Rand Paul: ‘I don’t think there’s anyone in Congress who has a stronger belief in minority rights than I do’ - Yahoo! News

Rand Paul: ‘I don’t think there’s anyone in Congress who has a stronger belief in minority rights than I do’ - Yahoo! News
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:

DES MOINES, Iowa – Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul said no one in Congress "has a stronger belief in minority rights" than he does and insists he will continue outreach efforts to black and Hispanic voters despite reports about a former aide's past connections to neo-Confederate groups.

In an interview with Yahoo News in Iowa, where Paul spoke to a gathering of Christian pastors and church leaders last week, the possible presidential contender acknowledged that stories about the aide could set back his efforts, but he defended his commitment to bringing more black and Hispanic voters into the Republican Party.
“I’m not easily dissuaded, so it’s not something that makes me shrink away, it makes me come out even stronger to say that I don’t think there’s anyone in Congress who has a stronger belief in minority rights than I do,” Paul told Yahoo News. “Because my conception of justice is that there have been many times in our history when we have done things unfairly to Japanese Americans, to black Americans. I still think that the justice system does not treat African Americans fairly in regard to non-violent drug crime, with regard to felonies being on your record.”http://news.yahoo.com/rand-paul-on-race-and-republican-minority-outreach-173957413.html

What is it like to be Muslim in Congress? | Power Players - Yahoo! News

What is it like to be Muslim in Congress? | Power Players - Yahoo! News
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
Keith Ellison stands out on Capitol Hill.
The Minnesota Democrat is the first Muslim elected to Congress, and now is only one of two. He leads a progressive caucus in a Republican-controlled House of Representatives. And he’s not afraid to break out the guitar that he keeps in his office, even playing a few chords of a song for his interview with “The Fine Print.”
When it comes to his religion, Ellison says his fellow members of Congress have generally been respectful but that there have been “a few crazy incidents.”
“Recently, you know, a member said Muslim Americans are not condemning terrorism enough,” Ellison says, referring to a comment made by Rep. Mike Pompeo, R–Kan., that implied that Muslims were being “potentially complicit” in acts of terror if they did not speak out against them.
“And I said, 'well, let me guarantee you, Muslims are condemning terrorism every day all the time ...' and I gave him a whole list, and he said, 'Thanks for telling me, I didn't know, I won't be saying that again,'” Ellison says.http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/muslim-congress-113159405.html?vp=1

President Barack Obama's call

President Barack Obama's call

John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
Sen. John McCain is backing President Barack Obama's call for the so-called "stand your ground" laws in Florida and other states to be reexamined in the wake of the George Zimmerman case.

"The 'stand your ground' law may be something that may needs to be reviewed by the Florida legislature or any other legislature that has passed such legislation," McCain said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, two days after President Obama discussed Zimmerman's acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin.

The Arizona Republican said he thinks the self-defense law should be reviewed in his home state, too. "I'm confident that the members of the Arizona legislature will, because it is very controversial legislation," McCain said. Florida and Arizona are among 30 states with "stand your ground" laws on the books.

On Friday, Obama held a somber press conference at the White House to discuss the case, which is currently under review by the Justice Department for possible civil rights violations.
 http://news.yahoo.com/mccain-backs-obama-s-call-for--stand-your-ground--review-153105503.html

Civil rights case vs. Zimmerman won't be simple - Yahoo! News

Civil rights case vs. Zimmerman won't be simple - Yahoo! News
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Calls for the Justice Department to look into the shooting death of Trayvon Martin reverberated as soon as George Zimmerman was acquitted of state charges in a Florida courtroom, but it may be even tougher to mount a federal case against Zimmerman.

The department says it's reviewing evidence to determine whether criminal civil rights charges are warranted, but legal experts see major barriers to a federal prosecution — including the burden of proving that Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch leader, was motivated by racial animosity — and say Justice officials would likely be saddled with some of the same challenges that complicated the unsuccessful state case.

