by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
July 29, 2024
Biden Outlines Proposal For Supreme Court Changes, Including Term Limits
Biden's plan includes term limits, reversing broad presidential immunity, and an enforced ethics code for Supreme Court Justices.
President Biden has officially revealed his plan to reform the U.S. Supreme Court, including term limits and a reversal of presidential immunity.
Biden shared his proposal in an op-ed to the Washington Post on July 29. In the piece, he detailed his desire for three substantive changes to “ensure trust” in America’s judicial system and highest court.
The 81-year-old emphasized his longtime role as a Senate’s Judiciary Committee member while noting that today’s court must restore the “public’s confidence” in the Democratic institution.
“I have great respect for our institutions and the separation of powers,” wrote the president. “What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the court’s decisions, including those impacting personal freedoms. We now stand in a breach.”
Following the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on July 1 to bestow broad immunity for presidents, Biden seeks to correct this measure in his No One Is Above The Law Amendment. The reform would ensure former presidents do not have immunity for crimes committed while in office.
Secondly, the president hopes to impose term limits on Justices, eliminating lifetime appointments. Biden addressed how a single presidency can “radically [alter]” the Supreme Court for decades. Instead, Biden proposes that a president can appoint a new justice every two years to serve 18-year terms.
As the court stands, its conservative majority has overturned landmark decisions such as Roe v. Wade while imposing new ones such as seemingly unlimited presidential immunity. However, Biden’s suggestion of a constitutional amendment seems like a long shot, with one last ratified in 1992, per the Huffington Post.
Lastly, Biden called for a binding code of conduct to be enforced within the court. He referred to the current voluntary ethics code as “weak” and “self-enforced,” as Justices do not have to disclose gifts or conflicts of interest when deciding on cases. Justice Elena Kagan has also called for a new ethics code for the court, furthering the suggestion that their power has gone unchecked.
However, this plan is unlikely to be passed, given the Republican’s control over the House. Despite this, Biden hopes the promotion of these suggested reforms will push Democrats to the polls. Moreover, Biden will most likely speak about the plan at his address at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas, later today.
RELATED CONTENT: Supreme Court To Decide Whether Student Loan Payments Will Double In Some States
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton
July 29, 2024
Patrick Mahomes Still Highest-Paid Quarterback Despite Jordan Love’s Record-Breaking Contract
Love signed a four-year, $220 million extension.
The Green Bay Packers just extended quarterback Jordan Love’s contract, a four-year, $220 million extension, to make him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history on July 27, according to Draft Kings Network. Yet, Pro Football Talk reported that despite Love earning that new title, Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes will still be the highest-paid quarterback for the next three years.
Based on his current contract, the three-time Super Bowl champion and arguably the best quarterback in the NFL right now will make an average of $45 million per year. That’s a lower amount than eight other quarterbacks in the league. Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff, Los Angeles Chargers’ Justin Herbert, Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, and Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts will all make more than $50 million. Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow, Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence, and Love will make $55 million annually.
But, if you look at the upcoming seasons within a four-year period, Mahomes comes out on top for the years 2023-26 and 2024-27.
For the pay period from 2023 through 2026, these are the annual salaries for the top 10 paid NFL players.
1. Mahomes: $210.6 million
2. Lamar Jackson: $208 million
3. Deshaun Watson: $184 million
4. Joe Burrow: $181 million
5. Daniel Jones:: $160 million
6. Justin Herbert: $157 million
7. Jalen Hurts: $157 million
8. Kyler Murray: $153 million
9. Josh Allen: $136 million
10. Matthew Stafford: $121.5 million
For the years from 2024 through 2027:
1. Mahomes: $215.6 million
2. Burrow: $213.9 million
3. Jared Goff: $193.6 million
4. Tua Tagovailoa: $186.1 million
5. Jordan Love: $186 million
6. Hurts: $184 million
7. Herbert: $182.6 million
8. Kirk Cousins: $180 million
9. Jackson: $179.2 million
10. Trevor Lawrence: $155.5 million
With the numbers displayed above, the Chiefs’ starting quarterback still leads the pack when it comes to being paid the most per year for not only 2023 through 2026 but also from 2024 through 2027.
