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Tag: race matters

  • 12 Black History Month Recs | Cup of Jo

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    christine pride

    I sometimes worry that Black History Month is counter-productive. Yes, it’s nice to have a platform to celebrate the culture and shine a light on the continued struggles around race in America. And I’m glad that it’s a month (originally it was just a week!). But BHM commemorations often feel like box-checking: ‘Here’s the time of year when I remember to support Black causes/businesses/artists.’ How great would it be if, instead, these things were just part of our lives, year-round?

    That’s my dream, so this Black History Month, I’d like to highlight some favorite things to enjoy all year…

    Ashley thee barroness

    An IG account that keeps me learning: @ashleytheebarroness creates videos on obscure — sometimes intentionally disregarded — corners of history, tracing each topic to the present. I’ve learned more from her than all of my high-school history classes. One recent post breaking down white supremacy (“White Narcissism,” as she calls it) had me fully in its clutches and saying, “Amen!” Watching Ashley feels like sitting in a lecture with a charismatic, clear-eyed professor.

    A favorite poem: When I was a teenager, I won a competition for my recitation of For My People by Margaret Walker. I remember wishing I’d chosen a shorter poem because it’s long. But it’s also epic and beautiful, and brims with pride and resistance. We could all use more poetry in our lives — and more artists speaking truth to power, which Margaret did so elegantly.

    Rayo-and-honey-pennants

    Home decor with a message: How inspiring are these pennants from Rayo & Honey? They make great gifts. I also love their totes, keychains, and pens — and the fact that it’s a business built from the heart of a Black woman.

    A must-have skincare product: I recommended Beauty Stat’s Vitamin C Serum as a product fave back when I did CoJ’s Beauty Uniform. Five years later, my passion endures for this illuminating serum, created by a pioneering Black chemist.

    A TV show I’ll always re-watch: For five seasons, Insecure — starring Issa Rae, Natasha Rothwell and other incredible actresses — made me laugh, cringe, cry, and agonize over a fictional love triangle that I was more invested in than my own love life. Tell me if you’re Team Daniel or Team Lawrence. (Bonus recs: Survival of the Thickest, Harlem, Run The World, and of course, the OG classic, Girlfriends.)

    Wine by two sisters: Red wine calls to me on these cold, dark winter evenings. The red blend from Black Girl Magic Wines is one of the all-time bests, but really, you can’t go wrong with any of their bottles; they’re great quality at a reasonable price point. And if you need new stemware, check out the gorgeous sets by Estelle Colored Glass (the amethyst! So pretty!).

    tayari jones kin

    A novel I can’t wait to read: When Tayari Jones publishes a book, it’s an event. Her fourth novel, Kin, comes out next week, and the excitement has been building for MONTHS. It’s about two friends from Louisiana, whose lives take vastly different turns. I can’t wait to get my hands on it!

    A gem of a bookstore: There’s been a gratifying rise in Black-owned bookstores these last few years. Kansas City’s Bliss Books is run by two sisters who dreamed of opening a bookstore together (awwww!) and actually did it! I also love Loyalty Books, in Silver Spring, Maryland, my hometown. And if you’re in NYC, check out Liz’s Book Bar, The Little Bookshop and The Lit Bar.

    Ailey

    A beautiful night out: Admittedly, I’m not the most cultured person when it comes to fine arts — but I do love (love love) dance. I’ve seen the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform several times, and it’s soul-stirring. The company was founded in 1958 to “uplift the African American experience while transcending boundaries of race, faith, and nationality with its universal humanity,” and almost 70 years later, they remain steadfast in their mission. Art funding is so precarious at the moment — especially BIPOC art — it needs our support!

    A timely article that made me feverishly nod my head: I read a lot of long-form journalism — a lot — and I’m still thinking about this recent Atlantic article by Clint Smith, which hit on so many points about why Black history matters, and why it’s so critical in our current moment that we keep fighting against its erasure. Other Black journalists I admire for their insightful takes and having their finger on the pulse: Tressie McMillan Cottom, Mitchell S. Jackson and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

    A cause I’m glad to support: As a child of the ‘70s/’80s, I can’t forget the iconic TV ads for the United Negro College Fund (especially this one — the end still make me cry!) In the post-Civil Rights era, UNCF helped launch a generation of kids into the middle-class by giving them access to education. Decades later, their good work continues. I used one of my book events to raise funds for UNCF, and I can’t think of a better way to honor BHM than by supporting this worthy organization.

    What are your own recommendations? I hope you’ll share them with us, too.

    Christine Pride is a writer, book editor and content consultant who lives in Harlem, New York. Her latest book is All The Men I’ve Loved Again, and you can read her past Cup of Jo posts here.

    P.S. A reading challenge, and five more things I want to tell my white friends.

    (Photo of Christine Pride by Christine Han for Cup of Jo.)

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  • Five More Things I Want to Tell My White Friends | Cup of Jo

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    christine pride

    In June 2020, I wrote an essay, my first here, called Five Things I Want To Tell My White Friends. I was reeling in the wake of George Floyd’s death and its aftermath — what felt to me like a somewhat sudden and intense acknowledgment of racism in this country. It was a welcomed and overdue reckoning, but it was also a bit overwhelming to behold just how shocked and shook so many people were to realize how bad racism was. A prevailing sentiment of the well-meaning liberal zeitgeist might be summed as: Wait a minute, this has been happening under our noses this whole time?!!

    Well, yes. And it still is. In the warm glow of the Obama era, it was perhaps easy to resist or dismiss. We have no such luxury — or illusions — now.

    Recent events have been an all-too-clear reminder of that. The simmering fears and anxieties brought on by the relentless news cycle and political upheaval have been steadily ratcheting up since January, but for me, as a Black woman, the last few weeks have led to an emotional breaking point on par with summer of 2020. No question, the current state of this country is stressful for everyone, but the mental, practical and psychological toll is far, far greater for some of us — like Black and brown people, trans folks, and immigrants for whom the implications go well beyond intellectual disagreements, or provocative headlines, or “finding common ground” or “reaching across the aisle” — it’s much deeper, more visceral. A consideration of our very humanity. It doesn’t get more personal than that.

    The fever pitch of hate speech and the zeal of people who have been empowered to use their platforms to deliver it means that I, as a Black woman, must contend with being assaulted on a daily basis with messages about how stupid, incompetent, dangerous, and generally lacking I am. Even worse than having to be subjected to these comments by any one individual with a podcast or a podium, is the feeling that it taps into widespread beliefs. For any one individual offering these virulent sentiments, there are hundreds of thousands nodding along silently. Or even cheering. And a state apparatus that relishes and legitimizes it at a national level.

    This is on top of the very real practical and tangible concerns — Black people (women especially) are losing their jobs at higher rates than ever thanks to DEI rollbacks; racial violence is at an historic high; many of us have to ponder terrifying questions: Will my marriage remain legal? Will I be torn from my family? Am I safe from harm when I step out of my front door?

    Given all of this, I want to tell you that many of your Black and brown friends and LGTBQ colleagues are not okay.

