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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Housing justice advocates and proponents of the Rental Affordability Act (RAA) today announced that several prominent activists and Black-led advocacy groups endorsed the November 2020 state ballot initiative that would allow for expansion of rent control throughout California. The Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN), Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL), In The Meantime Men's Group, Inc. (ITMT), Brotherhood Crusade, and L.A. City Councilmember Herb Wesson, Jr. (D-10) have all voiced their support for the RAA. They join Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) in calling for the need to expand rent control in the state.

"The Los Angeles Urban League proudly endorses the Rental Affordability Act. Millions of Californians who were already struggling with the ongoing housing affordability crisis now face even further displacement and homelessness because of the coronavirus pandemic. We must fight for all Californians to have access to stable and affordable housing," said Michael Lawson, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League.

Even before the economic fallout caused by COVID-19 (which has disproportionately affected people of color), skyrocketing rents and rapid gentrification of historically Black neighborhoods have ravaged these communities leading to displacement and homelessness.

"Brotherhood Crusade is proud to endorse the Rental Affordability Act and join the fight for housing equity. The time is now to support our community with housing affordability," said Charisse Bremond Weaver, President and CEO, Brotherhood Crusade.

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), systemic racism has caused a disproportionate number of black people to become homeless in L.A. County, where 8 percent of the overall population is Black, but Black people represent 34 percent of the homeless population.

"I endorse the Rental Affordability Act because every human being is entitled to, at minimum, the necessities food, water, shelter and it is all of our responsibility to ensure this," said Jeffrey King, Founder and Executive Director, IMIT.

"We are incredibly humbled to receive support from such towering leaders and prominent organizations who fight for racial and economic justice every single day," said Ren Christian Moya, Housing Is A Human Right and Rental Affordability Act Campaign Director.

The organizations and activists are the latest in a growing list of endorsements by high-profile individuals and organizations to support the fight for rent control in California.

The RAA is sponsored by Homeowners & Tenants United, with significant funding by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

Learn more at https://www.rentcontrolnow.org and https://www.housinghumanright.org.

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Rental Affordability Act Endorsed by Rev. Al Sharpton, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Maxine Waters, and Prominent Black-Led Advocacy Groups - Business Wire

MSNBCs Al Sharpton posed an interesting question as he responded to the countrys ongoing debate about which American historical figures deserve to have public statues in their honor.

Sharpton was on Morning Joe on Thursday, where part of the conversation gravitated around President Donald Trumps opposition to racial justice protesters following the death of George Floyd. Scarborough also noted that Trump is trying to make a wedge issue out of protecting statues and monuments, especially when it comes to memorials of Confederate figures that have come under protest.

One of the things that is not mentioned enough is that these statues are in public places that are maintained by people employed by taxpayer dollars, Sharpton remarked. So [Trump] is, in effect, asking Black Americans, Brown Americans, and all Americans, to pay to help extol people that literally fought to keep their forefathers enslaved.

Sharpton further explained that African Americans have no choice when the taxes they pay end up going to the public maintenance of Confederate statues. Thats an insult to all of us, he continued, saying Trump might be right that its part of Americas history, but not not a part that ought to be exalted.

We should have the statues of those that fought and defeated them, not the ones who were defeated, Sharpton said. How would a World War II veteran feel about paying taxes to have a statue of Mussolini or Hitler in their public square? Thats how many of us in Black America feel.

Watch above, via MSNBC.

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Al Sharpton: How Would a WWII Veteran Feel About Paying Taxes to Have a Statue of Mussolini or Hitler? - Mediaite

The civil rights activist and Baptist minister Al Sharpton has given a definitive answer on why slogans like 'white lives matter' and 'all lives matter' are so offensive and categorically wrong.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain, the 65-year-old reverend was asked by Piers Morgan what is the correct response to people who use those phrases in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Sharpton gave a short but completely accurate response which summed the entire argument up in less than a minute. He said:

The correct response to that is that there has never been any argument that White Lives Matter. There has never been any debate and when a white life is taken it is mitigated, prosecuted and, if convicted, incarcerated. The problem has been that it has not been equal on the other side. So, there has been no equal need to say 'white lives matter.' That has been a given and the system has worked that way. It has not worked that way around white lives. So, we're not saying 'Black Lives Matter more'. We are saying Black Lives Matter as much, equally and should be treated the same.