RELATED CONTENT: Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Partners With HBCU Legacy Bowl
by Mary Spiller
July 29, 2024
Historical Marker Placed At Detroit Motel In Honor Of 3 Black Teens Killed In 1967
Fred Temple, Carl Cooper, and Aubrey Pollard, were killed by white law enforcement during the Detroit Uprising of 1967.
A new historical marker was erected on July 26 in Detroit. The marker was placed as a dedication at the site where three Black teenagers were murdered by white local and federal law enforcement at the Algiers Motel during the civil riots in 1967. After 57 long years, the victims’ families have seen Fred Temple, 18, Carl Cooper, 17, and Aubrey Pollard, 19, begin to get the acknowledgment that they deserve from the city.
The three young men killed at the Algiers Motel on Woodward Avenue are well-known victims of what is known as the “Detroit Uprising.”
Members of the Temple, Cooper, and Pollard families attended the dedication memorial, as did longtime Detroit political figures and activists. In attendance at the marker placement were Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, activists V. Lonnie Peek Jr. and Dan Aldridge, and historians Jamon Jordan and Danielle McGuire attended the event.
Gilchrist said of the historical designation, “We decided that we were going to build and strengthen one another. Even in the face of setbacks that came to the Temple family, the Pollard family, and the Cooper family, the injustices and indignities that they saw and the others who lost their lives during the rebellion, their resolve was strengthened day by day.”
Not only were Temple, Cooper, and Pollard killed at the site, but two white women and seven other Black men were horrifically beaten by Detroit city police and United States National Guardsmen.
In an interview with CBS News for the memorial, a friend of the three men who witnessed their deaths, Lee Forsyth, recalled the memories of watching his best friends be killed by law enforcement in 1967.
He described, “I can see my room right there. I’ve been here twice in the past 57 years. This is great, the memorial. It’s for someone else to remember. I don’t want to remember it.”
Mayor Duggan added, “This day should have been done a long time ago. I’m proud to be the mayor when this historic marker is placed today to teach the next generation.”
Historian Danielle McGuire has dedicated much of her career to uncovering what happened that night. She told the outlet that the historical marker is a symbol that the history will not be suppressed, and it emphasizes the importance of remembrance of a time when fewer than 300 of the Detroit Police Department’s 5,000-member were African American.
“By remembering the lives of Aubrey Pollard, Carl Cooper, and Fred Temple, and everyone who was harmed here that night, we combat the dangers of forgetting, and we work together to build a better world where this kind of brutality and violence is not repeated,” said McGuire.
During the long, hot summer of 1967, civil unrest began stirring in Detroit after police raided an unlicensed bar in a predominantly Black West Side neighborhood, escalating tensions between law enforcement and residents. In the proceeding, five days starting July 23, 1967, 43 deaths occurred, hundreds of people were injured, and 7,000 were arrested as nearly 1,700 fires were set around the city. The youngest of the victims was a 4-year-old girl named Tayna Blanding, who was hit by a police officer’s bullet inside her apartment building.
by Mary Spiller
July 29, 2024
Alabama HBCU Talladega College Fights To Keep Underfunded Gymnastics Progam Alive
Talladega College is aiming to raise $500,000 by the end of the month to fund their gymnastics program.
The gymnastics team of the historically Black college and university Talladega College is allegedly facing challenges. The HBCU recently announced that the gymnastics program would be nixed after being active for just one season, but the community isn’t letting it happen without a fight.
Due to a concerning financial review, Talladega reportedly can’t afford to keep the program alive. The Alabama HBCU is experiencing the widespread systemic issue of lack of funding for sports at Black colleges and universities.