    You may see a colleague killing it at her job, upbeat as ever as she delivers a marketing plan. You may see that Latina journalist you admire churning out essays and books and offering hugs on tour. The young Arab woman whose GWWM videos you love shows the world a big smile on Instagram. The trans student who just arrived for their freshman year of college and is looking tentatively around the lecture hall for a welcoming smile. It may look like business as usual, but I can promise you that is a parent, colleague, or student with a heavy, fearful heart. I know, because she is me. A Black woman who must do her best day in and day out, tackling book edits, getting some exercise, grabbing groceries and catching up on Shrinking, all while her humanity is threatened and her worth is questioned on a constant basis.

    I fear the toll of living with this level of despair might be hard for people who don’t experience it to understand. Some people — white people, cis people — as compassionate and outraged as they may be, remain assured (safe) in the knowledge that they’ll never face these types of situations or have to absorb this vitriol on a personal level. That’s not to say the empathy isn’t real (or welcomed), it’s just that it’s different. White people are also free of the fear of being a target. Some might think the idea we could go back to slavery is outlandish, or revel in how far we’ve come since Jim Crow, or claim we just need to wait out this moment. But people of color understand in our bones that the sentiments — the hate and abject racism — that drove those policies, laws, and mindsets don’t just remain, but are flourishing. And thus a rising, palpable, and justifiable fear. We know, the past is always prologue.

    My father, in the last months of his life, bemoaned how bad things had gotten. This was a Black man who was born in 1940 and who came of age during (legal and de facto) segregation, which he would go on to fight to dismantle personally and professionally. And with all he’d seen and lived through in his 84 years, he felt, in 2024, that race relations were the worst they’d been in his lifetime. That’s the despair that comes when progress slips away — it can feel worse to face a backslide than to exist in the status quo. Having the blanket ripped from you on a frigid night is almost more cruel than never having experienced warmth at all.

    That’s what makes this moment difficult, too — many of the Black and brown people among us allowed ourselves hope in the halcyon days of 2020, even against our better judgment, and now the pessimism, bitter as it is familiar, has come roaring back. We knew better. That’s clearly borne out in how quickly the country moved on from what turned out to be a fleeting era of listening and learning, and the clamoring for allyship and the marches and protests and think pieces and bestselling books about race. When we need them the most, the voices calling for change or offering support have gone awfully silent.

    In the most generous way, I can chalk that up to being too scared of the consequences or to a sense of overwhelm that settles into weary acceptance. There was a sincere effort to effect change, but it didn’t amount to much, and now the pendulum has swung back, hard, slapping us in the face. Case in point: I had a white person in my circle say to me, “People have moved on from race” with a passive resignation. I’m sure she didn’t realize how insensitive or thoughtless this statement came across to me, a Black woman. After all, I haven’t moved on from my skin color. What a luxury to be able to give up and say, “Well, at least I’m okay,” to be able to hunker down and carry on, betting on the fact that you can ride out whatever else is coming in terms of the stability and civility of our society (and it’s scary to think what that might be) in relative safety shielded by your skin color, bank account, immigration status, gender, etc. Hope itself, like so much else in this country, is a resource available to some of us more than others.

    As a cry for help, I offer five more things that I want to tell my white friends in this particular moment:

    * Please understand the degree to which Black and brown people (and LGBTQ+ folks) in this country are particularly scared and feel abandoned at the moment and meet that with a clear and unequivocal acknowledgment.

    * Consider checking on your POC friends, co-workers and the vulnerable people in your communities with intention and compassion. Allow them the space and opportunity to share their fears and feelings and be able to hold that.

    * Be just as eager to seek community and connection with people who look different from you as you were five years ago. The need for open and uncomfortable conversations didn’t magically disappear because the news cycle moved on and the political winds shifted. Allyship isn’t a trend.

    * Remember that you do have a voice at the table. We all feel disenfranchised and helpless in the face of dramatic political upheaval, but the fact remains that you can make a difference. If that feels harder today than in 2020 (or even 1965) that’s because it is — that’s not a reason to not do it. Summoning resolve, conviction and moral clarity is the work of our day. Call out hate speech, advocate for diversity in your workplace, and document ICE round-ups in your communities.

    * My last reminder is a simple plea to remember: race (still) matters. As does fighting (and it will, alas, require that) to protect all of our rights. More than ever.

    Christine Pride is a writer, book editor and content consultant who lives in Harlem, New York. Read all her Race Matters columns here.

    P.S. Five things I want to tell my white friends, and where do you feel cultural belonging?

    (Photo of Christine Pride by Christine Han.)

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  • London Stock Exchange Fires Wannabe Zimmerman For Harassing & Threatening Florida Teen For ‘Walking While Black’ In His Own Neighborhood

    London Stock Exchange Fires Wannabe Zimmerman For Harassing & Threatening Florida Teen For ‘Walking While Black’ In His Own Neighborhood

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    Another example of racial profiling has surfaced, leaving many of us once again asking: when will this stop? A Florida teen, who was simply out for a walk in his own neighborhood, was targeted by a group of non-Black men who followed him, harassed him, and questioned his right to be there. 

    Source: EyeEm Mobile GmbH / Getty

    What should have been a peaceful stroll to make a phone call turned into a 10-minute nightmare of relentless suspicion and intimidation.

    Sound familiar? #RestInPeaceTrayvonMartin and the list of all other names whom police harass. 

    Thankfully, the victim is still alive. 

    A Walk Turns Into Racial Profiling

    The disturbing footage, captured by the teen and posted by his mother on TikTok, shows several men trailing the young Black male through a gated Sarasota community. 

    Despite his clear statements that he lived in the neighborhood, the men refused to believe him, hurling accusations and insults. 

    One even called him a “loser.”

    As reported by Yahoo Finance, the teen’s mother explained that her son had been walking to find better cell reception after Hurricane Milton knocked out power in their home. What he encountered instead was a group of men who saw his presence as a threat based solely on the color of his skin.

    The situation escalated when one of the men angrily reached into a vehicle, attempting to retrieve a gun. 

    Fortunately, another neighbor held him back before the confrontation could become even more dangerous. According to NewsOne, the parallels to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery are haunting—Arbery was chased and killed in 2020 while jogging through his own Georgia neighborhood, also targeted for simply existing while Black. 

    Though this young man’s story didn’t end in violence, the fear and trauma he endured are undeniable.

    Viral Video Sparks Accountability

    US-CRIME-COURT-RACISM-PROTEST

    Source: STAN HONDA / Getty

    As is too often the case, it took a viral video and public outrage to spur any kind of accountability. The footage has amassed more than 5 million views on TikTok, with users flooding social media to demand justice. 

    One of the men in the video, identified as Stephen Carega, worked for the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). As the pressure mounted, LSEG launched an internal investigation, leading to Carega’s suspension and subsequent firing.

    In a statement shared by Yahoo Finance, an LSEG spokesperson confirmed details.

    “The individual involved was initially suspended while we investigated the matter. The investigation has now concluded, and the individual’s employment has been terminated.” 

    The company also reiterated its zero-tolerance policy against racism and harassment, but the damage has been done. 

    No corporate statement can erase the fact that, in 2024, Black people still have to fear for their safety while doing the most basic of things—walking through their own neighborhoods.

