Jogging while Black. Driving while Black. Walking while Black. Sitting in a public space while Black. Asking for help while Black. Eating while Black. Merely existing while Black. The cold, agonizing, disturbing truth is that to be Black in America is to regularly endure an ongoing onslaught of assaults and insults. These incidents are a stark reminder that to be Black in America means to live in a constant state of uncertainty.
race
Flagler Jail Deputy Disciplined Over Alleged Use of N-Word Against Inmate, Which He Denies
Flagler County Sheriff’s detention deputy Cpl. Peter Descartes served a one-day suspension without pay last month following an internal investigation over allegations that he referred to a Black inmate by a racist slur in November. Descartes is himself Black, and denied using the term saying he used a different word that sounds similar.
Milissa Holland Campaign Will Edit TV Spot That Appeared to Dog Whistle as GOP, Democrats, NAACP and Lowe Rebuke It
A 30-second Milissa Holland campaign ad against Alan Lowe implies he’s a criminal (he’s not) just as he appears next to a Black man. The ad, part of a 30-ads-a-day buy, was produced by a high-powered firm that worked for Donald Trump and appeared on Fox News. An ad not featuring the segment appeared on MSNBC.
The “Chinese Virus” Slur
Calling Covid-19 the “Chinese virus” has nothing to do with geographical correctness and everything to do with ideological motives tapping into a century and a half of anti-Asian bigotry.
Felons’ Right To Vote and Paul Renner’s Cynical End Run Around Amendment 4
Paul Renner, Flagler’s GOP representative and future Speaker of the House, is being dishonest and disingenuous in his defense of a bill that would make felons’ right to vote dependent on paying back all financial obligations.
FPC Teacher Pursues Hate Crime Charges On 2 Racist Students Who Threatened Her
Two 16-year-old students who exchanged a string of online, racist threats about their language arts teacher during class on Monday face misdemeanor assault charges with a possible enhancement under Florida’s hate-crime law.
Ron DeSantis Uses ‘Monkey’ Comment To Refer to Policies of Andrew Gillum, Who Is Black
DeSantis’ use of the word “monkey” in relation to the first black candidate ever nominated by a major party for governor in Florida drew a firestorm of criticism from Democrats.
I Grew Up In the Segregated South. For Me, Supreme Court Rulings Are Personal.
The author shares her grave concern for what Brett Kavanaugh’s influence could mean for communities of color, women, the LGBTQ community, and others who’ve fought to advance civil rights.
In Restoration of Florida Felons’ Voting Rights, Lawyers Make Novel 1st Amendment Argument
Lawyers for the plaintiffs maintain that Florida’s discretionary process violates the First Amendment, despite a dearth of cases anywhere in the country supporting that argument.
Flagler Sheriff’s Corporal Counseled Over Racial Slur, Latest Revelation Since November
James Miley, a Flagler County Sheriff’s corporal, was counseled verbally in February after a deputy reported that Miley had used a racial slur while referring to a Latino subordinate.
Trump Effect: A Reporter on the Hate Beat Finds Stories Too Close to Home
Something profound appears to be changing in American life as a wave of ugly incidents has washed over the country in the weeks since Donald J. Trump was elected–agains minorities, but also at times against Trump supporters.
Florida Justices Overturn 42-Year-Old Death Sentence in “Black Revolutionary Army” Killing
Jacob John Dougan, Jr., now 69, was convicted in the 1974 murder of Stephen Orlando, an 18-year-old white man, whose body was found in Jacksonville Beach accompanied by a note signed by the “Black Revolutionary Army.”
Does Diversifying Police Forces
Reduce Tensions? Not Necessarily.
Beyond diversity, hiring officers who know and understand the community, asking officers to build better relationships with neighborhoods they serve, reducing officers’ use of aggressive arrest tactics and increasing officer training is shown to be more effective than changing the color of the ranks.
My Mother, Stopped for Driving While Black
The mistreatment of black people by police officers isn’t new, nor is it surprising, argues Milen Mehari. According to the Justice Department, black people are almost four times more likely than whites to experience the use of force during police encounters.
In Bunnell, 100 Black Marchers Chant for “All Lives,” For Unity, But Also For Looking Inward
The Black Lives Matter-themed march Sunday evening around Bunnell was itself a display of the harmony it called for, though it clearly didn not get participation from the county’s whiter surroundings.
For Peace and Solidarity, Tonight’s Black Lives March in Bunnell Should Be Postponed
Postponing tonight’s march would show in deeds what Black Lives Matter supporters say in words: that they, too, respect police and that they want to build bridges. It does not diminish their message. It nobly amplifies it.
Black Lives Matter. Period.
Cops are owed all the appreciation and respect their profession commands. Blacks are owed their right to life. The two are not mutually exclusive, but certain differences matter, especially when they falsely paint cops as the victims and blacks as the aggressors.