The team said in a statement, “With one hour to prepare, the Talladega team was told that the announcement would go public and that their team would be no more. While the decision to discontinue the gymnastics program was undoubtedly difficult, we remain incredibly proud of our gymnasts, coaches, and their remarkable achievements.”
Last year, Alabama’s Talladega College became the second HBCU in history to start a gymnastics program. Second to Fisk University, the trailblazing program attracted high-level athletes to campus to continue pursuing their gymnastics goals alongside their academics.
The team and its related faculty haven’t given up yet, though.
Interim Talladega College President Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough described, “Their dedication and resilience have set a high standard, and their legacy will continue to inspire.”
Soon after the news was delivered, the top gymnast at the program, Krystin Johnson, took to Twitter to write, “As most of you are aware, Talladega College is trying to dismantle our gymnastics team. This is devastating to us, but WE ARE STILL FIGHTING to keep it.”
Alongside her teammates and coaches, Johnson and others have successfully started a crowdfunding initiative through Give Lively. Sponsored by the Isla Foundation — an organization that empowers marginalized athletes — the Talladega Gymnastics Team aims to raise $500,000 by July 30.
“This fundraiser was created to show the world that Dega Gym is here to stay and the community is behind them 100%. We know that our goal is daunting, but without it, we will forced to put our education and athletic careers on hold,” The team explained in a statement.
“It is too late for our team to find homes. More than the aforementioned, we wouldn’t want to if we could. We set forth on a journey to make history, and we are not done yet.”
Talladega College’s gymnastics program, being one of the first of its kind, has helped Black gymnasts find a home to continue practicing their sport on campus. For many, it has given Black gymnasts a much-needed platform to showcase their prowess on the mat and inspire future generations in a predominantly white sport.
The Talladega Gymnastics Team has found success in its short time being active, even as the first of its kind in Alabama. The HBCU has earned the title of producing the most National Qualifiers in a year and is the first HBCU to win a sanctioned NCAA competition and hold a USAG National Event Title.
RELATED CONTENT: Fisk University Gymnast Morgan Price Named First-Ever National Champion From An HBCU
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
July 29, 2024
City Of Atlanta Fires HR Chief After Investigation Reveals She Created Position For Daughter
According to the city's report, Tarlesha Smith created a job for her daughter, who was never interviewed for the role.
The City of Atlanta has fired its head of human resources after it was discovered that she created a position for her daughter at City Hall despite her lack of qualifications for the role.
Tarlesha Smith’s termination comes after an investigation by the city’s law department which was prompted by a report that was released by The Office of the Inspector General in May.
The office found that Smith created a compliance analyst position in the Office of the City Solicitor for her daughter, Bridget. The role came with an annual salary of around $52,000, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
However, Bridget allegedly not only got the job before it was publicly listed but was never interviewed. Moreover, the report detailed how Smith retaliated against a supervisor who questioned her daughter’s qualifications for the role.
Bridget requested to telework following her on-site training, but she misinterpreted the in-person requirements for the position. When her supervisor denied the request, Bridget became “disengaged” and lacked punctuality, according to the report obtained by the Journal-Constitution
When the supervisor brought this issue to light, HR placed her on administrative leave. Smith also suggested disciplinary action. The city’s independent inquiry confirmed the Inspector General’s findings that Smith had abused her power in not only getting her daughter the role but also in the “adverse action” against the supervisor.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens originally appointed Smith to the leadership role in 2022. Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer, LaChandra Burks, revealed Smith’s firing for misconduct in a July 25 letter to the City Council.
“We take allegations of wrongdoing very seriously, especially if it involves a leader of the organization,” she wrote.
The mayor’s office will now search for a replacement for Smith. In the meantime, an interim human resources commissioner has already taken her place.
