Page 6 - Florida Sentinel 3-19-19

White House And Political News
NBC News: After New Zealand Shooting, Trump Downplayed White Nationalist Threat, But Experts Say It's Growing
Bernie Sanders’ Presidential
The recent mass shooting of Muslim worshippers in New Zealand was a devastating and tragic symptom of the growing threat posed by violent white supremacy in the U. S. and across the world, experts say.
The death toll from the at- tack rose to 50 on Sunday. A 28-year-old Australian de- scribed by officials as a "right- wing extremist terrorist" has been charged with murder.
Brenton Harrison Tar- rant appeared to post — and email —a lengthy manifesto before the attack detailing his white-supremacist worldview and claiming inspiration from Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof to Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik.
The manifesto also makes a brief reference to President Donald Trump.
PRESIDENT TRUMP
“Were/are you a supporter of Donald Trump?” was one of the questions he posed to himself. His answer: “As a symbol of renewed white iden- tity and common purpose? Sure. As a policy maker and leader? Dear god no.”
The White House immedi-
ately denounced the connec- tion and Trump was among the many world leaders to con- demn the shooting, but he faced criticism for downplay- ing the broader threat posed by white supremacists.
“I think it’s a small group of people that have very, very se- rious problems,” Trump said Friday when asked whether he thought it was a rising issue.
Trump's statement con- tradicts the warnings of his own administration.
GROWING THREAT
The FBI and the Depart- ment of Homeland Security warned in a 2017 intelligence bulletin that white suprema- cist groups had carried out more attacks in the U. S. than any other domestic extremist group over the past 16 years. And officials believe they are likely to carry out more.
Bernie Sanders’ influence on politics over the last two election cycles is undeniable. In 2016, his policies and grass- roots campaign pushed Hillary Clinton to the left. In the run-up to 2020, as his 2016 policies influence debate in a crowded field, his campaign will become the first to union- ize, according to media outlets including CNN.
Sanders staffers will be represented by the United Food and Commercial Work- ers Local 400, and all employ- ees beneath the rank of deputy director will be eligible to join its bargaining unit. A majority of Sanders’ 44 union-eligible campaign staffers signed union cards.
“We cannot just support unions with words, we must back it up with actions,” Sanders tweeted from his campaign account. “On this campaign and when we are in the White House, we are going to make it easier for people to join unions, not harder.”
In response to the cam- paign’s decision, and possibly in reference to reports of sex-
Democratic presidential can- didate U. S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) greets the crowd at the Royal family Life Center on March 14, 2019, in North Charleston, South Car- olina
ual harassment and pay dis- crepancies during Sanders’ 2016 campaign, Local 400 President Mark P. Fed- erici issued a statement. “We expect [the decision] will mean pay parity and transparency on the campaign, Federici said, “with no gender bias or harass- ment, and equal treatment for every worker.”
With a bargaining unit that could reach 1,000 members according to Reuters, negotia- tions are set to begin soon.
Campaign Becomes First
To Unionize Staff
Joe Biden Seems To Tip Hand About 2020 Run In Verbal Slip: ‘I Have The Most Progressive Record Of Anybody Running’
A Florida Mayor Of Jamaican Descent Is Considering Running For President
Mayor Wayne Messam shows Former President Bill Clinton around Miramar, Florida.
The crowd was briefly ig- nited with excitement. Then some confusion. And finally, when the speech was done, resignation that tonight was not going to offer the words they wanted to hear from for- mer Vice President Joe Biden.
This rollercoaster of emo- tions took place over the span of about ten seconds in the Dover Downs and Casino Ball- room as Biden closed out the First State Democratic Dinner. Addressing criticism he has re- ceived from “the new left,” the septuagenarian former Delaware Senator said, “I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the Unite—” and then he suddenly
JOE BIDEN
stopped in his tracks. “Anybody who would run,”
he quickly clarified as the din- ner guests briefly stopped clinking silverware to uproari- ously grant him a standing
ovation.
Biden paused, realizing his
ease with the room gave way to a brief misstep and threw up his hands with a wry smile. “I didn’t mean,” he said doing the sign of the cross as the room continued to applaud.
He pressed on so as not to give the impression that he made a mistake and did not in fact make an announcement.
“Because folks, we have to bring this country back to- gether again,” Biden, 76, said, pivoting back to his stump. “I believe we are at an inflection point. The election in 2020, without hyperbole, is going to be the most important election this country has undergone in over 100 years. Not a joke.”
Wayne Messam is Mira- mar’s first Black mayor, and was recently re-elected this week for a second term to gov- ern over the 140,000 popula- tion city.
Messam, a first-generation Jamaican-American and Florida State University alum, recently spoke with VICE News about his decision to se- riously consider running.
“I’m not truly convinced so- lutions are coming out of Washington....Mayors are known to be problem-solvers. Mayors are known for being closer to the people,” the once- drafted wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals told VICE
News.
“Quite frankly, [having been] in Washington for a lot of years, it’s kind of hard for me to believe that sensible so- lutions can come out of Wash- ington that touch people the most,” he told VICE News.
Messam cited his parents’ migration to America as being a motivating factor, saying that he is “living the American dream.”
“The reason why I’m run- ning is because I’m living the American dream. My immi- grant parents are immigrants from Jamaican and that’s an American dream that is, quite frankly, slipping away from America.”
PAGE 6 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019