Archive for the ‘George Zimmerman’ Category

#news – The Aggie

Its whats happening

Its here: Your first self-reported #news article, 100% free of journalistic bias. When we make promises, We Deliver, just like the US Postal Service. So from now on, the journalists will be cut out of the equation, and their inherent bias toward wanting to actually inform you will be forever stymied, like a rugged American individual charging noggin first into a wicked web of bureaucratic red tape. We know we said the tweets wouldnt be organized in any particular way, but we ran the thousands of tweets through a neural network computer program to pair related posts together in sequence. Baby steps. But dont worry, real journalists had nothing to do with this. At least we incorporated some Insta stories into this #news report for variety! Well be expanding to all social media platforms soon. Now, as an influential social media influencer once said, just moments before millions of people spontaneously became measurably dumber, Social media makes you smarter. #news

Headline: Local germaphobe/health guru dies grisly, unsanitary death after contracting infection from soap dispenser at vegan cooking retreat

By THE NEWSMAKERS

Probably deserved it haha plus the new vegan thrift shop already closed and theirs liberla tears #news#macklemore. I pre-ferd animal crackers anyway! #news. But what about the sugar in the wrap? If thats a wrap then its a wrap! Game over #news#esports. THats not sports. It tis a game. Wear you sacrifice ur life to spend it in front of a tv. Just like jesus at the coho #news. But Judas betrayed him by not voting YES on the fee referendum #news#judaspriest

#easybiblical. And one of the two was communist, like Bernie LOL #news#maga.

George Zimmerman is suing Mayor Pete and Pochahontas for defamation to get money #news thats actually #news and hes such a races but at least he likes guns! #news #theblues. Hes from a man from Florida man, but guilty. Enter Florida man and your birthday and youll get funny Florida man stories haha like a news article in the news #news #stainformed. Mine says 88-year-old Florida man sets raccoon on fire for eating his mangoes #news. Was the racoon using a spoon at least? #news.

Wow. My yung son Don just asked if he can eat his apple with a spoon cuz the forks flew away. Hes so cute! #news#insta#nofilter#noforks #breakfastday4of45#45Prez. Wait are there actually a foods u cant eat with a spoon no matter what like ever? #news#spoon. Yeah no try eating the apply with a spoon dumbass! #news#spoonchallenge. I tried to apply the apple with a spoon and it didnt work.#news #spoonchallenge. No if you slam the apple on the spoon at the perfect angle, it will break #spoonchallenge #applechallenge #news.

Waddup, Im ridin shotgun in the Subaru with my bruh Tucker here whose driving with apples glued to both his hands for the #applechallenge and were tryna get our video on the local new tonight so once we hit 69 hes gonna turn upside down, put his feet on wheel and try to break all the spoons that are jammed underneath the brake so we dont crash LOL #applechallenge #spoonchalenge#instajam#news.

Written by: Benjamin Porter bbporter@ucdavis.edu

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#news - The Aggie

Was Rep. Bobby Rush Removed From the House Floor for Wearing a Hoodie? – Truth or Fiction

Claim

While Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was allowed to wear a gasmask on the House vote, Democrat Bobby L. Rush was removed from the same grounds for wearing a hoodie.

Reporting

After Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) donned a gas mask while Congress debated a bill securing emergency funding to fight the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the United States and beyond, one of his colleagues rebuked both him and an apparent set of double standards.

In 2012, I wore a hoodie on the House Floor to make a statement about the deadly consequences of racial profiling, Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Illinois) wrote on Twitter. On Wednesday, @RepMattGaetz wore a gas mask in the chamber, making light of an epidemic that has killed 14 Americans. Guess which one of us was forcibly removed.

Rushs post, which showed photographs of himself alongside Gaetz, was also picked up on Reddit:

Rush, a former member of the Black Panthers liberation group who has represented Illinois 1st congressional district since 1993, was indeed stopped from speaking and ordered off of the floor on March 28 2012, after revealing that he was wearing a hooded sweater under his blazer in remarks criticizing racial profiling on the part of law enforcement:

As soon as Rush removed his jacket and put the hood on his head, Rep. Greg Harper, R-Mississippi, who was presiding over the House floor, began to gavel Rush down, saying he was out of order.

