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COLUMN: Juxtaposition: Kamala Harris’s ‘Everytown’ Speech and the Racial Dynamics of Gun Violence

CHICAGO DEFENDER — Gun violence overwhelmingly hurts communities of color due to a lack of investment coupled with weak gun laws. To combat this issue, U.S. policymakers should pair common-sense gun legislation with investments in community-based violence intervention and policies addressing the root causes of gun violence.
The post COLUMN: Juxtaposition: Kamala Harris’s ‘Everytown’ Speech and the Racial Dynamics of Gun Violence first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

August 26, 2023

Chicago Defender Staff

Columnist A. Toussaint Werner weighs in on the Vice President’s recent appearance at the “Everytown for Gun Safety” conference in Chicago

Last Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris made her way to Chicago, taking the stage at McCormick Place to address the “Everytown for Gun Safety” conference. This event brought together a sea of predominantly white women wearing red “Everytown moms against gun violence” T-shirts, creating a stark visual contrast that left me pondering the meaning of juxtaposition.

Everytown for Gun Safety, as described on its website, boasts nearly 10 million members dedicated to ending gun violence. It’s a noble cause I was largely ignorant of until that moment. As I entered the convention center, I couldn’t help but notice the palpable energy in the crowd, akin to an all-girls first-year class awaiting a pep rally. Vendors lined the back wall, focusing on various aspects of gun safety and violence prevention, but the absence of diversity was conspicuous.

This stark lack of racial representation led me to reflect on the term “juxtaposition.” While gun violence is pervasive in America, it disproportionately plagues Black communities.

Chicago, where the conference took place, has often been portrayed in the media as ground zero for gun violence, and these issues have frequently been framed along racial lines. Yet, inside McCormick Place, the attendees did not mirror the grim realities just beyond its doors, where victims and perpetrators of gun crimes reside.

As Grey’s Anatomy actor Jason Winston George and an Everytown executive introduced Vice President Harris to an enthusiastic crowd, it became evident that this event was as much about optics as it was about substance. The first order of business was orchestrating a photo opportunity with the Vice President and the crowd.

It’s hard to recall a recent local or national election that didn’t exploit the narrative of Chicago’s violence to signal what should be done for or against gun safety. Depending on your political alignment, Chicago becomes a poster child to advocate for more significant gun restrictions or assert the need for personal firearm ownership. Both arguments are valid, but only within the context of the racial biases that shape gun legislation.

Vice President Harris, unsurprisingly, leaned toward advocating for stricter gun control. Softball questions from George set her up to deliver the expected response: “Just vote for us.”

The Racial Disparities of the Gun Violence Issue

The event’s pageantry and showmanship were impressive, but my disappointment stemmed from the need for more substantive discourse.

It appears that depth of thought has become antiquated in American politics. Politicians understand that nuanced ideas rarely win elections. Instead, they appeal to our primitive instincts, making emotional appeals to elicit responses. The juxtaposition of a crowd of white women advocating for stricter gun laws while the issue disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities was thought-provoking.

Gun violence overwhelmingly hurts communities of color due to a lack of investment coupled with weak gun laws. To combat this issue, U.S. policymakers should pair common-sense gun legislation with investments in community-based violence intervention and policies addressing the root causes of gun violence.

The statistics are telling:

Young Black Americans experience the highest rates of gun homicides.
Black Americans are ten times more likely than white Americans to die by gun homicide, with Black men being eighteen times more at risk.
In 2020, 61 percent of all gun homicides were of Black Americans, who comprise just 12.5 percent of the population.

These facts illustrate the stark racial disparities at the heart of the gun violence problem.

What often remains unspoken is the profit-driven nature of a racist system. Policymakers should confront discriminatory policies in policing, housing, education and employment to tackle the root causes of gun violence.

However, this is unlikely to happen because many profit from the status quo. Prisons, funeral homes and even the police benefit from the current state of affairs.

A quick glance at Everytown’s annual budget of $14 million and its 300 employees reveals that even organizations ostensibly dedicated to addressing gun violence can become part of a system perpetuating racial disparities.

As the 2024 presidential election draws nearer, I’m acutely aware of the pervasive impact of gun violence, particularly within my community. I attended this event hoping to hear concrete solutions.

My expectations were modest: I wanted an honest evaluation of the problem. Regrettably, I departed without either. As the crowd erupted in applause when the Vice President concluded her speech, I questioned whether my disappointment was unique to me. Could I bear some unconscious biases, or did I inadvertently overlook a crucial aspect of the discussion?

As I left the convention and headed to a nearby barbershop, I talked with the barber, mentioning that I had just attended Kamala Harris’s speech. His response, “Who’s Kamala Harris?” – a poignant juxtaposition indeed.

The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chicago Defender.

The post COLUMN: Juxtaposition: Kamala Harris’s ‘Everytown’ Speech and the Racial Dynamics of Gun Violence appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post COLUMN: Juxtaposition: Kamala Harris’s ‘Everytown’ Speech and the Racial Dynamics of Gun Violence first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
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AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY