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Beyoncé is calling on voters to “sing a new song” as she expresses enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris

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Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé, theGrio.com

On Friday, Beyoncé told a packed stadium that it was time for America to elect Kamala Harris president, urging voters to “sing a new song,” before the vp delivered a message to battleground voters all the way in which from reliably Republican Texas – that Donald Trump was determined to limit women’s rights.

“On behalf of all the men and women in this room and all those watching across the country: we need you,” Beyoncé said.

The music megastar, who was joined by her mother Tina Knowles and her former bandmate Kelly Rowland, told the cheering crowd that she didn’t attend the rally as a celebrity or politician.

“I’m here as a mother,” Beyoncé said, talking about how her children will see “the sacrifices made so that we can witness the strength of a woman… reimagining what leadership is.”

Harris got here out and cheered enthusiastically. She told the group that Trump erased half a century of dogged progress by appointing Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade and created a health care crisis.

“For anyone watching from another state if they believe they are protected from Trump’s abortion bans because they live in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York, California or any state where voters or lawmakers protect reproductive freedom, please know: no one is protected,” she added. “Because Donald Trump’s nationwide ban will ban abortion in every state.”

“To say it all, elections matter,” she said.

Harris listed further impacts she sees from the assorted bans, such as “fewer opportunities for women, fewer medical students choosing to specialize in women’s health.”

Her campaign said it was her biggest rally yet; The crowd waited for hours, wearing flashing red, white and blue LED bracelets, while the words “women’s confidence” and “freedom” flashed on large screens between performances and speakers emphasized the medical effects of abortion restrictions.

She was joined on the rally by women who had nearly died from sepsis and other pregnancy complications because they may not obtain adequate medical care, including women who never intended to terminate their pregnancies.

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris on stage before speaking at a rally in Houston, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Some of them had already campaigned for Harris, while others told their harrowing stories in campaign ads intended to show how the difficulty had blossomed into something way more essential than the fitting to end an unwanted pregnancy.

Because abortion was restricted in Texas, the state infant mortality increasedmore children died from birth defects and maternal mortality increased.

Amid the warmth of the presidential election, Harris is banking on abortion rights as a major driving force for voters — including Republican women, especially since Trump nominated three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn the constitutional right.

Trump has been inconsistent in his message to voters about abortion and reproductive rights, although he has said he would veto a nationwide abortion ban. He has repeatedly modified his position and given vague, contradictory and sometimes nonsensical answers to questions on a difficulty that has change into a major weakness for Republicans on this 12 months’s election.

Thousands of excited people lined up waiting for the vp at her only campaign stop within the country’s fourth-largest city.

“Sometimes they forget about us because we’re a Republican state,” said Rhonda Johnson, who has lived in Houston for 19 years. – But I’m glad she’s here.

Reproductive rights, the economy and LGBTQ issues were the fundamental explanation why Yannick Djomatchoua decided to support Harris and wait in an hours-long line to meet her. “It’s a very personal matter,” he said, adding that he knows friends who’ve had to make difficult decisions due to state abortion restrictions.

Abortion rights were also a key issue for 27-year-old Rhyle Lobo, who believes the presence of Houston native Beyoncé would excite the vp.

More history

Her anthem was Beyoncé’s 2016 song “Freedom,” whose message suits in with the vp’s emphasis on reproductive freedom. On Friday, Harris was joined by actress Jessica Alba, and Willie Nelson sang a few of his biggest hits, including “On the Road Again.”

“Hey, how are you?” Nelson, 91, asked the group. “Are we ready to tell Mrs. President?”

These are the newest stars to surprise Harris, including Lizzo, James Taylor, Spike Lee, Tyler Perry, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Eminem. While in Texas, Harris also recorded a podcast with host Brené Brown.

Trump was also in Texas on Friday, where he predicted that if he won the election, he would break records for the number of individuals deported from the United States. He recorded a podcast with Joe Rogan.

There is some evidence to suggest that abortion rights could drive women to the polls, as they did within the 2022 midterm elections. Voters in seven states, including some conservative ones, either protected abortion rights or defeated attempts to restrict them in statewide ballots over the past two years.

Democrats warn that the sifting of rights and freedoms will only proceed if Trump is elected. Republican lawmakers across U.S. states, for example, are rejecting Democratic efforts to protect or expand access to contraception.

