Family of N.C. man mistakenly declared dead files suit - USATODAY.com

Family of N.C. man mistakenly declared dead files suit - USATODAY.com: "RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The family of a man who was hit by a car and mistakenly declared dead has sued over the mistake, claiming it led to injuries from which he might not recover.

Larry Green was walking across a highway in 2005 when he was hit by a car. He was put into a body bag and sent to the morgue, and the medical examiner did not notice Green was still alive until roughly 2½ hours after the accident.

Green, who now lives in a nursing home, was hospitalized for two months with a severe head injury, broken leg and other injuries. He began some limited speaking five months after the accident."

Benazir Bhutto Assassinated!

Former Pakistani president Benazir Bhutto was shot and killed last night. Governments around the world condemned the killing and want the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Ms. Bhutto has done more for Pakistani people during her presidential term and will be missed by all.

May she rests in peace beyond the touch of evil.

Amber Alert, missing black girl

CHIOMA EZRONESHA GRAY

15 year old Chioma a African American girl was abducted by Andrew Tafoya on December 13, 2007. A felony warrant for Kidnapping was issued for Andrew on December 14, 2007. They may travel to Mexico in a white 2008 Acura TSX with the California license plate 6AXX928. Andrew has multiple tattoos. Learn more about Chioma and her abductor by clicking the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/missingblackwomen.html

New Jersey forces HIV testing in pregnant women

New Jersey forces HIV testing in pregnant women: "WEDNESDAY DEC 25, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) -- The state of New Jersey Senate has approved legislation to force pregnant women and their newborns to receive HIV testing, a measure that critics say would deprive women of their right to make medical decisions.



Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey was reportedly ready to sign the measure into law today at University Hospital in Newark. The law would take effect in six months once signed. Gov. Jon S. Corzine is out of the country for the holidays."

BRCA1 Mutation Prevalent Among Hispanic, Younger Black Women

BRCA1 Mutation Prevalent Among Hispanic, Younger Black Women: "WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- The gene mutation BRCA1, which is known to increase the risk of breast cancer, is prevalent among Hispanics and young black women with breast cancer, researchers report.

The mutation is known to heighten the risk for Ashkenazi Jews, so the new ethnic findings are something of a surprise, the California researchers noted.

"We found that the Hispanic women had a higher prevalence of the harmful BRCA1 mutation than white women, and the highest prevalence was among young African-American women," said study author Esther John, a research scientist at the Northern California Cancer Center in Fremont and a consulting associate professor of health research and policy at Stanford University. "The prevalence of the BRCA1 mutation is different in different racial and ethnic groups.""

the beatroot: Simon Mol charged with infecting 12 Polish women with HIV

the beatroot: Simon Mol charged with infecting 12 Polish women with HIV Almost a year after he was first detained by police in Warsaw, the Cameroonian ‘refugee’, poet and human rights activist is finally charged by the prosecution service, and faces a long jail sentence.

Mol’s case, as it was revealed in a blaze of outrage in the Polish media in January this year, is a tabloid journo’s dream.

An African who had won refugee status and had become a well-known media figure, campaigning on human rights and race issues in Poland, was accused by numerous women in Warsaw of infecting them with HIV, while all along knowing that he was carrying the virus.

But the case is not just about whether he knew, or not, that he was HIV positive (although that is what the court, when he finally comes before a judge, will be deciding). When asked by the women to use protection before sex, he had refused, claiming that they were only asking him to wear a condom because he was ‘an African’.

When the Rzeczpospolita daily went to Cameroon and Nigeria to examine whether Mol’s claims of political persecution in those countries was true, they found that his family, friends and work colleagues knew nothing about it. It seems that Mol was an economic migrant, not a political refugee. Mol's side of the story is here.

So, in one case we have a deadly combination of sex, race and politics. If you had to write a prototype tabloid shock, horror story, then this was it.

Jurors felt pressured in racially charged case

A Long Island NY Jury found a black man, John White guilty of manslaughter on Dec. 23 in the death of Daniel Cicciaro a 17 year old white man. The case is so sad because yes a family has lost a son but only because he and his friends came to Mr. White's house looking to be up Mr. White's son. Mr. White took a gun and went outside to defend his family. When the youth went for the gun it accidentally went off. Now we have whites saying he should have stayed in his house and called the police while the white youths did whatever and blacks mentioning the fact that no one would be dead if they had not gone to the house in the first place.

If that's not bad enough it now turns out that some jurors felt pressured to give a manslaughter verdict although they wanted to go with reckless endangerment. The say they were pressured not because many on the jury and the judge wanted to be HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!! Watch the video below to hear from a white juror who is making these claims.
http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Kimora Lee Simmons

Kimora Lee Simmons, the rising star of fashion

If there's one thing I can describe Kimora Lee is that she's one amazing woman. She designs, directs, models, and is a very savvy businesswoman and mother of two pretty kids. She's on top of the game.

Kimora's Early Life:

Kimora is of Korean, Japanese and African-American descent.[1] Her parents are Korean American/Japanese American Joanne Perkins (who was adopted by an American serviceman during the Korean War and renamed Joanne Perkins) and African-American father Vernon Whitlock Jr. is a former social security administrator.

Growing up in the north St. Louis suburb of Florissant, Kimora was very self-conscious about being a "geek." Other children called her "c___ giraffe" because of her height and Asian ancestry.

By the time she was 10 years old, she was 5-foot 8-inches tall, and became the target of schoolyard taunts and teasing. Hoping to boost her confidence, Simmons's mother enrolled her daughter in a modeling class when she was eleven years old. Two years later, at the age of thirteen, Simmons was awarded an exclusive modeling contract with Chanel and just after her fourteenth birthday, she left for Paris to work under the tutelage of famed Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld.

She gained attention in the fashion world in the 1990s when Lagerfeld closed his haute couture show with Simmons, who strutted down the runway decked out as a child bride. By age 14, her stature had grown to a height of six feet, and she became a self-professed muse for Lagerfeld.

Kimora is a graduate of Lutheran North High School in St. Louis, Missouri in 1993.

In 1998, she married entrepeneur and Def Jam president Russell Simmons. The Simmons' have two daughters; Ming Lee Simmons (born January 21,2000) and Aoki Lee Simmons (born August 16, 2002). Both Ming Lee and Aoki Lee model for Baby Phat Kids Collection along with Kimora's cousins from Willingboro, New Jersey .

Russell Simmons filed for divorce in March 2006, after seven years of marriage, saying the couple had split some time before.

As of May 2007, Simmons has officially been dating actor/model Djimon Hounsou. They are often spotted together with her two young daughters.

Kimora's official website:

http://www.kimoraleesimmons.com/

Denzel Washington discusses The Great Debaters

Click the link below to hear Farai Chideya of NPR radio interview Denzel washington. The two talk about The Great Debaters a film in which Denzel directs and stars in. They also talk about Denzel's career and the future of black films.

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Reparations Anxiety | The American Prospect

Reparations Anxiety | The American Prospect: "Brown University announced that it will give a $10 million endowment to local public schools to atone for its involvement in the slave trade. But reparations alone will not address the ongoing segregation of the American education system."

Back by Demand: My Essay on Violence Against Black Women: Four Past Cases The Media Ignored

Back by demand, my article on violence against Black women was featured at Killbigotry.com in October. My thesis is that mainstream media and society ignore violence against Black women because of the low value assign to Black life, especially Black female life in America.

Black Girls And Low Self Esteem

A must read article. Hatip to G. Cook of Let's Talk Honestly. Thanks.

Forum on Venezuela | venezuelanalysis.com

Forum on Venezuela | venezuelanalysis.com: "On December 2, by a slim 50.7 percent to 49.3 percent margin, Venezuelans rejected a slate of sixty-nine constitutional reforms championed by President Hugo Chávez. Fiercely debated in Venezuela, the referendum sparked a spirited discussion among our contributors.

Many of Chávez's proposals--lowering the voting age; prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, race or disability; expanding social security; shortening the workweek; and requiring gender parity in candidates for elected office--were greatly admired. Other measures--such as the elimination of term limits on the presidency and the expansion of executive power to declare a state of emergency--were less well received."

» People Stop The Noose Insanity - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad!

» People Stop The Noose Insanity - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad!: "The media spotlight might have shone most intensely on Jena, LA, but a symbol of racial violence has been hung across America lately. There have been more incidents of hanging nooses and some are directly aimed at certain groups of people. It is hard to ignore where this country is headed, the current rise in noose sightings reveal an ugly truth about race relations in the United States."

