POLITICS

Jacob Blake Shot by Wisconsin Police

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In the most recent incident to incite protests against injustices across the nation this summer, a Black man has been shot in Wisconsin. Jacob Blake, witnesses said, was attempting to break up an argument between two women. Following this, he walked back towards his silver SUV this past Sunday, August 23rd while being trailed by a police officer involved in the confrontation. As three of his children watched from their vehicle, the police officer proceeded to fire seven times at Blake’s back and close range. One can only imagine the trauma for his sons. As of today, Blake remains hospitalized in serious condition, but is expected to survive.

The incident, caught on video, has gone similarly viral to other violent misconducts by the police over the course of spring and summer 2020. The officers involved in Blake’s shooting have been placed on administrative leave and have shocked the small city of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Protests across the city have motivated Governor Evers to call in the National Guard, though he attempted to assure constituents it was not in an effort to mimic clashes between protesters and servicemen in places like Seattle, Minneapolis, or New York. Minor confrontations have occurred over the past two days despite this.

Following George Floyd’s murder this past May, protests against the police and in favor of the movement Black Lives Matter have exploded across the country. Blake’s shooting has added fuel to the fire, inspiring renewed protests and calls to action all across the nation. The incident in Kenosha has furthered the call for cities to cut funding to police departments, restructure their legal practices, amongst other changes.

Governor of Wisconsin Tony Evers tweeted in support of Jacob Blake and in condemnation of the actions of police officers involved: “I have said all along that although we must offer our empathy, equally important is our action. In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and country for far too long. And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.” The Governor also signed an executive order into Wisconsin’s state legislature for a special session to pass legislation and police reforms for August 31st. The reforms are expected to be fought by the state’s Republican leadership.

Calls from the countries Democratic leadership have come again for immediate reform, including the voice of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as he “wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force.” President Trump has not commented directly on the shooting, but Vice President Pence made a statement yesterday emphasizing the administration’s loyalty to their men and women in blue.

The situation involving the shooting of Jacob Blake and ensuing actions in Kenosha, Wisconsin continues to develop.

Jacob Blake Shot by Wisconsin Police

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The situation involving the shooting of Jacob Blake and ensuing actions in Kenosha, Wisconsin continues to develop.

What is the American Dream in 2020?

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We spend our whole lives working and earning money to support ourselves and our families. The term “American Dream” was coined in 1931 by James Truslow Adams, and it represented an idea of a land where there were loads of opportunities for people in accordance with their achievements or abilities.

According to him, this was not a mere idea of high wages and motor cars, but rather it was an idea of a social order in which every man and every woman would be able to attain the full stature they are capable of. This would be provided to them regardless of class, color, creed and socio-economic status.

With the advancement in technology, everything has changed, for the better or worse. The million-dollar question is: What is the U.S. Dream in 2020? Has it changed somehow, or is it still the same after all this time?

Let’s take a look!

The New U.S. Dream

The idea of the U.S. dream is a theme around the globe and across the globe. Every U.S. citizen has her or his own idea and version of it. The U.S. Dream of today hasn’t strayed very far from the vision that was set forth by the founding fathers.

Our founding fathers wanted to inculcate basic societal values in us, such as the creation of a meaningful life, as essential parts of society and community. In the new version of the idea, spending time with friends and family is becoming dominant.

With the advancement in technology, more opportunities have been created for the people. It is no longer about feeding the family every day. It is about creating a sense of peace and stability in the whole community.

Everyone needs to contribute to ensure that we all live in the best way possible. With all the hard work that American citizens put in, the result is going to be a nation that is happy, content and at peace.

American Dream and U.S. Presidents

After the Great Recession in 2008, the income inequality among different classes became even more pronounced. It seemed as if this idea was coming to an end for many people. However, in reality, only the materialistic part of the idea was nearing an end.

Around the turn of the century, a lot of U.S. presidents were in favor of homeownership as an important part of the U.S. dream. The presidential campaign plan of Hillary Clinton included homeownership, retirements and health insurance.

Furthermore, Obama passed the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “ObamaCare,” which provided the right to healthcare for all U.S. citizens.

Important parts of the U.S. Dream

After decades of hard work, our founding fathers created a safe space for everyone, where the rights of everyone were respected, and the opportunities were abundant.

