Vol. 51 No. 6
May 28, 2020 -June 3, 2020
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue till they have resisted either with words or blows or words or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they suppress. —Fredrick Douglass (1849)
Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Clarifies Message to Black America By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent @StacyBrown
Publisher’s Corner Publisher of The San Bernardino AMERICAN News
Email: sbamericannews@gmail.com
Clifton Harris Editor in Chief
‘Being Black In America Should Not Be A Death Sentence’: Officials Respond To George Floyd’s Death National News
"I shouldn't have been such a wise guy," Biden stated after the comments to The Breakfast Club host, Charlamagne Tha God, went viral. (Photo: joebiden.com) Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden clarified his message to Black America after the GOP, and others, seized on a remark he made in jest while wrapping up an interview with the famous Breakfast Club. “I shouldn’t have been such a wise guy,” Biden stated after the comments to show host, Charlamagne Tha God, went viral. “I shouldn’t have been so cavalier. No one should have to vote for any party based on their race, religion, and background.” As the Breakfast Club interview wrapped and a Biden aide said he was running short on time, Charlamagne asked the former vice president to stop by the studio when Biden returns to New York. “It’s a long way until November,” Charlamagne told Biden. “We’ve got more questions.” Biden replied, “You’ve got more questions?” “Well, I tell you what, if you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for Trump or me, then you ain’t black.” Republicans seized on the
remark, with some sending emails to NNPA Newswire claiming that Biden was “race-baiting.” In response, NNPA Newswire asked members of the GOP to address what many in the African American community believe have been the racially-charged remarks and actions of the president. There was no response. “The comments made at the end of the Breakfast Club interview were in jest, but let’s be clear about what the VP was saying: He was making the distinction that he would put his record with the African American community up against Trump’s any day. Period,” Biden’s senior advisor Symone D. Sanders wrote on Twitter. “Vice President Biden spent his career fighting alongside and for the African American community. He won his party’s nomination by earning every vote and meeting people where they are, and that’s exactly what he intends to do this November,” Sanders stated. In a “Meet the Black Press” segment of an interview on the web-based show, Make It Plain,
National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, said people should react favorably to the exchange. “Charlamagne always asks pointed questions, he takes no prisoners and he’s a great brother,” Chavis stated. “But, the vice president is a street fighter who comes from Wilmington, Delaware. Remember, he was speaking directly to Charlamagne.” Pressed further, Dr. Chavis noted that the issue boils down to the current administration verses a possible Biden administration. “What Black people have to decide is not all of the prerequisite but, given what we know today, what are our aspirations? Who can best improve our quality of life? That’s the issue,” Chavis stated. “We can’t get caught up in personality politics. I would rather have a president who speaks from the heart, from the gut, than a president who speaks from a teleprompter. I want to know what Biden is thinking
about. That he’s thinking about Black, White, Latino, about the oneness of humanity. “I would prefer to hear what he has to say, rather than to muzzle him. I tell hip-hop artists that they have freedom of expression, but they have to be responsible for what they put out. You have the freedom to say what you want, but after you say it, you have to be accountable.” In an interview with NNPA Newswire in February, Biden said the Black vote was critical to anyone with aspirations of winning in November. He then laid out his plan for Black America. Last month, he called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to collect more data regarding how COVID-19 is affecting communities, including breaking down its impact by race. “The data we’ve seen so far suggests that African Americans are dying from COVID-19 at a higher rate than whites. Longstanding systemic inequalities are contributing to this disparity – (continued on page 7)
Counties Statewide Can Reopen Places of Worship for Religious Services and Retail Stores Modifications Required to Protect Californians against COVID-19 Places of Worship Should Limit Attendance to 25% of Total Capacity or a Maximum of 100 Attendees Retail Guidance for In-Store Shopping, Already in Place for Certain Counties, Now Applies Statewide State/Government News
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health today announced the statewide reopening of places of worship for religious services and in-store retail shopping. Modifications are required to keep Californians safe and limit the spread of COVID-19. Subject to approval by county public health departments, all retail stores can reopen for in-store shopping under previously issued guidelines. Under new guidance, places of worship can hold religious services and funerals that limit attendance to 25% of a building’s capacity – or up to 100 attendees, whichever is lower – upon approval by the county department of public health.
While the vast majority of large gatherings remain prohibited under the state’s stay-at-home order, the Department of Public Health has released guidelines for in-person protests and events designed for political expression. The guidance limits attendance to 25% of an area’s maximum occupancy – or up to 100 attendees. “Together, our actions have helped bend the curve and reduce infections in our state. As sectors continue to open with changes that aim to lower risk, remember that COVID-19 is still present in our communities,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health. “As more of us may be
leaving our homes, keeping physical distance, wearing face coverings in public, and washing your hands frequently are more important than ever to help protect yourself and those around you.” The new guidance for religious services and cultural ceremonies encourages organizations to continue online services and activities, including to protect individuals who are most at risk for more severe COVID-19, including older adults and people with specific medical conditions. To reopen for religious services and funerals, places of worship must: Establish and implement a COVID-19 prevention plan for
every location, train staff on the plan, and regularly evaluate workplaces for compliance. Train employees and volunteers on COVID-19, including how to prevent it from spreading and which underlying health conditions may make individuals more susceptible to contracting the virus. Implement cleaning and disinfecting protocols. Set physical distancing guidelines. Recommend that staff and guests wear cloth face coverings, and screen staff for temperature and symptoms at the beginning of their shifts. Set parameters around or (continued on page 3)
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — His name was George Floyd. He can be seen on a video Darnella Frazier posted to Facebook, shouting “Please, please, please I can’t breathe,” as a Minneapolis police officer held him down for minutes, with his knee on Floyd’s neck. Shortly thereafter, he was dead. The scene of the confrontation with police in the Powderhorn neighborhood, 10 minutes south of downtown, is now a home for a memorial, and also the beginning of demonstrations. Floyd was arrested around 8 p.m. Monday for forgery, a nonviolent crime that implies he tried to use forged documents at a nearby deli. Officers say he resisted arrest before Frazier started filming. The video posted to social media shows an encounter between Minneapolis police and Floyd outside Cup Foods. In the nineminute video, an officer can be seen kneeling on Floyd’s neck at the side of a squad car. Floyd can be heard groaning and repeatedly telling police he can’t breathe. “He’s not even resisting arrest right now, bro,” one bystander tells the officer and his partner. “You’re f***ing stopping his breathing right now, you think that’s cool?” After about five minutes in the video, Floyd appears to go unconscious. The bystanders ask for someone to check his pulse. The officer does not lift his knee from Floyd’s neck until medical personnel arrive a few minutes later and carry him to an ambulance. Police said he was taken to Hennepin Healthcare, where he was pronounced dead. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey saw this entire video and called it “wrong on every level.” “For the better part of the night I’ve been trying to find the words to describe what happened. And all I keep coming back to is that he should not have died. What we saw was horrible, completely and utterly messed up. This man’s life matters. He matters. He was someone’s son,” Frey said. “I believe what I saw and what I saw was wrong at every level. This does not reflect the values that Chief Arradondo has worked tirelessly to instill. It does not represent the training we’ve invested in or the measures we’ve taken to ensure accountability. Being black in America should not be a death sentence.” St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter also weighed in Tuesday morning: “The video of a Minneapolis police officer killing a defenseless, handcuffed man is one of the most vile and heartbreaking images I’ve ever seen. The officer who stood guard is just as responsible as his partner; both must be held fully accountable. This must stop now.” Mayor Frey urged protesters to remain mindful of COVID-19 while demonstrating. At least one protest is planned for Tuesday night at the scene of the incident. It is being organized by a number of local activist groups, including the Minneapolis NAACP, Communities Against Police Brutality,
George Floyd and Black Lives Matter Twin Cities. The two Minneapolis officers who responded to the incident are on “relieved of duty status,” the police chief said. This is different from the typical administrative leave, but is still paid with no law enforcement duties. The lawyer representing Floyd’s family is civil rights attorney Ben Crump. “We all watched the horrific death of George Floyd on video as witnesses begged the police officer to take him into the police car and get off his neck,” Crump said in a statement. “This abusive, excessive and inhumane use of force cost the life of a man who was being detained by the police for questioning about a non-violent charge.” Amy Klobuchar tweeted: “We heard his repeated calls for help. We heard him say over and over again that he could not breathe. And now we have seen yet another horrifying and gutwrenching instance of an African American man dying. “Every single person in every single community in this country deserves to feel safe. As the Mayor of Minneapolis noted, this tragic loss of life calls for immediate action. “There must be a complete and thorough outside investigation into what occurred, and those involved in this incident must be held accountable. Justice must be served for this man and his family, justice must be served for our community, and justice must be served for our country.” Governor Tim Walz tweeted: “The lack of humanity in this disturbing video is sickening. We will get answers and seek justice.” MPR News tweeted: “The FBI and the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are investigating the death of a man as he was taken into custody by Minneapolis police. Bystander video showed the man telling police he couldn’t breathe as they held him down.” mprnews.org/story/s0s0/ 05/ Lt. Bob Kroll, of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, said that the union intends to provide full support to the involved officers. “Now is not the time rush to judgement and immediately condemn our officers. An in-depth investigation is underway. Our officers are fully cooperating. We must review all video. We must wait for the medical examiner’s report,” Kroll said. “Officers’ actions and training protocol will be carefully examined after the officers have provided their statements. The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis will pro(continued on page 5)