The Shade Room Churned Crack Into Gold!

The far right media is pushing fake news about SAMHSA's push to curb drug and substance abuse.

Update: The Shade Room deleted the article and tweet. They will issue an apology. The damage is done and there is no turning back. 

There is some in Black media that are just as shady as the far right media.

The coronavirus pandemic has sparked a rise in drug abuse. 

Over 925,000 Americans are dead from the coronavirus. 

There is 1 in 50 per 10,000 Americans having mental health issues and possible drug abuse. 

Over 50,000 Americans died from drug abuse last year.

The pandemic has driven more folks to using drugs. The Biden Administration is trying to save lives while the far right and many of these heartless fucks are stirring more discourse.

The Shade Room is facing heavy backlash after it pushed fake news about President Joe Biden's agenda. On top of that, it made it into the bloodstream of American politics. Instead of fact checking and getting official confirmation from government agencies, they just run this shit without any care in the world.

The gossip agitator claimed that the Biden Administration was shoveling out $30 million worth of crack pipes.

According to The Shade Room, the grants will be part of a $30 million Biden administration program that includes money for not-for-profit groups to purchase “safe smoking kits/supplies according to a report in the Washington Free Beacon.”

It’s also reported that the pipes would encourage drug users to smoke drugs instead of injecting them because injections are said to run a higher risk.

The biggest mistake was taking a talking point from The Daily Mail and Washington Free Beacon, two far right platforms notorious for pushing fake stories. On top of that, Fox is involved. A network devoted to pushing white nationalist talking points.

The headline reads: "Biden Administration Reportedly Finalizing $30M Program To Provide Drug Paraphernalia To Drug Users To Prevent Infection."

https://t.co/dDVpT1sMIk

The grants will be part of a $30 million Biden Admimistration program.

— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) February 8, 2022

They ran on this allegation that the Biden Administration was passing out crack pipes and syringes to keep drug abuse up. 

They shared that shit on social media and the far right quickly picked it up.

PS- Why did the right wingers & Black blogs run with $30 million for crack pipes LIE vs. for PreP, HIV prevention, condoms, Hep A/B vaccines, STD testing? If you're gonna cherry pick ONE item, why pick crack pipes? Because it's provocative & drives clicks. #DisruptingDisinfo pic.twitter.com/8hbWju1jbB

— Reecie @BlackWomenViews (@ReecieColbert) February 9, 2022

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is charged with improving the quality and availability of treatment and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and the cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses. The Administrator of SAMHSA reports directly to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMHSA's headquarters building is located outside of Rockville, Maryland.

A comprehensive prevention strategy, harm reduction is part of the continuum of care. Harm reduction approaches have proven to prevent death, injury, disease, overdose, and prevent substance misuse or disorder. Harm reduction is an effective approach to addressing the public health epidemic involving substance use as well as infectious disease and other harms associated with drug use. Specifically, harm reduction services can:

• Connect individuals to overdose education, counseling, and referral to treatment for infectious diseases and substance use disorders.
• Distribute opioid overdose reversal medications (e.g., naloxone) to individuals at risk of overdose, or to those who might respond to an overdose.
• Lessen harms associated with drug use and related behaviors that increase the risk of infectious diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, and bacterial and fungal infections.
• Reduce infectious disease transmission among people who use drugs, including those who inject drugs by equipping them with accurate information and facilitating referral to resources.
• Reduce overdose deaths, promote linkages to care, facilitate co-location of services as part of a comprehensive, integrated approach.
• Reduce stigma associated with substance use and co-occurring disorders
• Promote a philosophy of hope and healing by utilizing those with lived experience of recovery in the management of harm reduction services, and connecting those who have expressed interest to treatment, peer support workers and other recovery support services.

SAMHSA is now accepting applications for the first-ever SAMHSA Harm Reduction grant program and expects to issue $30 million in grant awards. This funding, authorized by the American Rescue Plan, will help increase access to a range of community harm reduction services and support harm reduction service providers as they work to help prevent overdose deaths and reduce health risks often associated with drug use. SAMHSA will accept applications from State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, Tribal organizations, non-profit community-based organizations, and primary and behavioral health organizations.

Drug abuse is a mental health issue.

SAMHSA will distribute $10 million per year over the next three years. Grant recipients must use the funds to support harm reduction services. Harm reduction service providers will be asked to develop or expand evidence-based services that may include, but not be limited to: the provision of sterile syringes, safe sex kits, prevention education about synthetic opioids and other substances, overdose prevention kits including naloxone distribution, peer worker engagement, medical services, case management and referral to treatment. Warm handoffs that facilitate engagement in care and referrals to treatment for individuals seeking these support services are also critical components of this grant program. Harm reduction services will be trauma-informed and guided by harm reduction stakeholder groups and other community members.

