Why The 'Race Card' Is Played

Dancing doctor who made rap videos during surgery faces nearly 100 complaints from women Nearly 100 women say they have suffered complications after a US dermatologist arranged to have herself filmed singing and dancing during their  surgery , according to an attorney. Dr Windell Boutte posted videos to YouTube of herself dancing and singing along to music mid-operation, occasionally with assistants joining in with the dancing. The videos sometimes showed the bare skin of unconscious patients lying on the operating table while Dr Boutte danced around them.

Citing racial disparities, Minneapolis police will stop low-level marijuana stings Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, left, said Thursday that "we will discontinue specific, low-level marijuana enforcement" in the wake of sting operations that resulted in disproportionate arrests of black people.  Police in Minneapolis will no longer conduct stings for low-level marijuana offenses after a report showed that nearly everyone arrested during the enforcement actions this year was black. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ordered police to stop the stings after the Hennepin County public defender's office reported in a court motion that of the 47 people arrested during them this year, 46 were black. "We will discontinue specific, low-level marijuana enforcement, and I agree with the mayor's decision," said Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo. Frey has also told the department to stop undercover operations aimed specifically at marijuana ...

Tech Companies Are Still Struggling to Hire Black Workers   “I’m not about diplomacy,’’ said Maxine Waters, threatening regulation. “I’m not urging, I’m not encouraging. I’m about to hit some people across the head with a hammer. I know how to do this and I know how to do it well.’’

What it feels like to be black in white spaces A lmost every black person in America has experienced the sting of disrespect on the basis of being black. A large but undetermined number of black people feel acutely disrespected in their everyday lives, discrimination they see as both subtle and explicit. Black folk know everyday racism – that becomes powerfully underscored by highly publicized racial incidents like the incident at Starbucks, the recent spate of police killings of black men, or the calling of police on a black female student while napping in a common area of a Yale dormitory. In the face of these realities, black people everywhere take note and manage themselves in a largely white-dominated society, learning and sharing the peculiar rules of a white-dominated society in which expressions of white racism are becoming increasingly explicit. While American society purports to be open and egalitarian, or “equal opportunity”, such everyday outcomes leave black peo...

THE LONG, DEFIANT HISTORY OF ACTIVISM AMONG BLACK ATHLETES Paul Robeson listens to a speech during the Peace Partisans World Congress in Moscow on April 20th, 1949. Robeson lost his passport in 1950. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images) "It was spectacular," the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James  said  to a reporter in 2014. "I loved it. I'm looking for one." What could the hoops legend and multimillionaire possibly have wanted that he didn't already own? Simple: a black T-shirt. Specifically, a black T-shirt with the phrase "I can't breathe" printed across the front. James had earlier seen Derrick Rose, then of the Chicago Bulls, wearing that shirt. In recent years, its message has become a rallying cry against police violence: In July of 2014, Eric Garner, an unarmed black man, died on Staten Island, New York, after police officers wrestled him into a deadly chokehold. According to a cell phone video, Garner's last words, which he ...

How A Black Detective Infiltrated The KKK In 1978, Ron Stallworth was working as a detective in the Colorado Springs Police Department when he came across a classified ad to find out more about the Ku Klux Klan — and answered it. Two weeks later, he got a call on the police department's undercover operations line. It was the local KKK organizer. He asked why Stallworth wanted to join the Klan. "I said I wanted to join because I was a pure, Aryan, white man who was tired of the abuse of the white race by blacks and other minorities," Stallworth recalls. But Stallworth — a highly decorated law enforcement veteran — is actually black. In his new memoir,  Black Klansman , he tells the story of how he hoodwinked the Ku Klux Klan into thinking he was one of them. (As you might imagine, this conversation includes some racist language.)

Rockies' first-round pick regrets 2012 tweet calling for Obama assassination University of Mississippi pitcher Ryan Rolison addressed the issue of his controversial tweet from 2012 when he was introduced to the media as the Colorado Rockies' first-round draft pick. Rockies' first-round pick regrets 2012 tweet calling for Obama assassination STEVE GARDNER  |  USA TODAY   |  16 hours ago Was it a character flaw or just high school immaturity? Either way, University of Mississippi pitcher Ryan Rolison addressed the issue of his controversial tweet from 2012 when he was introduced to the media as the Colorado Rockies' first-round draft pick. The night Barack Obama won re-election as president, Rolison sent out a 13-word message -- one that has since been deleted: "Well we have one hope left ...if someone shoots him during his speech" He was 15 at the time. "It was a stupid tweet," Rolison, now 20, said on Tuesday's conferenc...