“Freedom is not given in America. It shouldn’t be broadcast. This is ours. Legally. And that features a woman’s basic freedom to make decisions about her own body and never have the federal government tell her what to do,” Harris will say, according to prepared remarks.

Democrats also hope Harris’ visit will strengthen the position of Republican Sen. Colin Allred, who is making a far-reaching attempt to unseat Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Allred will appear on the rally with Harris, and in excerpts he stated that if elected, he would help codify reproductive rights.

Colin Allred, theGrio.com
Democratic Republican Colin Allred speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Annie Mulligan)

When Roe was first overturned, Democrats initially focused on new restrictions on access to abortion to end unwanted pregnancies. But the identical medical procedures used to treat abortion are used to treat miscarriages.

Increasingly, within the 14 states with strict abortion bans, women cannot obtain medical care until their condition is life-threatening. In some states, doctors who provide medical care may face criminal charges.

According to a July poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, about 6 in 10 Americans imagine their state should generally allow legal abortion if for any reason they are not looking for to get pregnant.

Texas captures the post-Roe landscape. The strict abortion ban prohibits doctors from performing abortions once heart activity is detected, which might occur as early as six weeks or earlier.

As a result, women, including those that didn’t intend to terminate their pregnancies, enjoy increasingly worse medical care. This is partly because doctors cannot intervene unless the lady has a life-threatening condition or to prevent “significant impairment of major bodily functions.”

The state has also change into a battleground for legal disputes. Just two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a state ban.

Complaints from medically vulnerable pregnant women who were sent to emergency rooms in Texas and elsewhere have skyrocketed as hospitals grapple with whether standard care could violate strict state laws banning abortions.

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

Charlamagne criticizes CNN’s coverage of Trump

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Things got heated when radio personality Charlamagne Tha God confronted Anderson Cooper about CNN’s coverage of the presidential election.

The Breakfast Club host appeared on CNN on October 24, where he criticized the network and other major news outlets for his or her seemingly casual approach to former President Donald Trump’s controversial rhetoric. Charlamagne argued that CNN didn’t label Trump a “fascist,” as a substitute focusing more on his comments about Harris’ race.

“It’s crazy because there still aren’t news stations having the conversation like when someone asks if Kamala Harris is black or, ‘Is she employed by DEI?’ you will all be discussing this topic at the round table and asking this question,” Charlamagne said within the video common on the Internet.

“Why don’t we have a roundtable discussion asking, ‘Is Donald Trump a fascist?’ In fact, I’m not even asking, he’s stating it,” Charlamagne added. “Why isn’t this a daily topic of discussion on networks like CNN?”

Cooper responded that he talks about it “every night” on his show.

However, Charlamagne continued to verify his thesis.

“I think I’ve heard more on this network about, ‘Is Kamala Harris black?’ than that Donald Trump is a fascist,” he said.

Cooper then responded with an expletive in defense of his election reporting.

“Honestly, it’s bulls—. Sorry. I’m a fan of yours, but I actually have to say that we’re sitting here discussing, “Is Kamala Harris black…”

“I saw it. I’ve seen loads of roundtable discussions. That’s bullshit… Anderson, Charlamagne said.

While commending the “crazies” with “strongly held beliefs” who were invited on CNN panels to “have a reasoned conversation,” Cooper continued to defend the network’s anchors and their reporting on Trump and Harris.

“I don’t think any network is having honest conversations about Donald Trump,” Charlamagne concluded. “No one has had an honest conversation about Donald Trump since 2016.”


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

A Black Michigan woman is suing PNC Bank after a white manager refused to cash a $10,000 check with the bank’s name on it, alleging she was “embarrassed and humiliated.”

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Michigan Black Woman the Latest to Sue over “Banking While Black” – a Never-Ending Pattern Across the United States

Kiara Young tried to cash a $10,500 check at her local PNC Bank in Michigan when the bank refused to cash it without providing a valid explanation, leaving Young to assume it was because she “banked when she was black.”

Especially considering the check was issued by a local automotive dealer who had an account at PNC Bank, which meant the bank’s name was on the check.

A black Michigan woman is the latest to sue over 'banking while black' - an endless pattern across the US
Kiara Young, city of Detroit accountant, is the latest Black person to file a “Banking While Black” lawsuit against a bank after the bank refused to cash a legal check without a valid explanation. (Photo: Kiara Young)

Young, who had just sold her automotive to the dealership, tried to cash the check at her own bank but was told to cash it at PNC Bank since it was theirs. If PNC Bank had reason to consider Young had committed fraud, it could have easily contacted the dealer to confirm the check was legitimate, which is standard protocol for banks.

