Updated on Sunday, June 21
‘The Latest News’ is a weekly thread where we update our readers on events that affect our communities.
Trump Called Covid-19 “Kung-Flu” and Defended Confederate Monuments in Tulsa Rally
In his controversial Tulsa rally on Saturday, President Donald Trump referred to Covid-19 as the “Kung-Flu” publicly for the first time after initially denying allegations that he had done so. In March, a Chinese-American CBS journalist, Weijia Jiang, Tweeted that someone in the Trump administration had referred to Covid-19 as “Kung-Flu” to her face, but was met with skepticism by Trump supporters.
This morning a White House official referred to #Coronavirus as the “Kung-Flu” to my face. Makes me wonder what they’re calling it behind my back.
— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) March 17, 2020
Trump calls the coronavirus “Kung flu” and then says, “many call it a flu.” (Nobody with a working brain says that.) pic.twitter.com/2Wlmv7L4na
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 21, 2020
In his rally, Trump also lamented the toppling of Confederate monuments across the country.
“The unhinged left-wing mob,” he said. “Is trying to vandalize our history, desecrate our monuments, our beautiful monuments.”
All three officers involved in the death of Breonna Taylor will be fired
Brett Hankison, Jonathan Mattingly and Mules Cosgrove, the three Louisville police officers involved in the murder of Breonna Taylor, will be fired. The city’s Mayor, Greg Fischer, said that Brett Hankison will lose his badge while the other three will be placed on administrative leave.
Still, firing the officers involved in Taylor’s death does not go far enough for many. Among other things, the Black Lives Matter movement has called for police officers to be tried as civilians, which in this case would mean that the officers should be charged for murder.
Calls to arrest of the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor are getting stronger
Weeks after the police officers involved in George Floyd’s death were charged, many are calling for the cops who killed Breonna Taylor to be charged with murder. Taylor was killed on March 13 in her Louisville, Kentucky home after officers mistook her house for that of a drug dealer’s and broke in without warning. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot at the police, who opened fire into the house and killed Taylor.
Taylor was 26 and an EMT worker. None of the officers involved in her death have been arrested; they include Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove. On Friday morning, Myles Cosgrove’s name was trending on Twitter.
Attorney General Cameron, we demand justice for Breonna Taylor. Arrest Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove. We know who they are, so how the fuck are these literal murderers still walking free???? pic.twitter.com/ukcQAHocFc
— Austin Faber (@roxinrox) June 19, 2020
Good morning. Hope you have an excellent day. And…hmm…what else did I want to say? It totally slipped my mind…I’m sure I’ll think of it lat-
Oh I remember!
ARREST BRETT HANKISON, JONATHAN MATTINGLY & MYLES COSGROVE FOR THE MURDER OF #BREONNATAYLOR
— Alex Brightman (he/him) (@ABrightMonster) June 19, 2020
Six Black and Hispanic people have been found hanging from trees throughout the U.S. in recent weeks
Six Black and Hispanic people have been found hanging from trees in recent weeks from Portland, Oregon to New York City. Although each death was ruled a suicide, some have pointed out that the hangings are eerily reminiscent of lynchings, a practice in which people of color were killed and hanged from tree branches as a spectacle for white onlookers. Recent news of the hangings also coincided with extremely high racial tensions in the country.
The victims include Robert Fuller (pictured above), who was found hanging in Palmdale, California; Titi Gulley, a trans woman found in a park in Portland, Oregon; and Dominique Alexander, who was found in Manhattan.
Fuller’s half-brother was killed on Wednesday by police during a confrontation.
no one in 2020 is killing themselves by tossing a noose over a tree branch like they regret betraying jesus for 30 pieces of silver. people are getting lynched. the police won’t investigate local KKK chapters because they don’t hold their own accountable
— giabuchi (@jaboukie) June 16, 2020
Hey…….. Sorry…… quick question…. ARE WE JUST GOING TO FUCKING IGNORE ALL OF THE BLACK HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE BEEN LYNCHED THE LAST 2 WEEKS?!?!
— Armie Hammer (@armiehammer) June 16, 2020
NYPD officers falsely claimed that Shake Shack employees poisoned their milkshakes on purpose
Three NYPD officers went a local hospital after they drank milkshakes at a Shake Shack in Manhattan and noticed a “funny taste”. The officers accused the Shake Shack employees of poisoning their drinks with bleach.
Conservative pundits and politicians quickly took to Twitter, some with the hashtag #BoycottShakeShack
Tonight I learned that Shake Shack employees try to kill cops by poisoning their food… The way things are going, you might as well assume they’d also try to kill you if they disagree with your politics.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) June 16, 2020
NYPD source just texted this.
Cops’ food possibly being poisoned.
(MOS = Members of the Service/sworn NYPD) pic.twitter.com/eQmMOrIKTM
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) June 16, 2020
An investigation was quickly launched but on Tuesday morning, NYPD Chief Rodney Harrison Tweeted that there was “no criminality” by Shake Shack employees and that the cross-contamination had been unintentional. The NYPD officers have been discharged from the hospital.
After a thorough investigation by the NYPD’s Manhattan South investigators, it has been determined that there was no criminality by shake shack’s employees.
— Chief Rodney Harrison (@NYPDDetectives) June 16, 2020
Supreme Court Ruled That Trans People Can’t Get Fired for Being Trans
On Monday morning, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that trans and gay people can no longer be fired from their jobs on the basis of their sexuality or gender expression. Across nearly half of states, members of the LGBTQ community already had protections, but the sweeping new law would prevent such discrimination from taking place across the remaining states.
The case was initially brought to the Supreme Court by three people who were fired by their employers on the basis of being LGBTQ. Among them was Aimee Stevens, a transgender woman who was fired from the funeral home where she worked after she sent her employer a letter announcing her transition. The plaintiffs in the case invoked the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender but not necessarily gender identity until now. The Supreme Court’s decision came just three days after President Trump rolled back Obama-era protections that shielded transgender people from discrimination in medical facilities.
Several celebrities celebrated the announcement on Twitter.
The world is only getting browner and gayer, so you better hop aboard, or you’re going to miss the bus. Even a conservative Supreme Court got on the bus. What a great day for America. Woo hoo!!!
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) June 15, 2020
SUPREME COURT OVER RULES IT IS ILLEGAL TO FIRE SOMEONE FOR BEING QUEER OR TRANS. CAN I GET A-PERIOD???!!!!
— Black trans life is precious (@IndyaMoore) June 15, 2020
