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Where Black Culture Lives! 50 Memorable Moments Highlighted on BET.com in 2023

Courtesy of BET Digital Design

These people made 2023 super special.

By Dustin J. Seibert

December 18, 2023 / 12:00 PM

Just like Issa Rae said, we're rooting for everybody Black and each day, we aim to provide our audience with a healthy dose of our culture.

When the rest of the world seems intent on sending us down a hole full of Karens, fans of Donald Trumpand Rudy Giuliani and the folks who want to pretend the enslavement of Black people never happened, our culture becomes our sanctuary, our safe space. It’s what keeps us whole during soul-crushing workdays and in between Zoom meetings that could’ve been emails.

Fortunately, BET.com was there to capture many of the moments that made this year so special. Here are 50 news items that simply took our breath away, made us smile, made us angry, and a few that even made us drop a few tears.

JANUARY 2023

Jesse Grant

Unfortunately, the year kicked off with the death of Three-6 Mafia legend Gangsta Boo. Having started her rap career at age 14, the Memphis native, born Lola Mitchell, had just returned to the rap sceneafter a long hiatus on “FTCU” with Latto and GloRilla. Her posthumous album, her first since 2003, is still on the way. She was 43 years old.

2. “The 1619 Project” Gets a Hulu Doc

Nikole Hannah-Jones’ “The 1619 Project” is a 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times Magazine project that focuses on slavery and the creation of our country via Black blood. Hulu turned the project into a six-part documentary executive produced by Oprah Winfrey. The doc dropped at a time of collective outrage over the likes of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis whitewashing education in public schools.

3. Leslie Jones Hits “The Daily Show” Host Chair

The inimitable Leslie Jones was the first to take over the desk at Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” after host Trevor Noah left the spot in December 2022. Jones went on a three-episode run that, expectedly, had us in stitches. She came back to the spot in November, with a deliciously profanity-laced run. Only Miss Jones!

(Photo by Jacopo Raule/Getty Images)

Doja Cat captured headlines throughout 2023 for her divisive fashion choices as well as “Scarlet,” an impressive September album. that impressed many. Her first major headline of the year was her Paris Fashion week look – 30,000 Swarovski crystals applied on her body in a process that took almost five hours. It just looks uncomfortable, but it got the people talking!

FEBRUARY 2023

5. Two Black Quarterbacks in Super Bowl LVII

February was all about Super Bowl Blackness! Jalen Hurts represented the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, while MVP represented the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Chiefs came out victorious, the game was noteworthy as the first in Super Bowl history that saw two Black quarterbacks go against each other.

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Rihanna performs onstage during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a comeback hit quite like Rih-Rih’s at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show. She put on her own show – no guest artists – and blew minds with a medley of her songs. Of course, the show will also go down as likely the most famous pregnancy reveal ever. No wonder she broke Guinness World Record for halftime show viewership!

7. Al Sharpton's Documentary "Loudmouth" Premieres on BET

Rev. Al Sharpton’s reputation as a civil rights pioneer precedes him. So, it was fitting that “Loudmouth,” a documentary of his life, premiered during Black History Month. Sharpton’s accomplishments and experiences could never be held by just one documentary, but John Legend’sGet Lifted Film Co. did a great job of taking us through Sharpton’s James Brown-permed life.

(Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Michael Kors)

Our favorite spelling bee champion had her first (of many) 2023 headlines when she welcomed her first child – Leodis Andrellton Jackson – with then-boyfriend Darius Jackson. "Born during Black History Month, with a name to match!” she posted in the Instagram announcement.

MARCH 2023

Eli Ade

Michael B. Jordan and company achieved the cinematic hat trick with “Creed III,” which not only managed to be thoroughly enjoyable in a way that the third entry in many trilogies simply isn’t, but also made history with a $58.6 million opening weekend; the highest ever for a sports film. Certainly, the box office was helped by Jonathan Majors’ rippling abs. More on him shortly…

10. Nick Cannon Tricks Us All

Admit it: he had you for a second. Nick Cannon has been unapologetic in his desire to repopulate a small U.S. state with his offspring. So, when he announced an “upcoming” reality show titled “Who’s Having My Baby?” with Kevin Hart, amusement and outrage trickled out in equal measure. Of course, he was only kidding. But you don’t gotta lie, Craig…he fooled you.

11. Chris Rock Drops “Selective Outrage”

Early 2022 saw us captivated by the Oscars Slap Heard ‘Round the World. But it’s victim, Chris Rock, was mostly quiet about it for a year before his much-anticipated live Netflix special “Selective Outrage.” Rock did not disappoint in his efforts to get us talking about it all over again. Many expected that Rock would formally address the attack in a standup special – and boy, did he address it!

(Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: (L to R) Thuso Mbedu, Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch and Sheila Atim attend the UK Gala Screening of "The Woman King" at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on October 3, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)

The “Love and Basketball” director had a few things to say about the fact that “The Woman King,” her Viola Davis-helmed period action-drama was snubbed at the Academy Awards. "I'll never get over it, because what happened was egregious and...it speaks to such a bigger issue in our industry," Prince-Bythewood told PEOPLE. It’s as if #OscarsSoWhite plans to hang around forever.

13. Jonathan Majors Accused

In what’s one of the wildest falls from grace we’ve seen in Hollywood, Jonathan Majors went from the beloved future of Black Hollywood–with two No. 1 Box Office hits in the theater at the same time–to damaged goods when he was arrested on charges of domestic abuse. With the trial from that incident making headlines almost daily in the last few weeks, the "Majors roller coaster" doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.

APRIL 2023

Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte was an activist who became an artist, and led the most robust life before passing away April 25 of congestive heart failure at 96. Belafonte used his baritone singing voice and leading-man good looks to bring attention to social justice issues of his time–namely the Civil Rights movement. Check out his story, “Harry Belafonte: In His Own Words” on BET+.

(Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

The “Bayou Barbie” lead the Louisiana State University Tigers to its first-ever women’s basketball national title. However, because everyone wants to come for Black women, she did so mired in brief controversy regarding a good-natured competitive gesture she made toward (white) competitor . It was much ado about nothing and didn’t keep Reese from having the best year ever.

16. Rapper Lil’ Durk Launches a Scholarship

One of the signature faces of the Chicago Drill rap genre, Lil’ Durk lived the gangbanging lifestyle he rapped about for years. On the flip side, he also wanted to provide the city’s young people with opportunities he never had and so established The Durk Banks Endowment Fund, which provides standout Chicago students with scholarships to attend Washington D.C. HBCU Howard University. Durk explained his reasoning saying, “I feel it’s my responsibility to reach back to the kids — especially those that are growing up in my community."

(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Our favorite record-shattering, gold medal-collecting gymnast said “I do” to Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens. The couple went public with their relationship in early 2020 and have been relationship (and fitness) goals ever since.

MAY 2023

(Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images)

Tina Turner, Flanders Expo, Gent, Belgium, 10th May 1996.

The legendary Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll left us at age 83. Sadly, she was introduced to a younger generation by way of her fraught relationship with ex-husband Ike Turner, which was documented in her autobiography “I, Tina” and the Angela Bassett film “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” But Turner should be known for how she reinvented herself from a soul singer to a chart-topping rock icon after the age of 40. A shining example of being simply the best.

