Mediaboss Marketing

Rev. Al Sharpton remains relentless when it comes to Phoenix Suns team owner Robert Sarver.

The civil rights leader wrote PayPal president and CEODan Schulman, in an open letter that appeared in the Sunday edition of The Arizona Republic, demandingthe billion-dollar digital payment companycease its relationship with Sarver, the majority owner of the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Spanish soccer club Real Club Deportivo Mallorca.

As someone who has dedicated my life to fighting injustice and speaking out against hate in all its forms, it is my duty and responsibility to call out such hypocrisy and to call on PayPal to uphold the values for which it proclaims to stand, Sharpton wrote.

The Sarver investigation began in November of last year after an ESPN report detailed allegations of racism and misogyny against Sarver, claiming he created a "toxic" work environment within the Suns' organization.

MORE: Robert Sarver disputes ESPN report, calling it 'innacurate, misleading'

Mr. Sarvers leadership has been riddled with credible allegations of racism, misogyny, and harboring a toxic work environment, Sharpton wrote.

The letter to PayPal ran as a full-page ad paid for by the American Sports Accountability Project.

Sharpton pointed out how PayPal committed $535 million to support Black-owned businesses and to fight economic inequality in wake of the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, but the company remains in business with Sarver.

PayPal has continued to do business with Robert Sarver and is now expanding its business relationship with Mr. Sarver internationally, Sharpton wrote. In light of these commitments, PayPal cannot simply ignore Mr. Sarvers transgressions.

Floyd died under the knee of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, a White male, on May 25, 2020. The death sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the world over racial injustice and policing.

It is time for PayPal to put its money where its mouth is, Sharpton wrote. Issuing a press release and writing a big check two years ago is not equivalent to doing the hard work that is required to achieve real change.

This is the latest action taken by Sharpton as hes been calling for months for the NBA to remove Sarver as Suns team owner and to speed up its investigation.

ASAP launched its website in March with a #SackSarver hashtag that posted a letter written to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver calling for the league to oust Sarver.

Several members of Sharptons American Action Network signed the letter that was copied to the Board of Governors, which is comprised of team owners.

ASAP is committed to bringing accountability to perpetrators of hate speech, abuse, and harassment within the leadership of the American sports industry."

Last month, Silver said in a news conference the Sarver investigation was near completion after the league had a Board of Governorsmeeting in Las Vegas during NBA Summer League.

Sarver attendedthe meeting in Vegas.

Im not prepared to talk about what the conclusion might be, only to say that we are at the sort of last stage of the investigation, Silver said.

Silver was asked why the investigation has nearly taken a year.

I can only say that we are talking about almost an 18-year period that the ESPN article covered in terms of his ownership, Silver said. Hundreds of current and former employees that were involved over that period. And also ensuring that everyones confidentiality, if they asked for it, is met, and ensuring due process is provided to Mr. Sarver as well.

Sarver openly welcomed an investigation that Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, a law firm out of New York, has been conducting.

So these things, I understand how outsiders can be frustrated and say why do these things take so long, Silver continued. But having been involved with many of them, these kinds of big investigations over my time at the league, the most important thing is to get it right and to take the appropriate amount of time to do so.

The Suns and PayPal agreed to a multi-year partnership going into the 2018-19 season.

PayPal became the first jersey patch partner for the Suns. The Mercury team jerseys also include a PayPal logo.

The NBA approved jersey sponsorships as part of a three-year pilot program. The partnership included that PayPaul became the "official payment partner" for the Suns, Mercury and RCD Mallorca.

The Suns (PayPal SixthMan)and Mercury (PayPal X-Factor)brandtheir season ticket sales with PayPal.

I reiterate my call for PayPal to end its relationship with Robert Sarver and help hold him accountable for his egregious behavior, Sharpton wrote in concludingthe letter.

Have opinion about current state of theSuns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

Original post:
Rev. Al Sharpton demanding PayPal end relationship with Suns team owner Robert Sarver - The Arizona Republic

Opinion writers weigh in on vaccines, abortion rights, covid and monkeypox.

