Wednesday, December 17, 2014


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-rescue-mission-to-save-turtles-in-the-california-drought/

A rescue mission to save turtles in the California drought
By AMANDA SCHUPAK CBS NEWS December 16, 2014, 5:21 AM

The turtles were acting weird.

"In the middle of a hot sunny day they were just wandering around on the shore of the lake and could barely move," Brad Shaffer, director of the UCLA La Kretz Center for California Conservation Science, recalled. "They were just acting very, very strangely."

Shaffer had gotten a call from biologists from the U.S. Geological Survey who have been monitoring a population of endangered southwestern pond turtles in Lake Elizabeth, in California's Angeles National Forest. "Word came through to several of us who work on turtles in California that the lake was very, very low and that the turtles looked really, really bad," Shaffer said. A few dead turtles had been spotted as well.

Elizabeth Lake is home to one of the largest populations of southwestern pond turtles. A so-called "sag pond" on the San Andreas fault, the lake is usually 1.5 miles long and about 23 feet deep. But with the state staggering through a drought that could last years, half of it has dried up, and where there is water, Shaffer and his research associates estimate it's only a foot or two deep.

Elizabeth Lake, in Angeles National Forest, is largely dried up due to the drought that is plaguing the state of California.

 URSULA HEISE/UCLA
With so much of the fresh water lost to evaporation, what's left is highly concentrated with minerals and very salty. And that has left the turtles in bad shape.

The USGS researchers called Shaffer when they noticed that not only were the turtles lethargic, but some of their heads, feet and shells were coated in a thick white crust of mineral deposits.

"Some of them looked like ceramic turtles," Shaffer said. "Between the biologists who were out there and me, we have a hundred years of turtle experience and we had never seen turtles look like this."

So they mobilized, collecting 60 turtles from the arid lakebed and transporting half to the Turtle Conservancy's captive breeding facility in Ojai, and the other half to UCLA, where Shaffer and his team set up a reptile refugee camp on the roof of the botany building.

The turtles were so dehydrated and thirsty for fresh water that they immediately started drinking from their tanks.

They're not the only animals in trouble. Shaffer said that the droughts also have been disastrous for many amphibians, especially those that breed in ponds, pools and streams. Many species, including the endangered tiger salamander, bred little if at all in the past year.

Shaffer estimates the Elizabeth Lake southwestern pond turtle population at somewhere between 300 and 500. The group suffered a blow even before their home starting disappearing, when Shaffer and his team figured out last year that they were genetically different from other turtles further north previously thought to be the same species. In an instant, their purported numbers were cut virtually in half.

 KAREN LEFKOWITZ/UCLA
Now, a month into their rehab, the turtles are showing progress. They're feeding and gaining weight. And the weather is auspicious. Los Angeles gets almost all of its rain in the winter, and Shaffer is hopeful that if the rain continues as it has been so far, the lake will fill back up and they'll be able to release the turtles back into the wild.

Between the 30 he has and the 30 in Ojai, Shaffer said, "That's a good chunk of the genetic diversity. When the lake recovers we can put them back out and keep the population going."




“Elizabeth Lake is home to one of the largest populations of southwestern pond turtles. A so-called "sag pond" on the San Andreas fault, the lake is usually 1.5 miles long and about 23 feet deep. But with the state staggering through a drought that could last years, half of it has dried up, and where there is water, Shaffer and his research associates estimate it's only a foot or two deep.... With so much of the fresh water lost to evaporation, what's left is highly concentrated with minerals and very salty. And that has left the turtles in bad shape. The USGS researchers called Shaffer when they noticed that not only were the turtles lethargic, but some of their heads, feet and shells were coated in a thick white crust of mineral deposits.... So they mobilized, collecting 60 turtles from the arid lakebed and transporting half to the Turtle Conservancy's captive breeding facility in Ojai, and the other half to UCLA, where Shaffer and his team set up a reptile refugee camp on the roof of the botany building. The turtles were so dehydrated and thirsty for fresh water that they immediately started drinking from their tanks.... Between the 30 he has and the 30 in Ojai, Shaffer said, "That's a good chunk of the genetic diversity. When the lake recovers we can put them back out and keep the population going."

This is a happy story because the turtles are recovering fully with some basic care. Unfortunately, the drought is probably a result of global warming, and can be expected to continue to be a problem. California is also home to a great deal of farming which feeds us here in the East, along with produce from Florida and Texas. That farming, of course, requires irrigation and that same water is also needed by people and livestock. California may not always be the center of wealth that it is today if living there becomes much more difficult. I did read an article on water desalination that has already begun in California, which will help out in the matter. I am reminded of large lakes in other parts of the world that are drying up, too, such as Lake Chad, so water is likely to become a political problem. I wonder if wars will be fought over it? At least there may be power shifts related to coastal areas where desalination can be conducted around the world. Will we switch to green power sources in time to stop this climate change? Probably not.





http://crooksandliars.com/2014/12/thanks-las-anti-vaxxer-parents-whooping

Thanks To L.A.'s Anti-Vaxxer Parents, Whooping Cough Cases Explode To 70-Year High
December 15, 2014
Josh Kilburn

Whooping cough is now at a 70 year high in California, and medical experts are afraid that this is a harbinger of things to come.

In 2010, a nasty whooping cough outbreak hit the country; in California, it was the worst outbreak in 60 years. That was bad then, but things are worse now: once again, California is in the grips of a whooping cough outbreak - but this time it's even worse. The state is currently facing it's worst outbreak in 70 years, and has nearly 1,000 more cases than it did in 2010.

Hey, anyone wanna take a guess why? Go ahead, I'll give you three guesses, and thefirst two are on the house.

Whooping cough is a bacterial infection and it peaks every three to five years. The disease is extremely dangerous to infants, who are also more likely to catch it. The CDC says that 50% of all children under a year old who catch the 100 days cough need to be hospitalized, and up to 2% of that population end up dying. Dr. William Schaffner, the chairman of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee told ABC news that "The last time a series of outbreaks occurred across the country, California started the parade." He added that "this is a harbinger we are fearful of."

A vaccination for the disease was developed in the 1940s, and it's a very effective vaccination, with some minor side effects, like most other treatments. Unfortunately, it is a vaccination, and in certain populations politely called "stupid," it triggers a reaction identical to the one that Creationists or Global Warming denialists have when they hear the words "evolution" or "anthropogenic global warming."

Since children under two months old can't be vaccinated, mothers are encouraged to get vaccinated instead, so they can pass the immunity on to their children.

Between anti-vaxxers and the fact that we're entering an era of post-antibiotic effectiveness thanks to factory farming (and then doing the stupidest thing imaginable - depending on the free market to produce more antibiotics), I'm beginning to think that we're asking for it.

You can watch the report below:




“Whooping cough is a bacterial infection and it peaks every three to five years. The disease is extremely dangerous to infants, who are also more likely to catch it. The CDC says that 50% of all children under a year old who catch the 100 days cough need to be hospitalized, and up to 2% of that population end up dying. Dr. William Schaffner, the chairman of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee told ABC news that "The last time a series of outbreaks occurred across the country, California started the parade." He added that "this is a harbinger we are fearful of."

I have been hearing that vaccinations cause autism or other problems from vocal believers in certain religions and conspiracy theories for a number of years now. The people seem to be Middle Class rather than poor, and they have a distrust of doctors, prescription drugs of all kinds including psychotropic meds to prevent mental breakdowns, and they are, unfortunately, generally political extremists. It started with the New Age movement in the 1970s, and is the main financial support for the massive and totally unregulated herbal supplement industry of today. A woman I used to know believed in homeopathy (the taking of tiny amounts of a treatment instead of a standard dose) and a preference for chiropractors rather than medical doctors.

Those people have been refusing to vaccinate their children for years, which creates a large reservoir of unvaccinated people for the bacteria to grow in, bringing on epidemics like this current one of whooping cough. Will it be smallpox and polio next? I am generally impatient with this popular philosophy, but having read this article, I'm angry at them now. It seems that the forces of militant rebellion against logic are growing in influence, between the anti-global warming groups to the fears so many have about our government sending “jack-booted government thugs” to take away everybody's guns.

I, of course, also have fears, but I tend to lean in the other direction. My fears are global warming, the extinction of most of our wildlife, the growing divide between the very poor and the very rich in the US, and increased government secrecy while Big Business buys our legislators completely to enforce their money-centered laws. I believe instead in voting at every election, science and learning in general, good legal arguments, peaceful protests and writing our congressional representatives to make changes, and continued lifelong learning. I don't have kids, but I do get myself vaccinated when necessary, especially now that I'm older.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/arrests-in-compounding-pharmacy-meningitis-outbreak/

Arrests in compounding pharmacy meningitis outbreak
CBS/AP December 17, 2014, 7:00 AM

BOSTON -- Two co-founders and 12 other former employees of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy blamed for a fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people were arrested early Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Boston said.

Gregory Conigliaro and Barry Cadden, co-founders of the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, were among 14 people arrested at their homes around the state, attorney's office spokeswoman Christina DiIorio-Sterling said.

Conigliaro was booked by police in Southborough, outside Boston, before 7 a.m. Wednesday, CBS Boston station WBZ-TV reports.

One of those arrested was Glenn Adam Chin, a former supervisory pharmacist, who had been charged with mail fraud in September.

Tainted steroids manufactured by the pharmacy were blamed for a 2012 outbreak. About 750 people in 20 states developed meningitis or other infections after receiving the contaminated steroids. Michigan, Tennessee and Indiana were the hardest-hit states.

The exact charges are expected to be disclosed at a news conference later Wednesday, and all expected to make an initial court appearance later in the day.

The pharmacy gave up its license and filed for bankruptcy protection after it was flooded with hundreds of lawsuits filed by victims and their families.

NECC was founded in 1998 by brothers-in-law Cadden and Conigliaro. Cadden, who is married to Conigliaro's sister, Lisa, earned a pharmacy degree from the University of Rhode Island. Conigliaro is an engineer.




“Two co-founders and 12 other former employees of a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy blamed for a fungal meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people were arrested early Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Boston said.... Tainted steroids manufactured by the pharmacy were blamed for a 2012 outbreak. About 750 people in 20 states developed meningitis or other infections after receiving the contaminated steroids. Michigan, Tennessee and Indiana were the hardest-hit states.... The pharmacy gave up its license and filed for bankruptcy protection after it was flooded with hundreds of lawsuits filed by victims and their families.”

I'm glad to see that we have a set of (job-killing) regulations in place by which somebody in our (overly large) government was watching over the incidence of the disease and tracked it to NECC. It isn't merely poor business to sell tainted drugs, it's against the law! Thank goodness. 750 people in 20 states developed the deadly disease meningitis. A fungal disease implies unsanitary preparation processes. The company probably thought proper health practices were cutting down on their profit margin. Well, they will have no profit at all, now.






http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/17/371377340/as-pakistan-mourns-prime-minister-removes-moratorium-on-death-penalty

As Pakistan Mourns, Prime Minister Removes Moratorium On Death Penalty
Eyder Peralta
DECEMBER 17, 2014

A day after a horrific Taliban attack on a school that left 145 people dead, Pakistan began to take stock.

As The New York Times describes it, flags flew at half-staff and prayer services were held across the country. The BBC reports that the families of the victims — who were mostly children — began burying their dead.

We're also getting a greater understanding of what exactly happened inside the Army Public School and Degree College in Peshawar after gunmen entered the school.

Based on what witnesses say, Dawn reports that the gunmen first fired on students who were playing outside and then entered the school's auditorium, where students were in the middle of a test.

The newspaper goes on:

"To save themselves, the students hit the ground, their young bodies aligning with the earth to evade the bullets that sought their bodies. But the killers had come to kill; according to eyewitnesses, there was no hurried or haphazard showering of bullets.

"The killers killed one by one, pointing their guns at one child and then another, watching their bodies flinch and fail. Later, when the corpses would be counted, they would number over a hundred.

"In the aftermath, the children are gone, silenced and buried. The country is in mourning, stunned again, shaken again, angered again at the barbarity that lives within and spawns such death."

Authorities also allowed cameras into the school for the first time. The images are harrowing: They show walls riddled with bullets, broken furniture, and rooms that were charred after the suicide vests worn by the gunmen went off.

Meanwhile, on the political side, The Express Tribune reports that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to lift a moratorium on the death penalty in terrorism cases.

The Tribune adds:

"Rights campaign group Amnesty International estimates that Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have exhausted the appeals process.

"Supporters of the death penalty argue that it is the only effective way to deal with the scourge of militancy."




"The killers killed one by one, pointing their guns at one child and then another, watching their bodies flinch and fail. Later, when the corpses would be counted, they would number over a hundred. "In the aftermath, the children are gone, silenced and buried. The country is in mourning, stunned again, shaken again, angered again at the barbarity that lives within and spawns such death."... Meanwhile, on the political side, The Express Tribune reports that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to lift a moratorium on the death penalty in terrorism cases. The Tribune adds: "Rights campaign group Amnesty International estimates that Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have exhausted the appeals process. "Supporters of the death penalty argue that it is the only effective way to deal with the scourge of militancy."

Killing 8,000 prisoners will be shocking, perhaps as shocking as the Taliban's actions, but they have all committed some crime, supposedly. If the crime is merely illegal political activity, however, that will certainly cause a backlash against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and could bring UN sanctions. It is, unfortunately, true that this type of criminal is himself a murderer in most cases, as the Taliban and al-Qaeda win their causes by running roughshod over poor farmers and other civilians. I do think they deserve the death penalty. I do wonder what the US will have to say about it.





POLICE JUSTICE IN PROGRESS



http://mic.com/articles/106392/congress-just-passed-a-bill-addressing-police-killings-while-no-one-was-looking

News.Mic
Congress Just Passed a Bill Addressing Police Killings While No One Was Looking
By Matt Connolly  
December 13, 2014

After watching nationwide protests unfold against police brutality, members of Congress did what they have seemed incapable of doing for years: something.

A bill passed by both chambers of Congress and headed to President Barack Obama's desk will require local law enforcement agencies to report every police shooting and other death at their hands. That data will include each victim's age, gender and race as well as details about what happened.

"You can't begin to improve the situation unless you know what the situation is," bill sponsor Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) told the Washington Post. "We will now have the data."

It's not the first time Congress has tried: The same law was actually passed back in 2000, but was allowed to lapse in 2006 and was never reauthorized (despite repeated attempts by Scott). Because it takes years for enough local departments to start submitting all that data, the original law barely yielded anything before it expired.

Congressional staffers raise their hands in protest of grand jury decisions that declined to prosecute two separate white police officers who killed two separate black men in Missouri and New York. Source: Getty Images

While it will likely take a long time once more to get a usably large picture of police killings across the country, the federal government has an enforcement mechanism to make sure agencies submit: The Department of Justice can withhold federal funds from any states that don't comply.

There's other legislation in the pipeline aimed at combating police brutality following the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Tamir Rice, including bills that would require police departments to comply with federal racial profiling standards and stop local agencies from receiving military weapons and equipment. "It's not a new issue ... it's not isolated incidents by rogue police," Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) said during a Capitol Hill briefing featuring mothers of son who were killed by police. "We have a lot of work to do."

It's just a first step: The bill is a first step to address a major problem activists, lawmakers and reporters faced after the deaths of Brown, Garner, Rice and others at the hands of law enforcement. As the subject of police brutality was pulled into the national spotlight, concrete data regarding the use of deadly force against civilians by police officers wasn't nearly comprehensive enough to make concrete statements about its application; there was no way, for example, to determine what percentage of those killed by police were black, or male. Police departments keep their own data, meaning there's no official measure of how often this happens.

We do know, according to ProPublica, that black male teens are 21 times more likely to be killed by police than white ones. And that's only using the data that police departments self-reported to the FBI.

Requiring data collection like this is a good first step. But the key is to not wait years until reports are coming in to do more.




“A bill passed by both chambers of Congress and headed to President Barack Obama's desk will require local law enforcement agencies to report every police shooting and other death at their hands. That data will include each victim's age, gender and race as well as details about what happened.” .… "You can't begin to improve the situation unless you know what the situation is," bill sponsor Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) told the Washington Post. "We will now have the data." It's not the first time Congress has tried: The same law was actually passed back in 2000, but was allowed to lapse in 2006 and was never reauthorized (despite repeated attempts by Scott). Because it takes years for enough local departments to start submitting all that data, the original law barely yielded anything before it expired.... The Department of Justice can withhold federal funds from any states that don't comply. There's other legislation in the pipeline aimed at combating police brutality following the deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Tamir Rice, including bills that would require police departments to comply with federal racial profiling standards and stop local agencies from receiving military weapons and equipment. … there was no way, for example, to determine what percentage of those killed by police were black, or male. Police departments keep their own data, meaning there's no official measure of how often this happens. We do know, according to ProPublica, that black male teens are 21 times more likely to be killed by police than white ones. And that's only using the data that police departments self-reported to the FBI.”

I am glad to see this move by Congress. I think they see the writing on the wall. I would be interested in knowing who initiated and backed the bill, what its name is, etc. Hopefully there will be a followup article tonight or tomorrow. As the article says, though, we need some more bills in the days and months to come to cover other related issues. See the following news article as well.





http://thefreethoughtproject.com/the-grand-jury-reform-act-proposed-congress-challenge-police-immunity/

Congress Proposes Bill to Address the Problem of Immunity for Killer Cops
By John Vibes 
December 15, 2014

Washington DC – The grand jury system that is used to judge cases of police misconduct, has come under heavy public scrutiny in recent weeks, after a string of high profile acquittals for killer cops.

For decades police have attacked, robbed and murdered innocent people with immunity, and have been able to avoid even standing trial because they have been shielded by the grand jury process. This happens every single day in America.

However, recently with police under the mainstream media microscope, people are now seeing a number of back to back cases where police obviously used excessive force, but have been cleared of all wrong-doing by a grand jury.

People are now so mistrustful of the grand jury system that victims of police attacks are demanding that the grand jury be completely sidestepped. This is an understandable request, considering that any other human being on this earth would be forced to stand trial if they were accused of such crimes.

In response to the recent controversy surrounding the grand jury system, Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia introduced a bill called “The Grand Jury Reform Act.” The bill hopes to create special hearings for police murders that would supposedly be more fair and transparent than the current grand juries.

Johnson said in a statement that:

“I think many people understand that the nation’s grand jury system is fundamentally broken. The protesters demand an end to what is perceived as unequal justice, and that those who are responsible for the use of excessive force be brought to justice. They do not trust a secret grand jury system that is so clearly broken. My bill will help restore that trust. No longer will communities have to rely on the secret and biased grand jury process.”

Johnson has also proposed legislation to end the Pentagon’s controversial “1033” program, which has been arming local police departments with military weapons.


John Vibes is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war. In addition to his writing and activist work he is also the owner of a successful music promotion company. In 2013, he became one of the organizers of the Free Your Mind Conference, which features top caliber speakers and whistle-blowers from all over the world. You can contact him and stay connected to his work at his Facebook page. You can find his 65 chapter Book entitled “Alchemy of the Timeless Renaissance” at bookpatch.com.



Hank Johnson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Henry C. "Hank" Johnson Jr. (born October 2, 1954) is the U.S. Representative for Georgia's 4th congressional district, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party... He is one of only three Buddhists, the others being Hawaii's Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa, to serve in the United States Congress.[3]
Johnson grew up in Washington, D.C. His father worked for theBureau of Prisons and was the director of classifications and paroles. Up to that time, he was the highest ranking African American in the bureau.[4]
Johnson graduated from Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) in 1976, was a member of Omega Psi PhiKappa Alpha Alpha Chapter, Decatur, Georgia, and Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law inHouston in 1979; he practiced law in Decatur, Georgia, for more than 25 years.
He was elected to the DeKalb County Commission in 2000 and served two terms. Prior to his service on the Commission, he worked as an Associate Magistrate Judge for ten years.[5]
U.S. House of Representatives[edit]
Committee assignments[edit]
Committee on Armed Services
Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
Committee on the Judiciary
Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law
Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security




I didn't know Johnson's name, but he is impressive, according to the Wikipedia article. Detecting the Grand Jury process as one of the major causes for injustice is astute. I tend to think of a top down approach like sending in the DOJ posse. Grand Juries are made up of local people who are often biased against minorities, and the procedure is secret. That definitely isn't good. It's the fox guarding the hen house. I will be interested to see more news on this law – what is the name of it and what specific points does it make? I would like to see a liberal law group analyze it, as reading laws isn't easy and also can be too long and wordy – boring, in other words. Sometimes it's important, though. I'd like to know what this law accomplishes.




http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/andrew-hawkins-response-tamir-rice-protest

Browns Player Offers Thoughtful Rebuke After Police Union Slams T-Shirt Protest
By DYLAN SCOTT PublishedDECEMBER 15, 2014

After police unions slammed his decision to wear a T-shirt protesting the police shootings of two black people in Ohio, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Andrew Hawkins gathered the media on Monday to explain himself more fully.

Hawkins outlined his rationale, speaking without notes, according to ESPN Cleveland reporter Tony Grossi. He touched on his own upbringing and the role of his children in his lengthy comments.

"I understood there was going to be backlash, and that scared me, honestly. But deep down I felt like it was the right thing to do," Hawkins said. "If I was to run away from what I felt in my soul was the right thing to do, that would make me a coward, and I can’t live with that."

Below is his statement in full:

“I was taught that justice is a right that every American should have. Also justice should be the goal of every American. I think that’s what makes this country. To me, justice means the innocent should be found innocent. It means that those who do wrong should get their due punishment. Ultimately, it means fair treatment. So a call for justice shouldn’t offend or disrespect anybody. A call for justice shouldn’t warrant an apology.

“To clarify, I utterly respect and appreciate every police officer that protects and serves all of us with honesty, integrity and the right way. And I don’t think those kind of officers should be offended by what I did. My mom taught me my entire life to respect law enforcement. I have family, close friends that are incredible police officers and I tell them all the time how they are much braver than me for it. So my wearing a T-shirt wasn’t a stance against every police officer or every police department. My wearing the T-shirt was a stance against wrong individuals doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons to innocent people.

“Unfortunately, my mom also taught me just as there are good police officers, there are some not-so-good police officers that would assume the worst of me without knowing anything about me for reasons I can’t control. She taught me to be careful and be on the lookout for those not-so-good police officers because they could potentially do me harm and most times without consequences. Those are the police officers that should be offended.

“Being a police officer takes bravery. And I understand that they’re put in difficult positions and have to make those snap decisions. As a football player, I know a little bit about snap decisions, obviously on an extremely lesser and non-comparative scale, because when a police officer makes a snap decision, it’s literally a matter of life and death. That’s hard a situation to be in. But if the wrong decision is made, based on pre-conceived notions or the wrong motives, I believe there should be consequence. Because without consequence, naturally the magnitude of the snap decisions is lessened, whether consciously or unconsciously.

“I’m not an activist, in any way, shape or form. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred I keep my opinions to myself on most matters. I worked extremely hard to build and keep my reputation especially here in Ohio, and by most accounts I’ve done a solid job of decently building a good name. Before I made the decision to wear the T-shirt, I understood I was putting that reputation in jeopardy to some of those people who wouldn’t necessarily agree with my perspective. I understood there was going to be backlash, and that scared me, honestly. But deep down I felt like it was the right thing to do. If I was to run away from what I felt in my soul was the right thing to do, that would make me a coward, and I can’t live with that. God wouldn’t be able to put me where I am today, as far as I’ve come in life, if I was a coward.

“As you well know, and it’s well documented, I have a 2-year-old little boy. The same 2-year-old little boy that everyone said was cute when I jokingly threw him out of the house earlier this year. That little boy is my entire world. And the No. 1 reason for me wearing the T-shirt was the thought of what happened to Tamir Rice happening to my little Austin scares the living hell out of me. And my heart was broken for the parents of Tamir and John Crawford knowing they had to live that nightmare of a reality.

“So, like I said, I made the conscious decision to wear the T-shirt. I felt like my heart was in the right place. I’m at peace with it and those that disagree with me, this is America, everyone has the right to their first amendment rights. Those who support me, I appreciate your support. But at the same time, support the causes and the people and the injustices that you feel strongly about. Stand up for them. Speak up for them. No matter what it is because that’s what America’s about and that’s what this country was founded on.”




This young man, unlike some sports figures, is well-spoken and very intelligent, making what I consider to be a full defense of his wearing of a politically active tee shirt with a slogan on it that the police officers didn't happen to like. They certainly shouldn't have criticised him for that. He has every right to make a personal political statement, and in his statement there is nothing abusive or even angry, but rather pertinent, thorough, calm and reasoned comments. I certainly hope he is not punished in any way for this.