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@Kareem I remember someone said something like this government needs to be overhauled. I think it was Colin Kaepernick. Yeah. Exactly. Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! @Troy I, at once, believed this, but oh no, she is not 'a lesser of two evils', her camp is just as bad. I read where, she lived and worked around Black males--prisoners [?] and they were male servants, in the govenors house and it was later deemed as slavery--free labor. Then, about a month before elections, in Haiti, a major portest broke out, and the Haitians were protesting at the embassy due to Hilary and Bill, and it had to do with certain issues, one of which was being severely underpaid and another had to do with funds not going to relief of the hurricane. I don't understand it all, but I have heard enough to know something is wrong. Thank you!!!!!!! I am not going to support homosexual-pediphilia. That was a horrible agenda and I am still angry about that! @Troy Good question, I will think about this. I know @Delano is not here in America right now, but I wonder what he would say. @Kareem There you go!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!

News. Says. Rapper. Jay-Z s. Teaming. Up With. The. NFL For. Social-Justice. And. Music. 3- Years. Ago. When. Quarterback. Colin-Kaepernick Begin. Kneeling. Down.. News. Talkers. Say. Jay-Z. Could,Stake Ownership In A Team...NFL Putting Millions In Social-Justice. NFL Owners Support Trump,After Charlottesville...NFL Millions Will Be In Wallets Of Crooks,Political And Preachers. . Who Will Get Black Votes.? Democrats In Churches Or Talking With Preachers. Black Political,Preachers,Overseers ,Of. Black. Votes... NFL-Will. Not. Talk. About. Trump. A. Evil. Racist. Man,Neo. Nazi. In. Military ,Police. Uniforms. Jay-Z. Will. Not. Talk. About. Preacher's. Murdering. Their. Wives,Stealing. Money. For. Cars. ,Preachers. With. Prostitutes,,Street. Gangs. Are. Domestic. Terror. Like. The. neo Nazi,Black. Genocide. By. Black. People.....

So I guess mulattos like Colin Kaepernick and Aeshya Curry are going to be among the new spokesperson's for AfroAmerican issues. Or better yet.....the KARDASHIANS can also be spokespersons! When it comes to AfroAmerican isssues, Trump seems to be paying more attention to and granting favors for KIM KARDASHIAN than even Kanye, Jim Brown, Steve Harvey or any other AfroAmerican jockying for his attention.

EAST AFRICA: ETHIOPIA & ERITREA Honors the Memory of Murdered LA Rapper Ermias Joseph "Nipsey Hussle" Ashghedon Africa News.com He was an icon: Ethiopians pay tribute to Eritrean-American rapper Nipsey Hussle Ethiopians held an emotional farewell, reciting poems and delivering moving speeches in honour of murdered rapper Nipsey Hussle, whose roots in neighbouring Eritrea won him admirers in both countries. …Nipsey eulogised At the Saturday evening memorial in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, Hussle was remembered as a rare entertainer who bridged his American upbringing with his roots in the Horn of Africa. … “It’s just really tragic what happened,” said Tezeta Solomon, an Ethiopian living in Los Angeles who attended the memorial in Addis Ababa. …The crowd of hundreds gathered in the parking lot observed a moment of silence for the slain rapper, who was 33. Then by the light of candle-like sticks known as twafs held by attendees, speakers came onto a stage erected before the crowd to eulogise Hussle and read poems in his honour. Mural in Ethiopia https://www.africanews.com/2019/04/08/he-was-an-icon-for-us-ethiopians-pay-tribute-to-eritrean-american-rapper-nipsey/ Other News Reports LA TIMES According to initial reports, a young man opened fire on Hussle at close range before scrambling to a getaway car. The L.A. County coroner said Monday that Hussle, 33, whose legal name was Ermias Joseph Asghedom, died of gunshot wounds to the head and torso. He was pronounced dead at a hospital at 3:55 p.m. Two others were wounded in the shooting. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-nipsey-hussle-shooting-investigation-20190402-story.html New York Times Nipsey Hussle, born Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was remembered by city officials on Tuesday as a gifted artist and passionate advocate for the South Los Angeles community in which he was raised. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/us/nipsey-hussle-eric-holder.html CBS NEWS Hussle, whose real name was Ermias Joseph Asghedom, was shot to death in front of Marathon Clothing, the South Los Angeles store he founded in 2017. Two other men were wounded in the shooting. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rapper-nipsey-hussle-memorialized-in-los-angeles-murals/ Tweets Colin Kaepernick‏Verified account @Kaepernick7 FollowFollow @Kaepernick7 More This is so painful! @NipseyHussle was doing great work for the people. Keep his legacy alive by carrying on his work! Sending love to his family. Rest in Power King Rhianna‏Verified account @rihanna FollowFollow @rihanna More This doesn’t make any sense! My spirit is shaken by this! Dear God may His spirit Rest In Peace and May You grant divine comfort to all his loved ones! I’m so sorry this happened to you @nipseyhussle .. Hussle was a visible at sports events, especially NBA games. “So so SAD man!!” Lakers star LeBron James tweeted. “DAMN man this hurt.” On Instagram, he added: “Just spoke with you the other day on text bro! Telling you how proud I was of you and how I was gone get you to more Laker games next season. Been A Stand Up dude from Day 1. May you rest in PARADISE Young King This One Hurts Big Time!” https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/04/01/this-is-so-painful-colin-kaepernick-lebron-james-stephen-curry-death-rapper-nipsey-hussle/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c6c1d49bb140 Ice Cube‏Verified account @icecube FollowFollow @icecube More Sad, mad and disappointed about my guy @NipseyHussle 6:36 PM - 31 Mar 2019 Other Murals The Grammy-nominated rapper is being remembered not just for his music but for his deep community involvement and activism. He had planned to meet with Los Angeles Police Department officials to discuss ways to fight gang violence in the city. The murals have popped up all week following Hussle's death. One of the murals includes Lakers star LeBron James and rap legends Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rapper-nipsey-hussle-memorialized-in-los-angeles-murals/ New Times Report “He was working closely with the city to help save lives and transform lives, even as he was doing that for himself,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said at the news conference. “He was a tireless advocate for the young people of this city and of this world, to lift them up with the possibility of not being imprisoned by where you come from or past mistakes.” The rapper was scheduled to meet on Monday afternoon with representatives from Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s entertainment company, and police officials to discuss how the community could support efforts to stop gang violence and help children in the area. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/us/nipsey-hussle-eric-holder.html LA TIMES Report Hussle performed with rappers from rival gangs, including YG and Joe Moses. Hussle noted that Moses was from the Van Ness Gangsters, a Bloods gang whose turf was nearby and which Hussle described as "one of our worst enemy 'hoods." "Hating [someone] just because of where he grew up and where his momma pays rent — we're trying to get above that and move beyond that," Hussle said in the 2009 streetgangs.com interview. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-nipsey-hussle-shooting-investigation-20190402-story.html New York Times Reports …Chief Moore later added that Mr. Holder was thought to be a member of a gang, but that the police did not believe the shooting was related to gang rivalries. Mr. Holder was arrested later on Tuesday. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/us/nipsey-hussle-eric-holder.html ** I also read that Nipsey Hussle was also launched programs for STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. He use his funds to try and build his community. Gosh, May He RIP.

@Pioneer1What you claim is more blurred than clear. Lesbianism isn't being pushed specifically onto the black community by feminists. Another figment of your rampant imagination along with your paranoid delusions about the media suddenly promoting black women over black men. This is not a recent occurrence, and certainly not a priority of a white media preoccupied by the ominous specter of Trumpism. Going out of its way to favor black women over black men is not high on the to-do list of a media that is the voice of a white America so polarized that the prospect of civil unrest has become a real possibility. Who really cares about a contest between black males and females when the country is in turmoil? You also assume that all a black woman has to do is decide that she wants to hook up with white men and it's a done deal. As if black women can easily compete equally with white women and those of other ethnicities. Unless they are high profile celebrities, they can't, which is why the majority of them have never given up on finding their black "Mr. Right". The white media isn't promoting black women. What is the advantage of doing this? It's not like black men pose a genuine threat. It is simply reporting what independent black women are doing and have always done. Why? Because this is interesting OpEd material. Moreover, because you are so fixated on the idea of black women being so overwhelmed by powerful white men that they have abandoned black men, what needs to be brought to your attention is that a black man named Barack Obama who was flushed with credentials, including a respectable reputation as a husband and father, ascended to the highest office in the land, enabled and empowered by black women and the media. Sistas remained loyal to him through out his presidency. Yet who were, and still are, among Obama's harshest critics? Other black men. Sniping and grumbling about the job he was doing. calling him a sell-out, reluctant now to give him credit for any accomplishments, as the crabs in a barrel syndrome is still going on. Here on this board, all the black female posters supported Colin Kaepernick taking a knee. And what were you doing? Pooh-poohing Colin, opting to grumble about Bill Cosby being a victim, luke warm about condemning the likes of RKelly and Jussie Smolette. Puleeze.

In my January 26th newsletter, I highlight some of the Black writers and illustrators who have been recognized by the awards below. ------------------------------------- For Immediate Release Mon, 01/25/2021 Contact: Macey Morales Deputy Director Communications and Marketing Office American Library Association (312) 280-4393 mmorales@ala.org CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits taking place virtually from Chicago. A list of all the 2021 award winners follows: John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature: “When You Trap a Tiger,” written by Tae Keller, is the 2021 Newbery Medal winner. The book is published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. Five Newbery Honor Books also were named: “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; “BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom,” written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Michele Wood and published by Candlewick Press; “Fighting Words,” written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House; “We Dream of Space,” written by Erin Entrada Kelly, illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly and Celia Krampien and published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “A Wish in the Dark,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press. Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children: “We Are Water Protectors,” illustrated by Michaela Goade is the 2021 Caldecott Medal winner. The book was written by Carole Lindstrom and published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings. Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named: “A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart,” illustrated by Noa Denmon, written by Zetta Elliott and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group; “The Cat Man of Aleppo,” illustrated by Yuko Shimizu, written by Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha and published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House; “Me & Mama,” illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera and published by Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; and “Outside In,” illustrated by Cindy Derby, written by Deborah Underwood and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Coretta Scott King Book Awards recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults: Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award: “Before the Ever After,” written by Jacqueline Woodson, is the King Author Book winner. The book is published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Three King Author Honor Books were selected: “All the Days Past, All the Days to Come,” written by Mildred D. Taylor, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC; “King and the Dragonflies,” written by Kacen Callender, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.; and “Lifting as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box,” written by Evette Dionne, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul,” illustrated by Frank Morrison, is the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book winner. The book is written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division. Three King Illustrator Honor Books were selected: “Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration,” illustrated by Kaylani Juanita, written by Samara Cole Doyon and published by Tilbury House Publishers; “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, written by Suzanne Slade and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS; and “Me & Mama,” illustrated and written by Cozbi A. Cabrera and published by Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award: “Legendborn,” written by Tracy Deonn, is the Steptoe author award winner. The book is published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division. Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement: Dorothy L. Guthrie is the winner of the Coretta Scott King – Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The award pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. Dorothy L. Guthrie is an award-winning retired librarian, district administrator, author and school board member. A respected children’s literature advocate, Guthrie promotes and affirms the rich perspectives of African Americans. Her work, “Integrating African American Literature in the Library and Classroom,” inspires educators with African American literature. Guthrie founded the first African American museum in her home, Gaston County, North Carolina. Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: “Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story),” by Daniel Nayeri, is the 2021 Printz Award winner. The book is published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido. Four Printz Honor Books also were named: “Apple (Skin to the Core),” by Eric Gansworth and published by Arthur A. Levine, an imprint of Levine Querido; “Dragon Hoops,” created by Gene Luen Yang, color by Lark Pien and published by First Second Books, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; “Every Body Looking,” by Candice Iloh and published by Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House; and “We Are Not Free,” by Traci Chee and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the disability experience: “I Talk Like a River,” written by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith and published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, wins the award for young children (ages 0 to 10). Two honor books for young children were selected: “All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything,” written by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali and published by Sourcebooks eXplore, an imprint of Sourcebook Kids, and “Itzhak: A Boy who Loved the Violin,” written by Tracy Newman, illustrated by Abigail Halpin and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams. “Show Me a Sign,” written by Ann Clare LeZotte and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., is the winner for middle grades (ages 11-13). Two honor books for middle grades were selected: “Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!,” written by Sarah Kapit and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, and “When Stars Are Scattered,” written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, illustrated by Victoria Jamieson, color by Iman Geddy and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. “This Is My Brain in Love,” written by I.W. Gregorio and published by Little Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, is the winner for teens (ages 13-18). No honor book for teens was selected. Alex Awards for the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences: “Black Sun,” by Rebecca Roanhorse, published by Saga Press/Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster “The House in the Cerulean Sea,” by TJ Klune, published by Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan “The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice - Crossing Antarctica Alone,” by Colin O’Brady, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster “Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio,” by Derf Backderf, published by Abrams Comicarts “The Kids Are Gonna Ask,” by Gretchen Anthony, published by Park Row Books, an imprint of Harlequin, a division of HarperCollins Publishers “The Only Good Indians,” by Stephen Graham Jones, published by Saga Press/Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster “Plain Bad Heroines,” by emily m. danforth, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins “Riot Baby,” by Tochi Onyebuchi, published by Tordotcom, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, a division of Macmillan “Solutions and Other Problems,” by Allie Brosh, published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster “We Ride Upon Sticks: A Novel,” by Quan Barry, published by Pantheon Books, a division of Penguin Random House Children’s Literature Legacy Award honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children through books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children’s lives and experiences. The 2021 winner is Mildred D. Taylor, whose award-winning works include "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,” the 1977 Newbery Medal winner and a Coretta Scott King (CSK) Author honor; "The Land," the 2002 CSK Author Award winner; "The Road to Memphis," the 1991 CSK Author Award winner; “All the Days Past, All the Days to Come”; and “The Gold Cadillac,” among other titles. Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults: The 2021 winner is Kekla Magoon. Her books include: “X: A Novel,” co-written by Ilyasah Shabazz and published by Candlewick Press; “How It Went Down,” published by Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; “The Rock and the River” and “Fire in the Streets,” both published by Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States: “Telephone Tales” is the 2021 Batchelder Award winner. Originally published in Italian as “Favole al telefono,” the book was written by Gianni Rodari, illustrated by Valerio Vidali, translated by Antony Shugaar and published by Enchanted Lion Books. One Honor Book also was selected: “Catherine’s War,” published by HarperAlley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, written by Julia Billet, illustrated by Claire Fauvel and translated from French by Ivanka Hahnenberger. Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States: “Kent State,” produced by Paul R. Gagne for Scholastic Audio, is the 2021 Odyssey Award winner. The book is written by Deborah Wiles and narrated by Christopher Gebauer, Lauren Ezzo, Christina DeLaine, Johnny Heller, Roger Wayne, Korey Jackson, and David de Vries. Four Odyssey Honor Audiobooks also were selected: “Clap When You Land,” produced by Caitlin Garing for HarperAudio, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, written by Elizabeth Acevedo and narrated by Elizabeth Acevedo and Melania-Luisa Marte; “Fighting Words,” produced by Karen Dziekonski for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio, written by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and narrated by Bahni Turpin; “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” produced by Robert Van Kolken for Hachette Audio, written by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi and narrated by Jason Reynolds with an introduction by Ibram X. Kendi; and “When Stars Are Scattered,” produced by Kelly Gildea & Julie Wilson for Listening Library, an imprint of Penguin Random House Audio, written by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed and narrated by Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdi and a full cast. Pura Belpré Awards honoring a Latinx writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience: “¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat,” illustrated and written by Raúl Gonzalez, is the Belpré Illustrator Award winner. The book was published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. One Belpré Illustrator Honor Book was named: “Sharuko: El Arqueólogo Peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello,” illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, written by Monica Brown and published by Children’s Book Press, an imprint of Lee & Low Books, Inc. "Efrén Divided,” written by Ernesto Cisneros, is the Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award winner. The book is published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Two Belpré Children’s Author Honor Books were named: "The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez," written by Adrianna Cuevas and published by Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, and "Lupe Wong Won’t Dance," written by Donna Barba Higuera and published by Levine Querido. "Furia,” written by Yamile Saied Méndez, is the Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Award winner. The book is published by Algonquin Young Readers, an imprint of Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. Two Belpré Young Adult Author Honor Books were named: "Never Look Back," written by Lilliam Rivera and published by Bloomsbury YA, and "We Are Not from Here," written by Jenny Torres Sanchez and published by Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children: “Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera,” written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann, is the Sibert Award winner. The book is published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House. Three Sibert Honor Books were named: “How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure,” written and illustrated by John Rocco, published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks,” written by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS; and “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat, published by Candlewick Press. The Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award is given to a digital media producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience. The 2021 Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award winner is “The Imagine Neighborhood,” produced by Committee for Children. One honor title was named: “Sesame Street Family Play: Caring for Each Other,” produced by Sesame Workshop. Stonewall Book Award - Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience: “We Are Little Feminists: Families,” written by Archaa Shrivastav, designed by Lindsey Blakely and published by Little Feminist, is the 2021 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award. Four Honor Books were selected: “Beetle & The Hollowbones,” illustrated and written by Aliza Layne and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division; “Darius the Great Deserves Better,” written by Adib Khorram and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC; “Felix Ever After,” written by Kacen Callender and published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; and “You Should See Me in a Crown,” written by Leah Johnson and published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book is “See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog,” written by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka and published by Candlewick Press. Four Geisel Honor Books were named: “The Bear in My Family,” written and illustrated by Maya Tatsukawa and published by Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House; “Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom!” written by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata and published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers; “"What About Worms!?” written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins and published by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group; and “Where’s Baby?” written and illustrated by Anne Hunter and published by Tundra Books of Northern New York, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, a Penguin Random House Company. William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens: “If These Wings Could Fly,” written by Kyrie McCauley, is the 2021 Morris Award winner. The book is published by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. Four other books were finalists for the award: “Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard,” written by Echo Brown and published by Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; “The Black Kids,” written by Christina Hammonds Reed and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; “It Sounded Better in My Head,” written by Nina Kenwood and published by Flatiron Books, Macmillan Publishers; and “Woven in Moonlight,” written by Isabel Ibañez and published by Page Street Publishing. YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: “The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh,” written by Candace Fleming, is the 2021 Excellence winner. The book is published by Schwartz and Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. Four other books were finalis ts for the award: “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team,” written by Christina Soontornvat and published by Candlewick Press; “The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival,” written by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess with Laura L. Sullivan and published by Bloomsbury YA; “How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure,” written and illustrated by John Rocco and published by Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House; and “You Call This Democracy?: How to Fix Our Democracy and Deliver Power to the People,” written by Elizabeth Rusch and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. The award promotes Asian/Pacific American culture and heritage and is awarded based on literary and artistic merit. The award offers three youth categories including Picture Book, Children’s Literature and Youth Literature. The award is administered by the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), an affiliate of the American Library Association. This year’s winners include: The Picture Book winner is “Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist,” written by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki and published by Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. The committee selected one Picture Book honor title: “Danbi Leads the School Parade,” written and illustrated by Anna Kim and published by Viking Children's Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. The Children’s Literature winner is “When You Trap a Tiger,” written by Tae Keller and published by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House. The committee selected one children’s literature honor title: “Prairie Lotus,” written by Linda Sue Park and published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The Youth Literature winner is “This Light Between Us,” written by Andrew Fukuda and published by Tor Teen. The committee selected one Youth Literature honor title: “Displacement,” written by Kiku Hughes and published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Presented since 1968 by the Association of Jewish Libraries, an affiliate of the American Library Association, the award encourages the publication and widespread use of quality Judaic literature. This year’s Gold Medalists include: in the Picture Book category, “Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail,” by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal and published by Charlesbridge; in the Middle Grades category, “Turtle Boy,” by M. Evan Wolkenstein and published by Delacorte Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC; and in the Young Adult category, “Dancing at the Pity Party,” written and illustrated by Tyler Feder and published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Sydney Taylor Book Award Silver Medalists include: in the Picture Book category, “I Am the Tree of Life: My Jewish Yoga Book,” by Mychal Copeland, illustrated by André Ceolin and published by Apples and Honey Press, an imprint of Behrman House, and “Miriam at the River,” by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Khoa Le and published by Kar-Ben Publishing, a division of Lerner Publishing Group; in the Middle Grades category, “No Vacancy,” by Tziporah Cohen and published by Groundwood Books; “Anya and the Nightingale,” by Sofiya Pasternack and published by Versify, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; and “The Blackbird Girls,” by Anne Blankman and published by Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House LLC; and in the Young Adult category, “They Went Left,” by Monica Hesse and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, ALA awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by judging committees of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work. For more information on the ALA youth media awards and notables, please visit www.ala.org/yma. ###

The "money game" IS the "white game" See Steve, and he said it himself, ain't trying to sacrifice himself or his family or the cause -- certainly not for Monique. What Steve describes as the "wrong way" is the way that would cause him some discomfort (i.e. potential loss of income). That is why Steve and the rests of them are very wealthy money and why a Monique, a Kaepernick, or any one of us can be shut down -- regardless of what other Black people say or think about it. Boycott?! Black folks have not successfully boycotted anything since Montgomery, over 60 years ago! That tactic is off the table because, like Steve, no one wants to sacrifice anything. No one will boycott Amazon because people want discounted books and free shipping -- who cares how many Black businesses are crippled in their wake. No one is boycotting Netflix to support Monique and more than they'd boycott the NFL to support Colin. Collectively, we are a relatively weak, powerless, dependent, group of people...sorry. Sure there are some individual successes, like Steve Harvey and others, but if Steve can't protect a fellow comedian, one he claims he "loves," what good is his success to anyone but himself?

i do defend black men when i agree with them. i never stopped taking up for Colin Kaepernick, unlike you. I had no reason to defend Cosby and his lecherous behavior. Black folks blew off whites who wanted Obama to distance himself from Reverend Jeremiah Wright's incendiary racial remarks during his campaign, but they observe a different standard when it comes to white folks who were products of their time before they later changed their views. This latest incident is another distraction that helps to fragment the Democratic party and it supplies ammunition for the Republicans. By the time 2020 rolls around, all of these Democratic candidates and the constant in-fighting will just hand the election to Trump. Unacceptable. This governor has learned his lesson by default and wouldn't dare to anything else to offend his black constituency. Plus it's now surfacing that the black lieutenant governor who would be in line to succeed him, is rumored to have been charged with sexual harassment. It's always something!

@Cynique This is still true although “Boule” in this context refers to the biennial meeting of my sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. “The Boule’ (Sigma Pi Phi) the organization of Black Elite Men is still strong today with an estimated 5000 members who contain some of the same Black men who have chaired or still sit on the boards of the largest corporations, serve in the U.S. Government ; executive level of the nation’s top universities such as Gregory Vincent https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-vincent-681232b/ The fraternities of the Divine Nine still have the same mission - Of course I’m not a member but last year an A phi A friend of mine called, seemingly, to make sure I’d put in a word with my Kappa baby-daddy because he wanted to host a party at my baby-daddy’ and his powerful attorney wife’s martha’s vineyard home for a New York political candidate. It happened. I’m a degree away from the “elites” and their power moves; but to be honest, I never felt comfortable in their world , choosing not to even marrying into it when the opportunity arose. @Troy Lawrence Otis Graham wrote a book on “Our Kind of People” and that book just scratched the surface of Old Money Black Elite... but it’s not fiction or old news. One of my best friends, I met at Tech, came from that world. She was kind of a rebel; graduating from Ethical Culture Fieldston School before attending and graduating Tech, from Mount Holyoke, and from Cornell with a JD/MBA. She was so “fancy” she opened a literary gallery in SoHo prominently featuring bchildren’s book black illustrators... I went to the opening it was fabulous! Never seen it duplicated. But I digress. That world exist and hasn’t lost its steam or exclusive membership. While not at the level of “The Boule” in political power, but in numbers, recently, the Kappas came out to support their frat Colin Kaepernick. These black men still congregate but maybe not to “chit chat” but with an social political and economic agenda. Anyway, to Delano’s comment I guess there’s no “fighting, egoism et al in the upper echelon of society because they’re the folks who throw away the scraps “we” fight over. @Delanoas for “Sweet, SweetBack, Badass Song” Director -I have no opinion but in the late 90s he told a reporter he didn’t have a PHd in Negrology and I’ve used that line ever since.

Dallas ,White. Police. Officer. Indicted. For. Murdering. Her. Black. Neighbor. She. Thought. His. House. Was. Her. House,Shot. And ,Killed,Him...White. Police. Officer. Found. Guilty Of Shooting, Murdering 15,Year old Black Boy. .Black Teenage Boys Left A,House. Party , White Police Officer Followed Them,Started ,Shooting. At The Boys Car. Killing One Of The Boys..In St. Louis,Missouri. White Police Indicted For Beating Up. A ,Undercover. Police Officer,Trying To Cover. It. Up. One. Of ,Them,Was. Found,, Not. Guilty. Of . Killing. A. Black. Man. Last. Year...Where. Is. Quarterback. Colin. Kaepernick ??Corrupt,Racist,White,Police..A. Black. Man. Claims. He. Murdered ,Over,90. People. He In. Prison. For. Murdering 3 Women......What,Is. Amazing. To. Me,The. Silence. Of Black. Police ..All. The. Innocent,Unarmed. Black. Makes. Being. Shot,Murdered. By. Racist,White. Police . Black. Police. Not. Saying. Anything. White,Police,Have. No. Fear. When. The Neo Nazi. Walk. Around,With,Guns... Kkk Have. Rifles. Terrorist. With. Guns...

Black. Males. Wearing. Hoodies. In. A. Mall. In. Memphis,Was Aressted,, Taking Out. Of ,The Mall. Because. They. We're. Wearing,I ,Think. Black. Hoodies. They. We're. Racially. Profiled. White. Females,Decided To Wear Hoodies Into The Same Mall. To See,What Would Happen,They Were Not Aressted. White And,Black,Protesting...Football Great Alan Page Was Given The,Medal Of Freedom Award By Trump. He Said He Was ,Surprised. He Said His Ancestors That Came In Slave Ships,Were,There. With. Him,James. Chaney ,And. The. 2,White. Men,Murdered. In. Mississippi Was. There,Girls. That. Was. Murdered,In,The. Bombed. Alabama. Church. Was. There. With. Him.A,White. Man. Begin. Shooting. At. A. Police. Officer,Bullet. Holes,In,Police. Car. They. Caught. Him. ALIVE!!! White. Man. Shooting,Bullets. In. The. Police. Officer. Car,Saw. On. The. News,Black,Man. Would. Have. Ben. Shot. Another. Example. Why,Colin. Kaepernick Was. Kneeling. Down..I. Think. Alan. Page,Is A,Judge. In. Minnesota....

The white woman who accused the black 9 year old of groping her, has gone online and issued an apology after viewing a security video which showed it was the boy's book bag which brushed up against her ass. The guy who fired his rifle at a fleeing black teenager who knocked on his door looking for directions, has been found guilty of attempted murder. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts has ordered several federal judges to investigate ethics complaints brought against Brett Kavanaugh. Harvard University has presented Colin Kaepernick with the WEB DuBois award it gives out every year to an outstanding black person. Donald Trump's approval ratings have risen slightly... You win some, you lose some.

@Delano, your question is based upon a false assumption. I think they are bith interestion otherwise i would nit engage in conversation about them. Kaepernick however strikes me as earnest. He is a positive influence while Kayne is an embarrassment. Kanye does have the benefit of being more independent, while Colin was dependent upon the NFL for his platform. Of course it does, and the is exactly why i bitching. Kayne is a distortion of the truth, he gets too much attention. Trumpers running around using kaynes ramblings to justify their racism. See YOU may think the media is "...exposing Trump for the fool that he is..." when this is clearly not the case as the nan the the freaking POTUS! To be clear @Cynique I wrote: My statement has nothing to do with Republicans.

What a week this has been! Here around Chicago, everybody was holding their collective breaths waiting for the verdict to come down after the Prosecution rested its case against Jason Van Dyke, the white cop, who mowed down LaQuan McDonald, a black teenager walking away from him with a knife clutched in his hand. Because Van Dyke felt threatened by this situation, his reaction was to empty his gun in the back of this young man, riddling his body with 16 bullets. This killing was covered up by Chicago law enforcement with the cooperation of other cops on the scene who did not feel similarly threatened but later chose to observe the oath of silence rather than betray their trigger-happy comrade. The truth finally came to light when rumors that this incident was captured on a body cam reached the media, after which the tape was finally released under pressure, and once it was aired all over TV, outrage was immediate at the sight of the young man being hit in the back and falling to the ground as a hail of bullets continued to puncture his shuddering body. Heads soon began to roll. The Cook County States Attorney was voted out of office, and the Mayor withdrew his plans to run for re-election, so great was the black community's resentment against him. After 3 years of finger-pointing and political mayhem, the perpetrator was finally indicted for murder and brought to trial, his case lasting over a month as a stream of experts and witnesses provided dramatic testimony. Much speculation also centered around a jury made up of 6 women and 4 men, 1 Asian, 1 Hispanic, 1 Black and the rest White. Once word came down that the verdict had been reached and would soon be announced, Chicago was literally on lock down, anticipating trouble in case an innocent verdict caused all hell to break loose. Extra police were dispatched everywhere, workers were sent home from their jobs early, businesses were closing up shop. crowds gathering outside the court house. But Lady justice got her due. After 2 days of deliberation, the jury found Jason Van Dyke guilty of second degree murder, his sentence to be determined by a judge whom everybody has described as being very fair. There was also praise for the all-white prosecution team who presented a strong effective case for the State. So, this is a victory in a war that has yet to be won. Colin Kaepernick, can feel a little compensated. Then, there was the clash for the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, for Supreme Court Justice that has now ended in his being sworn in. It's impossible for me to pass any impartial judgment on this case because i have such a visceral dislike for Kavanaugh, his supporters and his president. I cannot stomach these Republicans and what "making America great again" means to them. In my gut, however, I know that, as flawed as they are, Liberal and Progressive Democrats and Moderate Independent representatives would be better for the nation's survival than those Red-neck racists, and White privileged conservatives and Blue collar bigots who infest this country and will now be in a position to bring about a change for the worst. Donald Trump is a despicable person who is not the caliber of man who should be President of the United States and leader of the free world. And the fact that millions of white people, especially white men, feel this way, too, is proof of how he is not only a disgrace but a threat to the survival of America.

I don't think the movement is dying so much as i think it is stalled, just marching in place, bringing about few results. For some reason, black leaders have not thrown their full support behind this organization, while Colin Kaepernick's solo crusade has captured the imagination and support of the black masses, stealing the thunder of BLM. There also seems to be undercurrents in regard to this organization having been co-opted by opportunistic individuals with their own agendas. In Chicago, a sensational trial is currently taking place involving the killing of a 19-year-old black male by a white cop who fired 16 shots at the knife-carrying victim as he walked away from him. Several black community groups are peacefully demonstrating outside the court house, but I'm not even sure whether BLM is among them; that's how invisible this group has become.

@Troy for somebody who crows about all the times he's been stopped by the "po-po" when driving while black, you ought be more invested in the whole campaign to put white cops in check, along with the NFL who exploits black players. ( Instead of posting videos of professional thieves accosting a suburban white kid in an effort to tell somebody from around Chicago that killing people for sneakers is still widespread, you might want to consider the circumstances for my statement to the contrary. As somebody who reads the head count of Chicago murder victims, - lists that for at least the past 10 years are printed everyday in the local newspapers, i can tell you i can't remember the last time any of the thousands of these homocides in this big city have been been missing his shoes, and his cause of death listed as sneaker theft.) You need to direct your wrath toward billionaire, Michael Jordan, instead of the object of your seething belittlement, Colin Kaepernick, - MJ who benefits from the blood and sweat of those overseas peons who work for slave wages to produce his exorbitantly priced gym shoes, a charge being leveled against NIKE all over FaceBook from those who stay woke, contrary to your belief that everybody but you is naive and gullible.

Kaepernick is a reflection of our time. I truly have nothing against the man. I believe his heart is pure and his intentions just. However he is rendered ineffective in 2018. The original intent of his actions have been buried and everyone has co-opted his message. 45 has used it to fire up his racist and xenophobic base by perverting Colin's message on Twitter. Nike is now exploiting the optics to increase shareholder wealth All the while nothing in the Black community has changed -- other than for the worse. @Cynique have you ever lived in a community where people had the shoes stolen off their feet? Does this seems like alien behavior to you? I ask because of your statement. Which struck me: This video is in NYC in May of this year. There are MANY videos like this one. The victim in this video sneakers were apparently worth $2,000, a pair of Air Jordans. Give today's technology the shoes probably cost less to make than the $100 pair of shores a generation ago. These are just the incidences video tapes most of these crimes go unreported. WHile this young man was not murdered for his sneakers, I assure you people are mirdered each year over a pair of Nikes. I wonder if more people are killed over a pair of Nikes than are unjustifiably killed by Police each year. Again, the value and price of these shoes have NOTHING to do with their cost. The "value" of these sneakers has been manufactured, out of thin air by Nike. The resulting crimes are the result. Today Nike is using Colin to improve the effectiveness of their marketing machine. We are a long way from what ever the heck Colin was kneel about. Just Think.

So basically you decide what or whose platform supports black people. by the way, most media outlets have stated they will no longer show the anthem portion of NFL games - most recently ESPN. So I guess, Colin Kaepernick has made an impact - because no more jingoism in televised sports. Any way, I gues you decide who has impacted someone's life in a positive way - and be damn the black men who ARE visible doing that damn thing ... LeBron James. And then you wonder why no one is interested in rank-in-file black men or reading about them ... they have no voice. Also since, you say I wouldn't understand because I'm not a black man - I guess we'll no longer hear from you about black women, right?

I use the terms Black and white as we understand them here in the US, but I also recognize that there is no scientific basis for the designations. I'm sure there are a number of Black folks who ascribe to Peterson's worldview. Indeed, someone described him as part of the "Coon Squad," a group of folks including Omarosa who take positions that serve white folks, usually at the expense of Black folks. (Generally I believe these people are mostly interested in serving themselves, but that is another story). To answer you last question: what I find is that we in the Black community, with rare exception, do not determine who is visible. Anyone who has any level of visibility that benefits Black folks is shut down. Whether it is Malcolm X, Colin Kaepernick, or any number of Black men who try to build a platform to support Black people. The Black men who are visible are there was because white folks put them in the position. Typically it is because they are the likes of Peterson or provide some form of entertainment. @Mel Hopkins, please don't give me the names of entertainers to counter my point or some obscure business leader who the general public never heard of because they don't impact anyone's life in a positive way. I used literature as an example, because the books we produce are excellent proxy for what the culture deems to be important. Again ours is a culture that marginalizes Black men -- middle aged Black men in particular. These are the men who should be having their greatest impact on the culture, but do not. I'm not even sure why the is a topic for debate... Again, if you want to believe Black middle aged men are truly visible go ahead, but I suspect now that this might be a situation that you really can't understand, because you are not a Black man. Camille Yarbrough understands:

Someone forwarded this to me today on Facebook with the instructions to "forward this every Black person you know." I have to admit I was a little excited because i thought now, finally, some Black leaders are getting together to take substantive action against the NFL since Colin Kaepernick has been neutralized. I dug a bit deeper into this effort and see that he video was created LAST YEAR! My hopes were dashed because obviously this effort had less than zero impact. Why didn't this effort go viral on the Web? The video has been posted several times on youtube. The one with the most views (that I could find) is shared below. It got less than 83K views. This is a video created by a bunch of ministers with presumably supportive congregations why am I just now learning about this?!. They even have a hashtag #blackout. The answer is obvious we don't control social media. We also do not own any platforms with meaningful reach that would promote this effort and that we also support. As a result after NFL "killed" Kaepernick their revenues are higher than ever... But the most important reason for the failure of this effort is that we, as a people, are too WEAK to boycott the NFL. We won't boycott social media we won't boycott Amazon, we are pathetically support those who have demonstrated, time and time again, that they dont give s hit about us. We deserve everything we get. It is not too late for the 2018/19 season.

You men on this site just don't get it! You're so busy trying to discredit another brotha, that you can't wrap your mind around the fact that his taking a knee has scored a moral victory because it is still being discussed, debated, challenged, and prolonged. It exposes and lays bare the hypocrisy of what the American flag is supposed to stand for. It embarrasses white patriots, it galls the twitter-happy fool occupying the white house, it makes franchise owners uneasy, it makes black athletes soul-search, it is a thorn in the side of white law enforcement. But, noooo, you naysayers stand around criticizing Colin Kaepernick when his only crime is that he is in the same category as all the other back men who have failed to make equal justice a reality is this country that doesn't give a damn about them.

Last. Sunday. Scrolling. To. See. What. Was. On,Oprah. Winfrey. Was. Interviewing. That. Idiot. Football. Player,Tom. Brady. Did. Not. Waste. My. Time. Watching. . Do. She .Plan,To,Interview. Colin. Kaepernick ,Richard. Sherman,Other,Football. Players. To. Ask. Them. Why. They. ,Were. Protesting?If. Someone. Watched. OPRAH. Interviewing,That. Idiot. Tom. Brady,Did. OPRAH. Ask. Him,Why,Do. You. Like. Trump,Do. You. Support. Trump. ,Supporting ,Neo Nazi ,,.,Does. He. Support. Neo-Nazi. Waving. U. S. Flag. And. Nazi. Flags,As. Football. Players,Hated. , By. White. People. For. Protesting. Racism. In,This. Country.. ...Have. Heard. OPRAH. Puts. On. Stupid. Preachers,Like. T.D._Jakes ,John. Gray. Whatever. His. Name. Is.. Will. She put ,On,,,Black. Hebrews,Nation. Of. Islam?. Making. White. Viewers ,Comfortable.......

Look, we all know Kaepernick's action will not have any impact whatsoever -- indeed it can be viewed as a catalyst for making things worse. From day one I always asserted that nothing short of a boycott of the NFL will make any difference, but again we will never take this action. Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists during the 1968 olympics, a seminal -- arguably a more profound action -- which has resonated for 50 years, but nonetheless has resulted in no significant change. Muhammad Ali knowingly sacrificed his career and risked imprisonment refusing to go to Nam. Kaepernick's action, while commendable, does not rise to Ali's actions. Let's keep things in perspective. Colin was just some dude who got uppity, forgot who he worked for, and was summarily dismissed as a result (@Cynique wouldn't that meet your definition for "loser?") @Coach Michael Taylor, people were already aware of police brutality -- it is constantly covered in the media. @Cynique, sure he agitated the country but his message and goal of his agitation was lost. I was at a sporting event (car racing) recently and some red neck said everyone one here better stand for the flag. Again the meaning of Collins kneeling completely lost. You can not use the tools of the master to effect change -- it is impossible. Colin tried to use the NFL has a platform and they erased him and used the media to pervert his message -- even sending in the VP of the United States to walk out on a game in protest -- taking Kaepernick's protest and twisting it into an issue of patriotism. If we had conscious Black-owned media perhaps the people actually doing things of consequence would be uplifted and celebrated and maybe Colin would still have a job entertaining, and enriching, the white folks who obviously don't give a shit about him or any of us.

Colin Kaepernick may not have affected widespread change in the life of black America at large, but as i continue to stress, he DRAMATIZED a grievance and agitated the country. The fact that he is still a relevant topic of conversation is, in itself, is a victory! What he accomplished was to embarrass America into to realizing that its beloved flag doesn't live up to its promises. That is the implicit take-away from his bending a knee and this makes patriotic Americans extremely uncomfortable. That's a good thing in what is becoming a fascistic country. Nobody really believed his demonstration would suddenly turn racists cops into Office Friendlys, but without lifting a finger, Kaepernick became a thorn in the side those, who in all of their white law and order privilege, consider the boys in blue to be heroic paragons. Furthermore, NFL players and owners were all forced to do some soul searching and this may yet have a trickle-down effect.

America is riddled with folk lore about larger than life heroes who sprang from the ranks (and imaginations) of the common man. And, of course, there are biblical characters who have been extolled in verse and sermon. Donald Trump is currently filling a need for resentful people fearing the status their white skin color guarantees is in jeopardy, thanks to the politically-correct and bleeding-heart liberal crowd. In every time of crises the masses look for a "man on a white horse" to appear and deliver them from impending doom.. Obama briefly filled this role for blacks but his sheen has gradually dulled. Colin Kaepernick stole a little bit of this shine but he has few successes to his credit. Also missing the mark are star athletes who marry white women and lend their names to a line of exorbitantly-priced gym shoes. So, as usual, blacks are floundering around looking for a Messsiah, but left with nothing but martyrs snatched from the populace of young males shot in the back while fleeing their misdemeanors. Or, embracing an irrelevant comic book figure like Black Panther whose alter-ego Chadwick Boseman was savvy enough to present the MTV Award he won for favorite movie hero to James Shaw, the ordinary Joe who single-handedly disarmed a shooter on a rampage, and just happened to be sitting in the audience at this TV event And so it goes. Black people continue to shuffle around claiming this one or that one to really be black, this place or that place to actually be the country of Mankind's black mama. Too bad we weren't "evil" enough to subdue our adversaries so we could enforce black supremacy and lie about how great we are. OK. Back to my perch, and the bird's eye view that provides me a good opportunity to spot any UFOs that decide to re-visit Earth and take me back home. I'm world-weary. Trumpism is stifling me.