Unaccountable LAPD Insist New Drone Program Will Not be Used for General Surveillance of Blacks & Latinos

From [HERE] Three years after acquiring a pair of drones that it chose not to deploy in response to protests about potential surveillance uses, the Los Angeles Police Department took its first step Tuesday toward starting a drone pilot program.

LAPD Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala presented the department’s plan for a pilot program for limited use of drones to the Board of Police Commissioners, which was not required to vote on the pilot program Tuesday and took no action.

Girmala said the department plans to hold a series of public meetings to get feedback on the program, then draft official guidelines before bringing the pilot program back to the commissioners for approval.

The LAPD’s move comes weeks after a majority of Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight commissioners signaled they wanted Sheriff Jim McDonnell to stop flying a drone used in law enforcement operations, and as local organizations continue to express concerns about law enforcement drones.

Girmala said the guidelines the LAPD is considering would create limited uses for drones that would respect 1st and 4th Amendment rights and that the devices would not be used for general surveillance. Criteria for their use would include high-risk tactical operations, risk of exposure to hazardous materials, detection of explosive devices, barricaded armed suspect responses and hostage rescues, Girmala said.

The use of drones would also have be approved on a case-by-case basis and they would not be weaponized, Girmala said.

The LAPD’s possible use of drones is opposed by some civil rights organizations, and the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition and the Drone-Free LAPD/No Drones, LA! Campaign held a protest and news conference before the Police Commission meeting. Protesters also shut down the meeting twice by chanting and yelling, and the room had to be cleared of spectators both times by officers.

“How can we trust drones in the hands of a police department whose police chief last week said they did not even have a management system for cadets? Think about that,” said Pete White of the Los Angeles Community Action Network. “They want to fly drones, but they did not have a management system for our children in their so-called leadership development program.”

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Tech Companies Cashing in on "Extreme Vetting" Program Enabling ICE Cops to Find [non-white] Targets Faster

From [TheIntercept] BACK WHEN HE was a presidential candidate, in August 2016, Donald Trump promised his followers and the world that he would screen would-be immigrants using “extreme vetting,” a policy that has remained as ambiguous as it is threatening (his haphazard and arbitrary “Muslim ban” was the apparent result of that pledge). Today, Homeland Security documents show the American private sector is eager to help build an advanced computer system to make Trump’s “extreme vetting” a reality.

On July 18 and 19, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations division hosted an “industry day” for technology companies interested in building a new tool for the Homeland Security apparatus. The event was only supposed to take one day at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, but was expanded to two after what ICE called an “overwhelming response” from interested companies. According to an ICE document titled “Extreme Vetting Initiative” provided to potential contractors, the agency’s current ability to evaluate an immigrant’s potential for criminality or terrorism is inadequate, “fragmented across mission areas and are both time-consuming and manually labor-intensive due to complexities in the current U.S immigration system.” ICE is simply digging around so much, at such a fever pitch under Trump, that they’ve created a hopeless backlog.

So it’s time for something new and better, says ICE: a system that will serve as an “overarching vetting” machine “that automates, centralizes, and streamlines the current manual vetting process while simultaneously making determinations via automation if the data retrieved is actionable” in order to “implement the President’s various Executive Orders (EOs) that address American immigration and border protection security and interests.” In other words, data-mining software that helps ICE agents find human targets faster.

ICE’s hope is that this privately developed software will help go far beyond matters of legality to matters of the heart. The system must “determine and evaluate an applicant’s probability of becoming a positively contributing member of society, as well as their ability to contribute to national interests” and predict “whether an applicant intends to commit criminal or terrorist acts after entering the United States.” Using software to this end is certainly in line with Trump’s campaign rhetoric — during a rally in Phoenix, he described how “extreme vetting” would make sure the U.S. only accepts “the right people,” using “ideological certification to make sure that those we are admitting to our country share our values and love our people.”

