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We Stand with the Tennessee Three

ABOVE: Tennessee State Rep. Gloria Johnson and former Reps. Justin Pearson and Justin Jones exit the chapel at Fisk University in Nashville, a historically Black college that played a key role in the Civil Rights Movement. (Photo: John Partipilo) About one in 20 U.S. adults—roughly 16 million Americans—own at least one AR-15-style rifle, according to […]
The post We Stand with the Tennessee Three first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

April 12, 2023

Forward Times Staff

About one in 20 U.S. adults—roughly 16 million Americans—own at least one AR-15-style rifle, according to polling from Iposo and the Washington Post. The poll traced the popularity explosion of semiautomatic rifles from its military origins into being one of the public’s most popular and deadliest weapons.

While these rifles have become the weapon of choice by many law-abiding citizens, AR-15-style rifles were used in 10 of the 17 deadliest mass shootings since 2012.

The deep feelings many gun owners have for their AR-15 rifles has morphed into a certain type of reverence where the weapon has become an idol.

Earlier this year, U.S. Representative Barry Moore, a staunch gun-rights supporter, proposed that the AR-15 rifle should be the “National Gun of America.”

If the Alabama Congressman’s proposal receives approval by the GOP-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate, the AR-15 would take its place as one of the nation’s most coveted symbols, alongside the U.S. flag.

There were good reasons why the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, which imposed the federal assault weapons ban, was enacted in 1994. Despite the lives saved by this legislation, it expired in 2004 and was never renewed.

The recent mass shooting in Nashville, along with the subsequent expulsion of two Black lawmakers from the Tennessee state legislature, have given America another grim reminder of itself. The hypocrisy in regard to the protection of life and political retaliation remains in full display before the nation. The Covenant School, which is a private Christian school in Nashville, is the latest mass shooting involving a school or university in 2023.

According to an update from the Metropolitan Nashville Police, the 28-year-old shooter was a former student who “acted totally alone” as he stormed the school randomly killing six individuals. It was concluded that the shooter planned the attack “over a period of months” and studied other mass murderers. Three nine-year-old students were killed. The adult victims were identified as custodian Mike Hill, Katherine Koonce, who is head of the school, and substitute teacher Cynthia Peak. Tennessee governor, Mike Lee later revealed that his wife, Maria, was friends with Peak and Koonce “for decades.”

A school building is supposed to be a safe space and an environment set aside for learning. Every child has the right to attend school without the feeling of fear or the threat of being the future victim of a mass shooting. Lawmakers play an integral part in maintaining that safety, but lawmakers will always respond differently to the violence associated with mass shootings. While these acts of violence should automatically be seen through a moral lens, for many lawmakers the killings are only viewed through a political and self-serving lens.

The Covenant School shooting shows us how GOP lawmakers were unmoved that the attacker studied previous mass shootings, and his weapons of choice included two assault-style rifles. We are also reminded that having a conscience that is willing to save future innocent lives still does not exist with the GOP lawmakers even when the children at risk are from white conservative families. Any one of us can become a future victim of a mass shooting, therefore what happens in Tennessee is a concern that impacts all of us.

America has been reminded that it is a nation where the AR-15 style rifle is the “National Gun of America” even if it’s not by law. It is simple, some lawmakers are devoted to their guns, while others, like the Tennessee Three, are devoted to children and their safety. After the Covenant School shooting, the world was introduced to Representatives Justin Jones of Nashville, Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis and Rep, Gloria Johnson of Knoxville as being the Tennessee Three.

Leadership will arise in the midst of a crisis and sometimes it comes from unexpected places. People are tired of the empty “thoughts and prayers” and they are equally tired of mass shootings becoming normalized. The Tennessee Three became the voice which refused to remain silent. They made their House colleagues uncomfortable by exposing the hypocrisy and lack of concern for the constituents they are elected to represent and protect. They were willing to get themselves into “good trouble” as they stood with young protesters who called on Republican lawmakers to pass meaningful gun reform legislation. With their acts of courage in violating decorum rules in the House chamber, the Tennessee Three suffered political retaliation at the hands of their Republican colleagues.

Representative Gloria Johnson survived an expulsion vote, but Jones and Pearson were immediately removed from office. While the Tennessee House members succeeded in the expulsion of Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, who are Black, there was no due process given. Following the vote, Johnson said she couldn’t feel good about her survival due to the expulsion of her colleagues. Johnson, a white woman, and former teacher believed Pearson and Jones were treated differently due to their race.

We need to stand with the Tennessee Three as denunciations are coming in from across the country. The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland stood in solidarity with the two Black freshman lawmakers who were expelled.

In a statement, the 65-member Maryland caucus said they feared that the “unprecedented expulsion creates a chilling effect in state legislatures across the country and is a stain on American democracy. We stand ready to support our colleagues in Tennessee and protect the rights of Black legislators and our constituents across the country,” the statement concluded.

America has not heard the last from the Tennessee Three.

David W. Marshall is the 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 We Stand with the Tennessee Three appeared first on Houston Forward Times.

The post We Stand with the Tennessee Three first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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