#NNPA BlackPress
OP-ED: Law Enforcement Groups Condemn Irresponsible Statement by New York State Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte on the Impact of a Menthol Cigarette Ban
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Those who purport that possession and use will not be criminal must be reminded that possession and drinking of alcohol during prohibition was not criminal. It was only illegal to manufacture, transport and sell booze but the resulting 13 years of mayhem led to repeal of the law. Marijuana has been decriminalized in New York since the ‘70s, but it didn’t prevent the police from targeting black and brown people for marijuana possession resulting in tens of thousands being arrested over just a few years, hence, “Stop and Frisk.”
New York, NY – The leaders of several influential law enforcement groups joined to condemn comments made last week by Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte who represents Brooklyn’s 42nd Assembly District. Ms. Bichotte made several irresponsible and inaccurate statements that downplayed the impacts that a menthol cigarette ban would have in New York’s communities of color.
During a press conference last week on the steps of City Hall supporting a menthol cigarette ban, Assemblywoman Bichotte stated: “The City Council legislation does not make the purchase or the sale of menthol cigarettes a criminal offense…No one will get arrested if found in possession of menthol cigarettes…No one with possession, even if found with boxes in their car, will get arrested.”
Assemblywoman Bichotte sent the message that New York’s illicit market is open for more business. A menthol ban would fuel the growth of the illicit market and lead to more unnecessary police encounters in our streets. New York City is already home to one of the most policed illicit cigarette markets in the nation. Banning menthol products, which the majority of black tobacco users prefer, would create a new illicit market and fuel more illegal activity. Regardless of where the legislation comes from, it will be police who have to enforce it, and police do not need another reason to engage with communities of color. Good policing is founded on trusting relationships with our communities, and those relationships cannot be forged when police enforce minor infractions like selling menthol products.
The Assemblywoman’s claim that no one will be arrested is just plain false. Giving police officers a reason to detain and engage black smokers to find out where they purchased their menthol cigarettes could lead to encounters that are likely to escalate to the unnecessary use of force and arrests.
The leaders of Law Enforcement Action Partnership, the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, The Grand Council of Guardians, and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives/New Jersey spoke out to challenge the Assemblywoman’s irresponsible remarks:
“As our distinguished assemblywoman no doubt realizes, the selling of menthol or any cigarettes by an unlicensed, unregulated individual is already illegal. The death of Eric Garner while in police custody after his arrest for selling loose cigarettes should have been enough to drive that point home to all of us,” said Major Neill Franklin (Ret.), Executive Director, Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP).
Lt. Charles Wilson (Ret.), National Chairperson, National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO), said, “To date, there has been no known input about menthol bans from law enforcement experts, and specifically none from members of any of the nearly thirty organizations representing African American and Latino criminal justice practitioners, who are infinitely aware of the devastating impact of adverse law enforcement interaction in communities of color.”
Charles Billups, National Chairperson, The Grand Council of Guardians (GCGNY), stated, “These new laws would provide law enforcement officers with the authority, indeed the responsibility, to stop, interrogate and arrest persons on suspicion of selling or being in possession of untaxed cigarettes for distribution.”
Commissioner Jiles Ship, president, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives/New Jersey (NOBLE), said, “We urge Councilwoman Bichotte and her colleagues to listen to law enforcement experts and reconsider their proposals and the obvious consequences they will have on communities of color, that are now, again, being adversely targeted with a menthol ban.”
Those who purport that possession and use will not be criminal must be reminded that possession and drinking of alcohol during prohibition was not criminal. It was only illegal to manufacture, transport and sell booze but the resulting 13 years of mayhem led to repeal of the law. Marijuana has been decriminalized in New York since the ‘70s, but it didn’t prevent the police from targeting black and brown people for marijuana possession resulting in tens of thousands being arrested over just a few years, hence, “Stop and Frisk.”
The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Grand Council of Guardians (GCGNY), National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO), and, of course, the organization I represent, Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), have stated countless times that a ban on menthol cigarettes will have unintended consequences, especially for African Americans and other marginalized communities.
We applaud the New York City Council for reconsidering this dangerous measure and we look forward to engaging in productive dialogue to prevent a menthol ban from bringing increased police presence and violent crime to our communities.
#NNPA BlackPress
EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025
The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.
You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.
After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”
“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.
Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.
The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.
As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.
Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.
And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.
Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.
Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.
I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.
I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.
In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.
For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.
So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.
Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.
I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”
Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.
#NNPA BlackPress
Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.
In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.
Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.
In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.
Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.
West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.
Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.
“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”
#NNPA BlackPress
Juneteenth and President Trump
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

By April Ryan
BlackPressUSA.com Newswire Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent
President Trump is set to proclaim the federal observance of Juneteenth as the White House is open for business on this holiday. The White House says the president will sign a “historic proclamation designating Juneteenth as a National Day of Observance, marking the 160th anniversary of General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas.” The declaration was that “all slaves are free.” This Trump proclamation, according to the White House, “will celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation, the Republican Party’s role in passing the 13th Amendment, and reaffirm the administration’s dedication to equal justice and prosperity for all.”
This proclamation comes as President Trump has denounced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and anything Woke. Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom from the tyranny of 250 years of slavery after the Civil War.
The Juneteenth celebration started when Union troops reached Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves that they were free on June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was created.
The Emancipation Proclamation, which is on display in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House, was issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. It established that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
Juneteenth is a day for African Americans in this nation to connect to their ancestry. It honors the end of slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. The primary focus is freedom and the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.
The Juneteenth federal holiday was signed into law by then-President Joe Biden on June 19, 2021. This Trump White House is in full swing today, with a press briefing by Karoline Leavitt, not taking the federal holiday off. Also, President Trump will receive an intelligence briefing in the morning and participate in a swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. Ambassador to Ireland.
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