#African Parks Rape Women

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Bad manners & Diva behavior Day 1

Per usual she got her way bc Sparry is a Eunuch.

Times Change. People Don't.

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

We Won't Forget 💔

Just because Sparry has the IQ of a gnat doesn't mean we'll forget about how The Meghans and their team have FAILED to even acknowledge the human rights abuses in their own African backyard.

Imagine speaking to Nigerians about women & girls without offering up so much as thoughts & prayers for your own "victims." There are some sorry rich people in this world but Harry & Meghan beat all.

FOUR months before he was promoted to the organization's Board of Directors, Pince Harry was warned about "vicious" rapes and sent a video testimony about human-rights abuses by rangers employed by a charity. Concerns raised in the letter—shared with Newsweek—included rangers "raping an Indigenous woman while she was holding her two-month-old baby; and raping a 18-year old Baka boy." 🤬💔

[radfemsiren]

The trans community protecting rapists part 2

A man employing a young woman 3 times younger than him and within hours of meeting her, coercing her into sex is a clear power imbalance and obvious example of rape. Also, she EXPLICITLY said she did not consent, are you illiterate? It is textbook rape apologist rhetoric to accuse the woman of changing her mind, or just regretting the encounter. The terf comment also highlights how these people think rape is ok if it happens to women they don’t like, and how “believe all victims” is something only reserved for “well behaved” women. When it comes to the amusement park comment, what a disgusting way to speak about a rape allegation.

The police investigation is still open the police told her it would be too traumatizing to go to court because of he prospect of conviction. Domestic violence experts have called the texts evidence of textbook grooming.

Here is an especially heinous reblog (supported by OP) using the lynchings of African Americans as a scapegoat for this rich white man:

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Mod Talks Mini:

//Hey, so I want to just send a little bit of a message to people, because there's something I need to let everybody know in a professional and calm manner, since I've been seeing a lot of controversy and messages online from people about this sort of stuff.

//Don't worry, this isn't anything serious, but I'm saying this for the sake of everyone's safety out there. It is kind of an edgy topic, so I will keep it under the cut.

//I don't really know how I should start this conversation, but I guess I should be giving a bit of backdrop for it.

//I recently found an old article online (several years back, I'm not even sure how I found it) talking about some other internet article pricks dissing Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, for those who don't know.

//As everyone no doubt knows, South Park is notorious for its irreverent humor, often crossing lines with its dark satire, inappropriate jokes, and willingness to offend...basically EVERYONE. The show touches on sensitive topics like religion, politics, race, and SO much more.

//Parker and Stone have been judged harshly for their edgy, boundary-pushing humor, with some labeling them as cynical or insensitive, but the article I read was explaining that despite the controversial content they create, Parker and Stone are known to be down-to-earth and good-natured in real life. They’ve spoken about how their intent is often to challenge norms and provoke thought rather than to offend maliciously.

//And I can confirm this, because a few years ago, I watched this video that has always stuck with me, because these guys know what it is they're talking about, and it's why their shows and all the other stuff they make together are so successful.

//This however, also got me thinking about some people that I follow on AO3, and...Yeah, I know that's a weird jump, but let me explain.

//Archive of Our Own is one of the most prolific fanfic and writing websites on the internet right now, thanks to it's simplicity, and a few other aspects, but I realized that on that website, it is also grounds for some of THE most fucked up writing I have ever seen.

//I think we've talked extensively about LadyRedHeart on this blog before; very much still one of the BIGGEST examples of this. Most of her content consists of rape, pedophilia, torture porn, incest, and about every horrible variation of NSFW content you could think of.

//What I read in her stories, because I have read some of them, is repulsive. But...I've also come to realize very quickly that RedHeart herself is not the genuinely fucked person that she seems to be in her writing.

//And then there's myself. In the past, I've been harshly criticized for writing characters like Kuripa, and even my portrayals of some of the canon characters, even though it's all supposed to be my own take on it. I remember people being really upset when they found out what happened to Hibiki, and then Himiko, and I had to deal with a lot of shit from some people back then.

//But it's fine. It all worked out in the end.

//But then there's the complete inverse of this, and this is the important part, because this is some of the stuff we need to keep our eyes out for. But this is also the more sensitive part of the post, so avoid the next 8 paragraphs if you don't like hearing about this. But here are a few examples:

//Bill Cosby is an American comedian, actor, and producer who was a major figure in entertainment, particularly in the 1960s through the 1990s. He gained widespread fame for his stand-up comedy and for starring in shows like The Cosby Show. The show was groundbreaking for its positive portrayal of an affluent African-American family and earned Cosby the title of "America's Dad."

//Cosby's legacy was severely tarnished in the 2000s and 2010s when numerous women came forward accusing him of sexual assault, drugging, and misconduct. These allegations spanned decades, with many women claiming that Cosby had drugged and assaulted them, and he was eventually convicted for it.

//Jimmy Savile was a British television and radio personality who became famous for hosting popular TV shows like Top of the Pops and Jim'll Fix It from the 1960s through the 1990s. For much of his life, Savile was seen as an eccentric celebrity and philanthropist who raised millions of pounds for charity, particularly for hospitals. He was widely respected and even knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990 for his charitable work.

//However, after his death in 2011, numerous allegations of sexual abuse came to light, leading to investigations that revealed Savile had been a prolific sex offender for decades. He abused hundreds of victims, both male and female, many of whom were children or vulnerable adults. Much of the abuse occurred in institutions like hospitals, schools, and even the BBC studios where he worked.

//John Kricfalusi is a 68-year-old renowned Canadian blogger, illustrator, and former voice actor and animator. He is the brains behind several popular cartoon shows in the 1990s and early 2000s. Kricfalusi is best known for creating The Ren & Stimpy Show, which ran from August 11, 1991, to December 16, 1995.

//In 2018, Kricfalusi's reputation suffered after Robyn Byrd and Katie Rice, two former Spümcø employees, accused him of grooming and sexual harassment. The pair went on to say that they had been minors at the time.

//And then of course, there's fucking Dan Schneider, a more recent example. He's a television producer, writer, and actor best known for creating and producing several popular Nickelodeon shows aimed at teens and preteens, such as All That, Drake & Josh, Zoey 101, iCarly, Victorious, Sam & Cat, and Henry Danger. His work was highly influential in shaping children's programming in the late 1990s and 2000s.

//However, Schneider has also faced controversy, particularly regarding his conduct behind the scenes. In 2018, Nickelodeon cut ties with him after a long partnership, due to I believe now confirmed allegations of inappropriate treatment of young actors.

//The point that I am trying to make here, is that judging a person's character based solely on the content they create can be problematic for several reasons. And it's not fair to judge a person based on what they do, or what kind of content they make, or for what audience, because in some cases, that can be dangerous.

//In their work, artists and writers frequently explore a wide range of themes, concepts, and emotions that might not always align with their own ideals or worldviews. Through experimentation and investigation, art can enable creators to push limits and question social conventions.

//The context in which content is created is crucial. Factors such as cultural background, personal experiences, and the intended audience can significantly influence the content. Misunderstanding this context can lead to unfair judgments.

//Many creators view their work as separate from their personal identity. Their content may reflect characters, scenarios, or viewpoints that differ from their own. This separation is essential for creative freedom and exploration.