There are various factors that make this idea possible, such as:

· Efficient Governance

· Helpful and Friendly Neighbors

· The abundance of Natural Resources

However, with the threat of climate change looming over our heads, the natural resources have started becoming scarce. Several papers about American Dream suggest that rising sea levels, food inflation as well as the health crises are already straining the funds of the U.S. government.

The founding fathers didn’t envision that even the right to have clean water, air and natural resources would become scarce. Therefore, there is a need for a new version of this idea that would help the citizens, even this time of economic crisis.

Every American citizen dreams of retiring in peace after working hard for years. The government, as well as the private organizations, are working hard to ensure that the idea of a Utopian lifestyle remains afloat.

How can we live the U.S. Dream today?

The entire U.S. population is united by a common political system, language, and shared values. The diversity in cultures and traditions adds to the overall strength of America. This gives various companies an opportunity to innovate so that every single person can benefit from their products.

Under this idea, everyone has an equal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Happiness or lifestyle isn’t defined under the Declaration of Independence. Rather, U.S citizens are free to pursue their own vision of this idea. The new U.S. Dream promotes a free-market economy in which everything from the service to the price is controlled by the market and not the government. This gives everyone an equal opportunity for the creation of wealth and happiness.

With the advancement in economic growth, the idea of happiness and peace for the citizens of the United States has also changed. Every organization and enterprise is trying to give the best of their services to ensure that we become a satisfied population.

Education for all is also an important part of the American idea of happiness. If we send our descendants to colleges and universities, it is going to increase the standard of living, and thereby create a sense of fulfillment and contentment in the community due to economic opportunities.

Conclusion

This idea is not something that is set in stone. With changing times, the idea has also changed. Along with the collective idea about happiness, there is an individual idea of eternal peace as well, which helps us achieve our goals and targets in ways that suit us perfectly.

Here’s to the founding fathers of the U.S. who helped pave the way for freedom, happiness, and individuality for every American citizen!

DNC Recap

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By Eamonn Burke

The Democratic National Convention kicked off it’s virtual event last night, starting with speeches by prominent politicians including Bernie Sanders, John Kasich, Andrew Cuomo, and a keynote by Michelle Obama.

There were also powerful words delivered by George Floyd’s brother, Philonese Floyd, and Kristin Urquiza, who lost her father to Covid-19. “My dad was a healthy 65-year-old. His only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump, and for that, he paid with his life,” she scathed, adding that her vote for Joe Biden would be in his honor. Mr. Floyd called for a moment of silence and for remembrance of those who have died from racial injustice to continue far beyond the night.

The politicians also denounced Trump and backed Biden strongly. Cuomo hailed Biden as having all of the characteristics of a true leader: a unifier, a builder, “as good as our people,” he said. “That man is Joe Biden.”

Kasich, a former Republican Governor of Ohio, acknowledged that he disagrees with Biden on some topics, but “that’s OK because that’s America.” Ultimately, he recognized that Joe Biden “can bring us together to help us find that better way.”

Senator Bernie Sanders, the former rival of Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination, made a strong appeal to emotion, highlighting the incredibly high stakes in this election and the importance of defeating President Donald Trump. “The future of our planet is at stake” he pleaded. “My friends, the price of failure is just too great to imagine.”

Lastly, Michelle Obama ended the night with a strong moral case against President Trump. She painted the current government as being one of “chaos, division and a total and utter lack of empathy,” and called Trump “the wrong president for our country.”

“If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it,” said the former First Lady. Trump lashed back at Obama, tweeting that he would not be in the White House if not for the work of her husband, and calling the Obama-Biden administration “the most corrupt in history.”

As far as logistics of the convention, the lack of a traditional setting was noticeable, and many of the speeches were pre recorded. Trump slammed Michelle Obama for this, denouncing her for having the wrong COVID-19 numbers. Democrats has planned to convene in Milwaukee, but later decided to move entirely online. Actress Eva Longoria was brought on as the host of the show to create a more personable atmosphere. Video clips, montages, and performances were also infused into the event.

The second night of the DNC featured a role call which officially nominated Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential ticket. It also featured more speeches from past politicians on both sides, such as former President Bill Clinton (D) and former Secretary of State Colin Powell (R). There were new faces as well, like U.S Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D). The night ended with Joe’s wife Jill speaking. The event was hosted by actress Tracee Ellis Ross.