Videotape shows Sharpton cutting a deal | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/15/2007

Videotape shows Sharpton cutting a deal | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/15/2007: "With a hidden FBI camera rolling inside a New York hotel suite in 2003, an unsuspecting Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic candidate for president, spoke candidly.

Sharpton offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win a multimillion-dollar business deal, if White helped him raise $50,000 for politics.

White offered $25,000. 'If you bring my guys up on this hedge fund, and I have the right conversation,' White said, 'I'll give you what you need.'

'Cool,' Sharpton said."

Is Megan Williams case in trouble?

In West Virginia a power struggle over who will actually prosecute the case and what charges will actually be filed seem to be bringing some uncertainty to the case of Megan Williams. Megan Williams was brutally raped and tortured by six whites earlier this year in a case that seemed to be open and shut. Now we find out that the State Attorney General Darrell McGraw and the Logan County Prosecutor are having a pissing contest to see who actually gets to try the case with the Attorney General going as far as saying that the county prosecute was in over his head. Read more on this story by clicking the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Black cop a victim of racial profiling in Chicago?

In Chicago were police brutality towards African Americans is becoming an almost regular occurrence a black police officer has now been pulled over and harassed by police. He says the harassment continued even after he identified himself as a police officer. He says he had done nothing wrong and can think of only reason he was stopped. RACE. Click the link below to learn more about this story:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Media Matters - O'Reilly to caller: "I don't think your assessment" that Oprah's "voting for [Obama] because he's black" "is wrong"

Media Matters - O'Reilly to caller: "I don't think your assessment" that Oprah's "voting for [Obama] because he's black" "is wrong": "Summary: On his radio show, Bill O'Reilly took a call from a listener who said, 'It sounds like [Oprah Winfrey is] voting for [Sen. Barack Obama] because he's black.' O'Reilly responded: 'I don't think your assessment is wrong.' In a recent speech, after naming several specific actions Obama has taken, Winfrey said: 'We need a president with clarity and conviction, who knows how to consult his own conscience and proceed with moral authority. We need Barack Obama.'"

Al Sharpton responds to FBI & IRS investigation

The FBI and IRS have started an investigation into Al Sharpton's finances with regard to his 2004 Presidential campaign. Now I don't know whether Al Sharpton is guilty of anything or not but if I believed in C-O-N spiracy theories I would find it odd that about a month after a march against the U.S. Justice Department that same Justice Department begins an investigation into one of the march's organizers. Click the link below to watch Al Sharpton's response to these charges.

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Meghan Williams Update

Thanks Ann for keeping her alive in our hearts and minds. She needs all the help we can get.

American musician Ike Turner passes away at 76 - Wikinews, the free news source

American musician Ike Turner passes away at 76 - Wikinews, the free news source: "United States musician and songwriter, Ike Turner passed away Wednesday at his home in San Marcos, California. His wife did not give a cause of death, but mentioned that he suffered from emphysema. Ike Turner was perhaps best known for his work with his former wife, Tina Turner, as one half of the Ike & Tina Turner duo. During a career that lasted half a century, Ike's repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk. Alongside his former wife, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 and in 2001 was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame."

Ike Turner R.I.P.

Rock pioneer Ike Turner Dies at 76.

Rock pioneer Ike Turner, whose duet musical hits with Tina Turner brought him fame, died in San Diego suburb yesterday. He was 76 years old. He was an early pioneer in the 50s rock scene and had his first hit, "Rocket 88" back in 1951 and was well known with his duets with Tina Turner, whom he met when she was still a teenager back in East St. Louis in the 50s. He will always be remembered. Rest in peace, Ike.

Black woman missing, Denise Hart

Hi this is George Cook of Let's Talk Honestly. If you visit my site often you know how I feel about the lack of coverage missing black women receive in the media. On this page I will try to do my part to remedy that sad situation.
I will post a story about a different African American woman who is missing every week. This page will be updated every Wednesday. This weeks missing person is DENISE HART of Schenectady NY, missing since November 2007. Learn more about Denise by using the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/missingblackwomen.html

Black Male Appreciation

Black Male Appreciation: "Amid the profusion of dismal statistics about Black male students’ college-enrollment rates nationwide, the University System of Georgia recently showcased a ray of light: Over the past five years, Black male enrollment at the state’s 35 public colleges and universities has jumped 25 percent. That change has effectively closed Georgia’s gender gap in the rate of enrollment growth among African-American men and women within the university system."

Denzel's new movie, The Great Debaters

Check out this great movie trailers for the movie The Great Debaters starring Academy Award Winners Denzel Washington and Forrest Whittaker ( Denzel also directed ) The movie is based on the true story of Mel Tolson, considered one of the great African American poets and in the 1930's a professor at the historically black Wiley College in Texas. Washington will also play Tolson, who inspired his students to form the college's first debating team, which went on to defeat Harvard in national championships. Click the link below to watch:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

WINDOWS 2 MY SOUL: The Documentary « no snow here

WINDOWS 2 MY SOUL: The Documentary « no snow here

More on Alexis Goggins « no snow here

More on Alexis Goggins « no snow here: "DETROIT — A 7-year-old-girl is being hailed as an “angel from heaven” and a hero for jumping in front of an enraged gunman, who pumped six bullets into the child as she used her body as a shield to save her mother’s life. Alexis Goggins, a first-grader at Campbell Elementary School, is in stable condition at Children’s Hospital in Detroit recovering from gunshot wounds to the eye, left temple, chin, cheek, chest and right arm."

Huckabee's Comments About AIDS Offends Ryan White's Mother

Some people need to be careful what they say.

Tribute to Cynteria Phillips

Cynteria Kimberly Phillips lived from 1986-2000. She was murdered in 2000, and her case has not been solved to date. Her case has been championed by Keona Wright due to the fact that she was failed by the system that was supposed to protect her in the first place. The background song is "IF" by Bread. This is for you, Cynteria, with love -- from KWH

Chilli of TLC

Chilli by Stephanie B.

All About Chilli

Chilli has always been my favorite TLC singer. She is also the cutest of the TLC girls. I consider her very attractive because of the way she carry herself and that she has an outgoing personality. She resembles the Capri girl, Rosina Ferrara, whom was described by painter John Singer Sargent as a handsome Arab/Greek girl of nut brown complexion. She was painted so many times by various 19th Century artists, most notably, John Singer Sargent. I can see why Chilli was named the 50 most beautiful people of the world in May 1996 issue of People magazine. She is amazingly beautiful. She has been on the covers of major magazines (Young and Modern, Vibe, Esquire, Mademoiselle, Sister 2 Sister). She was also in the editorial section of the May 2000 issue of Allure magazine, was on the cover of February 2001 Ebony magazine and is currently the subject in the October issue of Maxim.

Chilli has a melodic voice. You can hear her on songs such as "No Scrubs," "Come Down," "Unpretty", "Good at Being Bad," "His Story," "Miss You," and "Hat to the Back." Chilli was the main singer on TLC's "Fanmail . " She had collaborated with the now defunct Detroit group, Vega, with the song, "Spread My Wings." Her upcoming album is mainly R&B, with collaborations from various artists and producers such as her former beau, Dallas Austin. 98 Degrees contributed a tract to her album in the late 2000. Unfortunately, her project is still on hold . My hope still is for her to finish her upcoming album. She, T-Boz, and Left Eye worked on their fourth album that was released in 2002, the year Left Eye died in a car accident. Around that time, Chilli had a relationship with Usher and has appeared in his two videos. Her relationship with Dallas didn't worked out. They are still friends however. Chilli has a lovely son named Tron, who is eight years old. She's raising him by herself without nannies and that she doesn't want her son to grow up in public view.

