Tag: Support

Categories
Health

Cardi B Turned Down the Super Bowl Halftime Show to Support Colin Kaepernick


Cardi B has confirmed she was invited to perform at the Super Bowl on Sunday but declined to “stand behind” ex-NFL player Colin Kaepernick.

Though the “Bodak Yellow” rapper is featured on Maroon 5‘s “Girls Like You,” she says she won’t join them for their 2019 Super Bowl halftime performance because of how she feels about the NFL’s treatment of Kaepernick. In a new interview with the Associated Press, Cardi explained that she was torn about the decision but ultimately turned down the opportunity in order to support the former quarterback.

“My husband [Offset], he loves football,” Cardi told the AP. “It’s really hard for him. He really wants to go to the Super Bowl, but he can’t go to the Super Bowl, because he’s got to stand for something. You have to sacrifice that. I got to sacrifice a lot of money to perform. But there’s a man who sacrificed his job for us, so we got to stand behind him.”

She’s referring to Kaepernick being blacklisted by the NFL after taking a knee instead of standing during the national anthem as a way to peacefully raise awareness of police brutality and racial inequality. Since then, Kaepernick’s contract with the San Franciso 49ers expired and wasn’t renewed, leaving him without a job and no offers from other teams. Cardi B had previously vowed that she wouldn’t perform at the Super Bowl unless he got signed—and she’s kept her promise.

But some fans have called her out for agreeing to appear in a Super Bowl commercial for Pepsi and for performing at the Bud Light Super Bowl Muid Fest with Bruno Mars.

[embedded content]

However, Cardi pointed out that her involvement doesn’t support the NFL.

“I hear people saying like ‘Oh, y’all are saying all this stuff about the Super Bowl, but you’re doing all these parties. And it’s like, well, if the NFL could benefit off from us, then I’m going to benefit off y’all,” she said.

Related Stories:

–Rihanna Declined to Perform at the Super Bowl in Support of Colin Kaepernick

–Cardi B Is the Voice of Reason America Needs

–12 Super Bowl 2019 Commercials That Are Better Than the Actual Game



Source link

Categories
Health

Queen Elizabeth Sent a Message of Support for Meghan Markle's Home State of California


Queen Elizabeth has issued a royal statement directly to President Trump—and it’s a poignant one that addresses the current situation in granddaughter-in-law Meghan Markle’s home state of California. Wildfires have been destroying property and acreage in the state since November 8, when three destructive fires broke out. One, the so-called “Camp Fire,” in the northern part of the state, was still just 50 percent contained as of Friday night. Along the way, it’s taken down almost 10,000 homes and killed more than 70 people, making it the deadliest fire in California’s history (more than 1,000 people are still missing as well). The Woolsey Fire in Ventura County, thankfully, is at 82 percent containment as of Friday night, and the Hill Fire has been completely contained.

The situation, without overstatement, is dire. And Queen Elizabeth’s message to Trump is a heartfelt statement about the situation, expressing sympathy for those who have lost everything in the fires and paying tribute to the first responders putting their lives on the line to bring these blazes under control.

“Prince Philip and I offer our deepest sympathies to the people of California, who continue to suffer from the devastating fires across the state,” she wrote. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims, and to all those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. I pay tribute to the courage and dedication of the US emergency services and the volunteers that have provided support.”

Her Majesty’s words are a sharp turn from Trump’s initial rhetoric. As the fires broke out, rather than pledging resources to the area set ablaze, he blamed the problem on “forest mismanagement.”

“There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor,” he tweeted on November 10. “Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!”

His tone seems to have shifted on Saturday, when he flew out to the state to see the destruction for himself, tweeting that he was looking forward to “being with our brave Firefighters, First Responders, and FEMA.”

The same day, the White House Twitter account reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had deployed “hundreds of personnel” and “dozens of air resources” to help with containing the remaining Camp and Woolsey fires.

Earlier on Saturday, the fires were also declared a public health emergency, with air quality in Northern California currently the worst in the world.

As Californians grapple with the fires—and begin the long, slow road to rebuilding and recovery—they could use any donations, products, or time volunteers can give. If you’re able to give even a small amount, community organizations are in need of resources. Check out our handy guide for where to donate.

Related Stories:

Bella Hadid Posted a Heartbreaking Instagram About the California Wildfires

Here’s How You Can Help Victims of the California Wildfires

Lady Gaga Paid an Emotional Surprise Visit to California Wildfire Evacuees





Source link

Categories
Health

Rihanna Declined To Perform At The Super Bowl In Support Of Colin Kaepernick


Rihanna has never been a woman to shy away from her values. Which is why we aren’t really surprised the “Umbrella” singer gave a hard pass to performing at next year’s Super Bowl Halftime show.

According to a report in Us Weekly, the NFL reportedly approached Rihanna to be its 2019 halftime entertainer. But she declined the offer as she’s firmly in support of Colin Kaepernick.

“The NFL and Fox really wanted Rihanna to be next year’s performer in Atlanta,” an unidentified source shared with Us Weekly. “They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn’t agree with the NFL’s stance. She supports Colin Kaepernick.”

Kaepernick, as you may recall, famously kneeled during the national anthem during his time as the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers as a way to peacefully protest police violence in America against the black community.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick told NFL Media in 2016. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

At the time, the NFL stated, “…we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem.” His coach Chip Kelly added that Kaepernick’s decision not to stand during the national anthem is “his right as a citizen” and “it’s not my right to tell him not to do something.”

However, Kaepernick went into free agency the following year and his contract was not renewed. He has never received an offer from another team, a move that he feels the NFL perpetrated by blacklisting him from the sport. Kaepernick filed a collusion grievance against thee NFL.

After Rihanna said thanks but no thanks, the NFL reportedly moved on and asked Maroon 5 to put on the show instead. They reportedly agreed, though no confirmation has come from either the NFL or the band.

As for who may join them onstage, Us Weekly reported that the band has Cardi B in mind.

“She is definitely being considered, but it’s obviously way too early to say for sure,” another source added. “Pepsi, the NFL and Cardi are all interested in her performing more than just her ‘Girls Like You’ verse.”

Related Content:

Rihanna Says Having Her ‘Thicc’ Body ‘Comes With a Price’

Serena Williams Says Athletes Should Be ‘Grateful’ to Players Spearheading NFL Protests



Source link

Categories
Health

Lana Del Rey Calls Out Kanye West: 'Your Support of Donald Trump Is a Loss for the Culture'


Kanye West stunned many over the weekend when he went on an impromptu pro–Donald Trump rant on Saturday Night Live. The speech was captured by audience members at the venue and quickly went viral.

“The blacks want always Democrats…. You know it’s like the plan they did, to take the fathers out the home and put them on welfare…. Does anybody know about that? That’s a Democratic plan,” West said, according to The Daily Beast. “There’s so many times I talk to, like, a white person about this and they say, ‘How could you like Trump? He’s racist.’ Well, uh, if I was concerned about racism I would’ve moved out of America a long time ago.”

Shortly after his speech, West uploaded a photo of himself wearing a Make America Great Again hat to Instagram—something he’s worn before—and gave another statement in support of Trump. “This represents good and America becoming whole again,” West wrote, in reference to his hat. “We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs. We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the Thirteenth Amendment. Message sent with love.”

The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, so naturally many were troubled by West’s caption. However, he doubled down with a tweet: “The 13th Amendment is slavery in disguise,” he wrote. “Meaning it never ended. We are the solution that heals.”

Many people aren’t happy with West’s posts—including Lana Del Rey, who left a comment underneath his Instagram that challenged the rapper’s views.

“Trump becoming our president was a loss for the country, but your support of him is a loss for the culture,” she posted. “I can only assume you relate to his personality on some level. Delusions of Grandeur, extreme issues with narcissism—none of which would be a talking point if we weren’t speaking about the man leading our country.”

Del Ray continued, “If you think it’s alright to support someone who believes it’s OK to grab a woman by the pussy just because he’s famous—then you need an intervention as much as he does—something so many narcissists will never get because there just isn’t enough help for the issue. Message sent with the concern that it will never be addressed.”

Check it out Del Rey’s comment for yourself, below:

PHOTO: Instagram

Del Rey has an interesting relationship with West. She actually sang her hit “Young and Beautiful” at West’s wedding to Kim Kardashian in 2014, and prior to this, West had an orchestra play a version of the song when he proposed. West hasn’t responded to Del Rey’s comments directly, but stay tuned.

Related Stories:

Lana Del Rey’s Plump Lips and Dreamy ’70s Makeup, Recreated by Kandee Johnson

Thanks to Kanye West, #IfSlaveryWasAChoice Is Trending on Twitter—And It’s Comedy Gold





Source link

Categories
Health

1,600 Men Show Their Support for Christine Blasey Ford in Full-Page 'New York Times' Ad


On Thursday Christine Blasey Ford will testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee about the allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982. Women around the country have taken to social media over the past week to voice their support of Ford, even staging the National #BelieveSurvivors Walkout on Monday.

Now it’s time for the men to step up.

Today’s New York Times features a full-page ad with the headline, “We believe Anita Hill. We also believe Christine Blasey Ford,” plastered along the top. The ad echoes one placed in the paper back in 1991 when 1,600 African American women in support of Anita Hill—the law professor who testified during the Clarence Thomas nomination hearings—banded together to buy the ad, “African American Women in Defense of Ourselves.”