Instead, the white bank manager who refused to cash the check “behaved unprofessionally, was rude and gave Ms. Young an unfriendly look,” according to a lawsuit Young filed against the bank last 12 months.

“The only investigation he (the bank manager) conducted was to determine Ms. Young’s skin color and check the amount of the check to be cashed,” the lawsuit, obtained by Atlanta Black Star, states.

“Defendant’s failure to examine the check prior to Ms. Young’s refusal to provide services constituted a departure from Defendant’s own policy or practice.”

In fact, Young was able to cash the check the next day at one other PNC branch with none problems, making the bank’s original denial much more suspicious.

PNC Bank responded to the lawsuit by asking the judge to dismiss the case on the grounds that it was “factually incorrect” and “fails to convincingly allege racial discrimination.”

However, greater than a 12 months since the lawsuit was filed, PNC Bank has failed to provide a valid reason why Young was refused service, apart from to claim that the bank was about to close and didn’t have enough cash – details that were revealed Young never explained when she was refused service.

According to the judge’s decision:

Refusal to provide services

Young, a 33-year-old city accountant for the city of Detroit, sold her Cadillac CTX to the company Lunghamer Buick GMC at a automotive dealership in Waterford on May 24, 2023, and was told to cash the check at PNC Bank, where that they had an account.

Young first tried to cash the check at her own bank, but was told the check could be placed on hold, which could take up to a week since it wasn’t theirs. They also advised her to cash it at PNC Bank and receive it the same day.

It was 4:50 p.m. Wednesday when Young walked into the PNC Bank branch in Common Township trying to cash a check. The bank was scheduled to close at 6 p.m

At first, the cashier told her she would have to pay a 2% processing fee, which she agreed to. But then other bank employees began going through the check, apparently becoming suspicious and calling the manager.

The manager then told her that they’d not cash her check unless they bothered to conduct a routine investigation to determine the validity of the check. Instead, the manager told her to cash the check at her own bank.

“She took the check and said, ‘No, we’re not going to cash that,’” Young told The Times. Detroit Free Press.

“I asked, ‘Why not?’ And she replied, “We just cannot.”

Young stated that she “felt embarrassed and humiliated” and cried in the automotive afterwards. The next day, she was able to cash the check at one other PNC branch in Troy with none problems and without having to pay a 2 percent processing fee.

Endless pattern

Earlier this 12 months, one other Detroit bank was sued by a black couple for refusing to cash a settlement check 4 times. Last 12 months, one other black man filed a lawsuit against a Minnesota bank that called the police when he tried to cash a cashier’s check.

In 2022, “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler was handcuffed and detained after trying to withdraw $10,000 from his Bank of America account in Atlanta.

According to reports, Coogler was wearing a hat, sunglasses and a mask and handed the teller a note asking for discretion, but additionally gave her his bank card, ID card and PIN number, This was reported by The New York Times.

The cashier, who was also black, told her manager she was uncomfortable with the transaction and feared Coogler had a gun.

“She got scared when the black guy handed her the note,” Coogler said. “I don’t know what else to say.” He added: “If she was afraid, she has to admit it.”

In 2021, one other Black man was handcuffed after he tried to cash his $900 withdrawal at a US Bank branch in Minneapolis after he said the manager told him, “You guys always come in here with fake checks.” .

Even Black lawyers are treated like criminals when trying to cash checks, as John Pittman II discovered in 2021 when he tried to cash a $12,000 settlement check at a Bank of America branch in San Diego.

“You would think that banks would have learned to be more sensitive to this by now,” lawyer Shereef Akeel told the Free Press, who represents Young and has filed quite a few “Banking While Black” lawsuits.

“We will continue to file discrimination lawsuits until they are over. It is unfortunate that African Americans in the 21st century continue to face such difficulties when seeking simple banking services such as check cashing.”

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

Harris will deliver her campaign’s closing argument at the Ellipse, where Trump helped spark the Capitol riot

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2024 election, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, campaign rallies, Harris campaign, Trump campaign, Harris rallies, Trump rallies, rally-goers, theGrio.com

ASTON, Pa. (AP) — Vice president Kamala Harris plans to deliver the closing speech of his campaign, returning to a location near the White House where Donald Trump helped incite the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 — hoping it will crystallize for voters the struggle between defending democracy and sowing political chaos.

