Protests in New York over Freddie Gray’s death in Baltimore

Freddy Gray, a young African American from Baltimore, died last week from serious injuries that he got while being transported in a police van.

There have been protest marches in Baltimore, some turning violent as rioters broke shop windows, attacked the police and burnt cars. Other members of the Baltimore community have called for peace.

Marches have now been led in memory of Freddie Gray, demanding justice, in other American cities.

▶ Protests in New York over Freddie Gray’s death in Baltimore – YouTube.

New York survivor

Here is how this New Yorker describes his life:

“After I was born, I was the subject of a 45-minute dissertation at Columbia University. Almost all of my organs were born externally, and had to be sewn into my body. I don’t have a belly button– only a scar where my feeding tube used to be. My mother even tells me that she wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to stand, eat, or drink. But now I can rollerblade. I can do a handstand on my crutches. I’ve got a core group of friends, a girlfriend, a college degree, and I’m helping to manage a radio station at the age of 23.”

Humans New York handicap

Read more about ordinary and extraordinary New Yorkers at www.humansofnewyork.com/

50th anniversary of historic civil rights march

50 years ago, brave people marched across a bridge to demand equal rights for Black people in the USA. This weekend we honor their action gratefully. See President Obama speak in Selma, Alabama.

▶ Selma to mark 50th anniversary of historic civil rights march, ‘Bloody Sunday’ – YouTube.

Yusor Abu-Salha, crime victim, expressed herself on being an American

▶ Yusor Abu-Salha Blessed To Be American – YouTube.

This young girl, her husband and her sister were killed recently by a neighbor. The inquest is not over so we don’t know yet if this was a hate crime against Muslims or a neighborhood killing. Either way, their deaths are a sad blow to the community of Chappel Hill they belonged to.

Yusor Abu-Salha had spoken in an interview of what being an American women felt like for her. Here are extracts of this interview:

Pittsburg police chief takes stand against racism

Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay set off a battle with police unions when he posed with a sign that reads, ‘I resolve to challenge racism @ work #EndWhiteSilence.’ Some think this means policemen are racists. McLay says the sign is not against anyone, and that he was just showing support to anti-racism campaigners. After several black men were shot by police in 2014, McLay wants to show that no racism will be accepted within the police force.

cop chief stop racism

“I Can’t Breathe” congressman’s tribute to Eric Garner

Wednesday night, a grand jury in New York City refused to indict police officers in the killing of Eric Garner, a man who died after officers used an illegal chokehold on him. The decision set off protests across the country.Some in Congress have already expressed their solidarity with Garner.

Hank Johnson, the sponsor of legislation to curb police militarization, made a moving tribute to Garner, including the phrase, “I can’t breathe” between each statement—the phrase  Eric Garner said as he was being strangled, and which has since become a rallying cry for protesters.

Muslim prayer in American national cathedral

Muslim prayer in American cathedral

The Washington National Cathedral, considered the United States’ “national prayer house,” hosted a Muslim service Friday, the first such event in the sanctuary’s history.

Muslim prayer rugs were laid and “the Arabic call to prayer echoed among the vaulted stone arches,” which the dean of the cathedral, the Very Rev. Gary Hall, called “a beautiful sacred language in a beautiful sacred space,” according to The Washington Post.

Welcoming the worshipers, director of liturgy Rev. Canon Gina Gilland Campbell said, “Salaam, shalom, peace. You are all so very welcome here.” She also used the occasion to issue an impassioned call for interfaith understanding, saying, “Let us stretch our hearts and let us seek to deepen mercy for we worship the same God.”

Christian and Muslim leaders also spoke about the need for religious dialogue and harmony, including South Africa’s Muslim Ambassador to the U.S. Ebhraim Rasool, co-organizer of the event. Rasool used the sermon, or Khutba, to call for the protection of Christians in the Middle East, as well as greater Muslim tolerance for other religions, saying: “I think that we must return to the Muslim prophetic tradition in which the Prophet, may peace be upon him, invited Christians to his own mosque that he established in Medina – and said to them, you can pray here.”

Islam is the third-largest religion in the United States, behind Christianity and Judaism, and with at least 2.6 million adherents, constitutes approximately 0.8% of the country’s population.

 

Urban fairies and their little doors around town…

In the little American town of Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, exists a secret world that very few people are aware of. -fairy-clipart-1If you look carefully around town, you’ll notice itty bitty doors placed on the side of buildings. They are urban fairy houses…

Jonathan B. Wright, children’s books author, started creating little fairy doors in his home in 1993 for his own children (two daughters). Then in 2005, the first little door appeared in a public place in his city, and many others followed.

CottageDoorTHUMB bookshop CottageDoorTHUMB green CottageDoorTHUMB home CottageDoorTHUMB libraryCottageDoorTHUMBred shoes

They can be on the side of a real-size door, in a side street, inside a shop, on any place really (a restaurant, a school, a public library…). Sometimes they are outside, right in the middle of a wall, and sometimes you stumble upon them as you are looking up a fairytale book in the town library!

CottageDoorTHUMB wall

CottageDoor library

If you walk around this town you may pass them by without noticing them.

cottage-door-passerby

Some people have installed a fairy house door in their own home or garden. We don’t know if any fairies have set up houses there…

CottageDoorTHUMBchild

CottageDoortree

You can use this link to find out more about Jonathan Wright and the fairy doors of Ann Arbor:

http://urban-fairies.com/locationspages/

Deer crossing Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

▶ WATCH: Deer Crossing Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco | Deer Running Across The Golden Gate Bridge – YouTube.

SAUSALITO , California. — Two northbound deer briefly stopped traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge Friday night as they made a run for the hills of Marin County, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The deer, reported at 5:24 p.m., appear to have entered the bridge from the south.

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The two deer brought traffic to a halt in three lanes of traffic.

Drivers appeared to have slowed behind the animals, leaving the lanes clear in front of them.

“They pretty much created their own traffic break,” police officer Barclay said, noting that northbound traffic tends to be backed up and slower around 5:30 p.m. anyway.

“That could be what saved the deer from getting hurt,” he added. “If it was lighter traffic the cars would have been moving faster.”

© 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Barack Obama visits Stonehenge in England

Barack Obama in Stonehenge visit on return from NATO summit – BBC News

President Obama at Stonehenge The President made an unannounced visit to Stonehenge on his journey back to Washington

US President Barack Obama paid a visit to Stonehenge on his return home from the NATO summit in Newport.

The White House said that the presidential helicopter Marine One made an unannounced stop at Boscombe Down Airbase, Wiltshire before his motorcade drove to the ancient monument.

The president was then given a guided tour by curator Heather Sebire.

English Heritage, which manages the site, said it was “an honour” to host the president.

General manager of Stonehenge, Kate Davies said: “His office told us the president was very interested to see the iconic monument for himself.

“Every day people from all over the world make the trip to the ancient stones but this visit was a particularly special one.”

Ms Sebire said Mr Obama “was fascinated by the story of the stones, what we know about them and the mysteries that have yet to be solved.

“He described the atmosphere around the stones as ‘really special’ and his visit to Stonehenge as ‘a highlight of my tour’.

“It was a beautiful still evening and it was a privilege to show the US president around this unique monument which continues to inspire and intrigue people.”