Chilli's Bio

All her life her own face had been a mystery. The almond eyes, straight ebony hair and voluptuous lips were a striking, but mysterious, mosaic: neither black nor white, neither Asian nor Hispanic. It made for a tough childhood for Rozonda Thomas, better known as Chilli, the melodic voice of the Grammy-winning R&B group TLC. Miss Rozanda Ocelean Thomas was born on February 27, 1971 in Atlanta to a 17 year old girl named Ava Thomas. Ava had an fling with a soldier stationed in Fort Benning,GA. His name is Abdul Ali. He's of East Indian and Middle Eastern descent. He left Ava without noticing that she was pregnant with Rozanda.This reminds me of a romantic story written by a French author, Alphonse de Lamartine. Lamartine's was about a Neapolitan fisher girl named Graziella, who had fallen in love with a sophisticated Frenchman who eventually abandons her in order to marry someone of his class. Chilli's mother didn't want to raise her lovely child on welfare, so she had her mother and extended family members to raise her daugther so she could finish high school on time. Her family lived in the projects in Atlanta. Her mother eventually married. Chilli's first words to her mother were "I love you." Later on, she credited her mother for keeping her out of trouble. Speaking of her mother, she told an interviewer: "Mom had me when she was 17. She could have easily said, 'Let me get on welfare.'" Her proudest accomplishments were to be levelheaded and successful. Again, she credited her mother for helping her toughen up because, according to Chilli: "I'm extremely sensitive and would cry at the drop of the hat."

While growing up, Chilli had experienced racism first hand. She had fights with her fellow students, was harassed by neighbors at the housing project while growing up, and was discriminated against by strangers because of her multiracial heritage. She had a hard time telling them because she never knew her father. She said, "When you look different, it's a big deal." She didn't allow racism to affect her while she was attending school. She graduated from high school in 1989. She enrolled in college soon after.

Originally, she wanted to become a fashion designer. Instead, she became a dancer for the late hip hop/rapper, Damian Dame. In less than two years, she joined Pebbles' up and coming hip hop group, TLC after Crystal dropped out . Pebbles had an obstacle. Chilli's first name is Rozonda. Pebbles nicknamed her Chilli so it would sound right for her first girl group. It would have been a total disaster had she not come up with new nickname for Rozonda. Pebbles also said the Chilli adds all the hot sauce and she did delivered it to her devoted fans.

In 1992, TLC were on a roll with top 40 hits such as "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," "Baby Baby Baby," and "What About Your Friends?" They also generated a lot of controversy due to their dress and music. They toured with MC Hammer in '92. In '94, they achieve even more with their second album. "Creep" was in the top 10 as was "Waterfalls" and "Diggin on You". Soon after their second album release, group had to file for bankruptcy in 1995. the In the same year, Chilli had pleaded on Sally Jessy Raphael to locate her absentee father. Ali Abdul of Atlantic City NJ, came on the show to reveal that he was her father . Her father also brough his children to the show. It made her very happy that she found her father. The following year, she was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the annual People magazine issue.

In 1997, she gave birth to her son, Tron. She said that he was her "perfect life." She had always wanted to be a mother since she was nineteen. In recent years, she had been on the modeling scene. In the same year, she started a publishing company called T-Ron, after her son. In 1998, she signed a contract with Coach leather. She has been a model for Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein.

In 1999, TLC released their third album, Fanmail, with Chilli predominating the vocals . They toured around the world and performed at various award shows, most notably, the 1999 VH-1 Fashion Awards. During the same time period, the group was the focus of VH-1's "Behind the Music" special. Several years ago there were rumors that TLC would break up. Chilli denied those reports, but she said that she is spending less time with the group so she could be with her son, Tron. Recently, she was number two in VH-1's top 25 sexiest people of R&B. In June 2000, she attended the wedding of her bandmate T-Boz. Her other bandmate, Left Eye didn't show up. Later that year, her bandmate, T-Boz, gave birth to her daughter, Chase. During the same year, she has done two made for TV movies. She worked with Vanessa L. Williams in "A Diva's Christmas Carol," a modern update of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol." She played a ghost who constantly haunts Vanessa's character because of her ruthlessness. She told her former bandmate to change her greedy, wicked ways or else. Chilli also played the guidance counselor for troubled black girls on "Love Song,"which featured singer and native Atlantan, Monica. She was also featured in a straight to video movie in late 2001.

Politically, Chilli is a liberal. In the most contested presidential election in the history of the nation, Chilli had criticized the conservatism of George W. Bush.

My hope for Chilli right now is for her to continue to develop her God-given talents. I was very disappointed that Chilli had a cameo role in Love Song. However, she performed well in her role of ghost Marli on A Diva's Christmas Carol last month. Vannesa L. Williams and Chilli have done a duet song for that movie. Last March, she appeared in the Outkast video, "So Fresh, So Clean." At the end of the video, Big Boi kissed Chilli. In her second video apperance, "You Remind Me," she appeared with Usher, wearing a very scanty outfit. She was also in Usher's video, "You've Got it Bad, " in 2001. In the same year, she showed up at the wedding of Toni Braxton with Usher. Their photo was in the June 2001 issue of Ebony Magazine. In April, 2002, TLC lost a very dear bandmate, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. Lopes was killed in a car accident in Honduras. She would have been 31 years old this year. Ms. Lopes had a lot going for her. She was working at the herbal institute in that country as well as helping out with needy children at a daycare center there. We will always remember her in our hearts. In late 2002, Chilli and T-Boz went ahead and release their forth album. That album is dedicated to the late Lisa Lopes. In that album, it's a sampling of R&B, latin, rap, hip hop, and pop. It's definitely a crowd pleaser album. Chilli and T-Boz were on the cover of December's Honey Magazine. People magazine once again honor Chilli with the 50 Most Beautiful People along with her beau, Usher Raymond in early May of 2003. Unfortunately, the couple broke up in early 2004, citing incompatibility. At the time of his breakup, he released his latest CD entitled "Confessions." Chilli moved on.

In 2005, she and T-Boz starred in a reality show for the UPN network. It was a talent search to find a replacement for the late Lisa Lopes. They were featured in the August 8, 2005 issue of People Magazine. Chilli was also featured in a four-page spread in October 2005 issue of Maxim Magazine and was named one of the Hot 100 women of 2006. She have her own website at Myspace.com and is working to release her first CD.

Video: Oprah campaigning for Obama in Iowa

Check out this great video of Oprah Winfrey campaigning for Barack Obama on 12/08/07 in Iowa. Looks like the Double "O" ( Oprah & Obama ) could be very formidable. Click the link below to watch the video:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Latasha Norman (RIP)

In Memory Latasha Norman

Latasha Norman

Latasha Norman Funeral

Service held for slain student
Overflow crowd told to express forgiveness
Richard Lake

Those who knew Latasha Norman and those who did not squeezed themselves into the aisles and onto the stairways of Rose E. McCoy Auditorium Monday to hear this:

No one should have to leave as she did, allegedly at the hands of a man.

She will leave at Jackson State University, where she was a junior accounting major, a legacy that will make a difference.

And the right thing to do now, with her gone and the man accused of killing her charged with murder, is to forgive.

These messages came from some who spoke at the campus memorial service for the 20-year-old Greenville native - 20 days after she went missing and four days after her body was found.

Her ex-boyfriend, fellow JSU student Stanley Cole, 24, also of Greenville, was charged with her death on Thursday. Her body was found in a wooded area in northwest Jackson.

Norman's pastor, the Rev. John Evans of Cathedral AME Zion Church in Jackson, fired up a crowd of students, faculty and family members on Monday. There were so many people in the 1,500-seat auditorium that they lined the walls and spilled out the doorways.

Evans urged them to forgive the person who killed her, which gave her uncle pause.
"God will handle all of that," the uncle, Matthew Norman, said after the service. "He will handle it. We're going to leave it in the hands of God."

The service took on an unusual tone, with frank talk about domestic violence - not just from clergy but also from university officials.

Norman had dated Cole for two to three years before breaking up several months ago, according to friends and family. In addition to the murder charge, Cole has been accused of assaulting her in October.

He was in Pearl Municipal Court to make an initial appearance on the assault charge when he was arrested. He is now being held without bond in the Hinds County Detention Center.

JSU President Ronald Mason spoke of what an intelligent woman Norman was said to be. He called what happened to her "nonsensical violence."

"Latasha's death was a case of a social ill in this country: relationship violence," Mason said. Police, however, have not provided a motive for her death nor discussed the circumstances leading up to her disappearance.

Mason implored any woman who suffered abuse to "get the help that you need."
"Get out now," he said. If you don't, "It will lead to you getting hurt - or worse."

Mason announced that the university's center for social and clinical counseling would be renamed after Norman.

The announcement was paired with a similar one by Glenda Glover, the dean of JSU's College of Business, that the university would establish a symposium on domestic violence in Norman's name.

