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The U.S. Department of Justice must investigate local prosecutors in Memphis and elsewhere where policies are disproportionately targeting communities of color.

Kerry Kennedy| Guest Columnist

Bond posted for Rosalyn Holmes

Josh Spickler, Executive Director ofJust City, and Wade McMullen, an attorney with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, speak about Rosalyn Holmes' release. Rosalyn Holmes, 16, was reunited with family after more than 40 daysin an adult prison.

Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal

In Memphis, more children are prosecuted in adult court than in the rest of the state combined. Nearly all of them are Black.

On the Fourth of July, our nation celebrates the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But for too many, that promise is not only broken, it is weaponized by prosecutors who criminalize poverty and race.

More than a half century after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in Memphis, the city remains a cradle of profound injustice.

Black Memphians are disproportionately targeted for harsh criminal enforcement and punishment. Prosecutors break the rules to rack up convictions, prison terms, and even death sentences.

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I visited Memphis in April with colleagues from Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the organization founded to carry out my late fathers dreams of a better world. Through our partners at the Memphis Community Bail Fund, the local chapter of Black Lives Matter, and Just City, we met with residents who had been unjustly targeted by local prosecutors.

Among them: Rosalyn Bird Holmes, a Black woman, charged as an adult at only 16 in a robbery committed by two boys while she sat in the backseat of a car. Her bail was set impossibly high $60,000 and she was sent to solitary confinement for more than 40 days, prevented from attending school.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights paid her bail and secured her release, but even then, while no one accused Bird of the robbery or taking any money, she still potentially faced decades in prison. She eventually won her case, but it took two years. And the terror of being locked away in a cage as a child will remain with her forever.

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We also met Pamela Moses, a Black woman sentenced to six years in prison for simply registering to vote.

Officials had told Moses incorrectly that she could vote despite a previous felony conviction; she followed their advice in good faith. Yet Memphis elected prosecutor, Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich, aggressively pursued a voter fraud conviction.

A court later overturned Moses conviction; Weirich and her office had violated the Constitution by failing to disclose emails showing Moses had been misled by a county official. Still, Moses spent nearly three months in prison because of that officials mistake. Several times during our conversation, we had to pause the pain of her experience remained raw.

On the surface, Holmes and Bird have little in common except for three damning factors in the eyes of Memphis prosecutors: they are poor, Black, and call Memphis home.

But they also share remarkable courage and resilience. These women could have been broken by the system, but they bravely shared their pain to prevent it from happening to others.

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A group of local lawyers and community leaders are working to ensure the womens experiences arent repeated. The advocates this year demanded a Racial Equity Audit of Weirichs office to identify, and hopefully correct, the systemic practices that lead to racist outcomes.

Race discrimination in our legal system from how Black people are prosecuted and punished more harshly, to how Black crime victims are dismissed and disregarded is a crisis that can no longer be ignored, the group wrote.

While the audit is a sound idea, this is not simply a local matter. When law enforcement is driven by discrimination and prosecutors disregard the Constitution, the U.S. Department of Justice and its Civil Rights Division must intervene.

The DOJ has the power to investigate local prosecutors. In 2020, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and a coalition of civil rights groups urged the DOJ to investigate state and local prosecutors in Georgia after white men chased down and murdered Ahmaud Arbery, but prosecutors initially failed to bring charges.

In Memphis and Shelby County, such intervention is long overdue.

Bird Holmes is not the only Black child whose life Weirich has threatened. From 2018 to 2020, 98% of the 217 Shelby County children transferred to adult court were Black. It has been four years since a federal monitor tasked with oversight of the countys juvenile justice system described Weirichs tactics as toxic … for African-American youth, and the racial disparities have only worsened since then.

Similarly, shirking constitutional obligations to fairly present evidence such as in Pamela Moses case has been a hallmark of Weirichs career: A Harvard Law School study examining the first five years of her tenure uncovered more than a dozen cases of misconduct and found Weirich led the state in findings of misconduct and the number of cases reversed because of it.

This sort of repeated discrimination and misconduct is precisely why DOJ enforcement is essential. Memphis system of injustice has gone unchecked for too long, and the Civil Rights Division has the power, and the duty, to force change.

Kerry Kennedy is a human rights lawyer and president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.

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We must restore the promise of freedom and justice for Black people in Memphis | Opinion - Commercial Appeal

The more a congressional investigation reveals about the Jan. 6 insurrection, the more outrageous it is that anyone would try to compare it to the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the nation after George Floyd was murdered.