2 more Mesa, Arizona, police officers placed on leave after bodycam video surfaces Two more Mesa, Arizona, police officers have been placed on administrative leave following the release of bodycam footage showing a violent arrest. Video released on Thursday that showed a 15-year-old suspect being taken into custody included officers kicking the teen and screaming expletive-laced insults at him. "On May 17, 2018, officers were investigating an armed robbery and located a 15-year-old suspect, who was arrested and subsequently charged with multiple counts including armed robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon," the MPD said in a statement released Thursday. "After a review of body worn camera footage, an internal investigation was initiated, two of the officers were placed on administrative leave." Mesa Police Chief Ramon Batista has scheduled a press conference for 5:45 p.m. local time today to discuss this latest incident. Five other Mes...

Ani Bundel  After racist 'Star Wars' fans reportedly drove Kelly Marie Tran from Instagram, Disney needs to respond This week, it was reported that “The Last Jedi” star Kelly Marie Tran  deleted her Instagram account  after months of abusive comments. Though it remains unclear exactly what drove Tran’s decision to leave the platform, she did  delete every last picture . Meanwhile,  the response by some white male fans  so far suggests she was indeed  the target of sustained harassment.

Mother of New Jersey mayor blames Koreans for son's possible reelection defeat in racist rant The longtime mayor of Palisades Park, N.J., apologized Thursday on behalf of his elderly mother for penning a racist rant as her son trailed his Korean-American opponent in the Democratic primary. James Rotundo rushed to defend her — but not the Facebook post she penned accusing Koreans of committing voter fraud,  NorthJersey.com reported . "Go to hell PALISADES PARK, let the GD Koreans have this F'n town," Lorraine Rotundo wrote, according to the newspaper. "All of us AMERICANS are so done. I am going to suggest that only English be spoken in our Boro Hall at least while an AMERICAN is still the mayor." Rotundo told the paper he told his mother to delete the Facebook post.

The case for shutting down New York City’s Rikers Island jail Sixteen-year-old Kalief Browder and a friend were walking home from a party in May 2010 when they were stopped by police officers, who were responding to a 911 call and arrested Browder for allegedly stealing a backpack. The two teenagers ended up in a holding cell in the 48th Precinct, and Browder was eventually charged with grand larceny. He spent the next three years imprisoned in Rikers Island, awaiting a trial that never came, including 18 months in solitary confinement. A  video  from the New Yorker reveals that he was beaten by officers during his time at the prison.

Starbucks just raised the price of its coffee across the US  Starbucks has quietly  raised its prices  on drip coffee, so that cup of joe will be about 10 to 20 cents pricier, as first reported by  The Wall Street Journal.  The price hike comes  less than a year after  the coffee chain raised the price on select beverages by up to 30 cents. This year, Starbucks has been facing increasing scrutiny over how it treats certain patrons — particularly customers of color — and  closed all locations last month  for an afternoon of racial sensitivity training for employees (or partners). The chain also updated its policy to allow anyone to use store bathrooms or sit at tables in any of their locations with  no purchase required.

Video shows Chicago cops handcuffing terrified 10-year-old boy who "matched" description Chicago police officers detained and handcuffed a 10-year-old black boy who was playing in his grandparents' front yard because they thought he matched the description of someone they were attempting to track down. Cell phone  footage tweeted out Friday  that has been viewed over 700,000 times, shows officers handcuffing a young boy, identified by NBC News affiliate Chicago 5  as Michael Thomas Jr., while questioning him about a gun. Chicago police say the officers didn’t do anything wrong . Police said they had received multiple calls about a young boy with a gun, and said Thomas ran away from them at first when they approached, according to the news outlet. “Keep in mind, this is difficult for an officer to tell right off the bat if you’re 10 years old, 12 years old [or] 14… So they handcuffed the kid for safety reasons,” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson...