     

    Racial Profiling Remains a Constant Threat

    As the video continues to circulate online, the story has become another grim reminder that racial profiling is still very much alive in America. It’s exhausting to watch these same stories play out time and time again, where the burden of proof is placed on Black people just to justify their presence.

    The teen’s mother, in her TikTok post, expressed both relief that her son made it home safely and frustration over the ordeal. 

    “I do not want to live in a community that does not welcome me and my children because [of] the color of our skin.”

    Social media sleuths claim to have identified the other members of the wannabe lynch mob, and hopefully, this will lead to more consequences than just losing a job.

    This incident, like many others before it, forces us to confront the reality that the US still suffers with race matters. Though Carega was quickly removed, it’s clear that more needs to be done to stop these incidents from happening in the first place.

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    Lauryn Bass

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  • Hate Crimes: Black Swimmer At Gettysburg College Had N-Word Carved In His Chest By White Teammate

    Hate Crimes: Black Swimmer At Gettysburg College Had N-Word Carved In His Chest By White Teammate

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    Source: EyeEm Mobile GmbH / Getty

     

    BOSSIP has covered a lot of racism and a lot of hate crimes but we’ve never heard of anything like this before.

    According to ABC7, a Black student-athlete, a swimmer, at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania was victimized by one of his white swim teammates when said teammate carved “ni**er” into the Black student’s flesh with a boxcutter. Go back and read that again. Yes, this actually happened in 2024 as if it was the 1700s.

    B-b-b-but wait, it gets worse.

    The white student appears to be protected by the school as they will not release his name to the public even though this person should be of adult age, 18 years old or older. We could be wrong but unless this student is a 16-year-old genius in college, he is not a minor and should be outed as the violent racist that he is, but we digress. As distasteful as that may be, the most infuriating part of this story is that both the perpetrator and the victim were removed from the swim team! Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Gettysburg College Jamie Yates confirmed this publicly.

    “The student who did the scratching is no longer enrolled at the College,” Yates told ABC News in a statement. “The college is working with the other student and his family about how to most constructively move forward.”

    Working with?! Why does a Black man who was subject to a hate crime need to be “worked with”?? Not only is the school making no attempts at transparency, they aren’t pushing for the local police to press charges against the white student. Gettysburg Police Department Chief Robert Glenny Jr. told ABC News that they have not received a complaint about the attack.

    The school newspaper, The Gettysburgian, published a statement that was released by the Black student’s family.

    Via Black Enterprise:

    “Two weeks ago, on the evening of Sept. 6, our son became the victim of a hate crime. The incident took place at a gathering of swim team members. It is important to note that he was the only person of color at this gathering. The reprehensible act was committed by a fellow student-athlete, someone he considered his friend, someone whom he trusted. This student used a box cutter to etch the N-word across his chest.”

    “In less than 48 hours after the incident, our son was interviewed by the members of the coaching staff and summarily dismissed (not suspended) from the swim team. The punitive action was taken prior to the commencement of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities’ own investigation. This does not appear to have followed the policies and procedures stated in the Gettysburg College Student-Athlete Manual,” the family wrote.

    This investigation is ongoing and BOSSIP will keep you abreast of the findings as more information becomes public.

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  • Rev. Al Sharpton Introduces Exonerated Five’s DNC Speech About Donald Trump Calling For Their Wrongful Execution: ’45 Wanted Us Unalived’

    Rev. Al Sharpton Introduces Exonerated Five’s DNC Speech About Donald Trump Calling For Their Wrongful Execution: ’45 Wanted Us Unalived’

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    Few DNC speakers embodied that “We won’t go back” like the Exonerated Five, saying Donald TrumpDonald Trump hasn’t changed since he called for their modern-day lynching as teens. “He wanted us dead,” Yusef Salaam said during their speech.

    Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

    On Thursday, Rev. Al Sharpton took the stage to introduce the men during the final night of the Democratic National Convention. The National Action Network founder clarified that his organization does not endorse political candidates, but it does report where they stand on serious issues. According to the New York Times, he spoke about collaborating with Vice President Kamala Harris to unite the country after watching 40 years of Trump’s shady shenanigans.

    “I’ve worked with Kamala Harris. In every job she had she has consistently committed to making government work for those who have been disadvantaged. All Donald Trump has been consistent about is making himself richer and sowing division to make that happen,” Sharpton said.

    “I see a candidate that sought to reform and uphold the law and a man who wrongly assumes that his mugshot appeals to Black Americans,” he continued with the comparison.

    The Exonerated Five Speak Out About The Danger Of Re-Electing Donald Trump

    2024 Democratic National Convention: Day 4

    Source: Andrew Harnik / Getty

    Sharpton recalled the one time Trump took a stance on racial issues. Trump used his wealth to not only add to the injustice and hatred against the teens called the Central Park Five but also urged New York State to “bring back the death penalty.” Except for Antron McCray, the Exonerated Five — Kevin Richardson, Dr. Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise and Raymond Santana — took the stage to remind the world of Trump’s true colors.

    “Thirty-five years ago, my friends and I were imprisoned for a crime we did not commit. Our youth was stolen from us. Every day, as we walked into the courtroom, people screamed at us, threatened us because of Donald Trump,” Wise explained.

    “He spent $85,000 on a full-page ad in the New York Times calling for our execution. We were innocent kids, but we served a total of 41 years in prison,” Wise added about the wrongful convictions overturned in 2002.

    When asked about the ads asking New York to reinstate the death penalty in 2019, Trump refused to admit he was wrong about the wrongfully convicted men he villainized. As of 2019, the presidential nominee currently facing a RICO case after a 34-count felony conviction still refuses to apologize. “You’ve got people on both sides of that,” he said, echoing his cop-out about the 2017 Charlottesville white nationalist rally that resulted in the death of protestor Heather Heyer.

    “Forty-five wanted us unlived; he wanted us dead. Today we are exonerated because the actual perpetrator confessed and DNA proved it. That guy says he still stands by the original guilty verdict. He dismisses the scientific evidence rather than admit he was wrong,” NYC City Councilman Salaam said about Trump taking even less accountability than the actual perpetrator of the 1989 rape.

    “He has never changed. And he never will. That man thinks that hate is the animating force in America. It is not. We have the constitutional right to vote. In fact, it is a human right. So let us use it,” Salaam said. “When they see us, America will finally say goodbye to that hateful man.”

    Watch the full speeches from Rev. Al Sharpton and the Exonerated Five at the DNC below.

    Social Media Shows Love To The Exonerated Five At The DNC

    2024 Democratic National Convention: Day 4

    Source: Kevin Dietsch / Getty

    The full-circle moment with Rev. Al Sharpton set social media ablaze. This reminder of Trump’s bloodthirsty abuse of power and privilege seemed to even get through to those joking that his mugshot and felony conviction automatically made him relatable to Black people.

    Between this tragic case and D.L. Hughley‘s apology for repeating misinformation about Kamala Harris without research, it’s clear who actually benefits from perpetuating “fake news” and who suffers because of it.

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  • Spit Shine Them Boots! Congressman Byron Donalds Misses Jim Crow Because “Black Families Were Together”

    Spit Shine Them Boots! Congressman Byron Donalds Misses Jim Crow Because “Black Families Were Together”

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    Source: Tom Williams / Getty

    Black Republicans let some of the wildest things fly out of their mouths and this one is a instant furry-faced classic.