At European Village and in Bunnell, Separate Events For Fallen Cops and Black Lives as Reactions Multiply
The march in Bunnell and the fund-raiser for the families of fallen police officers at European Village are the latest in a spate of local initiatives that have sought to respond to shootings, by or of police, in various ways.
At Flagler NAACP Town Hall, Matters of Black Lives, “The Talk,” and the Gap Between Community and Policing
A town hall organized by Flagler’s NAACP branch, with several top officials from the sheriff’s office, took stock of the recent police killings of black men and the killing of five white police officers in Dallas by a black veteran sniper.
Sheriff Manfre Issues Statement on Shootings in Dallas, Falcon Heights and Baton Rouge
“It is my hope during these difficult times in our nation’s history that we use the recent incidents in Minnesota, Baton Rouge and Dallas to continue our dialogue that we have established with our community,” the sheriff said.
The Stupidity of Race:
What My DNA Test Reveals
Arab AND Jew? Greek? Italian? A DNA test unravels the ethnic origins of FlaglerLive Editor Pierre Tristam–and underscores the absurdity of making assumptions about anyone’s race, color or so-called origins.
Profiling By Computer in Florida: What Algorithmic Injustice Looks Like in Broward
Courtrooms are using computer programs to predict who will be a future criminal, informing decisions from bail to sentencing. Meant to be fairer than human biases, one such program in Florida is particularly likely to falsely flag black defendants as future criminals, wrongly labeling them this way at almost twice the rate as white defendants.
Sheriff’s Office Swears In 8 New Recruits, This Time With More Than Token Minorities
Three of the eight new recruits sworn in Wednesday are black. In late September, 13 young deputies were sworn in, though not all made it, and attrition has continued.
To School Officials’ Surprise, NAACP Accuses District of ‘Obstruction’ and More Arbitrary Discipline
The Flagler branch of the NAACP is accusing the school district of “willful” obstruction in disciplinary cases involving black students, and of ignoring behavior problems at Buddy Taylor Middle School.
Yes, We Still Need Black History Month
Black history is American history, and we shouldn’t relegate its teaching to one month a year. But that isn’t the point of Black History Month, argues Marc Morial.
Jeb Bush Blows It On Race
With just two words — “free stuff” — Bush managed to insult millions of black Americans, completely misread what motivates black people to vote, and falsely imply that African Americans are the predominant consumers of vital social services.
I Identify As American
Political independence is easy. The unalienable right to choose who and what we want to be down to our most basic identity, including one’s race, religion, sex and culture, has been harder to secure.
School Board Seals Agreement Reforming Disciplining of Black Students, Ending Civil Rights Complaint
The Flagler County School Board this evening voted 5-0 to ratify an agreement with the Southern Poverty Law Center that seeks to eliminate racial disparities in school discipline, resolving a federal civil rights complaint the center filed three years ago.
Neighborhood Feuds Again Simmer Around Ralph Carter Park, But Solutions Questioned
While Ralph Carter Park in Palm Coast’s R-Section thrives, neighbors around Richardson Drive are feuding with younger people, who feel harassed for just hanging out. The city council is looking into a block party–and possibly more fence-building around the park.
Why Black America Fears the Police
When shots were fired as a group of black friends walked along the beach, there was no rush to call 911. They feared what could happen if police came rushing into a group of people who, by virtue of their skin color, might be mistaken for suspects.
For Black Students in Flagler Schools, Some Progress But “Systemic Bias” and Startling Disparities Persist
Amir Whitaker, a staff attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center, presented a report card on the school district’s treatment of black students, acknowledging some progress but pointing out enduring racism, especially in suspensions.
Deadly Force, In Black and White: Analysis of Killings by Police Shows Outsize Risk for Young Blacks
Young black males in recent years were at a far greater risk of being shot dead by police than their white counterparts – 21 times greater, according to an analysis of federally collected data on fatal police shootings.
What White People Don’t See
Whether it’s police dealing with suspects or Sony executives referring to President Obama, what they see first isn’t the human being, but the color, and usually in the basest terms, argues Steve Robinson.
In Palm Coast, Ferguson Unrest Echoes With Muted Anger and Calls For Responsibility
Speakers at a quickly organized “call to action” by the Flagler NAACP Tuesday evening said the killing in Ferguson was no exception, but that change begins from within communities and with more accountability on all sides.
Visit Florida: Ferguson’s Seethe Is a Matter of Time for the Sunshine State
Rose-colored Florida is a cynical myth, the stuff of marketing brochures, a developers’ conspiracy of enticing fiction to make their cash registers ring. The real Florida is a bitter, brooding reality beyond sugarcoating, argues Stephen Goldstein.
Every Town a Ferguson:
Reflections of a Scary Black Kid from Brooklyn
Next time you feel intimidated by a black man, try to understand that it’s not about you, writes Jon Hardison, as much as it reflects remnants of a fear of what the average black American grew up with.
