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Morehouse invited Biden to speak – and the reaction followed

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ATLANTA (AP) — President Joe Biden will likely be the commencement speaker at Morehouse College in Georgia, shining a key highlight on Democrats on one in every of the nation’s most significant historically black campuses but potentially exposing him to uncomfortable protests as he seeks re-election against former President Donald Trump.

The White House confirmed Tuesday that Biden will deliver a speech on May 19 at the alma mater of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. and then address the graduating class of the United States Military Academy at West Point on May 25.

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Morehouse’s statement sparked a backlash amongst faculty and supporters of the school who’re critical of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. That could put the White House and Biden’s re-election campaign in a difficult position as the president works to shore up the racially diverse coalition that catapulted him to the Oval Office.

On Tuesday afternoon, some Morehouse alumni circulated a letter online denouncing the administration’s invitation to Biden and in search of signatures to pressure Morehouse President David Thomas to rescind it.

The letter, obtained by The Associated Press, said Biden’s approach to Israel effectively supports the Gaza genocide and runs counter to the pacifism King expressed in his opposition to the Vietnam War.

“By inviting President Biden to campus, the university affirms the cruel standard that complicity in genocide does not merit sanction from an institution that produced one of the foremost advocates of nonviolence in the 20th century,” the letter reads, emphasizing King’s position that ​​”war is hell that diminishes” humanity as an entire. “If the College cannot affirm this noble tradition of justice by withdrawing its invitation to President Biden, it should reconsider its commitment to Dr. King.”

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Late last week, before the school and the White House formally announced commencement plans, Morehouse Chancellor Kendrick Brown, Thomas’ top lieutenant, sent an email to all faculty expressing concerns about the “rumors” and confirming that the school had prolonged an invite to Biden in September last yr. . That was before Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, spurring a sustained counteroffensive that Morehouse, in an alumni letter, called an act of genocide against the Palestinians. Brown’s email made no mention of the conflict in the Middle East.

Brown invited faculty to an internet forum scheduled for Thursday afternoon to discuss the issue. However, he added: “As we enter into this conversation, please know that the College has no plans to withdraw its accepted invitation to President Biden.”

Morehouse officials didn’t respond to an Associated Press inquiry.

Asked about concerns amongst some faculty members, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said Biden was eager to speak at the school and added: “We start with the graduates, their families and loved ones; about celebrating the achievements of graduates.”

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“I’m not going to judge the processes that go on at Morehouse, but he’s looking forward to going there and celebrating with the graduates,” Bates said.

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Earlier on Tuesday, Thomas issued an announcement to BET.com that, like the chancellor’s letter, emphasized the September deadline for Biden’s invitation.

Thomas said Morehouse officials “look forward to” the president’s visit, which he called “a reminder of our institution’s enduring legacy and impact, as well as our ongoing commitment to excellence, progress and positive change.”

Reverend Stephen Green, pastor of St. Luke AME in Harlem and the writer of the alumni letter, said in an interview that his group has contacted several Morehouse board members and hopes to speak with Thomas. Green, who graduated in 2014, called the efforts a part of a “common thread of protest and activism in the Morehouse tradition” of social and political involvement.

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“We hope this sends a clear signal that we are serious about the values ​​that have been taught,” Green said, adding that he wants Biden to stand firmly for a Palestinian state and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza.

Beyond any dissatisfaction with Israel, polls suggest Biden could have a tough time with black Americans generally. According to an AP-NORC poll conducted in March, greater than half of African American adults approved of the way he was handling his job as president, but that number was down significantly from when he took office, with 94% approving of his job performance.

Biden more and more often were met with protests this yr from progressives who say he is simply too supportive of Israel. The case proved vexing for the president. He has long joined the American foreign policy establishment in recognizing Israel as an irreplaceable ally in the Middle East. Nevertheless, he also criticized the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu Down increasing variety of civilian deaths in Gaza and told him so future US aid relies on Israel taking steps to protect civilians.

That approach has left Biden with vocal critics on the left and right at a time when he has little margin for error in battleground states, including Georgia, which are expected to determine his rematch with Trump.

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Biden’s speech at Morehouse will likely be the second straight spring that the president has addressed the graduating class of the historically black school. In 2023 he delivered starting address at Howard University. The Washington school is the vice chairman’s alma mater Kamala Harris, the first black woman to hold this position. Morehouse, a non-public all-male school that is an element of the multi-campus Atlanta University Center, can also be the senator’s alma mater. Rafał Warnockfirst black U.S. senator in Georgia.