"If even one is saved, then her death will not have been in vain," Mason said.
Lafreda Lockridge, 22, a friend of Norman's from Greenville, described Norman as "destined to be somebody."

It was Evans who delivered the message loudest. He urged young women who are being abused to put an immediate stop to it.

"That ain't love. That's slavery. Yes, it is. That's slavery. I thought we got out of that," he said.

Link:

The Latasha Norman Memorial

P a l e s t i n e F r e e V o i c e©: Intel Agencies Know 9/11 An Inside Job

P a l e s t i n e F r e e V o i c e©: Intel Agencies Know 9/11 An Inside Job

Man who set up Operation Gladio tells Italy's largest newspaper "attacks were run by CIA and Mossad".

Paul Joseph Watson - Prison Planet Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Former Italian President and the man who revealed the existence of Operation Gladio Francesco Cossiga has gone public on 9/11, telling Italy's most respected newspaper that the attacks were run by the CIA and Mossad and that this was common knowledge amongst global intelligence agencies.Cossiga was elected President of the Italian Senate in July 1983 before winning a landslide 1985 election to become President of the country in 1985.

Cossiga gained respect from opposition parties as one of a rare breed - an honest politician - and led the country for seven years until April 1992.Cossiga's tendency to be outspoken upset the Italian political establishment and he was forced to resign after revealing the existence of, and his part in setting up, Operation Gladio - a rogue intelligence network under NATO auspices that carried out bombings across Europe in the 60's, 70's and 80's.

Gladio's specialty was to carry out what they coined "false flag operations," terror attacks that were blamed on their domestic and geopolitical opposition.Cossiga's revelations contributed to an Italian parliamentary investigation of Gladio in 2000, during which evidence was unearthed that the attacks were being overseen by the U.S. intelligence apparatus.In March 2001, Gladio agent Vincenzo Vinciguerra stated, in sworn testimony, "You had to attack civilians, the people, women, children, innocent people, unknown people far removed from any political game.

The Audacity of Oprah

The Audacity of Oprah: "I say all this because I'm intrigued by the brouhaha attending Oprah Winfrey's decision to endorse Barack Obama's candidacy. The Internet is positively foaming at her decision to campaign for him. Celebrities--from Toby Keith to Sammy Davis Jr., from Barbra Streisand to Jon Bon Jovi--have always stumped for candidates, but a lot of people seem to feel that Oprah is different. She's not a background singer; she is no mere decorative backdrop. Oprah can turn a book into a bestseller!, fume the blogs. When she lends her magic touch, it's somehow complicated or even unfair. I suspect that some of the controversy comes from those who like Obama and don't relate to Oprah's television persona, or vice versa. But it's interesting to contemplate: what does it mean that some people are so concerned about whether this particular celebrity ought to express herself in the political realm?"

afro presencia: New Stem Cells Reverse Sickle Cell Anemia in Mice

afro presencia: "'Scientists have succeeded in using cells virtually identical to embryonic stem cells to 'correct' sickle cell anemia in mice,' Amanda Gardner reports in the Washington Post. By using a new technique that takes skin cells and grows them so that they can be used in place of stem cells, scientists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research 'have cured sickle cell anemia in mice by rewinding their skin cells to an embryonic state and manipulating them to create healthy, genetically matched replacement tissue,' adds Karen Kaplan in the Los Angeles Times."

Black women missing, who would know?

MISSING BLACK WOMEN, who would know??????
By George Cook www.letstalkhonestly.com

I'm sure by now most of you may have heard of the case of Latasha Norman a Jackson State University student who was recently reported missing and found dead.

You are also probably aware of the lack of media attention the case got. What's especially galling in the case of Latasha Norman is that she was everything a parent could ask for.

She was a college student, active in the church, and working a job. She was the type of daughter any parent would want and if she had been white we would have inundated with stories about her constantly. Hell they may have put up a statue by now.

But that of course is not the case. Latasha Norman was black and could barely get five minutes of air time. Natalee Holloway who did not deserve whatever happened to her was out partying, drinking, and having sex with a guy she just met and two years later she can still be the #1 news story on cable news. Not only does she still get air time but there are panels of legal "experts" discussing her case ,TWO YEARS LATER!

There is the case of Emily Sander a young white women better known as Zoey Zane. Zoey Zane was her porn name. Sadly she went missing and was later found dead. She led a life that sadly may have lead to her death and set a bad example for young girls but she still got more coverage than Latasha Norman.

What kind of message are we sending when one girl who is doing everything society ask of her and can't get coverage for her case and another who was doing things we don't want minors to do can dominate the news headlines?

There are more current cases of missing black women:

Denise Hart of Schenectady NY

Elmora Charles of Tucson Arizona.

Celcila Engrums- Fayetteville NC

Sadly there are many more and to find out more and I would suggest an excellent blog on this subject Black & Missing but not Forgotten. You can check it out at:

blackandmissing.blogspot.com/

It's obvious that the main stream media is not going to cover these cases with the attention they deserve. I think it's time we ask black radio, newspapers, web sites, television , and magazines to step up and aggressively cover these cases. We have to help our OWN! No one else is going to do it.

George Cook www.letstalkhonestly.com

Little girl shot 6 times saving mother's life

In a remarkable story of unconditional love and sacrifice 7 year old Alexis Goggins leapt in front of her mother as a former boy friend shot at her to protect her. Little Alexis was hit 6 times. She saved her mothers life and thankfully she too will be alright and has suffered no permanent damage. Read about this remarkable young lady and were you can make a donation for her by clicking the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Missing Person Alert: Karyn McConnell-Hancock

Search Continues For Missing Pregnant Ohio Woman

Authorities in Toledo are continuing their search for a missing pregnant woman.

Karyn McConnell-Hancock, 35, was last seen Wednesday morning leaving her Toledo law office.
The mystery is deepening as to the missing woman's whereabouts, reported NewsChannel5's Autumn Ziemba.

The Toledo police, the FBI, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol are all now involved in the case. The National Crime Information Center is also putting out a nationwide alert to law enforcement agencies about the disappearance.

The former Toledo councilwoman is six months pregnant. She was reported missing by her husband.

She was driving a black 2005 Chrysler 300 with Ohio plate number DIA-6410.
According to Toledo police, McConnell-Hancock's husband told authorities that his wife had a client who had been acting aggressive toward her and that she had been receiving suspicious phone calls.

More on Mrs. McConnell-Hancock:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3969645&page=1

4 Ethiopian immigrants put in separate classroom - Israel News, Ynetnews

4 Ethiopian immigrants put in separate classroom - Israel News, Ynetnews: "In a move more reminiscent of apartheid era South Africa than modern day Israel, four Ethiopian students at the Lamerchav Elementary School in Petah Tikva were segregated in a separate classroom because they were 'not observant enough'. Shocked father states: ‘We are being discriminated against for being black and powerless’"

Video shows group of black teens attacking white rider on 'A' train

Video shows group of black teens attacking white rider on 'A' train: "It's either a sickening subway attack - or a sickening 4-minute, 18-second hoax. Either way, a videotaped beating of a white man by black teenagers on the A train sparked a citywide search for the alleged suspects and victim Wednesday night after the shocking footage hit the Internet."

Brother Outsider

WireTap Magazine - Brother Outsider

Bayard Rustin is not a household American name. There are no national memorials dedicated in his honor and no national holidays preserving his legacy. Even his tiny hometown of West Chester, Pa., was split over a proposal to rename the town high school after him, even though as a student he set state records in track and football that remain to this day. Like many unsung heroes of the storied Civil Rights Movement, such as Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hammer and Robert Williams , among others, Bayard Rustin's legacy was left in the shadows, only to be discovered decades later by eager historians.

But unlike many of those unsung freedom fighters, Rustin's removal from the public eye was deliberate. He was openly gay in an era when homosexuality was widely considered a perversion, at best. He faced societal intolerance from both inside and outside of the movement. The Civil Rights Movement used slogans of morality and piety to help galvanize millions worldwide, and Rustin's unapologetic attitude often put him at odds with conservative leaders in the movement. In the most heated political moments, Rustin was criticized by white conservatives for his political beliefs and often abandoned by civil rights activists who saw him as a threat to potential gains for the movement.

Rustin is perhaps best known as a man behind the scenes who organized the 1963 March on Washington. Yet he was also one of the main strategists behind the Civil Rights Movement and often tutored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Ghandian protest techniques of civil disobedience. He began as a student activist in the Communist Party in the 1930s and helped lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s that would capture the world's attention.