    Rep. Byron Donalds from the state of, wait for it…Florida was recently put on blast for waxing poetic about the days of Jim Crow, the time when Black folks were considered less than and were barred from the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that is “promised” to “all” Americans. According to a POLITICO report, Donalds was speaking at a Republican Black outreach event in Philadelphia when he proudly proclaimed that, “During Jim Crow the Black family was together”. He continued, “During Jim Crow, more Black people were — not just conservative, because Black people always have always been conservative-minded — but more Black people voted conservatively.”

    Yeah. Ok.

    MANHATTAN, NY - MAY 23 : Former President Donald Trump greets

    Source: The Washington Post / Getty

    As you might imagine, Democrats like House leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t just respond via quotes to the media. He took on moment on the House floor to address Donalds’ “yessuh, boss” a** comments.

    Much like his MAGA führer, Donalds tried to gaslight his detractors by claiming that he’s being lied on and misrepresented. In an effort clean up aisle 1619, Donalds appeared on CNN with Abby D. Phillip to “clarify” his position about how Jim Crow helped promote Black families…

    These type of negroes have drunk so much MAGA Kool-Aid that it’s a shock that they haven’t had a foot amputated.

     

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  • #RogerFortson Update: Florida Deputy Eddie Duran Fired For Fatally Shooting Black U.S. Airman After Responding To Wrong Address

    #RogerFortson Update: Florida Deputy Eddie Duran Fired For Fatally Shooting Black U.S. Airman After Responding To Wrong Address

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    Source: Hurlburt Field/Facebook / facebook

    Florida Deputy Fired After Fatal Shooting Of U.S. Airman Roger Fortson

    He was so young with a full life ahead of him. Roger Fortson was a dedicated 23-year-old U.S. Air Force—No. Let’s put respect on his status: Senior Airman— who never knew that opening his own home would end his life. Florida deputy Eddie Duran, who killed Fortson for answering the door while Black in a raid at the wrong address, was fired for the May 3 shooting.

    A Tragic Night in Okaloosa County

    As BOSSIP previously reported earlier this month, #RogerFortson was at home, Face-Timing with his girlfriend, when deputies from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrived in response to a disturbance call. Major outlets such as AP News, shared the body cam footage. Deputy Eddie Duran knocked on Fortson’s door and announced himself as law enforcement.

    Fortson appeared at the door, holding a gun pointed towards the ground. Without hesitation, Duran fired multiple times, fatally wounding the airman with six shots. Fortson later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.

    Deputy Eddie Duran Fired

    Following an internal affairs investigation, Deputy Eddie Duran was fired from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department.  According to CNN, the investigation concluded that Duran’s use of deadly force was not “objectively reasonable” and violated agency policy.

    Sheriff Eric Aden acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “This tragic incident should have never occurred. The objective facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson’s actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. By all accounts, he was an exceptional airman and individual.”

    What was the immediate response following the situation? Of course, they placed the killer cop on paid leave while investigating.

    A Step Toward Justice

    Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Fortson family, welcomed the firing but emphasized that it is only a partial victory.

    “The actions of this deputy were not just negligent, they were criminal,” Crump asserted. “Just as we did for Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, and Breonna Taylor, we will continue to fight for full justice and accountability for Roger Fortson, as well as every other innocent Black man and woman gunned down by law enforcement in the presumed safety of their own home.”

    With a history of fighting for Black voices to be heard, Crump’s hard work with the family is paying off. Duran’s termination is a great step, but that’s not enough for a cop who fatally shot first (SIX TIMES) and asked questions later. #PutHimInJail

    The Impact On Fortson’s Family

    The loss of Roger Fortson has deeply affected his family. NPR shares how his mother, Chantimekki Fortson, described the emotional toll the incident has taken, particularly on Fortson’s nieces and nephews.

    “When my grandkids see the police, they literally start vomiting,” she shared. “I’ve taught them to respect the police because of the chaos that goes on and the fact that they get sick to their stomach, it’s crazy.”

    WSB-TV spoke with Roger Fortson’s family, highlighting a vigil held in his honor in the family’s hometown: Atlanta. Family attorney Brian Barr highlighted Fortson’s dedication to service, both to his family and his country.

    “He served his family, he served the country, served his friends,” Barr said. “And it’s just such a tragedy, from all angles that — living this life of service doing what he was told to do — he was killed because he opened the door.”

    Saluting #RogerFortson for serving a country that doesn’t always serve the very people who built it.

    Community Outrage and Demand for Accountability

    The shooting of Roger Fortson has reignited discussions about police brutality and the systemic issues that lead to such tragedies. At a news conference, Ben Crump played a recording of a police dispatch officer indicating that the disturbance call involved “a male and a female.” This information came via a fourth-party from the front desk of the apartment complex.

    Crump criticized the sheriff’s department for not owning up to their mistakes.

    “When you make a mistake, you own up to it. You don’t try to justify killing a good guy. The Okaloosa Sheriff’s Department needs to own up to this. Tell the truth.”

    Keep in mind, this is the same Sheriff’s Department that mistakenly fired at an unarmed man 22 times from the sound of an acorn. At least that Deputy immediately resigned. It shouldn’t have to be all of this. Where is their training?

    But again, the fight continues.

    An Ongoing Investigation & A Call For Change

    The investigation into Roger Fortson’s death is still ongoing. Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation, and the state attorney’s office will determine if any further action is taken. As the community rallies behind the Fortson family, the call for justice remains loud and clear.

    The death of Roger Fortson reminds Black people of the dangers faced when met with law enforcement. Communities are standing in solidarity with the Fortson family as the fight for justice and systemic change continues. 

    Will it ever end…?

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    Lauryn Bass

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  • Capitol Hill Catfight Continues: Conservatives Cosign Jasmine Crockett’s Clapback At Marjorie Taylor Greene

    Capitol Hill Catfight Continues: Conservatives Cosign Jasmine Crockett’s Clapback At Marjorie Taylor Greene

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    Source: Tom Williams/Kent Nishimura / Getty

    GOP Colleagues Secretly Applaud Crockett’s Response to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Outburst

    This drama-filled week of government clap-backs has led to several GOP lawmakers showing their support for Texas Democrat, Rep. Jasmine Crockett. This Republican reversal follows her fiery confrontation with a certain “Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Body,” Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

    According to an interview on MSNBC’s The ReidOut, Crockett received “thumbs up,” winks, and even some compliments from across the aisle, revealing a surprising rift within the GOP ranks.

    A Fiery Exchange

    The drama unfolded during a House Oversight Committee hearing when Greene made a contentious remark about Crockett’s “fake eyelashes.” She also used the inappropriate jab to question Crockett’s ability read.

    As BOSSIP reports, Crockett did not hold back. Crockett later describes her experience working with Greene as “completely unproductive” in an interview with MSNBC’s Joy Reid.

    “Listen, she is showing the world who she is, and the fact that the Republicans continue to give her cover tells us who they are as well,” Crockett stated.

    NPR notes that, during the hearing, Crockett was repeatedly told by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to “calm down,” and was told she was “out of control.”

