Recently Michael Butler convened a gathering of black community stakeholders. The former Missouri state representative had the audacity to run against long-time politico Sharon Carpenter and the campaign savvy to take her job as St. Louis recorder of deeds. Butler’s main goal for the convening was to assess the level of unity in the room to forge a legislative agenda. Read more
Published in St. Louis American, December 13, 2018
A month past the November election, North Carolina’s election board has refused to certify the results in the 9th Congressional District. The bi-partisan board is investigating voter irregularities and possible criminal deviations around absentee ballots. Once the smoke finally clears, it could mean a new election between Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready.
Voter suppression and intimidation along with outright theft of votes is how the GOP keeps winning. Successful gerrymandering has assured dominance in state and national elections.
Back in 2016, the North Carolina Republican-dominated state legislature passed a package of bills that stifled incoming Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s vision and leadership. This included not being able to make key cabinet appointments without legislative approval, drastically cutting the size of the new administration and changing the Board of Elections so that Republicans would control it in the future. By the scope of the bills, it was apparent to the trusting Democrats that the coup had been in the works for a while. Ooh, that’s so evil. Read more
Published in St. Louis American, December 6, 2018
Every so often the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department gives the community a gift. Sometimes that unplanned generosity is at cost of some poor soul – usually black in skin color. Such is the case of Luther Hall.
Prior to 1983, the African-American community complained of throw-away guns and drugs that cops keep in their cars to justify shooting or free-casing black citizens. We could never provide the proof.
Then came St. Louis cop Joseph Ferrario whose recklessness resulted in the murder of Marilyn Banks, a young, black mother sitting on her porch on a warm, summer day. Ferrario was in hot pursuit of a female teenager who was on foot running for her life as Ferrario fired several shots at her.