News for 12-4-2007

From Rachel's Tavern:

Two Cases; Two Fatal Shootings. What Do You Think?

Two cases in which two men shot two intruders in two different localities. Both are racially charged incidents for the past two months.

From Ann's blog, Beautiful Also Are The Souls of My Black Sisters:

Protesters Clash Over Pasadena Man Who Shot Suspected Burglars

Angel Doe Revisited: Raysate Knight's Story

This is a case where the stepfather kills his stepdaughter over nothing. The case also highlights the lack of concern regarding children of Color in America.

» Run Cynthia Run - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad!

» Run Cynthia Run - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad!: "Just when the Democratic Party rid themselves of their black torn on their side. Think again. Bwahahahaha. She is back and will really be a torn on their side. Former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney has taken the necessary steps to run for President of the United States as a Green candidate against the Democratic and Republican nominees next year. On October 22, 2007, Ms. McKinney registered with the Federal Election Commission as a presidential candidate."

Clarice Orsini

Clarice Orsini By S. Botticelli


Clarice Orsini of Rome married Lorenzo the Magnificent Medici in 1469. Her marriage was not one of love. It's more about the social and political ambition of the Medici family. She's the mother of ill-fated heir Lorenzo Medici who was exiled by Savonarola's goverment. She's also the mother of Pope Leo X.

I liked the Botticelli painting of Clarice Orsini Medici. It's a reflection of the times when Florentine women had few rights and were subject of various sumptuary laws which curbed extravagance in clothing and accesories(jewelry included). The above painting shows her dress in sombre colors and almost no jewelry except a plain necklace and a wedding ring.

Remembering Shawna Hawk, Latasha Norman and the Recent Victims of Violence

Shawna Hawk 1972-1993



Latasha Norman, R.I.P.

Today, Miss Shawna Denise Hawk would have turned 35 years old. Instead she was murdered on February 19, 1993. A victim of the sadistic serial killer who is still on death row after he was convicted in 1997 of nine murders of young Black women in Charlotte between 1992 and 1994. Miss Shawna would have been married with children and an accomplished professional woman today.

What I'm writing about today is the epidemic of violence against Black women in the past two weeks. The latest in the war against Black women is Latasha Norman of Greenville Mississippi.

Like Shawna, Latasha was an upstanding college student. Miss Norman attended Jackson State University in Jackson, MS and was on her way to success until her ex-boyfriend, who was stalking her for awhile after the breakup, murdered her last month. Her case didn't merited attention outside of Jackson where she was first reported missing in mid-November.

Her case drew national attention while she was missing for more than two weeks, especially after Hinds County Sheriff and Jackson Police Chief Malcolm McMillin scolded the media for, in essence, ignoring Norman because she is black.

Miss Norman was described by family and friends as a beautiful, accomplished student and a good all-American girl.

Another accomplished young woman, Stepha Henry, is still missing since April of this year. She was last seen at a club in Miami in mid-April. Although her story was nationwide, even meriting two pages in People magazine, the case wasn't as big as Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen who was missing in 2005. The public is still obsessed about her since her disappearance.

Last month, they found Teresa Bunn's body in a dumpster in Chicago. She was one of two women killed in the same manner. Also remember Nailah Franklin, a young Chicago professional who was missing for a few days until her body was discovered in October. Fortunately, the local news covered it. Unfortunately, it wasn't national news.

Latoyia Figueroa's disappearance didn't register until her family and bloggers protested against the oversaturated coverage of missing pretty middle class white women at the expense of all other women by mainstream media.

Meghan Williams, Theresa Bunn, and the young Haitian women who was gang-violated by several men at Dunbar Village deserve our sympathy and help. We shouldn't ignore nor treat these ladies with less dignity and respect we accord to women of other races and cultures.

Miss Shawna would have been alive years ago had the police and society in general been up to their jobs in 1993. May God be with the family of Latasha Norman as they grieve the loss of their daughter, sister, friend and collegue.

May Latasha Norman, Latoyia Figueroa, Theresa Bunn, Shawna Hawk, Caroline Love, Vanessa Mack, Olamide Adeyooye, Cynteria Phillips, Michelle Stinson, Tynesha Stewart, Cherica Adams, Audrey Spain, Debra Slaughter, Betty Jean Baucom, Nixzmary Brown, Sherrice Iverson, Brandi Henderson, Valencia Jumper, Aaliyah, Tashanda Bethea, Jessie Davis, Nailah Franklin, Elisa Izquierdo, Tamika Huston, the three New Jersey College Students, Reyna Marroquin, and Imette St. Guillen rest in peace. They will always be remembered by those who care the most.

blackagendareport.com - Ten Reasons Why "Save Darfur" is a PR Scam to Justify the Next US Oil and Resource Wars in Africa

blackagendareport.com - Ten Reasons Why "Save Darfur" is a PR Scam to Justify the Next US Oil and Resource Wars in Africa: "The star-studded hue and cry to 'Save Darfur' and 'stop the genocide' has gained enormous traction in U.S. media along with bipartisan support in Congress and the White House. But the Congo, with ten to twenty times as many African dead over the same period is not called a 'genocide' and passes almost unnoticed. Sudan sits atop lakes of oil. It has large supplies of uranium, and other minerals, significant water resources, and a strategic location near still more African oil and resources. The unasked question is whether the nation's Republican and Democratic foreign policy elite are using claims of genocide, and appeals for 'humanitarian intervention' to grease the way for the next oil and resource wars on the African continent."

AP Video On Baby Grace

Hat tip from Kenneth Hudson:

Here's the link to AP videos on the Baby Grace case:

http://video.ap.org/v/Legacy.aspx?g=26b0d457-7f8d-4432-8b61-cfe185ecb84c&f=&partner=en-ap

Thank you, Mr. Hudson.

Democracy Now! | Former Black Panther Details Brutal Police Torture to Extract Confession in 1971 Murder Case

Democracy Now! | Former Black Panther Details Brutal Police Torture to Extract Confession in 1971 Murder Case: "Two Nobel Peace Prize laureates are calling for all charges to be dropped against eight former Black Panthers arrested earlier this year for allegedly killing a San Francisco police officer over 35 years ago. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mairead Maguire said the charges against the San Francisco Eight should be dropped because the case is based in part on statements made under torture. Harold Taylor, one of the co-defendants, gives a detailed and powerful account of the abuse he endured while in police custody. We also speak with Ray Boudreaux, another of the San Francisco Eight as well as their attorney."

Truthdig - Reports - When Did the Victim Become the Murderer?

Truthdig - Reports - When Did the Victim Become the Murderer?: "WASHINGTON—Why do you suppose so many people were so quick to blame Sean Taylor for his own murder? Relax, that’s a rhetorical question. There’s no need for self-exculpatory huffing and puffing, no need to point out that the verdict of suicide-by-bad-attitude—pronounced so often this week, and so coldly—was usually couched in broad hints or softened by the nebulous fog of the conditional mood. Everyone knew what was really being said, and everyone knew why. Taylor instantly became not a person but a character, one whose purpose was to advance a narrative about young black men and their manifold failings. Taylor, a gifted defensive back for the Washington Redskins, had been in trouble with the law. Despite the millions he earned playing football, he never managed to escape the quicksand lure of the mean streets—parasitic friends, envious haters, a culture of casual violence. It was his decision to swim in this cesspool of dysfunction, the narrative said. And, like so many other young black men who have made the same wrong choice, he paid for it with his life."

Officer stuns pregnant woman with Taser

Officer stuns pregnant woman with Taser


TROTWOOD, Ohio, Nov. 29 The FBI is reportedly investigating an Ohio police officer's use of a Taser on a pregnant woman.Michael Etter, public safety director in Trotwood, said the officer did not realize the woman was pregnant, WHIO-TV in Akron reported.Etter said the woman came to the police department Nov. 18 trying to hand over custody of her 1-year-old son. She became agitated and tried to leave with the boy, at which point the officer decided he had to stop her for the child's safety.The woman was wearing a heavy coat and held her son on her lap while she talked to the officer, Etter said. He added she did not say anything about being pregnant even after she was arrested.

