incitement of ethnic hatred. 

Though the author of these highly controversial words does not see, or pretends not to see anything negative in his motto. He claims he just wanted to remind people about  “a better America where there was far less violent time, you could leave your doors unlocked, and you didn’t have carjackings or home invasions.”

This miserable excuse for politician openly associates white supremacy with peace and prosperity, and black people - with the opposite.  

Unfortunately, no lawsuits were filed against him, but the billboard was removed due to the complaints of the local people.  One of those, posted by Amy Hines Woody on Facebook said: 

“This disgusting bunch of bigotry was erected about 20 minutes from our house. The person listed, Mr. Rick Tyler, is a local business owner. Please, if you are the decent and loving people I know you to be, boycott this business.” 

The whole story looks funny at first, but people like Tyler pose real threat, especially if they are empowered, because the drastic changes they bring will have the form of laws and rulings, so the count of victims may reach hundreds of thousands black people.

Please share this article to prevent people like Rick Tyler from getting into Congress.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Cop Racially Profiles Black Men In Rich White Neighborhood</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9880-cop-racially-profiles-black-men-in-rich-white-neighborhood</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9880-cop-racially-profiles-black-men-in-rich-white-neighborhood#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688347.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688347.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 20:36:19 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Environmental racism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[You should see the embarrassment on his face after viewing the property, which belonged to one of the men.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[In this video, 2 black men, Alphonza Mabry and Steven Jumper, were riding in an affluent community to check on their home. A cop pulled them over and wanted to know why they were in the neighborhood. The men offered the cop to come and see their home as proof. Everything was recorded live. Watch the video and take a keen look at the face of the white racist officer after seeing their house. When they offered him to enter, he refused, maybe because he was embarrassed and ashamed or simply afraid.

Peace to those brothers doing good positive and motivating things for the community. We are thankful to such people for their patience and politeness.

Police want to dog us out when some blacks are in the streets doing crime so congratulations to these brothers doing only good!

Always stand up for your rights and make white supremacists to disgrace themselves in disbelief!

It is high time we stop using molds instead of thinking deeply about what we say about people. Our judgments should be void of racism and stereotyping. There are a lot of rich Black Americans too living in elite neighborhoods, so cops be warned or be ashamed.



Share this article and help to fight against racism in our community.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Freddie Gray Case: Suspicion Of Foul Play In Caesar Goodson Trial</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9873-freddie-gray-case-suspicion-of-foul-play-in-caesar-goodson-trial</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9873-freddie-gray-case-suspicion-of-foul-play-in-caesar-goodson-trial#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688344.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688344.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 19:11:46 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Attorneys gave their closing remarks stating that if a prisoner is combative, “the officer transporting him has no responsibility for his safety.”]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Third Freddie Gray trial Monday ended with the prosecution and black activists wondering, if the verdict on Thursday will be in their favor. All along, hopes were high as other officers testified against Goodson in previous trials. 

The Real News reporter, Stephen Janis gave some additional details revealed during the trial: the officers got out of the van rapidly to check on the condition of Gray but none of them called for medical attention. William Porter, the first officer to have been tried gave a signal for Goodson to close the door.

According to the reporter, Goodson constantly stressed that Gray was combative. Meanwhile, a picture from the scene of arrest suggests that Gray couldn’t even stand on his feet after these officers brutalized him. And for the defense to say that Gray’s injuries were caused by himself is not an argument.

Final statements reveal that Gray wasn’t bleeding in his head, which allows to discard rough riding by Goodson as a probable cause of death. 

Though, if we pay necessary attention to Janis’ words, we’ll see that Freddie Gray did not just die because of the action and inaction or negligence of the officers, he was brutally murdered. All testimonies made during the trial were lies intended to conceal this fact. It touches not only upon Goodson’s words, but upon the word’s of his fellow officers too. 

If the judge rules in favor of Goodson, agreeing to treat clearly false information as evidence, Barry Williams will become a murder accomplice, and we will have the full right to say that the conspiracy against blacks does exist. 