19. “Freaknik” Doc Scares Black Folks Over 45

For the young’uns in the back, Freaknik was an annual spring break festival held in Atlanta in the 1980s and 1990s. It became infamous for all the suggestive — and illegal — behavior that was allowed to rock before everyone had smartphone cameras. Hulu announced the upcoming documentary, “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told,” and all your aunties freaked out at the possibility that they’d be seen in “suggestive” positions in decades-old footage. Months later and we still don’t even have a release date for the doc!

(Photo: Disney

Both halves of the sister group Chloe x Halle had a headline-making 2023. But Halle Bailey in particular was ubiquitous last spring as the title character in the live-action remake of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Racist haters notwithstanding, young Black girls everywhere got to see themselves in an iconic Disney character.

21. Good news About Jamie Foxx

Following a medical complication in early March that took him away from the spotlight (and freaked us all out), we finally got news that Jamie Foxx It would be a couple months still before we saw his face in public and on social media, but his daughter Corinne’s insistence that he was getting better made us breathe a collective sigh of relief.

JUNE 2023

(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: Busta Rhymes attends the BET Awards 2023 at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop, so BET saw it fit to pay tribute to one of the genre’s greatest, elder statesmen. Busta Rhymes who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 BET Awards. He gave us an emotional acceptance speech before blessing us with a medley of his greatest hits. Salute, Bussa Bus!

BET Digital Design | Getty Images

And your G.O.A.T. Rap Crew winner is...

BET.com honored the 50th anniversary of hip hop by linking up with Ambrosia for Heads to determine the Greatest Rap Crew of All Time. The multi-week tournament pitted dozens of hip hop groups consisting of hundreds of rappers across the country. The big winner….? Death Row, or the house that Dr. Dre built. Looks like we all loved “The Chronic” and “Doggystyle!”

24. Tyler James Williams Gives the Best Response Ever

It’s nearly impossible to dislike Tyler James Williams, star of beloved sitcoms “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Abbott Elementary,” That likability factor ratcheted up a few notches when he addressed long-gestating rumors of his sexuality by acknowledging how dangerous (and ridiculous) such discussions can be. Williams’ younger brother Tyrel said that his brother's handling of his coming out is the stuff of case studies. Brothas, take note!

Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Lionsgate

Everyone knows the Black person dies at the beginning of the scary movie, but what are the other Black horror film tropes? Exploring that question was the theme of Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins’ “The Blackening,” a horror film spoof and one of the funniest flicks of the year. If you have that friend who refuses to watch horror films because they’re easily scared, let them know to make an exception for “The Blackening” because they’ll be laughing instead of cowering!

JULY 2023

Photo courtesy of the Hoover Police Department

Carlee Russell

It was the Jussie Smollett-esque mess none of us knew we needed until it happened. Carlethia “Carlee” Russell made national headlines when she was allegedly abducted after (allegedly) discovering a small child walking on the side of the (alleged) highway. Collective concern over a missing Black woman hit a fever pitch and her parents gave odd interviews to the press, only for us to learn that Russell cooked the whole thing up. Russell’s sentence fines and potential jail time likely can’t compare to the shame of not being able to go outside for a while.

27. Keke Palmer and Usher Get Sexy in Vegas

Keke Palmer was just having a good Black-ass time at Usher’s “My Way” residency in Las Vegas when she became the epicenter of a Black Twitter (now X) firestorm because her then-boyfriend made the brilliant decision to criticize her outfit on social media. Seems there were also some hurt feelings that Usher was serenading Palmer in the audience in front of other humans. Thanks to Palmer for the reminder that mamas can have some fun, too.

28. Naomi Osaka Becomes a Mom

Tennis-great-in-the-making Naomi Osaka surprised everyone when she announced that she was expecting a child with rapper Cordae in January. Their daughter Shai arrived happy and healthy on July 10. It was a welcome dash of public joy for Osaka, who has been transparent about her mental health challenges playing professional sports and faced ridiculous backlash for putting her health ahead of her career.

Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Musician Tracy Chapman performs live onstage at the AmFAR Gala

Those of us of a certain age remember when Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” was an ubiquitous earworm. A remake by country star Luke Combs brought the late 1980s single back to the forefront 35-years after it first debuted and made Chapman the first Black woman to write a No. 1 country song. She also became the first Black woman to win Song of the Year at the Country Music Awards in November. Is there any genre or sport we don’t dominate??

30. Drake Drops a Book of Poetry

The most popular “Degrassi” alum of all time released a…wait, a book of poetry ?? “TITLES RUIN EVERYTHING A STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS BY KENZA SAMIR & AUBREY GRAHAM” dropped when Drake was on his It’s All A Blur tour. Everyone was waiting for his eighth solo album “For All The Dogs” to drop at the time, but that wouldn’t come for another three months. First there was Maya Angelou, then there was Wheelchair Jimmy! Go figure.

AUGUST 2023

Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Ron Cephas Jones was one of those journeyman actors who popped up various films and shows throughout his career (which started in his late 30s…it’s never too late!) But his turn as Randall’s biological dad William in the hit NBC series, “This is Us” put Jones in our hearts. In fact, his death scene in Season 1 of the show might’ve caused this writer to shed some rare tears. Jones died from pulmonary issues at 66 and is survived by his daughter actress Jasmine Cephas Jones, who posted on IG, "I keep looking at my phone wanting to call you and wanting to hear your voice. You listened… you REALLY listened to me."

32. Tiger Woods Newest Member of PGA Tour Board

Woods has had a tough go of things lately, but the respect he demands in the world of golf is nonpareil. He joined the PGA Tour board during a period in which he and other players demanded transparency from the association’s merger with Saudi Arabia company LIV Golf.

33. Lizzo Sued for Sexual Harassment

In an issue that remains unresolved at press time, several of Lizzo’s former backup dancers sued her,alleging that she fostered a “sexually charged and uncomfortable” work environment. Her response was on the defense, but post-#MeToo is not a time for any celebrity to receive complaints about sexual anything. It’s probably the reason why the usually boisterous singer was relatively quiet for the second half of 2023.

Photo by Frazer Harrison

Even in 2023, Black folks still struggle with embracing the spectrum of sexuality. So, it was great to see Wayne Brady reveal that he openly identifies as a pansexual, or someone who is attracted to others regardless of sex or gender. He quipped, “Bisexual – with an open mind!” Brady, who has a daughter with his ex-wife, said he was inspired to live his authentic life after Robin Williams’ 2014 suicide. Brady proves that it’s never too late to discover oneself!

SEPTEMBER 2023

(Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 25: Usher performs onstage during his residency at La Seine Musicale on September 25, 2023 in Boulogne-Billancourt, France. (Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)

It might’ve been the highest-profile announcementof a Super Bowl Halftime Show performer ever. On the heels of his ultra-successful (and also high-profile) “My Way” Las Vegas residency, which wrapped in early December, Urrsher will step into the biggest show on television in early 2024.

36. Coco Gauff Wins U.S. Open

Coco Gauff gave us glimpses of her inspiration Serena Williams when she won her first U.S. Open at just 19 years old. Elegantly addressing the haters, Gauff said "Honestly, thank you to the people who didn't believe in me. A month ago, I won a 500 title, and people said I would stop at that. Two weeks ago, I won a 1000 title, and people were saying that was the biggest it was gonna get.” Her win even netted her some love from our First Family, the Obamas.

