Dolphins Announce They Will Stay Inside Locker Room During Both National Anthems

Miami Dolphins announced that they will remain in the team’s locker room for both national anthems this Sunday ahead of their regular-season opener against the New England Patriots, Fox News reports.

There will be no kneeling for the Dolphins on the sidelines this season. The players shared their thoughts in a video Thursday and read a message demanding the NFL use its money and influence to make social changes.

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Riots Associated with Black Lives Matter Occurred in 96 Percent of America’s Top 50 Cities

The violence in Portland and Seattle, in Minneapolis, Kenosha, Wisconsin and all across America over the last few months in connection with Black Lives Matter protests has dominated the headlines.

In places like Portland, the streets have become battlegrounds between local and federal police and leftist demonstrators, with arrests being made and deterrents like tear gas being used.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, has come out against his own police force and banned the use of tear gas effective September 10, even as the number of consecutive days in which protesting and rioting continues to climb into the triple digits.

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Commentary: Trump Takes on the Real Pandemic of ‘Critical Race Theory’

At long last, the president tackles the “critical race theory” infecting the federal workforce.
To be a freedom-loving individual in the year 2020, and to have a proper understanding of modern history and current events, is to be terrifyingly aware of just how much the liberty, prosperity, and stability of America and the free world depend on one thing and one thing alone—namely, the continued physical and intellectual health of a certain preternaturally brave, brilliant, and energetic 74-year-old named Donald Trump.

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Trump Campaign Discusses Biden’s Hands-Off Approach to Violent Rioters

President Donald Trump’s campaign issued a statement addressing Joe Biden’s reluctance to take on violent leftist rioters.

“Joe Biden just yesterday indicated he would not send the National Guard into cities and states where left-wing mobs are rioting – in Portland’s case, for more than three months. Last month he issued a written statement specifically about Portland, in which he called the rioters ‘peaceful protestors’ and accused federal law enforcement officers of ‘stoking the fires of division’ while the mob was literally setting fire to the federal courthouse. …”

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Police Union HQ Targeted at Portland Protest, 25 Arrested

Protesters repeatedly set fire late Monday night to a police union headquarters building and were repelled by officers spraying tear gas, officials said. Twenty-five people were arrested amid clashes that stretched into Tuesday morning.

People in a group of about 300 people hurled rocks and bottles at officers and set three fires to the sides of the building and one to an awning, police said. All the fires were put out.

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Tennessee General Assembly Wraps up Extraordinary Session, Passing the Anticipated Legislation

The second session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly wrapped up Wednesday evening after passing the legislation called for in Governor Bill Lee’s proclamation.

Over the course of three legislative days, the state Senate and House passed measures related to COVID-related liability protection, expansion of telemedicine and criminal laws related to protests.

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Portland Police, Protesters Clash for Second Consecutive Night

Police and protesters in Portland, Oregon, have clashed for the second night in a row and the city’s police chief says the ongoing violence is harming the city’s image.

The high-profile clashes outside a U.S. courthouse in Portland, Oregon, have largely stopped since Democratic Gov. Kate Brown reached a deal that called for the draw down of federal agents sent by the Trump administration to protect the building.

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Detroit Police Chief James Craig Cites Unified City, Not Backing Down for Peaceful City Among Protests

Detroit Police Chief James Craig credited the city’s success in remaining peaceful during nationwide protests and riots with having a city that has stood together and a police force that refuses to give up “the ground to the radicals.”

In an appearance on Fox News’s Tucker Carlson Tonight on Tuesday, Craig told Carlson that “we don’t retreat here in Detroit.”

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Portland Mayor Tear Gassed During Wednesday Protests

Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland, Oregon was tear gassed Wednesday night while he was at the federal courthouse speaking with protesters, according to a video shared on Twitter.

“I’m not gonna lie, it stings, it’s hard to breathe. Man, uh, I can tell you with 100% honesty, I saw nothing that provoked this response. It’s absolutely stunning. I’m not afraid, but I am pissed off,” Wheeler said in a video tweeted by reporter Mike Baker of The New York Times.

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Gov. Whitmer Rebuffs Trump: ‘There Is No Reason for the President to Send Federal Troops’ to Detroit

President Trump on Monday threatened to send federal law enforcement into several cities, including Detroit, in order to quell continuing unrest there.

Trump recently sent federal law enforcement to Portland to break up protesters, who had approached a federal courthouse and set a fire outside of it, according to The Detroit News. He said that the federal officers had done “a fantastic job in a very short time.”

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Minnesota Lawmaker Asks Federal Government to Withhold Transportation Funds if Highway Protests Continue

A Minnesota lawmaker has asked the federal government to withhold federal transportation funds from the state if leaders continue to allow protesters to block highways.

“In the last few months, we have seen two of our primary interstates blocked by protesters, 35 and 94, with the acquiescence of state and local officials. While some arrests have been made, the penalty for this offense is low; it encourages others to protest in the same way,” Rep. Cal Bahr (R-East Bethel) said in a letter sent Tuesday to U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr.

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Serbia Police Detain 71 After Fourth Night of Virus Protests

Serbian police detained 71 people after clashes during the fourth night of anti-government protests against the Serbian president that were initially sparked by his plans to reintroduce a coronavirus lockdown.

Fourteen policemen were injured in the rioting Friday evening when hundreds of right-wing demonstrators tried to storm the parliament building in downtown Belgrade, police director Vladimir Rebic said Saturday. Many demonstrators and several reporters were also injured in the protests. More protests were expected Saturday night.

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Carol Swain Reflects on Her Meeting with Vice President Pence and Expresses Her Concerns on Race Relations

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. –  host Leahy welcomed Dr. Carol Swain to the studio.

During the second hour, Swain described her recent visit to the White House where she advised Vice President Mike Pence on race relations in America and in particular her concern of the Black Lives Matter protests. She disclosed to the listeners that Nashville, Atlanta and Dallas were on the radar for groups like Antifa.

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Protesters Topple, Behead Christopher Columbus Statues in Richmond And Boston

Protesters attacked Christopher Columbus statues in Richmond, Virginia and Boston Tuesday night.

The Columbus statue in Richmond’s Byrd Park was toppled, set on fire, and thrown into a nearby lake, ABC affiliate WRIC News reported. The Boston statue, located in Christopher Columbus Park, was discovered decapitated Wednesday morning, according to Boston 25 News.

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Analysis: Media Outlets Stir Racial Strife and Slander Trump for Urging Governors to Protect People’s Rights

After falsely accusing the U.S. Park Police of tear-gassing peaceful protesters on behalf of President Trump, many media outlets and politicians are claiming that he called on governors to forcibly “dominate protestors.” Quite the opposite, Trump explicitly stated he is an “ally of all peaceful protesters” and that it is the “professional anarchists, violent mobs, arsonists, looters” and other lawbreakers who should be stopped.

Beyond their failure to draw a distinction between peaceful demonstrators and violent lawbreakers, the same cadre of media outlets are stirring racial strife by using anecdotes and half-truths to paint a false picture of systemic police violence against African Americans.

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Minneapolis Bans Police Chokeholds, Neck Restraints in Wake of George Floyd Death

Minneapolis agreed Friday to ban chokeholds by police and to require officers to try to stop any other officers they see using improper force, in the first concrete steps to remake the city’s police department since George Floyd’s death.

The changes are part of a stipulation between the city and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which launched a civil rights investigation this week in response to the death of Floyd. The City Council approved the agreement 12-0.

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City of Minneapolis, State Patrol Sued for Attacks on Journalists During Riots

A class-action lawsuit was filed this week against the leaders of the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for their “attacks” on journalists during last week’s riots.

“The press is under assault in our City. Over the past week, the Minneapolis Police and the Minnesota State Patrol have tear-gassed, pepper-sprayed, shot in the face with rubber bullets, arrested without cause, and threatened journalists at gunpoint, all after these journalists identified themselves and were otherwise clearly engaged in their reporting duties,” states the lawsuit.

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St. Paul Man Charged with Attempted Murder for Shooting at Police During Riots

One Minnesota man has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at police officers during unrest in Minneapolis last week, while two others face federal charges for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails into a suburban government building, according to charges made public Tuesday.

The charges are the latest to stem from unrest following the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes, ignoring Floyd’s cries that he couldn’t breathe.

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Minnesota GOP Chairwoman Calls for Resignation of Mayor Frey, Governor Walz

Minnesota Republican Party Chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan called on Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to resign for their “failed” leadership during last week’s riots.

“Gov. Walz and Mayor Frey have been largely silent, other than a handful of unhelpful tweets and press conferences blaming everyone but themselves. Minneapolis is decimated. Minneapolis is damaged to a level we never could have imagined. The destruction caused this past week will unfortunately live in our memories forever. It’s a dark stain on our state,” Carnahan said in a statement released over the weekend.

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Two Killed During Protests in Oakland, Detroit Over Police Death of George Floyd

Two people, including a federal security contractor, were killed Friday night during protests over the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who was killed in police custody earlier this week, according to police and the FBI.

The FBI is investigating the fatal shooting of a Federal Protective Services officer outside of the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland on Friday, reported the San Francisco Gate.

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Shocking Footage Shows Minneapolis Protesters Wreaking Havoc on Police Precinct, Destroying Squad Cars, Looting Target

Officers with the Minneapolis Police Department were reportedly attacked with rocks and paintballs Tuesday night as protesters rioted in response to the death of George Floyd.

Video from the tragic Monday night incident shows a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the neck of a handcuffed Floyd, who repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe. Floyd was pronounced dead shortly after he was taken into custody.

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Mt. Juliet Youth Missionaries Stranded in Haiti Amidst Fuel Protests

A Mt. Juliet-based ministry reports that two youth missionary teams, including one from Tennessee, are safe despite violent protests in the Caribbean nation. My LIFE Speaks said Sunday on Facebook that the teams are staying on the organization’s compound in Neply, Haiti. The missionaries are from The Glade Church in Mt. Juliet and Woodland Community Church in Bradenton, Florida. The protests over fuel prices, along with road blocks, blocked the teams from the airport, FoxNews said. Major protests erupted in Haiti on Friday as the government announced a sharp increase in gasoline prices. But the hike was suspended Saturday after violence broke out in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and the northern city of Cap-Haitien. At least three people were killed in the protests, including two protesters who were fatally shot as demonstrators clashed with police, The Associated Press reported. It was unclear who shot the two men. The Washington Post reported church members from several other states are stranded as well. Chapin United Methodist Church in South Carolina posted online that its mission team is safe but stranded. A North Carolina doctor and his son were part of another medical mission group that’s unable to leave. The U.S. Embassy in the…

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Steve Gill: Indiana Church Misguided for ‘Detainment’ of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in Protest of Trump Border Policy

Steve Gill

Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill, on Wednesday’s Gill Report broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville, discussed the Biblical protest by an Indianapolis church and its misguided interpretation of the holy family as immigrants. “An Indianapolis church is putting Jesus, Mary and Joseph in a cage, to protest president Trump’s zero tolerance policy cracking down on illegal immigration,” stated Steve Gill; adding, “Apparently the church is incapable of understanding the term ‘illegal,’ you know, ‘criminal behavior.’ Apparently, we shouldn’t put people in prisons if they break the law.” He continued: I wonder if somebody broke into the church and stole all the church items and stole the money in the church whether they would prosecute or just turn the other cheek and say we shouldn’t jail anybody because it might separate them from their families. Anyway, Christ Church Cathedral constructed a cage made of chain link fence on its lawn overnight and placed statues of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph inside to represent Christ and the holy family being detained by immigration authorities. The church tweeted out yesterday morning, ‘On our lawn tonight, we place the holy family in an ICE detention.’ Steve Carlson, the church’s rector and dean,…

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Despite Plunging NFL Ratings, Goodell Contract Extension Expected to be Completed Soon

A proposed contract extension for commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly is on track to be completed soon despite Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently threatening to sue the NFL if the extension is approved. Goodell’s proposed extension is expected to be completed at or before the NFL owners’ Dec. 13 meeting in Dallas, sources familiar with the…

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: State Rep. Mark Pody: Protesters ‘Interested in Just Yelling for the Cameras’

The Tennessee Star’s Laura Baigert sat down with State Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) for this exclusive interview on Capitol Hill Wednesday about the recent protest that disrupted a press conference he had scheduled with State Sen. Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet). Here’s the transcript: Baigert: We’re here with Rep. Pody from district 46, which is Wilson, DeKalb, and Cannon Counties. Rep. Pody, last week you were the subject of a protest, the beginning of it, that’s been going on the last week. Can you give us your take on what you’ve been seeing? State Rep. Pody: Absolutely. And it won’t even be the beginning of the protest, because I think there’s been a lot of protest going on. However, this has been maybe a focal point, with a lot of things happening with protesters. Now, they started protesting actually as soon as we got into session. So the very first day we were here they were protesting. And a couple times when we would go in to session they were protesting. It was ironic because sometimes when we got to the session, we got to actually sitting down at the desk and [State Rep.] Judd Matheny was sitting right with me…

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