Sign-in sheets from the ICE event show a sizable private sector turnout, including representatives from IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, LexisNexis, SAS, and Deloitte, along with a litany of smaller firms, such as Praescient Analytics, Red Hat, PlanetRisk, and Babel Street (the sign-in sheets can be read below). [MORE]

Head of Bombed Minnesota Mosque Denounces Trump for Stoking Hate & Violence Against Somali Community

Black & Latino McServants Fighting For Scraps in Racist Missouri: Seek To Raise Minimum Wage to $12/hour by 2023

From [HERE] So what if the state legislature struck down the city's minimum wage increase? A new effort aims to take those elected officials right out of the equation.

A group called Raise Up Missouri announced this morning that it would be gathering signatures to put a new ballot initiative before voters in November 2018. If the effort is successful, it won't just restore the $10 minimum wage approved by St. Louis' Board of Aldermen — it would significantly up the ante, with a $12 minimum wage across the entire state.

 Now, before you start counting your extra money, a few caveats worth noting:

The raises would come in increments, beginning with an increase to $8.60 in 2019 and increasing 85 cents every year after that. We wouldn't get back to $10/hour until 2021 — and until 2023 to get to $12/hour.

Beyond that, of course, the entire initiative is dependent on the group collecting enough signatures to withstand any challengers (which is never as easy as it sounds — just ask medical marijuana advocates) and then persuading voters to say yes. They'll have to get more than 100,000 signatures from a broad swath of the state, earning a certain threshold of signatures from six of Missouri's eight congressional districts.

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NFL Was All Good w/Ritchie Incognito saying "Nigger Piece of Shit" but Disappears Kaepernick for Opposing Racism

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Started from the Bottom Now I'm Here. As explained by NFL.com Richie Incognito has been making the most of his return to the NFL since his racist meltdown 3 years ago when he demeaned a Black teammate and all African Americans. After a round of image rehabilitative interviews with white media of 'I'm so sorry I made you feel blah blah' and explaining away what he means when he says nigger everything was good with the NFL, which is 70% non-white.] [most white people hate black people so if you hear a white person say nigger you are probably listening to a racist & it would be reasonable to take them off the racist suspect list]

He showed us and the NFL who he really was when Mr. Incognito was recorded talking shit to one of the nigger Dolphins; 

"Hey, wassup, you half n----- piece of s---. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. [I want to] s--- in your f---ing mouth. [I'm going to] slap your f---ing mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. F--- you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you."

Apparently Incognito used the terms nigger and faggot on a daily basis and it was not an isolated incident [MORE]. The NFL was like whatever. On March 8, 2016, Incognito agreed to terms on a three-year deal with the Bills worth $16 million. [MORE] 

'Any act or attitude on the part of Blacks which appears to White Americans to defy White American authority, control or dominance is a problem to white folks.' [MORE]  In all areas of people activity, elite whites quickly filter out Blacks not controlled by the crowd but handsomely rewards those most effectively programmed for their own destruction. 

 "NFL = Not For Long." [SEE the good Dr. Blynd for more good medicine] BW predicted 11 months ago that the NFL would begin to filter out (disappear) Kaepernick after he kneeled down for the national anthem and then said,

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media in an exclusive interview with Steve Wyche after a pre-season game. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." [MORE]

Speaking out against the already unlawful use of excessive force by government servants is really not a radical thing to do. Only unconscious idiots with screens over their eyes could be pro-police brutality. With alot to lose, Kaepernick, however, took a stand against the systematic oppression of Black people. Kaepernick spoke about a system that refuses to punish white cops who murder Blacks in broad daylight and rewards them for doing so. The same system has now punished him or filtered him out. It was "a stand" b/c he knew the consequences - he was clearly aware of what environment or context he is working in. [MORE] It took courage to do that and he probably sleeps well at night.

Most Black people fear confronting white supremacy/racism and are dominated by this fear. Taking your head out of the sand to face the mirror is a risk in a racist society. Kaepernick gambled - or risked the known for the unknown. "Only the gamblers know what life is!" Could you do the same? 