//And people are multifaceted. A creator may have both admirable qualities and flaws, and reducing them to their work can oversimplify their character and experiences. Preconceived notions about a creator can lead to bias, impacting how their work is received. It's essential to approach content with an open mind, allowing for a fair assessment of its merits and messages.

//Content that sparks controversy or discomfort can lead to important conversations about societal issues. Engaging with such content critically can promote understanding and awareness rather than condemnation.

//Anyway, I ranted about this for way longer than I should have. tldr; Stay safe, don't judge people.

[royal-confessions]

“It is quite telling that suddenly peopole that were up in arm for William's missing the Football world cup in Australia and for making comments about population in Africa, are now looking the other way when Harry is proven to have disregarded the rape and abuse of african women and sexual grooming of teenage boys while he was president of African parks.” - Submitted by Anonymous

[fdrlibrary]

BLACK WOMEN IN THE WARTIME STRUGGLE

Black women were on the frontlines of civil rights activism during the war years.

The grassroots organizing work of young leaders like Juanita Jackson, Ella Baker and Rosa Parks helped fuel a dramatic increase in NAACP membership and branch activism. Union organizers like Dollie Lowther Robinson and Maida Springer labored to ensure workers’ rights. Black women also engaged in direct-action protests against segregation like Pauli Murray’s 1940 arrest for sitting in the whites-only section of a bus in Virginia.

Grassroots organizers Juanita Jackson, Ella Baker, and Rosa Parks helped the NAACP grow dramatically during the war. - https://www.mdhistory.org/resources/jackson-and-mitchell-family-portrait/ - https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/94504496/ - https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2015647352/

More than half a million Black women left farm and domestic work for better-paying jobs in wartime shipyards and defense factories. But they had to struggle against employers who refused to hire Black women (or confined them to menial jobs) and white employees who resisted working alongside them.

Black women also overcame determined opposition to enter the armed services. Mary McLeod Bethune served as a special assistant in the War Department and worked with the National Council of Negro Women and Eleanor Roosevelt to open the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) to Black recruits. Eventually, 6,500 served. Bethune also lobbied successfully for officer appointments. Still, Black WACs served in segregated units and were often assigned low-skilled work. The Army also limited the number of Black nurses and restricted them to segregated hospitals. Conditions in the Navy were even worse. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox opposed the entry of Black women into the service’s women’s auxiliary (WAVES). They were only admitted after his death in 1944.

Major Charity E. Adams inspects a Women’s Army Corps (WAC) battalion in England, February 15, 1945 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/531249)

African American women also took on the then taboo subject of sexual violence. Sexual assaults on Black women by white men were a parallel offense to the lynchings of Black men. A 1944 Alabama rape case involving Recy Taylor sparked an NAACP investigation by Rosa Parks and widespread publicity. The Committee for Equal Justice, organized by Parks, led a national protest drive to bring the seven, armed white rapists to justice. Its allies included the Southern Negro Youth Congress (SNYC), described by historian Erik McDuffie as “the shock troops for Black equality across the Jim Crow South during the war.” The SNYC conducted wartime campaigns for desegregation and voting and labor rights. Its leadership included women like Rose Mae Catchings and Sallye Bell Davis, mother of activist Angela Davis.

Please visit our current special exhibition BLACK AMERICANS, CIVIL RIGHTS, AND THE ROOSEVELTS, 1932-1962: https://www.fdrlibrary.org/civil-rights-special-exhibit

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Signs from Harrys Invictus event today calling out continued Sussex silence on tribespeople suffering violence rape & torture by African Parks rangers : "Baka Women Need Security Meghan" by u/wontyield

Signs from Harry’s Invictus event today calling out continued Sussex silence on tribespeople suffering violence, rape & torture by African Parks rangers : 📢 "Baka Women Need Security Meghan" 🪧 https://ift.tt/TsPVH3I post link: https://ift.tt/X2rxtz6 author: wontyield submitted: May 08, 2024 at 11:09PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[lboogie1906]

Olive Elaine Morris (June 26, 1952 - July 12, 1979) was a member of the British Black Panther Party and a grassroots activist in Great Britain. She was born in St. Catherine. Her parents migrated to post-WWII Great Britain while she and her siblings were left in the care of their grandmother in Jamaica. She and her siblings re-joined their parents in London. She enrolled at the London College of Printing to continue her education.

In 1969, she intervened in the arrest of a Nigerian diplomat for a parking offense. The police brutalized her and six other persons. She was fined and given a three-month suspended sentence for two years. She was stripped and threatened with rape by London police. She utilized her experiences with London’s police to expose racism, sexism, and police brutality and to strengthen her political activism.

The Black Panther Youth League recruited her at 17 which furthered her activism. She formed the Brixton Black Women’s Group to focus on women’s experiences in the Black Panther Party. She played a significant role in the squatters’ rights campaigns in her Brixton community. She and other community activists squatted to help establish self-help community spaces including Sarbarr Bookshop.

She enrolled at Manchester University to earn a social science degree. She expanded her activism by working with the National Coordinating Committee of Overseas Students. She visited China and wrote an article, “A Sister’s Visit to China,” published in Speak Out!, the BBWG’s newsletter. Her article explored anti-imperialist struggles and self-help community strategies in the world’s most populous Marxist state.

She became a founding member of the Organisation for Women of African and Asian Descent and edited the organization’s magazine FOWAD! During this time, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

The Brixton Service Centre was initially named ‘The Olive Morris House’. It was uncommon in Great Britain to name a building after a Black woman, especially a former member of the Black Panther Party. The building is still known as and listed online as the “The Olive Morris House.” #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[counterpunches]

There's so much to unpack here and so much incorrectly and inappropriately used terminology, but no amount of effort and information is going to convince some people that Israel is not a white settler colonial state (Jews have lived on the land since ancient times x; 70% of the current Israeli population are brown and black Jews who have been ethnically cleansed from the other African and Middle Eastern Arab nations like Libya, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, x x; 60% the land that was offered to the Jews by the British aka actual white colonialists in the 1947 UN Partition Plan was desert) x or that they're not attempting genocide (Palestinian population has grown in the past thirty years; Egypt also enforces the blockade and security wall and no one is BDSing them???; Israel is the only one to have ever offered Palestinians their own sovereignty and state despite both Egypt and Jordan having had control of the territories) of an indigenous population (Jews are as indigenous to the region as Palestinians).

Has there been a disgusting right-wing political party in power in the Israeli government? Yes. (Have the majority of Israelis been protesting loudly for months against this government and their policies much the same way many Americans did while Trump was President? Yes x x) Are there abuses of power and Israeli settlers committing domestic terrorism against Palestinians in the West Bank? Yes. (Is Israel itself an apartheid state for Arabs and Muslims? No. Arabic is one of the three official languages of Israel, along with Hebrew and English.Do Arabs face discrimination? Certainly they can.America lets not call the kettle black, shall we?)

But fine, whatever. Keep whatever narrative you want. But what I can't refrain from is addressing blatant lies and manipulation made in some of the links and statements made at the outset of the post. So one at a time, here goes:

First, the narrative was Israel would never bomb hospitals While Israel could certainly bomb a hospital if they wanted to, the article linked in the post is from October 18th, and it has since been proven that the rocket was a failed launch by Hamas, hit a parking lot near the hospital and killed 12-100 people as opposed to the 500+ initially reported x, x, x, x, x

Now, the hospitals are Hamas bases Israel has always maintained that mosques, schools, and hospitals have served as Hamas bases x and additional intelligence confirms reports x, x

First, we are not letting fuel in until the hostages are released. Now, we are not accepting the hostages back because that would stop our ground invasion and let Hamas win the article linked above literally explains why Israel didn't accept the hostage deal, because Hamas demanded 5 days to get those 50 hostages and "refused to provide a detailed list of the hostages who would be released" and also idk, maybe people change their minds as new information is released throughout the course of a conflict and hostage negotiations drag on? also idk, its a common tactic to not want to negotiate with terrorists?

If you look up "Hamas rape" on google, the first link leads to Times of Israel saying Israel has found no forensic evidence of sexual violence, and only one eyewitness testimony out of 3.5k people attending the rave Several people already commented about this in the notes, but jfc the link provide literally describes why there's "no forensic evidence of sexual violence" is because they were focused on identifying bodies and physical proof is limited due to bodies either being burned or decomposing and too much time has passed for legal evidence. there are dozens of statements from people collecting bodies that they've seen evidence of rape, also video evidence, as well as both victim and perpetrator testimonies ("believe women" but not if they're Israeli women, I guess). An article from yesterday, November 14, states they're still trying to build rape cases with other evidence.

If you Google "Hamas beheaded babies" the top links say they have no evidence for the claim besides word of mouth from extremist soldiers. Israeli extremists think about the ugliest goriest scene they can make out in their sick heads, tell that to a international journalist and they run away with it like it's gospel. There's nothing to suggest the soldier interviewed is an extremist, Unless by 'extremist', thats just supposed to means "Israeli" so therefore all Israelis are extremists? but yeah, international journalists tend to run with something that is a good headline even when they really, really shouldn't. Like, idk 'Israel bombs hospital, 500+ dead' using nothing but reports from an Iranian-proxy genocidal terrorist organization x x Volunteers with emergency response groups have described babies with marks from a kitchen oven on its body, severed limbs, stabbed in the head, tortured, confirmed photographs of bodies riddled with bullets, bodies burnt. (love that the argument for the radicalized is "ok so babies were murdered but they weren't beheaded, god" as if that somehow justifies either what happened or your reaction to it)

The situation for innocent Palestinians is a horrific and dire crisis. Spreading misinformation or skewing it to be intentionally misleading when the situation is complicated enough is a pretty shitty thing to do.

Follow qualified journalists who are dedicated to speaking truth and admitting where there might be bias in their own perspectives!! (Yes, its hard to find these! But worthwhile to do! Here are some listed below!)

There are plenty of non-Jewish Iranian voices like yashari ali and the wellness therapist, left wing trans Jews like dana levinson and queer Arab Israelis like Muhammad Zoabi, non-Jewish educators like Sharon McMahon out there speaking against Hamas and Iran, against right-wing Israeli politics and settlers, against antisemitism, against Islamophobia.

Be constructive. Donate to organizations helping on the ground like The Alliance for Middle East Peace, Doctors without Borders, or World Central Kitchen.

And for the love of god, do some fucking research.

Subscribe to news media with perspectives outside your own so the world isn't a mirror but a window. Especially when its this important. Too many lives around the world depend on it.

I can't stop thinking about the news out of Palestine. Israel is sieging al Shifa hospital. Videos of people's limbs being severed off are haunting (graphic video tw). The hospital has ran out of fuel and 39 babies in incubators are fending for their lives by themselves, because Israel has stationed snipers around the hospital and is shooting all medical crew that walks into their sight.

First, the narrative was Israel would never bomb hospitals. Now, the hospitals are Hamas bases. Then, we respect journalists. Now, we have a fucking kill list of journalists because they are Hamas collaborators. First, we are not letting fuel in until the hostages are released. Now, we are not accepting the hostages back because that would stop our ground invasion and let Hamas win. And I could go on about every single lie they're making up. If you look up "Hamas rape" on google, the first link leads to Times of Israel saying Israel has found no forensic evidence of sexual violence, and only one eyewitness testimony out of 3.5k people attending the rave. If you Google "Hamas beheaded babies" the top links say they have no evidence for the claim besides word of mouth from extremist soldiers. Israeli extremists think about the ugliest goriest scene they can make out in their sick heads, tell that to a international journalist and they run away with it like it's gospel.

And children are being killed in the name of these lies. Thousands are being displaced in images that remind me of the pictures of Tantura 75 years ago, with their hands up so the tanks don't shoot them. Amputees are leaving the hospitals in wheelchairs hours after their surgeries because they are being shot at. Elders who survived the Nakba on 48 are having to walk towards Southern Gaza on foot (imagine walking from one end of your city to the other on foot), displaced again. People are cheering for the haunting images of white phosphorus bombs being dropped over Gaza. Gazan workers who were arrested in the West Bank are being thrust back into the bombings wearing numbered labels.

This is not normal. We are seeing the early stages of the settler colonial genocide of an indigenous population. Native leaders who have visited Gaza say its refugee camps look eerily like reservations. We can stop this. For the first time we are able to see wide scale accounts from the hands of the people suffering the genocide, and Israel is so scared of it they have cut all communications in Gaza.

This is our litmus test. I think we have never seen more clearly, with Palestine, Armenia, Congo and Sudan how colonialism has made our world a rotten place to live in.

The South African apartheid collapsed due to boycotts. We have to do everything in our power to stop Israel's hegemony. Even talking to a group of friends about Palestine changes the status quo. There's no world where we can live peacefully if Israel accomplishes their goals.

Educate yourself. Read into Palestinian history and the occupation. You can't common sense people out of decades of propaganda. If your arguments crumble when a zionist brings up the "disengagement of Gaza", you have to learn more.

Read Decolonize Palestine. They have 15 minute reads that concisely explain the occupation (and its colonial roots) and debunk popular myths, including pinkwashing.

Read on Palestine. Here's an amazing masterpost.

Verso Book Club is giving out free books on Palestine (I personally downloaded Ten Myths about Israel by Ilan Pappe).

Keep yourself updated and share Palestinian voices. Muna El-Kurd said every tweet is like a treasure to them, because their voices are repressed on social media and even on this very app. Make it your action item to share something about the Palestinian plight everyday. Here are some resources:

Al Jazeera, Anadolu Agency, Mondoweiss

Boycott Divest Sanction Movement

Palestinian Youth Movement is organizing protests and direct action against weapons factories across the US

Mohammed El-Kurd (twitter / instagram)

Muhammad Shehada (twitter)

Motaz Azaiza (instagram) - reporting directly from Gaza.

Hind Khudary - reporting directly from Gaza. Her husband and daughter moved South to run from the tanks but she stayed behind to record the genocide. The least we can do is not let her calls fall on deaf ears.

You can participate in boycotts wherever you are in the world, through BDS guidelines. Don't be overwhelmed by gigantic boycott lists. BDS explicitly targets only a few brands which have bigger impact. You can stop consuming from as many brands as you want, though, and by all means feel free to give a 1 star review to McDonalds, Papa John, Pizza Hut, Burger King and Starbucks. Right now, they are focusing on boycotting the following:

Carrefour, HP, Puma, Sabra, Sodastream, Ahava cosmetics, Israeli fruits and vegetables

Push for a cultural boycott - pressure your favorite artist to speak out on Palestine and cancel any upcoming performances on occupied territory (Lorde cancelled her gig in Israel because of this. It works.)

If you can, participate in direct action or donate.