Its not even apples and oranges. Its apples and tractor trailer parts.

And the fact that an American football coach could still be employed after trivializing the violent assault on our government as nothing more than a dust-up says so much about whats wrong with our country right now.

In the days before the Jan. 6 hearings started, Jack Del Rio, the defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders, weighed in with a controversial tweet.

Would love to understand the whole story about why the summer of riots, looting, burning and the destruction of personal property is never discussed but this is ??? the coach wrote.

Then he doubled down in remarks to reporters after a team practice.

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Peoples livelihoods are being destroyed, businesses are being burned down no problem, Del Rio said. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down and were gonna make that a major deal?

Del Rios specialty is defense, but he sounded more like the offensive coordinator.

Del Rio apologized, was fined $100,000 and deleted his Twitter account, straight out of the lack of accountability playbook.

But the damage was already done.

Add Del Rio to the growing list of big mouths who wrongly assume that exercising their First Amendment right to free speech means saying anything they want without consequences.

Dust-up, he said. Nothing burned down.

Because the one revisited last week by the congressional committee shows an angry lynch mob hellbent on literally hanging Mike Pence, the vice president of the United States, whose fuse-burning boss did all but tie the noose.

Maybe our supporters have the right idea, then-President Donald Trump told staffers at the time, according to U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the vice chair of the House select committee investigating Jan. 6.

What insurrection did Del Rio see?

Because the one revealed in new, behind-the-scenes footage during the hearings showed frenzied rioters and traitors relentlessly assaulting police officers, threatening elected leaders and storming the venerable halls of government.

Shots were fired in the Capitol, where elected officials were huddled under their desks. Insurgents were walking door to door shouting, Where the f--- are they, and Trump won that election.

It was carnage. It was chaos, Cheney said. It was just hours of hand-to-hand combat, hours of dealing with things that were way beyond any law enforcement officer has ever trained for.

At least the Black Lives Matters demonstrators were protesting something real, not some voter fraud lie concocted by the Contriver-in-Chief.

George Floyd died, with a police officers knee in his neck. He was on the ground in handcuffs. Everybody saw it.

Donald Trump lost an election. Nobody stole it from him. He sicced a mob on America, and everybody saw it.

We will never give up, Trump said that day. We will never concede. It doesnt happen. If you dont fight like hell youre not going to have a country anymore.

Apples and oranges. Its more like apples and costume jewelry designs.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.

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Leonard Greene: Black Lives Matter and the truth about Jan. 6 - Greensboro News & Record

The month of June has become an insufferable time for normal people as corporations, schools, governments, the media, and leftists push Gay Pride Month into everyones face.

Over the past 50 years, Boston (like hundreds of other cities) has endured an increasingly massive and perverse Gay Pride Parade ending with a Gay Pride Festival at Boston City Hall Plaza. Its frightened summer tourists, scared away families, and destroyed the aura of a once beautiful city.

For a dozen years, MassResistance documented the depraved event, sharing photos and videos and exposing the participating corporations, schools, and politicians.

But this year there was no parade, no festival, and no plans for any in the future. The Board of Directors of the Boston Pride Committee, which planned, funded, and organized it, voted to permanently disband the whole organization. The streets of downtown Boston are (relatively) safe and sane again!

What happened? You cant make this up! According to multiple news reports, the gays who run the event were being accused of racism by Black Lives Matter (BLM). BLM also accused them of snubbing some of the weirder transgender groups, and not supporting the entire gay community.

The bizarre complaints from Black Lives Matter began back in 2015 but were pretty much brushed aside. However, the big eruption came during 2020 and 2021 while the event was postponed due to COVID. Black Lives Matter aligned with a gaggle of local fringe LGBT groups and targeted Boston Prides all-white (and gentrified) Board of Directors with a list of complaints and demands. This wacky list of complaints (which itself reflects a racist attitude) included:

The BLM coalition also persuaded most of the Pride volunteers to resign. Then they began organizing a boycott of the upcoming (June 2021) Pride event.

The June 2021 Pride event was postponed because of COVID. But that didnt quiet anything down. In July 2021, the BLM coalition publicly demanded that the Pride Board resign. A week later the Pride Board reacted by voting to disband the organization completely.

This whole thing isnt really surprising. By 2020, the City of Boston had become ultra-pro-LGBT, so there was basically nothing left for them to fight for. But left-wing, revolutionary organizations are made up of obsessive, dysfunctional, and irrational people. Without a pressing cause, these radical groups invariably turn on each other. This is typical for leftist revolutionary movements going back to the French Revolution and the Lenin-Stalin era in the Soviet Union. The revolutionaries eventually eat their own.