DNA Evidence Shows that 2 Black Men Have Been Wrongfully Incarcerated for 24 Years in NJ for Murder

From [HERE] and [HERE] Attorneys for the Innocence Project and Centurion Ministries are urging a New Jersey court to reverse the murder convictions of Eric Kelley and Ralph Lee [in photo] based on DNA evidence that has identified another suspect who had recently been released from prison for committing a similar crime. NJ.com has published a special feature about the case detailing evidence that was presented at a hearing earlier this year.

Kelley, represented by the Innocence Project, and Lee, represented by Centurion Ministries, were convicted of the 1993 murder of Tito Merino based largely on contradictory statements they made to police after the police ask them to go to the Paterson detective bureau. At the station house, the two were interrogated separately for several hours. Kelley, who suffers from intellectual disabilities because of a brain injury from a car accident and has difficulties processing information, was interrogated first and allegedly admitted to the crime. 

Detectives admit that they fed the information supplied by Kelley when interrogating Lee. The interrogations were not recorded and there are no notes of what occurred. The only evidence of the confessions are typewritten statements officers prepared that were signed by Kelley and Lee. Kelley allegedly told police where the knife used in the murder was hidden and where stolen property was fenced. However, the knife and property were never recovered.

Prior to their arrests, police were searching for one suspect in the murder of Merino, who was stabbed to death during the robbery of the Paterson video store where he worked. A green and purple plaid baseball hat that no one from the store could identify was recovered near the victim’s body. Police submitted it for DNA testing believing it could help identify the killer, but DNA testing wasn’t as advanced then and the testing was inconclusive.

Attorneys for Kelley and Lee got permission to retest the hat in October 2010. Male DNA was identified, excluding Kelley and Lee. The profile was entered into the FBI’s DNA database of convicted felons and matched to Eric Dixon who matched to the age and physical description of the person a witness observed in the store around the time of the murder. Just three months prior to the crime, Dixon had been released from prison after serving three years for a similar knifepoint robbery of a nearby store.

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["Absolutely [Not] a Priority"] Liar Trump Played HBCU Presidents: 8 Months Later No Funding & No Director

Photo Op with a Racist. From [HERE] When President Donald Trump met with leaders from historically Black colleges and universities in February, it sparked a backlash. Students and alumni criticized the decision of HBCU presidents to meet with a man who paved his way to the White House by making a series of offensive comments about African-Americans and other racial groups. At Howard University, graffiti turned up criticizing the school’s president, Wayne Frederick, for accepting the meeting.

“Welcome to the Trump plantation. Overseer: Wayne A.I. Frederick” read one message. Another mimicked Kanye West’s criticism of George W. Bush: “Wayne Frederick Doesn’t Care About Black People.”

But at the time, HBCU leaders thought the executive order Trump had signed regarding Black colleges was revolutionary. The order shifted the Initiative on HBCUs from the Department of Education to the White House’s executive office with the goal of making these educational institutions more financially stable and economically empowering for students. Fast forward to August, however, and not only haven’t HBCUs received any additional funding from the federal government, but Trump also has yet to appoint an executive director for the initiative, casting doubt on his claim earlier this year that supporting HBCUs was an “absolute priority.”

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The NAACP's ill Conceived Travel Advisory: Racists Are Happy w/ Less Blacks in Missouri & No Impact on Governor

The State That Couldn't Wait To Turn the Military Loose on Michael Brown Protestors? From [StLousiAmerican] The Missouri NAACP State Conference first issued its travel advisory for the state of Missouri on June 23 in an attempt to pressure Governor Eric Greitens to veto Senate Bill 43. NAACP State Conference President Nimrod Chapel worked hard to defeat SB 43, and it was no surprise to see him going hard for a veto.

The American had urged Greitens to veto SB 43 three weeks previously, on June 1.

“Our new outsider Republican Governor Eric Greitens can save himself and our state a tremendous amount of shame by vetoing Senate Bill 43, which weakens workplace protections for women and minorities. If enacted, the law would require plaintiffs to prove claims of discrimination are ‘the motivating factor’ in an action by an employer; existing law says the plaintiff has only to prove discrimination was ‘a contributing factor,’” The American editorialized.

