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Amber Guyger Hugged by Judge and Victim’s Brother

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  • Amber Guyger was sentenced to 10 years after being found guilty of murdering Botham Jean.
  • Guyger thought she was entering her own apartment in 2018 when she shot and killed Jean, whom she believed to be an intruder. She was actually entering Jean’s apartment, which was on the floor above.
  • Jean’s brother, Brandt, spoke at her sentencing and said he forgives her and wishes no ill towards her. He then got up and hugged her. 
  • The judge in the case, Tammy Kemp, also hugged Guyger and gave her a Bible. 

Guyger Sentenced

Amber Guyger was convicted of murdering Brandt Jean’s brother, Botham Jean. During her sentencing, he asked to give Guyger a hug, igniting an online debate about the criminal justice system and forgiveness. 

Guyger, an ex-Dallas Police Officer, was sentenced on Wednesday to ten years with a possibility of parole after five for killing Botham Jean in 2018. Guyger thought she was entering her own apartment, believing Jean to be an intruder when she shot him. She was actually at the apartment above, which belonged to Jean. He was sitting on his couch eating ice cream at the time. 

Judge Kemp and Brandt Jean Hug Guyger

The maximum sentencing Guyger could have faced was 99 years behind bars, so many thought 10 years was lenient. On Wednesday night, some even protested in downtown Dallas. Brandt Jean, however, said he does not want Guyger to go to jail at all.

“I forgive you,” Botham Jean’s 18-year-old brother said at the sentencing, “and I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you.”

“I personally want the best for you,” he added. “And I wasn’t going to ever say this in front of my family or anyone, but I don’t even want you to go to jail.”

He then requested to hug Guyger, who met him with open arms. Brandt Jean was not the only one to hug her during her sentencing. Judge Tammy Kemp, who oversaw the case, also hugged Guyger and gave her a bible. 

People Praise Hug

These actions of radical sympathy generated a massive online conversation. “Forgiveness” trended on Twitter, and many were impressed by Brandt Jean’s words and actions. 

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called it a “powerful example of Christian love.”

Former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said, “grace prevailed.” 

The Dallas Police Department said it showed “a spirit of forgiveness, faith and trust.”

Others Criticize the Moment

There were others, however, who thought that Brandt Jean requesting a hug was okay, but Judge Kemp giving one was more shocking. 

“This family is amazing,” reporter Brooke Thomas said about Brandt Jean, before switching topics to the judge. “This part made my jaw drop…None of this has been the ending I expected after a racist killer was convicted and sentenced to prison.”

Thomas also mentioned text messages that prosecutors brought up during Guyger’s sentencing. In the messages, Guyger made a joke about the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and other disrespectful comments about black police officers. 

Reporter Jemele Hill said that Brandt Jean can choose to grieve on his terms, but said the judge’s hug was “unacceptable.” 

While others thought the whole situation sent a troubling message about the way people of color are treated in comparison to white people. 

CNN commentator and author Keith Boykin said it sent the idea that “white women’s lives are valuable. Black men’s lives are not.”

Activist Deray Mckesson said he would not want his family to “forgive or hug anyone in these circumstances.” 

Others questioned if the criminal justice system would have treated Bothman Jean differently if the tables were turned. 

See what others are saying: (Dallas Morning Star) (NPR) (NBC Dallas-Fort Worth)

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White Supremacist Propaganda Reached Record High in 2022, ADL Finds

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 “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said.


White supremacist propaganda in the U.S. reached record levels in 2022, according to a report published Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center of Extremism.

The ADL found over 6,700 cases of white supremacist propaganda in 2022, which marks a 38% jump from the nearly 4,900 cases the group found in 2021. It also represents the highest number of incidents ever recorded by the ADL. 

The propaganda tallied by the anti-hate organization includes the distribution of racist, antisemitic, and homophobic flyers, banners, graffiti, and more. This propaganda has spread substantially since 2018, when the ADL found just over 1,200 incidents. 

“There’s no question that white supremacists and antisemites are trying to terrorize and harass Americans with their propaganda,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash.” 

The report found that there were at least 50 white supremacist groups behind the spread of propaganda in 2022, but 93% of it came from just three groups. One of those groups was also responsible for 43% of the white supremacist events that took place last year. 