RELATED CONTENT: Atlanta Will Host Kamala Harris’ First Campaign Stop After Becoming Presumptive Democratic Nominee
by Mary Spiller
July 29, 2024
Simply Pure Trenton, Black-Owned Cannabis Dispensary, Opens In New Jersey
Simply Pure Trenton specializes in healthy edible alternatives.
Simply Pure Trenton, an entirely Black-owned cannabis dispensary based in New Jersey, opened its doors July 27. Founded by vanguard husband and wife Scott Durrah and Wanda James, Simply Pure specializes in healthy alternative edibles.
Although Simply Pure just opened, James and Durrah are not new to the game. Before the idea for the space was conceived in 2010, the couple launched Apothecary of Colorado, the “first Black-owned and veteran-owned dispensary” in the country, per AfroTech.
According to the business’ website, Durrah drives the creation of unique products, utilizing his skills as a former executive chef to produce high-quality edibles in a market that is saturated with typical dispensaries.
Taking the service learned in Denver, which includes storefront and delivery options, the couples’ vision has finally expanded to Ewing, New Jersey, just outside Trenton, the state’s capital.
Simply Pure is a 6,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar dispensary, supported not only by James and Durrah but Tahir Johnson, acting president of the Minority Cannabis Business Association.
Simply Pure Trenton has followed the trailblazing footsteps of the apothecary in Colorado, becoming one of the very first Black-owned “social equity businesses awarded an adult-use cannabis license in New Jersey.”
“This is more than a grand opening,” Johnson said. “It’s a meaningful step forward as we cultivate equity in the New Jersey market and beyond. As someone who has endured the harsh effects of cannabis prohibition multiple times throughout my life, it brings me great joy to supply my community with accessible, legal, and high-quality products. Furthermore, I’m excited to create jobs for those in my community who want to join us on this journey to creating change.”
“With his passion for his community, family and creating generational change, Tahir [Johnson] is the perfect person to lead Simply Pure Trenton as we expand outside of Colorado for the first time,” James said. “This is the beginning of our mission as we strive to partner with more social equity licensees and help those impacted by the War on Drugs redefine the U.S. cannabis industry.”
The New Jersey storefront carries many of the popular cannabis brands such as Garden Greens, Wana, Miss Grass, and Hamilton Farms, but the store also houses an extensive section of quality Black-owned brands such as Mudd Brothers and Butacake, according to its website.
RELATED CONTENT: 39-Year-Old Entrepreneur Makes History and Blazes New Trail in Cannabis Industry
by Daniel Johnson
July 29, 2024
Chipotle To Emphasize ‘Generous Portions’ After Customer Complaints
'[T]here was never a directive to provide less to our customers. Generous portion is a core brand equity of Chipotle. It always has been, and it always will be.'
Chipotle Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol appears to have seen and heard the many complaints from the franchise’s customers about their portion sizes. On an earnings call with investors on July 24, he directed attention to the company culture of “generous portions.”
According to The Hill, in the opening minutes of the call, he reminded the investors, “[T]here was never a directive to provide less to our customers. The generous portion is a core brand equity of Chipotle. It always has been, and it always will be. With that said, getting the feedback caused us to relook at our execution across our entire system with the intention to always serve our guests delicious, fresh custom burritos and bowls with generous portions.”
Niccol’s comments came well after many social media users made a running gag about how servers at the chain have not served enough meat for years. Those complaints have received more attention recently after internet food critic Keith Lee posted a Tik-Tok video in May detailing a quesadilla hack at Chipotle that went viral wherein Lee half-jokingly asked, “Where’s the chicken?”
That same month, following Lee and other social media users documenting instances where they believed servers were less than generous with their portions, Niccol defended the restaurant to Fortune while insisting and demonstrating that customers can give their servers a look if they were unsatisfied with their portions at Chipotle.
According to The Hill, on the earnings call, Niccol did admit that portions were inconsistent but said that approximately 10% of the company’s restaurants needed to be retrained or recoached per Chipotle’s standards.
“To be more consistent across all 3,500 restaurants, we have focused on those with outlier portion scores based on consumer surveys, and we are reemphasizing training and coaching around ensuring we are consistently making bowls and burritos correctly,” Niccol said.
Niccol continued, saying that positive customer feedback on and offline would suffice to get the word out about the changes at some of its chains.
“Look, I’m already seeing it in social media, people commenting on the burritos, the bowls that they’re getting,” Niccol said. “And, you know, I think that the best source of marketing is word of mouth, as people have these experiences with Chipotle.”
Although the company has raised prices in recent years, investors indicated on the call that there are currently “no plans” to increase prices further as Chipotle has posted an 11% increase in sales during its last quarter, which NPR reported was driven by stores being faster and more efficient in addition to its limited-time chicken al pastor promotion.
RELATED CONTENT: Viral Chipotle TikTok Trend Causes Chaos for Restaurant Workers
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
July 29, 2024
France’s Biggest Singer, Aya Nakamura, Shines In Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony Despite Critics
Nakamura is France's most streamed artist, but her Malian roots had some French citizens opposed to her performance at the Paris Olympics.
French-Malian singer-songwriter Aya Nakamura has received overwhelming praise for her gold-worthy performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Nakamura, dubbed France’s biggest star, performed her hit song “Pookie” along the Seine River for the highly-anticipated ceremony. Going for gold herself, Nakamura wore a gold metallic mini-dress with gladiator sandals to match the competition’s theme. According to Harper’s Bazaar, France’s Republic Guard accompanied her with a live band.
While the show was a hit, reports that France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, asked Nakamura to perform initially faced pushback from some French citizens. Her appearance would symbolize her as a face for France, which detractors did not want, reportedly due to racial reasons. Naysayers criticized Nakamura’s inclusion in the ceremony, given her West African roots and R&B-styled music, according to NPR reports.
“The French don’t want to be represented in the eyes of the world by a singer whose style is influenced by the hood and Africa,” stated Marion Marechal-Le Pen, a member of France’s Parliament, in an archived recording.
While born in Mali, the 29-year-old emigrated to France as a child. She sings in French. An internationally renowned musician, Nakamura catapulted to the nation’s modern pop music scene. Moreover, Nakamura officially gained French nationality in 2021.
However, French journalist Rokhaya Diallo says the issue stems beyond Nakamura. She argued how France has a history of ostracizing its nonwhite population despite being a multicultural society.
“The polemic is about who gets to be the face of France,” explained the Black French journalist in an additional recording obtained by NPR. “It’s not the first time that we’ve seen people of color being appointed or being chosen to represent France or to impersonate France and being targeted by racist backlash.
Before the July 26 ceremony, it remained unclear whether or not France’s most streamed artist would participate. However, Nakamura obliged Macron’s reported request, representing her blended heritage in her performance.
RELATED CONTENT: From Long Beach To Paris, Snoop Dogg Will Carry The Olympic Torch Before Opening Ceremony
by Sharelle B. McNair
July 29, 2024
Elon Musk Retweets Altered Kamala Harris Campaign Ad, Raising Alarms About AI In Politics
This may get out of hand quickly...
Tech guru and owner of X, Elon Musk, is receiving pushback after he retweeted an AI-generated version of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign ad, causing concern about artificial intelligence’s place in politics.
The altered video contains imagery from a recent YouTube campaign ad of Harris speaking to crowds and videos of her supporters. What stands out in the fake video is a voiceover that sounds just like the vice president. “I, Kamala Harris, am your Democrat candidate for president because Joe Biden finally exposed his senility at the debate,” the voiceover said. “I was selected because I am the ultimate diversity hire. I’m both a woman and a person of color. So if you criticize anything, you’re both sexist and racist.”
Originally posted by a YouTube account named “Mr Reagan,” the video was labeled as a parody. According to the Associated Press, AI-generated media experts confirmed that much of the video was generated by using AI technology. University of California, Berkeley’s digital forensics expert, Hany Farid, said the video shows how powerful generative AI and fake deeps can be.