“If he signs this noxious bill into law, Greitens invites on himself the stench and shame of the bill sponsor, state Sen. Gary Romine (R- Farmington), who owns a rental housing company in Southwest Missouri, Show-Me Rent-to-Own, that is currently being sued for race discrimination. ‘There is nothing more corrupt than someone getting elected to go to Jeff City to sponsor a bill that would directly benefit himself,’ attorney Paul Bullman told KCUR. ‘That’s the definition of corruption.’ Greitens does not want to ally himself with the definition of corruption. He must veto SB 43.”

No one at The American believed for a moment that Greitens would heed our call, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to.

As a strategy to pressure Greitens to veto SB 43, the Missouri NAACP State Conference’s travel advisory looked even less likely to have any impact on the governor.  It was announced as remaining in effect “at least until August 28,” when the law would go into effect if Greitens signed the bill – as he did on June 30, a week after the travel advisory trying to pressure him to veto the bill was circulated.

There were evident strategic problems with the travel advisory. No matter how widely circulated, it wasn’t likely to make any evident negative economic impact on the state in two summer months when most people already had finalized travel plans. Further, the litany of racist incidents with which Chapel embellished the travel advisory would mostly discourage black people (or families with black members) from visiting Missouri. Greitens comes from a metropolitan area, used to at least pose as a progressive Democrat and appeared to admire President Barack Obama, but most of the nearly 1.5 million people who voted for him surely would not be even slightly bothered if fewer black people traveled to Missouri. A travel ban on black people entering Missouri – not very constitutional, but then unconstitutional government action is a rising trend – would satisfy Greitens’ base more than a travel advisory trying to keep black people out would upset them.

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As Downtown [Super Slum] Detroit Gentrifies, Longtime Black Residents Fight Illegal Tax Foreclosures

The Packard Motors plant looks as if a wrecking ball has swung through the top floors, but the building has just been left to collapse.[MORE] 

Whatever happened or did not happen in Detroit is the result of white supremacists/racists as they control everything in all areas of people activity (economics, education, entertainment, labour, law, politics, religion, sex and war) - 24/7, worldwide. Neely Fuller explains that "in a socio-material system dominated by White Supremacists, all major decisions involving non-white people are made by White Supremacists. "Whatever a Black person gets, and/or is allowed to keep, is the result of decisions made by White Supremacists. This is the functional meaning of White Supremacy (Racism) that many people — particularly non-white people — prefer not to acknowledge." [MORE] 

Although the entire world is 90% Non-white, "everywhere one finds Whites and Blacks in close proximity to each other, whether it is Chicago or Zimbabwe, the Whites are in control. Yet Blacks rarely question this extraordinary universal phenomenon which defies every knowm statistical law of probability."[MORE] and [MORE]

[GOP Must Rig Elections b/c White Votary is Shrinking] WH Officials Pledge Loyalty by Pushing Lies about Voting

From [MediaMatters] Officials in President Donald Trump’s administration and those who worked for his presidential campaign took to broadcast and cable news over the past year to spread lies and propaganda about voting, often defending Trump’s debunked claims about massive noncitizen voting and widespread voter fraud.

Before and after the election, Trump repeatedly hyped debunked theories that widespread voter fraud and massive noncitizen voting “rigged” the election against him and cost him the popular vote. Given the president’s affection for his staunchest cable news defenders, his “TV addiction,” and his desire for loyalty, it makes sense that those seeking to curry favor with Trump took to TV to hype lies about voting. According to a Media Matters analysis of broadcast morning and nightly news as well as prime-time cable news, at least 11 different Trump loyalists made television appearances, often on Fox News, in which they misinformed viewers about voter fraud nearly 120 times:

•  Ben Carson, who now serves as Trump’s secretary for housing and urban development, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news twice from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those two appearances, Carson made two statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made one statement falsely alleging that voter ID laws do not suppress minority turnout in elections.
•  Boris Epshteyn, who previously served as one of Trump’s press officers, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news three times from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those three appearances, Epshteyn made four statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made two statements falsely alleging that there is massive noncitizen voting. Additionally, Epshteyn made two statements falsely claiming that voter ID laws prevent voter fraud and one statement falsely claiming that voter ID laws do not suppress minority turnout in elections.
•  Corey Lewandowski, who previously served as Trump’s campaign manager, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news four times from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those four appearances, Lewandowski made 10 statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made four statements baselessly conflating voter registration inaccuracies with voter fraud.
• J. Christian Adams, who now serves on Trump’s election integrity commission, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news twice from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those two appearances, Adams made six statements falsely alleging that there is massive noncitizen voting. He also made two statements baselessly conflating voter registration inaccuracies with voter fraud.
• Jason Miller, who previously served as a senior communications adviser on Trump’s campaign, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news three times from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those three appearances, Miller made seven statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made one statement falsely alleging that there is massive noncitizen voting and two statements baselessly conflating voter registration inaccuracies with voter fraud.
• Jeff Sessions, who now serves as Trump’s attorney general, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news twice from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those two appearances, Sessions made three statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made two statements falsely alleging that there is massive noncitizen voting and one statement falsely claiming that voter ID laws prevent voter fraud.
• Kellyanne Conway, who now serves as Trump’s senior counselor, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news 11 times from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those 11 appearances, Conway made 13 statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. She also made four statements falsely alleging that there is massive noncitizen voting and two statements baselessly conflating voter registration inaccuracies with voter fraud.
• Kris Kobach, who now serves as vice chair of Trump’s election integrity commission, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news four times from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those four appearances, Kobach made 12 statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made seven statements falsely alleging that there is massive noncitizen voting and one statement baselessly conflating voter registration inaccuracies with voter fraud. Additionally, Kobach made one statement falsely claiming that voter ID laws prevent voter fraud and four statements falsely claiming that voter ID laws do not suppress minority turnout in elections.
• Michael Cohen, who served as a surrogate during the presidential campaign, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news once from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. During his appearance, Cohen made six statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made three statements baselessly conflating voter registration inaccuracies with voter fraud.
• Mike Pence, who now serves as Trump’s vice president, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news four times from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. Over those four appearances, Pence made 12 statements falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud (but also one statement correctly stating that widespread voter fraud does not exist). He also made two statements baselessly conflating voter registration inaccuracies with voter fraud.
• Mike Pompeo, who now serves as Trump’s CIA director, appeared on prime-time cable news and broadcast news once from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017, to discuss voting. During his appearance, Pompeo made one statement falsely claiming that there is widespread voter fraud. He also made one statement falsely claiming that voter ID laws prevent voter fraud.

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Private Prison in Torrance County Says It Will Go Out of Business if it Doesn't Get 300 More Prisoners ASAP

From [HERE] New Mexico — A small community in New Mexico is learning firsthand the consequences of relying on corporate industry to fuel your economy. In the case of Torrance County, it’s the private prison industry. From a July 25 article by the Santa Fe New Mexican: 

“The company that has operated a private prison in Estancia for nearly three decades has announced it will close the Torrance County Detention Facility and lay off more than 200 employees unless it can find 300 state or federal inmates to fill empty beds within the next 60 days, according to a statement issued Tuesday by county officials.”

The closure of the prison would mean a loss of about $700,000 in annual taxes and utility payments for the town of Estancia, which has a population of 1,500. Surrounding Torrance County would see a loss of around $300,000. Incidentally, the county has no jail of its own, meaning the sheriff’s department would have to find new housing for the 50 to 75 people it arrests each month.

“This is a big issue for us,” county manager Belinda Garland told the Santa Fe New Mexican. “It’s going to affect Torrance County in a big way.”

The corporate entity that operates the facility, CoreCivic — formerly known as Corrections Corporation of America — is the second-largest private prison company in the nation. CoreCivic spokesman Jonathan Burns said this of the closing:

“The city of Estancia and the surrounding community have been a great partner to CoreCivic for the last 27 years. CoreCivic is grateful for the support the community has shown through the years and we’re honored to have been a part of that community. Unfortunately, a declining detainee population in general has forced us to make difficult decisions in order to maximize utilization of our resources.”