Al Sharpton Leads Call For Repeal of Stand Your Ground in Florida Capitol March
Sharpton marched alongside the parents of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, two teens the marchers said were wrongly killed under Florida’s first-in-the-nation law, which allows people to use deadly force when they feel their lives are in danger and provides immunity from prosecution.
Clarence Thomas as a White Playwright: “Race” Inflames City Rep’s Stage, With Sequins
David Mamet’s “Race” turns the table on an old American convention: the white rapist of a black woman. This time getting away is not an option in a thrill-ride of a play that turns the tables on stereotypes and prejudices. No one is immune. It is the Palm Coast City Repertory Theatre’s big event of the year, under the direction of John Sbordone.
Florida’s Legislative Black Caucus To Gov. Rick Scott: Drop Dead
The Florida Legislative Black Caucus on Wednesday abruptly canceled its annual meeting with Gov. Rick Scott, a move the group said was meant to underscore its frustration with the governor.
Superintendent Search Committee Signs Off on Applicant Pool Criteria, But Questions Speed
The 40-odd questions aim to provide as objective a set of criteria as possible to weed through the pile of superintendent applicants and reduce it to a short list of four to six names that will be passed on to the school board as recommendations.
Superintendent Jacob Oliva: School Board Frames a Near-Certainty In Pro-Forma Search
It is almost a certainty that come Feb. 4, Jacob Oliva will be named Flagler County’s new school superintendent, but the school board has appointed a 15-member search committee to broaden public input, vet Oliva and avoid accusations of reaching a pre-determined conclusion. Nevertheless, Oliva’s favored status has rankled some members of the black community.
Bill Would Grant Immunity From Harsh Sentences for Firing Warning Shots
A bill filed by a Polk County lawmaker is intended to address what he called “the negative, unintended consequences” of Florida’s 10-20-Life sentencing law by granting immunity to people who fire warning shots to protect themselves and others. The new bill was filed on the same day that the 1st District Court of Appeal ordered a new trial for Marissa Alexander, a Jacksonville woman sentenced to a mandatory 20 years in prison for a shot fired during a domestic dispute in her home.
Appeal Court Orders New Trial for Marissa Alexander, But No Redo on Stand Your Ground
Marissa Alexander, a 32-year-old mother of three, was convicted on improper self-defense instructions to the jury, the court ruled. Alexander was serving a 20-year sentence for shooting a gun during an argument with her abusive husband, against whom she had a restraining order.
Yet Another Florida Brutality: Black, 60, Unarmed, and Shot 15 Times By Cops
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has been defending the bizarre July 27 shooting of Roy Middleton by his deputies, which is currently being investigated by the state and has been the subject of protest by civil rights groups in the area.
Cabinet Passes, for Now, on Pardoning Marissa Alexander, Pending Stand Your Ground Appeal
Alexander, a 32-year-old mother of three, was sentenced to 20 years in prison last year after firing a shot into a wall during a dispute with her abusive husband, a case that stands in sharp contrast with George Zimmerman’s not-guilty verdict after he shot and killed an unarmed teen.
Hypertown: Jesse Jackson and His Detractors
But by the time Gov. Scott and his ilk were done demanding that Jesse Jackson apologize to all Floridians over hos comparisons of Scott to George Wallace and the Dream Defenders to the Selma march, lo and behold, we were back talking about the Dream Defenders and Stand Your Ground. That was Jackson’s goal.
Demonstrating and Reporting Outrage Over Zimmerman’s Acquittal Isn’t Overkill. Shooting Trayvon Was.
Marches and other responses to the George Zimmerman trail are focusing needed attention on a culture at times too comfortable with the the paradox of imagining itself past the sort of racially motivated mindsets that made the killing of Trayvon Martin possible, argues Steve Robinson.
‘The Struggle Continues’: Civil Rights Generation Shows Palm Coast How It’s Done in 100-Voice March
Some 100 people, most old enough to have lived through the civil rights era, walked for almost 4 miles on Palm Coast Parkway Saturday morning, singing and showing their solidarity with Trayvon Martin’s family and their opposition to Florida’s stand your ground law. Several had taken part in marches dating back to the 1963 March on Washington.
Obama on Stand Your Ground and Zimmerman Aftermath: “Trayvon Martin Could Have Been Me 35 Years Ago”
As protests have continued and grown, President Obama Friday afternoon spoke on the stand your ground law, the Zimmerman trial aftermath, Trayvon Martin and race more expansively and in more personal terms than he had since his speech on race from Philadelphia as a presidential candidate in 2008. The full text and video are included.
Trayvon Martin Solidarity March in Palm Coast Saturday as Protests Elsewhere Continue
The Saturday morning march in Trayvon Martin’s memory is being organized by Valerie Ottley, a retired Palm Coast resident of 22 years who is herself a neighborhood watch coordinator. The march will start at 8:30 a.m. at Kohl’s on Belle Terre Parkway and follow a course down Palm Coast Parkway to U.S.1 and back.