Palestine Action works to shut down Israeli weapons factories in the UK and USA, and have successfully shut down one of their firms in London.Some of the activists are going on trial and are calling for mobilizing on court.

Palestinian Youth Movement is organizing direct actions to stop the shipping of wars to Israel. Follow them.

Educate yourself. Read into Palestinian history and the occupation. You can't common sense people out of decades of propaganda. If your arguments crumble when a zionist brings up the "disengagement of Gaza", you have to learn more.

Read Decolonize Palestine. They have 15 minute reads that concisely explain the occupation (and its colonial roots) and debunk popular myths, including pinkwashing.

Read on Palestine. Here's an amazing masterpost.

Verso Book Club is giving out free books on Palestine (I personally downloaded Ten Myths about Israel by Ilan Pappe. If you still believe in the two states solution, this book by an Israeli professor debunks it).

Call your representatives. The Labour Party in the UK had an emergency meeting after several councilors threatened to resign if they didn't condemn Israeli war crimes. Calling to show your complaints works, even more if you live in a country that funds genocide.

FOR PEOPLE IN THE USA: USCPR has developed this toolkit for calls, here's a document that autosends emails to your representatives and here's a toolkit by Ceasefire in Gaza NOW!

FOR PEOPLE IN EUROPE: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace targeting the European Parliament and one specific for almost all countries in Europe, including Germany, Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Greece, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Austria, Belgium Romania and Ukraine

FOR PEOPLE IN THE UK: Friends of Al-Aqsa UK and Palestine Solidarity UK have made toolkits for calls and emails

FOR PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA: Here's a toolkit by Stand With Palestine

FOR PEOPLE IN CANADA: Here's a toolkit by Indepent Jewish Voices for Canada

Join a protest. Here's a constantly updating list of protests:

Global calendar

Another global calendar (go to the instragram of the organizers to confirm your protest)

USA calendar

Australia calendar

Feel free to add more.

[archiveofkloss]

Home sweet home! And a bit sour at the moment? My home state of Missouri was one of 13 that enacted trigger laws that functionally outlawed abortion after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022. (In a feat of diabolical efficiency, Missouri’s attorney general bragged about being the first state to pass the law less than 10 minutes after the court’s decision.) That’s why I joined Karlie Kloss, my fellow St Louisian and self-appointed kid sister, in an activist homecoming this week to advocate for Amendment 3, a bill that would end the abortion ban and is on the ballot on November 5. Karlie and I spent the day knocking on doors in South County with our pals Jen Rubio, Selby Drummond, and Molly Howard.

In addition to canvassing, Karlie hosted a screening of two short films she commissioned with Gateway Coalition, a collective she founded to provide support to women's health clinics in the Midwest, and Chelsea Clinton organized a panel discussion with Amanda Zurawski, a Texas woman who lost her baby—and almost her own life—under the draconian abortion laws that prevented her from terminating a failing pregnancy. FYI: States like Missouri and Texas currently outlaw abortions in nearly all circumstances, including cases of rape and incest, which means pregnant women in traumatic situations are being turned away from hospitals while their health deteriorates.

Chelsea and her mother, Hillary Clinton, spent two years working on Zurawski v Texas, a documentary about courageous women in Texas who sued their state for being denied medically indicated abortion care, even when at the brink of death. (One of the filmmakers, Abbie Perrault, was on the panel.) It’s moving, surreal, and infuriating. Amanda Zurawski received a well-deserved standing ovation at the screening at Chase Park Plaza theater (where, incidentally, I saw American Beauty for the first time in 1999).

Why do I care so much about abortion? I can already hear the trolls commenting that an unplanned pregnancy is pretty low on the list for a gay guy like me. But what’s terrifying about this law—and why I’m willing to travel across the country to advocate for Amendment 3—is the risk of what could follow if we don't send a message to our local and federal legislatures. Today, we’re talking about abortions. Will IVF be next? Gay rights? Gay marriage? I feel passionately that Missourians—actually, all Americans—and their families should have the freedom to make their own decisions about pregnancy and abortion in the same way that I'm passionate about my right to love who I want to love and create a family of my own.

So to my fellow Missourians: Please go to the polls on November 5 and vote YES on Amendment 3. (Similar bills are on ballots in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, and South Dakota.) And to all Americans: I encourage you to vote with your conscience in this year’s presidential election.

P.S. Don’t think this trip to St Louis didn’t include a stop at the St Louis Art Museum, which has a fabulous “Narrative Wisdom and African Arts” show up at the moment.

P.P.S. I also introduced these girls to our local cuisine: Imo’s pizza, Ted Drewe’s ice cream, and ooey gooey butter cake. Antacids not included.

[molsons112000]

My friend Mark my former roommate. He's stubborn... oh he's driving, he was driving with his friend in Cleveland these two black kids walked across the road jaywalking. He stopped the car, letting them cross and they stood in front of the car flicking him off. They wouldn't get out of the way. So he put the car in park and got out to approach them, and then they started beating him. They beat him so badly, they almost beat him to death. They put him in the hospital, and he was within inches of dying... his friend who was with him didn't pick up the phone and call 911. Just sat there and watched the whole thing now. He was a night witness, and then after the black kids were done beating him, he did help and then called the paramedics.... but you think jaywalking's a good thing... in japan, they put you in prison for 3 months!!! I had numerous black kids in Chicago walk when it was a green light and then stop and flick me off and tell me to go f*** myself... I just ignored them and then waited today. Cleared and then I proceeded But they were walking across the intersection, now they weren't jaywalking, but they were walking across the intersection when I had a green light and I had to stop and wait for them... they proceeded to give me the finger and all kinds of names and I was sitting there nicely, I waited for them. I didn't say anything. I didn't give them a bad look or open my mouth.I kept it shut. But the thing is, they wanted to exert their power... so this is where they could be dominant... and so they wanted to dominate... and so this has happened many times with black males... and so you think I'm kidding, if you would ask my friend mark about them doing this when they were jaywalking? And then I'll give you other incidents. Do you think bringing immense discipline into the black community would be a good thing? I think so!!!!! We need to break them!!! So we must break them to remold them. They're a bunch of f..kups!!!!

When I left the place where I lived on Wells in Chicago a black man stuck up my roommate and his girlfriend and his girlfriend was going off on the guy, mugging them at gunpoint and telling my roommate that Gabe got her to be quiet because he was afraid the mugger would get upset and shoot them...

Now I've been working hard to get them to change, but it seems like there are no other people working hard, and that's why I love the one black mom with her son... because I had my other black mother Nina, he was having problems with her black son... and she was afraid that he would get bigger and he would dominate her physically, she wouldn't have the ability to discipline anymore, and that she would be a threat and daughter would be at the threat... so she was trying to get him under control...



National Black Women's Justice Institute

https://www.nbwji.org › ...

Black Women, Sexual Assault, and Criminalization

Black Women, Sexual Assault, and Criminalization ; Black women are disproportionately at risk of sexual violence · 1 in 5 Black women are survivors of rape, and ...

For young Black women 20 years of age or younger, these disparities mean that they make up just 2 percent of the U.S. population, but more than 15 percent of missing persons - or around 80,000 individuals in 2022.Jul 26, 2023

https://www.statista.com › ...

Young, Black, Female Persons More Likely to be Missing | Statista

The Black Women's Health Project determined that domestic violence is the number one health issue facing Black women. The data tells a painful truth: 40% of Black women will experience DV across their lifetimes, compared to 30.2% of White women.Feb 22, 2023

https://www.lacasa.org › ...