37. Quinta Brunson Wins Emmy

After years of making us laugh on social media and as a cast member of “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” Quinta Brunson struck gold with “Abbott Elementary,” ABC's hilarious send-up of urban education. After three Emmy nominations and no wins in 2022, she took home the statue for "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series" in 2023. We’re looking forward to Season 3 this February!

Courtesy of YouTube Music

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion

You had to be buried under Mt. Gibraltar to avoid the Cardi B/Megan Thee Stallion collaboration “WAP,” perhaps one of the only small joys of 2020. The internet braced for their follow-up “Bongos,” which was (slightly) more radio friendly than “WAP” but had an accompanying video that was every bit as delightfully grandiose and sultry as we’ve come to expect from the duo. When the commentary about your song makes headlines, you’re probably on to great things. One thing’s for sure: When those two get together, we’re all tuning in.

OCTOBER 2023

Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

There might not be a “Bad Boys” or “New York Undercover” without the 1970s cool breeze of “Shaft,” personified by the talented Richard Roundtree. To be influenced by the Blaxploitation era of films is to respect Roundtree’s contribution to the subculture. He kept working in Hollywood later in life, even reprising his most famous role for the 2021 film “Shaft.” He died at 81 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

40. Fat Joe Hosts the BET Hip Hop Awards

Bronx legend Fat Joe was in front as the host of the BET Hip Hop Awards this month, but this time he was also executive producer of the show and helped put together a special 50th anniversary of hip hop celebration. Joe sat down with BET Talks ahead of the show to discuss the beginnings of his illustrious career and how encountering legends like Melly Meland DJ Red Alert while growing up in the boogie down sparked a 30-years plus (and still trucking) career.

(Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 24: Hit-Boy attends Nas in Concert at Madison Square Garden on February 24, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Hit-Boy’s profile has been on fire the past few years, thanks to a six-album run with the god emcee Nas. But the California native has been highly prolific, producing music for at least a couple of your favorite artists. (He’s the man behind the “Ni---s in Paris” beat). For BET.com's series, Art of the Come Up, we dug into Hit and how he continues to be influenced by his father Big Hit and his young son C3.

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/FilmMagic)

We’ve never seen a press run for a memoir quite like the one arranged for Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Worthy.” She had everyone talking about some of the juiciest nuggets from the memoir, namely her “complicated” relationship with husband Will Smith before the book itself even dropped. And who could forget all those tidbits dropped about Tupac. No surprise that “Worthy” made the New York Times Bestseller list.

NOVEMBER 2023

Ethan Miller

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 29: TikTok food reviewer Keith Lee is interviewed after attending a game between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena on June 29, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aces defeated the Liberty 98-81.

Keith Lee has been one of the most popular food influencers on TikTok for a while. But he hit mainstream attention when he visited Atlanta and delivered otherwise innocuous criticisms about a food scene that everyone who knew anything about it understood anyway. What came next, which included death threats, might make for a decent Netflix documentary. Lee seemingly came out on top, adding to his already massive following. We do sit and wonder if it's all really worth it?

44. Sha’Carri Richardson Has an Amazing Year

Don’t call it a comeback! Sha'Carri Richardson had a challenging 2021 after capturing everyone’s attention on and off the track. She dipped for a bit but returned with a vengeance in 2023, when she won her first international title in the 100-meter run at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, becoming the official fastest woman in the world. She also nabbed her first USA Track and Field Athlete of the Year award this month. "I would say 'never give up.' Never allow media, never allow outsiders, never allow anything but yourself and your faith define who you are," she said after the Budapest win.

(Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Philly made history in 2023 when they elected Cherelle Parker as the city’s first woman (and first Black woman) mayor. The former Philly city councilwoman defeated Republican David Oh by a landslide. "We're gonna make sure that we put people on the path to self-sufficiency,", said Parker, who was born to a teenage mother and raised by her grandparents, during her victory speech. "You've heard me talk about making our public health and safety our No. 1 priority. Listen, I don't apologize about that. We are going to use every legal tool that is in the tool book to make this city safe."

46. New Edition Announces Las Vegas Residency

Usher’s done with the “My Way” residency, so someone needs to pick up the R&B torch. Enter: Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph and Johnny. “New Edition: Las Vegas” will kick off Feb. 28 at the Encore Theater in Wynn Las Vegas. The announcement follows the group’s fall tour and a performance at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. No word yet if they’ll don the newsboy caps and skinny jeans from the “Candy Girl” video.

DECEMBER 2023

(Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Uzo Aduba attends 76th Annual Tony Awards - Arrivals on June 11, 2023 at United Palace Theater in New York City.

We fell in love with Uzo Aduba when she played Crazy Eyes in the Neflix series, "Orange Is the New Black."Even though her breakout role put her on the Hollywood map, it's her new role that's going to bring her so much more joy. After celebrating their first year of wedded bliss, Aduba and her husband Robert Sweeting. announced the birth of Adaiba Lee Nonyem, their first child, with the caption, “Motherhood. I’ve joined the club. I hear the dues are high, but the membership is completely worth it.”

48. “RENAISSANCE: A Film by Beyoncé” Sets Box Office Records

Even non-Beyoncé fans experienced a bit of FOMO looking at all the social media video clips and photos from the vaunted RENAISSANCE Tour. It's those loyal fans (and probably those who missed out) who contributed to the concert film’s amazing $21 million opening weekend. It’s the first time in two decades that any film cracked over $20 million the first weekend of December (Tom Cruise’s “The Last Samurai” is the last to do so in 2003.) There's no better example of doing it for the culture.

49. The Biden Administration Makes a Big Announcement for HBCUs

The U.S. Department of Education will award $93 million in grants to support research and development at 20 HBCUS, HSIs (Hispanic-Serving Institutions) and TCCUs (Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities). The hope is that the funds will create a larger research infrastructure for each school. Chalk this up to something that likely would not happen if Donald Trump was in office...again.

Photo by Stewart Cook/Getty Images

All early signs point to the second film adaptation of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel as being a masterpiece. Ahead of its Christmas Day release, the stars stepped out with their own masterpieces on the Dec. 6 red carpet premiere. From Oprah Winfrey stunting on to Ciara showing the world how third-trimester pregnancy is done, Black beauty reigned supreme for the premiere of what’s sure to be a beautifully Black film.

Dustin J. Seibert is a native Detroiter living in Chicago. Miraculously, people have paid him to be aggressively light-skinned via a computer keyboard for nearly two decades. He loves his mama slightly more than he loves music and exercises every day only so his French fry intake doesn’t catch up to him. Find him at wafflecolored.com.

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96thdayofrage · 3 years

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The Original Karens: From Emmett Till’s Accuser To The White Woman Who Sparked The Tulsa Massacre

Written by Clay Cane

In this current climate of protests and demands for justice, the entitled and indignant white women known as “Karens” appear to be falling apart.

From Amy Cooper, whose over dramatic 911 call on a birdwatching Black man blew up in her face, to Lisa Alexander, who was shocked to discover that no one needs her permission to write “Black Lives Matter” in chalk on their own property, Karens are in a rage. Not even a camera in their face will stop their toxic entitlement, which has led to a string of viral sensations.