Rogue Baltimore police unit ringleader Wayne Jenkins sentenced The leader of a rogue Baltimore police unit sobbed as he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in a corruption scandal prosecutors called "breathtaking". Ex-police sergeant Wayne Earl Jenkins apologised in court for the crimes he committed while heading an elite squad called the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF). "I'm wrong, God knows I'm wrong," the 37-year-old said. "I'm so sorry to the citizens of Baltimore." He was arrested along with almost every member of the unit in March 2017. Jenkins must serve three years of supervised release after his custodial sentence. He was convicted on multiple counts including racketeering, robbery and falsification of records. Jenkins pleaded guilty in January and admitted taking part in at least 10 robberies of Baltimore citizens, planting drugs on innocent people and re-selling drugs he stole from suspects on an almost daily basis, i...

LeBron James & Stephen Curry Say Their Teams Will Not Go to the White House If They Win NBA Finals A day after Donald Trump called off the  Philadelphia Eagles scheduled trip to the White House , citing the ongoing NFL kneeling controversy, two of the biggest names in basketball came out to tell the president not to extend an invite their way if they win the NBA championship. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors are currently two games deep into their best-of-seven series to decide this year’s NBA champions. But while they may be rivals, they agree on one thing –– they will not go to the White House if they win. Just a day before the two teams are to face each other in Game 3 of the Finals,  LeBron James  was asked to reflect on Trump’s decision to call off the traditional White House visit for the Eagles. “It’s typical of him,” James said of the POTUS. “I’m not surprised. I mean, no matter who wins this series, no one wants the invite ...

Colin Kaepernick's legal team expected to subpoena President Trump in case against NFL After months of circling President Donald Trump during NFL depositions and discovery, Colin Kaepernick’s lawyers are expected to force Trump directly into the ongoing legal battle between the quarterback and league. Kaepernick’s legal team is expected to seek federal subpoenas in the coming weeks to compel testimony from Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other officials familiar with the president’s agenda on protesting NFL players, sources with knowledge of the quarterback’s collusion case against the NFL told Yahoo Sports.

Government‘s ‘racist’ policy requiring landlords to carry out immigration checks challenged in High Court The government is being challenged in the  High Court  over a “racist” policy which forces landlords in England to check the immigration status of potential tenants. Cross-party MPs, landlords and immigration lawyers have raised concerns about the  “Right to Rent”  scheme, a key branch of the government’s attempt to create a “hostile environment” for illegal immigrants, warning that it risks  putting people at risk of homelessness and exploitation.

SAN JOSE TEACHER PLACED ON LEAVE FOR RACIST INCIDENT SAN JOSE, Calif. - A San Jose teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave for making a racist gesture towards a black student at Santa Teresa High School earlier this year. The student was in PE class, walking into the weight room, when the teacher, who is white, reportedly said "stay away from me" and used a nearby rope to make a noose around his own neck. Activists say the action was unprovoked, and the student is traumatized. The teacher reportedly called it a joke. It happened at the end of April.

Mesa police officers put on leave after beating unarmed man Newly released footage from Arizona appears to show another example of police using undue force on an unarmed citizen. The surveillance video opens with a Mesa police officer exiting an elevator onto an apartment complex's fourth-floor deck. A man — later identified as Robert Johnson, 33 — comes into view. He leans forward on a railing and checks his phone.

Man Kneels During the National Anthem at President Trump's White House Event n was seen kneeling while the national anthem played during a White House ceremony organized by President Trump after he  disinvited the Philadelphia Eagles from the traditional championship celebration  on Tuesday. The unidentified man was spotted kneeling during national anthem at Trump’s “Celebration of America.” He left after the anthem ended and did not comment to press, a Danish reporter who was at the event tweeted. Video footage of the man shows him getting up after the anthem ends.

Fox News apologizes for showing Eagles players kneeling in prayer during report on anthem controversy Fox News has apologized after using images of Philadelphia Eagles players kneeling in prayer during a report that discussed President Trump canceling the team’s White House visit over the NFL’s national anthem controversy. "During our report about President Trump canceling the Philadelphia Eagles trip to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl win, we showed unrelated footage of players kneeling in prayer," Christopher Wallace, the executive producer of “Fox News @ Night,”  said  in a statement Tuesday morning.