Shining a Light on Domestic Violence in the African ...

So look at the numbers, and you tell me if there's not a problem with uncontrolled black males???????

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Sponsored by Archewell of Course

Finally we learn the true purpose of this fake royal inGRIFTus visit: MEgain's dream to purcha$e (not earn) a political appointment as an Ambassador for the perks: IPP status, a NYC apartment, luxurious international travel, power, stardom, etc.

In 2021 in the name of vaccine equity (and netflix), The Meghans secured a meeting with several WHO representatives involved w/The Clinton Global Initiative including the UN Under-Secretary General Winnie Byanyima.¹

MEgain replied "It's wonderful to be back..." just to make it clear that THIS trip is all about HER not him.

It seems that identifying as Misan Harriman's Nigerian cousin might be her golden ticket to the UN.

Meghan Markle was the most unaccomplished woman in that room of so-called Nigerian women leaders and certainly the least deserving of any political appointments or elected positions. She's treated women and men like TRASH. Hissing and harassing them to such lengths that they require therapy and seek new employment.

Sparry is absolutely complicit in their drive to give his wife undeserved power and authority over institutions and human beings. He'll assist her with love bombing Ngozi even just save what little hair remains on his head. He's a Eunuch.

From the Nigerian Defense Staff Visitor Book of General Christopher Musa

Sparry: "Thank you for welcoming us to your beautiful country. Together we will heal our troops. -Harry

MEgain: "With gratitude for the support of the Invictus community. And for welcoming me home." -M??

Did these female leaders discuss the women who have been raped and violated in the African Parks Scandal?

What about hundreds of abducted Nigerian children, most recently in broad daylight on March 7, 2024?

Look at this lovely room and compare it to the spaces The Meghans publicized to the mainstream media on their tour. Spot the difference. Who do you think matters most, the wounded or the powerful?

The good news is that The MEghans have a very long history of lying, cheating, mistreating innocent people, and even mocking God.

No matter what doors 43% of bull chite will open, God will not be mocked. Sparry had the temerity to walk into Saint Paul's and read from the holy scriptures as if he's some authority on serving God while he nails his bloodline to the media's cross.

Cry out for mercy, Harry!

God will not be mocked, whatever a man sows that will he also reap.

MEgain thinks she can rebrand her ancestry and whore her way into achieving all her personal & professional goals.

Whatever she has sown, she will reap.

"An afternoon of joy, love and sharing of experiences with leading Nigerian women from across the spectrum- Public Sector, Private Sector, Civil Society, a mixture of young and old. Co hosted by Meghan the Duchess of Sussex and myself, and moderated by @MoAbudu

Talking about what it means to be a woman leader, how difficult it is to get there, and the sisterhood and brotherhood that is needed to help make leadership work. Also had a fantastic panel made up of Dr @OmobolaJohnsonHon Minister @DrDorisAnite @achenyoio@miss_asagba Dr. Mairo Mandara and CNN’s @StephanieBusari who all shared their special experiences.

Sponsored by "Archewell Women in Leadership"

Soho House's Misan Harriman but not Sparry🤔

She never cared about those less fortunate people The #Kigali of Today is the African Parks Rapes

She adored Elizabeth until she refused to place her in the Ambassador position with Emma Watson. When she had the opportunity for REVENGE she took it out on all the women waiting to meet her at the Fiji Market which included the UN Women and the Royal Tour Staff.

The Malta Ancestry Lie: "oh I do sort of blend in, and it's the loveliest feeling." Unfortunately for the Maltese tourist authority, Meghan's published article made NO MENTION MALTA!!!

"Meghan identifies 1st and foremost as the business woman. Money is Meghan's priority." P77

Numerous Bridges Burned. She has markled herself.

WTO | 2021 News items - History is made: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala chosen as Director-General

She'sa globalist WEFer: "The General Council decision follows months of uncertainty which arose when the United States initially refused to join the consensus around Dr Okonjo-Iweala and threw its support behind Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee of the Republic of Korea. But following Ms Yoo's decision on 5 February to withdraw her candidacy, the administration of newly elected US President Joseph R. Biden Jr. dropped the US objection and announced instead that Washington extends its “strong support” to the candidacy of Dr Okonjo-Iweala."

History is made: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala chosen as Director-General

WTO members made history today (15 February) when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General.

When she takes office on 1 March, Dr Okonjo-Iweala will become the first woman and the first African to be chosen as Director-General. Her term, renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025.

“This is a very significant moment for the WTO. On behalf of the General Council, I extend our warmest congratulations to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her appointment as the WTO's next Director-General and formally welcome her to this General Council meeting,” said General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand who, together with co-facilitators Amb. Dacio Castillo (Honduras) and Amb. Harald Aspelund (Iceland) led the nine-month DG selection process.

“Dr Ngozi, on behalf of all members I wish to sincerely thank you for your graciousness in these exceptional months, and for your patience. We look forward to collaborating closely with you, Dr Ngozi, and I am certain that all members will work with you constructively during your tenure as Director-General to shape the future of this organization,” he added.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala said a key priority for her would be to work with members to quickly address the economic and health consequences brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am honoured to have been selected by WTO members as WTO Director-General,” said Dr Okonjo-Iweala. “A strong WTO is vital if we are to recover fully and rapidly from the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to working with members to shape and implement the policy responses we need to get the global economy going again. Our organization faces a great many challenges but working together we can collectively make the WTO stronger, more agile and better adapted to the realities of today.” Her full statement is available here.

The General Council decision follows months of uncertainty which arose when the United States initially refused to join the consensus around Dr Okonjo-Iweala and threw its support behind Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee of the Republic of Korea. But following Ms Yoo's decision on 5 February to withdraw her candidacy, the administration of newly elected US President Joseph R. Biden Jr. dropped the US objection and announced instead that Washington extends its “strong support” to the candidacy of Dr Okonjo-Iweala.

Amb. Walker extended his thanks to all eight of the candidates who participated in the selection process and particularly to Ms Yoo “for her ongoing commitment to and support for the multilateral trading system and for the WTO”. His full statement is available here.

The General Council agreed on 31 July that there would be three stages of consultations held over a two-month period commencing 7 September. During these confidential consultations, the field of candidates was narrowed from eight to five and then two. On 28 October, General Council Chair David Walker of New Zealand had informed members that based on consultations with all delegations Dr Okonjo-Iweala was best poised to attain consensus of the 164 WTO members and that she had the deepest and the broadest support among the membership. At that meeting, the United States was the only WTO member which said it could not join the consensus.

The consultation process undertaken by the chair and facilitators was established through guidelines agreed by all WTO members in a 2002 General Council decision. These guidelines spelled out the key criteria in determining the candidate best positioned to gain consensus is the “breadth of support” each candidate receives from the members. During the DG selection processes of 2005 and 2013, breadth of support was defined as “the distribution of preferences across geographic regions and among the categories of members generally recognized in WTO provisions: that is (Least developed countries), developing countries and developed countries”. This same process, agreed by all members in the General Council in 2020, was strictly followed by Chair Walker and his colleagues throughout the 2020-21 DG selection process.

The process for selecting a new Director-General was triggered on 14 May when former Director-General Mr Roberto Azevêdo informed WTO members he would be stepping down from his post one year before the expiry of his mandate. He subsequently left office on 31 August.