When thinking of the country’s experiences with white supremacist violence, the discussions are typically centered around men. However, white women have historically been at the helm of this terror, using their tears and imaginary delicateness as ammunition for victim hood and ultimately destroying lives or at its worst, taking one.

Once upon a time, even the slightest hint that white womanhood may be in danger resulted in the lynching of Black children or a thriving town full of Black families being burned to the ground.

Here are some of the most horrific stories of Karens going wild before the term came into existence.

Sarah Page

There has been a lot of talk around Tulsa, Oklahoma due to this month's 99th anniversary of the tragic race massacre that took place there in 1921. Many people may not know the race massacre began with a 17-year-old named Sarah Page.

Page was an elevator operator in what was called the Drexel Building in downtown Tulsa. On May 30, 1921, reportedly, Dick Rowland, a 19-year-old Black shoe shiner, was getting on the elevator to use a segregated bathroom on a higher floor. He allegedly tripped when entering the elevator, accidentally grabbed Page's arm and she reacted by screaming. Rowland fled but the police were called. The next day, Rowland was arrested and word spread that a Black man assaulted a white woman.

According to the 2001 Tulsa Race Riot Commission Report via The Washington Post, Rowland was accused of assaulting Page “on a public elevator in broad daylight."

Within 18 hours, the Greenwood district of Tulsa, also known as Black Wall Street, was annihilated. In 1921, The New York Times described the massacre as “one of the most disastrous race wars ever visited upon an American city.”

No one knows what happened to Sarah Page or Dick Rowland after the massacre.

Fannie Taylor

On January 1, 1923, 22-year-old Fannie Taylor began screaming outside of her home. A neighbor rushed to the distressed white woman only to find her beaten and bruised, yelling for her baby. Miss Fannie claimed a Black man broke into her home and attacked her. The neighbor searched her house to find the baby safe and no signs of a break in.

Rumors quickly spread that Taylor was raped and robbed by a Black man. Taylor’s husband, James Taylor, gathered a group of men to find the imaginary criminal, even calling on the Klu Klux Klan for assistance.

A pack of 400 terrorists headed to the neighboring area, an affluent Black town in Rosewood, Florida, accusing any Black man they could of the crime. Fannie’s fraudulent tears was the excuse these envious hellions needed to purge out their rage.

Their first victim was Sam Carter, a local blacksmith, who was tortured and hung. They eventually began looking for a man named Jesse Hunter, who they claimed was an escaped convict.

The Black residents of Rosewood fought back but there were many casualties, including Sarah Carrier, a woman who did Fannie Taylor’s laundry. She was shot in the head, according to History.com. Her son Sylvester Carrier was also fatally shot.

The race massacre lasted for a week, burning Rosewood to the ground and killing countless Black people.

As for Fannie Taylor, she reportedly had an affair with a white man who beat her, which is why she had been found abused that night. She thought it was better to accuse a Black man of assault then to take accountability for her own actions.

The 1997 film Rosewood, directed by the late John Singleton, depicted the massacre.

See the clip below of actress Catherine Kellner as Fannie Taylor.

Eleanor Strubing

In December of 1940, Eleanor Strubing, a wealthy white woman in Connecticut accused her 31-year-old Black chauffeur, Joseph Spell, of raping her four times and throwing her into a river. Spell was arrested within hours and immediately sent to jail to wait for trial.

The New York Times famously ran a story with the headline, "Mrs. J.K. Strubing Is Kidnapped And Hurled Off Bridge by Butler; WOMAN KIDNAPPED; HURLED OFF BRIDGE." The article claimed he “confessed after 16 hours" of questioning.

Spell was facing 30 years in prison.

Thankfully, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and its head lawyer, Thurgood Marshall, represented Spell. Marshall and his co-counsel proved evidence that Strubing lied. She, in fact, had consensual sex with Spell and jumped in the river because she was terrified that she might become pregnant from their affair. In her mind, the only option was to accuse Spell of rape in order to justify a possible pregnancy.

An all-white jury found Joseph Spell not guilty, which was shocking for the time. Nonetheless, if this accusation would have been made in the South, Joseph Spell certainly would have died by public lynching.

Wil Haygood, the author of Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination That Changed America, wrote about the ruling, "It was a miracle. But Thurgood Marshall trafficked in miracles.”

Strubing, whose father was an investment banker and the former governor of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, suffered no punishment for lying under oath. Her husband, John K. Strubing, died in 1961 and she remarried to John W. Barclay. Stribing died at 92 years old in 2000.

Joseph Spell moved to East Orange, New Jersey after the trial. It’s not clear when he passed away.

The 2017 movie Thurgood was based on the Joseph Spell trial. See the clip below of Kate Hudson as Eleanor Strubing.

Carolyn Bryant

In August of 1955, 21-year-old Carolyn Bryant accused 14-year-old Emmett Till of touching her and whistling at her in a store (he reportedly had a lisp and was unable to whistle.) Till, who was visiting from Chicago, was in Mississippi for the summer spending time with family. Within hours, he was kidnapped from his uncle’s home. The child was tortured, mutilated and thrown into the Tallahatchie River. His naked body was weighed down with a fan blade.

Carolyn’s husband, Roy Bryant and her brother-in-law J.W. Milam, the terrorists who lynched Till, were found not guilty by an all-white jury.

In the 2017 book The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy Tyson, Carolyn Bryant admitted to lying and claimed that she actually didn’t remember what happened that day in the store.

She is still alive today, living in Mississippi at 86 years old. Emmett Till would have been 79 years old on July 25 if it wasn’t for Carolyn Bryant.

The 65th anniversary of his death is August 28.

Victoria Price and Ruby Bates

Before The Central Park Five in 1989, which would become the Exonerated Five in 2002, there was the Scottsboro Boys in 1932.

On Mach 25, 1931, a group of Black and white teenagers were riding freight trains looking for work, which was common during the Great Depression. The white teens wanted the Black teens off the train and a fight broke out. The white teens attempted to forcibly throw the Black teens from the train. In defending themselves, the Black teenagers instead kicked the white teens off the locomotive.

The angry white teens went to a local sheriff who demanded the train be stopped.

Nine Black teens were removed, ages 13 to 19. However, two white women, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, were also on the train and spent their time wrongfully accusing several of the Black boys of rape.

Similar to the Exonerated Five, that one accusation stole the innocence of nine Black children.

The teens were jailed in Scottsboro, Alabama: Haywood Patterson, 18; Clarence Norris, 19: Charlie Weems, 19; brothers Andy Wright, 19 and Leroy Wright, 13; Olin Montgomery, who was nearly blind, 17; Ozie Powell, 16; Eugene Williams, 13, and Willie Roberson, 16, who could barely walk due to severe syphilis.

The all-white and all-male jury trial was over in a matter of days and all of them — except 13-year-old Leroy Wright — were found guilty of rape and given the death penalty. There was no evidence of course since Bates couldn’t identify the men she claimed raped her.

The NAACP and the International Labor Defense (ILD), the legal wing of the American Communist Party, joined the case. By November 1932, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Scottsboro defendants had been denied the right to counsel. Shortly after, Ruby Bates admitted she lied.

Nonetheless, the back and forth with the courts continued for years.

By 1936, Haywood Patterson was convicted of rape and sentenced to 75 years. In 1948, he escaped from prison and made it to Michigan. The governor refused to extradite him to Alabama. By 1951, Patterson was convicted of manslaughter after a barroom brawl. In 1952, he died of cancer. He was 39 years old.

