culture
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Police: St. Louis Teen Shot by Off-Duty Officer Had Gunshot Residue on Hand
Vonderrit Myers Jr., the St. Louis teen shot and killed during a stop by an off-duty police officer moonlighting as a security guard, had gun residue on his shooting hand, according to police, confirming earlier police statements that the teen was armed during the incident that ended with the officer firing his weapon some 17…
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Ferguson Has Awakened a Larger Struggle for Racial and Economic Justice in America
There’s a social-justice movement taking hold across the nation. Michael Brown’s death, which turned Ferguson, Mo., into a battleground this past summer, has helped catalyze a larger struggle for racial and economic justice in America. And St. Louis, where 18-year-old Vonderrit Myers Jr. was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer, has witnessed roiling…
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Malia and Sasha Obama: Our Favorite Photos
Sasha and Malia Obama share one of the top spots on Time magazine’s list of “The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014.” At the ages of 13 and 16 respectively, the Obama sisters have grown up in front of our eyes. Malia is a budding filmmaker and is rumored to be interested in attending Stanford. She…
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Pastor With AIDS Who Admitted to Adultery With Church Members Won’t Step Down
Deacons of the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala., have now filed a lawsuit against the Rev. Juan D. McFarland, who shook his congregation when he confessed to sleeping around with church members even though he knew he had AIDS, NBC News reports. Church members voted almost unanimously (80-1) to get rid of the…
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7 HIV / AIDS Lessons From the Montgomery, Ala., Pastor Disaster
Last week’s preacher scandal has enough intrigue and heat for a ShondaLand soap or reality show. But once you get past all the drama in the Rev. Juan D. McFarland’s Montgomery, Ala., church, it’s clear that many of us still have some important lessons to learn about sexually transmitted diseases. If you’re not already up…
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Ebola-Themed Halloween Outfits Expected to Go ‘Viral’
Cultural appropriation and various forms of blackface are usually what’s dredged up from the place of all things offensive and tacky for Halloween, but this year’s Ebola outbreak seems to be attracting the attention of trick-or-treaters looking to up their game when it comes to the distasteful. According to the Associated Press, fake protective gear…
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Police Search for 3 Men Believed to Be Involved in Death of 15-Month-Old NJ Girl
A 15-month-old girl was killed by a stray bullet while playing inside her New Jersey home on Saturday, a mere two days after moving in, CBS 2 reports. According to the report, authorities are searching for three men who were last seen wearing black hoodies and firing guns multiple times in the Irvington neighborhood. One…
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How Does It Work Being a Stay-at-Home Dad?
In a growing number of families, Mom is the breadwinner and Dad stays at home to take care of the kids. But how does that setup work for the family finances, for the marital relationship and for the mom who might be feeling left out of her children’s lives? In episode 6 of The Root…
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Dallas Cowboys Player Arrested for Shoplifting Underwear and Cologne
Looks like making half a million dollars a year isn’t enough for some people. According to ESPN, Dallas Cowboys backup running back Joseph Randle was arrested Monday night after reportedly attempting to steal cologne and underwear from Dillard’s department store. Randle was charged with a Class B theft, which is in the $50-$500 range, and…
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Convicted Killer Charged in Mother’s Murder 2 Days After Release
A New Jersey man is back behind bars after allegedly killing his own mother—two days after completing a 30-year prison sentence for another murder, NJ.com reports. According to the report, Steven Pratt, 45, was taken into custody on Sunday, not even 48 hours after he was released from Bayside State Prison for the 1984 murder…