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Trayvon Martin vs. Justice in the US
Contending that the jury was right not to convict George Zimmerman of second-degree murder based on the law and that Trayvon Martin’s death was a profound injustice, The Atlantic‘s Ta-Nehisi Coates writes that two “conflicting truths emerge” in trying to evaluate Trayvon Martin’s shooting death. In trying to assess the killing of Trayvon Martin by…
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Zimmerman Trial: A Tale of Race, Guns and Television
In a piece at Truthdig, columnist Richard Reeves explores the intersection of race and American pop culture through the lens of George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Reeves argues that the shooting stemmed, in part, from Florida’s arcane concealed-weapons law. … What happened was a crime and the acquitted shooter, Zimmerman,…
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The Perfect Speech for an Imperfect Union
(The Root) — Though, like so many others, I was moved by President Barack Obama’s insightful remarks at Friday’s White House press briefing, I stand by my view that the president would have been better served in the long run if he’d let his original comments on the George Zimmerman verdict stand on their own.…
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Why Obama Is the Wrong Person to Lead Race Talks
The Washington Post‘s Eugene Robinson says that although the nation should talk honestly about unresolved racial issues, President Obama is likely the wrong candidate to lead the discussion, because some people see him as threatening. The need for what diplomats call a “full and frank exchange of views” is obvious. Many Americans don’t even agree…
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Obama Likes Ray Kelly; the Internet Disapproves
(The Root) — The Internet is sounding off about President Obama’s recent endorsement of New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly as a candidate to head the Department of Homeland Security. It’s a controversial move, given Kelly’s high profile as a staunch supporter and promoter of New York’s stop-and-frisk policy. Many see Obama’s lauding of…
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'Black Twitter' Gets Discovered
(The Root) — Did you know that black people have joined the ranks of those using Twitter, the popular microblogging social media website? Twitter has been around for years, but recent press interest in “black Twitter,” as it is called, must mean that black folks are a bit tardy to the party. A “black Twitter”…
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President Obama Wows Online
(The Root) — A week after facing heavy criticism from the black community for his initial comments on the George Zimmerman verdict, President Obama melted a few icy hearts by speaking more in-depth on the matter. In a press conference held earlier today, the president spoke candidly about what it’s like for young black men…
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Standing Up to 'Stand Your Ground'
(The Root) — “It’s time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said at the 2013 NAACP convention on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla., referring to the “Stand your ground” laws in place in more than 30 states. In reaction to…
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Obama Finally Finds His Voice on Race
(The Root) — Six days after a jury acquitted George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin, President Obama gave his first public remarks on the matter. He also gave his most in-depth remarks on race since his famed “race speech,” “A More Perfect Union,” in 2008. The president surprised reporters by appearing before them unannounced.…
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Obama: 'Trayvon Could Have Been Me'
(The Root) — President Obama delivered comments to reporters in the White House briefing room today on George Zimmerman’s acquittal in unarmed African-American teen Trayvon Martin’s death. His remarks will no doubt stand out among the significant moments in the tenure of America’s first black president. In commentary that focused more heavily on interpreting the…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
