A Florida professor who cited “black privilege” among several controversial posts about race amid the national protests over George Floyd’s death is being investigated over the messages, school officials said.

Recent tweets on the personal account of Charles Negy — a University of Central Florida associate psychology professor and author of “White Shaming: Bullying Based on Prejudice, Virtue-Signaling and Ignorance” — were being evaluated by school officials Thursday after students and alumni called for his ouster.

“Being actively anti-racist means calling out and confronting racist comments,” UCF said in a statement Thursday. “We are aware of Charles Negy’s recent personal Twitter posts, which are completely counter to UCF’s values.”

Officials at the public university in Orlando were reviewing the matter while “being mindful of the First Amendment,” the statement continued.

In separate tweets Wednesday, Negy cited “black privilege” in one, while directly comparing African Americans and Asian Americans in another.

“Black privilege is real: Besides affirm. action, special scholarships and other set asides, being shielded from legitimate criticism is a privilege,” Negy tweeted. “But as a group, they’re missing out on much needed feedback.”

In another, Negy tweeted: “Sincere question: If Afr. Americans as a group, had the same behavioral profile as Asian Americans (on average, performing the best academically, having the highest income, committing the lowest crime, etc.), would we still be proclaiming ‘systemic racism’ exists?”

The professor’s tweets were protected as of Thursday afternoon, meaning users had to request access from him to view his posts.

Negy, meanwhile, acknowledged Thursday that his views are controversial, but insisted he’s protected by the First Amendment, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

“That’s the potential beauty of it,” he wrote the newspaper in an email.

Negy joined UCF in 1998 after earning his doctorate from Texas A&M University, according to his university webpage. He told the Sentinel he was unsure if UCF launched a formal investigation into his posts, although he insisted he wasn’t worried about its possible outcome.

“[Administrators know] that despite how unpopular some of my views are with some folks, they must actively protect the U.S. Constitution’s free speech,” Negy told the newspaper.

In addition to people calling for Negy’s firing with a #UCFfirehim hashtag on Twitter, more than 2,800 people have signed an online petition for him to be let go as of Thursday.

via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/04/ucf-professor-under-investigation-for-black-privilege-tweets/

Photo Credit: twitter

The owner of a well-known popcorn maker in Michigan has been forced to sell back his business following a social media firestorm over his comments that appeared to support police brutality, according to reports.

Evan Singer is “no longer affiliated with or employed” by the Detroit Popcorn Company following a since-deleted comment posted on a Facebook profile under the pseudonym Even Sangria, the Detroit Press reports.

“They wonder why they need knee’s in there necks,” the comment read.

The company’s former owner, David Farber, is now taking back the reins after selling it to Singer some 18 months ago, the newspaper reports.

“I was very disheartened and disappointed in what Mr. Singer wrote on Facebook,” Farber said in a news release. “I don’t tolerate racism in any form, ever … Mr. Singer disrespected our community, customers, and employees.”

Farber said the comment — which led to boycott calls and lost accounts — prompted him to “buy back” the company, which remains closed as a sale of the 97-year-old business is in the works.

The Detroit Zoo and Quicken Loans also ended their relationships with the firm after Singer’s post, the Free Press reports.

The company’s website bills itself as Michigan’s top provider of popcorn, as well as concession equipment and related supplies.

Farber, who originally bought the company in 2006 and revamped the business, said Singer was not in default and he is now pursuing a sale to black investors, he told the newspaper.

“It’s my name, it’s a company I built,” Farber said. “What he said, you can’t say that, ever.”

The Facebook account named “Even Sangria” was linked to Singer, the Detroit News reports.

Singer, for his part, acknowledged making the comment during an interview with WJBK.

“I said something that I shouldn’t have and I regret saying that now, but it had nothing to do with race,” Singer told the station.

Singer said his remarks were in response to video of a Target being destroyed and not connected to the May 25 of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis, which sparked protests against police brutality nationwide.