Clinton focused on the economy in his speech, highlighting the U.S as “the only major industrial economy to have its unemployment rate triple” despite Trump claiming how well we are doing as a country. Ocasio-Cortez used her speech to second the nomination of Bernie Sanders, a formality for a candidate over a threshold of 300 delegates.

Joe Biden and his family made a virtual appearance from a classroom to accept the nomination, and he appeared later on after his wife’s speech.

In her speech, Jill Biden made a case for why her husband had the capacity and experience to understand the hardships that American families are going through in this crisis. She mentioned the death of their son, Beau, from cancer, and how he was able to help her through that time. The compliments went both ways, as Joe called her “so damn tough and loyal.” Dr. Biden assured viewers that “if we entrust this nation to Joe, he will do for your family what he did for ours.”

On night three of the DNC, Kamala Harris was historically nominated as the first black and Asian woman to feature on a major presidential ticket. In her speech, Harris told her story of being an immigrant – the daughter of India and Jamaican immigrants – and used it to empathize with so many in a similar situation. She then went after Trump, delving into his moral and ethical flaws: “I know a predator when I see one” she assured. She finished off by speaking about inequities, especially racial ones. “There is no vaccine for racism” she said in a her call to action. “We’ve gotta do the work.”

Later in the night Hillary Clinton spoke, delivering a somber warning against repeating the mistakes made in 2016, when she lost to Donald Trump: “this can’t be another ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda’ election.” She pleaded for viewers to vote, as was a main theme in throughout the DNC. Lastly, she praised the record breaking amount of women continuing to appear in government, including Senator Harris, but acknowledged the work still to be done.

President Obama’s speech brought something considerably rare for a former president to do: he attacked President Trump. He labeled Trump as blatantly inadequate for the job of president: “Donald Trump hasn’t grown into the job because he can’t, and the consequences of that failure are severe.”

The night also featured a performance by Billie Eilish of her new unreleased song “My Future.” It was followed by a message about the importance of voting.

The fourth and final night officially nominated Joe Biden as the 2020 Democratic Presidential candidate. In his speech, he covered his policy plans from the coronavirus to guns to Medicare, while also addressing the economic recession caused by the pandemic as well as the racial reckoning going on in the country as a result of inequalities. He also spoke of the and Harris’ personal stories, and how they informed them to be ready for the job. The speech drew acclaim from both parties.

“Here and now I give you my word,” said Biden. “If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness.”

Joe Biden × Kamala Harris

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Presidential candidate Joe Biden has declared California Senator Kamala Harris his Vice President running mate. Former Vice President Joe Biden’s selection of Senator Kamala Harris Harris shows Biden doubling down on his long history of excessive law enforcement and support for the war on drugs.

In a year of national uprising against police violence, Kamala Harris who spent 25 years in law enforcement is an ironic selection. Her campaign for president ended quickly as she dropped out of the race two months before the Iowa Caucus and three days before the filing deadline to be on the ballot in her home state of California, where she was behind in the polls. Part of her decline was caused by voter dismay at her reversal on Medicare For All, when she flip-flopped to a policy that subsidized private health insurance and misleadingly continued to call it Medicare for All.

While Joe Biden was the principal legislative architect of the drug war and mass incarceration from his time on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Harris’s record as a prosecutor and Attorney General was as a foot soldier in the drug war and mass incarceration. As the San Francisco District Attorney drug-related prosecutions increased from 56 percent in 2003 to 74 percent in 2006. In 2019, she admitted smoking marijuana in college but while Attorney General of California from 2011-2017, Harris sent at least 1,560 people to prison over marijuana-related offenses. In 2014, a week after the New York Times called for legal marijuana, Harris laughed when asked if she supported it. Now, she supports ending federal laws against marijuana, a position not held by Biden.

While Biden sponsored mandatory sentencing, Harris defended one of the worst mandatory sentencing laws in the US, California’s ‘three strikes law’ that also applied to “minor” felonies. She campaigned against a voter initiative that would have reformed this to require serious or violent felonies for life sentences. Harris did not take a position on two ballot initiatives in 2012 and 2014 that would have reduced punishment for low-level crimes and given judges more flexibility at sentencing. Both initiatives passed without her support.

After the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, police accountability was on the agenda in the California legislature. Harris refused to take a position on racial profiling by police. As Attorney General she refused to investigate highly questionable police shootings in Los Angeles 2014 and in San Francisco in 2015.