The U.S. Health and Human Services slammed The Shade Room, Washington Free Beacon and The Daily Mail for pushing fake news. Here the resident white nationalist Tuckems.

HHS said, “These comments are misleading and misinformed. Too many Americans have lost their lives to drug overdose. Evidence-based community harm reduction services such as naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and syringe services programs help people stay alive and are proven strategies for addressing this tragic epidemic. The Harm Reduction Grant Program offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is designed to put these services within reach for Americans who are struggling with substance use so they can stay healthy and safe, avoid overdose death, and find pathways into evidence-based treatments.”

Start reading books and stop trusting the fucking internet.

Dummy Bag!

Robbery suspect didn't notice the tracer on the bag.

 
A quick thinking Family Dollar clerk outsmarted a robber in Oklahoma City.

Those working for Family Dollar are saying that the theft and robbery makes their jobs very dangerous. 

On top of that, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree and Dollar General are rising prices on products due to supply shortages. Also workers are being overworked and stressed by the constant demands of customers. 

One robber felt the need to exploit the frustrations by workers.

Court documents filed earlier this week reveal an employee at a metro Family Dollar’s perhaps brilliant way of helping police track down an alleged crook.

Just before noon on a January Tuesday afternoon, Kenta Watson, 44, walked into the Family Dollar on SE 15th Street.

The suspect was nabbed quickly.

“He took a glance around the front and, the next thing you know, he just started walking back towards my register area and I was like, ‘What can I get? Can I help you? Can I help you?’ And then I saw the knife and I knew what he wanted,” the employee said to the 911 dispatcher just minutes after the robbery.

He held the employee at knifepoint, stealing nearly $600 and the employee’s cell phone. But what he didn’t know:

“I put the cash tracker in the bag,” the employee told the dispatcher.

Therefore, it wasn’t hard for police to track Watson down. The device showed he was at a house only about 400 feet away.

According to the court documents, police found Watson “sweating profusely” with “several bills of money in both pockets.” He was taken to the Oklahoma County Detention Center and booked for robbery with a dangerous weapon.

The employee said she was still shaken up from the incident and did not want to speak about it.

Watson’s court date is set for Feb. 15.

The suspect is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Walter Blackman: I Thought Republicans Were The Party Of Common Sense!

What about your friends?

Black Republican state legislator found himself at the center of a racist attack from the very people he wants to court for his congressional bid for the U.S. House of Representatives.

He blames the attacks on the most dumbest man on the internet. A far right troll who lost his Twitter and Facebook accounts last year after promoting misinformation about the coronavirus, the election and the vaccines.

"A Republican state legislator from Arizona said he and his family members are the victims of a racist smear campaign driven by right-wing media after he pushed back against claims that state lawmakers could 'decertify' the 2020 presidential election," the HuffPost reported. Tuesday. "Walter Blackman, the first Black Republican elected to the Arizona legislature and a 2022 congressional candidate, claims that after an interview in which he poured cold water on the idea that lawmakers could overturn the election, his daughter received a text message calling him a racial slur."

The text used the RINO ("Republican In Name Only") smear that is a favorite of Donald Trump, reading "Your [N-word] dad is RINO."

Troll launched a smear campaign against Black Republican.

The smear came after Blackman told the far-right Gateway Pundit, "just want to tell things that are real. Because I, you know, like to be straight, straight with folks. There’s been a lot of chatter about decertifying the election. There’s a couple things wrong with that, that we can’t do that. We are not going to be able to decertify an election… number two, you look at the Constitution. There is nothing in the Constitution that says that we can decertify."

The Gateway Pundit says the number the text purportedly originated from went to a Blackman voicemail. His campaign says the number was disconnected. Raw Story called the number and was greeted with a generic voice mail recording.

“It is illogical and crazy to think I would send this vile text message to my daughter or know anything about it. I have been in contact with the state police who are investigating the origin of these messages. While their investigation is ongoing, they have determined that the text messages did not in any way, shape or form originate with my cell phone. This is what happens when your opponents can’t run a campaign on the issues, they resort to disgusting smear attacks with a word that has no place in our Republican Party or society in general," Blackman said in a campaign statement.

In 2021, Blackman faced calls to ban him from the state House for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In September, he praised the Proud Boys.

He also said that George Floyd deserved his death. This type of stuff makes me sick. 

It's bad enough you cater to this nonsense, but it proves that you're nothing to them when you don't know your place.

Sherri Shepherd To Host The Wendy Williams Show!

Sherri Shepherd could be replacing Wendy Williams.

As the controversial agitator's medical issues become a topic of discussion, the executives are looking forward to replacing her with a former host of The View.

