America’s violent future

THE BIG STORY

Portland and Kenosha could be America's violent future

You may have noticed that America is in chaos.

Last week, a teenage Trump supporter allegedly shot and killed two people at a Black Lives Matter rally and wounded a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The incident raised a terrifying prospect: What if it is not a horrific one-off but a preview of what's to come?

With the election two months away, the country's divides have grown increasingly dangerous. Speakers at the Republican National Convention warned that the country is spiraling into disorder and chaos. Meanwhile, self-proclaimed militia members have taken to the streets across the country with guns.

Now experts are looking at this question seriously: Could violent clashes erupt after election day? How bad could it get? One expert put it like this: "There's a brewing climate of hostility. Far-right groups have stated their intent to publicly demonstrate with firearms around polling locations or anywhere there is civil strife."

A new kind of tension:

👉 Prosecutors released a timeline of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse shooting three people at a Kenosha protest.

👉 A Kenosha militia Facebook event asking attendees to bring weapons was reported 455 times. Moderators said it didn't violate any rules.

👉 Painters in Kenosha are covering up Black Lives Matter messages with murals about "love" and "unity." As protests and violence upset their city, some white residents are trying to drown out BLM messages with something else.

👉 Facebook employees are outraged at Mark Zuckerberg's explanations of how the company handled the Kenosha violence.

👉 Activists at the March on Washington say Jacob Blake's shooting has reenergized Black Lives Matter protest. They wish it didn't have to.

Kyle Rittenhouse, left, with backwards cap, in Kenosha, Wis., Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, with another armed civilian. Adam Rogan/The Journal Times via AP

STAYING ON TOP OF THIS

Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman has died of colon cancer at 43

Boseman, best known for starring in the beloved blockbuster Black Panther, was diagnosed with cancer four years ago.

A statement posted to the actor's Twitter account said Boseman was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2016, but despite medical treatment, it had progressed to Stage 4. He had never spoken publicly about his diagnosis.

After the announcement of his death, tributes started to pour in. Actors, celebrities, politicians and sports stars mourned Boseman's death.

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler penned a beautiful, emotional statement about Boseman's death.

Chadwick Boseman.

SNAPSHOTS

More than 1,200 students at the University of Alabama have tested positive for coronavirus. The school announced that the students have tested positive in the two weeks since in-person learning for the fall semester began.

Alice Johnson received a full pardon from President Donald Trump. Johnson was released in 2018 after her sentence was commuted by Trump. She received the pardon a day after speaking about her story at the Republican National Convention.

She claimed to fight for survivors of sexual harassment in science, but some say she threatened the movement. Neuroscientist Bethann McLaughlin made headlines for posing on Twitter as an Indigenous professor she later said died of COVID. It was the culmination of a trail of abuse that has shaken a movement.

Two TikTok stars face charges in LA for throwing house parties during the pandemic. Bryce Hall and Blake Gray were warned by Los Angeles police after throwing two parties at their Hollywood Hills home in August.

A SWIPE AT APPLE

Mark Zuckerberg said Apple has a "stranglehold" on your iPhone

At a company-wide meeting, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg took a swing at Apple, calling the iPhone maker's app store monopolistic and harmful to customers.

Zuckerberg said the app store "blocks innovation, blocks competition" and "allows Apple to charge monopoly rents."

On Thursday, Apple refused to allow Facebook to notify people that the iPhone maker would collect 30% of in-app purchases made through a new feature on the Facebook app that lets businesses sell tickets to online events on the platform.

Apple told Facebook that a notification was "irrelevant information," and the social network was forced to scrub the message out of its app before Apple let the feature through.

A HERO'S FAREWELL

Fans are remembering Chadwick Boseman and the iconic Black heroes he played

The outpouring of grief over the death of Chadwick Boseman filled social media, as fans celebrated Boseman and the roles he tooks on. You should spend some time with these tributes. One that really moved me: "Chadwick Boseman is a big reason why our kids don't have to wonder about what a Black superhero is."

Take a moment to show appreciation for someone you admire,

Elamin

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📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Elamin Abdelmahmoud and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.

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