Her campaign says Harris will deliver a speech at the Ellipse on Tuesday – every week before Election Day – and will urge the nation to “turn the page” towards a brand new era, away from Trump.

The site is symbolic because on January 6, 2021, Trump delivered a speech there as Congress was meeting to verify Joe Biden’s victory in the election that took place last November. In it, Trump repeatedly lied about widespread voter fraud that didn’t occur and exhorted supporters to fight back. Then a whole bunch stormed the Capitol In deadly rise up.

Word of the speech got here from a senior Harris campaign official who insisted on anonymity to debate the address, which continues to be being developed. Harris’ campaign is betting that her Ellipse speech will be a chance for the vp to emphasise that the country now not desires to be defined by the political prowess that Trump seems to relish.

Trump has promised to pardon people imprisoned for his or her roles in the attack on the Capitol if he regains the presidency during the November 5 election.

Closing arguments are a vital opportunity for candidates to summarize their campaigns and briefly explain why voters should support them. The Trump campaign suggested he would begin formulating his closing statement during his speech at a rally last weekend in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Instead, the former president spent greater than 10 minutes speaking of genitals the late, legendary golfer Arnold Palmer, who was born in Latrobe.

Her team announced the Ellipse speech before Harris appeared on Wednesday night at a CNN town hall in suburban Philadelphia, where she took questions from an audience of undecided voters in what was once imagined as a debate with Trump. Harris said she would take part in the CNN debate, but the two sides never reached a proper agreement. CNN reported that it also invited Trump to the town hall. but let that not occur.

Harris told the crowd that on January 6, “the president of the United States defied the will of the people in a free and fair election and unleashed a violent mob that attacked the United States Capitol.”

The first query from the audience got here from a self-described “anti-Trump Republican” who was concerned about the January 6 attack.

“I believe the American people deserve better and deserve a president who is focused on solutions, not sitting in the Oval Office every day conspiring,” Harris said.

As for January 6, about 4 in 10 likely voters in… CNN poll from September said the economy was the most vital factor for them when deciding how one can vote, and about 2 in 10 said protecting democracy was the most vital factor. That in comparison with about 1 in 10 individuals who listed immigration, abortion and reproductive rights as their last name.

Protecting democracy also appears more vital to Democrats and Harris supporters. About 4 in 10 voters who support Harris say that is the most vital issue, compared with about 2 in 10 voters who say this about the economy. According to Republicans and Trump supporters, about 6 in 10 people list the economy as their top voting issue, followed by immigration. Only 5% of Trump supporters said protecting democracy was their most vital issue.

During the town hall, Harris said Trump was “increasingly unstable and unfit to serve.” When asked directly if she believed her opponent was a fascist, Harris replied: “Yes, I do.”

Lifestyle

A short while later, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt responded: “Kamala will say anything to divert attention from the open border invasion and record high inflation.”

During the event, Harris was asked how her presidency will be different from Biden’s, provided that she has been a part of his administration for nearly 4 years – a matter she has answered in recent weeks without enumerating the foremost contrasts. This time, Harris seemed higher prepared to discuss how things can be different, saying, “My administration will not be a continuation of the Biden administration” and saying she represents “a new generation of leadership on many issues.”

“I’m pointing out things that haven’t been done that need to be done,” the vp said of Biden’s policies, also noting: “I won’t hesitate to say, ‘Hey, these are still problems.’ we have to fix it.” She specifically pointed to her guarantees to extend federal subsidies for small businesses and expand government funding for home health care to individuals who take care of each elderly parents and youngsters.

One viewer pressed Harris on key issues, which she didn’t do. That includes hydraulic fracturing, which she suggested she would support banning while running in the 2020 Democratic primary but now says should proceed. Harris said Wednesday that the U.S. can put money into a greener energy economy without stopping fracking, which is crucial to the economy in parts of Pennsylvania.

She added that she now sees many key policies otherwise: “Honestly, I now have the experience and perspective of being vice president.”

When asked about the biggest weakness she would bring to the White House, Harris replied, “I admit I’m quite a nerd sometimes,” while admitting to creating “parenting mistakes” with her two stepchildren.

The vp also mentioned every day prayer, saying, “I was raised to believe in a loving God, to believe that faith is a verb.”

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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