Wednesday Open Thread | #Ferguson: Activists Challenge State Of Emergency

Two anti-police demonstrators walk away from a line of St Louis County police officers during protests in Ferguson, MissouriAfter authorities declared a state of emergency in St. Louis County Monday, activists asked: Which emergency?

Activists with Hands Up United, a project administered by a non-profit organization called Environmentalism Through Inspiration and Non-Violent Action, launched a hashtag campaign on Twitter asking the question in an effort to highlight what they slam as unfair treatment by police and a slew of injustices. They are demanding authorities answer questions about Sandra Bland’s death, cases of arson targeting predominantly black churches, underfunded public schools and high unemployment in the black community.

One social media user sought to put the number of police killings in perspective, asking: “#WhichEmergency, the one where cops have killed more Americans than ISIS has?”

St. Louis County officials said a state of emergency was declared due to violence that tore through demonstrations on the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s death. Police reported rioting after 18-year-old Tyrone Harris was shot Sunday, and arrested dozens of protesters including prominent activists such as DeRay McKesson. The emergency order gives county police the power to oversee operations in Ferguson and nearby areas.

About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles. Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures. A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.
This entry was posted in Civil Rights, Corruption, Criminal Justice, Current Events, Department of Justice, discrimination, Gun Violence, Human Rights, Institutional Racism, Jim Crow laws, Justice, Justice for Michael Brown, News, Open Thread, Police bruality, Politics, Protests, Racial Bias, Racial Profiling, Racism, White Supremacy and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

62 Responses to Wednesday Open Thread | #Ferguson: Activists Challenge State Of Emergency

  1. Liza says:

    Trenton 14-year-old was unarmed when shot 7 times by police, family's lawyer says http://t.co/BePNf5MuNQ— Jasiri X (@jasiri_x) August 13, 2015

  2. rikyrah says:

    once again…how in the hell is he considered ‘the smart one’?

    all I gotta say…oh please let this be on video.

    ………………………….

    Steven D’Amico‏@stevenjldamico

    Bad moment tonight, @JebBush told man upset with 8-year wait to bring sister to U.S. that he would eliminate sibling preference.

  3. rikyrah says:

    From BJ about Jimmy Carter:

    SiubhanDuinne says:
    August 12, 2015 at 8:01 pm
    He is probably best known to most people for his volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, but he may end up being remembered for centuries to come for taking on and virtually eradicating the Guinea Worm parasite.

    When The Carter Center took it on in 1986, the disease was widespread through 21 countries in Africa and Asia, and there were an estimated 3.5 million people suffering the painful, crippling and ravaging effects. Today, there are only 126 (not a typo) known cases confined to four countries: South Sudan, Chad, Mali, and Ethiopia. That 99.99%+ reduction in slightly less than 30 years is arguably because Jimmy Carter saw a problem that was being inadequately addressed; had the contacts to get funding and expert medical advice and international partners and a team of volunteers and political leverage in a lot of undeveloped countries; and made it an action priority.

    It does appear that he is nearing the end of his life, but if I have one wish for him, it is that the folks on the ground in those four African countries can get this ancient scourge 100% eradicated and that he lives long enough to hear that news. I think he would die a happy and fulfilled man if that were to happen.

  4. BREAKING: U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the July shooting of Zachary Hammond.

  5. Prayers for former President Jimmy Carter.

  6. rikyrah says:

    what da phuq?

    ………………….

    Woman, 21, accuses Texas deputies of sexual assault after they forced her into a vaginal cavity search in a Texaco parking lot because they smelled marijuana
    Charnesia Corley, 21, was driving ‘to get something for her sick mother’
    She was pulled over for jumping a red light, deputies smelled cannabis
    Corley was ordered into parking lot, forced to spread her legs, searched
    They didn’t find anything from cavity search but found 2oz on her person
    She was booked for resisting arrest and possession, she filed a complaint
    ‘I feel disgusted, downgraded, humiliated,’ Corley, of Harris County, said
    By MIA DE GRAAF FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
    PUBLISHED: 12:24 EST, 11 August 2015 | UPDATED: 14:11 EST, 11 August 2015

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3193999/Woman-21-accuses-Texas-deputies-sexual-assault-forced-vaginal-cavity-search-Texaco-parking-lot-smelled-marijuana.html#ixzz3id8ZbCCp
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

  7. rikyrah says:

    VIDEO: Massive Explosion Reportedly Rocks Tianjin, China
    by Matt Wilstein | 1:40 pm, August 12th, 2015 VIDEO

    An enormous explosion has reportedly hit China’s fourth largest city, Tianjin, a major port in the northeast part of the country.