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Nasty C – Zulu Man

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Global multi-platinum rapper, Nasty C, releases the high energy track and hot visual, “PALM TREES,” the latest single from his forthcoming and highly anticipated album, “ZULU MAN WITH SOME POWER” to be released via Def Jam Recordings on August 28. “ZULU MAN WITH SOME POWER” is available for fans to pre-save now.

Quoted by Billboard as “South Africa’s best bet for a mainstream crossover,” Nasty C has been delivering hit after hit with “PALM TREES” being the next single solidifying him as a global sensation.

In July, Nasty C teamed up with DJ Whoo Kid to put together a mixtape for fans around the world. The musical masterpiece titled, “ZULU” features the hit track, “They Don’t” includes his first-ever collaboration with Tip “T.I.” Harris for “They Don’t,” a powerful track created by the rappers in the wake of global unrest over rampant police brutality and racial injustice. On June 23, Nasty C and T.I. joined Late Night with Seth Meyers for a virtual performance of the protest anthem.

For nearly a decade, Nasty C (Nsikayesizwe David Junior Ngcobo) has had a singular focus: to push the boundaries of his own potential. He has been pursuing his hip-hop dreams since childhood when, legend has it, he began rapping and learning to lay down tracks at age nine under the tutelage of his older brother. At just fifteen years of age, Nasty released his debut mixtape, One Kid, A Thousand Coffins (2012). He shot to stardom in 2014, with his boundary-breaking second mixtape, Price City, and “Juice Back,” a continent-wide instant classic smash. The “Juice Back” remix featured Nigerian muso, Davido and South African rapper Cassper Nyovest. This early success won Nasty C the Best Freshman prize at the highly competitive South African Hip-Hop Awards.

Nasty C’s popularity detonated with his 2016 debut album Bad Hair, which hit #1 on the iTunes local chart and was the country’s most-streamed album within 24 hours of release. Its re-release, Bad Hair Extensions featured French Montana. The seminal album earned him Nasty C four Metro FM Music Awards, a South African Music Award and a BET Awards nomination. The momentum surged with Strings And Bling in 2018, named one of South Africa’s greatest hip-hop albums by such influential local outlets as TimesLive and IOL. Nasty C was the only South African nominated for a BET Hip- Hop Award in the Best International Flow category in 2019, and was also nominated for an MTV Europe Music Award that year. Strings and Bling won him two South African Music Awards and two AFRIMMAs (All African Muzik Magazine Awards).

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Dominican Day Parade

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This Sunday, thousands of New Yorkers and visitors would usually be flooding Sixth Avenue to celebrate the culture and heritage of the Dominican Republic at the Dominican Day Parade.

While the event is going to be celebrated a bit differently this year, Presidente beer and Presidente Chairman, Alex Rodriguez, are giving fans nationwide a way of observing this day with those who share their passion for the DR’s rich culture with a virtual celebration where all are welcome!

Tune in on Sunday, August 9th at 3 PM EST as Presidente hosts an online celebration in partnership with Que Lo Que, a traditional Latin dance party created by the legendary APT.78, whose intention is to celebrate Latino culture through its gatherings. Participants will find themselves in attendance with former-New York Yankees legend and Chairman of Presidente, Alex Rodriguez! Activities will include:

A live, digital set from LA MEGA’s 97.9FM DJ Aneudy that will air on Presidente’s Instagram channel
Chances for fans to win Presidente swag for their attendance throughout the program
Including an exclusive line of NY-inspired Presidente T-shirts, hats, bandanas, and Drizly codes

Hispanic Heritage Awards

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The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today that the 33rd Hispanic Heritage Awards, presented by Target for the eight year, will be broadcast on October 6th on PBS stations and stream on PBS.org. The historic program, which was created by the White House in 1988 to commemorate the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month in America, is among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions.

In keeping with current COVID-19 mitigation guidance and with the safety of participants in mind, the Hispanic Heritage Awards and PBS broadcast will not include a live ceremony but will feature more intimately filmed performances and Honoree segments filmed on location across the United States and Latin America.

“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is thrilled to once again partner with Target and PBS to collectively celebrate and share the great promise, accomplishments, and cultural pride of the Latino community through the 2020 Awardees and powerful performances during Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. “More than ever, it’s important to shine the spotlight on the tremendous value Latinos provide this great country we all share, especially during this pandemic which has tragically impacted the Latino community and other communities of color at a higher rate.”