The Black Commentator - Black America's Legacy of Struggle

The Black Commentator - November 29, 2007 - Issue 255: "Life is struggle. Shirk it and lose it. Embrace it and most assuredly fulfill it. What does Black America’s legacy of political struggle really mean? In succinct terms, it refers to the enormous sacrifices, both personal and collective, made by those men, women and children who endeavored to further the cause of economic, social, and political equality, justice, and freedom, particularly with respect to Black Americans and our Red and Brown sisters and brothers."

With case unsolved, family searches for closure
Slain woman's family seeks closure, justice
By Tara Malone, Tribune staff reporter
November 26, 2007


Stuffed animals, rose bouquets and blue signs reading "It's a boy!" ringed a tree in the dusty abandoned lot Sunday, reminding nearly four dozen family and friends who gathered in the cold of their double loss here earlier this month.Theresa Bunn, 21 -- eight months' pregnant with her first child, a son relatives said she planned to name Michael Pierre Terry Bunn -- was found strangled and burned in a garbage bin nearly two weeks ago along the 6100 block of South Prairie Avenue, the first of two women killed in a similarly grisly manner near Washington Park this month.Bunn's killer remains at large. Chicago police officials continue to investigate the slayings of Bunn and Hazel Lewis, 52, who was found strangled and burned Nov. 14 in another trash bin behind an elementary school near her home. Investigators have not found evidence linking the two slayings, Officer John Henry said Sunday.


Related links
Family and friends remember a pregnant woman who was killed, burned Video
Murder victim's kin seek closure Photo
Family remembers 2nd burn victim as giving


Because Bunn's body was so badly burned that it was identified only through dental records, her family decided to forgo a formal funeral and instead hold a vigil where Bunn's charred remains were found. They came searching for some sense of closure."To me, this is her last place," said Anthony McCray, Bunn's father. "It shouldn't be here. They took our baby and burned her like she was garbage."Many extended condolences to Lewis' family, saying they know too well the grief the Bronzeville woman's relatives must feel.

The vigil came a day after Bunn's memorial service, and relatives, friends and neighbors laid flowers, a music box topped with a ballerina and nearly two dozen stuffed bears around a tree in the center of the lot. Some wore T-shirts emblazoned with a picture of Bunn smiling. Others paused before a framed, poster-size picture that, like a tombstone, listed her full name -- Theresa Marie Bunn -- and the dates of her birth and death. Many carried balloons that they let loose together, with red and blue filling the sky."That's Theresa's tree from here on out," said Bunn's cousin Chris Hogan, who wore a T-shirt that on the back read, "Rest in Peace, Baby Boy Mike."Photographs from her days at Englewood High School are stored away, McCray said, unable to offer any comfort yet. Her bedroom remains untouched. Her 19-year-old brother, also named Anthony McCray, still comes home expecting to gab with his sister, the eldest of five siblings, whom friends remember as quick to lift everyone's spirits. Bunn's youngest brother, Michael, 14, for whom she planned to name her son, tries to escape the reminder of her loss in his schoolwork.

Until Bunn's assailant is arrested, charged and put behind bars, relatives said, any closure will remain elusive."This didn't even ease the pain," said Rose Marie Williams, Bunn's aunt. "We were expecting a baby next month and we don't have [anything]."Bunn's son would have been the family's first grandchild, McCray said.Police said Bunn was last seen Nov. 12. She told family members she was going shopping either in Chicago or Evergreen Park. Her mother worried that a mental condition she had might have left her confused.

Bunn's body was discovered just before midnight that day.Her relatives urge anyone who might have seen or heard anything suspicious to contact police. Apartment buildings surround the lot."This time it's our daughter. But it could be your daughter, your niece, your mother," McCray said."We, as a community, need to help each other."Tribune staff reporter Megan Twohey contributed to this report
tmalone@tribune.com
More articles

Baby Grace Identified and Serial Killings In

Thanks, Ann.

Here are two articles concerning murdered and missing women and girls:

http://kathmanduk2.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/baby-grace-identified/#comments

THE SERIAL KILLINGS OF ACRES HOMES

http://kathmanduk2.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/the-serial-killings-of-acres-homes/

A very chilling report on violence against Native American women in the US and Canada

http://kathmanduk2.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/rape-of-native-american-women-uninvestigated/


Thank you Ann for keeping me abreast regarding violence against women of Color around the world. This needs to be addressed.

About those other women ...

About those other women ...
November 21, 2007

We're in Week Two of an all-out national dragnet for missing Bolingbrook woman Stacy Peterson. And now a fresh national media frenzy has swarmed over a Glendale Heights family, the second Indian family from DuPage County this year where children were doused with gas and burned.

Yet we hardly hear a mention of the cases of two women whose charred bodies were found on the South Side: Theresa Bunn, a 21-year-old black woman, and another woman, believed to be 30-50 years, were discovered in ashes in garbage containers near Washington Park in the Woodlawn community. Bunn was last seen Nov. 12. The unidentified middle-aged woman -- whose remains were too damaged to determine race -- was discovered Nov. 14.

And in between those grisly finds, a 14-year-old black girl, Deanna Glass, from Bronzeville, disappeared.

"It definitely symbolizes something to whomever committed these grotesque acts that [the burned women] were thought of as trash," said Delilah McDonald, a 20-year-old student, while waiting for a Cottage Grove bus with a male escort for her safety.

How is it that we know so much about the Peterson family and their Jerry Springer-like story arc and yet we know virtually nothing about these other missing women, believed to be all black on the South Side? We don't even know who killed Nailah Franklin, the 28-year-old black woman whose body was found in a Calumet City forest preserve in September.
Stacy Peterson had plenty of reasons to rethink her choices and escape to start anew. If some tragedy has befallen her, let's hope authorities can find her quickly.

But what about the burned women and the missing teen? These were not run-of-the-mill murders -- if there is such a category. Not only was Bunn strangled and burned, she also was eight months pregnant. That means her baby boy, to be named Michael, was murdered, too. Police have no clue who the second burned woman is. And there's nothing about Deanna that would suggest she would run away. She's described as an A-student and no-nonsense girl. Deanna's mother, Gail Glass, last saw her daughter while she was in the hospital and now has the onerous task of gathering Deanna's dental records in case police find a body. Police have distributed community alerts to solicit residents' assistance in these cases.
We hate to even bring this up, but could a serial killer be on the loose? Two women burned, a third girl missing on the same side of town. We aren't the first to suggest these incidents might be connected.

"We don't think we have enough to classify this as a serial killer," said Monique Bond, Chicago Police Department spokeswoman.

Many Woodlawn women are resigned to the fact that heinous crimes in their neighborhood don't necessarily generate big headlines. They are used to seeing white women publicly elevated when something happens, and Peterson and her prosaic life are no different.
"I'm afraid for my daughter," said Camille Fairman, 32, who's given her own teen daughter orders to stay in a group and to call home for a ride after dark. "I told her to scream, kick or try to do something like that to put up a fight."

Several years ago a serial killer on the South Side was knocking off prostitutes and leaving them in abandoned buildings. Their deaths didn't make the front page until someone connected the pattern.

We shouldn't put a value on life in certain neighborhoods. If these two women were found burned to death in Lincoln Park, there'd be a task force formed by now. That Woodlawn is just a stone's throw from our celebrated University of Chicago and the planned site for the 2016 Olympics shouldn't matter, but if that's what it takes to generate some outrage, so be it.

Burned woman was mother of three
SOUTH SIDE Body of 2nd victim identified, family gets the news
BY ANNIE SWEENEY Staff Reporter/asweeney@suntimes.com

Authorities have identified the second of two women found strangled and burned in South Side garbage containers last week.

Hazel Lewis, 52, was identified by dental records Friday afternoon, according to Chicago Police.
Reached Friday, Lewis' family said relatives had received the news and were gathering together. Lewis, her family said, was the mother of three children.
"She was a great mother," said her daughter, who declined to give her name.

The daughter said the family had no information as to what could have happened to her mother.
"We didn't know anything until the detectives contacted us," she said.

Lewis' body was found Nov. 14 in the 800 block of East 50th Street.
The gruesome discovery came two days after the body of another African-American woman was found on the South Side. The body of Theresa Bunn, 21, who was eight months pregnant, had been found in the 6100 block of South Prairie.

Both murders remain under investigation, with detectives trying to determine if they are related.

Theresa Bunn

Theresa Bunn, R.I.P.

