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Eric Garner’s Mother Gives Emotional Testimony at Judiciary Hearing

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Five years ago, my beloved son Eric was murdered by people who were supposed to serve and protect,” Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner who died in New York from a police chokehold in 2014 told the bipartisan group of lawmakers. “Eric cried out 11 times, ‘I can’t breathe.’ But those officers on the scene that day didn’t seem to care,” she said. “How come no one was held accountable?” Carr said Garner’s death had devastated her family.

Published

7 years ago

October 7, 2019

Oakland Post

The mother of Eric Garner, the man who was killed after being put in a chokehold by police in 2014 in New York City, testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Sep. 19, 2019. “Violent police have no place in this society,” said Gwen Carr, Garner’s mother, who urged lawmakers to pass a bill that would prevent police from using chokeholds. The Rev. Al Sharpton and other civil rights and community advocates appeared before the committee. (Photo: PBS News Hour / YouTube)

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Gwen Carr provided an emotional opening statement during the House Judiciary Committee’s oversight hearing on policing practices.

Carr, the mother of Eric Garner who died in New York from a police chokehold in 2014, recounted how police officers had approached her son outside of a grocery store on Staten Island.

Inexplicably, Officer Daniel Pantaleo wrestled Garner to the ground and used an illegal chokehold that eventually led to Garner’s death.

“Five years ago, my beloved son Eric was murdered by people who were supposed to serve and protect,” Carr told the bipartisan group of lawmakers.

“Eric cried out 11 times, ‘I can’t breathe.’ But those officers on the scene that day didn’t seem to care,” she said. “How come no one was held accountable?”

Carr said Garner’s death had devastated her family.

It also led to the fatal heart attack suffered by Garner’s sister, Erica, who died of a heart attack in 2017, Carr said.

“She died of a broken heart,” Carr said.

House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), told Carr that the criminal justice system failed her and her family.

“Shockingly, the officer responsible for placing Mr. Garner in a departmentally-banned chokehold remained on the force for five years before finally being fired this past August,” Nadler said.

The chairman also asked that his colleagues in Congress look for measures that would prevent police officers from escaping punishment.

“There needs to be better information on the use of force and better proposals to end racial profiling and to restore trust between law enforcement and the community,” Nadler said.

The hearing focused on the role of the federal government in addressing concerns about illegal practices, enhancing accountability, and in developing 21st-century policing practices.

During the session, the Rev. Al Sharpton joined Carr and others to call on Congress to pass legislation to set a federal standard for excessive use of force.

It included testimony from former professional tennis player James Blake; former federal law enforcement official Ron Davis; National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Chief Vera Bumpers; and Dr. Phillip Atiba of the Center for Policing Equity.

“I should say from the onset that (the National Action Network – or NAN) has never been anti-police. We are, however, anti-police brutality,” Sharpton said.

“We know that most police officers are hardworking and law-abiding citizens who take the oath to serve and protect quite seriously. They put their lives on the line every day to keep us all safe, and we are grateful for their enormous service and sacrifice,” he said.

However, over the past two decades, there has been a growing, and disturbing trend of mostly unarmed black and brown young men who have been the victims of discriminatory police practices and these encounters with law enforcement have led to their untimely deaths, Sharpton told the committee.

These statistics should cause all great alarm, he said.

“There are too many victims to name. But we all know their stories. We’ve read about them in the newspaper and have seen them on the nightly news: Eric Garner, Michael Brown, LaQuan McDonald, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Stephon Clark, and countless others,” Sharpton said.

“I’ve spent days and nights with grieving parents and family members who wanted nothing more but justice for their loved one who was senselessly shot or choked to death by an officer. I’ve preached the funerals. You can feel the pain and heartache. And even in the despair, I made a promise to the victims’ families that I would push Congress to enact federal legislation to address fatal misconduct,” he said.

Sharpton added that the time to address the issue is now.

He said there’s a deep-seated mistrust of the police in many communities of color and solutions must be identified to find ways to rebuild trust.

“Quite simply, there is a need for greater oversight on the patterns and practices of law enforcement across the country,” Sharpton said.

“Without these checks and balances, we will continue to experience discrimination and egregious injustices at every stage of the criminal justice system, beginning with an individual’s first encounter with law enforcement officials, as we witnessed first-hand in New York with the death of Eric Garner five years ago,” he said.

“There is a need for police officers to undergo racial profiling and micro-aggression training so that they are better equipped to police in an increasingly diverse America.”

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Smooth Ride! Car Suspension & Comfort Tested #shorts

Smooth suspension meets surprisingly spacious legroom. Experience true comfort on any road!

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1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Car suspension test demonstrating a smooth ride, comfort features, and handling on various terrains.

Experience the difference smooth suspension makes on rough streets. Check out the surprisingly good second-row legroom – test it yourself for true comfort.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/l9Z571za5Gc

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61 years since Selma, Houston leaders say the bridge remains to be crossed

61 years after Selma, Houston leaders say the fight for equality continues. The issues that sparked the marches still impact Black Americans today.

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

Houston leaders discuss the ongoing struggle for civil rights 61 years after Selma, emphasizing the need for continued action.

It has been 61 years since the Selma marches. But political leaders in Houston say that the issues protesters were marching for still plague the lives of Black Americans.

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Here is what you need to know about finding unique white elephant gift ideas that everyone wants to steal

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition. The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half […]

Published

1 month ago

October 4, 2026

Oakland Post

The best white elephant gift ideas are funny enough to get a reaction but useful enough that people actually want to steal them. Look for gifts with a surprise factor, broad appeal, an inside joke, and just enough personality to spark some friendly competition.

The wrapping paper comes off, the room goes quiet for half a second, and suddenly everyone wants the same gift. That is the sweet spot. A great white elephant pick should make people laugh, lean in, and start plotting their next steal before the turn is even over.

Should a White Elephant Gift Be Funny or Useful?

A white elephant gift can be funny or useful, but the strongest choices usually give people a reason to laugh and a reason to keep the item. A practical gift with an odd design, unexpected feature, or playful theme can get a reaction without becoming something the recipient immediately wants to give away.

The right balance depends on the group. Close friends and family members may enjoy a ridiculous gag gift because they already understand one another’s sense of humor.

A workplace exchange, neighborhood party, or mixed-age gathering usually calls for something with broader appeal. In those settings, humor works better when it is built into an item people could still use afterward.

It also helps to think about how quickly the gift will make sense once it is opened. A strangely shaped kitchen tool, oversized mug, quirky desk accessory, or unexpectedly fancy everyday item can create an immediate reaction. Guests understand the joke right away, while the item still has enough practical value to attract a steal.

Pure gag gifts can be harder to pull off. Something that exists only for the punchline may get a big laugh during the reveal and then sit untouched for the rest of the game. If the goal is to bring one of the gifts everyone keeps fighting over, usefulness gives the joke staying power.

Memorable Present Ideas: Creating Inside Joke Gifts

Inside joke gifts can make a white elephant exchange feel much more personal, especially when most of the group shares the same stories. The trick is choosing a reference that people will recognize quickly instead of building the entire joke around something only two guests understand.

You can turn a memorable vacation mishap, office catchphrase, family story, or long-running group joke into the theme of the gift. A personalized comic book can work especially well when it turns familiar people or a ridiculous shared moment into part of the story.

Think carefully about who the joke involves before ordering anything permanent. The gift should make the person feel included in the fun, not singled out for the wrong reason.

Can You Bring Something You Already Own?

Holiday gift exchanges can be a good place to re-gift something you never used, especially if it is unopened and clean.

The following can all work if they still look presentable:

A duplicate kitchen gadget
An untouched game
A decorative item
A sealed gift set
An unopened candle
A new travel accessory

The goal is to give the item a second chance, not use the exchange as an excuse to clear out damaged or unwanted clutter.

Take a close look at the packaging before wrapping it. Faded boxes, missing pieces, visible wear, or anything that looks obviously used can make the gift feel careless.

Wrapping Budget-Friendly Gifts

Wrapping can make gifts more entertaining before anyone even knows what’s inside.

Misdirection works especially well for fun party games. Put a small gift inside a much larger box. Use packaging from an unrelated household item.

Add harmless weight so guests cannot guess what they are holding. The reveal becomes part of the joke without changing the gift itself.

You can also lean into the theme of the exchange. Bright paper, oversized bows, reusable bags, or deliberately over-the-top wrapping can make an ordinary item feel more memorable. If the gift itself is already funny, simple wrapping may work better so the surprise stays hidden until the last second.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Picking Last an Advantage in White Elephant?

Picking last can be an advantage because you get to see almost every gift before making your move. Instead of choosing blindly from the remaining wrapped presents, you can steal something that has already caught your attention if the rules still allow it.

That advantage depends on the house rules. Some games limit how many times a gift can be stolen.

Others lock an item once it reaches a certain number of steals. If the most popular gifts are already unavailable, the final player may have fewer strong options than expected.

The first player can also get another turn at the end in some versions of the game. That rule can balance things out, since the person who started with the least information may get one final chance to steal.

How Do You Plan White Elephant for a Large Group?

For a large white elephant exchange, set a firm spending limit and establish the stealing rules in advance.

Create a clear turn order before the game begins. Drawing numbers as guests arrive can save time once everyone is ready to start.

Keep the number of steals per gift limited so the game does not drag on. It also helps to have one person track which creative holiday presents have been stolen and when they are locked, especially if dozens of people are participating.

Can You Play White Elephant Virtually?

A virtual white elephant exchange can work over a video call, with one person keeping track of the turn order and each steal. Guests can either mail physical gifts ahead of time or use digital gifts that can be delivered once the game ends.

Set the spending limit and stealing rules before everyone joins. It also helps to decide how gifts will be revealed and who is responsible for sending each one afterward so the exchange does not become confusing.