Category: Politics

AOC ‘killing’ this Twitch streamer was easily the best moment of her Among Us stream

“It was an honor!” Pokimane yelled after being killed by Rep. Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez in the Twitch stream.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Representative Ilhan Omar took part in a Twitch stream on Tuesday night.

While this is a sentence that would not have made much sense to me a few years ago, I can tell you now that Ocasio-Cortez and Omar’s stream broke Twitch streaming records, with hundreds of thousands of people tuning in to watch the two play the game Among Us.

To understand what’s about to happen, and why the moment was so great, you need to understand a little bit about Among Us. Among Us is an online multiplayer game that has puzzles and such, but the main point is that there is a group of characters on a spaceship, and two of the characters are “imposters.” They try to sabotage the spaceship, or actually kill the other characters.

The twist to the game is that no one knows who the imposters are, and over the course of an individual game you have to try and figure it out.

So, that sets up this moment with Ocasio-Cortez. She was playing with Rep. Omar and several popular Twitch streamers, and AOC was (in this round) the imposter.

She found herself alone with the Twitch streamer Pokimane, and despite her hesitation … she did it. She killed Poki.

Even better was Pokimane’s reaction when she realized that she had just been murdered by a sitting Congresswoman.

“IT WAS AN HONOR,” Poki yelled, before bowing her head.

Anyway, the entire stream was actually kind of delightful, and now I want to play Among Us. And vote. So mission accomplished.

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Cs coach Brad Stevens joins ‘twin’ Pete Buttigieg rallying Democrats

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens joined look-alike ex-presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg rallying Democrats in battleground states.

If you’ve ever noticed a strong, almost uncanny resemblance between Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens and former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, you’re not alone.

In fact, the likeness of the two is being put to work as Stevens has reportedly agreed to work with Buttigieg to help get out the vote in the 2020 Elections, according to Boston.com’s Nik DeCosta-Klipa.

The pair — both natives of the state of Indiana, for an added wrinkle of weirdness — worked with Buttigieg’s “Win the Era” political action committee to put together the event that will see Stevens advocate for Democrats in battleground states.

“Since people have pointed out Brad and Pete’s strong resemblance, they thought it would be fun to collaborate on an event together in service of getting out the vote,” related Win the Era spokesperson Sean Savett to DeCosta-Klipa.

Stevens has never been especially overtly political in his career, but has grown increasingly vocal about ethical and social issues since the start of the pandemic.

He has been particularly supportive of his players and team in their initiatives for social and racial justice, and to improve voter turnout in general.

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Jayson Tatum was challenged by Michelle Obama to form a ‘voting squad’

Boston Celtics All-NBA swingman Jayson Tatum was challenged by former First Lady Michelle Obama to form his own #VotingSquad .

Boston Celtics All-NBA small forward Jayson Tatum was challenged on Twitter by former First Lady Michelle Obama to form a “voting squad” of three people to collectively “make a plan to vote, and challenge three people to do it, too.”

Tatum was part of a diverse group of famous individuals invited to do so by the former First Lady including rappers L.L. Cool J, Fat Joe and Big Sean as well as actress Issa Rae, actor Billy Porter and several other celebrities.

Of course, the recent first-time All-Star accepted.

He responded in a tweet of his own, mentioning both his parents, the Celtics, and several others; “Challenge accepted [Michelle Obama]. You already know I have my [voting squad] and we have our plan to vote!! Grab YOUR squad, make a plan and VOTE TOGETHER!”

The Boston Celtics, the NBA and now Jayson Tatum have taken an active role in promoting the importance of voting ahead of the federal elections this November.

With early voting already open in many states, such public service announcements are an important part of the push to make sure all U.S. citizens voices are heard equally at the polls.

That Tatum has joined the league and his team in that effort can only help in that effort.

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Former Celtic center Shaq admits he’d never voted until this election

Former Boston Celtics big man Shaquille O’Neal revealed he’s voted for the first time in his 48 years of life this election.

Former Boston Celtics big man Shaquille O’Neal has done a lot of things since joining the league that would make him a household name three decades ago.

