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Kaepernick Challenges Americans to Reflect on What They Really Stand For

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By Peter Bloom / Common Dreams

The San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick shocked much of America last week by refusing to stand for the national anthem. In his own words,

“Ultimately it’s to bring awareness and make people realize what’s really going on in this country. There are a lot of things that are going on that are unjust, people aren’t being held accountable for, and that’s something that needs to change. That’s something that — this country stands for freedom, liberty, justice for all. And it’s not happening for all right now.”

His actions have resonated far beyond the sports page. They have spurred passionate reactions from supporters and detractors alike. No less than Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump proclaimed “Maybe he should find a country that works better for him. Let him try. It won’t happen.”   [Read more…]

A Cliffhanger for California Farm Workers Overtime Legislation

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Will Agribusiness Interests Buy Some Votes by Monday?

The disappointment at the California Capitol building was palpable as the legislature adjourned on Thursday without voting on a bill granting farm workers overtime pay after eight hours or more than 60 hours in a week.

The vote was postponed to Monday in the face of uncertainty about the support of business-friendly Democrats facing political pressure from agribusiness interests. When leaders realized they might be short of the 41 votes they needed, they pulled the bill from the Assembly floor.

Hundreds of farm workers came on buses from around the state came to Sacramento to rally in support of Assembly Bill 1066, authored by Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego.  A similar proposal died in June four votes short of the majority it needed to pass and supporters were there to witness what many assumed would be a turnaround.   [Read more…]

Shining a Light on Trump’s Cockroach Army

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Today’s the day when Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton confronts the ugly underside of the Trump candidacy: the alt-right. Or, as I like to call them, racists.

Challenged by advisors with polling data showing him losing badly among better-educated suburban whites, Donald Trump has reportedly been “softening” the inflammatory rhetoric. He’s even gone so far as to accuse Clinton of being a “bigot.”

Clinton isn’t labeling Trump personally as a racist or a white nationalist; she’s labeling his words and policies as such. Donald Trump’s recent history in politics from his birther comments through to this campaign are all anybody needs.   [Read more…]

World of Wakanda: A New Marvel Comic Series

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By South OB Girl / OB Rag

While thousands of people were attending Comic-Con last week, Marvel Comics announced the release of a new comic book series on Friday July 22. The superheroes will be women. And the series is being written by women. George Gene Gustines, writing in The New York Times July 23rd issue, did an interesting review of the series, entitled, “Marvel Shines a Spotlight on Women.”

Wakanda is a fictional African country, and the world of the Marvel series, Black Panther. World of Wakanda will be a companion series. And will premiere in November.

The current Black Panther series is written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, author and a national correspondent for The Atlantic. The new comic will be written by two women, who are writing comics for the first time: the feminist writer Roxane Gay and the poet Yona Harvey.   [Read more…]

Black Lives Matter San Diego Rally: Photo-Essay

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By Bree Davis

I’m Bree and I had the privilege and honor to attend and support the Black Lives Matter: San Diego rally in downtown San Diego outside of the Convention Center on July 10. It was strategically timed so we would be meeting and marching as the All Star Convention was opening it’s doors. Black Lives Matter: San Diego is not yet an official chapter, however they are working hard on becoming one, so hopefully soon this will happen.   [Read more…]

We Already Know How to Reduce Police Racism and Violence

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Recent research has shown cities what works. For starters, hire more female police officers.

Kate Stringer / Yes! Magazine

After being pulled over for a busted taillight on July 6, Philando Castile informed a Minnesota police officer at his window that he owned a gun and had a license to carry it. As he reached for his license and registration, his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter then watched as the police officer fired four shots into Castile’s body. He died in the driver’s seat.

Castile was one of 137 Black people in the United States killed by a police officer this year [as of July 8, 2016]. Another Black man, Alton Sterling, was killed by police in Louisiana the night before. On Thursday, seemingly in response, five police officers were killed and six were wounded when snipers interrupted a peaceful protest in Dallas on July 7. Amid the violence there have been forceful calls to city leaders to address police racism and brutality.   [Read more…]

Protests Reveal American Angst About Racism

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Protests triggered by videos of fatal encounters of young Black men with police continued across the nation through the weekend. Memorials for the Dallas Police officers slain while protecting marchers were also scheduled nationwide.

The more grown up among us acknowledge that it was possible to reject violence against people for the color of their skin and the color of their uniforms. At the same time, it remains more important than ever to exercise first amendment rights in furtherance of ending the brutality of America’s legacy of racism.

Street demonstrations protesting police violence were held in New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Mineapolis, Salt Lake City, Denver, Phoenix, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and, yes, San Diego. In fact, you can search Google News for just about any large city with “BLM [city name] protest” and chances are you’ll find a story.   [Read more…]

A Horrible Day for Police (and Everyone) In Dallas

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“We are not going to let a coward who would ambush police officers change our democracy”

Five Dallas law enforcement officers were killed, and seven officers along with two civilians were wounded Thursday evening by a lone gunman, now identified as Micah X Johnson.

The assailant opened fire on police in downtown at the conclusion of an otherwise peaceful protest organized in response to videos released in recent days depicting Black men being killed by law enforcement.

Ironies abound amid the tragedy in Dallas, starting with the police department’s shift towards community-oriented policing, resulting in excessive force complaints against the Dallas Police Department dropping by 64% between 2009 and 2014.   [Read more…]

Dallas Chaos: 11 Police Officers Shot, Five Killed In Coordinated Attack

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Editor’s Note: According to the Dallas police press conference this morning there is only one suspect. Other arrests turned out to be in error. He has been positively identified as Micah X. Johnson, with no known associations with terrorist or Black Lives Matter.

Staff / AlterNet

Dallas police officers were ambushed by snipers on Thursday night after a peaceful protest by Black Lives Matter prompted by the killing by police of black men in the past 48 hours in Louisiana and Minnesota.

Dallas police report that 11 officers were shot and five have died. Reportedly, one civilian was also shot.   [Read more…]

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and That’s Not Funny

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A killer targeting homeless humans is likely using San Diego’s transit system to get to his “work…”

…Another human gunned down in Minneapolis for –apparently– being a scary Black person, the day after cops in Louisiana are caught trying to cover their asses following what many are calling an extra-legal execution…

…And a local Congressman is ready to shut down the government to prove his loyalty to an orange-colored racist dog posing as a presidential candidate Donald Trump.   [Read more…]

#ISISAttackingMuslims: Twitter Users Remind World Who Most Terror Victims Are

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“Before blaming Muslims for Isis, remember that Isis terrorist attacks [are] targeting more Muslims than any other groups.”

By Nadia Prupis / Common Dreams

In the aftermath of the that killed hundreds in Iraq over the weekend, Muslims took to social media to remind the world that the primary targets of terrorist attacks are Muslims.   [Read more…]

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