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Theres no doubt that left-wing culture warriors have done great harm to the Democratic cause. Some of it is mere foolishness. Ive never forgotten being chided at a college talk several years ago for using the word murderess to describe a character in my book Widows Web who shot her husband in his sleep and later orchestrated a plot to kill her defense lawyers wife.

Murderess, one professor said, was unacceptably gendered language. To quibble about it would have been pointlessly distracting. Even so, Ive wondered about it ever since. After all, is murderer an honorific?

But its when cant touches upon real-world concerns that the trouble starts. Consider the phrase Defund the Police. Has there ever been a dumber, more politically maladroit slogan in American political history? Worse even than Hillary Clintons basket of deplorables.

Far worse, actually. Clintons remark merely convinced people that she was a snob. Rhetoric about doing away with cops made voters think that liberal Democrats inhabit a different planet. In an interview with VOX, veteran political operative James Carville put it this way: Maybe tweeting that we should abolish the police isnt the smartest thing to do because almost no one wants to do that.

Words matter, Carville insists. You ever get the sense that people in faculty lounges in fancy colleges use a different language than ordinary people? They come up with a word like Latinx. ... Or they use a phrase like communities of color. I dont know anyone who speaks like that. I dont know anyone who lives in a community of color. This is not how voters talk. And doing it anyway is a signal that youre talking one language and the people you want to vote for you are speaking another language.

In the real world, for example, people wake up to headlines like these, which arrived in my inbox as I composed the preceding paragraph: UAMS officer kills gun-wielding man; Police ID man fatally shot at apartment complex; and 15-year-old arrested in killing of Jacksonville man.

One medium-sized southern city; one ordinary weekday in July.

Abolish the police? In which solar system, pray tell?

So no, what with homicide rates rising sharply nationwide, I was not surprised to see Eric Adams, a Black former NYPD captain who campaigned on making New Yorkers feel safe and restoring confidence in the citys police, winning a Democratic primary that makes him the citys de facto mayor-elect.

The debate around policing has been reduced to a false choice, Adams declared. You are either with police, or you are against them. That is simply wrong because we are all for safety. We need the NYPD we just need them to be better.

Whether or not Adams can deliver, thats exactly how Democrats should be talking. Also, contrary to a lot of loose rhetoric, its all about the guns. Property crimes burglary and theft are actually decreasing in many places. Gun battles between rival gangs and drive-by shootings of innocent bystanders are way up.

Although youve not heard about it in the national news, something else that happened in my backyard has convinced me that ordinary people are hungry for change. In the farming community of Lonoke, Arkansas, roughly 35 miles northeast of Little Rock, a sheriffs deputy shot a 17-year-old white kid named Hunter Brittain to death during a 3 a.m. traffic stop. The boy was unarmed and had no criminal history. Hed been working late to fix his uncles truck transmission.

Details are scant, because the state police have kept their investigation close, although a special prosecutor has been appointed. And the deputy never turned on his body camera, for which hes been fired. Nightly protests began outside the sheriffs department, growing steadily more intense. His family likened young Brittain to Minneapolis murder victim George Floyd. Even Little Rock media, however, showed limited interest.

Until the Rev. Al Sharpton showed up in town to preach Hunter Brittains funeral, along with Ben Crump, George Floyds attorney virtually the only Black faces among hundreds of mourners.

Sharpton referenced a can of antifreeze the victim held as he died. Weve been frozen in our race; weve been frozen in our own class, he said to thunderous applause. I believe today Hunter is calling to us. Its time for some antifreeze.

Ive got my reservations about Sharpton, but the symbolism of his appearing was impossible to ignore: Americans are ready to talk.

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Dems need to do better job of speaking to voters - Chicago Sun-Times

Al Sharpton went on MSNBC on Tuesday to slam the filibuster, calling on Democrat lawmakers to work around it tosecure more voting rights.

Sharpton claimed that the filibuster should not stand in the way of democracy while also saying that President Joe Biden should join him and other civil rights leaders to work around it in the name of voting rights.

I certainly support, and have been saying this for some time, that we must have a way that we raise the issue of voting around the filibuster, Sharpton declared. Filibuster should not stand in the way of democracy, should not stand in the way of our constitutional rights.

I said to the president, along with my seven colleagues that lead national civil rights organizations, that he ought to take that position, he continued. I do not know what he will say today, but we certainly encourage him to speak forcefully.