¹Winnie Byanyima UN Under-Secretary Gen & ED of UNAIDS since 2019: "Byanyima was appointed as the executive director of UNAIDS in August 2019, by the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, following a comprehensive selection process that involved a search committee constituted by members of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board. In her new position she concurrently serves as a United Nations Under-Secretary-General. In addition to her role at UNAIDS, Byanyima also serves a two-year term as a member of the World Bank Group’s (WBG) Advisory Council on Gender and Development. Since 2022, she has been a member of the Commission for Universal Health convened by Chatham House and co-chaired by Helen Clark and Jakaya Kikwete."

[dankusner]

JUNETEENTH

Freedom, remembrance integral to holiday

Juneteenth in Dallas offers celebrations, lessons, historian says

Despite its recent designation as a federal holiday, Juneteenth has a long history with Black Texans.

As municipalities, businesses and nonprofits offer a host of events, local historian Ed Gray said it’s important to remember why these celebrations are happening in the first place.

“We have traditionally in Dallas … whitewashed history to exclude Black people,” Gray, 62, said.

Now in its 159th year of celebration, Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, commemorates the day some of the last enslaved people in Texas were freed.

Union Army Major Gen. Gordon Granger read an order from the federal government officially proclaiming all enslaved people free.

The June 19, 1865, order marked the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863.

Juneteenth celebrations in Dallas over the past few years have included parties, community service, history sessions sponsored by Remembering Black Dallas, among others, and the annual walk of Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”

For Gray, a member of two nonprofits that seek to document and preserve the city’s Black history, the holiday is just as much about celebrating freedom as it is about the continuous fight toward equality.

Brutal legacy

In Dallas, the holiday marking freedom is tainted by a brutal local history.

Texas is the state with the third-highest number of lynchings in the country, with records noting 339 extrajudicial lynchings of Black people in the state from 1885 to 1942, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

For African Americans historically, Gray said, “true judicial hearings [happened] on the streets.”

In 1910, a Black man named Allen Brooks was lynched in Dallas after being accused of raping a young white girl.

On the day he was set for trial, a white mob threw him from a second-story window at the Dallas County Courthouse and dragged him for six blocks to Akard and Main streets where he was hung from the Elks Arch telephone pole, Gray said.

The cross streets of Brooks’ lynching is now the site of Pegasus Park, a 23-acre life sciences campus and biotech hub.

“In the 1920s and ’30s, the largest Klan chapter in the United States of America was in Dallas, Texas,” he said. “The second largest being in Fort Worth.”

The Dallas chapter of the KKK had 13,000 members at its height in the early 1920s — the largest membership in the U.S. per capita.

Gray noted that there was also a large Klan chapter in Oak Cliff, a neighborhood that is now predominantly Black.

The site of Brooks’ lynching blended in with the rest of the downtown landscape for 111 years until the nonprofit organizations Remembering Black Dallas and Dallas County Justice Initiative placed a historical marker at the location.

Remembering Black Dallas was founded in 2015 by the late Dr. George Keaton, a local historian and co-founder of the Dallas County Justice Initiative along with Gray.

“One of the most touching moments I’ve ever had was when I found one of the descendants of Allen Brooks and brought her to the site of where her great-grandfather was lynched,” Gray said.

“She did not know her great-grandfather was lynched until she read about it in a book, and the only picture she has of her great-grandfather’s being hung.”

For Gray, the importance of the Dallas County Justice Initiative is “to make sure that people don’t forget our past, so we don’t be doomed to repeat it.”

Opportunity, exposure

Juneteenth was not recognized as a federal holiday until 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.

Gray noted that the federal government’s recognition of the holiday came one year after George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer, leading to the large-scale mobilization of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.

“From my time in Dallas,” said Gray, who’s lived his whole life in the city, “Juneteenth has always been the Black holiday for Black freedom, and it’s been always celebrated in the community … it’s not a new thing.

“It’s become new because America has embraced it as a new holiday.”

Gray said that Juneteenth is perceived as a Black holiday but that America will truly begin to lean into its celebration “when they can find a way … to make a commercial aspect.”

Some have welcomed the opportunity and exposure Juneteenth could bring to Black businesses and issues, but Gray warned of the dangers potential marketization poses to the preservation of Black joy in celebrating the holiday.

He lamented the possibility of the holiday becomes “sanitized.”

“And that’s what’s going to end up happening with Juneteenth,” Gray said. “America will cross over to Juneteenth, and will take the spiritual aspect out of it for African Americans, and some people will not even care.”

This Juneteenth, Gray hopes that Dallas residents will engage with their local Black history and familiarize themselves with the legacy of the holiday, and why it matters to North Texas’ Black community.

“Juneteenth should be just like what they say about Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday: Not a day off, but a day on,” he said. “We can’t rest on the fact that someone read a proclamation in Galveston Bay without looking forward to the future and realizing that … what has happened before in the past can happen now in a different way.”

■ In Wednesday’s editions, the site of Allen Brooks’ lynching in downtown Dallas in 1910 was misidentified. The site is now known as Pegasus Plaza.

What Is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed.

The troops’ arrival came a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday.

On June 17, 2021, it officially became a federal holiday.

Juneteenth 2024 will occur on Wednesday, June 19.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House two months earlier in Virginia, but slavery had remained relatively unaffected in Texas—until U.S. General Gordon Granger stood on Texas soil and read General Orders No. 3: “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” The Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, had established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

But in reality, the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t instantly free any enslaved people.

The proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states or rebel areas already under Union control.

However, as Northern troops advanced into the Confederate South, many enslaved people fled behind Union lines. Juneteenth and Slavery in Texas

In Texas, slavery had continued as the state experienced no large-scale fighting or significant presence of Union troops.

Many enslavers from outside the Lone Star State had moved there, as they viewed it as a safe haven for slavery.

After the war came to a close in the spring of 1865, General Granger’s arrival in Galveston that June signaled freedom for Texas’s 250,000 enslaved people.

Although emancipation didn’t happen overnight for everyone—in some cases, enslavers withheld the information until after harvest season—celebrations broke out among newly freed Black people, and Juneteenth was born.

That December, slavery in America was formally abolished with the adoption of the 13th Amendment.

The year following 1865, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became the annual celebration of "Jubilee Day" on June 19.

In the ensuing decades, Juneteenth commemorations featured music, barbecues, prayer services and other activities, and as Black people migrated from Texas to other parts of the country the Juneteenth tradition spread.

Red velvet cake

7 Juneteenth Foods and Traditions

From eating red foods to promoting activism, Juneteenth traditions pay tribute to the liberation of America’s enslaved. Read more a

In 1979, Texas became the first state to make Juneteenth an official holiday; several others followed suit over the years.

In June 2021, Congress passed a resolution establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday; President Biden signed it into law on June 17, 2021.

The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, “all slaves are free.”

This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.

DALLAS ‘We give them a voice’

Victims of racial violence memorialized at Martyrs Park

Two black sheets hung in the hot sun Saturday at Martyrs Park in downtown Dallas. City leaders, volunteers and other attendees sat for the reveal of two long-awaited markers memorializing victims of racial violence.

The two shiny gray and black Texas Historical Commission Markers, each towering over the heads of attendees who wanted to take a closer look at them, tell the stories of four Black people who were lynched in the mid-1800s.

The park serves as a “memorial to the men and to the inhumane legacy of slavery in Dallas,” one sign says.