"The Justice Department would face significant challenges in bringing a federal civil rights case against Mr. Zimmerman," said Alan Vinegrad, the former U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York. "There are several factual and legal hurdles that federal prosecutors would have to overcome: They'd have to show not only that the attack was unjustified, but that Mr. Zimmerman attacked Mr. Martin because of his race and because he was using a public facility, the street."http://news.yahoo.com/civil-rights-case-vs-zimmerman-wont-simple-072336718.html

Educating Black Children: Students Need Strong Parent-School Partnerships

Educating Black Children: Students Need Strong Parent-School Partnerships
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
 On July 5, Ivory Kaleb Toldson was born. He is my first son and second child. During his birth I relived the joy, wonderment and jitters that I experienced in 2007 when my daughter, Makena, was born.
Like millions of parents, I want the best education for my children. As a black parent, I am cognizant of the persistent racial inequities and biases in the school system. Black children need to be exposed to a curriculum that builds on their strengths, affirms their culture and treats them with dignity and compassion.
Notwithstanding many problems that schools are having educating black children, I am optimistic that black children can succeed in any type of school (public, private or charter) in any environment (urban, suburban or rural). Through my years of research on academic success, I am convinced that the key to educating black children is to have schools build successful partnerships with black parents.
Today the relationship between black parents and schools is precarious, primarily because of antagonists and instigators. Most antagonists speak through a certain movement or organization. Teachers unions, reform movements and public-education advocates can be noble when they focus on children but destructive when they become antagonistic and defensive. For example, when public schools and teachers unions defend themselves against criticism, they often use apathetic black parents and poverty as scapegoats.http://www.theroot.com/views/fixing-miseducation-black-children

Obama News: A Living Diary of the Obama Presidency - POLITICO44 - POLITICO.com

Obama News: A Living Diary of the Obama Presidency - POLITICO44 - POLITICO.com
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:

Two veteran Democratic senators, Dianne Feinstein of California and Dick Durbin of Illinois, are urging President Barack Obama to rein in force feeding of hunger-striking inmates at the U.S. military's Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects.
"We write to urge you to use your Presidential authority to end the unnecessary force-feedings of detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility," the senators wrote Wednesday in a letter to Obama.
As Feinstein did in a letter sent to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel last month, the senators stopped short of saying Guantanamo prisoners should never be force fed, but argued the current policy is simply too aggressive.
"We...encourage you to direct the Department of Defense to stop conducting such large-scale force-feedings and, where force-feeding is medically necessary to save a detainee’s life, to observe the protections required at U.S. Bureau of Prisons facilities. It is our understanding that the U.S. federal prison guidelines for force-feedings include several safeguards and oversight mechanisms that are not in place at Guantanamo Bay," Feinstein and Durbin wrote.
The new letter (posted here) also refers to an order a federal judge issued Monday, rejecting a bid to halt the force feedings during Ramadan but urging Obama to "address" the issue.
At last count, the Pentagon said 106 of the 166 prisoners were on hunger strike (as the military defines it) and 45 prisoners were being force fed.
"The growing problem of hunger strikes is due to the fact that many detainees have remained in legal limbo for more than a decade and have given up hope," Feinstein and Durbin wrote. "This should be alarming to all of us, and it is imperative that the Administration outline a formal process to permanently close the Guantanamo facility as soon as possible. We look forward to continue working with you to achieve that end."

Railroad CEO heckled in ravaged Quebec town - CNN.com

Railroad CEO heckled in ravaged Quebec town - CNN.com
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
The head of the railway whose runaway train devastated a small Quebec town cast doubt on his engineer's story Wednesday as he arrived to face insults from survivors and harsh questions from reporters.

Edward Burkhardt said the engineer has been suspended without pay and faces a criminal investigation by Canadian authorities.

He said the engineer reported to railroad managers that he set 11 hand brakes on the train cars before they broke away from their engines, but "I think it's questionable whether he did."

