Tag / black lives matter

by brandycavalli

One Black Juror Selected for Ahmaud Arbery Murder Case; All Other Jurors White

The jury selection phase of the Ahmaud Arbery case is already proving to be a miscarriage of justice for Ahmaud. This trial hasn’t even began and it already appears to be headed in the wrong direction. One black juror was selected for the jury, all the others were white. Even the judge called the jury selection process “discriminatory”.

Let’s hope justice is served for Ahmaud Arbery who didn’t deserve his fate. For those who don’t remember, Ahmaud was jogging through a South Georgia neighborhood & subsequently hunted down and shot like a dog by two white men playing neighborhood “vigilantes”.

Ahmaud Arbery

CNN — After a long and contentious jury selection process in a coastal Georgia county in preparation for the trial for Ahmaud Arbery’s killing, a panel of 12 people was chosen Wednesday — consisting of one Black member and 11 White members. The jury was selected after a two-and-a-half-week selection process that ended with prosecutors for the state accusing defense attorneys of disproportionately striking qualified Black jurors and basing some of their strikes on race.

Judge Timothy Walmsley said the defense appeared to be discriminatory in selecting the jury but that the case could go forward.

“This court has found that there appears to be intentional discrimination.”

“One of the challenges that I think counsel recognized in this case is the racial overtones in the case. … This is sort of the continuation of a conversation that I think will continue for a long time, with respect to this case,” the judge said, but added that in Georgia, “all the defense needs to do is provide that legitimate, nondiscriminatory, clear, reasonably specific and related reason,” for why they struck a juror and he said the defense met that burden.

by brandycavalli

Black Professionals Hesitant on Returning Back into Office Workplaces

CBS NEWS — Polls suggest some employees are content to be back at their desks, Black workers told CBS MoneyWatch that being in a predominantly White workplaces often exacts an emotional toll. Working from home offers a measure of inner peace and even helps them do their jobs better.

Such sentiments are common among people of color, including in corporate America. For decades, Black and Hispanic employees have reported feeling marginalized at work and being relegated to lower-paying roles even when their credentials qualify them for a higher-level position.

Black women, in particular, say a typical workday often requires looking past microaggressions from co-workers, ignoring flippant comments about their natural hairstyles or suppressing emotions lest they be labeled an “angry black woman.”

As a black woman and mid level professional in the Construction industry, I can attest that everything this article is stating is facts.

I started working from home approximately 2 years before Covid and I really can’t imagine ever going back into an office environment. The convenience & flexibility are definitely beneficial, but for me the privacy aspect is the main gain.

My staunch work ethic always allowed me to rise pretty fast within the ranks of the corporate world but ‘fitting in’ with various company cultures is something that I had a hard time adjusting to. I started my career very young, skipping college and joining the workforce. I did eventually go back to college 10 years post high school, so I didn’t have tolerance for the workplace shenanigans. I made sure I kept things social but I wasn’t there to meet friends or group chat. I just wanted to bury my head in my computer and get to work.

Working from home allows me the luxury of not having to physically see or entertain people daily. Working with people over the computer or phone is a piece of cake. Honestly I feel I am far more productive and I even find myself willingly working longer hours — to the benefit of the company.

What about you? Are you a professional who would rather work from home than going back into the office? Or would you rather go into the office environment daily or intermittently? Why or why not?

by brandycavalli

Take the Poll: Should Officers Be Financially Responsible for Misconduct?

I just came across a very interesting article on civilbeat.org that suggests that police officers should be held financially liable for their misconduct.

In the recent 4 years, under the leadership and direct orders of Trump, police brutality exposition has skyrocketed. Time and time again we watch in horror as simple encounters with law enforcement end in tragedy, even when suspects are 100% compliant with police orders. Unfortunately Black and brown people are usually the victims.

Protests and rioting have rang out — for sometimes weeks at a time — in several US cities with civilians and law enforcement clashing in the streets — just like the civil rights movement days.

To circumvent this widespread issue of corruption and misconduct, the article suggests that “all officers should be required to carry a supplemental professional liability insurance policy.”

While I do believe that financial liability for misconduct would significantly reduce corruption & misconduct, the trick is proving it. On the other hand, I do not believe that all officers are bad. I have personally encountered very professional & pleasant law enforcement officers but we cannot deny that as with any organization, there are some rotten apples in the bunch. It’s human nature.

I also believe that our police system needs to be heavily reformed, rather than defunded. Proper training & preparation would be a great start.

Sometimes it seems like Black and brown people and the police see each other as the enemy. If that’s the case, it’s definitely time to put the guns down & have meaningful conversation. A truce, per say.

What are your thoughts? Take the poll & let me know!

by brandycavalli

WATCH: Washington BLM Protestor Charged with Assault for Dangling a Donut in Front of Officer’s Face

Black Lives Matter protests have been going up for weeks with everyday civilians across the US and world pounding the pavement to demand racial equality for blacks and people of color.

In this clip an Everett, Washington man was charged with assault after he dangles a strawberry glazed donut on a string and stick in front of a police lieutenant’s face during a Black Lives Matter protest. The lieutenant, clearly livid, warns the man to “get that f-cking donut out my face” as other officers swarmed in to push him away.

Eventually the man, (and his skateboard) are hauled off and booked for assault.

Do you think he should have been charged with a crime? After all the donut didn’t appear to strike anyone. I couldn’t see where a crime was committed.

Sound off in the comments!