The majority of the facility’s inmates are detainees of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and CoreCivic officials point to a sharp decline in border arrests, along with criminal justice reforms, as causes behind the closure.

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Magician Trump's Immigration Bill is a Paper Boat to Keep his Remaining Believers Happy

From [NYTimes] President Trump has endorsed legislation that would slash legal immigration by half, mainly by cutting the number of visas granted to relatives of citizens, while favoring people who speak English and have advanced degrees. The bill, which would do nothing to solve the country’s immigration and economic challenges, is unlikely to become law. The only way to understand Mr. Trump’s vocal support of an obvious turkey is as yet another attempt to energize his dwindling base of right-wing and nativist supporters.

The bill was introduced by two Republican senators, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and David Perdue of Georgia, who say it will protect American workers from competition from low-skilled foreign workers. Right now, the government issues more than a million green cards every year, most of them to relatives of citizens. A smaller number, 140,000, are provided on the basis of job skills.

The proposal would slash the total number of green cards issued by 41 percent in the first year and by 50 percent in the 10th year, with most of the cuts coming from family-based immigration. It would cap the number of refugees admitted every year and eliminate a program that provides green cards via lottery to people from countries that send few immigrants to the United States. The bill would not reduce employment-based green cards, but it would change how the recipients are selected by putting in place a points-based system that rewards people who speak English and have advanced degrees and work experience.

The issue of immigration in America is volatile and complex and thus vulnerable to seductive promises. This bill falls into that category. Its central premise — that it would help American workers — is false. It’s true that an influx of workers can cause short-term disruptions to the labor market, but the impact on the wages of native workers over a period of 10 years or more is “very small,” according to a comprehensive National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report published last year.

Moreover, as studies have repeatedly shown, immigration boosts productivity and economic growth; restricting it would have the opposite effect. Growth is determined by the changes in productivity — how much each worker produces — and the size of the work force. Productivity in recent decades has been growing more slowly than in the past for reasons that economists do not fully understand. The labor force is also growing slowly as baby boomers retire. Restricting immigration would reinforce both trends.

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Chicago sues Trump administration over sanctuary city funding

From [HERE] Mayor Rahm Emanuel [official website] and the City of Chicago sued [press release] the Trump administration Monday to stop the implementation of policies that would withhold federal funds from so-called "sanctuary cities." The complaint [complaint, PDF] claims that the the new policies would require Chicago to choose between individuals' constitutional rights and funding for law enforcement. According to the complaint, the policies would enact two new requirements for Chicago and other sanctuary cities in order to receive funding, 

(1) to detain its own residents and others at federal immigration officials' request, in order to give the federal government a 48-hour notice window prior to an arrestee's release; and (2) to give federal immigration officials unlimited access to local police stations and law enforcement facilities in order to interrogate any suspected noncitizen held there, effectively federalizing all of the City’s detention facilities.

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Minn Governor calls Bombing of Mosque an Act of Terrorism: Trump Silently Approves Violence Against Non-Whites

From [HERE] and [HERE] Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) on Sunday said the bombing of a suburban mosque one day earlier was “an act of terrorism.”

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Dayton and several other officials visited the mosque on Sunday, one day after someone threw a homemade explosive device through a window. 

"What a terrible, dastardly, cowardly act was committed," Dayton said, calling it a hate crime. 

"Anything I can do to put a stop to it, I would gladly do.”

The FBI said Saturday that an improvised explosive device was responsible for the blast at Bloomington’s Dar Al Farooq Community Center.

No one was injured, but a room belonging to a imam was reportedly damaged.

Worshippers had been preparing for the dawn prayer when the attack happened.

There were between 15 and 20 people inside the building at the time, according to Star Tribune, a local newspaper.

The executive director of the Islamic center said it might have been much worse, the Star-Tribune reported, saying that the imam running a few minutes late may have saved his life. 

“Normally he would be in there and waiting for his prayer,” Omar told the Star-Tribune.

The mosque, like many others in the US, received threats of attack prior to the bombing.