"Our general feeling is now that is not true," said Burkhardt,chairman of the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway. The engineer had worked for the MM&A for "many years" and "had a completely clear safety record up until Saturday," Burkhardt said.http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/10/world/americas/canada-runaway-train/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

The secret weapon that could save the Voting Rights Act — MSNBC

The secret weapon that could save the Voting Rights Act — MSNBC
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
Voting rights advocates are testing whether a little-used provision of the Voting Rights Act could limit the damage of the Supreme Court ruling that struck down a key part of the landmark civil rights law.
Hours after the Supreme Court’s verdict was announced, representatives for the state of Texas celebrated its demise by announcing that they would move ahead with restrictive voting law changes that will disproportionately disenfranchise minorities. Those changes were previously blocked by the Justice Department, through a part of the Voting Rights Act the forces jurisdictions with a history of discrimination in voting to submit their election law changes to Washington in advance, often referred to as “preclearance,” under Section 5. Preclearance prevented discrimination in advance, rather than relying on drawn out litigation that might not be resolved until long after ballots are cast.
Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, which the high court struck down as unconstitutional, determined which jurisdictions were covered by that requirement. But Section 3 of the Voting Rights Act allows the federal government to subject jurisdictions with recent records of deliberate discrimination to the preclearance requirement. With Congress polarized and unlikely to come together to fix Section 4′s coverage formula, Section 3 could become the primary tool for the Justice Department and voting rights activists seeking to patch the gaping hole left by the Supreme Court’s verdict. Travis Crum, now a clerk for federal judge David S. Tatel, laid out this approach in an article for the Yale Law Journal in 2010, anticipating that the Supreme Court would someday strike down part of the Voting Rights Act. Crum called Section 3 the Voting Rights’ Act’s “secret weapon.”

Thousands In North Carolina Brace For 'Unemployment Cliff' | WUNC

Thousands In North Carolina Brace For 'Unemployment Cliff' | WUNC
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
North Carolina’s “unemployment cliff” is fast approaching.  That’s what civil rights, religious and other advocacy groups call June 30, the last day tens of thousands of people across the state are eligible for extended benefits from the federal government.  There are last minute efforts underway to try to convince lawmakers to postpone the “cliff” until the end of the year.  But, so far, those efforts have been ignored.
The NAACP has organized "Moral Monday" demonstrations at the legislative building in Raleigh for several weeks now. Thousands of people have come out to protest against a slew of policies approved this year by the new Republican-led legislature.  This week protestors denounced legislation that slashes unemployment benefits.  Wayne Bostick decided to make this his first “Moral Monday.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!" were the shouts from the crowd.
Bostick chanted ‘thank you’ as dozens of people moved the demonstration into the legislative building.  Most of them will get arrested.
“It makes me feel great that people will stand up for what’s right and they don’t mind taking a risk," said Bostick.http://wunc.org/post/thousands-north-carolina-brace-unemployment-cliff?nopop=1

Hacking, Leaking, and Investigative Journalism — C-SPAN Video

Hacking, Leaking, and Investigative Journalism — C-SPAN Video
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
 Over the past few years we have seen an unprecedented attack on hackers, journalists, whistleblowers, and other “information activists” who dare to let the public know what goes on within the corridors of power. The US government and its corporate partners have waged a full scale war on the ability of the public to access information. Yet as this takes place, we the public are being told that we no longer have a right to privacy, especially online. This panel will explore these trends and go into detail on the laws and lawless acts that are being used to suppress the public’s right to information and ultimately the possibility of democracy.http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/hacking-leaking-investigative-journalism-c-span-left-forum/7178/

Al Sharpton and MSNBC Push ObamaCare Medicaid Expansion | NewsBusters

Al Sharpton and MSNBC Push ObamaCare Medicaid Expansion | NewsBusters
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
On the Tuesday evening edition of Politics Nation, host Rev. Al Sharpton took a break from his seemingly continual coverage of the George Zimmerman trial to talk about healthcare. He touted the recent decision by the Obama administration to push the to 2015 as implementation of the employee mandate requirement of the Affordable Care Act back the administration’s decision to give “employers more time to provide coverage.” [Link to the audio here]
Sharpton then vilified the decisions by several states to reject ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion provision by claiming that it showed the GOP’s “absolute disregard for this crisis” despite Obama’s “extra effort” to ease the transition in postponing the employee mandate.