Warnock, who can also be senior pastor of King’s Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, avoided any consternation on campus.

“I couldn’t be more delighted and honored to see President Biden return to our great country,” the senator said in an announcement. “I know the president will have a timely, powerful and forward-looking message for the people of Morehouse.”

President Joe Biden receives an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Howard University’s 2023 commencement ceremony on May 13, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo: Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)

The controversy could overshadow policy priorities that Biden and Democrats have emphasized for months on HBCU campuses across the country. Members of Harris and the cabinet spoke on several campuses. Among other achievements and policy priorities, the White House touts increased federal financial support for HBCUs; Biden is in search of to forgive up to $10,000 student loan burden per borrower and increase the Pell Grant for low-income students; energy investments to combat the climate crisis and Democratic support for abortion rights and decriminalization of marijuana possession.

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In his reaction to Biden’s invitation, Warnock emphasized his work with the president “to address the high cost of higher education.”

Reflecting the nation’s overall racial disparities in income and net value, Black students are disproportionately depending on Pell Grants, which generally cover only a fraction of faculty costs, and student loans. According to Federal Reserve data, about 1 in 3 black households have student loan debt, compared with about 1 in 5 white households. The average black borrower also owes about $10,000 more in debt than the average white borrower. Additionally, federal statistics show that about 60% of black students receive Pell grants compared to about 40% of the overall undergraduate population and one-third of white students.

In 2020, Biden won Georgia by lower than 12,000 votes over Trump out of about 5 million votes solid. The total student population at Morehouse and the adjoining schools that make up Atlanta University Center is roughly 9,000 students. Biden’s lead in Wisconsin was slightly below 21,000 votes. The president had more comfortable margins in Michigan and Pennsylvania, but he couldn’t afford to lose black support in the Detroit and Philadelphia metropolitan areas.

Among the states Trump won, Biden is targeting North Carolina, which has a big black student population. Trump’s lead there was about 75,000 votes.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Politics and Current

Social media reacts to a series of funny faces of George W. Bush during the inauguration of Trump, when Barack Obama jokes that “he could barely behave

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5 Ways Barack Obama and George W. Bush Are Pretty Much The Same

Former President Barack Obama jokingly told the reporter that former President George W. Bush “barely” behaved during the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Monday.

When there have been presidents and other noteworthy VIP guests waited for the USA ceremony to sit in the US Capitol, a member of the staff asked 78-year-old Bush if he “behaved” and 63-year-old Obama at the back to answer on behalf of Bush with “No”.

5 ways of Barack Obama and George W. Bush are almost the same

A brief, viral clip shows briefly looking around the Capitol and smiling at the members of the audience during the inauguration, which the viewers considered funny.

When Obama left the American Capitol Rotunda after the ceremony, the same post reporter quickly asked Obama if Bush behaved and Obama replied: “barely” during a smile.

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The viewers had a day in the field with many Bush faces. One person joked: “Bro was beyond his mind”

The secular behavior of former presidents was, unlike incorrect boos imposed on Obama by Trump’s supporters watching the ceremony from the rally at the Capital One Arena in the center of Washington. Bill and Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Trump Mike Pence was also not spared heavy Boos.

The first lady Michelle Obama was noticeably missing amongst the chosen group of former residents of the White House, who confirmed that she wouldn’t participate on the days before the inauguration.

About her absence, unidentified source he said People: “There is no exaggeration of her feelings about (Trump). She is not one of the plasters on a pleasant face and she pretended that the Michelle protocol does nothing, because she is expected, protocol or its tradition.”

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The source said that Michelle “no longer feels the need to be public” and added that the verbal attacks of Trump on Obama and his offensive rhetoric addressed to colourful people could even be a factor wherein she decided to skip.

In addition to Michelle, every living former president and the first lady was present, including former President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden, George W. Bush and Laura Bush, in addition to Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Trump’s swearing in the US Capitol for the first time in 40 years, the presidential inauguration took place, ignoring the customary configuration outside the Capitol, wherein 1000’s normally observe from the national shopping mall.

Officials stated that the polar vortex, which brought dangerously low temperatures to the part of the eastern coast, was the most important reason why the ceremony was moved inside.