Los Angeles Times:Vaccines Are Safe. So Why Shouldn't Teens Be Able To Get Them On Their Own?Parents rightfully have oversight of most of their childrens healthcare. But as vaccine misinformation has spread in recent years, they dont always act in their kids best interests. False information proliferating on social media has incorrectly linked vaccines to autism, infertility and even death. (8/19)

Stat:The Biden Administration Needs To Curtail Crisis Pregnancy CentersThousands of fake abortion clinics, also known as crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), are operating across the country. These centers divert, delay, and deceive people seeking abortion care, exploiting their personal information while accepting millions of dollars in public funding. (Susannah Baruch, 8/22)

USA Today:Really Florida? A 16-Year-Old Is Mature Enough To Have A Baby But Not An Abortion?Since the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, advocates, pregnant people and health care providers have been scrambling to navigate the legal landscapefor abortion care, as nearly two dozen states have severely restricted or outright banned abortion health care. (Carli Pierson, 8/20)

The Washington Post:After Roe V. Wade, Tragic Stories Mount About Those Seeking AbortionsThe human toll of denying abortion to people who want or need one can be, and often is, appalling. The state legislatures racing to impose sweeping abortion bans, enabled by the conservative Supreme Court majority that overturned Roe v. Wade in June, have done so despite abundant research on the devastating impact these policies have on Americans well-being and livelihoods. (8/20)

The Washington Post:The World Might Be Done With Covid, But I'm Still Keeping My DistanceThis summer, Ive played a new people-watching game while walking New Yorks sweaty streets: Whats the story behind the mask? Whos still adhering to covid-19 restrictions when weve cast off nearly all public health guidelines in this era of pandemic apathy? (Stacy Torres, 8/21)

Los Angeles Times:We're Starting To Understand 'Long COVID.' We Can Fight ItWeve been chasing the coronavirus since the pandemic began with vaccines and drugs, never getting ahead of it. In fact, well into its third year, COVID-19 is still causing often disabling symptoms among many people who were infected in early 2020. (Eric J. Topol, 8/21)

Newsweek:Monkeypox Must Not Be Another COVID-19 For Communities Of ColorJust as we saw at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, monkeypox is a public health emergency disproportionately impacting communities of color. But this time, we must take immediate action on the lessons we learned from COVID-19 and use them to reduce the spread and suffering and make this time different. (Calvin O. Butts III, Al Sharpton, Reed Tuckerson, Donna Christensen and Debra Fraser-Howze, 8/19)

The rest is here:
Viewpoints: Teens Should Be Able To Get Vaccinated If They Choose; Crisis Pregnancy Centers Should Be Illegal - Kaiser Health News

Boston Celtics Hall of Fame big man Bill Russell touched lives far beyond the basketball court in his 88 years of life, his work as a mentor and civil rights activist literally helping to change the course of US history.

And for that, he is at least as fondly remembered by his peers in that struggle that saw him in the March On Washington at the I Have a Dream speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and by the side of Muhammad Ali with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jim Brown as Ali defied the draft. And now today, another ally in that struggle, the Reverend Al Sharpton, took some time to memorialize his friend and comrade.

Speaking with MSNBC after learning of Russells passing, Sharpton spoke at length about how the Celtics great pioneered the role of athletes using their platform for greater causes than sport.

Check out the Celtics Lab podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

Boston Celtics reportedly hiring Craig Luschenat as player development coachBoston Celtics legend Bill Russell's passing at 88: A Bob Ryan tributeAl Horford reportedly to compete with Karl-Anthony Towns, Chris Duarte for Dominican National Team in AugustFor Boston's Cedric Maxwell, Celtics icon Bill Russell is the greatest winner in historyIn Memoriam: Boston Celtics, civil rights icon Bill Russell (1934-2022)Celtics Lab 132: Talking Chuck Cooper's legacy, race, the Celtics, and more with Cooper's son, Chuck III

Boston Celtics and civil rights icon Bill Russell: A life well-lived in photos

Tabatabaie: The NBA should universally retire Bill Russell's No. 6 jersey

Bill Russell Red Auerbach

Celtics, NBA world react to the passing of Bill Russell, Boston legend and civil rights icon

Bill Russell Red Auerbach

Celtics great Bill Russell passes away at 88

AP Photo

Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire

See the original post here:
Reverend Al Sharpton: Celtics Bill Russell took his celebrity status to the causes - Yahoo Sports

Claim to Fame fans think they have worked out which famous person Dominique is related to as the ABC competition heats up.

With several contestants having already been eliminated, the $100,000 prize money is getting ever closer for the players left in the competition as they try to keep their famous relative concealed while also trying to work out which celebrity their co-stars are related to.

Claim to Fame fans have turned detective throughout the Kevin and Frankie Jonas-fronted series, taking to social media to share their guesses at the celebrity connections.

So who do viewers think Dominique is related to? Newsweek has everything you need to know about the latest Claim to Fame contestant fans think they've worked out.

Fans originally thought that Dominique may be related to former The Real host Loni Love, taking to social media to point out the physical resemblance between the two.