“And as a business owner, it was extremely upsetting to see that,” Singer said. “My wife and family is being threatened over Facebook over a post that someone saw that had nothing to [do] what they’re even making it out to be.”

via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/03/detroit-popcorn-company-sold-after-owners-floyd-comments/

Photo Credit: Detroit Popcorn Company

A San Antonio family and their two cats were found dead in an SUV parked in their garage Thursday, local police said.

The bodies of the husband and wife and their four young children — ages 11 months to 4 years — were discovered in the vehicle along with their cats in a basket as police conducted a welfare check at the residence.

Authorities arrived at the home around 10:30 a.m. Thursday, finding a note on the front door with military jargon and a cryptic message, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said.

An officer interpreted the note to read “bodies or people inside of the home, animals were in the freezer, and do not enter,” according to McManus.

Police entered the home to a strong noxious odor that was later identified as carbon monoxide, but officers, fearing explosives were inside, backed off and called EMS. Police used a robot to sweep the residence before clearing it of explosives and entering the garage to find the grisly scene.

“There’s no words can describe it,” McManus said of making the discovery.

The husband and wife were both in their 30s and they were a “military family,” McManus said. They had moved into the home in the Stone Oak neighborhood in January, though neighbors told police they “never saw them” out and about, according to McManus.

Police were still investigating a motive Thursday night and the identities of the family had not been revealed.

Cops were first alerted that something was off by the husband’s employer. He had been working from home and was required to call into work every morning.

He had called on Wednesday, but not on Thursday, and after repeated attempts to reach him, the employer alerted police, McManus said.

“So it happened sometime overnight, I’m guessing, based on the timeframe of everything,” he said.

McManus said authorities will be hunting through the residence for clues into the night.

“This is just the very beginning of the investigation,” McManus said. “Although it appears to be a suicide, there’ll be a lot of combing through the house to find any evidence they can of what happened in greater detail.”

via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/05/san-antonio-family-of-six-found-dead-in-their-suv-in-apparent-suicide/

Photo Credit: nypost.com

ST. LOUIS – Police have arrested a St. Louis homeowner who shot and injured a would-be burglar trying to steal copper.

The man was alerted by his alarm company to the break-in at his rental property located on Beacon Avenue near West Florissant around 3:00 a.m. Wednesday.

When he returned to the home he found the suspected thief inside his basement. He shot and wounded the suspect.

The homeowner was then arrested because police say he’s a convicted felon who was in possession of a handgun.

The injured man was taken to the hospital, where his condition is unknown. Police did not release the name of the injured man or the homeowner.

via: https://fox2now.com/news/st-louis-homeowner-who-shot-burglar-is-arrested-for-being-a-felon-with-gun/

Photo Credit: fox2now.com

More than 400 people were awaiting arraignment in Manhattan criminal court Tuesday afternoon for allegedly looting stores Monday night — and most will likely be cut loose without bail because of the state law passed earlier this year, a court spokesperson said.

By 4 p.m., a majority of the 400 people arrested were awaiting arraignment and most will be hit with a felony burglary charge for which bail cannot be set, meaning they will be released, New York State Court spokesperson Lucian Chalfen said in an email.

Chalfen added Manhattan criminal court was operating two arraignment parts Tuesday afternoon and night to process the paperwork of the hundreds arrested.

In an interview with The Post earlier Tuesday, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan lamented that most of the looters arrested Monday night and early Tuesday morning would be “back out.”

“But when it comes to a burglary, which is a commercial store, which is looting, they’re back out,” he said.

“Because of bail reform, you’re back out on the street the next day. You cannot be held on any sort of bail. I spoke to (Manhattan District Attorney) Cy Vance about that. He told me there was nothing he could do,” he added.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said at a press conference Tuesday morning that about 700 people were arrested during widespread looting in Manhattan and the Bronx.

In the chaos, looters ransacked dozens of stores in Midtown Manhattan, including Macy’s flagship shop at Herald Square.

via: https://nypost.com/2020/06/02/hundreds-of-nyc-looters-to-be-cut-loose-without-bail/

Photo Credit: Robert Mecea