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The last time the inauguration was moved in the room, when former President Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his second term in 1985.

(Tagstranslate) Barack Obama

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Politics and Current

Governor Illinois Governor Julian Stratton will make us official in the Senate, slammed Trump “Crisis and Chaos” in the video start – Essence

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Governor Illinois Lieutenant Juliana Stratton has officially made the USA that Trump

Photo: Cook County Demes

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Lieutenant Governor Illinois Juliana Stratton Movement for the next office. On Thursday, she announced her offer to the US Senate, only at some point after the Dick Durbin Senator for a few years – which he had been in this place for nearly three many years – he presented that he wouldn’t search for re -election in 2026.

“I am Juliana Stratton and I run for the United States Senate,” she said in a two -minute film published on social media.

On Friday morning she received serious support from the Governor Illinois JB Pritzker.

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“At this dangerous moment in Washington, the spirit of Juliana’s struggle and commitment to improving life are exactly a kind of Illinoisans representation and I am proud that I support her for the United States Senate,” said Pritzker in an announcement by Stratton’s campaign, Reports.

In her starter, Stratton didn’t waste time on applying rates. She formulated her candidacy as a direct response to former President Donald Trump and GOP emphasis on deep cuts of expenses and economic policy, which, he claims, will not be in contact with on a regular basis Americans.

“I am applying for the Senate, because the only way out of this mess is to introduce new energy, new voices and new leaders who understand the lives of working people,” said Stratton. “Join our campaign and together we can stop Trump and stand up for Illinois.”

Stratton didn’t mention the words about “chaos”, which she sees in Washington.

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“Since Donald Trump took power, they were non-stop messages, non-stop chaos and non-stop crisis is not accidental,” she said. She also called on former president and billionaire Elon Musk for working on “distracted” American public opinion and “creating such a mess that we don’t even know where to start.” In her opinion, “the old textbook does not work”.

Instead, she pointed to her recorder’s recorder’s record, emphasizing her partnership with Pritzker as evidence of what effective leadership could appear like.

“While Trump and the Republicans in DC proposed a limitation of almost billions of dollars in healthcare in Illinois, we removed the medical debt. While their reckless tariffs make the prices increase rapidly, we eliminated the food tax for families in Illinois,” she said.

Stratton also shared her personal journey – developing on the southern side of Chicago as a navy teacher and veteran, raising 4 children and taking care of the mother after the diagnosis of Alzheimer.

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“My story is not a typical senator. On the other hand, typical is not what we need now,” she said. “My journey to public service was inspired by the function of my mother’s main guardian when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer.”

She said that her decision to make a policy was called by the then Gova. Bruce Rauner’s attempts limit health look after seniors like her mother.

“So I decided to apply for a representative of the state and won,” said Stratton. “I took the votes of working families with me.”

She also distinguished key achievements during her office – from increasing the minimum wage to USD 15 per hour and creating jobs through serious investments in infrastructure, to adopting provisions regarding the safety of weapons and rights to abortion.

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While Stratton has long been seen as a probable claimant to take a seat Durbine, he’s now officially the first one who jumped into the race. Her candidacy is historical: if she is elected, she could join the Lisa Blunt Rochester Senators from Delaware and Angel Alsobrooks from Maryland – and mark three black women in the Senate at the same time.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Experts warn that Trump Cuts to Federal Grants will make black communities less safe and prosperous

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Black communities and leaders who work to ensure their safety and prosperously behave in front of the stream of monetary cuts issued by Trump’s administration in recent days.

Cutting, a part of the goal of President Donald Trump, to significantly reduce the dimensions and scope of the federal government budget over $ 6 trillion, included the elimination of billions of dollars in financing programs of subsidies created to reduce weapons within the case of weapons in black and brown communities, and even developing the subsequent generation of black and brown leaders working on final social damage, reminiscent of Homelessness, hunger and even close education.

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Over the past week, the Department of Justice of the Trump Administration canceled Hundreds of hundreds of thousands of dollars of subsidies have concluded contracts with organizations working in communities so as to put the tip of violence in the neighborhood, including violence using weapons and domestic violence. The Education Department canceled $ 1 billion at college similarly Mental health subsidieswhich were used to implement intervention experts in schools, hospitals and other hotspots to prevent rapid ends in communities.

