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Obama defends Black
Jves Matter movement
By Darlene Superville
WASHINGTON (AP) - De
eding the Black Lives Matter
)vement, President Barack
>ama said Oct. 22 the protests
re giving voice to a problem
ppening only in African-
nerican communities, adding,
fe, as a society, particularly
iven our history, have to take
lis seriously.”
Obama said the movement,
lich sprung up after the deaths
unarmed black men in Florida,
Missouri and elsewhere, quickly
awe to be viewed as being op-
|jsed to police and suggesting
hat other people’s lives don’t
natter. Opponents have coun
tered that “all lives matter.”
■At the conclusion of a White
Ruse forum on criminal justice,
Rama said he wanted to make
l final point about the nexus of
ace and the criminal justice sys-
em before launching into his de
fense of the movement.
■“I think everybody under
stands all lives matter,” Obama
said. “I think the reason that
the organizers used the phrase
'Black Lives Matter’ was not be-
Ese they were suggesting no-
gdy else’s lives matter. Rather,
Bat they were suggesting was
here is a specific problem that’s
Opening in the African-Amer-
can community that’s not hap-
gning in other communities.
■“And that is a legitimate issue
hat we’ve got to address.”
■Police relations with minor-
■ communities and the deaths
Bunarmed black men have been
bpics of great interest since the
footings of 17-year-old Tray-
fon Martin in 2012 in Florida
Ind 18-year-old Michael Brown
I 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.
Bose deaths, and others ofblack
women, have inspired protests
ffound the country under the
‘Black Lives Matter” moniker.
■Obama paired his defense of
the Black Lives Matter move-
ihent with praise for police and
Kher law enforcement officials.
Some police groups have been
Inhappy with Obama’s response
to the deaths of the unarmed
black men. The president lately
gems to be making the extra ef
fort to publicly praise police of-
Bers for willingly taking on a
dangerous assignment.,
I He did so while participating
in a forum on drug abuse Oct. 21
■Charleston, West Virginia, and
Hext week he’s scheduled to ad
dress the International Associa
tion ofChiefs ofPolice.
At the White House, Obama
said there are specific concerns
ibout whether blacks in certain
ireas are treated unfairly or are
pore frequently subjected to ex
cessive force by police.
I But the president said peo
ple should also “understand the
overwhelming majority of law
enforcement’s doing the right
Ing and wants to do the right
ling” and “recognize that po-
ce officers have a really tough
ob and we’re sending them into
Iy tough neighborhoods that
etimes are really dangerous
they’ve got to make split-
•nd decisions.”
Ie said people shouldn’t be
1 sanctimonious” about situa-
s that can sometimes be am-
lous.
But having said all that, we
i society, particularly given
history, have to take this seri-
y,” Obama said. “And one of
he ways of avoiding the politics
phis and losing the moment is
everybody just stepping back for
[second and understanding that
'he African-American commu-
ftty is not just making this up.”
President Barack Obama holds two youngsters while posing for a photo with
them during halftime of the Chicago Bulls-Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game
at the United Center in Chicago, Ill., Oct. 27. (Official White House Photo by Pete
Souza)
Republican Christie: Black Lives
Matter ‘create’call to kill officers
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Black Lives Matter movement is creating an environment that can put
police officers at risk, Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie said Oct. 25, accusing President
Barack Obama of supporting the movement, encouraging “lawlessness” and not backing up law enforce
ment.
“I don’t believe that movement should be justified when they are calling for the murder of police of
ficers,” Christie said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” Told that some individual members have been recorded
calling for the deaths of officers, Christie replied that the environment is “what the movement is creating.”
Black Lives Matter was established after the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed teen, by a
neighborhood watch enthusiast, and has become an issue in the 2016 presidential campaign. The group
said on its Facebook page in September that conservatives are trying to turn the movement into a danger
to officers.
“We’re targeting the brutal system of policing, not individual police,” the movement said in its state
ment. “The Black Lives Matter Network seeks to end the system of policing that allows for unchecked
violence against black people.”
Police groups have bristled at that comment and pointed out people in marches drawing awareness to
the issue have been recorded chanting for the deaths of police officers. During a protest outside Minne
sota’s state fair this summer, for example, some marchers were recorded chanting to fry police “like ba
con.” Earlier this month, the parents of slain black men and women were featured speakers at the “Justice
or Else” march marking the 20-year anniversary of the Million Man March in Washington.
President Barack Obama last week defended the Black Lives Matter movement, noting protests are
giving voice to a problem happening only in African-American communities.
“We, as a society, particularly given our history, have to take this seriously,” Obama said.
The movement has become an issue in the presidential campaign. Some have taken its name as an
implication that other people's lives don’t matter, and respond by saying, “All lives matter.”
Democratic presidential hopeful Martin O’Malley initially took that tack but apologized last summer.
At the Democratic presidential debate earlier this month, he joined the party’s other presidential hopefuls
in giving a nod to the movement. African-Americans overwhelmingly vote for Democrats.
“Black lives matter, and we have a lot of work to do to reform our criminal justice, system, and to ad
dress race relations in our country,” O’Malley said.
With new SEC nominees, 4 of 5
commissioners would be women
By Marcy Gordon
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is nominating two women, both attorneys and aca
demics at Washington-area universities, as members of the Securities and Exchange Commission. If they
are confirmed by the Senate, four of the five SEC commissioners will be women, a first for the agency;
The nominees, announced Oct. 20, are Lisa Fairfax, a Democrat, who teaches law at George Washing
ton University, and Hester Peirce, a Republican, who heads a financial markets program at George Mason
University and was formerly a Senate aide.
The independent agency oversees Wall Street and the financial markets. It is headed by Mary Jo White,
a former federal prosecutor and attorney in private practice. White is an Independent. The other two com
missioners are Kara Stein, a Democrat, and Michael Piwowar, a Republican.
Fairfax is a law professor and director for programs at George Washington University’s Center for
Law, Economics and Finance. She also has taught at Georgetown University Law Center and the Uni
versity of Maryland School of Law. From 1995 to 2000, she was an associate at the law firm Ropes &
Gray. Fairfax is an expert in corporate governance and held positions at the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority, the securities industry’s self-policing body. If confirmed, she would become the third African-
American commissioner in the SEC’s history. (Continued On Page 12)
Ms. Tania Butler Davis
Eagle Soars High
In Aeronautics
North Carolina Central University alumna Tania
Butler Davis was honored with a National Aeronau
tics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Flight
Awareness Award for her work at Johnson Space Cen
ter.
The award was presented in New Orleans on August
12,2015, in recognition of Davis’s accomplishments at
NASA in her role as lead procurement analyst. In this
position, she develops procurement strategies, selects
key procurement milestones for headquarters review,
reviews draft and final solicitations and provides guid
ance for critical acquisitions.
Davis obtained a bachelor’s degree in biology from
NCCU in 1994 and a master’s in business administra
tion from Johns Hopkins University in 2000.
After graduation, Davis began a federal government
career as an acquisition intern with Naval Air Systems
Command in 1994. Prior to her appointment at NASA,
she worked at the Naval Air Systems Command and
the Internal Revenue Service. Davis has also served as
an adjunct professor at Bowie State University.
Davis became a life member of the NCCU Alumni
Association in 2001. She served two terms from 2010
- 2014 as NCCU Alumni Association national presi
dent. Prior to her election as president she was elected
national vice-president. Davis was also Ms. Alumni
1995-1996.
In addition to being an active alumna, she is a mem
ber of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., National Con
tract Management Association, NAACP and the Na
tional Black MBA Association.
Comey: FBI used aerial
surveillance above Ferguson
By Eric Tucker
WASHINGTON (AP) - FBI Director Jim Comey says the agency
used its aircraft above Ferguson, Missouri, last year to help local law
enforcement keep track of unrest on the ground.
Comey did not go into details during a House Homeland Security
Committee hearing on Oct. 22, including how long the surveillance
lasted.
But in response to questioning, he did say that the FBI uses air
planes during investigations of specific suspects in criminal, terror
ism and espionage investigations and to help local police during
emergencies.
He said the FBI never uses its planes for mass surveillance. When
planes are flown above large crowds and gatherings at the request of
local law enforcement, the purpose is to look for violence and trouble
spots. A plane was also flown above riots in Baltimore last April.