Rush ignored him, and with the hoodie still pulled over his head, continued to speak, citing the Bible.

Harper continued to bang the gavel. The gentleman will suspend. The member is no longer recognized, he said. The chair must remind members that clause 5 of rule 17 prohibits the wearing of hats in the chamber when the House is in session.

A floor clerk approached Rush as he finished his remarks and led him away from the podium.

Afterward, Rush told CNN he was wearing a tie, suggesting he was appropriately dressed for the House floor. He said the purpose of putting on the hoodie was to send a message to young people, to stand their ground, stand up and dont stand down.

Rushs comments came less than a month after the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida by George Zimmerman, a community watch member who claimed that he shot and killed the teen in self defense. Martins death was the impetus for nationwide demonstrations, including the Million Hoodie March in New York City happening the same day Rush made his remarks:

Too often, this violent act that resulted in the violent murder of Trayvon Martin is repeated in the streets of our nation. I applaud the young people all across the land who are making a statement about hoodies [and] about the real hoodlums in this nation. Particularly those who tread on our laws wearing official or quasi-official clothes. Racial profiling has to stop, Mr. Speaker. Just because someone wears a hoodie does not make them a hoodlum.

After Rush donned the hood on his sweater, Mississippi Republican and acting Speaker Rep. Greg Harper said, The gentleman will suspend. The member is no longer recognized. Harper then ordered an aide to escort Rush from the House floor, citing a rule barring members from wearing coverings on their heads.

Martins father, Tracy Martin, later commended the lawmaker for his show of solidarity.

My question would be why wasnt Congressman Rush allowed to address racial profiling. This is something that needs to be talked about, he said. This is a country of freedom of speech.

By comparison, Gaetz a white Republican was apparently not admonished at all for wearing a gas mask as he and his colleagues voted on the measure allocating $815.2 billion in funding to fighting COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus. He later claimed that he was doing so out of concern for his own safety. Look, members of Congress are human petri dishes, he said. We fly through the dirtiest airports. We touch everyone we meet.

As of March 7 2020, more than 225 COVID-19 cases had been diagnosed in the United States, and at least fourteen deaths have been attributed to the disease.

It is true that there has been a ban on hats on the floor while the House is in session since 1837. Its also true that one could make the argument that a gas mask which covers the face and part of the head is not a hat. One could also make the same argument about a hoodie. Finally, its true that Rep. Bobby Rush was escorted out for pulling a hoodie over his head in 2012, and Rep. Matt Gaetz and his gas mask were allowed to stay in 2020.

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Was Rep. Bobby Rush Removed From the House Floor for Wearing a Hoodie? - Truth or Fiction

Trump riding into the Daytona 500 Palm Beach elections office hit with ransomware DeSantis admin says Trump Medicaid rule could be ‘crippling’ -…

Good Thursday morning. These are your people.

The pitch Thats what Rep. Michael Waltz told President Donald Trump. Waltz was on the phone a couple of weeks ago with a simple request to the president: Come attend the Daytona 500 this weekend. Waltz, who has the Daytona International Speedway in his district, got the idea after chatting with NASCAR officials about how long it had been (16 years) since a sitting president had come to one of the premier racing events in the nation.

Big crowd The Northeast Florida congressman told Playbook he pointed out to Trump that the attendance at the Daytona 500 would be more than twice that of the national championship game between LSU and Clemson, which Trump attended last month. Waltz, a former Green Beret, said the NASCAR race is a family-friendly event chock full of Trump supporters. Ive got to be honest with you, you wont see any kneeling there, said Waltz, a reference to the national anthem controversy where Trump criticized NFL players for protesting racial inequality. It is an amazing, patriotic All-American event. Waltz said at the end the president was fired up. All right, Im coming.'

Florida, Florida, Florida Trumps decision to attend the Daytona 500 marks yet another high-profile appearance in his recently adopted home state. While there are sure to be plenty of attendees from across the country at the race, its also worth noting that Volusia County the home to the racetrack and at the eastern end of the constantly talked about I-4 corridor gave Trump a 34,000 vote margin over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Trump won Florida by nearly 113,000 votes. His people indeed.