“We do have some bad history in the city,” Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins told dozens gathered there Saturday. “But what are we going to do about it? How are we going to write the history of Dallas?”

The markers are only the latest step in an effort to raise awareness of racial violence and injustice that took place in the city.

One marker honors Jane Elkins, the first documented enslaved person purchased in Dallas County and the first woman legally hanged in the state.

The other marker honors three men — Patrick Jennings, Cato Miller and the Rev. Samuel Smith — who were lynched at the site.

Their names are etched into a sundial-inspired steel sculpture — “Shadow Lines” — which the city in March dedicated to the four and all other local victims of lynching and racial violence between 1853 and 1920.

Local historian and activist Ed Gray said that it is important to remember and share the stories of those who “meant nothing to American society” in the past.

Gray is president of the Dallas County Justice Initiative and on the board of directors for Remembering Black Dallas, two nonprofits he said led the effort.

“We give them a life,” Gray said. “We give them a voice when someone else made sure their voices were not heard.”

Adjacent to The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and the grassy knoll, the park, established in 1991, is less than an acre in size.

Cars from the Triple Underpass and the access ramp to Interstate 35E whizzed by as speakers, including Mayor Eric Johnson, gave their remarks Saturday.

Johnson said he felt the markers both honored the past and showed “how far our city has come.”

“We as a city must not sidestep the difficult parts of our history,” Johnson said. “We should recognize those difficult parts and we should confront those difficult parts head-on.”

Gray said the markers would have lost their impact if placed anywhere else.

In addition to the three men who were killed at the site, he said enslaved people in Dallas County were often whipped there.

The lynchings defined the area in the 1860s, he said, much like President John F. Kennedy’s assassination did a century later.

“We want people to realize that’s holy and sacred ground,” he said.

“It’s just as holy and sacred as the ‘X’ that people marked on the street, that marks the spot where President Kennedy lost his life.” Confronting history

Elkins was hanged in 1853 after being convicted of killing her white owner, Andrew Wisdom.

The marker honoring Elkins says that she was tried before an all-white, male jury.

She wasn’t allowed to testify and was without representation during her trial.

The marker states that years later, in 1880, a Galveston Daily News article found that she had been the first person to report Wisdom’s death.

Though she had accused another person of committing the crime, Elkins became the sole and primary suspect.

“Her body was not her own,” the Rev. Sheron Patterson said Saturday. “Her actions were not her own.”

Jennings, Miller and Smith were hanged on newly built gallows in 1860 after being falsely accused in connection with a fire downtown.

The marker reads that a committee of 100 white men ordered that all slaves in Dallas be whipped.

Gray said Smith had political power and influence in his community as a minister.

Miller was highly respected by other Black men and women at the Overton Plantation in Dallas County.

“He was enslaved but he ran things on the plantation,” Gray said of Miller. “When you have a Black man who is running things that sends the message to other African American men and women that they too can run things. They too can be important. They too can be respected.”

In recent years, other markers addressing racial violence have also been dedicated in the city.

The Dallas County Justice Initiative worked for years to meet the requirements of the Equal Justice Initiative — which has the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala. — and secure two markers in Dallas for Allen Brooks and William Allen Taylor.

The marker for Brooks, who was abducted, killed and hanged downtown in front of a large crowd in 1910, was dedicated at Pegasus Plaza in November 2021.

The marker for Taylor, who was lynched in 1884 near the Trinity River, was dedicated last November at Trinity Overlook Park.

Both of their names are on the sculpture in Martyrs Park.

“This is one of those portions of history that can’t be, for lack of a better word, whitewashed and forgotten,” Gray said.

‘Hope’ for the city

The smell of fresh mulch wafted at the unveiling Saturday as visitors appeared to take notice of landscaping improvements at the park.

The land used to be filled with vines, shrubs and weeds, said Trent Williams, former senior program manager for Dallas Park and Recreation.

In the past year, the parks department has led efforts to clear the space to make room for the memorial and historical markers, he said. New trees and shrubs were planted.

City Council members showed interest in a memorial to victims of racial violence in 2018, amid ongoing debate over the removal of Confederate statues.

There was controversy when work started on the project to place the markers, said Beverly Davis, vice president of Remembering Black Dallas, at the event.

“Some people said, ‘Why would you want to bring to light something negative, that would make Dallas look bad,’” she said.

Davis said George Keaton Jr., the founder of Remembering Black Dallas, would always say: “This is not Black history. This is our shared history. This is American history.”

Keaton worked until his death in 2022 to put the idea of preserving history into action.

At the unveiling, several speakers credited Keaton and his impact. Community organizations and city officials, along with Gray, have continued his work.

“This was a monumental task to get it done,” Gray said of Martyrs Park and the two new historical markers.

Gray commended the work of former City Manager T.C. Broadnax and interim City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, who he said helped to remove “roadblocks” to make the memorial and historical markers possible.

Tolbert, who spoke at the unveiling, told attendees to “hold onto our hope” and continue working to “dismantle the barriers that have divided us” and set people back in the city.

“My hope for this city and for those of you who are here this morning is that as we come back to this place to visit, that we are reminded that these markers are an opportunity for us to really cultivate the soul’s appreciation,” Tolbert said. “For truth. For honor. For respect and for dignity for these individuals.”

[scentedchildnacho]

Why do jews introduce me to their stuff......they aren't what thieves off me though......Jewish people do have very encapsulated requirements......it was more the Irish that promised Chicago emigration that they could introduce them to work cultures there before there arrival....

The republican party hell raises.....

Goddess nautsiti the white indigenous princess goddess of the taking care of .....do not treat their seclusions like white people

If it's Irish get away from ME.....you have a folk culture and establishment get away from ME.....

Its a white or black ministers piano so it's the underground for British colonialism to be here.....get away from ME

Immokalee Florida they went through the most raped emigration deciding they could job or not ......and that's black and tans will shoot at them for that research.....Alan turing they give us universal technologies of course they can job and they stalked them with languagists when it's the English though that don't enjoy how people talk called pathological

If it's Canadians it's g.i. Joe syndrome and they stop offending when not in extreme north adrenaline rushes

Irma grece ....I think it's the beautiful Irish lady I met in Natchez that is maybe truly mass murdering as an executive......the big boob queen will be implied guilty and I think she is just strange.....

There was an addictive virus spread around Natchez till I did spend most time alone with researched social exchanges only

Diarrhea around Irish and italianism and natives subtly disappear to be close to japaneese

Yea I don't think a lot of Indian children dying of diarrhea is accidental......if JoJo does my poor donations from her smoker new York grandma what they have to share causes diarrhea

And that's food not bombs if it's Indians about the taking care of....they pilgrimage in obeisance to white buffalo......and she to take care of them would never darken her hair .....or treat them off policy

Little woman.....significance.....its. Actually very little women that are very obeisant cooks

Black people have African heritage and immigration stuffs causes them hemorrhagic complaints really rich diet I would want and they want yellow pea river soup

Its black people for the taking care of that warn they have lamb vegan orientations

And that's most Americanism didn't do what the Germans cocaine did do.....