In July of 1937, Clarence Norris was eventually convicted of rape and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled in 1946 and moved north, where he married and had children. His autobiography, The Last of the Scottsboro Boys was released in 1979. He passed away in 1989 at 76 years old.

In July of 1937, Andrew Wright was convicted of rape and sentenced to 99 years. He was released in 1950 at 38 years old. Charlie Weems was also convicted of rape and paroled in 1943. He spent the rest of his life in Atlanta. It’s not clear when or if Wright and Weems have passed away.

Ozie Powell’s rape charges were dropped but he pled guilty to assaulting a deputy, which happened while in custody. He was released from prison in 1946. After spending four years on death row as adults, all charges against Willie Roberson, Olen Montgomery, Eugene Williams, and Leroy Wright were dropped.

It is not known how or when Willie Roberson, Olen Montgomery, Eugene Williams, or Ozie Powell died.

After being released, Leroy Wright, the youngest, went on a national lecture tour and then joined the Army. In 1959, according to PBS, Wright accused his wife of having an affair, fatally shot her and then committed suicide. He was 41 years old.

As for Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, Price never recanted her testimony and died in 1982 at 77 years old. Bates had the privilege of going on a speaking tour, bizarrely, for the International Labor Defense (ILD), which defended the Scottboro Boys. She claimed to have lied because she was "excited and frightened by the ruling class of Scottsboro." Bates died in 1976.

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thedayacrossmn · 3 years

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IN CLOSING

We would like to take a moment to extend our admiration and respect to each of the 563 racers who signed up, to the 393 who made it to the starting line, to the 231 who became DAMn Champions by crossing our Hager City, Wisconsin finish line 242 miles later, and to the incredible 11 who became Double DAMn Champions by crossing our Gary, South Dakota finish line 495 miles later! Our complete RESULTS are now posted, but here are a few DAMn stats:

The DAMn 240

1st Place Men - Chase Wark - 12:14

2nd Place Men - Josh Bauer - 12:43

3rd Place Men - Aaron Halfaker - 12:46

1st Place Women - Zoe Reker - 18:33

2nd Place Women - Kesha Marson - 18:51

3rd Place Women - Beth Rood - 18:53

Youngest Finisher (17!) - Patrick McCauley - 19:42

Lanterne Rouge - Dhaval Srirama Raju - 23:43 !!!

The Double DAMn 480

1st Place - Nathan Wentz - 34:27 (men's course record!

2nd Place - Kimberly Breuer - 41:27 (women's course record!)

3rd Place (tie) - Kate Coward & Kyle Sobota - 43:30

Lanterne Rouge - John Jarvis - 47:45 !!!

When John Jarvis (our oldest finisher at 66 years old) crossed The Double DAMn 480 finish line Lanterne Rouge last night, he won a brand new TWIN SIX Standard Rando bicycle! John has finished The DAMn all 5 years, and blew our minds when he crossed that Gary, South Dakota finish line before the cut-off with a mere 15 minutes to spare. Congratulations, Johnny Gravel, you're one in a million!

A monumental “thank you” to our SPONSORS and to our volunteers, Joel, Jackson, Dave, John, Kierstin, Kari, Jess, Daniel, Zach, Kristin, Ellie, Jenny, Trent, and Chelli. Thanks to all of the communities and businesses along our race course for the hospitality and contributing to the excitement. We know that we ask a lot of each and every one of you and without you saying yes and following through for the past 5 years, The Day Across Minnesota would never have happened.

Thank you to all of the support crews for taking the time out of their weekends to take part in the madness. If you haven’t thanked your support crew properly, we strongly encourage you to do so.

DAMn photo galleries are starting to show up! Check out TMB IMAGES and JIM WELLBROCK’S galleries. All DAMn photos are free for you to download thanks to Todd and Jim. Expect to see more photo galleries showing up soon.

Lastly, we would like to thank each of you for showing your grit, leading with kindness, sharing your stories, and inspiring everyone this past weekend and for the past 5 years. YOU are what has made The Day Across Minnesota so special. Whether you crossed the finish line or not, we are in awe of each and every one of you and truly hope that The DAMn has planted something within you that you continue to nurture and grow.

Thanks for the DAMn memories - Trenton & Erik

[Photo by Todd Bauer]

#thedamn #thedayacrossminnesota

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karasmoak01 · 3 years

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Thanks for the tag @cloudy-paws!

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 authors!

I wasn’t sure if not posted wips were accepted for this, but I added some, cause well, I have a few...

1) Bonds

Kara had talked this threw with Alex and Eliza, she knew she was ready to go to college outside of Midvale, and besides, she wanted to be closer to her cousin, so what better way to do both then to go to Metropolis university.

2) The Island

There was a storm, a big storm… lightning and thunder manifesting all over the boat... Oliver was trying to keep hold of something after a wall in his room just blew away in the water.

3) West Power

Joe West, an African-American detective at the Central City Police Department, had just given his eleven-year-old daughter some Joe West famous spaghetti, when Joe heard a loud bang, like a car crash, but he knew, in his cop gut that this was not an ordinary car crash.

4) Where is Jesse

Earth 2

Krypton

Like in many other universes, Krypton was doomed to explode, so Zor-El had planned to send his daughter, Kara, to safety, with his brother's son, Kal-El, who was still a baby the day of the explosion, barely three years younger than Kara. Alura Zor-El, Zor-El's wife, a judge on Krypton, had accepted to keep this research a secret from the council, while Zor, Jor, and Lara, Jor's wife, were working on the pods.

5) What If

Krypton

13 years ago

The House of El and the Al Ghul family had known each other for many years, and at some point, the two had children at the same time.

6) Redemption

Reinhardt was getting old.

7) I Will Come Running For You My Love

Daisy was on her morning run around the park when she heard a cute mewl come out of nowhere, causing her to stop in her tracks.

8) Family Ties: A Clash Between Two Worlds

One of them was a blank slate and the other didn't remember she had a sister – a best friend.

9) Mind Games – wip

Skye sat all curled up in the furthest corner of the room to the door, letting the metal cuffs around her wrists eat her skin raw.

10) Coercion – wip

16-year-old Skye laid on the bench in the yard of her current juvenile detention facility, eyes closed, as she waited for lunch time, when a guard walked up to her.

11) The Squad – wip

Sergeant Daisy Johnson read the file her partner - Sergeant Bobbi Morse - handed her, as they both sat in their boss’ office.

12) Quake: Avenger and Assassin – wip

The second Hawkeye has been compromised, Fury activated the Avengers Initiative, without the council’s consent.

13) From Assassin to Agent – wip

Daisy, dressed in a black hoodie over her head, jeans and purple streaks in her dark brown hair, stood on a rooftop, surveilling a man in a dark suit from the scope of her rifle.

14) Remember Me – wip

Clint Barton rushed into SHIELD Director Nick Fury’s Triskelion office, having heard the worst news of his life.

15) Daughter of The Cavalry – wip

“I didn't want anything to-” Skye said, as she arrived in Coulson’s office, sitting down, after she spoke to Miles, who was now stuck in China.

16) unnamed morsecode Foster Care!Daisy – wip

Daisy and Natasha met at a group home when they were kids, and spent 8 months together as roommates, before Daisy was taken to a foster home.