The Black Lives Matter movement, which was founded in 2013, has gained extra focus this year following the worldwide protests in the wake of the death of George Floyd who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The backlash to this movement from racists, who oppose the movement, which has seen the statues of problematic figures from the past to be removed from public places has been to say things like 'white lives matter' or 'Black lives matter.'

Recently, there was a incident at the Premier League football match between Manchester City and Burnley where a plane carrying a banner reading 'White Lives Matter - Burnley' was flown over the Etihad Stadium, where the fixture was taking place. This lead to Burnley and the team's captain, Ben Mee condemning the stunt stating that those responsible are no longer welcome at the club.

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Reverend Al Sharpton explains why saying 'white lives matter' is so wrong in just 45 seconds - indy100

ThursdayJun25,2020at6:00PM

Georgia Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler can try to run, but they can't hide from voters this November they are coming out of office.

Comments from our readers:

Georgia Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler can try to run, but they can't hide from voters this November they are coming out of office.

I see Reverend Al Sharpton has attacked President Trump saying "We Cannot Use Bibles as Props". So what church is Rev. Al Sharpton the pastor at?

Who knew that all it took was 1 bad COP to cure the Corona problem in the US.

Explained in its simplest terms. Liberals believe you are responsible for what somebody else did 50 plus years ago that happened to share your skin color.

SHARE YOUR OPINION with other readers. Call the Rants & Raves line at (706) 828-2908, send an email to newsroom@augustachronicle.com or fill out the online form.

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Rants and raves - The Augusta Chronicle

Months before the uproar over George Floyd's death in Minnesota rocked police forces across the U.S., President Donald Trump received a reelection endorsement from the International Union of Police Associations.

Every top Democrat currently running for this office has vilified the police and made criminals out to be victims," said Sam Cabral, president of the AFL-CIO-chartered organization. "They seem to take any union's support for granted."

That was in September. In March, with similar stridency, the American Federation of Teachers endorsed Democrat Joe Biden and blasted the Republican White House. An AFT resolution accused Education Secretary Betsy DeVos of making it her mission "to defund and destroy public education." AFT president Randi Weingarten is a longtime member of the Democratic National Committee.

Labor's allegiance might matter in November. More public employees belong to unions in the U.S. than do workers in the private sector.

Different unions become targets or allies of different elected officials depending on circumstance. Such dealings are complicated because politicians are the bosses and funders of government employees.

Trump has enjoyed vocal support from, among others, a police union leader in Minneapolis, whose members included ex-Officer Derek Chauvin, now facing murder charges in Floyd's death.

And last year, it was revealed that Trump urged his top border-security official to finalize a contract with the Border Patrol union, a political ally of Trump's. This contract boosted the number of union officers who can draw public pay without having to perform patrol duties.

As a result, the federal government now finances the equivalent of 74 full-time union positions, according to the Washington Post, and union officers are free to engage in partisan activity.

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This type of perk and alliance has been common in New York City and on Long Island regardless of party.

In blue-state New York, however, special arrangements sought and won by uniformed services in the past are drawing sharper scrutiny. This month, for instance, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a repeal of the provision known as 50-a, which allowed law enforcement to shield its disciplinary records from public view.

Tension along similar lines developed between Michael Bloomberg, the city's most recent Republican mayor, and the United Federation of Teachers over discipline and instances of misconduct. At the time, political pressure on teachers over school performance was building around the nation, with critics demanding better testing and evaluation.

Now all eyes are on police practices.

Even Trump has bowed to the Floyd protests with an executive order that creates a federal database of police officers with a record of excessive force. Overall he's refused to link the issue of police abuse to race. Trump won't be relying on widespread African American support in the election; Biden will.

Rivalry between teacher unions and police unions, meanwhile, is not unheard of.

Six years ago, Patrick Lynch, president of the New York City Police Benevolent Association, condemned New York City UFT president Michael Mulgrew for co-sponsoring a rally with the Rev. Al Sharpton to protest Eric Garner's death during an arrest on Staten Island.

How would he like it," Lynch asked at the time, "if police officers lined up with the activists who oppose his efforts to shield bad teachers and undermine effective charter schools?

Read more from the original source:
Janison: Cop and teacher unions diverge on politics - Newsday