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>Video: Young Black Woman Pummeled By Madison Police</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9860-young-black-woman-pummeled-by-madison-police</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9860-young-black-woman-pummeled-by-madison-police#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ar1.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ar1.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 10:46:10 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Many questions arise over the brutal arrest of Genele Laird]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Black demonstrators rallied around Genele Laird, 18, who was savagely beaten and arrested by Madison police on Tuesday.

A video of an aggressive takedown went viral within several hours after it was posted on Facebook.

The incident ensued at the mall food court after Laird confronted an employee about her stolen phone. During the argument Laird allegedly pulled out the knife and flashed it in front of the employee and security staff threatening to kill them.

Shortly after the incident was reported to police, multiple officers arrived only to escalate the situation.

Laird was forced outside of the mall and brutally slammed to the ground. The video shows two officers piled on top of Laird manhandling the helpless woman.

The officers proceeded to unleash a fury of fists to the woman’s torso while she was lying facedown on the concrete. To have Laird completely restrained they used a Taser on her legs and put a spit mask over her head. Apparently, at some point during the fighting, the officers did something that caused an obstruction to Laird’s breathing since she could be heard saying &quot;I can't breathe&quot;.

The incident landed Genele Laird in jail on tentative charges disorderly conduct while armed, resisting police and causing injury, battery to a police officer and discharge of bodily fluids.

Interestingly, the video was no longer available early Wednesday. It was so until a longer version was posted on YouTube. There’s also no evidence of Laird wielding a knife. However, it’s clear that the officers were behaving in a gang fashion but were never indicted.

Laird’s family and friends think there was no reason to use so much force against her. They demand a restorative justice approach to be taken.

&quot;I just want to say Genele is a good child a good young lady. She's a loving person. She loves animals, she's assistant manager for her store. She doesn't have any record. What happened to her was unfair. She didn't deserve this. No one deserves this, what happened to her&quot;, said Genele’s aunt.

Kindly share this video to help restore the justice for Genele Laird.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>THE HBCU APP: New Way To Unite Black Community</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9842-the-hbcu-app-new-way-to-unite-black-community</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9842-the-hbcu-app-new-way-to-unite-black-community#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/hbcu2.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/hbcu2.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jun 2016 10:01:06 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Your Voices</category>
			<description><![CDATA[The HBCU app's co-founder tells the Black community about all the advantages of his creation]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) have a significant influence on the education of Black people in the US. Good for us, the community is growing really fast, and some high-tech help for the communication and being updated on the community news would be really useful. Not many apps nowadays could be as helpful for the Black community as the HBCU app. Jerald White is a part of FTG Faith Technology group that created the app which provides many features to help not only HBCUs but the entire Black community. And what is great about it: it’s absolutely free and includes HBCU news updates, social network, and even a market!]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>4th Amendment Protects Black Americans From Unlawful Police Stops And Arrests</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9831-4th-amendment-protects-black-americans-from-unlawful-police-stops-and-arrests</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9831-4th-amendment-protects-black-americans-from-unlawful-police-stops-and-arrests#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Justice-Sonia-Sotomayor-01.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Justice-Sonia-Sotomayor-01.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 23:12:40 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Sotomayor gets personal in presenting her opinion on a Fourth Amendment case.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects,[a] against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

SCOTUS says the evidence of a crime may be used against a defendant, even if the police did something wrong or illegal to obtain it. Justice Sonia Sotomayor disagreed and argued that the court’s 5-3 ruling in an illegal search case would allow cops to treat African-Americans and Latinos as “second–class citizens.”

Touching on Michael Brown’s case, she expressed the fact that the decision by the majority of the jury in Utah v. Strieff case sanctions a dangerous law enforcement “consciousness,” that would render many innocent people to be considered as criminal suspects over nothing.

&quot;It allows the police to stop you on the street, demand your identification, and check it for outstanding traffic warrants – even if you are doing nothing wrong,&quot; she wrote.

What happened was a white officer had been suspecting a drug activity and had been monitoring it for a while. Having no base the officer stopped Strieff, searched him and found some narcotics. Upon checking his driver’s license, he found out that he had had an unpaid warrant for traffic violation and arrested him.

The High Court in Utah said the officer illegally acquired the evidence to his claim, which, they said, could not be used against the suspect in court, which exemplifies the Fourth Amendment.