WHERE'S RON? Nothing official announced for Gov. DeSantis.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Florida Playbook will not be published on Monday, Feb. 17. We'll be back on our normal schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Please continue to follow POLITICO Florida

TO THE TRACK Trump to court God-fearing, country-loving Americans at Daytona 500, by POLITICOs Daniel Lippman, Anita Kumar and Tina Nguyen: President Donald Trump has his next MAGA-friendly sporting event lined up the Daytona 500.The president on Sunday is expected to attend the annual NASCAR race, one of the most famous on the auto racing circuit.

THE NEW ORDER "Really shocking: Trumps meddling in Stone case stuns Washington, by POLITICOs Natasha Bertrand and Daniel Lippman: President Donald Trumps post-impeachment acquittal behavior is casting a chill in Washington, with Attorney General William Barr emerging as a key ally in the presidents quest for vengeance against the law enforcement and national security establishment that initiated the Russia and Ukraine investigations.

CANT WIN THEM ALL Mar-a-Lago intruder acquitted of trespassing, but jury says she resisted arrest, by Sun Sentinels Marc Freeman: In a Mar-a-Lago trespassing case, a jury Wednesday acquitted a woman from China who claimed she was innocently sightseeing on President Donald Trumps property two months ago.

HAS TO BE ASKED No signs, no gate, few guards: Are Mar-a-Lago intruders actually trespassing?, by Miami-Heralds Nicholas Nehamas and Sarah Blaskey: The lack of security infrastructure at President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago club seemingly contributed Wednesday to the exoneration of a Chinese woman accused of trespassing.

RANTING Just a rant by an idiot: Charges dropped against man accused of threatening to kill Trump, by Sun Sentinels Eileen Kelley: A Florida man no longer faces criminal charges because his online skit about Donald Trump appeared to be more of a rant by an idiot than someone intent on harming the president, according to a prosecutors memo obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

A message from the Alliance for Animal Welfare:

Petland liesSB 1698/HB 1237 wont stop puppy mills. These bills HELP stores like Petland sell MORE puppies from out-of-state puppy mills. Responsible pet stores dont sell dogs. Stores like Petland defraud customers and sell sick puppies. Protect your constituents and Vote NO on HB 1237/SB 1698. ProtectPuppies.com

WHAT? PBC elections office hit by ransomware before 2016 election, by Palm Beach Posts Hannah Morse: "Weeks before the 2016 election that would usher in Donald Trump as president, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office was subject to a ransomware attack, elections supervisor Wendy Sartory Link told The Palm Beach Post on Wednesday. The attack more than three years ago happened while Susan Bucher was elections supervisor, but Link said she was unsure how the virus infiltrated the system."

FIREWALL? In Florida, Biden digs in his heels after slow start in Iowa, New Hampshire, by Miami-Heralds David Smiley: Following a fifth-place finish in Tuesdays New Hampshire primary, the former vice presidents campaign moved quickly Wednesday to announce the launch of several grassroots coalitions in Florida a state where he leads in the polls thanks in large part to his standing with Hispanic and black voters.

ANOTHER ONE Exclusive: County commissioner Melissa McKinlay endorses Bloomberg, by The Palm Beach Posts Christine Stapleton: Palm Beach County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay announced Wednesday her endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg, becoming the second local official to back the New York City billionaire.

ONE MORE Florida House Minority Leader Kionne McGhee on Wednesday endorsed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is focusing a lot of time, attention and energy on the looming Florida primary. McGhees endorsement is notable since many other legislators, including several black lawmakers, have backed former Vice President Joe Biden. When asked about Bloombergs past support for stop and frisk policies as mayor, McGhee said he had shown leadership on the issue because he recognized it was flawed and he apologized for the results and he asked for forgiveness.

NEW ... ANOTHER ENDORSEMENT FOR BLOOMBERG... Florida Rep. Ted Deutch is endorsing Bloomberg this morning. Deutch, who represents South Florida including Parkland said it was due, in part, to Bloomberg's work on gun control.