I have no idea who was tagged it this yet, and I don’t know 10 authors here, so... @remedial-wit, @mysterious-writer-03, @maybebrilliant, @temmie-loony, @quintessentialserenity and whoever else who wants to do this!

#tag game #fanfic tag

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jazy3 · 6 years

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Thoughts on Grey’s Anatomy: 15X3

Owen and Amelia are back together again. I don't love them together, but I no longer hate it either. They actually seem happy together and non-abusive for once so that’s something.

Bailey clearly didn't think through what giving up being Chief of Surgery would mean and that really shone through in this episode. When Link thought Koracick was the new Interim Chief oh boy. Link is not getting on Alex’s good side at all. But his idea was pretty neat! We also learned that Fellows have a lounge on three and that Nico comes to the Interns Locker Room to be around Glasses. They’re so cute!

Welcome Jo Karev! I love this storyline. Krista and the new writers for Season 14 and 15 have taken Jo from being a character I couldn’t stand to one I am rooting for. I felt so bad for her in this episode. She got totally shafted because of Bailey’s snap decision. She made the best of it because she’s awesome, but that doesn’t make it okay. She fought to stay in Seattle and now Bailey is pushing her aside.

I liked that this episode included part of the scenes they filmed in Seattle! I felt bad for the cast and crew wearing fall clothing in summer heat, but they looked good and pulled it off! DeLuca did look awfully good on that bike!

Maggie trying to encourage Amelia to date DeLuca because of Teddy was both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Then watching her try to set Amelia up with Link was just funny and ridiculous. At least Amelia took it in stride. Post-tumour I actually like her. Post-tumour Amelia is focusing on what’s important. She’s actually there for Maggie and Meredith and is genuinely supportive and strong.

One of the biggest revelations of this episode is that Jackson took a leave of absence and didn’t tell Maggie! He told everyone else via mass email. Maggie later picks up a voicemail from him that explains very little and which the audience doesn’t get to hear which is highly suspicious. A friend and I were discussing this after the fact and she had an excellent point. Usually if the actor is available we hear the voicemail or the other end of the phone call. The only times we don’t are when the actor is unavailable or has left the show.

There was no indication prior to this that Jesse Williams would be leaving which leaves the following possibilities in my mind. One, the actor has taken ill temporarily or had a personal issue arise so they had to write him out of a few episodes so that he could recover or deal with the problem. Two, the actor has become part of another project that now needs more of his time or has signed onto a new project and he can’t do both at the same time due to time constraints.

Three, the actor asked for some time off this season for family or personal reasons. Four, the actor is being written off the show in order to pursue other projects or they have decided to write him off for creative reasons. There’s no other information available at this time (that I could find) so we’ll just have to wait and see. However, Jackson doesn’t appear to be in the next episode so that doesn’t bode well.

I like the way Maggie’s character is being written so far this season. They’ve made her more likable, less totally awful, and I can actually relate to her character now. I like that Maggie and Meredith’s relationship is improving. That’s the whole reason she’s in Seattle so the whole ‘Maggie is a terrible sister and Meredith has to put up with all of her crap’ storyline made no effing sense.

I knew from the moment that the nose bleed patient appeared on screen and Vik blew him off that it was going to come back to haunt him. I didn’t realize just how bad it would be though. I liked that we got to see Koracick actually practice medicine! Before this all we had seen was him treat Amelia’s brain tumour but very quickly and from then on he’s being doing research. Roy was once again good for absolutely nothing.

In this episode we get some wise words from Koracick. “A nose bleed that brings a person to the ER is never just a nose bleed.” Very true. Also holds true for any kind of uncontrolled bleeding or persistent reaction as that means your blood isn’t clotting and and there’s some kind of underlining issue that needs to be addressed.

We also get some more information about Koracick here. His scrub cap has ace playing cards on it. A scrub cap is a very personalized item in the show so this means he has an affinity for gambling or playing cards or poker or that it’s literally lucky or it’s meant as a joke as he’s a neurosurgeon. When Vik defied orders to stop compressions and then refused to call the time of death and then literally threw his hands up in the air, threw a tantrum like a five year old, and literally ran out of the OR with two attendings calling after him I was so mad.

His line, “I’m just an intern” made it even worse. Yes you are an intern, but that doesn’t you don’t take responsibility for your actions or that you get to blame everything on inexperience. It’s a teaching hospital you are there to learn not place blame and literally run away screaming. If that’s your reaction under pressure that you can’t do the job. Period. You aren’t cut out for that line of work. Most people aren’t.

That’s why it’s hard and you have to go to school for a long time to work in health care at any level. The attendings take responsibility for the patient too and they talk to the family because they have more experience with it and so that the hospital hopefully doesn't get sued and the family doesn’t press charges. It is meant as a way to save the hospital from the wrath of upset family members not deflect responsibility.

I was happy when Alex FINALLY fired Roy! He so deserves it! There’s no chance of him coming back now. He got out of it the first time by claiming wrongful dismissal because of interaction he shouldn’t have had with marijuana. Webber reprimanded him for not stepping back when he told him to, but didn’t fire him because he was injured and it could be chalked up to a misunderstanding as Vik didn’t know that it was hairspray and it was going to ignite. But this time, as Alex said, Vik lied about treating a patient. He left the patient who had a persistent nose bleed that was gushing blood in the ER for five hours without ever doing a physical exam or ordering labs or alerting the nursing staff to check on them.

As are result of his actions and inactions the patient died. The patient was ignored so it can be presumed that their family wasn’t notified of their admittance and they don’t seem to even have a full name and they have no medical history. Which means they have to track down this person’s name and contact information and then identify their next of kin and contact their family. At which point they will have to inform them that their family member who they didn’t even know was sick has died. They don’t have a choice about firing Vik.

If they don't the patient’s family will most likely come after the hospital for malpractice or come after Vik and have him charged. It’s what we’d all do if someone treated our loved one this way. And no lawyer, no matter how good, is going to be able to argue their mistreated family member back to life. I loved that smirk at the end there! Alex finally did something right that everyone’s been wanting to do.

The shop accident was gnarly! I had to look away for most of it. Webber made treating the shop teacher WAY too personal. That was super problematic. What he did really borders on intimidation. And the patient turns out to have Auto brewery system. It was the jello! Webber was testing a theory, but that doesn’t make it right what he did.

I LOVED the scene between Meredith and Alex. It was classic Grey’s and perfectly encapsulates why they are such good friends. They get each other and are there for each other and inspire each other. And Alex is totally right. Mer has earned the right to pick and choose who she lets in and even if she hasn’t we all deserve to have our wishes and privacy respected in the way that we choose.

I loved Meredith’s interactions with CeeCee. Too funny! And I adored CeeCee’s shopping idea! She understands what Meredith is saying (or not saying) now. Work from the outside in. I really like the dynamic they have created. The scene at the end with Maggie and Meredith with Zola, Bailey, and Ellis stole my heart! So precious! FASHION SHOW! I like that they are including the kids more this season and they are clearly listening to the criticisms of the past few seasons where the kids were MIA and it was super obvious and ridiculous.

Annnnd that’s a wrap! I liked this week’s episode. I’m looking forward to seeing Meredith go on her blind date next week!

Till next time!