Related: Al Sharpton Claims A Lot Of People Have Taken Advantage Of Our Pain Rather Than Trying To Ease Our Pain

If he talks history, if he talks about, weve been here before, and what we had to do to get past that, I think thats a good thing, Sharpton said. If he also deals with the fact that we need to have a workaround a filibuster, I think that will be a great thing. I intend to be there to hear what he has to say. Im glad hes speaking up, though.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took to Twitter last month to slam the filibuster, as she is hoping to get rid of it so that she can force her radically liberal agenda on the American people.

Call me radical, but I do not believe a minority of Senators should be able to block voting rights for millions of people, she tweeted. But I guess Im just from that far-left school of thought that legislation should pass when a majority of legislators vote for it.

Related: AOC: Filibuster Not Needed Because The Senate Already Amplifies Minority Power

Democrats are suddenly against the filibuster morally despite the fact that they have used it many times when they needed to. Funny how that works out.

This piece was written by James Samson on July 14, 2021. It originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

Read more at LifeZette:Trey Gowdy Reveals Lethal Mistake Democrats Made They Owe America An ApologyChris Wallace Confronts Pentagon Press Sec. Kirby About Withdrawing Troops From AfghanistanChris Wallace Confronts TX Gov. Abbott About GOP Voting Law Point Is To Suppress Voting By People Of Color?

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Political Insider.

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Al Sharpton Slams The Filibuster Says It 'Should Not Stand In The Way Of Democracy' The pink report news - The pink report news

This Sundance award-winner is an absolute joy, uncovering a treasure trove of pulse-racing, heart-stopping live music footage (originally captured by TV veteran Hal Tulchin) that has remained largely unseen for half a century. While Mike Wadleighs Woodstock and the Maysles Gimme Shelter have long been considered definitive documents of the highs and lows of 1969 pop culture, Summer of Soul makes both look like a footnote to the main event: a festival in the heart of Harlem that was somehow written out of the history books. Capturing Stevie Wonder at a turning point in his career, Mavis Staples duetting with Mahalia Jackson (an unreal moment, says Staples) and Nina Simone at the height of her performing powers, director Ahmir Questlove Thompsons feature debut intertwines music and politics in one of the best concert movies of all time.

Produced and MCed by Tony Lawrence (a hustler, in the best sense), and supported by the liberal Republican New York mayor, John Lindsay, with security by the Black Panthers, the 1969 Harlem Cultural festival played out over six weekends in Mount Morris Park at a time of profound cultural re-evaluation, a year on from the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King. Up in space, Neil Armstrong may have been taking one small step for a man, but as a festivalgoer states: Never mind the moon, lets get some of that cash in Harlem.

Astutely chosen news footage outlines a decade of tension, producing disparate strands of resistance civil rights and Black power. Among those on stage are the saxophonist Ben Branch, whom King spoke to immediately before his death, requesting that Branch play his favourite song, Precious Lord, Take My Hand. Its that song that Staples and Jackson perform together in a moment that matches the ecstatic heights of Amazing Grace another long-delayed music doc, covering Aretha Franklins 1972 performances at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

Blending wry laughter with piercing insight, interviewees explain how the word Black shifted from a fighting-talk term of abuse to one of self-determination and pride. Trailblazing journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault remembers the battle she fought to get the New York Times to use Black rather than negro, while others describe festival power-couple Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach as being unapologetically Black they lived that phrase every day.

Watching footage of her band the 5th Dimension performing Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In with tasseled orange suits, Marilyn McCoo remembers how they had been criticised for being not Black enough, and how happy they were to be there in Harlem, reclaiming their identity. Then to cap it all, we watch Nina Simone showcasing a new song, inspired by the stage production To Be Young Gifted and Black, performed in a voice that the Rev Al Sharpton astutely characterises as somewhere between hope and mourning.

While Simone is described as looking like an African princess, Hugh Masekelas performance of Grazing in the Grass seems to transport the audience to another land, soaring from the parks of New York to distant plains. Elsewhere, Sly and the Family Stone embody the psychedelic Afrofuturist R&B vibe, with Rose Stone and Cynthia Robinson giving their bandleader a run for his money on keyboards and trumpet respectively, and the audience gradually accepting that a white drummer can kick it after all.

Gladys Knight recalls that it wasnt just about the music; we wanted progress; the Edwin Hawkins Singers perform Oh, Happy Day in lime-green harmony; Ray Barretto and Mongo Santamara bring the Latin-fusion beat; BB King cradles his guitar like a baby while he sings the blues; Rev Jesse Jackson speaks to the soul; and Stevie Wonder is on fire on drums, keyboards and vocals as he enters a new era of meaningful jazz funk.