Posting on Twitter, one fan said: "They must not know Loni Love because Dominique is her twin #ClaimToFame," while another wrote: "Pretty sure Dominique's relative is Loni Love, they look the same! #ClaimToFame."

"How has nobody guessed that Dominique's relative is Loni Love? I'm not convinced that she's isn't actually Loni Love. #claimtofame," added another viewer.

In the last few episodes, however, fans have turner their attention to American civil rights activist, talk show host and politician Reverend Al Sharpton. Eagle-eyed viewers claim to have found photos online that suggest Sharpton, 67, is Dominique's father.

So far it has been revealed that Chuck Norris' grandson Maxwell was on the show, though he left after being disqualified on episode 1 for sneaking in a mobile phone. Zendaya's cousin Michael was ousted by Pepper on episode 2 and on episode 3, Lark correctly guessed that X was related to Laverne Cox, meaning they had to go home.

Though she is still on the show, Amara revealed to viewers on the first episode of the season that she is Whoopi Goldberg's granddaughter. Claim to Fame fans have also had Brittany's identity confirmed despite her not being eliminated. Originally viewers thought Brittany may be related to former The Hills star Lauren Conrad, despite her clues that her dad is a Super Bowl champion and Hall of Fame quarterback, with many taking to Twitter to point out their physical resemblance.

Despite the striking resemblance to Conrad, Brittany has confirmed that her celebrity connection is her dad, Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre.

"My dad and I are really close. I did inherit his competitive nature. At my house, winning is the only option," Brittany said on a recent episode of Claim to Fame. "I was born before he became successful so I got to witness the entire rise from an unknown to known."

Though they are yet to be confirmed on the show, Claim to Fame fans think they have managed to guess who some of the other contestants are related to, pairing Pepper with Dean Martin, Logan with Jason Aldean and Lark with Cindy Crawford.

Meanwhile, former Claim to Fame contestant X has spoken to Newsweek about why lying about his connection to twin Laverne Cox is "nothing new." When asked if he was confident going into the show, X, real name M Lamar, said: "When you are the twin siblings of the person I think there is no way to feel confident about hiding that fact, but since my sister has become mega famous, to keep a sense of my life not only being about being related to someone mega famous, I have routinely lied about being related to her. So this wasn't a new thing for me."

Claim to Fame continues Mondays at 10/9c on ABC. Episodes are available to stream on Hulu the day after their airing.

Go here to read the rest:
Who Is 'Claim to Fame's' Dominique Related To? Fans Say They've Guessed - Newsweek

When asked about whether the Biden administration would support a religious delegation to Russia if negotiations with Russia were unsuccessful, John Kirby told theGrio, I dont want to speculate on a hypothetical here.

Advocates are continuing to call for a religious delegation trip to Russia to return WNBA star Brittney Griner to the United States, as Griner has since been found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in prison, and negotiations between the Kremlin and the White House for her return remain ongoing.

Rev. William Barber of the Poor Peoples Campaign and Repairers of the Breach told theGrio that he and a group of diverse religious leaders are willing to, with the help of the U.S. government, take such a trip to Russia on a purely humanitarian basis.

Rev. William Barber speaks during a demonstration at the U.S. Supreme Court during the MoveOn and Poor Peoples Build Back Better Action on November 15, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for MoveOn)

We would be willing to bring together that kind of diverse coalitionget on a plane and go to Moscow and talk to whoever to say, Lets put down the swords, the separation and put down all of the schemes and games and just be human for a second and do what is right, said Barber.

Were saying to Putin and saying to the White House, we should be looking through this as a moral issue. What has this woman done to even be in court facing [nine] years in prison?

Barber added, its utterly ridiculous when you think about it from a moral perspective, and we just want to know that were willing to participate in any way that makes sense.

The activist and preacher said that if Griner were his daughter, he would hope that the same thing would happen.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who first called for a Russia trip among religious leaders last month, reiterated to theGrio that he wants to take a clergy visit on moral grounds.

She needs to understand that people are with her and that shes not forgotten, said Sharpton.

The famed minister and civil rights activist said he was first compelled to go on a clergy trip after speaking with and hearing the anguish of Brittney Griners wife, Cherelle Griner.

Story continues

US reverend Al Sharpton (C) speaks at a press conference in support of the release of professional basketball player Brittney Griner, on July 8, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois, who has plead guilty to drug charges in Russia. (Photo by MAX HERMAN / AFP) (Photo by MAX HERMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

[She] told me [Brittneys] in jail about two and a half hours outside of Moscow. Most people dont even speak English there, said Sharpton, who said hes concerned about her spiritual and mental health.