    Videos of the incident have been circulating online Wednesday:

    http://www.mediaite.com/online/video-massive-explosion-reportedly-rocks-tianjin-china/

  8. rikyrah says:

    Joe Cirincione ‏@Cirincione 1h1 hour ago
    Phony vets “group” set up to oppose #IranDeal. Looks like 4-5 front vets & big money behind. This scam copies 2004 “Swiftboat” attacks.

  9. rikyrah says:

    Pundits: Obama’s too mean to Iran deal critics
    08/12/15 09:43 AM
    By Steve Benen
    The Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus, to her credit, supports the international nuclear agreement with Iran. In her new column, however, she criticizes President Obama anyway, not over the substance of his foreign policy, but for not being nice enough to the diplomatic deal’s opponents.
    Obama once understood, even celebrated, this gray zone of difficult policy choices. He was a man who took pains to recognize and validate the legitimate concerns of those on the opposite side of nearly any complex debate.

    The new Obama, hardened and embittered – the one on display in his American University speech last week and in the follow-up spate of interviews – has close to zero tolerance for those who reach contrary conclusions.
    In fairness to the columnist, Marcus goes on to make substantive suggestions about how best to argue in support of the deal, and she concedes “Obama’s exasperation is understandable.” Her broader point seems to be that she wants to see the deal presented in the most effective way possible, but Marcus nevertheless chides the president for his tone and unwillingness to “accommodate” his foes.

    She’s not alone. After the president noted that the American right and the Iranian hardliners find themselves on the same side of this fight, other pundits, including National Journal’s Ron Fournier, raised related concerns about Obama being harsh.

    That’s a shame – there are constructive ways to look at the debate over U.S. policy towards Iran, but hand-wringing over presidential tone seems misplaced.

    Let’s not miss the forest for the trees. President Obama and his team defied long odds, assembled an unlikely international coalition, and struck a historic deal. By most fair measures, this is one of the great diplomatic accomplishments of this generation.

    For all the incessant whining from the “Why Won’t Obama Lead?” crowd, this was a triumph for presidential leadership, positioning Obama as one of the most effective and accomplished leaders on the international stage.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/pundits-obamas-too-mean-iran-deal-critics

  10. Trump Pledges To Fight Black Lives Matter

  11. rikyrah says:

    found this over at BJ about Trump.

    That may not last much longer. Glenn Beck just announced to his Trump-loving audience that Trump’s current wife is an ex-porn star.

    And this is supposed to matter because?

    As long as she didn’t do any films while she started dating him, who cares?

    I have to say that I read a lot of celebrity gossip, and this is the first I’ve heard of this. Not saying it’s not true, but with all the ink over the years written about The Man With a Rat on His Head and his family, hadn’t heard this.

  12. rikyrah says:

    Walker offers taxpayer money for new Milwaukee arena
    08/12/15 11:27 AM—UPDATED 08/12/15 11:29 AM
    By Steve Benen
    Following up on our earlier coverage, sports fans are probably familiar with a familiar dynamic: a local franchise wants an expensive new facility; it wants taxpayers to pick up the tab; and the team’s owners have made clear that without a new home, they’ll abandon the community and move the team elsewhere.

    That’s exactly what’s happening in Wisconsin, where the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks not only want out of the Bradley Center, which opened way back in 1988, and also want a new half-billion-dollar arena.

    That left Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) with a decision to make, though it apparently wasn’t an especially tough call for him. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports today that the Republican governor left the presidential campaign trail to seal an expensive deal.
    Gov. Scott Walker signed the Milwaukee Bucks arena funding bill Wednesday morning at the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park. […]

    He’s repeatedly cited the income taxes Wisconsin would lose if the team leaves the state, and he said it was about protecting the state’s taxpayers.
    In fairness, this isn’t a situation in which Walker simply signed a massive check and handed it over to the Bucks’ owners. The price tag will be spread out over several years, and some of the money will include the sale of public land.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/walker-offers-taxpayer-money-new-milwaukee-arena

  13. rikyrah says:

    Teacher Shortages Spur a Nationwide Hiring Scramble (Credentials Optional)
    AUG. 9, 2015

    ROHNERT PARK, Calif. — In a stark about-face from just a few years ago, school districts have gone from handing out pink slips to scrambling to hire teachers.

    Across the country, districts are struggling with shortages of teachers, particularly in math, science and special education — a result of the layoffs of the recession years combined with an improving economy in which fewer people are training to be teachers.

    At the same time, a growing number of English-language learners are entering public schools, yet it is increasingly difficult to find bilingual teachers. So schools are looking for applicants everywhere they can — whether out of state or out of country — and wooing candidates earlier and quicker.

    Some are even asking prospective teachers to train on the job, hiring novices still studying for their teaching credentials, with little, if any, classroom experience.
    Nationwide, many teachers were laid off during the recession, but the situation was particularly acute in California, which lost 82,000 jobs in schools from 2008 to 2012, according to Labor Department figures. This academic year, districts have to fill 21,500 slots, according to estimates from the California Department of Education, while the state is issuing fewer than 15,000 new teaching credentials a year.

    “We are no longer in a layoff situation,” said Monica Vasquez, chief human resources officer for the San Francisco Unified School District, which offered early contracts to 140 teachers last spring in a bid to secure candidates before other districts snapped them up. “But there is an impending teacher shortage,” Ms. Vasquez added, before correcting herself: “It’s not impending. It’s here.”

    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/10/us/teacher-shortages-spur-a-nationwide-hiring-scramble-credentials-optional.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

  14. watch me whip, watch me nae-nae.

    Errybody wanna be a nigga but don’t nobody wanna be a nigga

  15. rikyrah says:

    New poll: NH Democrats prefer Sanders to Clinton, and want Biden to run
    Updated by Ezra Klein on August 12, 2015, 8:30 a.m. ET

    ………………..

    But perhaps the worst number for Clinton has nothing to do with Bernie Sanders at all. The poll asked Granite Staters whether Vice President Joe Biden should run. Forty-six percent of respondents — a plurality — said he should. His favorability also increased 14 points since the March poll.

    http://www.vox.com/2015/8/12/9136709/poll-sanders-clinton-biden

    • Liza says:

      Yeah, I think that the Democratic party leaders thought they were on safe ground trying to ram Hillary down our throats because she was blowing everyone out of the water in the early polls. But, anyone who follows this sort of thing knows that early polls are usually about name recognition and that goes away when folks start learning about the other candidates. The early polls were NOT demonstrating wild enthusiasm for a Hillary presidency. It’s pretty obvious now but it is hardly hindsight.

  16. rikyrah says:

    Kelly Rutherford has ‘no words’ after losing children

    Kelly Rutherford has “no words” after being forced to send her children back to their father in Monaco.

    The ‘Gossip Girl’ actress’ children Hermes, eight, and Helena, six, had been staying with her in New York over the summer holidays and although she claims she was awarded sole custody of them earlier this year, she was today (08.11.15) forced to say goodbye to them in court before they were returned to their father, Kelly’s ex-husband Daniel Giersch.

    Asked how she felt about the situation, Kelly – who could be seen fighting back tears in a video posted on TMZ.com – said: “I have no words … I think how any parent would feel, you know, that’s lost their kids.”

    Kelly, 46 – who filed for divorce from German businessman Daniel in 2008 – was ordered to bring her children to court after he accused her of “child abduction and extortion” following her refusal to return them to Europe.

    Kelly said in a statement on the weekend: “In May, a judge in California gave me sole custody and brought them home. I am immensely grateful and overjoyed to have them back. Since May, however, the court proceedings have been confusing.

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/kelly-rutherford-has-no-words-after-losing-children/ar-BBlEyCH?ocid=HPCDHP

  17. rikyrah says:

    Posted without comment

    …………..

    Poll: Sanders surges ahead of Clinton in NH

    A stunning new poll has Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) beating presumptive Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire.

    Sanders has eclipsed Clinton by a 44 to 37 percent margin, according to a new Franklin Pierce University/Boston Herald poll that was first reported by the Boston newspaper Tuesday evening.

    The previous FPU/Herald poll taken in March had Sanders trailing Clinton 44 to 8.

    Today’s poll is the first to show Sanders, whose liberal policies are popular with the Democratic base, ahead of Clinton in New Hampshire.

    And it comes as reports surfaced that Clinton will turn over her private email server that she used while leading the State Department to Justice Department officials.

    Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden garnered 9 percent, with the other remaining candidates hovering at around 1 percent, according to the poll

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/poll-sanders-surges-ahead-of-clinton-in-nh/ar-BBlFpGX?ocid=HPCDHP

    • Liza says:

      The lack of enthusiasm for a Hillary Clinton presidency is already beyond what I expected. Well, what a difference six years makes. I think that her unremarkable stint as Secretary of State hasn’t helped her. Her big accomplishment seems to be using more jet fuel than any previous SoS. Correct me if I’m wrong. Then the rest of it is the usual Clinton baggage that Bill and Hillary have acquired over the years. Then there’s that sense of entitlement that she is owed the presidency for some reason, all those years of “public service,” I suppose, waiting in the wings behind Bill and then PBO.

      • rikyrah says:

        it’s the sense of entitlement which has always irked me. She wanted a coronation. I believed that in 2008, and I believe it even more today.

      • Liza says:

        I suspect that right now Hillary believes she’s got it in the bag. Bernie Sanders is an obstacle, O’Malley is a zero and no one else has stepped up. Despite everything that is happening in this country, she hasn’t changed anything, still just a lot of tone deaf blathering.

  18. rikyrah says:

    THE BALLS ON THIS CLOWN!

    ………………………….

    Jeb Bush sees disaster in Iraq, blames Obama and Clinton
    08/12/15 08:01 AM—UPDATED 08/12/15
    08:09 AM
    By Steve Benen

    The lead sentence in Politico’s report on Jeb Bush last night read, ” Does Jeb Bush really want to refight the Iraq War?” It’s best not to rush past the question too quickly.

    The Republican presidential hopeful’s brother launched one of the most disastrous wars in American history. The 2016 candidate hopeful then surrounded himself with his brother’s team of failed foreign-policy advisers – and described his brother as his adviser on U.S. policy in the Middle East.

    One of Jeb Bush’s most cringe-worthy failures as a candidate was trying to answer a simple question about Iraq – he gave four competing answers over the course of four days – and at last week’s debate, the former governor still seemed wholly unprepared to discuss the issue.

    It’s against this backdrop that Jeb Bush decided to pick a fight – over developments in a country his brother invaded under false pretenses and then failed in every possible way to manage responsibly. The New York Times reported:

    The war in Iraq, which dominated American presidential politics in 2004 and 2008, has returned as an issue in 2016. This time, the argument is not over whether the United States should have gone to war, but rather how the Obama administration sought to end it.

    Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor seeking the Republican presidential nomination, issued a blistering attack on Tuesday on the Obama administration’s handling of Iraq and terrorism issues, asserting that Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, had “stood by” as secretary of state as the situation in Iraq deteriorated.

    Obama and Clinton, Bush insisted last night, “stood by as that hard-won victory by American and allied forces [in Iraq] was thrown away.”

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/jeb-bush-sees-disaster-iraq-blames-obama-and-clinton

  19. rikyrah says:

    Democrat wins runoff for Brookhaven House seat

     11:29 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015 | Filed in: Local News

    Former Georgia Tech quarterback Taylor Bennett defeated former Brookhaven Mayor J. Max Davis in a Tuesday runoff for the state House of Representatives, switching control of the Northern Perimeter district to a Democrat.

    Bennett captured a seat that had previously been held by Republican Mike Jacobs, who was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to serve as a judge in DeKalb County State Court.

    Bennett and Davis, a Republican, were competing in a runoff after no candidate received a majority of votes in a four-way special election last month to represent House District 80.

    Bennett will represent a district that includes parts of Brookhaven, Chamblee and Sandy Springs in DeKalb and Fulton counties.

    Bennett’s election gives Democrats control of Fulton County’s legislative delegation, where Republicans had held a 13-12 majority.

    http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/voters-decide-brookhaven-state-house-seat/nnHMn/

  20. rikyrah says:

    Luvvie has seen the latest Serena pics..LOL

    …………….

    Dear Serena Williams, So You’re Just Gonna Be This Flawless Effortlessly? Ok.
    Awesomely Luvvie — August 10, 2015

    Serena. I SAY, SERENA. GIRL STAHP. Why did you just do this to all of us? Your New York Magazine cover and editorial is the reason people write songs and poems and whatnots. I wanna pen some haikus and limericks in your honor because GAHTDAMB. I bet Common used one of his crochet beanies of days past to wipe some tears because these pictures of you are EVERYTHING. Everything. Every gahtdamb thing and I am LIVING for it.

    You balanced on some bars like you told gravity you weren’t here for it cuz you’s a grown woman and you do whatever you want. You look so calm too, like in the next frame, you were telling your friend “Girl, let me tell you what happened.”

    http://www.awesomelyluvvie.com/2015/08/serena-williams-nymag.html

  21. rikyrah says:

    @CleoManago: Amtrak is hiring. Decent wages. No Degree Required. http://t.co/Nv33RoEtZu

  22. rikyrah says:

    Just like they’ve been standing and defending FLOTUS for the past 6 years, right?

    Uh huh.

    https://twitter.com/Salon/status/631121084360880128

    • Liza says:

      Anyone who would work for Fox News does not deserve the sympathy of the entire nation when someone insults them. How many people has she tried to diminish with Fox lies and propaganda over the years? I absolutely do not give a fat rat’s ass what anyone says about ANYONE who is employed by Fox News.

    • rikyrah says:

      Lauren Chief Elk @ChiefElk

      Maybe you already forgot that Megyn said the 14 y/o Black girl slammed & assaulted by the cop at the Texas pool party “was no saint.” GTFO.

    • Liza says:

      My prediction is this: With respect to this crisis, you can count on Hillary to be of no help whatsoever.

  23. rikyrah says:

    @indystar: An Indiana mayor is accused of paying for sex with an Indy man who is HIV positive. http://t.co/izf32IK71F

  24. rikyrah says:

    AlGiordano
    @AlGiordano
    A senior Sanders supporter told me yesterday @susankitchens that “Obama micromanaged his volunteers” but Bernie allows them to be free.

  25. rikyrah says:

    Lena Waithe-Created South Side Chicago-set Drama Pilot in Development at Showtime (Common Exec Producing)
    By Tambay A. Obenson | Shadow and Act

    August 11, 2015 at 1:24PM

    ……………………

    LOS ANGELES, CA – August 11, 2015 – SHOWTIME has given a pilot order to a one-hour drama created, executive produced and written by Lena Waithe (Dear White People, Bones) and executive produced by Grammy(R) and Academy Award(R) winner Common (Selma, Smokin’ Aces). Produced by Fox 21, the untitled project is a relevant, timely and distinctive coming-of-age story of a young African American male in which just growing up can be a matter of life and death. In addition to Waithe and Common, the pilot will be executive produced by Aaron Kaplan (Secrets and Lies, The Mysteries of Laura) and directed and executive produced by Clark Johnson (HOMELAND, The Wire) and will begin shooting in Chicago later this year. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President, Showtime Networks Inc.

    “The two creative forces behind the show, both hailing from Chicago’s South Side, give this pilot an unparelled authenticity,” said Nevins. “Lena Waithe is an extremely fresh, talented young writer with a unique voice and a deeply thoughtful perspective into the world where she grew up. I immediately gravitated to her script, which is emotional, funny, tragic and relevant, all at once. And, we are so fortunate to have artist and visionary Common for his first producing project in scripted television.”

    Lena Waithe is a writer, producer and actor who was recently named “one of ten comics to watch” by Variety. She produced the award-winning, top-grossing indie film, Dear White People, which earned a Special Jury Prize at Sundance. She is the creator of the comedy pilot, Twenties. Waithe’s writing credits include the drama series Bones; the viral video “Shit Black Girls Say;” and webisodes about online dating, Hello Cupid. She also wrote and directed a short film Save Me that appeared at several indie film festivals.

    http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/lena-waithe-created-south-side-chicago-set-drama-pilot-in-development-at-showtime-common-exec-producing-20150811

  26. rikyrah says:

    Good Morning, Everyone :)

  27. Ametia says:

    Hello Everyone. I’m weary….

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