Cops Identify Burned Body Of Pregnant Woman

Police Flock In After 2 Strangled, Charred Bodies Found Near Each Other On South Side

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Police late Thursday afternoon identified one of the two women found strangled and burned on the South Side. The family was holding out hope it was not their loved one. As CBS 2's Rafael Romo reports, 21-year-old Theresa Bunn had been missing since Monday, when she told her mother she was meeting a friend at the mall. "She never did make it," Bunn's mother, Rosemary Williams said Wednesday night. "She said she was going to call us about eight o'clock. She never did call. So I haven't heard nothing from her or seen her." Chicago police confirmed Thursday afternoon Bunn's body is the one found in a dumpster in a vacant lot near 61st Street and Prairie Avenue on Monday, just before midnight.

"Theresa Bunn's family was contacted by detectives from our special victim's unit yesterday," said Deputy Chief Michael Shields of the Detective Division. Police say the body was burned beyond recognition. Detectives had to use dental records to positively identify the victim, who was eight months pregnant. "She was just staying here [at home], living with me and trying to go through her pregnancy," Williams said of her daughter. Williams said her daughter was expecting a boy, whom she planned to name Michael after her younger brother.

The body of a second woman found about 1 a.m. Tuesday in a dumpster behind Reavis Elementary, 834 E. 60th St., remains unidentified. "There are common denominators in both of the homicides in that both of the victims were found strangled and both of the victims were found burnt beyond recognition," Shields said.

A roll call for officers of the Third and 21st Districts was conducted Thursday morning at 61st Street and Prairie Avenue, where Bunn's body was found. As police conducted roll call near the Prairie Avenue location, a commanding officer instructed his subordinates to go door to door and ask if anyone had seen anything, and show them a flier they are distributing about the cases. They hope to solve the macabre double mystery. Police have yet to link the two cases due to lack of forensic evidence. "It's a concern for every woman that something like this happened in the area," said area resident Henrietta Limehouse. "You know, you're very concerned, very worried, because I have to walk the streets myself." Police say they have been talking to other people who have missing relatives in an effort to identify the second body.

Detectives collected several items as evidence at the site where the body was found, but so far they have no suspects. There is no description of a suspect. Anyone with information on either of the cases is urged to call police.

Dear Mr. Jesus

Japan Today - News - New York police kill teenager armed with hairbrush

Japan Today - News - New York police kill teenager armed with hairbrush: "NEW YORK — New York police shot and killed an 18-year-old youth armed with only a hairbrush, U.S. media reported Tuesday. Khiel Coppin was shot late Monday after a violent confrontation with his mother, who had called police for help, according to The New York Times. While she was on the phone, Coppin screamed that he had a gun and was going to kill her, the paper said. When police arrived, Coppin had jumped out of a ground-floor window with something in his hand and was shot by officers on the street."

Sherrice Iverson - 1989-1997

Sherrice Iverson was a 7 year old whose life was taken in a senseless murder in 1997 in a casino. The thief who stole her life and innocence was tried on Court TV. The lesson here is that we MUST watch over our children with vigilence. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy..." (John 10:10). Sherrice, we love you and will see you again. Love forever -

Memphis battling infant death epidemic - Kids and parenting- msnbc.com

Memphis battling infant death epidemic - Kids and parenting- msnbc.com: "Twice the U.S. average A 2002 federal report put this city at the top of the list for infant deaths in American cities: 692 dead babies over a four-year span, a rate of more than 15 deaths for every 1,000 births, more than twice the U.S. average. Broken down by ZIP code, centering on the poorest places in this very poor city, there are spots where babies die at a higher rate than they do in some Third World countries. Some health officials object to that characterization because the figures are small enough to call their statistical significance into question. But no one denies that there is an epidemic of dead babies here."

STATEMENT ON THE CASE OF MEGAN WILLIAMS

Thanks, Brownfemipower for bringing this to the fore. As I wrote in reply to this, . Violence against women of Color is a serious problem in society today. Meghan Williams is among many WOC who are victims of hate crime. The victim and her son in the Dunbar Village gender hate crime needs to be acknowleged in the general public as well. The Newark Ladies who were arrested in NY after being assaulted by a bigot deserves our sympathy. The Black woman in Missouri who was the victim of police brutality deserves our sympathy.


WEST VIRGINIA COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WOMEN OF COLOR CAUCUSSTATEMENT ON THE CASE OF MEGAN WILLIAMS
October 1, 2007

We, the Women of Color Caucus of the West Virginia Coalition of DomesticViolence, stand in solidarity with allies and in partnership with TonyaLovelace of the national Women of Color Network from Harrisburg,Pennsylvania, and issue this statement of concern for Megan Williams andoutrage for the crimes committed against her person.

Megan Williams, a resident of Charleston, West Virginia, was a victim ofdomestic and sexual violence as well as a victim of hate crimes based onrace and gender. In addition, Megan is a victim of the criminal justicesystem, of the media and of the community at large, all of whom failed toacknowledge the fullness of her humanity as a woman of color, as a womanwith a disability, and as a young woman who experienced extreme torture,dehumanization and gang rape.

We are concerned that the criminal justice system failed her by bringing hercase of bad checks into the media at the time of Megan’s initial recovery.While she may have some charges of her own to contend with, the timing ofMegan’s public arraignment served only to downplay the violence sheexperienced and diverted attention away from the central issue of hersurviving atrocious crimes perpetrated by offenders in callous disregard forher safety. Many women exposed to violence have criminal histories oftenaccumulated as a result of being connected to an abusive partner. Megan’svictimization must remain central in the media as well as in the systemsthat claim to “serve and protect” her and other victims of violence.

We as women of color and allies in West Virginia identify Megan as asurvivor and as a woman who represents dozens of women of color who aremistreated, mishandled, disrespected and often dehumanized across this stateand across the country. Violence against women of color is often viewedwithin the context of stereotypes held by police officers, attorneys, judgesand even advocates. Women of color may express anger at the scene; may havelittle money; may have several children; and may fulfill every stereotype.But regardless of life circumstances, women of color deserve support,assistance, protection and fairness.

We believe that the crimes committed against Megan are rooted in racism, sexism, and ableism. All women must be, heard, acknowledged and treated withdignity and respect by the criminal justice systems and all other systemsseeking to address violence against women. Violence against women must betaken seriously or there will be more Megans who will suffer at the hands ofothers whose bias-motivated behaviors inflict great harm. As such, we arelooking for accountability for those who hurt her, for due process, and foreach and every person to evaluate themselves and see what each of us can doto make a difference and to see where we may have collectively failed Megan.

We are calling upon each of you to take a stand on gender and raciallymotivated crime. We are calling for legal reform that recognizes theinterplay of hateful gender and racial epithets uttered during thecommission of violent crimes committed against those of protected classes.We are calling for the media to offer fair portrayals of victims and to beresponsible in seeking multiple voices. We are calling for the criminaljustice system as a whole to take violence against women seriously and tohold batterers accountable for their actions. We are calling for advocatesto integrate violence against women of color and other marginalized groupsinto the heart of the work of creating safety in communities around thestate and across the nation. We are calling for men to check male privilegeand engage in the work of ending male violence against women. And finally,we call upon women of color and people of color to stand up, be heard, andoffer support to Megan and her family. With all of us working together, wecan bring the issue of violence against women and hate crimes to theforefront.
We stand in solidarity with Megan Williams and support all efforts thatrespond with justice and accountability to the plight of victims braveenough to reveal their identity and their hope for change.

###

For more information regarding this statement, please contact Kenyatta Grantat West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, (304) 965-3552.
*This statement was developed by the West Virginia Coalition AgainstDomestic Violence Women of Color Caucus and allies at the WV Summit onViolence Against Women and was read to conference participants.

Re: Latoyia Figueroa - A Philadelphia Tragedy

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Tribute to Victims of Henry Wallace

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Erace Racism Carnival Essays at Kill Bigotry!