However, the Supreme Court majority ruled differently. According to them, the traffic warrant justified the stop and so Strieff could be prosecuted.

&quot;The discovery of that warrant broke the causal chain between the unconstitutional stop and the discovery of evidence by compelling Officer [Douglas] Fackrell to arrest Strieff,&quot; the majority wrote. &quot;And, it is especially significant that there is no evidence that Officer Fackrell's illegal stop reflected flagrantly unlawful police misconduct.&quot;

Such decision would not only cause a violation of the Fourth Amendment but would pave a way to a Lynch law that will allow the police not to limit themselves while harassing black people, no matter innocent or not.

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>From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9820-from-enslavement-to-mass-incarceration</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9820-from-enslavement-to-mass-incarceration#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688337.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688337.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 22:16:45 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Most Popular</category>
			<description><![CDATA[“I don’t think that slavery ended in 1865, I think it just evolved,” Social Justice Activist Bryan Stevenson said.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Bryan Stevenson, a black man full of passion for equal justice among the citizens of the United States, is working for a museum entitled “From Enslavement to Incarceration” in Montgomery, Alabama.

In his monologue concerning the main idea behind his project he analyses the situation, in which black people were at the times when the Civil War ended, and the situation, in which they are now. He also raises some questions, which will make many people think.

“Why does the United States have the highest rate of incarceration in the world?”

“Why are there 6 million people on probation or parole?”

“Why is it true that today 1 in 3 black male babies born in this country is expected to go to jail or prison?”

Mr. Stevenson believes that, “there is a line from slavery to racial terrorism through segregation that is evident in what we see in our criminal justice system today.”

“I am persuaded that we really won’t eliminate the problems of discrimination in the criminal justice system, in the education system, and in the employment system until we change the narrative of racial difference that we have all accepted,” he states.

Well, Stevenson is right to think that slavery is not over. And from his excellent analysis, it is obvious that the government fully supports the institutionalized racism we see in this country as the state has always needed cheap labor.  The Law Enforcement Agencies and the Justice Department took place of the slave drivers and merchants of the past. For  example, they are trying to imprison  as many black people as possible and are  still using the same inhumane methods to humiliate and put African-American people to their knees.

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>Racist Pittsburg News Anchor Suing For Being Discriminated By Race</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9806-racist-pittsburg-news-anchor-suing-for-being-discriminated-by-race</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9806-racist-pittsburg-news-anchor-suing-for-being-discriminated-by-race#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688332.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688332.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 21:56:54 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Aaron Lewis]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Racism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[“Had Ms. Bell written the same comments about white criminal suspects or had her race not have been white, Defendant would not have fired her, much less disciplined her,” Wendy Bell's attorney says.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[“You needn’t be a criminal profiler to draw a mental sketch of the killers who broke so many hearts two weeks ago Wednesday ... They are young black men, likely in their teens or in their early 20s. They have multiple siblings from multiple fathers and their mothers work multiple jobs. These boys have been in the system before,” Wendy Bell, a former  Pittsburg news anchor, wrote on her Facebook page concerning the March shooting suspects, who have not been identified yet.

As a veteran of the the media she should have known that stereotyping, especially in relation to black people, may become a two-edged sword. WTAE administration demonstrated unprecedented wisdom and Ms. Bell got fired as her comments were considered to be  inconsistent with company’s ethics and journalistic standards and showed the lack of judgment.

Though she later apologized and said her comments “could be viewed as racist”, she disagrees with WTAE's decision and is suing her former bosses. Her lawyer chose an extremely unexpected reason for his claim.
 
“Had Ms. Bell written the same comments about white criminal suspects or had her race not have been white, Defendant would not have fired her, much less disciplined her,” federal court papers filed on Monday state.

Whatever Sam Cordes, Bell's Lawyer, wants to say by this, sounds like a mockery. Working in the media, Bell was perfectly aware of the influence of her words on the perception of black youth as thugs. She used her whiteness as a tool to persuade  white audience and create the impression she wanted to get.  Later she did nothing to eradicate this impression and clear the minds of people from fears and bias.  And now she dares to say she was punished for being white and not for being racist.

It would be a shame if she ever succeeds in her suit!