Entertainer Sherri Shepherd will be named the permanent host of The Wendy Williams Show. She will begin the transition to phase Wendy Williams out of the picture.

Sherri Shepherd is set to be named the “permanent guest host” of “The Wendy Williams Show” following her health hiatus in September 2021.

Beginning September 2022, former “The View” co-host Shepherd, 54, will take over the series regularly, however, one source tells Page Six that the move will not be forever.

TMZ reports that producers will monitor Williams progress between now and September, which is when they would premiere the show’s 15th season.

If the media maven is healthy enough to host by then, she’ll be welcomed back with open arms. If not, Shepherd will take over and producers will consider a name change for the talk show.

It may be over for the pop culture agitator.

A show rep has told Page Six that they don’t comment on speculation.

Williams has been battling the affects of Graves’ disease and other undisclosed health issues for months, occasionally speaking on her progress with concerned fans.

“Wendy is doing fabulous,” a Versace robe-clad Williams said in December as she exited a Miami wellness center. She then promised fans “much more Wendy stuff,” but has yet to return to her fan-favorite daily.

It was recently announced that the Hollywood Walk-of-Famer will not be returning to the show until at least March, with Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Michael Rapaport, Bevy Smith, Terrence J and Sherri Shepherd all set to return as guest hosts for the month of February through March 4.

The former radio pro’s absence has reportedly been felt within her studio, as many staffers feel the show has taken a dip in quality thanks to “out of touch” higher-ups.

“They’re not factoring in the culture. The all-white management is out of touch with the demographic, which skews mostly African American,” an insider told Page Six.

Still A Mitch!

If it's ain't broke, don't fix it.

The Obstructionist Leader comes out against the Republican National Committee's decision to formally censure Rep. Karen Cheney (R-WY) and Rep. Karen Kinzinger (R-IL).

The RNC also distanced itself from former vice president Karen R. Pence. The former vice president condemned Washed Up 45's claims that he could overturn the election.

Pence called the former president, a sorry sack of shit. He felt that Washed Up 45 threw him under the bus. He directly told the former president that he can't legally overturn the results of the election. The former president refused to hear that. He placed his vice president in danger. 

Karen McConnell of Kentucky broke with their language on the Jan. 6, 2021 riot, calling it a “violent insurrection.”

“It was a violent insurrection with the purpose of trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election. ... That’s what it was,” McConnell said. 

The RNC sparked fierce backlash after it described Jan. 6, when a mob of Washed Up 45’s followers breached the Capitol, as “legitimate political discourse” in a resolution censuring Kinzinger and Cheney. 

RNC Chairwoman Karen Romney McDaniel appeared to try to clarify the resolution, alleging in a statement that the two GOP lawmakers were involved in persecuting citizens "engaged in legitimate political discourse" but "that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol." The last section was not in the RNC resolution. 

McConnell said he had confidence in McDaniel but that the job of the RNC was supporting all Republicans, not "singling out" members of the party. 

“This issue is whether or not the RNC should be sort of singling out members of our party who may have different views from the majority. That’s not the job of the RNC,” he added about the censure resolution.

Extremism is on the rise in the United States. The white nationalist Republican Party is emboldened with the notion to create turmoil in the wake of Washed Up 45's defeat. Instead of trying to win over American voters, the party of white supremacy will try to conjure up legislation to keep Americans from voting, historical facts from the classroom, transgender Americans from playing sports, making English the official language, and keep power by gerrymandering districts.

Spotify About Close To Cutting Joe Rogan Loose!

Rogan said racial slurs on his podcast.

As many entertainers are considering pulling their music and podcasts from Spotify, the tech company is close to severing ties to controversial podcaster Karen Rogan.

It was not the coronavirus misinformation that has him in the final straw, it's the racial slurs he uttered on his podcasts.

Rogan has been under fire for a string of controversies.

It was R&B singer India.Aire who put the controversial star on blast about his use of the word NIGGER. On Thursday, Arie took to her Instagram Stories Highlights and posted edited footage of YouTube clips showing Rogan using the racial slur roughly two dozen times. She also posted clips in which Rogan appeared to share an anecdote in which he compared being around Black people to “Planet of the Apes.”

It began with Neil Young telling Spotify that you can choose to have Rogan but you can't have him. 

Neil Young led a boycott against Spotify.

Soon after, Joni Mitchell, India.Aire and numerous others followed by asking Spotify to remove their music from the playlist. Even former allies of Rogan are turning against him. Dewayne "The Rock" Johnson had to walk back his endorsement of the entertainer after he first backed him. When the racial slurs surfaced, Johnson had to back track. 

Of course, the far-right are now after Johnson after he made offensive remarks about Asians, transgender women and women.

After Arie’s post went viral, author Don Winslow tagged Johnson on Twitter and asked him to address the resurfaced clips of Rogan. Johnson had previously posted a supportive comment to Instagram after Rogan shared video on Sunday of himself addressing the furor and promising to “do my best in the future to balance things out.”

Johnson responded to Winslow’s tweet by writing, in part, “I hear you as well as everyone here 100%. I was not aware of his N word use prior to my comments, but now I’ve become educated to his complete narrative. Learning moment for me.”

Rogan later responded with a video on Instagram saying the clips were taken out of context from 12 years of his podcast, but expressed regret and acknowledged it “looks fucking horrible, even to me.”

India.Aire may have put the nail in the coffin for Rogan.

“I haven’t said it in years. But for a long time when I would bring that word up, like if it would come up in conversation, instead of saying ‘the N-word,’ I would just say the word,” Rogan said. “I thought as long as it was in context, people would understand what I was doing.”

He went on to say he realizes now that he shouldn’t use the word. “I never used it to be racist because I’m not racist. But whenever you’re in a situation where you have to say, ‘I’m not racist,’ you’ve fucked up. And I clearly have fucked up.”

Toward the end of the nearly 6-minute video, Rogan apologized for using the word and said his mistakes should be a “teachable moment” for others.

“I can’t go back in time and change what I’ve said. I wish I could. Obviously, that’s not possible,” he said. “But I do hope that this can be a teachable moment for anybody that doesn’t realize how offensive that word can be coming out of a white person’s mouth in context or out of context. My sincere and humble apologies. I wish there was more that I could say, but all of this is just me talking from the bottom of my heart. It makes me sick watching that video.”

In video of herself addressing the camera, Arie, a four-time Grammy winner, said she empathizes with artists such as Young who are leaving the platform due to Rogan’s podcast interviews spreading vaccine misinformation, but that she is more focused on his racist remarks. Imploring others to delete Spotify, Arie stated that the platform underpays artists and that she doesn’t want to support a company that prioritizes giving Rogan a hefty salary.

SCOTUS Keeps Gerrymandered Map Legal In Alabama!

Supreme Court says gerrymandered map is constitutional.

The disenfranchisement of African Americans is alive and well. The Supreme Court allowed a partisan drawn map to stay in tact despite it not be fairly drawn to appeal to constituents.

In a 5 to 4 decision, the conservative wing of the Supreme Court allowed a map drawn by Alabama Republicans to stand.

The Court cleared the way Monday for Alabama to use its new congressional district map even though a lower court said it violated the Voting Rights Act by denying Black voters a new district.

The court granted a request from Alabama Republicans to put a hold on the lower court ruling.

The case — the first to reach the Supreme Court involving the redrawing of political boundaries with 2020 census results — could affect redistricting in other states that experienced gains in minority populations.

The Supreme Court also said it would hear Alabama’s challenge to the lower court ruling that declared the maps void. That appeal will not likely be heard until the court’s new term begins in the fall. As a practical matter, the court’s action allows Alabama Republicans to use their map for this year’s elections.

In explaining the court's decision, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said it was too close to the election to undo the Alabama legislature's district maps.

"Late judicial tinkering with election laws can lead to disruption and to unanticipated and unfair consequences for candidates, political parties, and voters, among others," Kavanaugh wrote.

But Chief Justice John Roberts joined with the three liberal justices in saying the Supreme Court should not have put the lower court ruling on hold. Roberts, in a separate dissent, said the lower court's ruling should control the 2022 election, and after that the Supreme Court should hold a full hearing on the merits of the issue that would control future elections.

Writing separately for herself and Justices Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Elena Kagan said the court went “badly wrong in granting a stay.” Accepting Alabama’s contentions, she said, “would rewrite decades of this court’s precedents” about the protections of the Voting Rights Act.

"It does a disservice to Black Alabamians who under that precedent have had their electoral power diminished — in violation of a law this Court once knew to buttress all of American democracy," she wrote.

In past years, the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 required states with a history of racial discrimination to seek permission from the Justice Department or a federal court before new political maps could take effect. But the Supreme Court did away with that requirement in 2013.

With a six conservatives on the Court, decisions go in their favor.

This year’s round of redistricting is now underway with no obligation for states to seek pre-clearance. In the past, they had to justify their changes in advance, but new boundaries will now take effect unless blocked by the courts in response to lawsuits. 

The 2020 census showed Alabama's Black population rising by about 4 percent while the white population dropped about 2 percent. Blacks account for just over a quarter of the state’s total population but have a voting majority in only one of its seven congressional districts.

