The Mark Riley Show – 09.23.15

- Rare pageantry as president greets Pope at White House. He spoke of immigrants and climate change, and conservatives are going crazy! My kind of Pope!

- Volkswagen test rigging follows a long auto industry pattern. How widespread is the cheating that VW is now being forced to admit? Boss is out, how many other heads will roll?

- Republican lawmaker says inmates key to defeating Corrine Brown. This story from Florida is fascinating because it shows how racism and gerrymandering can come together. BTW, why can’t inmates in the Sunshine State vote, if they’ve paid their debt to society and are keeping their noses clean?

- Starbucks falls short after pledging better labor practices. Think about this the next time you order a grande latte, or whatever you drink from this coffee emporium.

- Judge strikes down New York City’s ban on foam food containers. Judge says foam can be recycled. Really?

- What the summer of Desnudas taught us about tabloids, de Blasio, and who really runs New York. Village Voice piece lays out what a lot of New Yorkers of color have suspected for a long time. Our priorities are not those of tabs, or the wealthy folks they think read their papers.

- Bratton calls for political ownership of J’ouvert festival. Political ownership? What politicians? This could be the end for J’ouvert.

- Kin of cop shooting victims rage: De Blasio has time for James Blake, but not us. Do they have a point? Sounds a lot like some who criticized Obama for inviting Ahmed Mohamed to the White House.

- Carson blames pc culture for backlash over his anti-Muslim remarks. Who is Ben Carson to say certain religions can’t serve as president? It’s blatantly un-American.

- Michigan city to pay $40,000 in settlement after woman was ticketed for having HIV. How do cops like this get on police forces in the first place? Same is true of Seattle cop who falsely arrested black vet for having golf club, which he used as a crutch.