Since theres no 2022 Boston Pride Parade and accompanying festival to remind everyone what the LGBT movement is about, we are presenting below just a few highlights from our past reports to show everyone in Boston what theyre missing!

Editors note: To avoid highlighting vile, graphic images, The Stream is not reprinting this part of the article.

We never thought wed ever find ourselves cheering for Black Lives Matter! Lets hope that this conflict spreads across the country.

Originally published at massresistance.org. Reprinted with permission. For additional media content, see original post.

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Some Good News for 'Pride' Month: Boston Gay Pride Parade is Cancelled Possibly Permanently After Accusations of Racism From Black Lives Matter and...

After two long years, Torontos Pride Parade is back on Sunday where members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and allies will march along downtown streets to celebrate diversity and protest for equal rights for everyone.

One distinguished guest who will be in attendance is this years International Grand Marshal Dr. Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, widely known as Lady Phyll.

As the co-founder and executive director of UK Black Pride and the the executive director of human rights charity Kaleidoscope Trust, Lady Phyll is a renowned advocate for the 2SLGBTQ community worldwide.

In January, Lady Phyll received an honourary doctorate from London South Bank University for her work in the fight against homophobia, sexism and racism in the U.K. and globally.

Toronto Pride is Lady Phylls first pride event after the global COVID-19 lockdown, but this is not her first time being honoured with a prestigious role. In 2019, she was the grand marshal at New Yorks World Pride.

CP24.com spoke to Lady Phyll about being Toronto Prides international grand marshal, her accomplishments in human rights advocacy and what work needs to be done to achieve equal rights for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

CP24: Can you tell us a little about yourself and why you decided to work in human rights advocacy?

Lady Phyll: I guess I've always known that I was different and I've always asked questions, been really inquisitive about justice and social justice. I went to a school which was predominantly white. And, you know, we were taught everything about the Battle of Hastings 1066, Christopher Columbus, but we were never taught enough about our histories and Herstories. So I think I dug deeper, I wanted to read about Audre Lorde, Bell Hooks, James Baldwin. And I also came out and had a greater understanding of self and wanted to dig deep and know what have our communities looked like in the past? What hasn't been done, what activities do we do to amplify ourselves? So that has been that whole trajectory and I've also been a really staunch trade unionist. So you know, workers rights have been incredibly important to me and when you connect and intertwine all of that it just makes for all the ingredients about moving forward where social justice is concerned.

CP24: Can you tell us about UK Black Pride and Kaleidoscope Trust?

LP: I lead this amazing international LGBT+ organization called Kaleidoscope Trust, which works to uphold human rights for LGBT+ people across the globe, primarily in the Commonwealth. Ive been in that role for three years now and I have the fortunate pleasure of working with some of the most amazing activists.

With UK Black Pride, it's been in existence since 2005. We are really about that education piece; that love, hope, joy, celebration and protests and understanding the different intersections where our communities meet. So from Black and brown peoples, who are looking at race, gender, class, religion, faith, belief, maturity, and our young people looking at housing and all other aspects of what 2SLGBTQ+ people really, really want to focus on.

CP24: When did you find out about being Pride Torontos International Grand Marshal and how excited are you?

LP: I think I found out about three months ago and when I was told by the executive director of Pride Toronto I literally jumped off the chair and I started screaming with excitement. Because to be the international grand marshal is not just sending a message of solidarity, but it's connecting all of the work around the world and bringing love, joy, hope, the elements of being part of this wider global movement of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. It's just thrilling.

CP24: Have you been to Toronto before?

LP: I've been to Toronto before. I've seen some work out here, working with activists and leaders, and grassroots community activists, I should say, around global Black pride, and we're speaking about a human rights conference that will be coming to Toronto in July.

CP24: What do you like about the city?

LP: The people. You know, I'm single so I can actually mingle with beautiful people, beautiful energy. The hospitality is just so on point. I haven't actually been to other places and felt this much love. And it's not just because I'm the international grand marshal. I think people genuinely, especially after this lockdown period where we haven't had a pride (event) for two years, haven't been able to connect. It just feels like it's meant to be.

CP24: What pride events are you attending this weekend?

LP: I'll be making sure I'm present at the trans rally. I'll be there at the Dyke March. I'll be there at the main stage. But also just connecting with as many people as possible through the parade, seeing families come out for the first time, meeting young queer people who this may be their first experience of pride and also finding time to eat and breathe as well. That's quite important.