White supremacist events saw a startling uptick of their own, with the ADL documenting at least 167, a 55% jump from 2021. 

Propaganda was found in every U.S. state except for Hawaii, and events were documented in 33 states, most heavily in Massachusetts, California, Ohio, and Florida.

“The sheer volume of white supremacist propaganda distributions we are documenting around the country is alarming and dangerous,” Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL’s Center on Extremism said in a statement. “Hardly a day goes by without communities being targeted by these coordinated, hateful actions, which are designed to sow anxiety and create fear.”

“We need a whole-of-society approach to combat this activity, including elected officials, community leaders, and people of good faith coming together and condemning this activity forcefully,” Segal continued. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (The New York Times)

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Adidas Financial Woes Continue, Company on Track for First Annual Loss in Decades

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Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 


Yeezy Surplus 

Adidas’ split with musician Kanye West has left the company with financial problems due to surplus Yeezy products, putting the sportswear giant in the position to potentially suffer its first annual loss in over 30 years. 

Adidas dropped West last year after he made a series of antisemitic remarks on social media and other broadcasts. His Yeezy line was a staple for Adidas, and the surplus product is due, in part, to the brand’s own decision to continue production during the split.

According to CEO Bjorn Gulden, Adidas continued production of only the items already in the pipeline to prevent thousands of people from losing their jobs. However, that has led to the unfortunate overabundance of Yeezy sneakers and clothes. 

On Wednesday, Gulden said that selling the shoes and donating the proceeds makes more sense than giving them away due to the Yeezy resale market — which has reportedly shot up 30% since October.

“If we sell it, I promise that the people who have been hurt by this will also get something good out of this,” Gulden said in a statement to the press. 

However, Gulden also said that West is entitled to a portion of the proceeds of the sale of Yeezys per his royalty agreement.

The Numbers 

Adidas announced in February that, following its divergence from West, it is facing potential sales losses totaling around $1.2 billion and profit losses of around $500 million. 

If it decides to not sell any more Yeezy products, Adidas is facing a projected annual loss of over $700 million.

Outside of West, Adidas has taken several heavy profit blows recently. Its operating profit reportedly fell by 66% last year, a total of more than $700 million. It also pulled out of Russia after the country’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which cost Adidas nearly $60 million dollars. Additionally, China’s “Zero Covid” lockdowns last year caused in part a 36% drop in revenue for Adidas compared to years prior.

As a step towards a solution, Gulden announced that the company is slashing its dividends from 3.30 euros to 0.70 euro cents per share pending shareholder approval. 

Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

“Adidas has all the ingredients to be successful. But we need to put our focus back on our core: product, consumers, retail partners, and athletes,” Gulden said. “I am convinced that over time we will make Adidas shine again. But we need some time.”

See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN)

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Immigration Could Be A Solution to Nursing Home Labor Shortages

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98% of nursing homes in the United States are experiencing difficulty hiring staff. 


The Labor Crisis 

A recent National Bureau of Economic Research paper has offered up a solution to the nursing home labor shortage: immigration. 

According to a 2022 American Health Care Association survey, six in ten nursing homes are limiting new patients due to staffing issues. The survey also says that 87% of nursing homes have staffing shortages and 98% are experiencing difficulty hiring. 

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) outlined in their paper that increased immigration could help solve the labor shortage in nursing homes. Immigrants make up 19% of nursing home workers.

With every 10% increase in female immigration, nursing assistant hours go up by 0.7% and registered nursing hours go up by 1.1% And with that same immigration increase, short-term hospitalizations of nursing home residents go down by 0.6%.

The Solution 

Additionally, the State Department issued 145% more EB-3 documents, which are employment-based visas, for healthcare workers in the 2022 fiscal year than in 2019, suggesting that more people are coming to the U.S. to work in health care. 

However, according to Skilled Nursing News, in August of 2022, the approval process from beginning to end for an RN can take between seven to nine months. 

Displeasure about immigration has exploded since Pres. Joe Biden took office in 2021. According to a Gallup study published in February, around 40% of American adults want to see immigration decrease. That is a steep jump from 19% in 2021, and it is the highest the figure has been since 2016.

However, more than half of Democrats still are satisfied with immigration and want to see it increased. But with a divided Congress, the likelihood of any substantial immigration change happening is pretty slim. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (KHN) (Skilled Nursing News)

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