For many, the response, or lack of it, revealed a double standard.

Some questioned why US President Donald Trump failed to respond to what they described as a "terrorist attack" targeting Muslims.

Mark Follman, an editor at the progressive-leaning Mother Jones magazine, said Trump's silence was due to the target of the attack. 

"In normal times, the bombing of a house of worship with an IED would not go unacknowledged by the president of the United States," he continued, after posting a list of previous attacks committed by far-right attackers that Trump had also not responded to.

Marty Parrish asked: "Did I miss Trump's statement of concern for the victims of this bombing and members of the Mosque?" Adding: "Does he care?" [MORE]

Black Man's Case Dismissed: White DC Cop Wore Racist Shirt to Court [racist cops are Not credible witnesses or public servants]

Extrinsic Evidence of Bias is Always Relevant & Admissible. Racist Cops are Persons Who Hate Blacks & Are Therefore Not Credible Witnesses [not believable]. In a civillized society all of this racist cop's arrests & previous cases would now be subject to review. All racists are liars. The system of racism/white supremacy is carried out through deception & violence. Racism is the opposite of justice. It is an oxymoron to say "racist police." Racist cop or race soldier or mercenary security guard are more accurate terms. 

From [HERE] and [HERE] A D.C. judge dismissed a gun possession case amid questions over whether the arresting officers wore or had any role in the creation of a controversial racist T-shirt printed with the name of their police unit, an image of the Grim Reaper and a symbol that is racist.

The decision came Tuesday as the trial was set to begin for 24-year-old Carlos Johnson, a Black man, who allegedly was found carrying a 9mm handgun last December. He had previously pleaded guilty in a case of assault with a dangerous weapon, a case that involved a gun.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan rejected a request by [white] prosecutors to delay the trial until an internal police investigation into the T-shirts has been completed. The judge dismissed the case without prejudice, meaning authorities can recharge Johnson.

The T-shirt came to light last month after an officer on the Powershift team in the 7th Police District was seen wearing it inside  D.C. Superior Court at a restaurant over his uniform. Police officials pronounced it “disturbing,” suspended that officer and opened the internal investigation.

The two officers involved in Johnson’s arrest are members of the same Powershift unit, which patrols high-crime areas for weapon recovery and drug activity - areas populated by non-white people. 

On the day before Johnson’s trial (July 30), was to begin, prosecutors sent an email to the defense saying it was “possible” that one of those officers had a role in designing the shirt. In the email, which was included in the court file, prosecutors called the information “hearsay” (that came from them after they received it from DC Police) and said they were investigating the allegation.

In court hearings that stretched over Monday and Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Rakoczy told the judge that it was unclear whether either of the officers involved in Johnson’s case had worn the T-shirt. But to make sure, she wanted to wait until police completed their inquiry. [wait while Johnson remained locked up].

“The government very much wants this matter to be thoroughly and effectively investigated so MPD can make the decisions it needs to make about what’s appropriate so that we can decide what to do with this information with our own cases,” Rakoczy said, according to a transcript of the proceedings.

Making the Johnson case more challenging, Rakoczy told the judge, was that officers in the Powershift unit have consulted attorneys who advised them not to discuss the T-shirt. She asked that the Johnson trial be rescheduled to October.

Johnson’s attorney, William Alley, of the Public Defender Service, opposed a delay. He indicated that he wanted to determine whether there was any bias against Johnson, who is African American, and sought to have the officers questioned about the meaning and origin of the shirt, according to court documents and transcripts of the proceedings.

At one point, Alley suggested that prosecutors could ask the officers “what they know about this investigation, about this T-shirt, who was involved, who designed it, who owns it, who wears it and provide all that information to us today so that we could be ready to move forward with trial.”

Raffinan considered delaying the trial for a few weeks, but prosecutors said that would not be enough time. The judge said that waiting months for the T-shirt investigation to wrap up would not be fair to Johnson, who had been jailed awaiting trial.

“I don’t think that lengthy of a continuance so that the investigation can be concluded, in exercising my judgment, is fair, equitable in these circumstances,” Raffinan said.

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