In drawing Alabama’s new map, the Republican-controlled legislature maintained a single district in which Black voters are the majority — the seventh, which includes Birmingham and several counties along the state’s western border. In response to lawsuits, a panel of three federal judges said the map should add a second district “in which Black voters comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it.”

The panel, which included one judge appointed by Bill Clinton and two appointed by Donald Trump, said Black voters had less opportunity to elect their candidates of their choice to Congress.

An emergency application to the Supreme Court filed by Alabama Republican officials said drawing two minority districts would actually force the state to violate federal law. 

“It will result in a map that can be drawn only by placing race first above race-neutral districting criterial, sorting and splitting voters across the state on the basis of race alone," they said.

They urged the court to act quickly, with absentee voting set to begin in just over two months and in-person voting to follow on May 24. 

“Any eleventh hour change to a state’s existing to a state’s existing districts would require reassignment of hundreds of thousands of voters,” they said.

We Got 40 Republicans Running For Something! We Are The Party Of Blacks!

Washed Up 45 and Karen Donalds (left), a U.S. House member.

Stuck on stupid. The Republican Party is the party of white nationalism. It is wrapped in misinformation and culture wars.

We currently have a record number of Black Republicans running for office and winning at all levels.

Over 40 Black Republicans are running in GOP primaries for both local and federal office. #BlackHistoryMonth

— GOP (@GOP) February 6, 2022

"We currently have a record number of Black Republicans running for office and winning at all levels. Over 40 Black Republicans are running in GOP primaries for both local and federal office. #BlackHistoryMonth."

The very party that opposed the first Black president. Barack Obama is the first African American president. He was nominated twice by the Democratic Party and elected twice by the American people. He won the electoral college and popular vote. He is the only African American to be president.

The same party that opposes the current vice president who is a Black woman. Kamala Harris is the current Vice President of the United States. She is the first woman to become the vice president and first African American to be vice president. She was nominated as a Democrat. Previously, she was the first Black U.S. senator from California.

About 245,000 Blacks vote Republican.

The same party that opposes the current president's Supreme Court nominee who is a Black woman. President Joe Biden is expected to pick an African American woman as his pick. He will pick a federal judge as his Supreme Court nominee. The Republicans will oppose it.

The same party that wants to making voting harder for people of color. 

The same party that wants to ban the teaching of critical race theory and ban books that tell the dark truth of America.

So the Republican National Committee is saying that 40 African Americans are running for local and federal office. Of the thousands of elected offices, only a mere 40 Black Republicans. So 40 out of over 7,500 officials around the country isn't exactly the best number. In fact, it's just .533% of all GOP candidates who are Black, according to those numbers.

That is less than 0.01% of the U.S. voting electorate. I mean that's really bad.

There is just one Black Republican senator and two Black US representatives in Congress.

And their constituency is just as homogeneous. Around the country, the GOP is mostly white, and includes a majority of non-college educated white people and rural Southerners.

The Republican Party is mostly 89% white, 6% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% African American and 1% Native American.

The Convoy Of Hate!

Freedumb Convoy.

The national capital of Canada faces its own insurrection. The Canadian government blames Washed Up 45 and Fox for the "Truckers for Freedom" protests.

The so-called "Freedom Convoys" have become a theme in Canada and it will spread into the United States.

The city of Ottawa, Ontario is under siege by a bunch of fringe extremists who oppose the vaccine mandates in Canada. The extremists are supportive of the former American president who spent years promoting misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has dismissed this as political extremism and the provincial government and city have declared a state of emergency.

We are on the road to fascism. 

Ottawa is the national capital of Canada. It is located the eastern part of Southern Ontario. It has a population of 1.02 million residents. It is the fourth largest city in the country. The Ottawa-Gratineau metropolitan area has 2.4 million residents. 

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario.

It started only three weeks ago when a social media posting encouraged by truckers who refused to get vaccinated. By federal law, any Canadian traveling cross borders must be fully vaccinated before entry. The Canadians also made it mandatory for Americans to be vaccinated before entry into Canada. Refusal will deny entry.

Canadian truckers who embraced the themes of Jan. 6 have now decided to protest Trudeau and federal government. Some fear they may attack Parliament.

The convoys have been loud. They are literally honking their horns and keeping Ottawans awake. They are flying the Confederate flag, Trump flag and Let's Go Brandon propaganda in Canada. It's a shameful event that many of these far-right Canadians are fucking stupid.

Fox has been promoting these convoys and it has put on white nationalists on to literally attack Trudeau and President Joe Biden.

Ottawa declared a state of emergency on Sunday in response to thousands turning out for a second weekend of demonstrations against COVID-19 public health measures, blocking roads and disrupting parts of the capital city. 

The coronavirus pandemic is still here despite the protest.