Share this article and help to fight against racism in our community.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Facebook Video Has Caused Chicago Police To Open An Internal Investigation</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9791-facebook-video-has-caused-chicago-police-to-open-an-internal-investigation</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9791-facebook-video-has-caused-chicago-police-to-open-an-internal-investigation#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688329.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688329.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 19:32:23 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[A 22-year-old black man, Robert Foreman, was attacked and brutalized by a Chicago police officer and later charged  with drinking in public and resisting arrest.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The video posted by Maurice Fulson, who happened to be on the scene, when an officer jumped on and grabbed Foreman and threw punches at him, to Facebook Sunday has forced the Chicago police to open an internal investigation of the incident.

She said concerning the occasion, “he was down; you can see it on the film. He was not fighting back, he wasn’t trying to flip”.

Reports from news station say that Foreman took to his heels before he would have been charged with public drinking. But Foreman testified that he did that out of fear. Prior to this time, he had been robbed so he started running and stopped only after recognizing it was the police that were after him. He did not resist arrest as officers claimed.

“When I turned around and I seen him I’m like, ‘All right, I give up,’ and he just grabbed me and threw me down to the ground; I didn’t resist or nothing,” Foreman said.

The video starts with Foreman on the ground and an officer beating the hell out of him.

“Put your hands behind your back,” the officer yelling at him.

“I’m not fighting,” Foreman responds. “I’m not fighting … I was just getting robbed.”

Chicago police announced in a statement Monday night saying, “Based on this video, CPD has opened an internal affairs investigation into this incident and will be forwarding the video and all relevant reports to the Independent Review Board for investigation. We are committed to the highest levels of integrity and professional standards and look forward to IPRA’s review of this incident.”

We only hope that something good like justice will come out of the internal investigation though our past experiences prove that it will not amount to anything. This is Chicago police and we have already lost faith in their professionalism. Moreover, the officers in the video do not seem to be wearing body cameras so it will require a very good attorney to prove their guilt no matter it is just obvious.



Share this article and help fight against injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>NYPD Shoot Mentally Ill Black Man 31 Times</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9783-nypd-shoot-mentally-ill-black-man-31-times</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9783-nypd-shoot-mentally-ill-black-man-31-times#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688326.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo752143744302688326.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 18:10:39 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[They could have shot him in the arm or leg, somewhere where he could drop and still be alive.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[NYPD officers in Bronx were responding to an alert from shot spotter when they found Rashaun Lloyd around the same area the alert was coming from. They claim that he waved a 9mm handgun at them and started walking towards them. Immediately, they opened fire and shot him 31 good times. There was no hesitation at all.

“The suspect then starts to walk towards the officers, pointing his gun at them. Three officers fired a total of 31 shots, some of which struck the suspect,” NYPD officer Larry Nikunen said.

Their response was mind-boggling, they used excessive force to bring him down without thinking. If they had given him the command to freeze, probably they wouldn’t have had to shoot him at all.

“They could have shot him in the arm or leg, somewhere where he could drop and still be alive. 31 shots is ridiculous,” Ivy Vasquetelles, a friend of   Rashaun responded.

Meanwhile, reports from the family of the victim suggest that he was mentally unstable. His mother made mention of how his conviction of robbery (in which he was innocent) and imprisonment changed him and affected him psychologically.

“My son was supposed to be on meds, and I don’t know if he was taking them. I haven’t seen him in a few months”, she noted.

Statistics prove that 25% of people shot by the police were mentally ill. Meaning that one out of 4 people the police shot needed professional help and not brutal cops, who had no experience in dealing with mentally affected people. Police departments should train cops to know how to deal with ‘special’ suspects, just because their lives matter too.

The need to reform police department has been clear to everyone for long.  Rashaun Lloyd’s case is just one of many but we can’t let it be looked over. We demand justice for him and other mentally ill victims of police brutality.

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>False Imprisonment As Deterrent For Black People</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9778-false-imprisonment-as-deterrent-for-black-people</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9778-false-imprisonment-as-deterrent-for-black-people#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/j1-1.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/j1-1.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 10:44:32 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Zero tolerance laws continue to eliminate black activists from society]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Jasmine Abdullah story has sparked an immediate outcry within the black community, since she was arrested on charges of “felony lynching” and booked in jail.

What is painfully obvious from Abdullah’s case is that the charges against Black Lives Matter activist were fabricated so black people were afraid to protest openly against police brutality.

Abdullah, also known as Richards by her legal name, only intended to prevent the police from attacking a black women who had an argument with a restaurant owner. After all she was portrayed as a villain who was obstructing justice.

However, it is not likely that Whites themselves know what the justice is after they falsely accused a perfectly innocent woman of a crime she didn’t commit.

To convict a black person of “lynching” is a height of insult for us since no black has ever done anything like this.

The arrest of Jasmine Abdullah should be seen as a warning signal for all African Americans. From now on, exercising your rights might land you in jail.

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>System Is Not Broken It Was Built This Way.</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9769-system-is-not-broken-it-was-built-this-way</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9769-system-is-not-broken-it-was-built-this-way#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/10409134_10153859783946834_1823562135101809936_n.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/10409134_10153859783946834_1823562135101809936_n.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 09:27:56 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Your Voices</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Interview with the Copwatch reporter, Peter Soeller, the person who knows it all about police brutality and how the system flourishes thanks to it.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Being inside the system, seeing and, which is particularly important, reporting things that average Black citizen doesn't see is the goal of the Copwatch organization. Peter Soeller is the reporter for Copwatch.  He knows a lot about the way our system is build. Why are our police that racist? Why are body cams a waste of time and money? How is being White helps copwatchers? How dangerous is this job? How is the money for your city's budget made? Read the interview to find the answers to all these questions.]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>Fox News Hosts Believe Charleston Shooting Wasn’t Hate Crime</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9751-fox-news-hosts-believe-charleston-shooting-wasnt-hate-crime</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9751-fox-news-hosts-believe-charleston-shooting-wasnt-hate-crime#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-21_10-09-07.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-21_10-09-07.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jun 2016 02:22:13 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jake Dubois]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Most Popular</category>
			<description><![CDATA[ “Fox & Friends” hosts declare that the shooting was motivated by religious hatred towards Christians, but not racism.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[As we all know Dylann Roof, 21, from Eastover, South Carolina has been accused of killing 9 black people in the church. Officials say that Roof had been sitting at the back of the church one hour before he stood up, made some racist comments and opened fire at people around.

The FBI, Justice Department and the Attorney’s office opened a hate crime investigation.

Despite his obvious hatred against black people, which he expressed regularly before the incident, Fox Host Steve Doocy, on one of the recent shows, commented, “extraordinarily, they called it a hate crime,” he said. “And some look at it as, well, it’s because it was a white guy, apparently, and a black church. But you made a great point just a moment ago about the hostility toward Christians, and it was in a church, so maybe that’s what it was about.”

Co-host, Brian Kilmeade, then also tried to promote this idea, asking a guest, “Is it a church that has white congregants as well as black?”

What surprises many listeners is why Fox News didn’t want to admit it was a racist hate crime when all the facts were right in front of them?

“He made racist jokes, wore patches with flags of racist states and is alleged to have killed 9 people. The motive is mysterious,” wrote Twitter user, @HeerJeet, from Toronto, Canada.

Well, what is obvious for every sane person isn't like that for Fox News staff. It is probably the most racist American channel, not surprising it is so popular in this country.

There’s no argument about this, racism was the motivation for the shooter’s actions. And it seems racism is the motivation for white Fox News hosts, when they claim that Charleston shooting wasn’t a hate crime.

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>Family Demands Justice For Kendrick Johnson</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9744-family-demands-justice-for-kendrick-johnson</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9744-family-demands-justice-for-kendrick-johnson#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-20_15-56-04.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-20_15-56-04.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jun 2016 17:57:39 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tylissa Hide]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Activism</category>
			<description><![CDATA[Federal Authorities have closed Kendrick Johnson’s mysterious death case, in which the main suspect was a white son of an FBI agent.  ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Kendrick Johnson was found inside a rolled up wrestling mat in the gymnasium of Lowndes High School, Valdosta on January 11, 2013. In an initial investigation and autopsy concluded that his death was caused by asphyxia.

After 3 years of a long investigation and prolonged justice, state authorities have decided to close the case and not to bring any charges against anyone, stating it was an accident. Although independent autopsy conducted by parents' order found “unexplained, apparent non-accidental blunt force trauma” to Johnson’s body.

Prior to this time, Johnson’s parents were convinced beyond reasonable doubt that their son was murdered and even named suspect in a civil lawsuit.

&quot;After extensive investigation into this tragic event, federal investigators determined that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone or some group of people willfully violated Kendrick Johnson’s civil rights or committed any other prosecutable federal crime,&quot; a statement from the Justice Department declared. &quot;Accordingly, the investigation into this incident has been closed without the filing of federal criminal charges.&quot;

According to the lawsuit, Brain Bell, a white son of FBI agent had a grudge with Johnson. It also stated that after Johnson had a fight with him on a school bus in 2011, he threatened to kill him.

However, upon all the resources available to the Justice Department, they couldn’t find enough evidences to convict anyone. The footage from the local cameras don't show anything that can help in the investigation neither it show the moment of teen's death nor somebody who was there except Kendrick. As we know hiding or &quot;loosing&quot; videos is not a big deal when FBI involved. The suspicious moment is that county coroner wasn't called to the place of death within 6 hours as it is demanded by state law.

Johnsons maintain that the FBI, school officials and local law enforcement connived to cover up their son’s killing. It is really hard to imagine how 17-year-old boy could accidentally die in school gym in a rolled mat. It might have been an accident, of course, there is not enough evidence to accuse anyone. Still Kendrick's family wish to get any kind of reasonable proof that their son wasn't murdered.

Ensure to visit this page for all exclusive updates and uncensored news. Kindly SHARE this article on any social media of your choice.

&amp;nbsp;]]></content:encoded>
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			<title>4 Cops On 1 Teen: Brutality Against Juveniles</title>
			<link>https://blackmattersus.com/9739-4-cops-on-1-teen-brutality-against-juveniles-in-detention-centers</link>
			<comments>https://blackmattersus.com/9739-4-cops-on-1-teen-brutality-against-juveniles-in-detention-centers#comments</comments>
			<image>https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-20_14-38-36.jpg</image>
			<enclosure url="https://blackmattersus.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/photo_2016-06-20_14-38-36.jpg" type="image/jpg"/>
			<pubDate>Mon, 20 Jun 2016 16:51:55 -0400</pubDate>
			<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ken Patterson]]></dc:creator>
			<category>Police Brutality</category>
			<description><![CDATA[L. A. County probation officers brutalize teen in detention center.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[The latest surveillance footage leaked by whistle-blowers inside the Los Angeles County will make you blow a fuse. This silent video below makes viewers wonder what these cops were thinking about before jumping on a black teen and mercilessly beating him.

In an earlier video, one can see the teen frustrated and angry in his own room but he was not a threat to anyone. This could be as a result of psychological strife he was passing through in this place. Every day, thousands of juveniles confined in places like this get frustrated psychologically as a result of harsh conditions in detention centers.

So, what we see later four officials talking with this teen and in a matter of seconds brutalize him, kicking and hitting him with blows like he wasn’t a human being, and at the same time forcing him down. That was uncalled-for at all. After the officers left the room, the teen’s shorts was pulled to his knees and he couldn’t stand on his feet because of the pain.

“There is still a culture of brutality against juveniles, and they are very upset about it,” Celeste Fremon, editor of WitnessLA, said.

Actually, as a result of rampant abuse and the effects they have on juveniles, the L. A. County Board of Supervisors abolished the use of solitary confinement in May. On this occasion, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl said, “We can’t afford to treat these youngsters in this manner and expect that when they get out, they’re going to be OK.”

Investigations are ongoing and the Interim chief of the Probation Center, Cal Remington said in a statement, “we hold our staff to very high standard. We have zero tolerance for mistreating the juviniles in our care.” He went on to say that, “and while I can’t really comment on an ongoing investigation, this matter is being thoroughly investigated, and we take matters of this nature very, very seriously.”

Four adults against one teenager it is truly shame in any situation. These brutal officers should be charged and sentenced for this crime. They should be allowed to harm another child or teen.



Share this article and help fight against injustice in our communities.]]></content:encoded>
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