If I offend stalkers kept harassing me into a corner till my heart electric impulses became so erratic and penetrative......it's I will have to kill someone to save the whole world

I was white and ku Klux klans try to steal my nature to pseudo religion

Homeless people may I didn't lash out at the party last night though it joined together and bonded off neglecting me to death while doing threatening things like threatening to kick me or put their nasty park shoes on my things because Paris tells the world to follow the news and my relations at a distance may friend them into obeisance if behaviour that cruel doesn't stop they may be droned

I was like I have to be Stephen King's Carrie but then no lord of the flies my birth father did complete his mission and if rich creeps and their disgusting vain cult suicide won't stop harassing me with it's heresy my relations have whole large war machines

I asked the primitive looking poor lady if she noticed that Halloween party make her sick and she said she doesn't know she has been around long enough to never let it's heretical fever to near her....

Their creepy rich immigration gays and they want to burn it's heresy

The lights may not be incandescents to survive car and driver they use drones to cause them fevers that's why they can't control their behaviour anymore

I would do it for Asia they aren't allowed enough wind power integration in China so I have to be susceptible to Maduro idiocy like face masks when it's common tooth cream.....and so Vietnam veterans harass people who cause sweat labor in China for Chinese

I get ischemic deprivation strokes and erratic heart beats from starvation and an auto immune issue and I hate people who ever diet my seclusion yes I want everything on it....yes I love food in travel yes don't ever tamper with directives or steal off me concentratively

And now I'm on money bunny game tracking and when I've noticed the radius of stuff around me to get that people away from infecting me I will feel a lot better ....

Their satanic cults and they must follow their drone.....

Some of the darkest Muslims had to be felons......and when the Mohave wants to help they humor me with all trail could be

I've had enough and I want new York to watch that gps tracking

[docreviews]

Review 8 ("13th" Documentary)

This documentary gives more insight to African American criminal justice history. Slavery was an economic system and African Americans were arrested after the civil war (minor crimes). They had to provide labor to rebuild the South after the war. African Americans were painted and portrayed as evil characters in society (animal-like). Black men were seen as a threat to white women (r**ists). This allowed a huge wave of terrorism (lynchings, murder, etc.) The 1980s War on Drugs (dealing with drugs as a crime instead of a health issue)  was the reason many people were being sent to prison and jail for drug offenses (marijuana) (It is all about throwing black people in jail). There was an economic drought during the Ronald Reagan presidency (the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer) (Increase in poverty) Crack was marketed to be less expensive and this meant that it was going to affect the African American communities (police cracked down on crack dealers) while Cocaine was more “sophisticated”, but crack was “black.” Media used the word super predator to describe the generation of young men (black men). Central Park five were all innocent and the public was convinced the opposite because of this notion. Black men are not raping white women as much as white men are raping black women in American history. This all lead to the overpopulation of prisons today and how African Americans are over represented in that area. This documentary is very educational, but it is also a hard watch. Rating: 7/10

[theblackvelvetcollective]

Musings from the Black Velveteen: The More You Know, the Black History Month Edition

by the Black Velveteen

Black History Month is back again, the same way it’s come back around since 1970. Wow….1970? Majority of Black folks have been celebrating Black history month for...only 51 years? Half a century is quite a bit of time for our Black History Month celebration to be so cyclic; and yet, Black folks will typically respond to that with “well Black History Month IS during the shortest month of the year”. Honestly, that bothers me to this day. What also bothers me is the way our African diasporic experience is framed. I remember every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day (in January for those who may not be familiar) my predominately white all-girls private school had us read excerpts from Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. It wasn’t until I was in college at the University of Memphis (with a 33 percent African American student population) where I read “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” accompanied by “Souls of Black Folks” by W.E.B DuBois and various other writings from Booker T. Washington, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Phyllis Wheatly, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and Nikki Giovanni, just to name a few. My world, even as a young Black kid, was opened and I began to really see how expansive my culture and people were. But even then, I was only scratching the surface.

Most Black History Month (BHM) programs discuss three people in three ways. Dr. King as the “model negro” that the white folks love to sanitize and laude as the type of Black person Black people should aspire to be. Malcolm X as Dr. King’s antithesis; the “mean negro”, if you will. And then Rosa Parks, the Black woman to satiate the “feminists.” Those Big Three are legends within the Black cultural experience, but every February, they’re reduced to a two-sentence acknowledgement, if that. I began to wonder, “Well if my people are so expansive, and our history so rich and vast (even with all of the violence and pain): Why don’t we know more?” The answer that I discovered is that our historical perspectives are focused on cisgendered, hetero-presumed men that are, by definition of their outspoken rhetoric, leaders and representative of the Black community at large. This inequitable focus has limited our understanding of our history and how truly amazing it is.

Let’s think about that for a second: Imagine if we shifted our perspective from a patriarchal viewpoint and started to look at what Black women and femmes have done for not only Black people, but the world at large. 

In 1944, a young Black woman named Recy Taylor was raped by six white men. Rosa Parks was an NAACP organizer that connected with Recy Taylor and helped organize with Mrs. Taylor to share her story and demand justice. Rosa Parks founded the Committee for Equal Justice for Mrs. Recy Taylor and gained the support of notable Black, queer activists such as Mary Church Terrell and Langston Hughes. Mrs. Parks and Mrs. Taylor organized intentionally and were able to bring international attention to Mrs. Taylor’s case. Without knowing this about Mrs. Parks, one would not know that she was a main architect of bringing such attention to the patriarchal violence Black women were experiencing in the 1940s in America.

Another great Black queer feminist icon who is consistently left out during Black History Month but absolutely should be honored is Ms. Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha is the mother of the LGBTQIA+ civil rights movement as she was prominently involved in the Stonewall Riots 1969. In Greenwich Village in New York, many of the bars were run by mafia bosses. One night the police raided the Stonewall Inn and a riot ensued. At the heart of that riot was Ms. Marsha throwing rocks and hollering; this would ignite a new flame to the civil rights movement, one that was inclusive of Black trans women and Black queer folks. Marsha’s unmuted battle cries and righteous rage led to the birth of a movement that saw the founding of the first ever US trans rights organization, STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) with Ms. Sylvia Riviera, it saw a drag queen defy the gender binary (the “P” stood for “Pay It No Mind” in reference to Ms. Johnson’s response about her gender), and her legacy continues on today with many Black trans women demanding the removal of police from Pride activities and spaces.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Ms. Ida B. Wells-Barnett. We learn about the 19th Amendment and women getting the right to vote, but rarely do we hear about Ms. Ida B. Wells. Ms. Ida was a journalist and activist that had witnessed the horrors and trauma of the lynching of Black people across America. Rather than succumb to the overwhelming emotional trauma and grief lynchings were known to bring, Ms. Ida decided to write about the lynchings investigating and documenting the atrocities, something that had never been done before. Ms. Ida was not new to the “you know what: I’ll do it myself” school of thought. Ms. Ida traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the National American Woman Suffrage Association’s Parade, organized by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. She was subsequently told that the Black women suffragettes would have to march in the back. Ms. Ida was never going to participate in a segregated suffrage parade; so when the marchers passed, she boldly and intentionally stepped to the front of the parade. Ms. Ida did this because she wanted to make sure future generations would benefit from her action. These Black women are mothers of movements, icons, and leaders with their own rich history of defiance that young Black people, like me, are able to benefit from. Their bravery, radical honesty, boundless love, focus and determination more than qualify them as legends of Black History. As February comes to a close, I hope others are encouraged to look beyond the white-washed, sanitized and misleading narratives that typically invade Black History Month. Instead, shift your perspective to learn more about the mothers of movements, the Black queer history that is Black History, and the truly expansive nature of Black culture.