The ad was crowdfunded in an initiative started last Friday by Meena Harris, founder of the Phenomenal Women Action Campaign, and Alicia Garza, cofounder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network. Their goal was to raise $100,000. Currently, their fund-raising page notes that over $134,000 has been donated. (The page notes that excess funds will go to Futures Without Violence, a group dedicated to ending violence against women, children, and families around the world.)

“I had been very inspired by the story of the 1,600 black women who came together in 1991 to take out a full-page ad in The New York Times,” Harris (who also happens to be the niece of California Senator Kamala Harris) told Mic.

“We’ve asked men to step up [and sign], so it’s not only the burden of women to do this,” she continued.

The full text of the ad references its inspiration, as well:

Twenty-seven years ago, on November 17, 1991, 1,600 black women joined together and placed a full-page ad in The New York Times to support Professor Anita Hill when she faced backlash for accusing Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. They called it, ‘African American Women in Defense of Ourselves.’ Today we follow in the footsteps of those courageous women.

We are 1,600 men who now stand behind both Professor Anita Hill, as well as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, because we believe them. As men who are allies in the fight to end violence and harassment against women and girls, we write to express our strong support of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford for her willingness to speak out publicly and testify before the Senate about the sexual assault that she says was perpetrated against her by Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh.

We believe survivors, and we call on all men of good will to stand with us to ensure that Dr. Blasey Ford’s story is carefully and fully examined without bias or prejudice. It is imperative that the politics of this moment not discolor the facts. Justice demands that both Dr. Blasey Ford and her story be treated fairly, impartially, and with respect.

Too frequently, survivors of sexual assault are forced to suffer in silence. Those that choose to speak out often face backlash, skepticism, and ridicule. As we’ve seen once again the last few weeks, that kind of virulent backlash is most acutely on display whenever those accused of misdeeds are powerful men. If appointed to the Supreme Court, few men would be more powerful than Judge Kavanaugh.

We are a group of men with varying political and legal views. But we each believe women should no longer have to carry these burdens alone.

For decades, a culture of misogyny has allowed men to act with impunity and without consequence. We demand an end to that culture, and we pledge to do our part in dismantling it. That’s why we are speaking out today in favor of a just process, and for the rights of women like Dr. Blasey Ford to be heard fully, fairly, and with respect.

In the words of Anita Hill, ‘There is no way to redo 1991, but there are ways to do better.'”

Male allies are also sharing the ad and its message across their social media platforms.

Ford and Kavanaugh are both slated to testify on Thursday. For the latest on the Kavanaugh nomination, click here.

MORE: A Third Woman Comes Forward with Allegations About Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh





Source link

Categories
Health

Dear Ivanka: Female Celebrities Are Calling On the First Daughter to Support Christine Blasey Ford


Word out of Washington, D.C. on Saturday, according to the New York Times, is that the Senate Judiciary Committee and lawyers representing Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault during a party while they were in high school have reached a tentative agreement for her to testify publicly on Thursday.

In the coming days, we are sure to see both sides attempt to galvanize support on social media and beyond. Actress Alyssa Milano spoke to Glamour about her efforts to raise money for Ford. “I hope she feels the love and support and the heartache that women feel in standing in solidarity with her,” Milano said. “I want her to know that if she needs anything at all, that I’m here and I want to thank her for her bravery in doing the right thing for the country, even though it’s the harder thing for her personally.”

In yet another #DearIvanka campaign, other celebrities—like Busy Philipps, Amy Schumer, and Sophia Bush—are using their large social media platforms to call on First Daughter and White House senior advisor Ivanka Trump to get the administration to conduct an FBI investigation into the charges.

Philipps writes, “Dear @IvankaTrump, you don’t follow me on social media. But as a public servant, you work for me. You’ve proclaimed yourself a feminist and a champion of women’s rights. Right now, you have an opportunity to fight for women and survivors. Use your access to demand that Professor Ford’s request for a full, fair, trauma-informed investigation by the FBI be held. Use your access to make sure another abuser is not seated on the Supreme Court. #DearIvanka”

Schumer, in typical fashion, didn’t mince words. “Hey @ivankatrump Were you so excited to wear that pill box hat this week? #fun You will be remembered like Eva Braun unless you do something,” she wrote. “It’s not too late.”

Bush, who says Trump does indeed follow her on Instagram, took a different approach in her post. “I figured after the last one of these calls for you to take action, you’d unfollow me. But you’re still following me!! So, let me use this opportunity to call you in,” she said in a caption. “Rather than feeling called out, try to see this as an invitation to merge your words and your actions. Girl. You can do it.

Milano, “Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay, Wild author Cheryl Strayed, celebrity stylist Karla Welch and more are also flooding Trump’s feed.

While her father has doubled down on his support of Kavanaugh and called into question why Blasey Ford didn’t report the incident when it happened over 30 years ago, Ivanka Trump has yet to make a public statement on the matter.



Source link