Hillary: Listen Up, White People

Hillary Clinton (CNN, July 8): “I will call for white people, like myself, to put ourselves in the shoes of those African-American families, who fear every time their children go somewhere, who have to have the talk about … how to really protect themselves, when they are the ones who should be expecting protection from encounters with the police. I’m going to be talking to white people. I think we are the ones who have to start listening to the legitimate cries that are coming from our African-American fellow citizens, and we have so much more to be done, and we have got to get about the business of doing it. We can’t be engaging in hateful rhetoric or incitement of violence. We need to bring people together.”

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Police Shoot Police Shot

Snipers kill five police officers in Dallas, wound seven others during protest

Neil Franklin, former Maryland Police Major, on Dallas shootings of officers (CNN): “This is what I feared when I heard about these two shootings over the past couple of days. … We need leadership from our law enforcement community all across the country. We need leadership from the protest community. To step forward and say we are not going to tolerate violence anymore.’

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Celebrity reax to latest police shootings:

“We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities. It is up to us to take a stand and demand they ‘stop killing us.’ We don’t need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives.” — Beyonce, on her website.
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“The assault on the black body in this country is as American as apple pie. It is time for a #CallToAction. Let’s prove #BlackLivesMatter.” — Nate Parker, actor and director of the upcoming “The Birth of a Nation” film.
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“My heart is broken for all of these suffering families. Something has to change. #AltonSterling #PhilandoCastile #StoptheViolence” — Reese Witherspoon on Twitter.
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“In the interest of time, would ye noble patriots please provide a list of infractions punishable by spontaneous public execution? Thanks! … Upon receipt of this list, we’ll return to our quarters and study up, eager to enjoy freedoms of white mass murders. #LIFEHACK” — Actor Jesse Williams, on Twitter.
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“This is what lynchings look like in 2016! Another murder in the streets because the color of a man’s skin, at the hands of the people who they say will protect us. When will they be held accountable? or did he fear for his life as he executed this man?” — San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, on Instagram.
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“Don’t forget to set your clocks back 300 years tonight.” — A meme posted by Questlove of The Roots on Instagram.
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“This is not acceptable. One more life taken. One more family heartbroken. Another fatherless child. Accountability. #PhilandoCastile” — Susan Sarandon on Twitter.
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“I can’t keep calm I have a black son.” — A meme posted by actress Niecy Nash.
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“I would say good morning but it’s not. Bs like this keeps happening. This is sickening. When will it end?” — San Francisco 49ers player Torrey Smith.
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“Yo man, something’s gotta give, bro, it just has to. … We’re getting killed every day. … This (expletive) is (expletive) horrible, and it needs to (expletive) stop.” — Singer Chris Brown, in an Instagram video.
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“And now I come home to this??????? !!!YES!!!!! We all NEED to see this OVER and OVER … because it’s REAL…And it’s happening NOW!!!! I’m sad and sadly not shocked. The gig is up and we need to fix it!!! My prayers to this man’s family.” — “Empire” producer Lee Daniels, posting a video of the Alton Sterling killing.

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America’s Odd Couple

president-obama-hillary-clinton-to-hold-charlotte-campaign-event-at-convention-centerWatching the once bitter rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton together in Charlotte NC yesterday it seemed actually genuine that they have morphed into partners and friends. Even they came across surprised at their evolution. One never knows about politicians and their capacity for amnesia, or at least encouraging public amnesia, when it suits their purposes. Still, Obama delivered a rather amazing stem-winder in support of Hillary, seemingly heartfelt and passionate — almost more persuasive than some of his most famous speeches for his own campaigns.

Question is: Can Obama deliver his coalition when he is not on the ballot? His midterms indicate he cannot.

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