CP24: Are you familiar with past conflicts between Pride Toronto and Black Lives Matter Toronto? How do you think the organizations should collaborate going forward?

LP: I guess this is not about me being familiar with the history of Black lives matter here in Toronto, but it's being familiar with the issues that face Black people and Black queer people. So if there's anything that Pride Toronto and organizations like Blackness Yes and Blockorama should be doing is working collaboratively and understanding the nuances and complexities and the beautiful nature of how our organizations and individuals should be able to coexist together.

I would say there's things that need to be addressed and looked at, and this could be the ways in how structural, systemic issues play out for for Black queer people in terms of housing, education, in terms of poverty. And some of that has to be looked at in line with how MPs take forward their work, how communities are well resourced and well funded. And more importantly, what visibility and amplification of the great work that they do takes place.

READ MORE: Black Lives Matter stages sit-in at Toronto Pride Parade

CP24: What does pride mean for you?

LP: I guess pride means so many different things. It can mean a home, it can mean chosen family, it can mean love, it can mean solidarity, it can mean togetherness, it can mean connecting. I think what this pride is going to be showing us today is the power of movements. And the power of movements when we come together and we turn up the volume on society. It means it makes it absolutely impossible to ignore us, erase us and to forget about us.

I just like to add that I think that we've got to understand pride is a movement and it's a process and it's one that has to be celebrated with so many different people because that's what makes our movement strong. It's not just for one particular group, it is really for everyone to enjoy themselves and that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

CP24: What other projects are you working on?

LP: We have UK Black Pride which is Sunday the 14th of August. As you know, everyone is welcome. It's going to be a beautiful celebration and protest of, you know, Black and POC (People of Colour) queer people celebrating themselves, loving on one another, enjoying the space that's been created for them and by them.

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Pride is 'for everyone to enjoy themselves,' Q&A with Pride Toronto's International Grand Marshal Lady Phyll - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News

PHOENIX (AP) The Arizona Capitol was ringed with a double barrier of fencing with concertina wire strung between the barriers Monday after three straight nights of protests prompted by the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling overturning womens constitutional right to abortion left some memorials damaged.

The protests were mainly peaceful and led to only a handful of arrests, but the actions of small groups of people led to the damage and decision to erect the fencing Saturday, authorities said. The Arizona National Guard added the razor wire on Sunday.

The protests on Friday night, which came hours after the Supreme Court issued its opinion striking down Roe v. Wade and as the Legislature was meeting to complete its 2022 session, were the largest. The Arizona Department of Public Safety estimated that between 7,000 and 8,000 people gathered at the Capitol.

All was peaceful until about 8:30 p.m., when a small number of protesters began beating on the glass front of the state Senate and at least one person tried to kick in a sliding glass door. Dozens of state troopers were lined up just inside, but the group did not stop until an unannounced volley of tear gas was launched toward them from the second floor of of the old state Capitol building less than a hundred feet away.

A spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, Bart Graves, confirmed that no warning was given. He said state troopers were protecting lawmakers working inside.

These rioters knew exactly what was at stake here and knew what our job is there and they continued to try to bust in anyway, Graves said.

The commotion led senators to cut short an ongoing vote and flee to the basement. They returned about 20 minutes later, but lingering tear gas pulled into the large room by the buildings ventilation system forced the 30 senators and staff, reporters and the public to move to a meeting room where the air was fresher for the sessions final hours.

After the tear gas was deployed, most of the crowd either left or went into a nearby plaza packed with dozens of memorials. Tear gas was again deployed, this time with a warning and announcement first.

On Saturday morning, damage was obvious, with memorials and walls and concrete walls spray painted with Abort the Court and unpublishable phrases. Efforts to scrub it off were ongoing Monday.

No arrests were made Friday night, Graves said. On Saturday evening a crowd of about 1,200 people protested. After most had left, and as midnight approached, several people pulled down a section of fencing, leading to four arrests.

Fewer than 200 people protested Sunday night and five people were arrested on minor charges. No injuries were reported all weekend.

Many Republicans hailed state troopers and criticized the protestors. Democrats also praised state police and denounced protesters who were violent, while saying they want an investigation of the state police action.

Abortion providers across Arizona stopped performing the procedures Friday because they feared prosecution. Arizona has a pre-statehood law banning all abortions and a law granting legal rights to unborn children that abortion providers fear could be used to bring charges.

The Capitol was last ringed with fencing after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by backers of then-President Donald Trump and after Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020.

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Capitol ringed with fencing after days of Roe protests - The Associated Press - en Espaol