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WV Torture Victim at Final Call

The following is from Ann's Website. Thanks, Ann for everything you do in keeping this case on my mind. Here's the article:


Final Call Exclusive: One-on-One Interview with West Virginia Race Torture Victim Megan WilliamsBy FinalCall.com NewsOriginally Published Oct. 9, 2007

Updated Oct 14, 2007, 10:37 am

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan sent a delegation consisting of Attorney Abdul Arif Muhammad, editor-in-chief of The Final Call newspaper, Student in the Ministry Abdul Khadir Muhammad of Washington, D.C. and Final Call Contributing Writer Ashahed M. Muhammad to Charleston, West Virginia to determine the facts of the case, and also to minister unto the family of the young woman who was the victim of this heinous and barbaric attack.
Megan Williams (second from right) with her mother Carmen Williams (l); Ashahed Muhammad (r); Abdul Arif Muhammad (l rear).
‘They didn’t feed me, didn’t give me no water, they said when they came back they were going to finish me off.’ —Megan Williams
What follows is an exclusive interview with Megan Williams and her adopted mother, Carmen Williams, conducted on Thursday, October 4, 2007, at their home. For the first time here you will see, in Megan Williams’ own words, the description of this repugnantly vicious assault.
The Final Call (FC): We know this was a difficult experience for you, but in order for the public to know the full truth of what happened, you have agreed to tell us in this interview. We want you to go as slow as you need and if you have any questions, or feel uncomfortable, just let us know. Tell us the story. Tell us what happened.
Megan Williams (MW): When I first went up there, a girl I knew named Christa, she took me up there, she said we were going to a party.
FC: When Christa took you there (the trailer home in Big Creek in Logan County) what did she do?
MW: She said she had to make a run and she would be right back. She didn’t come back.
FC: Do you believe Christa was involved in arranging this?
MW: (Nodding.)
Carmen Williams (CW): Yes, it was a setup, she left her there. When Megan was in the hospital, Christa called and I answered the phone. Christa was asking, ‘how is my friend?’ I told her that she wasn’t a friend of Megan’s because she left her. Christa then hung up the phone. We have not seen or heard from Christa since that time.
The police investigators say they are trying to locate her for an interview, but have not been able to find her.
FC: There were some news reports that you had a relationship with one of the defendants, Bobby Brewster. Is this accurate?
MW: We were just friends. It was nothing like that.
FC: No dating relationship between you and defendant Bobby Brewster?
MW: No. They kicked me in the head with steel toed boots, they hit me in the head with several objects, I remember seeing a knife, and they tried to cut my foot off. They told me that is what they did to Kunta Kinte when they cut his foot off so he couldn’t run and that is what they were going to do to me.
FC: When exactly was this?
MW: It was like in August. When she (Christa) dropped me off up there, that’s when they started beating on me, and calling me names. When they were hitting me and stabbing me, they called me n----r, they said ‘this is what we do to n----rs up here’ and they said they were going to kill me.
They didn’t feed me, didn’t give me no water, they said when they came back they were going to finish me off. They made me eat rat poop, dog poop and human feces. I had to do it to stay alive. They were taking my head and drowning me in a toilet, taking it back out and putting it back in (starting to cry). They were stabbing me in the leg, and I was screaming for my mom, and they would cover my mouth up.
They made me pick green beans out of the garden, they made these switches into a braid and they were whipping me as I was picking the greens. They made me pick weeds out of the garden and they were calling me n----r and said they were going to take me out to a creek and cut my throat and throw me in a river. All I was saying is I wanted to get back to my mom, and they were like, ‘you ain’t ever going to see your mom ever, ever again, never.’ I wanted to get back home so bad.
FC: When they were forcing you to go out into an open field was this a secluded area where no one could see you?
MW: Nobody seen me, nobody knew where I was at; it was a wooded area.
FC: At any time did you try to scream for somebody to help you ?
MW: Yep, they kept kicking me and stuff and saying that if I screamed again they were going to cut me and all kinds of stuff.
FC: Describe what was going through your mind when you first realized that Christa might not be coming back?
MW: I was scared and frightened.
FC: Megan, you went with an associate to this place for a party, did you know where she was taking you?
MW: No.
FC: When you got there, did you know where you were, did you know the house?
MW: No.
FC: After you got to the “party,” how long was it before you realized that Christa was not coming back?
MW: A couple of days. She said ‘I’m going down to my friends house and I’ll be right back’ two days went by and she never came back up, I got worried and then they said she wasn’t going to come back and get me, and that no n----rs were allowed up there, and they were going to kill me.
FC: What kind of party did you see?
MW: They were just up there doing drugs, it was not a party.
FC: What kind of drugs?
MW: They were making Meth. (Methamphetamines)
FC: Anything else besides Meth?
MW: Crack.
FC: They were actually doing these drugs, were they trying to make you do drugs?
MW: No. I wouldn’t.
FC: Did you start praying to God for help?
MW: Yes, I was asking Him to get me out of this. The only thing I was thinking about was my mom.
FC: Did you ever try fighting back?
MW: I did. I fought back when they would cut me, and they had me taped up with duct tape around my neck, my hands and feet, and when they left to get drugs and stuff, they said they were going to finish me off; they were going to take me down to a river, cut my throat and throw me in it, and I would never get to see my family ever again.
FC: There were several people involved. Who was the most vicious?
MW: All of them passed the knife around when they were stabbing me, all I remember is that when they were stabbing me, I passed out, and I guess that’s when they quit because I passed out, because I lost so much blood. I had noticed the stab wounds and they were this big and my meat was hanging out (shows the location on her left thigh). All I can remember was the knife, and I wake up every night now. That’s the only thing I see when I close my eyes is that knife.
FC: Ms. Williams (Megan’s mother), you told me since this happened, she has nightmares?
CW: I sleep with her actually, because if she doesn’t feel me near her, she’ll wake up and scream out in the middle of the night hollering ‘Mom! Mom!’
FC: At the point you realized after one or two days that you didn’t hear from your daughter—is it customary for her to be absent for long periods of time without checking in?
CW: Yes, she’s 20 years old, so she goes when she wants to and comes back when she wants to. At the time, she didn’t live with me. She would call me every now and then, but at the time, she was not living with me.
FC: How did you find out that something had happened to Megan?
CW: Logan Hospital called me and they asked me if I had a daughter named Megan Williams, and I said yes. Then they proceeded to tell me what happened to her, and they asked me how soon we could get up there.
FC: Megan, while you were being held there, can you tell us more about what happened?
MW: Yes. Bobby kicked me in my stomach a few times, kicked me in my back and my face and all I remember is that they hit me with several objects, a cedar stick, a fly swatter handle, a belt, a shoe, and you know the gloves with the lead in them, they were smacking me in the face with those. Both my eyes were black and every night, they made me sleep outside.
FC: While they were doing all of these drugs, what were you doing?
MW: I just wanted to get away. I asked one of them if they could let me go, they said no because ‘ain’t no n----rs allowed up here,’ and they were going to kill me. One day, I was asleep in the room, one of them came in and was kicking me and said ‘hey n----r, we got a noose out there for you, want to come look at it? We’re going to hang you, come on.’ I got really scared. I just wanted to get out of there. I was fighting for my life.
FC: You said that they cut your hair?
MW: As they would cut it, they were literally pulling my hair out, and pulling it out in patches. They were all sitting on the porch drinking beer, and they had that knife out. Bobby made me lick his mom’s bottom at knife point, and then he made me suck her toes. They were laughing and calling me names. One of them held me at gun point with a 9 mm.
FC: Now where did they have you sleeping?
MW: In the shed. They told me there were no n----rs allowed in the trailer.
FC: What male members of the group raped you?
MW: Danny (Combs) and Bobby (Brewster).
FC: Do you know who made the anonymous tip to the police?
MW: Yep, it was a boy named Eddie that was up there. He lived a couple of houses down. He was walking and saw my hands out the window and went for help.
CW: He said he heard her holler for help, he ran back down the street and called police. I spoke to him on the phone and he said ‘ma’am, I’m the one that made the call.’
FC: Since this ordeal have you been harassed or received any threats?
CW: No. We haven’t been staying here. We just came home about a week ago.
FC: Have you received any support from the Religious Community?
CW: Yes, my pastor Bishop James Carter has been to every pretrial hearing that they have had, and he is going there today; and Allen Hill and Emanuel Heyliger.
FC: How are you feeling now Megan?
MW: I feel a lot better.
FC: If there was one thing you could get across to people who hear about this case, what would it be?
MW: There are dangerous people in the world and everybody needs to keep an eye on their kids so that their kids will be safe.
FC: What do you hope happens to the people who did this to you?
MW: I think they need to be put away and never get out again. They should never again see daylight.
CW: I just hope they get what they deserve. I hope they get life. I don’t wish nobody dead, because that’s not my belief, but they should be in prison for the rest of their lives.