The Washington Post reported that the protests included road blockades, shooting off fireworks, driving on sidewalks and constant horn-honking by truckers.

"Declaring a state of emergency reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government," the city said in its press release announcing Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson's decision.

Police added that tickets had been issued over the weekend for behavior including using fireworks and driving violations, some of which resulted in vehicles being seized and towed. 

The Ottawa Police Department also issued a statement on Sunday about the disruptive nature of the protests."Overnight, demonstrators exhibited extremely disruptive and unlawful behaviour, which presented risks to public safety and unacceptable distress for Ottawa residents," police said. "We continue to advise demonstrators not to enter Ottawa, and to go home."

But since then, the protests have spread to cites around the country, while also drawing a "significant element" from the U.S. and have prompted “several criminal investigations” into “threatening” and “illegal,” according to Canadian police.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance said last week that many people at the protests, which had turned into a broader demonstration against COVID restrictions, “do not have a connection to the trucking industry."

Ottawa said its emergency declaration would allow for "greater flexibility within the municipal administration to enable the City of Ottawa to manage business continuity for essential services for its residents and enables a more flexible procurement process, which could help purchase equipment required by frontline workers and first responders." 

The coronavirus doesn't care about your age, race, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, politics, economic or social standings. It doesn't care about your business, your performances, your personal finances and travel. It doesn't care about the funerals, the birthday parties, the weddings, the vacations, the events and your graduations. It doesn't care about anything. It's a living organism that causes mild symptoms that include: fever, sore throats, chills, respiratory issues, loss of taste or smell and other unknown symptoms. If you have a weak immune system or health issues, your risk increases.

Of course, there's folks who are fully vaccinated but end up getting the coronavirus. As with vaccines, nothing is 100%. The vaccines are capable of preventing the coronavirus. At best, it's a 94% prevention rate which means 1 out of 500 could be infected even if they're vaccinated.

President Joe Biden had hopes that Americans would take this shit seriously. Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had thought Canadians would take this shit seriously.

Unfortunately, Republicans so fucking eager to return to power will keep Americans fixated on the culture wars. Now vaccinations are part of this culture war. The far-right political parties of Canada will now use American angst and culture wars to win back power as well.

But those fighting the culture war by not vaccinating, not wearing face mask in public, not following protocols, and deliberately ignoring federal and international rules when traveling are going to be the first casualties of the war. 

With this pandemic mostly affecting states where Republican governors are, we may have to return to wearing facial protection and cutting back services to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

We came so far only to have a bunch of selfish idiots set it back. Just because they hate President Joe Biden.

The Republicans are so devoted to destroying Biden and the country for what....to regain power.

Pathetic.

Republicans Call 1/6 A Legitimate Political Discourse!

So what, [the Capitol riots] was a legitimate political discourse.

The culture wars and misinformation continues to plague the Grand Ole Party (known as the Republican Party). It used to be the party of common sense.

More platitudes and morally bankrupt rhetoric from the political party of the white nationalist.

Karen Romney McDaniel and the Republican chairs of the 50 states, five territories and District of Columbia have called the insurrection on American democracy, legitmate political discourse. 

It completely voids the dangerous mob that threatened to kill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former vice president Karen R. Pence. The mob seemed poised to destroy the electoral college. They wanted to violently capture lawmakers who spurned Washed Up 45. They defaced, defecated and tore up historical artifacts. They literally flew a Confederate flag in the halls of the U.S. Capitol. They attacked police officers with bear spray, tasers, batons, bats and chains. They posted their crimes on social media thinking that this was their moment to take back their country and fight for their president.

The Republicans completely tell the world they don't support the election results. They literally are saying that President Joe Biden is not legitimate. They are selling "Let's Go Brandon" nonsense on their official website.

This was not a legitimate political discourse.

McDaniel said the select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol is a "Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse."

McDaniel made the remarks about the committee in a joint interview with The Washington Post alongside Karen Bossie, a fellow RNC official and former Washed Up 45 campaign aide, with whom she co-authored a resolution to censure Republican Reps. Karen Cheney of Wyoming and Karen Kinzinger of Illinois over their participation in the congressional committee.

"We've had two members engage in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse. This has gone beyond their original intent. They are not sticking up for hard-working Republicans," McDaniel said.

Her comments mirrored language in the censure resolution itself, which accuses Kinzinger and Cheney of "sabotage" and says the duo are "utilizing their past professed political affiliation to mask Democrat abuse of prosecutorial power for partisan purposes."

That measure, which says the RNC will "cease any and all support" for the two Republicans, easily passed the party's resolutions committee on Thursday, and is expected to be approved on Friday at the RNC meeting in Salt Lake City. 