The 2020 Honorees will be announced over the coming months followed by the performers, hosts, presenters and other sponsors (visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C92ZiK5MxAs).

“Target is excited to be the presenting sponsor of the Hispanic Heritage Awards for the eighth year in a row. We’re proud to be a part of a program that highlights the amazing accomplishments of the Latinx community and the lasting contributions it has had on our country and the world, especially those working on the frontlines during this pandemic,” said Laysha Ward, Target’s Executive Vice President and Chief External Engagement Officer. “We congratulate and thank all of this year’s honorees and we are inspired by their tireless commitment to service of others.”

“While it would have been great to come together in person, we are delighted to join the Hispanic Heritage Foundation in this virtual celebration of Latino Americans and their extraordinary contributions to our country,” said Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS. “Building on our longstanding commitment to diverse stories and storytellers, we look forward to sharing the Hispanic Heritage Awards with our viewers during the sixth broadcast on PBS.”

The Hispanic Heritage Awards serve as a launch of HHF’s year-round, award-winning programs which inspire, prepare, and connect Latino leaders in the classroom, community, and workforce to meet America’s needs as well as promoting cultural pride. HHF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, visit www.hispanicheritage.org.

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at nearly 1,900 stores and at Target.com. Since 1946, Target has given 5% of its profit to communities, which today equals millions of dollars a week. For the latest store count or more information, visit Target.com/Pressroom. For a behind-the-scenes look at Target, visit Target.com/abullseyeview or follow @TargetNews on Twitter.

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’s premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV— including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

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Police Kill Mike Ramos

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By Eamonn Burke

New footage of the shooting of 42 year old Mike Ramos in Austin, Texas was released by the Austin Police Department last week. On April 24 of this year Ramos was shot after being cornered by police when a 911 was placed reporting two people (the other was his girlfriend) doing drugs in a car. Despite yelling that he was unarmed, which it was later proved he was, the police fired non-lethal bullets at Ramos. He then tried to flee the location in his car, but was shot and killed. His girlfriend survived the altercation.

Ramos became one of the names that was chanted in the streets of Austin during BLM protests over the death of George Floyd. There were demands for the termination of Austin Police Chief Brian Manley as well as calls for more systemic changes such as defunding the police in the city, which has a history of inequality and racism.

The new videos of the murder from four different body cameras do not show the shots that killed Ramos, but they can be heard. The video was reviewed by the District Attorney Margaret Moore, and the Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit alongside Texas Rangers are working to determine whether there will be charges against Officer Christopher Taylor, who fired the bullets that killed Ramos. The attorneys for Taylor say that the video is misleading and should not have been released to the public. “No judge has ever even ruled on whether or not evidence the government has released will even be admissible at trial” said attorney Doug McConnell.

Mike Ramos’ mother Brenda Ramos is devastated and believes that the killing was unjustified. “I’m going to be in pain for the rest of my life,” she says, and states that she is unable to watch the videos.

John Lewis Funeral Procession Reaches DC

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By Eamonn Burke

Civil rights icon and Democratic John Lewis will lie in state in Washington D.C. following his death on July 17. The funeral procession, which began on Saturday, included the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where a state trooper broke Lewis’ skull during a march, and a stop in Selma. It culminated in the arrival to the U.S Capitol and the ceremony held at 1:30 pm today, and it will continue until Thursday, when he will he laid to rest in Atlanta.

The arrival of the procession prompted many regulations including street closings and prohibited items in the city of Washington D.C.. The ceremony was private, put public viewings were available as well, in addition to crowds around the hearse as it made its way to the Capitol Rotunda. Those who were inside and invited, mostly House and Senate members, sat apart in circles. Speakers such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remembered the life of Lewis.

“John was revered and beloved on both sides of the aisle, on both sides of the Capitol” said Pelosi. McConnell remembered the “respect and love” that Lewis showed everyone. The speeches were followed by a performance of “Amazing Grace” by Christian singer Wintley Phipps. Finally, Lewis’ son John-Miles-Lewis led the conclusion of the service.

John Lewis was a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a powerful civil rights organization, and later became the chairman. He also helped organize the 1963 March on Washington at which Dr. Martin Luther King gave his famous “I have a dream” speech.