Opinion
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Botham Jean, Amber Guyger and the Delusion of Forgiveness
It was described as “stunning,” “rare,” and “inspirational”: Brandt Jean, the younger brother of Botham Jean, killed last year at the hands of a Dallas police officer who mistakenly walked into his apartment, asking his brother’s killer if he could hug her. “I love you as a person,” Jean, who had been delivering his victim…
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The Only Coup in U.S. History Was Orchestrated by White Supremacists
Donald Trump ratcheted up his veiled threats of a looming civil war on Tuesday night, tweeting that an upcoming impeachment inquiry was akin to a “coup.” The claim is ludicrous on its face, but given the nature of Trump and his supporters’ feedback loop, many outlets felt forced to give the dictionary definition of what…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: With Friends Like These…
Today’s mailbag is all about white allies. While sifting through this week’s correspondences, I noticed that many of the emails, tweets, DMs and comments we received this week were in response to three articles about white people who were “actually trying to help black people.” *Warning: This week’s mailbag is full of screenshots. The Swifties…
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Dear White People, There Is a Black Michelle Williams
It was the last year of the old millennium and the children of Destiny were pleading with the world to say their names as they engaged in pose-choreography atop colorful living room furniture. Little did one member know that she’d have to specify which name to say following the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. That member…
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Kindness Was Trudeau’s Ace…And Blackface May Cost Him the Election
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used to be my fourth favorite Canadian, behind Keanu Reeves, Celine Dion, and Margaret Atwood. Seeing Trudeau in blackface was more painful than when my old high school crush shared a racist meme on Facebook. It kills the part of your innocence that makes you sad and angry that you…
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The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics
Each and every Friday, The Root sorts through the emails, tweets, direct messages and comments we received that week to find out exactly what is on our readers’ minds. Over the years, we discovered that the people who read The Root are mostly concerned with one thing: They want to teach us a lesson. So…
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The Whistleblower Complaint About Donald Trump's Secret Phone Call, Explained
Hey Buddy! Long-time, no see! How have you been? I’m sorry. I have no idea what you’re talking about. No, my little neophyte Nazi. There isn’t a person with a high IQ blowing a whistle. They’re talking about the whistleblower complaint from a source within the intelligence community. No. No. No. Apparently, a high-level person…
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Pittsburgh Is the Worst City in America for Black People. Here's How It Can Get Better
If you need an example of the level of danger Pittsburgh’s black population faces for just living in the city, drive down Centre Avenue, go through the Hill District and then North Oakland, and then stop once you find yourself in front of UPMC Shadyside. Park your car, get out, and survey the beautiful campus…
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Aunties Don’t Sleep, Black Girls Are Not Magic and Other Things I Learned During CBC Week
I’ve known about the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference for years, but I have never attended because a very close friend of mine went one year and came back infected with a disease from which she still suffers to this day. I know it makes no sense, but even after people told me…