"This isn't a top-down situation. The members have shown tremendous support for this," McDaniel told the Post. She also said it was the first time she was aware of the party censuring a member of Congress.

This was a seditious act.

Given the violent nature of the January 6 attack on the Capitol — several people, including both rioters and officers, died that day and at least 768 people have been charged for their participation — it was unclear what exactly McDaniel was referring to by "legitimate political discourse," and an RNC spokesperson did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

However, the Post reported that McDaniel took particular issue after an "elderly, recently widowed friend of hers" received a subpoena from the committee for serving as an alternate, pro-Trump elector in 2020.

The Post also reported that GOP officials in Wyoming struck a deal with the national party to financially support Karen Hageman, a former RNC committeewoman who's been endorsed by Trump, in her primary against Cheney this year.

That letter officially recognizes Hageman as the presumptive nominee Cheney's seat, even though the primary won't take place until August.

What Happened To Amir Locke?

A no-knock warrant led to the death of Amir Locke.

What happens when someone breaks down your door and you the homeowner have the right to shoot the intruder... but the intruder fires back and they failed to say they are the police. The homeowner is dead and the police are safe. So what happened when the subject is dead and they realize they went into the wrong house?

Amir Locke becomes the latest victim of the Minneapolis Police. Nearly two years since the George Floyd murder, the city has focused on changing the narrative. Only months after convicting the dirty Brooklyn Center cop who killed Daunte Wright. Now another person in the Twin Cities is killed by the police and the nation is talking.

Be warned there is graphic images and video.

As #BreonnaTaylor showed us, no-knock warrants have deadly consequences for innocent law-abiding Black people! @MinneapolisPD executed a no-knock warrant yesterday at 6:48am, killing Amir Locke while he was wrapped in a blanket on the couch. Now we demand #JusticeForAmirLocke!! pic.twitter.com/FLKqR0eszP

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) February 4, 2022

Press conference gets shut down at first difficult question. pic.twitter.com/nbRCGhjEuM

— Hamish too. (@AbolishNz) February 4, 2022

Who was Amir Locke? His dad described him as an entrepreneur, a change-maker, and a law-abiding citizen. Amir did everything RIGHT, yet he was still unjustifiably killed by Minneapolis PD! #JusticeForAmirLocke pic.twitter.com/WTAqRZPDic

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) February 5, 2022

“When they put the narrative out there that he was a murder…I couldn’t. I couldn’t.” Says Andre Locke, Amir Locke’s father. pic.twitter.com/TNEsZdNaPz

— Sergio Olmos (@MrOlmos) February 5, 2022

The controversial no-knock warrant only leads to death for either party. The person or the police. 

Locke was sleeping when the Minneapolis Police SWAT team entered the home on a no-knock warrant.

Within seconds, the law put him down as soon as he rolled out his firearm.

He was sleeping on the couch.

The 22-year-old Black man, was fatally shot on February 2, 2022, by the Minneapolis Police Department, in the U.S. city of Minneapolis. A police SWAT officer shot Locke inside a resident unit of an apartment building while executing a no-knock warrant during a homicide investigation. The conduct of the police officers, and justification for the shooting, are under review.

At about 7:00 a.m. on February 2, 2022, police officers unlocked and opened the door to an apartment in downtown Minneapolis pursuant to a no-knock warrant. Mark Hanneman had been a police officer in Minneapolis since 2015. He is a member of the Minneapolis Police Department SWAT team. Prior to working with the police department, Hanneman was employed as a police officer in Hutchinson, Minnesota, starting in 2010.

Police body camera footage reviewed by reporters "showed several officers quickly rushing into the apartment at the same time they announced their presence", according to The Washington Post, while interim Minneapolis police chief Amelia Huffman stated officers "loudly and repeatedly announced police search warrant before crossing the threshold into the apartment" and then later encouraged people to "make their own assessment" of the footage. Police body camera footage shows Locke was lying on a couch while wrapped in a blanket.

Locke sat up and turned toward the officers while holding a gun. He was then shot twice in the chest and once in the wrist by Hanneman. The shooting occurred at approximately 6:48 a.m., nine seconds after police entered the apartment.

Lock was treated at the scene and transported to Hennepin Healthcare, where emergency medics determined that Locke did not have a pulse, pronouncing him dead at 7:01 a.m.

Interim Minneapolis police chief Amelia Huffman stated that both a knock and no-knock warrant were obtained as part of a St. Paul Police Department homicide investigation so that the SWAT team could make its best assessment. Several suspects were named in the investigation, though Locke was not named in the original warrant. Huffman said it was "unclear" if Locke was connected to the St. Paul investigation. Body camera footage was released to the public after Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and members of the Minnesota House of Representatives called for the immediate release of the footage. 