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/nathan-roush/2013/07/03/al-sharpton-and-msnbc-push-obamacare-medicaid-expansion#ixzz2YDzlJLHYhttp://newsbusters.org/blogs/nathan-roush/2013/07/03/al-sharpton-and-msnbc-push-obamacare-medicaid-expansion   

Baptist Preacher Responds to Viral Sermon Where He Told a Member He’s ‘Not Worth 15 Cents’ | Video | TheBlaze.com

Baptist Preacher Responds to Viral Sermon Where He Told a Member He’s ‘Not Worth 15 Cents’ | Video | TheBlaze.com
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:

Baptist Pastor Jim Standridge has made a name for himself after a video of one of his sermons, showing him yelling criticisms at some of his members, went viral.

The preacher from Immanuel Baptist Church in Skiatook, Oklahoma, for 24 years, stepped down from his pulpit into the seated congregation on May 19 to call out one member for dozing off. He then went on to say to another who had missed several services, “You are one of the sorriest church members I have. You’re not worth 15 cents.”http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/07/04/baptist-preacher-responds-to-viral-sermon-where-he-told-a-member-hes-not-worth-15-cents/

California Passes Comprehensive Transgender Protections For All K-12 Students | The New Civil Rights Movement

California Passes Comprehensive Transgender Protections For All K-12 Students | The New Civil Rights Movement
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:The California Senate passed a bill Wednesday evening before adjourning for the Fourth of July holiday, that will allow all K-12 students in California public schools ”to participate in sex-segregated programs, activities and facilities based on their self-perception, regardless of their birth gender.”
 http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/california-passes-comprehensive-transgender-protections-for-all-k-12-students/news/2013/07/05/70508

Will George Zimmerman Take The Stand? | Breaking News for Black America

Will George Zimmerman Take The Stand? | Breaking News for Black America
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
The prosecution may rest on Friday and the million dollar question is whether George Zimmerman will testify or not. The answer is simple: He would be a fool to do so.http://newsone.com/2626415/will-george-zimmerman-testify/   

Suge Knight -- Bench Warrants Issued for Rap Icon's Arrest | TMZ.com

Suge Knight -- Bench Warrants Issued for Rap Icon's Arrest | TMZ.com
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
Suge Knight is a wanted man in California ... again ... TMZ has learned, TWO separate warrants have once again been issued for his arrest, stemming from a couple alleged joyrides with a bum license.

Knight had two hearings this month regarding both cases -- one from 2011 and one from 2012 -- when cops busted him driving on a suspended license ... but we're told he blew both off.

Bench warrants were subsequently issued for each case -- both for $20,000.

Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2013/07/01/suge-knight-bench-warrant-arrest/#ixzz2XmQHI1LV
Visit Fishwrapper: http://www.fishwrapper.com

No Surprise Here: Stacey Dash Tweets Supports For Paula Deen | WOLB Talk 1010

No Surprise Here: Stacey Dash Tweets Supports For Paula Deen | WOLB Talk 1010
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:

As previously reported by NewsOne, Deen was fired by ‘The Food Network’ after admitting to using the racial slur “ni**er” and plantation fantasies about having Black men dress in white shorts and bow-ties to serve food at a wedding reception.
Lisa Jackson, a former general manager of Bubba’s Oyster and Seafood House in Savannah, Georgia, alleged in a lawsuit that she experienced emotional distress after being racially and sexually harassed in the workplace.
The restaurant is co-owned by Deen and her brother Bubba Hiers.
Though Deen denied the charges, she admitted to using the racial slur after allegedly being robbed by a Black man.
During the ensuing fallout, Deen has also been dropped by Wal-Mart, Target, Diabetes drug maker Novo Nordisk, Caesars Entertainment and Smithfield Foods.
Deen has not been without some unlikely supporters and unexpected sympathizers and rationalizers. They include Rev. Al Sharpton, who said she shouldn’t be judged on using a racial slur in her past, Dr. Boyce Watkins, who in an appearance on CNN’s AC360 argued that Deen’s age and environment should be taken into account when judging her;  Roland Martin, who argued that Black people should be just as upset when other Black people use the n-word as racist White people; and Bill Maher, who defended  Deen‘s use of the word “ni**er” by declaring it freedom of speech on par with Hip-Hop music.
Today, Rev. Jesse Jackson joined in and said that Deen shouldn’t be a “sacrificial lamb.”http://wolbbaltimore.com/2004350/no-surprise-here-stacey-dash-tweets-supports-for-paula-deen/   

Mayor Bloomberg Defends Race Comments on Stop-and-Frisk - WSJ.com

Mayor Bloomberg Defends Race Comments on Stop-and-Frisk - WSJ.com
John Butts@JBMedia - Reports:
On Sunday, Democratic candidates again seized on the opportunity to criticize the mayor.
"Suggesting we could have more stops of blacks and Latinos is a slap in the face," said Public Advocate Bill de Blasio. Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner said: "It just shows that the mayor doesn't quite understand and he needs to try to show some understanding to the people who have these legitimate complaints."http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324436104578578083038725610.html?ru=yahoo?mod=yahoo_itp

Coulter: Immigration push gives Democrats ’30 million unskilled, law-breaking voters’ | The Raw Story

Coulter: Immigration push gives Democrats ’30 million unskilled, law-breaking voters’ | The Raw Story
In a far-ranging interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, conservative columnist Ann Coulter said that the immigration bill recently passed by the Senate was not only akin to the death of the entire Supreme Court, but that it signaled the end of the Republican party.
“All the Democrats care about here is the votes,” Coulter said on Hannity’s radio show on Friday. “They don’t care that they’re legalizing law-breakers, they don’t care that they are going to massively harm African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans who dominate the low-wage professions by bringing in 30 million unskilled, law-breaking voters for the Democratic Party.”http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/29/coulter-immigration-push-gives-democrats-30-million-unskilled-law-breaking-voters/   

Obama to unveil broad African electrical power initiative - Yahoo! News

Obama to unveil broad African electrical power initiative - Yahoo! News
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Pointing to Africa's crippling lack of electrical power, President Barack Obama is due to announce on Sunday a $7 billion initiative over five years to double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa.
"We see this as the next phase in our development strategy and a real focal point in the president's agenda going forward," deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters travelling with the president.http://news.yahoo.com/obama-unveil-broad-african-electrical-043918676.html   

Mayor Bloomberg Unloads On ‘Stop And Frisk’ Opponents: Whites Stopped ‘Too Much’ And ‘Minorities Too Little’ | Roland Martin Reports

Mayor Bloomberg Unloads On ‘Stop And Frisk’ Opponents: Whites Stopped ‘Too Much’ And ‘Minorities Too Little’
 | Roland Martin Reports
Appearing with host John Gambling on New York City’s WOR, Mayor Mike Bloombergattacked opponents of the city’s so-called ‘stop and frisk’ program. “It’s society’s job to make sure that no one group is disproportionately represented as potential perpetrators,” Bloomberg said. “I think we disproportionately stop whites too much and minorities too little.”http://rolandmartinreports.com/blog/2013/06/mayor-bloomberg-unloads-on-stop-and-frisk-opponents-whites-stopped-too-much-and-minorities-too-little/