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The Threat Toward Black Prosecutors Doing Their Jobs
ABOVE: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis The fact that power is meant to be shared and every voice is meant to be heard is the beauty of democracy. The failure of democracy is not the system itself, but the people who we put into the system. It takes a certain type of person to […]
The post The Threat Toward Black Prosecutors Doing Their Jobs first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
ABOVE: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis
The fact that power is meant to be shared and every voice is meant to be heard is the beauty of democracy. The failure of democracy is not the system itself, but the people who we put into the system. It takes a certain type of person to be elected as a public servant and yet possess the character needed to ensure that political power will be rightfully shared with “others.” It takes a special person who can be given the honor of representing the people without falling into the trap of abusing that honor for personal or political gain.
Republican Rep. Matt Bliss of Minnesota is not that type of person. During the debate on a spending bill in the Minnesota state legislature, Bliss complained that the bill “brings us closer to a democracy, which you know, that’s not a good thing.” The bill under debate deals with funding for state and local elections, but also includes a number of election reforms –among them instituting an automatic voter system, as well as granting 17-year-olds the ability to register to vote in upcoming elections if they will be 18 by Election Day. If or when Rep. Bliss runs for re-election, will his comments regarding democracy be the reason people vote for or against him?
Elections are no longer a simple choice between individuals holding liberal versus conservative ideas. Unfortunately, local, state, and federal races between the two major parties have become a choice between those who support democracy against those who oppose it. Despite not being re-elected as president, Donald Trump still commands the Republican Party. Under his seven years of “leadership,” the party has undeniably taken a detrimental approach to democracy. It is evident in the views held by Minnesota state lawmaker Matt Bliss. We saw it with the expulsion of Tennessee state representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.
In an attempt to protect the former president and his views, district attorneys have now become political targets by GOP lawmakers in addition to being targets for violence by the MAGA movement. This is particularly true for three Black top prosecutors seeking to hold the former president accountable.
It doesn’t matter to GOP lawmakers how the MAGA movement chanted “Lock Her Up” concerning Hillary Clinton, but in regard to Trump, there is no willingness to accept the findings of the judicial process. In fact, members of the judicial process are attacked with petty acts of revenge and retaliation by way of proposed legislation and Congressional subpoenas by Republicans.
There is currently a bill under review by the Georgia state legislature that would create a state-run board with the power to investigate and oust district attorneys. It creates a means for state legislators to have more control over district attorneys when things don’t go their way.
The backdrop to this pending legislation is the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her long-running investigation into Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election. Willis is the first Black woman to lead Georgia’s largest district office, and it is hard to believe that such a state-run board will operate solely based on the will of the voters without race and political agendas becoming a factor. In response to Willis’ investigation, Trump has called her “racist” as well as a “local rogue” prosecutor who is incompetent and unable to do her job and has challenged her authority. Willis has said that she requires extensive personal security following death threats from Trump supporters.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, both of whom are Black, received personal attacks from Trump in similar fashions. Bragg has received more than 1,000 phone calls and emails from Trump supporters making threats and racially charged comments.
Generally, prosecutors are among the most powerful figures in the courtroom. They are the people who will decide whether to bring charges, what charges to bring, whether to negotiate a plea bargain and what the terms of the plea will be. The government does not have the resources to try every case. Very few criminal cases will ever go to trial, therefore prosecutors wield tremendous power. Prosecutors are on the front line of justice. While they represent the government in criminal cases, it is meant for them to be immune from outside influences and pressures when making critical decisions involving their cases. It is not meant for them to be totally immune from criticism, especially when it calls for true justice.
Democracy depends on prosecutors properly using their power and discretion, even when faced with the hostility from a former president and his passionate supporters.
Legal experts are sounding the alarm that former president Donald Trump’s racially charged attacks and threats against Black prosecutors investigating him could create safety threats for Black prosecutors all over the country.
“The danger of this rhetoric is that it encourages bad actors to do certain things,” said Melba Pearson, a civil rights and criminal law attorney and the former president of the National Black Prosecutors Association. “This retort of racism specifically aimed at Black prosecutors is purposeful. This is not a brand-new tactic.”
Pearson added, “It’s just part of this bigger pattern of trying to attack the messenger and discredit the process to take away the culpability you face for whatever actions that you engaged in.”
David W. Marshall is founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book “God Bless Our Divided America.” He can be reached at http://www.davidwmarshallauthor.com.
The post The Threat Toward Black Prosecutors Doing Their Jobs appeared first on Houston Forward Times.
The post The Threat Toward Black Prosecutors Doing Their Jobs first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.
Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.
Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”
Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.
“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”
The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.
Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.
President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.
Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.
Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.
Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.
Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.
Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.
Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.
The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.
In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.
The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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