IT BEGINS Florida progressives launch ads aimed at specific Latino groups, NBC Newss Carmen Sesin: Latinos are a coveted voting bloc in the battleground state of Florida but they're not one group when it comes to their countries of origin and the issues on which they focus. To that end, a progressive political action committee has been releasing a series of ads targeting specific Latino groups as the voting registration deadline approaches.

CMON DOWN Want to help pick the presidential nominee? Theres still time to register., by Tampa Bay Timess Allison Ross: If you want to vote in Floridas presidential preference primary on March 17, you need to make sure youre registered as either Democrat or Republican by Tuesday.

HEATING UP Democratic Party chair seeks Mayor Randy Henderson's resignation amid political ad controversy, by News-Presss Melissa Montoya: The chairwoman of the Lee County Democratic Party has called for Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson to resign after releasing a politically charged campaign ad on social media she said is inappropriate and petty.

STAND YOUR GROUND Two Florida attorneys who were on opposite sides in the central Florida case that put Floridas stand your ground self-defense law into the public spotlight are both now calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to have a special prosecutor review a 2016 shooting in Fort Myers.

Ben Crump, who represented the family of Trayvon Martin, and Mark OMara, who represented George Zimmerman, want the governor to have a new prosecutor to look at the shooting of 32-year-old Ryan Modell. Modell, who was intoxicated, began banging on the wrong door in a Fort Myers condo. Modell, who was unarmed, would wind up being killed by homeowner James Steven Taylor who contended he acted in self-defense. Prosecutors in Southwest Florida declined to take the case to a grand jury, so now Modells father has asked DeSantis to act. Stand Your Ground should not be a shield or encouragement for vigilantism, Crump said. So far DeSantiss office has said little about the case other than they are reviewing it.

UPHILL BATTLE Hopes dim for gun control measures in Florida Legislature, by Tampa Bay Times Lawrence Mower: "A bill that would close Floridas so-called 'gun show loophole' is in trouble. Halfway through this years legislative session, the bill has stalled, and key lawmakers arent sounding optimistic it will be heard again. 'It is very clear that it is an uphill battle,' said Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, who supports the bill."

LOCKED UP Michael Drejka attacked in prison, isolated from other inmates, officials say. by Tampa Bay Timess Kathryn Varn: Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka was attacked in prison on Tuesday and has been confined away from other inmates.

PAY UP Cutting backlog by half, Gov. Ron DeSantis imposes ethics penalties on Andrew Gillum, others, by Tallahassee Democrats Jeffrey Schweers: Gov. Ron DeSantis imposed fines and other penalties Tuesday against 14 public officials who transgressed Floridas ethics code, cutting by half the number of final orders from the state ethics commission that had been languishing on his desk.

HMMM Florida Medicaid Director: New Trump administration rules would be crippling to nursing homes, hospitals, by News Service of Floridas Christine Sexton: The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis, a steadfast supporter of President Donald Trump, is raising concerns about a proposed federal rule that would strike a financial blow to the states Medicaid program if allowed to go into effect.

MERGER MANIA Higher education merger plan survives committee vote, by POLITICOs Andrew Atterbury: A sweeping higher education proposal from the Florida House to fold four state universities into two and reform a trio of scholarship programs survived a bombardment of opposition during its introduction Wednesday.

IF YOU GOT EM House vaping crackdown advances despite opposition, by POLITICOs Arek Sarkissian: The House Health Market Reform Subcommittee on Thursday approved a bill that would set new regulations for the vape industry despite objections from health groups that the measure wont make e-cigarettes safer.

BYPASS Bean: Legislature to seek cheaper drug suppliers through drug importation program, by POLITICOs Alexandra Glorioso: The Florida Legislature is pursuing a drug importation program because rebates arent saving the state enough money in its Medicaid program, a key appropriator said Wednesday.

CFO SHUFFLE Top-level churn continues in the office of CFO Jimmy Patronis, who is under investigation by state attorney Jack Campbell over allegations that are not totally clear. Deputy CFO Anna Alexopoulos Farrar is leaving for lobbying shop Converge GPS, a move first reported by Florida Politics. She is just the latest top staffer to leave that office in the past month. Also out is Ryan West, Patronis former chief of staff, who resigned after POLITICO reported he had a business deal with a registered lobbyist, and former communication director Katie Strickland, who left to take a similar role at the Agency for Health Care Administration.

CAR WARS Enterprise battles peer-to-peer upstarts in Florida car rental fight, by Orlando Sentinels Gray Rohrer: The clash between traditional car rental companies such as Enterprise and upstart 'peer-to-peer' online platforms, connecting car owners looking to rent out their car to drivers in need of a vehicle, is back in the Legislature. After failing to gain momentum last year, a bill to regulate and tax the peer-to-peer platforms like traditional companies is moving in the House and Senate.

THE GRAND BARGAIN Florida House and Senate budgets set for votes, but real work about to begin, by GateHouse Capital Bureaus John Kennedy: The Florida House and Senate are set Thursday to approve dueling state budget plans meaning the real work of the session is just about to begin. Settling scores of differences between spending proposals that span 425 pages will dominate the two-month sessions closing weeks.

BIG QUESTION Florida has new school standards. Did it dump the Common Core?, by Tampa Bay Timess Jeffrey Solochek: As expected, the Florida Board of Education on Wednesday unanimously replaced the states expectations for language arts and math with new ones that Gov. Ron DeSantis has touted as eliminating the Common Core.

MOVING ON Controversial bill would end permanent alimony in Florida, change child custody, by Pensacola News Journals Jim Little: Cindy Stewart, a doctorate student at Florida State University, was nearly in tears as she stood before the legislative subcommittee in Tallahassee on Tuesday, pleading with lawmakers not to support a bill that she said would destroy her mother's ability to support herself.

POWERFUL 'Anguish in the Aftermath': Parkland shooting confronts lawmakers, visitors to Florida Capitol, by Tallahassee Democrats Tori Lynn Schneider: "Powerful" ... "moving" ... "heartbreaking." Some of those who stopped to read the stories of six victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in the fourth-floor Capitol rotunda this week were overcome with emotion.

PAY UP Student athlete pay proposal moves to full Florida House, by News Service of Floridas Jim Turner: A proposal that would allow college athletes to market themselves and get paid off the field is ready to go before the Florida House. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday supported the proposal (HB 7051), which outlines how athletes playing for Florida colleges and universities could earn compensation for their name, image, likeness or persona.

SWAMPED Groups criticize state science officer after water remarks, by POLITICOs Bruce Ritchie: The Sierra Club hasn't opposed bills to advance Gov. Ron DeSantis' water initiatives, but the group on Wednesday launched a barrage of criticism aimed at Florida Chief Science Officer Thomas Frazer after he praised the measures.

House Democrats hopeful about changes to school voucher program, by Florida Politics Sarah Mueller

House Democrats fail to defang bill targeting Agriculture Commissioner, by Florida Politics A.G. Gancarski

NOT COMFORTING The CDC sent novel coronavirus testing kits to Florida. They might not work, by Miami Heralds Ben Conarck: Florida health officials received testing kits for novel coronavirus earlier this week but cant use them yet because its unclear whether the tests are working.

DONE DEAL Defective drywall lawsuit reaches settlement, a decade after Chinese product forced many from their homes, Naples Daily Newss Bill Smith: After a decade of litigation, more than 1,800 Florida homeowners who bought homes made unlivable by drywall manufactured in China will be sharing in a $248 million settlement.

GETTING UGLY Osceola sheriff rushed Nicole Montalvo case to boost his re-election, state attorney says: new evidence released, by Orlando Sentinels Monivette Cordeiro, Jeff Weiner and Cristobal Reyes: State Attorney Aramis Ayala accused Osceola County Sheriff Russ Gibson of rushing the investigation into Nicole Montalvos killing to help his re-election campaign in a blistering letter this week, a day before her office made public a massive cache of records in the case.

Floridas first black state attorney defends opposition to death penalty, by Tampa Bay Times Allison Ross

OH BOY Jeffrey Epstein company ripped us off, Virgin Islands attorney general says, by Miami Heralds Kevin Hall: Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George ratcheted up pressure on the executors of Jeffrey Epsteins estate, amending the civil enforcement action she brought last month to name the disgraced financiers lawyers as co-defendants.

AWFUL Funeral home let girls remains rot, family says in state complaint, by Palm Beach Posts Julius Whigham II and Olivia Hitchcock: The family of an 11-year-old girl who died in late January has filed a complaint with the state against a Riviera Beach funeral home, saying it failed to preserve the girls remains and allowed her body to decay in the days before a planned memorial service.

NEXT Bay District Schools prepares for elimination of Common Core, by Panama City News Heralds Tony Mixon: The controversial set of academic standards, Common Core, has been eradicated from the Florida curriculum and Bay District Schools is preparing for the change.

A STORY Mary McLeod Bethune was born the daughter of slaves. She died a retired college president, by Florida Todays Tim Walters: Born in Mayesville, South Carolina, in 1875, Mary McCleod was the 15th of 17 children born to former slaves Sam and Patsy McLeod. She was the first of her siblings to be born into freedom.:

A message from the Alliance for Animal Welfare:

Petland liesHB 1237/SB 1698 wont stop puppy mills. These bills help Petland sell MORE puppies from out-of-state puppy mills. Responsible pet stores dont sell dogs. Over 3,000 pet stores in Florida, including Petco, Petsmart, and Pet Supermarket dont sell puppies because it is an inhumane, archaic practice that is bad for business and consumers.

Unscrupulous stores like Petland profit by importing thousands of sick puppy mill puppies and selling them to unsuspecting families. Sick dogs cost families thousands in veterinary bills and even make people sick. The CDC recently linked two outbreaks of Campylobacter, an antibiotic resistant disease in humans, to pet store puppies and linked some cases directly to puppies and employees from Petland stores.

Local governments protect communities from stores like Petland that sell sick dogs. You cannot stop puppy millsgood breeders dont sell to pet stores.

Dont buy Petlands lies. Vote no on HB1237/SB1698 ProtectPuppies.com

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Reese McGuire accused of exposing himself in Pinellas County, by Tampa Bay Timess Chris Tisch: Reese McGuire, a catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, was accused by law enforcement of exposing himself last week. McGuire, 24, was given a notice to appear in court on a charge of exposure of sexual organs, the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office reports.

Florida man 'pulls over deputy,' gets arrested for DUI and possession of cocaine, by WFTS: A 63-year-old Florida man who stopped a sheriff's deputy to ask how to get to an auto parts store on Saturday night instead got directions to jail when the deputy arrested him on DUI and cocaine possession charges.

Shoppers subdue man trying to rape woman inside Walmart, cops say, by Sun Sentinels Wayne K. Roustan

Alligator wanders into Florida garage, by Herald-Tribunes Alan Shaw

Niceville City Council supports renaming Post Office to honor Doolittle Raiders, by NWF Daily Newss Jim Thompson

Mixed forecast for Florida citrus, by Eurofruits Carl Collen

BIRTHDAYS: Alex Burgos, VP of federal policy, government relations and communications at TechNet, is 4-0

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Florida has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Sunshine State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause youre promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness amongst this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

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Trump riding into the Daytona 500 Palm Beach elections office hit with ransomware DeSantis admin says Trump Medicaid rule could be 'crippling' -...

Powerful TV Proves We Need Black History Month Now More than Ever – TV Fanatic

The month of February commemorates Black History Month, a time for our country to celebrate the hardships and hurdles the black community has overcome.

Yet, it also serves as a reminder that the fight for equality doesn't stop here, and there's no way 29 days could sufficiently pay homage to the numerous victories achieved.

Even with the abolition of slavery well over a century ago, the black community still fights for freedoms in all aspects of the law and society.

And unfortunately, our country has a history of turning a blind eye to its problematic past riddled with racism and oppression.

History provides important lessons and acts as a cautionary tale, so we may not repeat it, but it seems America hasn't learned that lesson to the fullest.

Police brutality, poverty-stricken neighborhoods, racial profiling, and other issues facing the black community are all weeds from the deep-seated roots of racism that run strong through the veins of this country.

Many current TV shows, whether comedy or drama, have included narratives that speak these horrific truths.

While the news ran wild of stories involving police brutality and unwarranted killings of black people, TV shows scrambled to impart similar storylines.

A show centered around a black family living in a typically affluent white neighborhood, black-ish made way for a new branch of TV shows to join the ABC network.

Responding to important topics of police brutality, the history of slavery, and a reaction to Donald Trump's election, the show makes sure to cover a broad range of important topics, and through its comedic lens attempts to put a lighter spin on otherwise depressing facts.

A standout episode of the series that received news coverage on ABC News, black-ish Season 5 Episode 2set out to tackle the topic of police brutality.

Taking a moment to step aside from the jokes and the laughs, Dre and Bow discoursed over the realities of the world they lived in and the importance of talking them over with Jack and Diane, no matter how young they were.

Offering a pause to the typical bantering tone of the sitcom, through teary eyes they memorialized the moment Obama gave his inauguration and offered a bit of hope to the country, alongside the fear of losing said hope.

Following its predecessor, Good Trouble Season 1 focused onCallie's clerkship of the Jamal Thompson case, easily reminiscent of the Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin cases that sparked an entire movement.

The ruthless shootings of black men happen far too often, the statistics easily show that black men are far more likely than white men to be gunned down by the police. As expressed on black-ish, police brutality toward black people is nothing new, the cameras are.

The Black Lives Matter Movement was formed in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's killer, George Zimmerman, in hopes to intervene in a racially unjust system.

In order to bring awareness and let it be known that every human being no matter their ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender deserves equal rights.

The scenes of Jamal's mother on Good Trouble Season 1 Episode 3 speaking in front of the courthouse in tears begging for justice for Jamal's murder were heartbreaking.

Easily an empowering moment, but one no mother should ever have to endure. Yet, a moment that is too often heard of.

A tragedy that many black parents have to explain and explicitly warn their children about.

After Bailey and Warren worked on a case onGrey's Anatomy Season 14 Episode 10of a black child shot by the police after attempting to climb through the window of his own house, they expressed the harsh actualities to young Tuck.

Where most parents know "the talk" as a prepubescent sex discussion, Grey's Anatomy exchanged the term to refer to a lesson in police compliance, a lesson black parents must give to their children.

Accompanied by somber music, Bailey and Warren informed Tuck of the proper way to handle himself if confronted by the police, explaining that he did not have the same privileges as his white friends.

He could not climb through windows, throw rocks, or play with toy guns.

The impressions left behind from the recency of the civil rights movement are visible with the prevalence of beleaguered black neighborhoods. Neighborhoods often left with fewer resources and underfunded school systems.

OnThis Is Us Season 3 Episode 2we were brought along Randall's journey as he attempted to achieve what most of the tenants had tried countless times.

As expected, his persistent fight for the Rec Center did not bode well with the tenants.

He saw a run-down building with dead streetlights, warped pipes, and broken water heaters. ChiChi, William's friend, explained to him that the tenants were not the sum of their parts.

And, although Randall tried to use his blackness to identify with them, she reminded him he was not one of them.

He was not raised like them, and their issues were deeper than just run down amenities.

Simply changing a lightbulb or fixing a radiator wouldn't ease the pains they were accustomed to. Bandaging the wounds doesn't truly get to the source.

The interaction between ChiChi and Randall opened a conversation, making this powerful scene worthwhile.

Many politicians initially begin their careers for reasons similar to Randall to to impart change and make a difference.

However, just like Randall, most politicians don't come from the same background as the constituents they're trying to aid, offering them a skewed perspective.

Instead of trying to offer help from a desk, they should take time to sit with the people and get to know the place rather than immediately jumping to conclusion about the faults they initially see.

We can all learn about Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X in school but still be blinded to the real-time difficulties continuously plaguing the black community.

However, at the very least, with popularized TV shows taking a stand to highlight these tremendous challenges and heinous situations, we're left with a greater understanding that Black History Month is more than a hasty 29 days to recognize the achievements already made.

But, additionally to remind us of the long journey that still remains.

We'd love it if you left a comment down below with your thoughts and any memorable scenes that moved you.