    Crockett’s Backroom Support From GOP Colleagues

    Crockett goes on to tell Reid that the tides have turned. But that didn’t stop her from calling her colleagues out to take accountability. As many learned in school, bystanders are just as much a problem as the bully.

    “Now, they want to disassociate themselves from her, but in reality, when you don’t check her, you basically are complicit in the things that she does,” Crockett said.

    Despite the public discord, Crockett revealed to Joy Reid that several Republicans privately supported her stance.

    “I’ve had thumbs up, winks, and comments from the other side. Some of them said, ‘I like your lashes,’” Crockett shared, highlighting the lack of defense for Greene from her party members. “And they’re all patting me on my back.”

    The incident led to a debate on whether to strike Greene’s remark from the record. Crockett used this opportunity to question the fairness of congressional rhetoric rules with her now-classic clapback.

    Turning Controversy Into Advocacy

    Following the hearing, Crockett kept up the controversy by trademarking “B6” and using it to fundraise with merchandise.

    In response, Greene posted a workout video online, defending her physique. “Yes, my body is built and strong NOT with nips, tucks, plastic, or silicone, but through a healthy lifestyle,” Greene wrote on the social media platform X.

    Viral Moment Sparks Public Engagement

    Crockett’s bold stand not only earned her quiet conservative cosigns but also sparked widespread conversation on social media. The viral moment continues to inspire praise for Crockett’s fearlessness and disgust at Greene’s behavior.

    By leveraging her platform to highlight internal issues within the government, Crockett draws in those who may usually avoid these critical conversations.

    This kind of outreach is crucial in an era marked by political apathy. It reminds us that acts of integrity and courage can indeed inspire change and participation. This is even more true when social media moments spark movements. In the case of Crockett’s clapback, it became another battle against racism, bullying and gender inequality.

    The Bad-Built Karen Won’t Quit

    Will Rep. Greene just take her L? She continues to amplify the disgusting behavior and racist commentary that not only affects Rep. Crockett, but any woman that partakes in beauty practices.

    Afterall all, she definitely started this catfight! Don’t dish it if you can’t take it. Didn’t we all learn about how ugly it is to be a sore loser? What’s that saying? If you can’t take the heat, STAY OUT THE KITCHEN.

    Let’s Hope for Better Gov’t Conversations To Bring Change

    Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s response to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene exposed significant dysfunction in Congress. It also shows how little leaders really stand on business in these halls of power. If Greene didn’t get dragged for harassing Crockett, misogynoir would quietly continue as an unspoken rule like it always has.

    Crockett’s advocacy warrants support as voters grow more vigilant about who represents our communities ahead of the general election. We don’t need any more racists in the house…

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    Lauryn Bass

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  • KKKringy KKKlarification: Jerrod Carmichael Backtracks On Goofy Gaffe About White Boyfriend, Claims Alleged ‘Race Play’ Joke Is Misquoted

    KKKringy KKKlarification: Jerrod Carmichael Backtracks On Goofy Gaffe About White Boyfriend, Claims Alleged ‘Race Play’ Joke Is Misquoted

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    Source: Allen J. Schaben / Getty

    Jerrod Carmichael is a lot of things; comedian, actor, host—but his latest gaggle of goofy gaffes gives him all the prerequisites to have a successful KKKareer in the KKKirrcus.

    For those who are unaware or somehow forgot, Carmichael was recently skewered and slow cooked over a social media fire for a “joke” that he told on Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show. To make a long story short, Carmichael was quoted telling a joke about likening himself to a slave while his white boyfriend teaches him to read.

     

    “My boyfriend, he makes me smarter, he makes me read,” said Carmichael. “I have so many books. Realistically I’m not gonna read all those books. He knows that. But the fact that I bought them says I love you. They’re little monuments around my apartment, just like, ‘Look at this book from Amazon that I’m never gonna read.’”

    “I sometimes joke to him that our relationship is like that of a slave and a master’s son — who, like, teaches me how to read by candlelight.”

     

    After receiving Charlamagne Tha God’s infamous “Donkey of the Day”, the KKKringy KKKomedian took his self-hating talents to The Breakfast Club to “clarify” what he “really” meant in the wake of the backlash.

    “The thing I want to clear up, and it’s very very important…because you report on it. You played a clip of my standup but it started at the punchline and it like, completely erased the setup of it and I really don’t like that,” said Carmichael.

    “It has nothing to do with my boyfriend…the sex that we have. It has nothing to do with sex, it’s something that like people have been reporting on and I really really don’t like it. It’s about my boyfriend reading so much he makes me feel insecure about my level of reading. The joke’s about me reading.”

     

     

    Even if we are to take Jerrod’s explanation in good faith, it still doesn’t really justify the joke. Once you bring in the dynamic of race, sexual fantasy, and referring to himself as a slave and his white bae as a “master’s son” it’s a wrap. Maybe Jerrod should have workshopped that one a lil’ more.

    You can watch Jerrod Carmichae’s joke in full below as shared by The Shade Room. 

    (Slide 3)

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    Jason "Jah" Lee

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  • The Haves & I Think TF Not: Right Winger John Schneider Slammed For Comparing Beyoncé To ‘Dog’ Urinating On Country Music, BeyHive Swarms Unserious Saltine

    The Haves & I Think TF Not: Right Winger John Schneider Slammed For Comparing Beyoncé To ‘Dog’ Urinating On Country Music, BeyHive Swarms Unserious Saltine

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    The BeyHive is swarming to Beyoncé’s defense after Dukes of Hazard has-been John Schneider compared her to a “dog” for making country music.

    Source: Kevin Mazur/Allen Berezovsky / Getty

    During Black History Month? In an interview on the conservative cesspool One American News, the 63-year-old came for the queen’s upcoming project. The segment focused on Beyoncé fans recently demanding that an Oklahoma radio station play her newest songs. TMZ reports Schneider said Beyoncé was like a “dog” marking its territory on country music.

    Mrs. Carter has the saltines EXTRA salty about embracing her Texas roots with the yee-haw agenda. When the Hive put that radio station on blast for claiming “Texas Hold ‘Em” isn’t country, it only made rancid racists madder.

    John Schneider Compares Beyoncé To A Urinating Dog

    Celebrity Sightings In New York City - February 13, 2024

    Source: James Devaney / Getty

    The segment specified Beyoncé, but Schneider compared all “leftist” musicians in country music to animals.

    “The lefties in the entertainment industry just won’t leave any area alone, right? They just have to seize control over every aspect, don’t they?” the host said.

    “They’ve got to make their mark, just like a dog in a dog walk park. You know, every dog has to mark every tree, right? So that’s what’s going on here,” John said.

    Check out the video below.

    Whew, that’s a lot of audacity of caucacity considering Black people in the South innovated the genre, its sound, and even its instruments like the banjo!

    The Tyler Perry Productions actor mentioned that it’s usually country artists like Shania Twain trying to crossover into the mainstream. Mind you, beloved country queen Shania is from Canada and got her start by singing backup for Michael Jackson.

    Schneider probably didn’t have dehumanizing disses for Australian Keith Urban rising to fame in country music, either. Whether Schneider is “racist” or just a pathetic clout-chaser, this is the most attention he’ll get for his washed-up music career.