“These programs are particularly effective in black communities,” said Anesa McMillan, spokeswoman Giffords, and organizing violence within the matter of weapons, founded by the previous congression of Gabby Giffords, who survived the attempt to kill in 2011.

“These are people who came from the community (I) who knew people involved in many conflicts. This was critical, especially because violence does not receive, say, shooting at school,” she said.

By announcing restrictions on subsidies for interventions in the sector of community, the Prosecutor General Pam Bondi said he was a part of the goal, because it was, because it was a discount in waste. However, supporters indicate this The data show that bilateral investments (financed by the President’s Act Joe Biden 2022 Safer Communities) actually operate. In 2023 and 2024, the murder of weapons and violence from weapons rates cut.

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Trump, weapon violence, protest, cuts, thegrio.com
Washington, DC – September 25: students of Chicago Christopher Robinson, Jachi Lewis and London Strong images of victims of violence on weapons, that are a part of the face, not forgotten in the course of the national rally to end the violence on the western lawn of the US Capitol on September 25, 2019 in Washington. (Photo chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“These decisions should not apply to politics. It is about people who are actually influenced by violence from daily weapons and almost every hour … The cost of doing nothing to prevent violence using weapons, significantly exceeds the costs of these programs,” said Goodwin, who also founded the Community Justice Action Fund, a national organization of prevention of violence within the case of violence.

In addition to subsidies focused on violence and mental health, the one government agency focused on social service and volunteering, Americorps, saw 90% of the working force of the working force reduced by the Department of Trump’s government, led by the billionaire Elon Musk. This has already resulted in federal lawsuit Complex by the coalition of several dozen states and Washington

Financing included subsidies granted to long -term non -profit organizers, reminiscent of public allies who train and develop social youth leaders through practices to ultimately work on socio -economic challenges -from help related to disasters after community related to environmental justice, especially black and brown.

“When we have a dona of financing to support our schools and communities that have a level of disinvaluation in public education systems, especially in districts and communities that have the least available resources when we see the erosion of investment in things, such as flats and the development of new apartments at affordable prices, all these things disproportionately affect us,” said Jenise Terrell, CEO.

Harvard University cancels funds for black studies and other affinity group celebrations

“These are young people who in many cases earn less than USD 15 per hour, sometimes much less, who literally experience and bloom to payments, simply, so that they can devote their time and service,” said Terrell, who’s an align of a ten -year program.

Despite the loss of labor in the neighborhood, young leaders are most concerned about members of the community who will not use work and commitment.

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“They still come to the table worried about communities … They want to know who will look for young people in the program after school (for example),” said Terrell.

The Trump administration also associated lots of his cuts related to diversity, equality and inclusion, i.e. Dei, which President Trump created the predominant feature of his budget and politics frame. Instead of specializing in diversity or justice, Trump’s administration called for an approach based on “merits”, especially by way of employment and contractual orders.

Washington, DC – April 23: US President Donald Trump shows the signed executive order entitled “Reinstating Commonsense School discipline policy” in an oval office within the White House on April 23, 2025 in Washington. Seven executive orders were related to educational policy, including enforcing universities to disclose foreign gifts, artificial intelligence education and school disciplinary policy. (Photo chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“Our approach to merit is slightly different than the approach to the current administration,” said Terrell. “We believe that it is, in addition to what you have achieved, also includes experiences that you bring to the table. Experiences that provide insight, which is often lacking in solutions.”

Despite the attitude of the White House, supporters still hope that the administration may be convinced to the course of reversing the subsidies cuts. Some actively engage the members of the Congress, from each political parties on this matter.

Congress also introduces intensive negotiations within the Capitol Hill case, because they’re working on finalizing the budget for the budget 12 months 2026. Trump’s budget proposal requires $ 163 billion cuts from its discretionary budget value $ 1.7 trillion as well as to billions of dollars, which Doge has already lowered or frozen within the name of waste and fraud.

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The representative of the American Yvette Clarke, chairman of the Congress of the Black Club, called the brand new Trump budget “reckless” and argued that he would like to make mandatory cuts for necessary federal agencies than to work on “improving the economy, reducing the cost of living and making everyday needs at an affordable price.”

“This budget program imposes economic difficulties on everyday Americans, it makes our country is less safe, and our communities are more sensitive,” said Clarke. “We, CBC members, will not be a party to the destruction of our communities and people they chose to represent.”

(Tagstranslate) Donald Trump

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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