Griner said she unknowingly possessed less than a gram of cannabis oil in her luggage while traveling to Russia, where she plays professional basketball during the WNBAs off-season. The 31-year-old athlete pleaded guilty in hopes of receiving a lesser penalty.

Despite Griners recent sentencing, the U.S. government is continuing to work its geopolitical levers to bring Griner home from what it determined is a wrongful detainment. Last week, the State Department confirmed that it made an offer to Russia for a prisoner swap to bring back Griner and Paul Whelan, another American imprisoned by the Kremlin since 2018. However, Russia reportedly made a counteroffer that the U.S. deemed not serious, and so far, no agreement has been reached.

When asked by theGrio during Tuesdays White House press briefing whether or not the Biden administration was confident in its ability to reach such a deal with Russiawhich is currently locked into a geopolitical conflict with the U.S. amid Russias unprovoked war in UkraineJohn Kirby, White House coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, said that the administration is not going to negotiate this thing in public.

I dont think its helpful for Paul or for Brittney, for us from the podium to get into a back and forth with the Russians over what the negotiations might or might not look like going forward, Kirby told theGrio. We made a serious proposal, made a serious offer, and we urge the Russians to take that offer because it was done with sincerity. And we know we can back it up.

He added, Bottom line is we want to see Brittney and Paul come home to their families where they belong. And the president takes that responsibility seriously.

National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby, right, answers questions with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (L) during the daily briefing at the White House on August 02, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

When asked about whether the Biden White House would support a religious delegation trip to Russia if negotiations with Russia were unsuccessful, Kirby told theGrio, I dont want to speculate on a hypothetical here. I would just tell you that we are working hard, government to government, to get Paul and Brittney home. He added, So much so that we did put forth a very serious proposal and I think Im just gonna leave it there.

Meanwhile, activists and those close to Griner are doing their part to keep the national focus on her detainment in Russia and ensure her safe return. Griners wife Cherelle, her agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas, teammates and the WNBA have organized and attended rallies calling for Griners release.

Karen Finney, a senior Democratic strategist, has been working with Colas and advocacy groups to organize around bringing Griner home. Finney helped lead the signing of a letter from a collective of civil rights, human rights, womens rights and LGBTQ+ organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Color of Change, National Black Justice Coalition, National Urban League, GLAAD, and several others.

Finney told theGrio that she was compelled to get involved in the efforts to return Griner to the United States because the Olympic gold medalist represents, in her various identities, the American story so eloquently.

Brittney Griner #15 of Team United States poses for photographs with her gold medal during the Womens Basketball medal ceremony on day sixteen of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games at Saitama Super Arena on August 08, 2021 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Finney, who participated in college sports, said she also sees an opportunity for the universal love of sports to be an effective tool to compel Griners release.

Sports has a unique power to unify people across the globethats what the Olympics is all about, Finney told theGrio.

Whether its the Olympics or the World Cup, Finney highlighted that athletes cross international borders to participate in various sports that the global community knows and loves. Brittneys detention threatens the sanctity of sports and the safety of athletes who travel and compete internationally, said Finney.

Rev. Sharpton echoed those sentiments, telling theGrio what Russia has done to Griner will make athletes afraid to go anywhere in the world. He added, The world should not be so isolated that athletes feel that theyve got to stay home, even under unfair economic conditions, because they could be used as some political chessboard as a pawn.

Last month, Griner pleaded to President Joe Biden in a letter to do everything he could to secure her return to the U.S. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore, she wrote. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home.

In response, President Biden sent a personal letter to Griner, assuring her that the White House was doing everything to ensure her safe return. Cherelle, in a previous interview with theGrio, said the president has also extended an offer for her and Griners family to visit him at the White House.

Cherelle at the time urged the public to raise their voices for Brittney. BG is the type of person that if the roles were reversed, she would use her platform to make a difference, Cherelle shared. She cares about everybody, and this is the time to now care about her. So continue to lift her up. Continue to make noise about her until the day that we see her back.

Gerren Keith Gaynor

Gerren Keith Gaynor is the Managing Editor of Politics and Washington Correspondent at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.

TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also,please download theGrio mobile appstoday!

The post Clergy continue to call for humanitarian trip to Russia for Brittney Griners return amid White House negotiations appeared first on TheGrio.

Excerpt from:
Clergy continue to call for humanitarian trip to Russia for Brittney Griners return amid White House negotiations - Yahoo News