“The AI-generated voice is very good,” he said. “Even though most people won’t believe it is VP Harris’ voice, the video is that much more powerful when the words are in her voice.”
Director of the Security, Trust, and Safety Initiative at Cornell Tech, Alexios Mantzarlis, thinks because of the popularity of altered videos in other countries, it was only a matter of time before they hit the U.S.
“In recent-ish elections in Argentina, India, and elsewhere, we saw deepfakes being used primarily for this type of surface-level deception that’s more akin to trolling memes than to legitimate misinformation,” Mantzarlis said. “I expect we’ll see plenty of this in the U.S. for the next 100 days until the November election.”
More importantly, the video showcases the lack of federal legislation and action to regulate the use, leaving rules up to states and social media platforms.
California governor Gavin Newsom took to X to express his displeasure over the fake ad. “Manipulating a voice in an ‘ad’ like this one should be illegal,” he said. “I’ll be signing a bill in a matter of weeks to make sure it is.” Musk responded, in part, that “parody is legal in America.”
Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar highlighted that Musk’s post may be in violation of his company’s own policy. “If @elonmusk and X let this go and don’t label it as altered AI content, they will not only be violating X’s own rules, they’ll be unleashing an entire election season of fake AI voice and image-altered content with no limits, regardless of party,” the lawmaker wrote on the platform.
“You may not share synthetic, manipulated, or out-of-context media that may deceive or confuse people and lead to harm (‘misleading media’),” the X policy reads. “In addition, we may label posts containing misleading media to help people understand their authenticity and to provide additional context.”
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Chipotle Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol appears to have seen and heard the many complaints from the franchise’s customers about their portion sizes; on an earnings call with investors on July 24, he directed attention to the company culture of “generous portions.”
According to The Hill, Niccol wasted little time in getting right to business on the call, reportedly in the opening minutes of the call, he reminded the investors, “[T]here was never a directive to provide less to our customers. The generous portion is a core brand equity of Chipotle. It always has been, and it always will be.”
Niccol continued, “With that said, getting the feedback caused us to relook at our execution across our entire system with the intention to always serve our guests delicious, fresh custom burritos and bowls with generous portions.”
Niccol’s comments come well after many social media users made a running gag about how servers at the chain have not served enough meat for years. Those complaints have received more attention recently after internet food critic Keith Lee posted a Tik-Tok video in May detailing a quesadilla hack at Chipotle, which went viral wherein Lee half-jokingly asked, “Where’s the chicken?”
That same month, following Lee and other social media users documenting instances where they believed servers were less than generous with their portions, Niccol defended the restaurant to Fortune while insisting and demonstrating that customers can give their servers a look if they were unsatisfied with their portions at Chipotle.
According to The Hill, on the earnings call, Niccol did admit that portions were inconsistent but said that approximately 10% of the company’s restaurants needed to be retrained or recoached per Chipotle’s standards.
“To be more consistent across all 3,500 restaurants, we have focused on those with outlier portion scores based on consumer surveys, and we are reemphasizing training and coaching around ensuring we are consistently making bowls and burritos correctly,” Niccol said.
Niccol continued, saying that positive customer feedback both on and offline would suffice to get the word out about the changes at some of its chains.
“Look, I’m already seeing it in social media, people commenting on the burritos, the bowls that they’re getting,” Niccol said. “And, you know, I think that the best source of marketing is word of mouth, as people have these experiences with Chipotle.”
Although the company has raised prices in recent years, investors indicated on the call that there are currently “no plans” to increase prices further as Chipotle has posted an 11% increase in sales during its last quarter, which NPR reported was driven by stores being faster and more efficient in addition to its limited-time chicken al pastor promotion.
RELATED CONTENT: Viral Chipotle TikTok Trend Causes Chaos for Restaurant Workers