| From major cities to small villages, from America to the other side of the globe, citizens are demonstrating against racial injustice and police brutality in historic numbers. At OZY, we’re committed to helping reset America. We hope you’ll join us on the journey. |
| | | | | 1 Moment of Calm Americans awoke today to learn that protests over George Floyd’s killing were subdued overnight in the wake of upgraded charges against Officer Derek Chauvin and new charges filed against the three other officers on the scene. If convicted, which will be no slam dunk, as OZY reports, the four could face up to four decades in prison. | 2 Mad Dog Melee “Glad he is gone!” So tweeted President Donald Trump in response to former Secretary of Defense James Mattis’ criticism of him. Mattis denounced the commander in chief in a statement yesterday to The Atlantic. “Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict — a false conflict — between the military and civilian society,” the retired four-star general stated. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski today backed Mattis and said she’s “struggling” with whether she can still support Trump. | 3 Crackdowns of Yore And 31 years ago today? Beijing ordered troops to storm Tiananmen Square to quash weekslong pro-democracy protests. Police and soldiers fired into the crowds — many protesters fled while some resisted — killing hundreds and arresting thousands. |
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| | | | They Said What They Meant |
| 4 Dream Preview In May 1957, six years before his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King Jr. stood before a crowd, also at the Lincoln Memorial, to make a demand of American leaders: Give us the ballot. | 5 Fiery Address Railing against American slavery, Frederick Douglass stood before a crowd in Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York, on July 5, 1852. “This Fourth of July is yours, not mine,” he said. “You may rejoice, I must mourn.” And Douglass was just getting warmed up. | 6 Speaking the Truth “If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!” Sojourner Truth, itinerant preacher and former slave, said at an 1851 women’s rights convention. |
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| | | | | 7 Ibram X. Kendi The 37-year-old historian is the best-selling author of How to Be an Antiracist. Through memoir-based writing, Kendi makes antiracism accessible, forcing readers to reexamine their own deeply held biases. A New York native, he is the founding director of the Antiracist Research & Policy Center at American University. Kendi is a vegan and a cancer survivor. | 8 Brittney Cooper The 39-year-old author of Eloquent Rage is an educator, activist and cultural critic whose research spans from Black feminist theory to hip-hop. Check out her TED Talk, discussing modern racial politics and how it has been stolen from people of color in this country, delaying progress. | 9 Agnes Chow Ting The 23-year-old loves to let loose at karaoke bars. But unlike others her age, she hasn’t been able to unwind in a long time, OZY reports. “My city is burning; there is no time for ‘me time,’” says the Hong Kong pro-democracy leader who has been able to do the unthinkable — rattle the mighty and powerful China. | 10 Gina Din-Kariuki Her office door just says “Boss.”And with good reason. Kenya’s Olivia Pope has turned the country’s biggest brands, such as Safaricom, into Pan-African household names. Now, the 58-year-old is on a mission to reshape the image of Africa for the world, as OZY reports. And her firm was recently acquired by global PR giant Edelman. | 11 Find More Learn about these and other emerging civil rights leaders here on OZY. |
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| | | | | 12 Going Global George Floyd’s death has sparked fresh debates over police brutality internationally, from Malaysia to Nigeria and Kenya, where activists are also calling for change. Could the moment serve as a catalyst for a global shift in policing? | 13 So Sue Me Libertarian Rep. Justin Amash plans to introduce a bill seeking the end of qualified immunity, a doctrine that protects law enforcement officers from being sued in their personal capacity, even in civil rights cases. He has won support from progressive Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley. Meanwhile, Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Ed Markey are pushing a Senate resolution also seeking the end of qualified immunity. | 14 Working Together In Lincoln, Nebraska, police and community leaders signed a “Hold Cops Accountable” initiative, which will include monthly town halls to discuss progress in the fight against brutality. | 15 Black Lives Matter to Business Big companies are often barometers of public mood — if for no other reason then their bottom lines. That tech giants such as Google and Apple and fashion brands like Banana Republic have openly sought justice for Floyd suggests that big businesses are demanding change too. |
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| | | | Reset America: A Few Things You Can Do Today |
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| | | | | 19 Letter From the Editor On Monday, OZY CEO and co-founder Carlos Watson shared a letter offering his reflections on the current moment and what it can mean for America, and for the world. He has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of feelings and emails he received in response. Here are some examples: | 20 From Rosie — “I write this to say I think I am rational and balanced. However, the pain and recurring trauma and anger I feel tonight has an urgent potency to it that I have not felt before. It may be that I am old and just plain tired of being tired. It may just be that I cannot act out my anger and it will indeed kill me. Alas, I feel quieted that you children add to the pool of educated resistance that can articulate and activate and motivate.”
| 21 From Hilary — “Please take a hard look at what has happened and what hasn’t happened since 1968. I’ve lived through it all and have come to one conclusion that I would love to have investigated again. That is, why, after all the liberal policies and trillions of dollars, are Afro-Americans still stuck in the situation they find themselves in today? I’ve followed the developments of charter school success, empowering small minority businesses, opportunities in the armed services, etc., for decades. The liberals, progressives and Democratic politicians seem to block any program that actually leads to upward mobility, financial freedom and less government dependency. Please explore how after all these years most of what has been tried has failed. Time for a new approach.” | 22 From Janet — “Why does Rep. [Barbara] Lee always want to write a new law? You can’t legislate respect and understanding. Try tenderness and bring in God!”
| 23 From LoAnn — “Dr. Martin Luther King would not have wanted to see ignorant others looting merchandise, vandalizing properties, setting fires to government buildings, destroying public structures, etc.… He would have wanted us to be ones to bring justice to the unjust in peace and demand fair trials [for] gross mistreatments.” | 24 From Jeff — “Real journalists would press for all the information from all sides, and press for answers.” |
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