Tag Archives: Black Lives Matter

Justice in The Round Town Hall

Last year I hosted a two part series on race and justice in America. These town hall gatherings were held in Atlanta, Georgia on Sweet Auburn Avenue in the old Fourth Ward. Our venue was Sweet Auburn Seafood Lounge and Restaurant.

We tackled this big topic over a good meal and had a great exchange of ideas. I was inspired to call for this town hall discussion because of the tenor of presidential campaign rhetoric over the issue of race. I believe these discussions compliment my latest book of essays, Justice in the Round: Essays on the American Judicial System. read more

Clintons Tricks Blacks Again?

The Clintons are a formidable tag team on the presidential election circuit. Between Hillary, the candidate, Chelsea, the daughter and Bill, the husband, the Clintons have moved throughout the country urging Democrats to  give the country back to the Clintons to run for  essentially another eight years. read more

Cop Arrested in Kappa Killing

A cop, Aaron C. Smith with the Montgomery Police Department has been arrested for the murder of Greg Gunn, who was shot five times last week. Three of the shots fired from the gun of this Montgomery officer were fired into the back of Gunn while Gunn was laying on the ground.

The arrest was announced by Montgomery County, Alabama District Attorney, Daryl Bailey. Bailey said that the cop was taken into custody by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Smith was placed on a $150,000 Bond. Members of the Montgomery Police Department offered monetary assistance to Smith in raising the bond amount. He bonded out within hours of his arrest and appeared at a news conference with his attorney and wife. The attorney for the cop said that the facts will show why his client fired his gun and “why Gunn is dead.” read more

Kwanzaa and The Art of Intimacy

Kwanzaa and the art of intimacy, what is it? How is it expressed? Can intimacy be communicated through conversation? Can it be shared through the nuances of the silent beat in between the rhythmic beat of life? What does Kwanzaa have to do with intimacy?

A recent social media post to my Facebook page stirred my interest in this topic. I posted a picture of our table setting prior to Christmas dinner this year. My wife and I are the proud parents of one child, a son, whose work requires that he live in Cincinnati, Ohio. read more

Its Official Black Lives Matter Atlanta!

It is official, Black Lives Matter have organized a chapter in Atlanta. The organizational meeting comes one year after activist shut down Interstate 20 in downtown Atlanta in the name of Black Lives Matter. This protest followed the killing of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer.

The meeting was convened by Mary Hooks, co-Director of Southerners on New Ground (SONG), an organization that advocate for the  LGBTQ  community in the South. It was held at the Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on old “Sweet Auburn Avenue.” read more

Bernie Sanders on Peachtree Street

There was a chill in the air. Musicians gathered to play their instruments for change. A black entrepreneur hawked Bernie Sanders Tee Shirts and caps. The Communist Revolutionary Party begged for donations to fight abusive police conduct. Another group of activists passed out literature which asked people to remember the one year anniversary of Tamir Rice’s death. read more

Justice Talk Sparked Memories

Last night’s Justice and Race Town Hall talk  sparked several memories. The talk on justice and race was an unqualified success with respect to content. In terms of turn out, it did not bring together anywhere near the 5,000 people that Aurille Lucier, a 20 year old spoken word artist, convinced to show up as a result of one tweet asking for ten people to come out and occupy Interstate 20 in downtown Atlanta last fall. read more