Monthly Archives: June 2020
My daughter was assaulted by police in Waffle House – a repost
Hello,
My name is Chiquitta Clemons-Howard, and I am the mother of 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons, who was brutalized by police at a Waffle House outside of Mobile, AL last month. Over 30,000 Color Of Change members have petitioned Mobile County District Attorney Ashley Rich to drop all of Chikesia’s charges, but District Attorney Rich has failed to act. So we are transforming our online presence to offline power! Color Of Change reserved charter buses from Atlanta, Birmingham, and New Orleans for Justice Riders to go to Mobile and pack District Attorney Rich’s office—escalating our advocacy will force her to listen to our demands and drop Chikesia’s charges. But we need your help to make this happen.
will you chip in $3 to make ‘Justice Rides for Chikesia’ a reality?
Being Black in America means being constantly surveilled and in fear of the police. Black people being brutalized or killed at the hands of police and racists vigilantes has become common in this country. But I never thought it would be my child’s face on the news for the world to see. I never thought that her name would become a hashtag.
The Waffle House employee who called the police on Chikesia had no regard for her safety. My daughter could’ve ended up dead that night. After the officers slammed her body into the ground, attempting to humiliate her publicly, one officer put her in a headlock and told her he would break her arm. My one question is, why would they do this to her? Did they not see the innocence in her eyes or hear the fear in her voice? I am just grateful that Chikesia is still alive to tell her story and advocate for justice.
Specifically, we need your help to fund:
- 3 charter buses transporting over 150 people from Atlanta, Birmingham, and New Orleans to Mobile.
- Bus Captains to mobilize Black folks to the Mobile County District Attorney’s office.
- Food and supplies to feed and take care of our people on the ride.
It is important to stand with Chikesia at this moment because like in so many cases of violence towards Black women, her story has not had a lot of mainstream coverage. The death of Sandra Bland did not initially receive the coverage it deserved. It was the #SayHerName Movement and the advocacy of Color Of Change members and activists across the country that pushed Sandra’s case to mainstream media. After the recent arrest of two Black men, Rashid Nelson and Donte Robinson, at the Philadelphia Starbucks, there was a national outcry for justice that successfully obtained accountability. I am asking for the same be done for my daughter.
With Love,
Chiquitta Clemons-Howard
P.S. – Click here to reserve a seat on a Justice Ride bus.
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USA.gov … Beware of Skin Lotions Tainted with Mercury
a repost… mercury poisoning via skin care products and food is still a real issue
A Mysterious chemical found in dead cat’s brain reopens debate over mercury poisoning disaster
In February 2020, The Minamata poisoning has been considered a textbook example of how inorganic mercury turns into organic mercury, and how a toxic substance propagates up the food chain to humans. by Victoria Dinh, University of Saskatchewan
AND in January of 2019
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is warning the public of skin creams containing mercury. Mercury has been found in some skin creams made, altered, or sold in Mexico and other countries.
In one case, an individual in Texas was diagnosed with mercury poisoning after using a product purchased in Mexico that was labeled as Pond’s skin cream. The mercury was not added by the original manufacturer but by a third party, presumably in Mexico. A similar case of mercury poisoning through skin cream has recently been identified in California, and Texas has had others in the past. Skin creams containing mercury claim to lighten the skin, treat acne, or fade freckles, blemishes, and age spots.
Mercury is dangerous and can cause adverse health effects in both adults and children. Products containing mercury are especially of concern for pregnant women or nursing mothers, because mercury may be passed on to fetuses and infants.
Clinical Presentation:
The symptoms associated with mercury poisoning are often non-specific, and thus, pose difficulties for diagnosis. Due to this, it is often misdiagnosed and leads to clinical treatments that do not address the underlying mercury poisoning.
General symptoms of mercury poisoning may include shaking, tremors, impaired balance or coordination, headaches, hypertension, depression, insomnia, weight loss, fatigue, nervousness, irritability, anxiety, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, or numbness or tingling in hands, feet, lips.
In children, prolonged exposure to mercury poisoning may present as excessive salivation or thirst, gingivitis, irritability, anorexia, poor muscle tone, leg cramps, hypertension, rash, peeling or flaking skin, or pink extremities (e.g. hands and feet).
Long term exposure to mercury may cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and kidneys. Symptoms may present as extreme fatigue, muscle aches, weakness, and sores in the mouth, in addition to the symptoms listed above.
Recommendations for Clinicians:
Health care providers should:
- Ask patients suspected of mercury poisoning if they use skin creams purchased in Mexico or other countries.
- If the product was not purchased from a major retailer in these countries, or was unsealed upon purchase, urge patients to stop use immediately.
- Ensure the skin cream container is tightly closed, isolated in a sealed bag, and labeled, “Mercury: Do Not Touch”.
- Contact the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222 for queries about mercury poisoning medical management.
If a patient is suspected of using skin creams containing mercury, DSHS recommends healthcare providers conduct mercury analysis on blood and urine specimens.
Recommendations for Public:
People should only purchase skin care products in original, sealed containers sold by reputable retailers.
Individuals who believe they may have been exposed to mercury through skin creams should contact their healthcare provider, or the Texas Poison Center Network at 1-800-222-1222.
If individuals have skin cream products containing mercury in their home, then the closed containers should be discarded at a household hazardous waste facility. If there is not a household hazardous waste facility available in their community, then the product may be tightly closed, placed in a sealed and labeled bag, and discarded with household garbage.
To find a household hazardous waste facility near you, please visit: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/assistance/hhw/hhw_contacts.pdf
For More Information:
To report cases, questions about proper disposal of products containing mercury, or for questions about medical management related to mercury poisoning, please contact:
Texas Poison Center Network
1-800-222-1222
or
DSHS Environmental Surveillance and Toxicology Branch
512-776-7268
epitox@dshs.texas.gov
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1991 – The Parliament of South Africa repealed the Population Registration Act. The act had required that all South Africans for classified by race at birth.
On June 17, 1991
The act had required that all South Africans for classified by race at birth.
The Population registration Act (Act No 30 of 1950 ) was repealed by the South African parliament. The Act was a pillar of the Apartheid system. It required people to register from birth as belonging to one of four different racial groups, White, Black, Coloured and Indian. The Act was repealed by the Population Registration Act No 114 of 1991.
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1972 Watergate
1972 – Following a seemingly routine burglary, five men were arrested at the National Democratic Headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C. However, subsequent investigations revealed the burglars were actually agents hired by the Committee for the Re-election of President Richard Nixon. A long chain of events then followed in which the president and top aides became involved in an extensive cover-up of this and other White House sanctioned illegal activities, eventually leading to the resignation of President Nixon on August 9, 1974.
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