    It seems like he never let go of the Confederate flag painted on his TV character’s car in the ’80s. That may convince the group constantly rewriting history that he’s a gatekeeper of what’s country. Meanwhile, several comments pulled the New York native’s card in a New York minute.

    Check out the reactions online to John Schneider comparing Beyoncé to a urinating dog after the jump!

    JaTavia Roberson & The Hive Come For John Schneider Over “Racist” Beyoncé Bashing

    Hurricane Ida Makes Landfall In Louisiana Leaving Devastation In Its Wake

    Source: Sean Rayford / Getty

    The other Destiny’s Child alumni don’t usually respond to Beyoncé’s endless haters. This time, JaTavia quickly clapped back at the “disgusting and disrespectful” comments John Scneider made. She took to Instagram to check him about their shared country roots.

    “Disgusting and disrespectful[.] Being from Texas we was raised on country music as part of our education program. We have the Texas Livestock Show & Rodeo. Our families participate every year & it’s mostly African Americans that you see in those activities so plz have several seats,” she wrote.

    The OG girl group member may have taken Schneider to school, but the Hive was ready to drag him to hell. They declared the The Haves and the Have Nots star canceled on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

    Check out some of the reactions below.

    What do you think of Beyoncé’s new country music and the reactions to it? Are you feeling the yee-haw agenda for Act II of the Renaissance trilogy?

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    Bossip Staff

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  • Culture War Casualty: Harvard's First Black President Claudine Gay Forced To Resign Following Accusations Of Antisemitism And Racism By Conservative Clowns

    Culture War Casualty: Harvard's First Black President Claudine Gay Forced To Resign Following Accusations Of Antisemitism And Racism By Conservative Clowns

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    Source: Kevin Dietsch / Getty

    The year has just started but since there is an election in November this is your reminder that conservatives only really care about “culture war” and harassing minorities. Not politics, not policy, not legislating to help people. They only want to see Black, brown, and LGBTQ folks “put in their place”.

    Claudine Gay was the very first Black president of Harvard University, an Ivy League institution that was first established 388 years ago in 1636. Guess no Black folks were qualified to ever helm such a prestigious property in close to four centuries. However, as soon as a melanated person is blessed with the esteemed opportunity to lead, she is vilified, accused, and subsequently run out of her position of power.

    It’s a tale as old as time.

    According to ABCNews, Gay resigned from her post while under intense attack from conservatives who allege that she is a plagiarist, an agent of the “woke left”, a lowly diversity hire, and a Jew-hating antisemite. The trouble first began during a congressional hearing in which grandstanding New York Rep. Elise Stefanik eagerly initiated a line of questioning about “calling for the genocide of Jews” and whether or not it would violate school policy.

    Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, in a statement on X, also weighed in on Gay’s resignation.

    “A little context. A failure in leadership and denial of antisemitism have a price. I hope that the esteemed Harvard University will learn from this dismal conduct,” he wrote.

    That questioning was blood in the water for right-wing riot-starters who were ginned up enough to dig through Gay’s upstanding professional career to look for disingenuous dirty with which to denigrate her reputation. The best they could come up with was some nonsense about purported plagiarism in her 1997 doctoral dissertation. Upon review by The Harvard Corporation, the school’s governing body, all that was found were benign instances of “duplicative language” for which the board asked for additional citations. Let the Republican bootlickers tell it, Gay got her doctorate out of a Cracker Jack box and has invaded their lily white university to propagate her Black a** “agenda”.

    Here’s what cuck-y conservative Christopher Rufo said about Gay on Twitter (we’re never calling it “X”):

    “Rather than take responsibility for minimizing antisemitism, committing serial plagiarism, intimidating the free press, and damaging the institution, she calls her critics racist,” Rufo said on X, formerly Twitter. “This is the poison” of diversity, equity and inclusion ideology, said Rufo, who has led conservative attacks on DEI both in business and in education.

    Fortunately, Black folks are standing up for Gay and speaking truth to power.

    Rev. Al Sharpton released a statement that made plain what injustice and indignity has been done unto Dr. Claudine Gay:

    The Rev. Al Sharpton in a statement called pressure for Gay to resign “an attack on every Black woman in this country who’s put a crack in the glass ceiling” and an “assault on the health, strength, and future of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

    Again, there is a major American election happening in November. The enemies of democracy and Black intellectualism are gearing up, are you ready to defend yourself, your families, and your future against the attack?

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    Jason "Jah" Lee

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  • 'American Fiction' Director Cord Jefferson Addresses How Black Artists Are Pushed Into 'Revolving Door Of Trauma And Misery' When Creating

    'American Fiction' Director Cord Jefferson Addresses How Black Artists Are Pushed Into 'Revolving Door Of Trauma And Misery' When Creating

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    We’re finishing the fourth quarter super strong when it comes to entertainment, particularly films.

    Source: Variety / Getty

    AMERICAN FICTION, Cord Jefferson’s hilarious directorial debut, arrives in theaters everywhere Friday, December 22nd, and our Sr. Content Director Janeé Bolden had a chance to chat with him about the film — which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes.

    Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

    We were fortunate to catch an early virtual Q&A with Cord Jefferson, who based the film on the novel Erasure by Percival Everett. After hearing Jefferson speak about how Everett’s novel resonated with him, one of our first questions to Jefferson, who has worked as a writer for successful TV shows like The Good Place, Watchmen, Master Of None, and Survivor’s Remorse, was about his own experiences in Hollywood.

    “I’ve had a couple of instances in which executives will read scripts of mine and say in so many words, ‘We want you to make this character blacker,’” Jefferson told BOSSIP. “And I always respond to that with just like, ‘OK,’ because it’s never directly to me, it’s always through like emissaries and I always say, ‘Go back to them and ask them what Blacker means. Ask them what they mean by Blacker.’ Of course they never answer that question because they know that if they were trying to answer that question they would sound ridiculous and they make fools of themselves, even more so than they already have.”

    American Fiction assets

    Source: Amazon MGM Studios / Amazon MGM Studios

    Jefferson also shared stories with us that he heard from colleagues, including a particularly dark one that included a racial slur.

    “I had a friend who was working on a TV show once, and the showrunner turned to her in front of the entire all white staff,” Jefferson shared. “She’s a Black woman and the rest of the staff was white, and the showrunner turned to her on her first day on the job and said, ‘What do you think Blackie?’ In front of the entire staff. This is like 10 years ago. This was not 1952, this is like 2014 or 2015.”

    Jefferson also acknowledged that these experiences aren’t isolated to writing for film and television. He recalled how his days as a journalist often meant constantly being assigned to cover Black trauma.

    “Before I started working in TV and film, I was working in journalism and journalism was very much like, ‘Would you write about Mike Brown getting killed?’ ‘Would you write about Trayvon Martin getting killed?’ ‘Would you write about Breonna Taylor getting killed?’ Will you write about this racist thing that somebody said about President Obama?’” Jefferson told BOSSIP. “Constantly. This revolving door of trauma and misery and it’s like, is this all that we have to offer with our work as writers?”

