Jackie Robinson Hated America: So Why Do We Celebrate Him?

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Sent: Fri, Feb 1, 2019 6:50 p.m.

Jackie Robinson Turns 100

Daily Debunker

Jackie Robinson Turns 100 Pardon Our Error! Due to a technical mistake, our previous send of today's newsletter featured outdated content. Our apologies.   "As we celebrate Black History Month and Jackie Robinson's 100th birthday, we celebrate the life of all whose courage opened the gates for everybody, and in the process, made America better," tweeted former U.S. President Barack Obama earlier today. Born on 31 January 1919, baseball great Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in the major leagues in the 20th century. At the time he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, professional baseball had been racially segregated for at least 60 years. Robinson went on to inspire millions of other Americans as a civil rights crusader. He would write in his autobiography that he found himself unable to sing the national anthem or salute the flag because "I know that I am a black man in a white world." Read more

Rumor Roundup Baby Killers? Will "red ribbon nurses" kill abandoned babies under a 2019 New York law? Scaremongering over New York's Reproductive Health Act reached fever pitch in January 2019. False A Death in Sweden Was Arminas Pileckas murdered for protecting a Swedish girl from harassment by an immigrant? Complicated cases and issues are often reduced to simple narratives that further political agendas. Unproven Negating Nancy Are police seeking the removal of Nancy Pelosi for treason? An online petition advocating the impeachment of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has garnered more than 100,000 signatures. False Follow the Money Were President Donald Trump's border wall specs designed to benefit a Russian oligarch? A chain message made a series of questionable assertions about Trump's signature border wall and Russian steel magnate Roman Abramovich. False Dressing for Divorce? Do Ghanaians have to wear their wedding clothes to get divorced? "There are numerous curious laws in different countries of the African continent." False

In the News NHL to Celebrate Black History Month for 1st Time There are roughly 20 black players currently on NHL rosters, though one representative said there is strong minority representation at youth levels. Read more New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker Launches 2020 Bid Born in the nation's capital but raised in New Jersey, Booker made a name for himself as Newark mayor by personally shoveling the snow of residents. Read more Trump, Pelosi Remain Far Apart on Border Wall Issue If there's no deal by 15 February, Trump has threatened to revive the shutdown or declare a national emergency. Read more Trump Blames Russia as U.S. Pulls Out from INF Treaty The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, signed in 1987, has been a centerpiece of superpower arms control since the Cold War. Read more U.S. Border Agency Says It's Made Biggest-Ever Fentanyl Bust U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced their biggest fentanyl bust ever, saying they captured nearly 254 pounds of the synthetic drug. Read more

Staff Pick   Did Robert Smalls Steal a Confederate Ship to Rescue Himself and Others from Slavery? A meme accurately recounts the life of a man born into slavery who stole a Confederate ship to rescue fellow slaves, became a war hero, and got elected to the U.S. Congress. Read more

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