Free Republic

Imagine a social-justice version of the Girl Scouts.In Oakland, California, one alternative scout troop is far more socially active than their counterparts across the globe—and they’re not affiliated with the Girl Scouts. They call themselves, “Radical Brownies.” Their mission? “The Radical Brownies empower young girls of color so that they step into their collective power, brilliance and leadership in order to make the world a more radical place.” There are no badges for stitching, taking care of pets or being a good neighbor. Radical Brownies “badges earned are custom-made,” and “reflect our social justice and culturally-inclusive values.” Badges include Radical...

People are seeing that shows with people of color can make money," Taraji P. Henson told reporters days after Empire's second episode solidified its status as the highest-rated new series of the 2014-15 TV season. "When things make money, people are interested." The actress might not be surprised that her Fox family soap, which climbed to nearly 15 million viewers in time-shifted ratings, is the success story of the winter. But few could have foreseen it would grow live ratings for its second and third episodes, an unheard-of feat during the DVR era. And Empire owes much of those early...

Amid a tumultuous past year for McDonald's, the world's biggest restaurant chain's CEO Don Thompson is retiring after two years on the job, effective March 1. The fast food is also getting a new CFO. The restaurant's Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer Steve Easterbrook will replace Thompson, who is a 25-year veteran of the company, the company announced on Wednesday. Previously, Easterbrook served as president of McDonald's Europe and led the chain's "efforts to elevate its marketing, advance menu innovation, and create an infrastructure for its digital initiatives," it said in a release. The company's CFO Pete...

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has apologized after describing black people as 'colored' on US television, saying he is 'an idiot' and is 'devastated to have caused offense'. ...Sherlock star ... racial term ... diversity ... British screens ... Tavis Smiley.... ... hundreds took to social media to condemn.... ...Cumberbatch ... issuing an apology... 'incorrect'... 'offensive' ... ... 'I'm devastated ... ... sincere apologies. ... idiot ...

A black Marianne has adorned city hall in Frémainville, France since 1999. The small town of Frémainville is one of the few in France where a black-skinned Marianne statue adorns city hall. But the city’s new mayor is replacing the minority Marianne, claiming she does not represent the French republic. Mayor Marcel Allègre, who won local elections in March, has removed the city’s emblematic black Marianne from the main hall where civil marriages are performed, and has placed an order for a new statue. “That black sculpture was a Marianne of liberty, but not a Marianne of the French...

New York Times op-ed columnist Charles M. Blow says he’s “fuming” after his son was allegedly stopped by a Yale University police officer at gunpoint Saturday night because he apparently fit the description of a possible burglary suspect. “So, my son, a 3rd year chem major at Yale was just accosted — at GUN POINT — by a Yale policeman bc he ‘fit the description’ of a suspect,’” Blow tweeted on Saturday. “He was let go when they realized he was a college student and not a criminal.”

MISSISSIPPI - Two men are in custody and a third is wanted in the death of Carolyn Temple, a Jackson woman who was shot last week and died Monday night. Antreal Jones and Jerome Moore, both 17, were arrested after a standoff with police at McDowell Road and Woodside Drive. They were initially suspected in at least one carjacking, but police suspected they were involved in the January 7 incident on Euclid Street when Temple was robbed and shot. She died of her injuries Monday night.

Intel has taken a big if incomplete step toward rectifying the lack of diversity among its employees. Google, Apple, Facebook and other big companies in Silicon Valley -- now it's your turn.

On a warm fall day in South Dallas, ten revolutionaries dressed in kaffiyehs and ski masks jog the perimeter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park bellowing "No more pigs in our community!" Military discipline is in full effect as the joggers respond to two former Army Rangers in desert-camo brimmed hats with cries of "Sir, yes, sir!" The Huey P. Newton Gun Club is holding its regular Saturday fitness-training and self-defense class. Men in Che fatigues run with weight bags and roll around on the grass, knife-fighting one another with dull machetes. "I used to salute the [expletive] flag!"...

Brown Deer police are investigating after a woman was carjacked and personal items were taken from her on Sunday afternoon, December 28th. It happened in the parking lot of a shopping mall in the 9000 block of North Green Bay Road. Police say the woman was parking her vehicle just before 3:00 p.m. when she was approached by two black males. One of those suspects entered the woman’s vehicle via its passenger side after the woman unlocked her doors to exit her car.

What follows is an object lesson in why year-end best, worst and other lists shouldn't be published until the year actually ends. A Kwanzaa "parade" was held in Los Angeles yesterday. In reporting on the event, CBS Los Angeles published a work of fiction which absolutely belongs on any 2014 list of most embarrassing moments in journalism (HT Twitchy; bolds are mine):

Did you know that "Kwanzaa," that made-up holiday celebrated from December 26 through January 1, was invented by Ron N. Everett, known today as Dr. Maulana (Swahili for "master teacher") Karenga? About Kwanzaa, Karenga said: People think it’s African. But it’s not. I wanted to give black people a holiday of their own. So I came up with Kwanzaa. I said it was African because you know black people in this country wouldn’t celebrate it if they knew it was American. Also, I put it around Christmas because I knew that’s when a lot of bloods [blacks] would be partying!...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PafsIomt7Q

"............................Then [Obama] claimed his government-centered policies have boosted education and opportunity among African-Americans. “The education reforms that we’ve initiated are showing measurable results… We are seeing record numbers of young people attending college,” he said. But in Obama’s high-unemployment economy, even blacks with college degrees are doing worse than their pre-depression peers. “Among recent graduates ages 22 to 27, the jobless rate for [graduate] blacks last year was 12.4 percent versus 4.9 percent for whites,” said a New York Times article, which was published quietly on Christmas Day. “This 7.5 percentage point difference was far greater than before the recession…...

The Los Angeles Police Department has declared a citywide tactical alert after two suspects fired at a patrol car with a rifle Sunday night. The incident occurred at 62nd and Hoover streets at around 9:20 p.m. Police say every available officer has been sent to the area. One suspect is in custody. A perimeter was set up as officers searched for the second suspect.....

A Durham, NC Police Officer narrowly escaped death Christmas night when two Black would be assassins fired six shots at him in an incident eerily reminiscent of the murders of NYPD Officers Liu and Ramos. Officer J.T. West was sitting in his patrol car completing a report when he noticed two suspicious men approaching from behind his vehicle. West exited his vehicle to speak with the men when one drew a gun and fired six rounds in his direction, striking his patrol car once. West returned fire with two rounds but it is unknown if he hit the shooters. The...

Riot Police Protect St. Louis Cathedral from Protesters at Christmas Midnight Mass Posted by Kristinn Taylor on Thursday, December 25, 2014, 12:18 AM Churchgoers in St. Louis Wednesday night were not allowed to celebrate the birth of Jesus without the threat of disruption by supporters of the so-called Black Lives Matter campaign. Photos posted to Twitter show police in riot gear massed in force protecting a church identified as the Cathedral Basilica.

Elusive Animal Choked by Civilization Leaves Hood, Roams Phoenix Suburb

**SNIP** After mentioning the Sony emails and telling his listeners who Elba is, Limbaugh said, “Here’s the thing, though… James Bond is a fictional character, obviously. James Bond was invented, created by Ian Fleming… and James Bond is… white and Scottish. Period. That is who James Bond is.” “But now Sony is suggesting that the next James Bond should be Idris Elba, a black Briton rather than a white from Scotland,” continued Limbaugh. “But that’s NOT who James Bond is, and I know it’s racist to probably even point this out… We had 50 years of white Bonds because Bond...

Paul LePage: America's Governor.