    These experiences reflect those of so many Black professionals, simply trying to make a living while pursuing their dreams. The bigger issue, Jefferson says, is that people outside of the culture often fail to recognize that they also have a part to play in confronting Black trauma.

    “When they come to black people all the time and say like, ‘This is what you need to do,’ suggests that racism and the problems that come from racism are a Black issue,” Jefferson continued. “This is a two way street. Racism is just as much a white issue as it is a Black issue. Why are you not coming to white people and asking them to write about Mike Brown and Trayvon Martin, you know? They have a part to play in all of this too, it literally is a national issue. and treating it as if only Black people can talk about this is wrong. The cop that killed him was white right? So isn’t that just as applicable to white people’s lives as it is to our life? Why aren’t white people defined by these incidents the way that you try to define Black people by these incidents? That was a frustrating aspect of working in journalism, and I thought that I would get away from it when I started working in entertainment, because it’s fictional stories right? But still people are coming to me like, ‘Well why don’t you write about slaves?’”

    American Fiction assets

    Source: Amazon MGM Studios / Amazon MGM Studios

    As you can imagine, American Fiction is every bit as thought-provoking as the questions Jefferson is asking. The film’s complexity also stretches beyond race, into class because Monk and his family reflect the very real fragility that many members of the Black upper middle class face.

    “Black people have, for any number of reasons by design, not been able to achieve generational wealth in this country,” Jefferson responds when asked about the precarious nature of Monk and his family’s status. “That has been elusive for the vast majority of black people in this country. The thing that I wanted to portray was that essentially like there was one breadwinner. The father was successful, he had sort of like built up a successful practice, but you see how precarious things are once he’s gone… Fortunately they made enough to educate their children but also their children are going through it now too. See how quickly a divorce can totally alter your financial future? That is the problem with the difference between just general affluence and like real wealth. That precarity is very real.”

    Jefferson even shared how his own financial security might have been in jeopardy had the WGA strike lasted longer this year.

    “I’ve made a lot of money in my TV career and then I bought a house,” Jefferson shared. “I’ve earned far more money than anybody in my family ever has, but then we went on strike. I had an overall deal, which is how I really made all my money, and there is a real significant chance that I was going to lose my overall deal [had the strike lasted] and if that were to happen it would have all gone away. Not necessarily immediately, but if they said ‘Your overall deal’s gone, you’re not getting paid after this,’ I would have been scrambling to figure out how I was going to keep my house, which is the first real thing that I’ve ever owned.”

    American Fiction assets

    Source: Amazon MGM Studios / Amazon MGM Studios

    Ironically, our conversation with Jefferson happened when the SAG-AFTRA strike was still in full swing, so we were unable to speak with his incredible cast, which, in addition to Jeffrey Wright, also includes Erica Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae and Sterling K. Brown — who is quite the scene stealer as Monk’s gay brother, newly uncloseted and completely unhinged.

    “Erika Alexander was such a huge part of my childhood,” Jefferson told BOSSIP. “I watched Living Single all the time. We went out to dinner a couple weeks ago and she was telling me something that I’d never heard before, which is that there were studies that showed that there was a spike in Black female lawyers when that show was on the air, because of the Maxine Shaw effect. Then all of a sudden it’s like Erika Alexander is not in movies anymore she’s not in TV shows anymore. This is a woman that is so, so, so talented, that is so, so, so beloved and had a huge impact on me when I was a kid. I loved giving her like a bigger role. I loved giving her the romantic lead in the film.”

    American Fiction assets

    Source: Amazon MGM Studios / Amazon MGM Studios

    “I love that Leslie Uggams is 81 and still going,” Jefferson continued. “I love seeing her in there. I love Sterling K. Brown. I think that Sterling K. Brown has obviously gotten a bunch of television accolades, but I don’t think anybody has seen him like this before. This is a total departure for him. Tracee Ellis Ross, people think of her as ‘Oh she’s a sitcom actor.’ No, Tracee Ellis Ross has range… I just really want these people here because because they’re tremendous in the movie and I wish that they were at the forefront receiving these accolades because too frequently Black actors aren’t given that opportunity.”

    1. “Jeffrey is amazing,” Jefferson added. “The second time I ever saw Jeffrey Wright act was Basquiat it was the first time I ever saw him in the lead in anything because before that I saw him in Angels in America, not on Broadway but in the Mike Nichols adaptation of HBO and then I saw him as a lead in Basquiat and then I didn’t see him as a lead in anything ever after that, and it was like ‘Why?’ This guy’s amazing. Everybody agrees that he’s an amazing actor. Everybody agrees he’s one of the most talented actors in America, why is he not in the lead more often? Why is he never given that opportunity? I just love these people. I think they’re amazing. They were all amazing to work with and I want them to be receiving these flowers because they deserve them.”

    We’re in total agreement. Go see American Fiction in theaters everywhere December 22!

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    Janeé Bolden

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  • ‘Happy Shanksgiving!’ George Floyd’s Convicted Murderer Derek Chauvin Stuck Like A Pig In Federal Prison Stabbing

    ‘Happy Shanksgiving!’ George Floyd’s Convicted Murderer Derek Chauvin Stuck Like A Pig In Federal Prison Stabbing

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    Social media celebrated like Christmas came early because someone stabbed Derek Chauvin, the ex-cop convicted of killing George Floyd.

    Source: Hennepin County Jail / Hennepin County Jail

    It turns out Black Friday had something even better than leftovers and sales. One of the most infamous murderers in recent history, Derek Chauvin, got a taste of his own cold-blooded medicine. The AP reports Chauvin is “seriously injured” from a stabbing in federal prison.

    Chauvin was in custody at the Federal Correctional Institution, Tucson, when another inmate attacked the former boy in blue. The Bureau of Prisons confirmed an assault around 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday at FCI Tuscon.

    The agency did not identify the victim as Chauvin. It released a statement that employees performed “life-saving measures” on the inmate until transferring him to a hospital.

    To the disappointment of many on social media, the killer ex-cop is in stable condition. According to TMZ, “his injuries were not considered life-threatening.” The 47-year-old remains hospitalized for evaluation.

    Derek Chauvin’s Multiple Convictions For The Killing Of George Floyd

    Chauvin will continue to serve his two decades behind bars because he survived and because the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal last week. He petitioned the highest court in the land to overturn his federal murder conviction despite pleading guilty.

    Chauvin suffocated George Floyd to death on camera in May 2020. He kneeled on Floyd’s neck for 9½ agonizing minutes over a suspected counterfeit $20 bill. The horrific public execution sparked global outrage and protests.

    News - George Floyd Protest Juneteenth - New York City

    Source: Ira L. Black – Corbis / Getty

    A jury found Chauvin guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in 2021. The judge sentenced him to 21½ years, one of the longest a U.S. cop ever faced for killing a Black person.

    In July 2022, Chauvin pled guilty in federal court to violating Floyd’s civil rights. He received the lower end of the plea sentencing, another 21 years. The next month, he transferred to FCI Tuscon to serve his sentences concurrently.

    Chauvin spent most of his time in solitary confinement in Minnesota “largely for his own protection” from retaliation. “Happy Shanksgiving” trended over the news that George Floyd’s killer was nearly carved like a turkey.

    Considering the terror, violence, and death that crooked cops like Chauvin regularly inflict on communities with impunity, it’s no surprise many see the stabbing as overdue karma.

    Check out some of the reactions below.

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    lexdirects

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  • Tried & True Troll Doja Cat Reacts To ‘Blackface’ Accusations, Continues ‘Cash Grab’ Comments While Performing ‘Say So’

    Tried & True Troll Doja Cat Reacts To ‘Blackface’ Accusations, Continues ‘Cash Grab’ Comments While Performing ‘Say So’

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    Doja Cat is kicking up more controversy by calling her fans “dumb” in her latest teaser and calling critics “f**king stupid” for accusing her of wearing “blackface.”

    Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty

    On Saturday, the record-breaking baddie posted a teaser once again slamming her own fans. Doja took to Instagram with a video clip from a fictional talk show where she played herself and the host interviewing her.

    In one of Doja’s typical twists, the host’s skin is completely covered in special FX makeup. Her fans quickly clocked the character as her blood-soaked alter ego, Scarlet, but others mistook the look for blackface. Jesus, take the wheel!

    “This might be a silly question. Do you appreciate the people and the fans who support your music?” Scarlet asks.

    Doja’s thought bubbles say, “I hate my fans. My fans are dumb,” but she answers “Yeah” out loud.

    “Nice. Love that, love that,” Scarlet responds as the unseen audience applauds.

    The 28-year-old cryptically captioned the clip, “out Monday.”

    Doja planned to provoke with the running joke of basically daring her fans to keep supporting this new era. However, she seems shocked that some people think she rocked blackface. It’s not very surprising to those concerned about Doja’s reputation for wearing the merch with the image of a “neo-Nazi” comedian like Sam Hyde.

    Check out Doja Cat’s reaction to the “blackface” accusations and the “money grab” shade she threw on the Scarlet tour after the flip!

    Doja Cat Fired Back At “Blackface” Comments, Doubles Down On Calling “Say So” A “Cash Grab”

    Doja Cat Kicks Off The Scarlet Tour In San Francisco, CA

    Source: Dana Jacobs / Getty

    For this album’s rollout, Doja Cat lived up to the song title “Paint The Town Red.” At the 2023 MTV VMAs, she took the stage surrounded by dancers dressed as Scarlet and painted in red. However, like the real deal, the dried-down color looks more like brown than blood red. Some comments noted that the filter on the video distorted the color even more.

    Too Fab reports Doja took to Instagram again to set the record straight. On her Stories, the internet instigator posted a series of pictures of the Scarlet character clearly covered in red.

    2023 MTV Video Music Awards - Show

    Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty

    “YOU HAVE TO BE … A VERY SPECIAL … KIND … OF F**KING STUPID,” she wrote in the all-caps clapback.

    The more Doja courts controversy, the more her career continues to thrive. Hours after the “Demons” singer racked up another three nominations for the 2024 Grammys, she trolled fans in person. No one and nothing is off limits when it comes to the multitalented troll.

    While performing onstage during the Scarlet on Friday, she doubled down on dragging her own hits. “Come on, cash grab!” she yelled while performing “Say So.”

    It’s hard to tell whether Doja has more smoke for her fans, critics, or her own pop past. Either way, whatever she’s dropping on Monday will have everyone talking.

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    lexdirects

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  • Soup Cookie Chronicles: Portland Karen Arrested For Spitting On, Punching, And N-Wording Black Security Guard Who Caught Her Stealing

    Soup Cookie Chronicles: Portland Karen Arrested For Spitting On, Punching, And N-Wording Black Security Guard Who Caught Her Stealing

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    Source: Gustavo Andrade / Getty

    There’s no reason for animals like this to be walking the streets. Put her in a cage.

    A 43-year-old Portland woman named Janee Jewell Plummer is currently sitting in Multnomah County Jail for some racist bulls#!t that she pulled last Thursday. According to KATU, Plummer tried to steal several food items from a Safeway grocery store when she was approached by a Black loss prevention security guard who had stopped her before she could escape the property.

    motbello

    Source: Hyoung Chang / Getty

    The report states that Plummer initially attempted to push past the unnamed officer while telling him that she, “owned the store”. When that didn’t work, she did the only thing Karens know how to do, act a muthaf***in’ fool. Plummer is accused of calling the Black man “ni**er” multiple times while punching him and spitting in his face. Upon further review of this cantankerous Karen’s criminal history, it was revealed that she has a rap sheet as long as the receipt would be for the items she tried to steal. In one of her most heinous incidents, she chased a woman who was walking her dogs with a hammer, tried to steal the dogs, and threatened to kill the woman. She was convicted of attempted robbery in February 2023 and was subsequently sentenced to five years of probation in addition to fourteen days in the county jail.

    In her lifetime, Janee Jewell Plummer has 17 convictions that go all the way back to 1999.

    When police officers arrested Plummer at the Safeway she allegedly told them that she had zero intention of paying for the items. When questioned about the racist slurs, she replied, “I don’t have to like Black people, and I don’t.” She then said “ni**er” several more times to assert her caucasian dominance.

    Plummer was ultimately charged with 2 counts of bias crime, 2 counts of harassment, and third-degree theft and robbery for which she will appear in court on Nov. 14, 2023. Hopefully, the judge throws a Barnes & Noble worth of books at her.

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    Jason "Jah" Lee

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  • Everything’s N***er In Texas: Stafford Security Guard Goes On Racist Rant Following Road Rage Incident, Allegedly Spits On Black Woman

    Everything’s N***er In Texas: Stafford Security Guard Goes On Racist Rant Following Road Rage Incident, Allegedly Spits On Black Woman

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    Source: Grace Cary / Getty

    Racism in Texas?!? Say it ain’t so!

    According to Fox26, a white man in Stafford, Texas who works as an armed security guard is now under investigation after a Black woman claims that he spit on her and damaged her vehicle during a road rage incident. A Black woman named Denishia Lewis says she was stopped behind David Tupper at a red light and when the light changed, he didn’t move. She claims that she gave him a courtesy honk to alert him of the green light, but he still remained motionless, so she drove around his motorcycle. That when things went left…

    “I hear acceleration from the bike and the next thing you know he accelerates from the right lane and punches my right mirror,” says Lewis. According to her, he hit the mirror so hard it cracked the plastic casing.

    Shocked, Lewis followed Tupper into a gas station and asked for his insurance information to which he replied, “Go fix your car and stop honking at people when you don’t need to.” Lewis says Tupper then began spouting off racist insults complete with all the epithets that you’ve come to loathe.

    “He called me a coon, a monkey, a (n-word). I’m not a coon. I’m not a monkey, and I’m not an n-word. I’m Black, and I’m American, and I’m human just like he is,” says Lewis.

    Lewis says that Tupper claimed that he is a former cop and was armed with a pistol on his hip during their tense exchange. She believes that Tupper was looking for any reason whatsoever to unholster his firearm and use it on her, “If I would have made the wrong move or given him any reason. That’s why he said all of those things about me, because he wanted to have a reason to take me out.”

    The exchange was captured on Lewis’ cell phone camera.

    Hopefully, this guy gets doxxed or something. He needs to learn.

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    Jason "Jah" Lee

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