Michael B. Jordan Says He Only Wants The Roles Written For White Men Michael B. Jordan has become one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood.  The 31-year-old Santa Ana, California native played “Kilmonger” in this year’s  Black Panther . He is reprising his role as “Adonis ‘Donnie’ Johnson Creed in the upcoming November  Creed sequel. Five years ago, Jordan played the real-life Oscar Grant in  Fruitvale Station . Ahead of film, Jordan played corner-boy “Wallace” in The Wire , with prominent roles on  Friday Night Lights ,  The Assistants ,  Parenthood , and soap opera  All My Children . As an actor, Jordan pushes through all limitations, whether due to screenwriter bias or old-guard industry thinking. “I wanted to go out for these roles because it was just playing people . It didn’t have to be like, ‘You’re playing the Black guy in this.’” Jordan’s declaration is also one made with his peers in mind. “Everybody would be going ou...

Ava DuVernay Teams With Colin Kaepernick For Comedy Series About His High School Life It looks like Ava DuVernay and Colin Kaepernick’s exchange of compliments will finally translate from the digital sphere to television. According to  Vanity Fair , the award-winning filmmaker and the activist/pro-football player have partnered up for a comedy series about Kaepernick’s high school career. While further details for the reported project are still under wraps, DuVernay continues her focus on the success of season three’s  Queen Sugar  and the forthcoming Netflix feature on the  Central Park Five . In a 2017 interview with  GQ , DuVernay shared that Kaepernick’s actions on and off the field have not only inspired her but others as well. “I see what he’s done as art,” she said. “I believe that art is seeing the world that doesn’t exist…I just feel fortunate that I’ve had a chance to get to know him personally, to talk to him.” She also address...

Tunisia pilot boots passenger over racism against black attendant A pilot with Tunisia's national airline has kicked off a passenger after she hurled racist abuse at a black flight attendant. A pilot with Tunisia's national airline has kicked off a passenger after she hurled racist abuse at a black flight attendant, local news website  Nessma TV  has  reported . Tunisair pilot Mounir Ajlani booted the abusive traveller from a flight from Tunisian capital to Istanbul earlier this month - in a move that has been hailed by commentators across social media. The cabin crew member described the incident in a  Facebook post , thanking her colleagues for defending her against the passenger. Ghofrane Binous said that she was verbally attacked as she attempted to resolve a dispute between passengers over space for carry-on luggage in overhead compartments. "I don't need your help. The last thing I need is a black b**** of an air hostess," she said th...

Colourism: Do light-skinned black women have it easier in showbiz? Rihanna, Beyonce, Cardi B, Stefflon Don, Maya Jama, Mabel, Zendaya and Adwoa Aboah. These are just some of the women at the top of their game in the world of entertainment in 2018. But how much of their success is down to the shade of their skin? It's been suggested by some that black women with lighter skin find it easier to get ahead because of colourism. Colourism is prejudice against people who have a darker skin tone - and/or the preferential treatment of those who are of the same race but lighter-skinned. It's something that grime artist Lioness says she's experienced.

Trump Told Kim Kardashian She and Kanye West Are Helping Him With Black Voters “Kanye West must have some power because you probably saw I doubled my African American poll numbers. We went from 11 to 22 in one week,” Trump said May 4 at the National Rifle Association’s annual conference in Texas, without identifying the source of the data. Polling Results Trump appeared to be  referring  to data from a Reuters weekly tracking poll, in which the portion of black men approving of Trump rose from 11 percent the week ending April 22 to 22 percent for the week ending April 29. But Reuters considers the number of African American respondents to those weekly polls too small to reliably indicate a shift in opinion. Monthly data from  the poll  shows approval of Trump among African-Americans overall rising from 12 percent in April to 18 percent in May. Among black men, the president’s approval rose from 16 percent in April to 22 percent in May, according to the po...

Georgia Cop Fired After Running Over Fleeing Black Suspect (VIDEO) A police officer from Athens-Clark County Georgia has been fired from the force after it was revealed he intentionally ran over a Black suspect with his cop car, reports ABC News . Officer Taylor Saulters was suspended following the incident on Friday (Jun. 1). However, after an internal investigation, bodycam footage showed Saulters purposefully ramming his cruiser into the suspect. He was fired the next day. “After reviewing the officers’ body camera footage, and all the other facts and circumstances of this case, Chief Scott Freeman terminated the employment of Officer Taylor Saulters,” the Athens-Clarke County Police Department said in a statement. The suspect, Timmy Patmon, was wanted on a felony probation warrant and was attempting to get away on foot. In the video, Saulters is behind the wheel of the cop car, driving after Patmon. At first, the officer tried to block Patmon’s path, but he was uns...