Amir Locke's parents demand justice.

Based on the footage, Huffman stated that "the officer had to make a split-second decision to assess the circumstances" and to determine an appropriate course of action to protect himself and other officers.

Huffman also stated, "Ultimately, that decision of whether that threshold was met will be examined by the county attorney’s office that reviews this case."

Attorney general of Minnesota Keith Ellison announced his office will work with the Hennepin County attorney's office in its review, stating, "Amir Locke's life mattered."

A man listed on the search warrant, who court records show was living in the apartment, had threatened officers during a 2018 arrest. Apparently, they're going to play "Well he shouldn't be there in the first place" excuse. They are going to justify the shooting by saying that he was in the suspect's home and he had a gun. Again, it appears that Black people having lawful rights to own firearms to protect themselves is illegal in the minds of cops, Republicans and conservative agitators.

Will protesting change policies?

Yes

No

Every community in the United States will eventually have a legacy. A legacy of tragedy. Gun violence and COVID-19 will affect your town, your family and your life. So I don't want to hear that bullshit about how gun reform is taking away your rights to own firearms. 

I don't want to hear that protesting against police killing people of color is hate on cops in general. I don't want to hear talk about the coronavirus being a myth. When you hear folks say "gun rights," what they really mean is that its white privilege. 

I don't want to hear folks say masks and vaccine mandates impede their freedoms. It prevents a deadly outbreak from spreading. If you want to die from the coronavirus, that's on you.

I don't want to hear the shit about guns saving lives. Cause a bullet does not have eyes and it's always likely gonna hit a target. These folks seem to not get it. These incidents are a tragic part of American history.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those who were killed in the line of duty. Those who don't get their names mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

GUN VIOLENCE IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES!

TDott Woo Passed Away!

A rising rapper named TDott Woo passed away from a fatal shooting.

A rapper closely affiliated with Pop Smoke has passed away. The young Brooklyn rapper was fatally shot in the neighborhood where he grew up on Tuesday afternoon shortly after signing to a record label.

TDott Woo, 22 was an artist, rapper and dancer. His real name was Tahjah Dobson. He was struck in the head and left knee in a drive-by shooting on Avenue L near East 98th Street in Canarsie around 2pm.

Woo was friends with slain rapper Pop Smoke. 

Pop Smoke was shot and killed by four terrorist in Los Angeles. Shortly after filming for Eddie Haung's movie Boogie, the rapper was inside an ArB home. He shared his location and the terrorist pinpointed his location. While with his bodyguard and a young woman, the terrorist ambushed them. Pop put up a fight and was shot multiple times before collapsing.

The suspects are being charged as adults and they face LIFE in the iron college if convicted.

Woo signed a deal with Million Dollar Music, the label that Pop was signed to.

The young rapper was taken to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.

The label described TDott Woo as a "rising star" and said "he rose to prominence for his 'Woo Walk' from a community whose drill music has and continues to electrify the world."

He "has multiple video credits under his belt, but [TDott Woo's] ability to dance which speaks volumes," said the label.

His record label celebrated the young rapper's life in a social media post on Wednesday.

"It's an honor to remain your friend until your last moments," the label wrote. "Your memory will always stay with us no matter where we go & what we do."

Sources believe that the killer was inside a dark SUV. No arrest were made in this case. If caught, the suspect will face first degree murder, intentional homicide, reckless discharge of a firearm and inducing panic. The charges carry LIFE in the iron college.

Every community in the United States will eventually have a legacy. A legacy of tragedy. Gun violence and COVID-19 will affect your town, your family and your life. So I don't want to hear that bullshit about how gun reform is taking away your rights to own firearms. 

I don't want to hear that protesting against police killing people of color is hate on cops in general. I don't want to hear talk about the coronavirus being a myth. When you hear folks say "gun rights," what they really mean is that its white privilege. 

I don't want to hear folks say masks and vaccine mandates impede their freedoms. It prevents a deadly outbreak from spreading. If you want to die from the coronavirus, that's on you.

I don't want to hear the shit about guns saving lives. Cause a bullet does not have eyes and it's always likely gonna hit a target. These folks seem to not get it. These incidents are a tragic part of American history.

The website Officer Down is a memorial to those who were killed in the line of duty. Those who don't get their names mentioned in the junk food media. Also the website the National Gun Violence Memorial also keeps record of the many individuals killed by gun violence. 

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deaf and hard of hearing can contact the Lifeline via TTY at 1-800-799-4889. All calls are confidential. Contact social media outlets directly if you are concerned about a friend’s social media updates or dial 911 in an emergency. Learn more on the Lifeline’s website or the Crisis Text Line’s website.

GUN VIOLENCE IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES!