By Charly Haley
Forum News Service
POSTED: 08/16/2014 12:01:00 AM CDT | UPDATED: 2 DAYS AGO

WARROAD, Minn. -- A national organization is threatening to sue the Warroad school district over its use of an American Indian mascot, the Warriors.

The National Coalition Against Racism in Sports and Media sent a letter to Warroad Public Schools on Thursday, asking the district to begin transitioning away from using the Warriors logo, which is an American Indian head.

If the school district doesn't contact the coalition and start that process in 30 days, the coalition may pursue legal action, according to the letter, which cites the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964 as making the logo discriminatory and illegal.

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Warroad, which is in northwest Minnesota near the Canadian border, has a significant Ojibwe population, many of whom do not agree with the coalition's attempt at getting rid of the Warrior logo, said Henry Boucha, a former NHL player and U.S. Olympian who is an Ojibwe from Warroad.

FERGUSON, Mo. — Gov. Jay Nixon announced early Monday that he would deploy the Missouri National Guard to this St. Louis suburb, ratcheting up efforts to quell unrest that has paralyzed the city since an unarmed black teenager was killed by a white police officer.

Mr. Nixon said in a statement that he chose to activate the National Guard because of “deliberate, coordinated and intensifying violent acts.”

“Tonight, a day of hope, prayers and peaceful protests was marred by the violent criminal acts of an organized and growing number of individuals, many from outside the community and state, whose actions are putting the residents and businesses of Ferguson at risk,” Mr. Nixon said.

The governor’s decision came after the worst night of violence since the unrest began.

Gun group snubbed at signing of law it helped to pass

BOSTON -- A gun owners group that worked alongside gun control advocates to pass gun violence prevention legislation expressed anger Wednesday over not being invited to the bill-signing.

Gov. Deval Patrick said he hadn’t noticed representatives from the Gun Owners Action League of Massachusetts were not at the ceremony, but he said he was upset to learn they were not invited.

“Somebody somewhere dropped the ball,” he said. “And I know that the team has issued an apology, and I apologize. They were part of getting a good bill.”

Such ceremonies are often an opportunity for bill supporters with different interests to come together in a show of unity around a particular matter.

(CNN) -- Sometimes the hardest thing is to say "no" to a friend. All the more reason to applaud the bravery of Lee Saunders and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

A few months ago, the United Negro College Fund accepted a $25 million grant from Charles and David Koch to support scholarships for minority students. It raised more than a few eyebrows. After all, everyone -- including me -- reveres the college fund. Its contribution to the cause of equal opportunity is legendary.

But few people still alive have done more to promote policies that hurt African-Americans than the Koch brothers.

The Koch brothers are one of the most prominent funders of organizations that work to restrict early voting and registration and effectively disenfranchise African-Americans. They oppose the minimum wage, which would disproportionately help black workers. They are spending millions to lie to the public about climate disruption, which hurts the most vulnerable communities first.

Boy fatally stabbed by 12-year-old at playground
Associated Press
3 hours ago



KENTWOOD, Mich. (AP) — A 9-year-old boy who was repeatedly stabbed by a 12-year-old boy at a playground in western Michigan has died, police said Tuesday.

Michael Conner Verkerke ran home and collapsed on the porch around 6 p.m. Monday after he was stabbed at a mobile home park in Kentwood, near Grand Rapids, according to police. He died after being rushed to a hospital.

Witnesses told investigators that four children were playing when one of them pulled a knife and stabbed the boy. The motive in the attack was still being investigated, said Kentwood Police Chief Thomas Killen.

Police said the older boy left the playground after the stabbing and called police from a nearby home to turn himself in.

A psychiatric outpatient opened fire Thursday inside a psychiatrist's office at a hospital near Philadelphia, killing his caseworker and slightly wounding the doctor, who shot the gunman with his personal firearm, authorities said.
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A sign tells visitors to the wellness center to check weapons at the front, a medical technician toldThe Philadelphia Inquirer.
Hospital policy allows only on-duty law enforcement officers to carry weapons on campus, a Mercy Health System spokeswoman told the Associated Press.

On Wednesday, Beacon Hill experienced a surreal day. In a country where gun-control proposals usually provoke a harsh backlash from uncompromising gun-rights advocates, the Massachusetts House passed legislation to tighten up the state’s already tough gun laws, and it was praised by both gun control advocates and gun rights lobbyists. With the vote, the state has turned itself into a leader when it comes to bridging what often seems like an intractable gulf between the two sides.

“Overall, I’m thrilled,” said John Rosenthal, head of Stop Handgun Violence and the creator of the Massachusetts Turnpike billboard that currently estimates 50,000 Americans have died from gun violence since the Newtown, Conn., elementary school massacre in 2012. “It’s the first time in a long time where everyone could be heard.”

Concurring was the organization one might least expect, the Gun Owners Action League. The state affiliate of the National Rifle Association called the bill “a great victory for Second Amendment advocates in Massachusetts.”

GOAL won several changes to the original legislation, including the requirement that police chiefs who deny a gun permit explain why in writing and that state suicide data collection include all forms of suicides, not just those from firearms. Another change allows private firearms sales to be made via a state online portal rather than forcing buyers and sellers to complete the transaction at a licensed dealer.