He’s become an NBA champion and MVP; a successful rap artist and disc jockey; appeared in films and television; earned a doctorate in education and worked as a reserve officer with the Los Angeles police.

He’s conducted the Boston Pops in concert (and gave fellow Celtic alumni Tacko Fall advice on how to do the same), tried his hand at pro wrestling and been a character in multiple video games.

He’s built a business empire apart from basketball, and even produced public service announcements to promote voting with rising Celtics star Jayson Tatum.

But at 48 years old, until this election, he’d never voted — not even once.

Speaking on a recent episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” the former Boston big came clean.

“You know I always like being honest on my podcast. I’ve never voted before, America,” O’Neal related. “But, now I’m doing all these voting campaigns, and you know one thing I never like to do is be a hypocrite. In other words, America, I voted for the first time, and it feels good.”

Citing the Electoral College — and Hillary Clinton losing the election despite winning the popular vote — as an example of why he hadn’t previously cast a vote, Shaq explained it wasn’t a valid excuse nonetheless.

Helping to get Fani Willis elected district attorney for Atlanta, Georgia and getting involved in races for sheriff for several friends helped change O’Neal’s feelings about the electoral process.

Regardless of our individual political beliefs, free and fair elections with safe and secure access are our best tool for building a future that represents us all.

So, be sure to make your voice heard along with Shaq’s and the rest of your fellow citizens in this November’s election.

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Celtics Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum feature in new NBPA voting PSA

Star Boston Celtics wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are part of a new Public Service Announcement encouraging people to vote.

“Silence is violence” reads the shirt sported by Boston Celtics All-NBA small forward Jayson Tatum in the clip below, designed by Philadelphia Union midfielder Warren Creavalle.

Tatum, in fact, is the first face you see in the National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) public service announcement “We stand because we have to” that was released Friday in conjunction with the Black Players for Change (BPC) to encourage people to vote in the coming election.

The video included teammate Jaylen Brown and fellow NBPA members Malcolm Brogdon, Andre Iguodala, Austin Rivers as well as a number of BPC members, and was created “to keep social justice and racial equality at the forefront of the conversation heading into the upcoming election” according to the NBPA.

“We are honored to collaborate with our brothers in the NBPA in the struggle for racial equality and human rights,” shared BPC Executive Director Justin Morrow.

“Our hope is the messaging in the video will resonate with all those standing shoulder to shoulder with us as we do our part to make change,” he added.

“We stand with our brothers from Black Players for Change as a reminder that we will not forget about the victims of police brutality and racial injustice and we will not stop fighting for change,” related NBPA President Chris Paul. “We urge everyone to fight with us, and use their vote to make a difference in this coming election.”

Both Brown and Tatum have taken an increasingly active role in such initiatives, the former in particular taking a hands-on approach to the Boston Celtics United initiative, as well as in Brown’s role as one of several Vice Presidents of the NBPA.

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Brad Stevens wants you to vote; ‘this election is really important’

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has no qualms about telling you that you should vote in this coming election.

One of the cornerstones of the NBA restart at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex has been the commitment to the pursuit of racial justice agreed to by the league and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), and a push to get players and fans alike registered to vote has been no small part of that commitment.

And the Celtics have played a big role in such initiatives, including incorporating such efforts into the “Boston Celtics United” project, a decade-long, $25 million plan to support a number of racial and social justice interventions.

Asked if he would be comfortable discussing his own interest in such initiatives to get people to the polls this fall, Boston head coach Brad Stevens opened up.

“I’m totally comfortable with that,” he began. “My wife was a political science studies person in college and from that point on, I’ve taken a great interest in politics.”

“Obviously, this election is really important, and it means a great deal to us. But also, I think that it’s really important to the guys [on the team]. And I think that encouraging everybody to use their voice to vote is really important, and so I’m glad that the NBA is taking that stand.”

I’m glad that the Coaches Association has pushed that, and I’m happy to be a part of lending my voice to that, if that can turn out so many more people, or one more person,” he noted, “and that’s really important.”

An understated man, Stevens is not prone to exaggeration — and we underscore Stevens point.

This election is really important.

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Stevens: Voter registration key to ‘Boston Celtics United’ initiative

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens talked about voter registration on the day dedicated to raising awareness on the subject.

On Tuesday — National Voter Registration Day — Boston Celtics head Coach Brad Stevens was asked about the the team’s individual statuses as registered voters.

Stevens seized on the inquiry as an opportunity to talk about Boston Celtics United, the decade-long, $25 million pledge to address racial injustice and social inequality in the greater Boston area the Celtics committed to earlier in the month.

The program, which focuses on “issues that have impacted the Black community as a result of the nation’s long-term history of systemic racism,” according to an article published by the team, identifies a number of key areas of interventions to improve local conditions, voting a principle one of them.

“Part of our rollout that we had a few weeks ago [of Boston Celtics United], the voting initiatives [are] one of our pillars of that,” explained the Celtics coach.

“We started on the Celtics.com voter registration area that was connected with When We all Vote. And we presented that to our team a few weeks ago during the pause, and then we all worked together to make sure we were all registered ourselves and make sure we’re all set. We realized that it’s extremely important [to] continue to talk about to make sure each of our voices are all heard in this election, not only the presidential, but in every other part of it.”

“And I think that that’s something that’s really important,” he added.

“We’ve … spent a lot of time talking about [voter registration],” noted Stevens.

“I was in the meeting with a couple of players in the ownership group where the different voting initiatives were discussed; it may be an even more intense level than we have before. And it’s a huge emphasis with this league, a huge emphasis with the leaders of this league, and we make sure we’re doing our part.”

Given that voting — and the ability to do so freely and safely — should be a non-partisan issue that undergirds our democracy, it stands to reason that an informed citizenry’s best tool for change is their vote.

Kudos to the Celtics for their support of this most vital part of our civil society — without it, lasting change would be so much harder to make.

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Boston’s Jaylen Brown supports George Floyd bill for police reform

Boston Celtics star forward Jaylen Brown supports the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020.

While it might appear to an outsider that there’s been a bit of slippage on the racial and social justice commitment component to the NBA’s restarted season in the Disney bubble, a lot of work has been going on in the background, too.

One example of this is the Boston Celtics’ recently-announced creation of “Boston Celtics United”, a $25 million plan to combat racial inequity and promote social justice in six key areas, which include educational, economic, criminal justice, social unity and voting and civic engagement interventions paid for by the fund.

“It’s a great monetary commitment,” Brown said of the plan, which he was consulted for.

“I think just having the right balance of long and short-term change [is needed],” he added. “A lot of time the response is, ‘Change happens over time, it takes this amount of years. I think there’s some things in our wheelhouse that can be changed right now.”

“And part of that is just pushing some things,” noted Brown.

“One thing I would like to see in Boston is the George Floyd bill enacted,” offered the Georgia native.

This legislation — formally known as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2020 — was created to fight police misconduct, excessive force, and racial discrimination at the hands of law enforcement.

“Having conversations about police, qualified immunity and things like that — some things just need to be held accountable, and hopefully Boston can be a place where a tone is set and it can be transported in other places and other cities that need [it] the most.”

How is his new home city doing in regards to such matters, in Brown’s opinion?

“I think Boston is doing a good job of moving in the right direction,” suggested the Cal-Berkeley product.

“But there’s definitely some things that need to be changed, and some companies, some organizations that can be diversified, some opportunities that people of color can have that aren’t necessarily getting those chances, and just continue to move in the right direction.”

And while the city of Boston has earned its reputation as one of the most racially problematic in the northeast, it’s far from alone in needing to make changes to better support its Black and brown citizenry.

Surprising to many non-fans, the Celtics’ initiative is not a new commitment to racial equity — it’s a long-standing tenet of the organization.

The first Black player drafted, the first Black coach of a major North American sport in the modern era, the home of one of the most outspoken champions of civil rights in one Bill Russell.

Anti-racism is undeniably part of the franchise’s DNA, whatever you want to believe about its fanbase.

“I’m proud to be a part of the Celtics organization,” said Brown.