The fact that the rose coming through cement of this festival was overlooked for so long served as further evidence that Black history is gonna be erased. Yet Questloves film begins and ends with festivalgoer Musa Jackson viewing the uplifting reclaimed footage (a sly counterpoint to the horrorshow bookending of Gimme Shelter) and tearfully thanking the film-maker for proving to him that Im not crazy! that this really happened. Thanks to this terrific film, we can all share in that sense of wonder.

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Summer of Soul review the best concert film ever made? - The Guardian

News 12 Staff

Jul 18, 2021, 1:56am

Updated on: Jul 18, 2021, 1:56am

Many gathered around the nation and throughout New York City Saturday to mark one year since the death of since civil rights icon John Lewis.

At the National Action Network in Harlem Saturday morning, elected officials called on lawmakers to pass legislation to protect voting rights that Lewis marched to protect.

"The way to make sure we memorialize him is to pass the voting rights bills that is in our Congress," said Rev. Al Sharpton.

Rep. Yvette Clarke highlighted the 80-year-old public servant's activism.

"And that brother walked through the dungeons, where you could still smell the death of our people," Clarke said.

The late Lewis' presence was in the air as many joined together on Zoom at the Good Trouble Vigil for Democracy to remember the late congressman.

"Not only does he talk about bridges but he walks on bridges and so we know we crossed over but there are future bridges ahead of us," said faith leader Dr. Robert Waterman.

The John Lewis Mobalization organized the event and highlighted the legislation many have called for.

"We need to do whatever possible to make it easier for people to vote, and so I'm committed to passing this piece of legislation," said Sen. John Liu

"They need to know that they have the right to vote but why they need to vote" State Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman.

Legislation from For the People Act to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act that would federally protect voters across the fifty states and would minimize voter suppression.

Lewis is best known for marching and organizing in Selma, Alabama alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965.

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Lawmakers call for protections to voters' rights on anniversary of John Lewis' death - News 12 Bronx

By Marc H. Morial

(Trice Edney Wire) The 21st century Jim Crow assault is real. Its unrelenting, and were going to challenge it vigorously. While this broad assault against voting rights is not unprecedented, its taking on a new and, literally, pernicious forms. Its no longer just about who gets to vote or making it easier for eligible voters to vote. Its about who gets to count the vote who gets to count whether or not your vote counted at all. Its about moving from independent election administrators who work for the people to polarized state legislatures and partisan actors who work for political parties. To me, this is simple: This is election subversion. Its the most dangerous threat to voting and the integrity of free and fair elections in our history. President Joe Biden

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with President Biden and Vice President Harris to discuss the appalling attack on democracy that is ongoing in state legislatures across the country, as well as other issues of racial justice.

A few days later, President Biden delivered one of the most impassioned speeches of his presidency, echoing many of the themes we discussed in our meeting. He alluded to our meeting, reminding Americans of our commitment to stay vigilant and challenge these odious laws in the courts. I was proud that we pushed the President to address the issue, and we intend to continue pushing.

The National Urban League helped lead the meeting between the White House and a group of leaders from eight legacy Black civil rights organizations. Joining me were Melanie Campbell, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation; Dr. Johnnetta Cole, National Chair and President of the National Council of Negro Women; Wade Henderson, Interim President of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund; Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP; and Reverend Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network.

I was grateful for the opportunity to impress upon the President and Vice President the urgency of confronting the wave of anti-voter legislation that is surging through state legislatures. When we look at what is happening in this nation, we see an effort to impose a system of American apartheid on our grand and glorious multicultural nation. State laws are used to suppress the vote, the filibuster process is used to obstruct Congressional oversight. the courts are used to undercut the Voting Rights Act, all to subvert the democratic process and overturn the will of the people.

We urged President Biden to put the full moral prestige and the power of the presidency behind voting rights, to help frame the debate for the American people. As a candidate, he talked about the soul of the nation. No issue cuts to the soul of the nation more than voting rights.

I was glad to hear President Biden and Vice President Harris reconfirm their determination to push for passage of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act two vital bills that would protect voting rights and the integrity of the elections process.

We also discussed the frustrating delay in securing passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which is currently being negotiated in the Senate. Days after the meeting, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is leading the negotiations for Senate Republicans, said he hopes a police reform package is approved by the end of this month.

We look forward to continuing the discussion and holding the President and Vice President to their commitments.

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Civil Rights Leaders Urge White House To Put The Full Moral Prestige And Power Of The Presidency Behind Voting Rights - Seattle Medium