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ninetyfivepercentdantomasik · 7 years

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Two Sides of a Coin: Jesse Pinkman & Todd Alquist (Breaking Bad)

One of the best ways of showcasing a character is bringing in another character just like them, but who made different, often opposite, choices. A living breathing version of “what could have been”. Sometimes it serves as a warning for what you can become, sometimes it’s a celebration of who you didn’t become.

Let’s look at Jesse and season 5 newcomer Todd Alquist. They’re both young men in their early 20′s, both take part in criminal endeavors, both have killed people, and both smoke. Generic as those elements may seem, that’s about all two characters need to have in common for viewers to consider them parallels. It’s only through a closer look at each of these elements that the difference really start to show.

Let’s go right down the list. Both Todd and Jesse are about the same age and are a good deal younger than most of the people they’re in business with. They’re constantly surrounded by people older and more experienced than them. How they act around their elders, however, couldn’t be more different. Todd is your loyal Yes Man; polite, respectful, always paying attention to directions and acting in a professional manner. He understands his place in the crew and puts the job above all else. He takes initiative and acts decisively when problems come up. Jesse does basically the opposite. He argues and shouts at people constantly; swearing, yawning, goofing off, and basically acting like a child around people who may put a bullet in his head if they catch him doing so. Jesse talks even when it jeopardizes everyone, but he’s also been the one to come up with outside-the-box ideas that have surprised everyone. Lastly, Jesse is the one who hesitates, who prays to himself a hundred times that there has to be another way besides the obvious one in front of him.

Both of them are criminals, but of a very different breed. Todd has crime in his blood, with connections in & out of prison through his Uncle Jack, and has built a promising career by playing things smart and safe. Born and raised into a life of crime, it’s the best career option Todd has. He knows what the people he works with are capable of and makes sure never to cross the line, always putting his needs behind that of the crew’s continued success, even if it means losing money. Jesse came from a good, upper middle class family who loved him, supported him, and gave him everything he needed to realize his potential, but he blew it all to get high and screw around. He doesn’t respect authority and dived headfirst into the big leagues, earning his reputation mostly through his continued survival against the odds. A small-time dipshit who tries to act a lot tougher than he is, Jesse doesn’t have the stomach for real crime.

Killing a person is no small thing, but sometimes in a life of crime it has to be done. Both Jesse and Todd found themselves in situations where it was them or the other guy, and they chose to survive. Jesse killed Gale Boetticher to protect himself and Walter. The resulting descent into drug use and well-funded squalor also took its toll, as Jesse turned to anything that could let him forget. Loud music, endless parties, video games, and throwing his money away. Todd’s first known victim was Drew Sharp, a 14-year-old kid who was out in the desert riding his dirt bike when he stumbled upon Walt, Jesse, and Todd standing over a drum of stolen methylamine. Stunned at seeing a witness, they all stare at each other in silence until Todd pulls a gun and shot Drew. Todd defends his actions, insisting about what Walter said before the job, “no one ever knows this robbery happened”. Todd later kills Andrea, Jesse’s girlfriend, when Jesse tries to escape from the crew, telling her it wasn’t personal while Jesse must watch, screaming through his gag. There’s no malice in any of his killings, but there’s no hesitation either.

Todd and Jesse are both smokers, but therein lies the greatest difference of them all. Jesse smokes to calm his nerves, to help him process and take his mind off things. A recovering addict whose smoking habit has almost killed people he loves, yet it’s the one habit Jesse seems fundamentally incapable of giving up. Jesse smokes because he has to, not because he wants to. Todd smokes infrequently, mostly as an excuse to blow off steam with other members of a crew. Following the death of Drew Sharp, Jesse’s fingers are visibly shaking while he smokes. Todd joins him, lights a butt, and casually remarks, “shit happens, right?”, at which point Jesse hits him.

To some degree, Jesse Pinkman is surrounded by characters in Breaking Bad who represent possible outcomes for his life. He could have been a family man, he could have been a thug, he could have been an average young man just making his way in the world. He ended up a slave to crystal meth, in every form of the word. Cook, dealer, addict, enforcer, and prisoner. There’s a certain draw to a life of crime, especially when portrayed in movies and television. Dodging cops, living on the run, settling things yourself, and, of course, the score. Jesse serves as an example of the toll such a lifestyle can take on a person. The pain, anguish, and despair; extreme lows barely offset by material highs like money or power. What stands out about Jesse though, no matter where he goes or what turn his life takes, what has made him such a popular character and has earned Aaron Paul the praise he so rightfully deserves, is that there’s always hope. No matter how far or how lost Jesse gets, there’s always hope for a right turn. The thing that has separated Jesse from everyone he could have become is, simply, his conscience. Watching a character struggle with the life he’s chosen, you come to admire the qualities we take for granted or even as hindrances.

Morality. Indecision. Compassion. Sobriety. Family.

#breaking bad #great characters #jesse pinkman #todd alquist #crime #life of crime #criminals #meth #two side of a coin #duality #choices #conscience

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mysteriouslyzealouspandalov-blog · 5 years

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Relationship drama and the Democratic convention took over Instagram this week

New Post has been published on https://relationshipguideto.com/must-see/relationship-drama-and-the-democratic-convention-took-over-instagram-this-week/

Relationship drama and the Democratic convention took over Instagram this week

Image: mashable composite: instagram and lindsay lohan/instagram and hillary clinton/INSTAGRAM and john stamos/INSTAGRAM

The Democratic National Convention dominated the news this week, and many attendees shared sweet photos capturing the experience on Instagram.

Insta was also a platform for some relationship drama Rob Kardashian made numerous changes to his account and left us questioning everything about his relationship with fiance Blac Chyna. Meanwhile, Lindsay Lohan asked her followers to respect her privacy during a difficult time.

SEE ALSO: Instagram may be making it easier to binge on a person’s photos

Of course, some Instagram posts simply made us smile. A blogger expressed her body positive epiphany and Amy Schumer ate cake in an innovative new way. Meanwhile, John Stamos gave us visions of Uncle Jesse circa 1989 and your favorite High School Musical gals rocked out together.

1. Hillary Clinton and President Obamas hug for the ages

We love you back, President Obama.

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton (@hillaryclinton) on Jul 27, 2016 at 8:59pm PDT

As if President Obamas 45-minute DNC speech wasn’t amazing enough, it ended with a moving embrace between him and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Honestly, we couldve watched that hug go on for 45 more minutes. We love you back, President Obama, Clinton captioned an endearing photo of them hugging on stage.

2. Amy Schumer invented a new dessert

@marieclairemag #handcake #roadmanagerjudgingme if you eat cake with your hands it becomes hand cake

A video posted by @amyschumer on Jul 26, 2016 at 4:04am PDT

Weve all had hand cake at one point or another. Amy Schumer inhaled a handful of yummy spongy goodness while on her Marie Claire photoshoot, and her judgment-free road manager luckily captured the elegant feast on camera. If you eat cake with your hands it becomes hand cake, Schumer captioned the video on Instagram. Amy, thank you for coining the name of this ingenious confection.

3. Rob Kardashians Instagram scandal

Image: robkardsahian/instagram

Breakup rumors were in the air this week when Rob Kardashian suddenly removed every trace of Blac Chyna from his Instagram account, unfollowed her, and deleted every single photo from his page.