“I’m proud to have a ownership group or a leadership group as willing to take these steps because they recognize that we need to live in a better, more progressive world. And I’m happy that they asked my input as a 23 year old, coming from disadvantaged communities, and having a certain perspective being here in Boston, growing up in Atlanta and going to school in California-Berkeley.”

“I’m just happy that the mindsets are shifting, and hopefully we can continue this and make this a long-term commitment, as well as the short term.”

We’re proud to have a brilliant mind like Jaylen’s fighting for what’s right on this roster.

He’s pretty good at that basketball stuff, too.

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Kemba Walker speaks on voting importance; lauds NBA pro-voting efforts

Boston Celtics starting point guard Kemba Walker discussed the importance of voting with the media after practice on Monday.

As media and players alike witnessed the historic work stoppage sparked by the Milwaukee Bucks’ protest after the shooting of Jacob Blake last week, voting registration and rights pushes sponsored by the NBA, National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and individual players have taken a prominent place in conversations about the league.

Monday’s post-practice media availability session for the Boston Celtics was no exception, as starting point guard Kemba Walker was asked about how important voting was for him when he was a young adult of 18 or 19 years.

The UConn product — at that age, still suiting up for the Huskies in Storrs, Connecticut — was honest in his response.

“To be honest, I didn’t know,” he began. “We don’t really know how important it is, especially at that age.”

“Where I’m from, nobody talks about going [to vote]. Nobody in school; they did not [tell] us to go out and vote. I can see why a lot of young kids haven’t voted in their lives, because that’s not something you see or hear about. So, I just commend my peers, man. These guys [are] special, special people.

[Chris Paul], [Andre] Iguodala, my brother Jaylen Brown, just to name a few. These guys are using their platform to a whole other level, and trying to help everyone around the world. ‘Get out there and vote’; it’s a very important message.”

“As a league, we’re trying to pass that message along,” he added.”

Asked what got him in the voting booth for the first time, Walker didn’t hesitate.

“Obama. No question — that’s it. I felt like he was the guy for the job, [and] obviously, he’s an African-American guy,” noted the Bronx native.

“I went to see him in office,” he added, humbly glossing over the wild NCAA postseason ride that vaulted him into national prominence — and a trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — after Connecticut won the national championship in 2011 ahead of Obama’s re-election bid in 2012.

While most of us won’t have a visit to the Oval Office to inspire us to get out and vote, we absolutely need to. No matter who you support or what you believe, if you don’t get out and vote, our future will be the worse for it.

And for those of us in Massachusetts, don’t forget the primaries are today!

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Jayson Tatum thinks voter turnout in the US is a ‘big problem’

Boston’s Jayson Tatum is please with how the NBA has helped increase access to voting as an outcome of the Milwaukee Bucks’ protest.

Voting rights and access has been one of the biggest areas NBA players focused their efforts in securing the NBA’s and team owners’ help as a condition of ending Wednesday’s work stoppage sparked by the Milwaukee Bucks’ protest.

Asked about why it was so important to players, Boston Celtics All-Star swingman Jayson Tatum gave a very straightforward reply.

“Voting is at the top, just understand and look at the numbers,” he explained. “How many people didn’t vote that would qualify to vote in the last election?”

“The percent of NBA players that didn’t vote or aren’t even registered to vote — that’s a big problem. Voter suppression is something that’s real; us trying to open up the arenas for voting booths is a big thing. Because, you understand, that a lot of times in Black and brown communities, people have to wait 30 [minutes] to an hour, hour and a half to vote, which is extremely inconvenient, [and]where in other communities that’s just not the case.”

“So, just using our resources to get more access,” he added, “just to raise awareness for some people.”

Tatum isn’t just making up figures here; they are backed up by science, with most Black and brown communities tending to take longer — sometimes egregiously so — than majority white communities.

And while he didn’t mention it, with an ongoing pandemic, the large, open spaces of arenas may also make a safer place to vote.

In the end, the Bucks’ unplanned decision to protest Game 5 ended up securing increased voting access — and while it may have ruffled some feathers in the process, the outcome is more than worth the confusion it caused.

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