Edit Delete

Inga Parkel is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

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Powerful TV Proves We Need Black History Month Now More than Ever - TV Fanatic

George Zimmerman sues Trayvon Martin family, others for …

George Zimmerman says he was assaulted after talking about the Trayvon Martin shooting at a Florida restaurant.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. George Zimmerman, the man acquitted of murder in the fatalshooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, is now suing the teens family, their Tallahassee attorney Ben Crump and others for $100 million, sayinghe has been victimized since the 2012 incident.

Filed in Polk County, where Zimmerman now lives, the 36-page lawsuit takes aim at Crumps recently published book, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People. The suitclaims its publishing by HarperCollins perpetuates continued defamation of Zimmerman.

The complaintalso names several former prosecutors, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state of Florida as defendants.It additionally claims there was a conspiracy involving a fake witness that led to Zimmermans arrest and prosecution.

Larry Klayman,Zimmermans attorney and a well-knownconservative activist lawyer, said his client regularly faces death threats, gave up career aspirations, struggles to find work and suffers from PTSD in the fallout from the incident.

$435 million defamation lawsuit: Rep. Devin Nunes files lawsuit against CNN

Nov. 2018: George Zimmerman pleads no contest in stalking case involving investigator, reports say

More than seven years since the shooting, Crumps book published in October continues to defame Zimmerman by implicating him in the "genocide of colored people," Klayman said.

Generally, defamation occurs whena false statement of fact damages someone'sreputation. It's usually harder for public figures to win damages, however, than private citizens.

Its a shame (Trayvon Martin) died but my client was not responsible for it. He was acquitted," Klayman said in an interview."You dont keep beating up on the guy for fun and profit.

And you dont make your reputation on the back of my client George Zimmerman. Thats outrageous, abhorrent and disgusting.

Despite the verdict, the incident ignited a powder keg of racial tension across the country, sparking outrage and protests.Klayman said he asked Crump to remove the book from sale.

Although Klayman said he never responded, Crump issued a statement calling the lawsuit a frivolous grasp to justify Martins shooting.

I have every confidence that this unfounded and reckless lawsuit will be revealed for what it is another failed attempt to defend the indefensible and a shameless attempt to profit off the lives and grief of others, Crump wrote.

This plaintiff continues to display a callous disregard for everyone but himself, re-victimizing individuals whose lives were shattered by his own misguided actions," he added. "He would have us believe that he is the innocent victim of a deep conspiracy, despite the complete lack of any credible evidence to support his outlandish claims.

Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford when he shot Martin on Feb. 26, 2012.

Zimmerman went against a 911 operators advice not to engage Martin, who was unarmed. He and the teen briefly fought while Zimmerman called out for help before the shooting, deemed self-defense by the Sanford Police Department.

Klayman said Zimmerman was attacked.He was acquittedof charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter a year later.

As to Crump, St. Petersburg attorney Matt Weidner, who handles defamation cases, said a main question will bedetermininghis intent in writing about Zimmerman.

"What is the purpose of those statements that are being made now all these years later; why is (Zimmerman) being resurrected now?" Weidner said in a phone interview.

"When you read the lawsuit, (it is)ascribing motives to the defendants offurther(ing) their own personal careers,"Weidner said.

In this Sept. 13, 2016, file photo, George Zimmerman looks at the jury as he testifies in a Seminole County courtroom in Orlando.(Photo: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel via AP, Pool, File)

With a series of arrests and faux pas, Zimmerman in recent years has become an even more controversial figure, including hisauctioningoff of the gun that killed Martin.

In 2013, he was arrested on aggravated assault charges when he was accused of pointing a shotgun at his girlfriend. Charges were dropped.

He was arrested again in 2015 when he was accused of throwing a wine bottle at his girlfriend. Charges again were dropped.

In 2015 he was injured in a shooting during a dispute with a motorist.

The lawsuit also claims a fake witness fabricated a storyline that led to Zimmermans unconstitutional prosecution.

It names Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martins mother,and father Tracy Martin, as well as several people connected to the case who served as witnesses.

Martins family members and others working together in concert, agreed to put on a false witness with a made-to-order false storyline to try and create probablecause to arrest Zimmerman, the lawsuit says.

Follow Karl Etters on Twitter: @KarlEtters

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