A new, private Rob account just surfaced, listed under the name robkardsahian. Blac Chyna recently followed this new account which would suggest its legitimacy, although some older posts on the 14 week old account provide reason to believe its a fans creation.

Robkardsahian posted a photo with Blac Chyna captioned, I want to say that me and Chy haven’t broken up we are just going through some tough times and social media blew it all up. I would prefer if we could stay out of the spotlight and find a resolution .

Its still unclear whether the account is legitimate or not, but hopefully Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashians upcoming E! reality series will shed some light.

4. Liv Tyler and her new baby are a perfect pair

Sunday morning snuggles with my baby girl. So grateful for this precious gift.

A photo posted by Liv Tyler (@misslivalittle) on Jul 24, 2016 at 9:54am PDT

Actress Liv Tyler welcomed her third child earlier this month, and she proudly shared a photo breastfeeding baby Lula. Sunday morning snuggles with my baby girl. So grateful for this precious gift, she captioned the sweet Instagram post. Sharing breastfeeding photos has been the subject of controversy recently, and women have been crushing that stigma by sharing their own awesome breastfeeding photos.

5. Lindsay Lohan wants some privacy

Dear friends. I’m good and well. #ATM I am taking time for myself with good friends. I am sorry that I’ve exposed certain private matters recently. I was acting out of fear and sadness… We all make mistakes. Sadly mine have always been so public. I have done a lot of soul searching in the past years, and I should have been more clear minded rather than distract from the good heart that I have. Social media comes with the territory of the business and the world we now live in. My intentions were not meant to send mixed messages. Maybe things can be fixed… Maybe not.. I hope they can. But I am 30 years old and I do deserve a #GENTLEgiant Life is about love and light. Not anger Thank you to those who stand by my side

A photo posted by Lindsay Lohan (@lindsaylohan) on Jul 26, 2016 at 12:45pm PDT

Drama between Lindsay Lohan and her fianc, Russian businessman Egor Tarabasov, has been unfolding in interesting ways lately. Lohan has been in the public eye for 18 years, and earlier in the week she Instagrammed an old photo of a heart-shaped cloud along with a message asking fans to take their magnifying glasses off of her relationship.

A few days later, she took the post down and replaced it with a photo of herself on a boat. In the caption, she addressed her followers to reassure everyone that she is doing well and to apologize for publicizing matters she wanted to keep private.

6. Lena Dunham and America Ferrera are with her

the moment it became real

A photo posted by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on Jul 26, 2016 at 4:08pm PDT

Actresses Lena Dunham and America Ferrera spoke at the Democratic National Convention this week, and a photographer caught them feeling emotional about it. The moment it became real, Lena Dunham captioned the picture of her and America Ferrera tearing up on Instagram.

Dunham and Ferrara used their speech to endorse Hillary Clinton and to discuss the importance of feminism and combating hatred. Lets put Hillary Clinton in the White House, and lets declare: love trumps hate, was the last line they said to the crowd, and it was met with thunderous applause.

7. Blogger Kelsey Wells is measuring her happiness, not her weight

SCREW THE SCALE || I figured it was time for a friendly, yet firm reminder. YOU GUYS. PLEASEEEEEE STOP GETTING HUNG UP ON THE NUMBER ON THE STUPUD SCALE! PLEASE STOP THINKING YOUR WEIGHT EQUALS YOUR PROGRESS AND FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING PLEASE STOP LETTING YOR WEIGHT HAVE ANY AFFECT WHATSOEVER ON YOUR SELF ESTEEM, like I used to. To any of you who are where I once was, please listen to me. I am 5′ 7″ and weigh 140 lbs. When I first started #bbg I was 8 weeks post partum and 145 lbs. I weighed 130 before getting pregnant, so based on nothing besides my own warped perception, I decided my “goal weight” should be 122 and to fit into my skinniest jeans. Well after a few months of BBG and breastfeeding, I HIT IT and I fit into those size 0 jeans. Well guess what? I HAVE GAINED 18 POUNDS SINCE THEN. EIGHT FREAKING TEEN. Also, I have gone up two pant sizes and as a matter of fact I ripped those skinny jeans wide open just the other week trying to pull them up over my knees. My point?? According to my old self and flawed standards, I would be failing miserably. THANK GOODNESS I finally learned to start measuring my progress by things that matter strength, ability, endurance, health, and HAPPINESS. Take progress photos and videos. Record how many push-ups you can do, ect. And if you can, your BFP there is only a 5 lb difference between my starting and current weight, but my body composition has changed COMPLETELY. I have never had more muscle and less body fat than I do now. I have never been healthier than I am now. I have never been more comfortable in my own skin than I am now. And if I didn’t say #screwthescale long ago, I would have gave up on my journey. So to the little teeny tiny voice in the back of my head that still said “wtf is this- not 140!?” last week when I stepped on the scale, I say SCREW. YOU. And I think you should probably say the same to your scale too. #byefelicia . . #bbgprogress #transformationtuesday #fit #fitness #workout #fitmom #fitchick #fitfam #fitnesstransformation #beforeandafter #sweat #mysweatlife #girlswithmuscle #girlgains #strongnotskinny

A photo posted by K E L S E Y W E L L S (@mysweatlife) on Jul 26, 2016 at 8:55am PDT

Blogger Kelsey Wells of My Sweat Life recently had a revelation about body weight that she shared to Instagram. After having a baby, she struggled with maintaining her goal weight, and ultimately came to the conclusion that weight is just a number.

THANK GOODNESS I finally learned to start measuring my progress by things that matter strength, ability, endurance, health, and HAPPINESS, she wrote on Instagram alongside three photos of her at different weights.

So to the little teeny tiny voice in the back of my head that still said “wtf is this- not 140!?” last week when I stepped on the scale, I say SCREW. YOU. And I think you should probably say the same to your scale too. #byefelicia .

8. John Stamos

My favorite thing to do in Vegas. #Leave

A photo posted by John Stamos (@johnstamos) on Jul 24, 2016 at 11:13am PDT

John Stamos recent visit to Las Vegas is giving us some serious Uncle Jesse flashbacks. Who could forget Full Houses double-episode spectacular when Jesse and Becky almost secretly got married in the city of sin? Stamos used Instagram to document the highlight of his trip. My favorite thing to do in Vegas. #Leave, Stamos wrote alongside a photo of him giving Vegas the peace sign.

9. Hill + Bill 4eva

“She is still the best darn changemaker I have ever known. Bill Clinton

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton (@hillaryclinton) on Jul 27, 2016 at 10:20am PDT

Bill Clinton melted hearts with his doting (although long) speech about his wife and presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at the DNC, and she thanked him by sharing a fantastic #tbt photo of the couple. “‘She is still the best darn changemaker I have ever known.’ Bill Clinton, the Instagram caption read.

10. Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdales mini HSM reunion

When you and your best friend are performers and love snapchat @ashleytisdale

A video posted by Vanessa Hudgens (@vanessahudgens) on Jul 23, 2016 at 9:23pm PDT

High School Musical actresses Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale reunited for a little Snapchat singalong, which Hudgens shared on Instagram. Unfortunately they didnt sing We’re All In This Together, but their medley of Beyoncs Lemonade songs was definitely a suitable alternative. Its nice to see former enemies Sharpay and Gabriella getting on so well.