Tuesday, June 30, 2020

The virus is still here, and BountyGate heats up.

TWEET MEIf you thought that we were winning the war against COVID-45 think again. The virus isn't quite finished with us just yet. There are spikes in new infection rates everywhere, and Houston is looking like New York did a couple of months ago. 

Remember when the president said that the virus would go away by summer, and that it would all soon be a thing of the past? Well he was wrong. Mr. trump is learning that when it comes to this virus he can't just run a con and gaslight us like he does with everything else. This is real. People are dying.

The scary thing about all of this is that the virus has somehow become politicized. If you wear a mask in public spaces to protect yourself and others, you are a bleeding heart liberal who doesn't respect the right of Americans to kill themselves under the guise of freedom. Mr. trump's supporters are taking a lead from their leader and refusing to wear masks because it is somehow not the American thing to do in their minds. 

The governors of Texas and Florida were both in that camp, but now, after a surge of new infections in their respective states, they are singing a different tune. This is what happens when you listen to a con man masquerading as a politician (although one could argue that they are one and the same) instead of actual scientist.  

Finally, remember when the right made a cottage industry out of Benghazi? I mean you couldn't go a minute without hearing or reading about what a terrible person Hillary Clinton was because it happened on her watch as head of the state department. Well, not to be outdone, Mr. trump now has a scandal of his own that could make Benghazi look like child's play. 

 " Lawmakers on both sides the aisle in Washington want answers on new explosive reporting that a Russian spy unit paid the Taliban to attack U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan.

The New York Times first reported that American intelligence officials have determined a Russian military unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing coalition forces, including targeting American troops. The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post also reported on the Kremlin's effort to orchestrate attacks on Western troops.

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., called for the Senate to vote on new sanctions against Russia.

RUSSIAN SPY UNIT PAID TALIBAN TO ATTACK US TROOPS, US INTELLIGENCE SAYS

"If Trump refuses to hold Putin accountable for funding terrorism against US troops in Afghanistan, then Congress must again step up," tweeted Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said it's "imperative" to get answers and urged the Trump administration to tell Congress what it knows about Russia's efforts to pay bounties to kill American soldiers.

"I expect the Trump Administration to take such allegations seriously and inform Congress immediately as to the reliability of these news reports," Graham, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tweeted.

The Times reported that President Trump and the White House's National Security Council were briefed on Russia's bounty rewards in late March. They discussed an appropriate response, ranging from making a diplomatic complaint to Moscow and economic sanctions, but the White House had not yet authorized a response.

The White House, however, said Saturday that Trump was not briefed on the alleged Russian bounty intelligence, but didn't confirm or deny the underlying reporting that Russia was giving out rewards to attack U.S. soldiers."  [Source]  

Mr. trump, as it turns out, was briefed, but it was a written one. This of course is problematic, because learning the brief would require reading. And sadly, as we all know, reading is almost as hard for him to do as it is to drink a glass of water.  






Friday, June 26, 2020

100 reasons.

TWEET METhese might be the last days of Donald trump. The way things are going  he just might resign before November. The guy hates to take an L, and it's looking more and more like one is in his future. (Although here is a caveat to my prediction: Mr. trump is not down double digits as all these polls suggests. The race is a lot closer than folks think. Remember, a large percentage of people who vote for trump will not admit it to pollsters.)   

Anyway, we all know now that he shouldn't have been elected in the first place. Americans thought they were being funny by sending him to Washington, and now I am sure that most of them are regretting it. I mean folks are literally losing their lives because of his incompetence.

 I am not sure who is worse, trump, or the elected officials who are supposed to be looking out for the American people who enable him. 

The following article in Bulwark from Amanda Carpenter lays out 100 reasons why Mr. trump is unfit to be president of these now divided states of America.

"Part of the mad genius of Donald J. Trump is that he never runs from scandals. He just creates more of them. So many more that anyone attempting to track them all risks becoming numb as a survival mechanism.

A collective amnesia sets in. We ask ourselves, “Do you remember that time when Trump got impeached, said that super-racist thing, cozied up to dictators, threatened our elections, or oh, whatever that was?”

Well, we at The Bulwark do. Yes, it can be hard to keep up. We all need reminders. So, lest anyone forget or require convincing, here’s a non-exhaustive list of 100 reasons Donald Trump is unfit to be president." {Read here} 

The scary thing about this is that I could probably think of 100 more.

h/t to my sister for sending me this article. 

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Caption Tuesday.

Image result for trump two hands water images

I need a caption for this picture.

Image from You Tube/ World News.  

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Black Lives Matter (too)

TWEET MEFrom a marketing standpoint Black Lives Matter Too probably would have made more sense. Of course, when you are busy struggling for equal justice and fighting for your civil rights, you don't think about the marketing aspect of your rallying cry too much .

Many of the folks in the majority population view the phrase black lives matter as declaring that ONLY black lives matter. They believe that somehow when you say that black lives matter you are saying that other lives don't matter as well. Of course nothing could be further from the truth. 

All lives matter has become a counter to the phrase, black lives matter, and it's a huge straw man. Of course all lives do matter, it's just that given what has been happening to black lives of late, we have to remind America that black lives matter as well. It seems like such a low bar. All we are saying is that black lives matter, that's it. Not that black lives are somehow superior to white (or any other) lives. 

The vice president of the United States refused to even say the phrase. When pressed it took him almost five tortured minutes to explain why he couldn't say it. Something about all lives being precious in the eyes of God, and to single out black lives would be wrong. There is that straw man again. What's sad is that you just know that Mr. Pence knows better, but given the politics of the day, and his need to pander to Mr. trump's white base, saying that black lives matter would be political suicide. 

Finally, though, it seems that the rest of America is catching on, and more and more mainstream outlets are starting to use the phrase. We can thank the moment we are living in for that. Of course who knows how long it will last.

Let's hope that the straw man can be put away with for good, and that the real meaning of the phrase will be understood by all. 

Yes, even Mike Pence.

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Is America's anti- racism moment just a fad?

TWEET METhese are interesting times in America. All of a sudden the Black Lives Matter movement is relevant, and white America is having a coming to Jesus moment when it comes to racism. Corporations are all becoming woke (RIP Aunt Jemima), institutions are all scrambling to show that they are not racist, black employees are finally speaking out, and everyone is looking for a black friend. Heck even republican senators are decrying racism and trying to find ways to tackle institutional racism. Juneteenth is being declared a holiday by at least one major city, and employers, not to be left out of this new found wokeness, were giving their African American employees June 19th off with pay.

It's amazing what a video of a man being killed by someone under the color of title can do for the national psyche. White Americans watched what black folks have been telling them have been going on all along, and were shocked. They took to the streets to join their black brothers and sisters in protest, and the country has not been the same since.

I have to wonder, though, is this just another passing fad? How serious are we as Americans about making real change when it comes to racism. Racism, after all, cannot be legislated away. It lies in the heart, and in order to really do away with racism, you have to change the heart of the racist. I personally do not believe that will happen, so rather than trying to do that, we have to change how many of these institutions deal with matters of race, and dismantle institutional racism where we find it.

It's nice to see the new found consciousness from Americans, but Americans tend to like to jump on the latest fad. So, like tight jeans and reality television shows, this all too might pass.

We will see.


 

Sunday, June 14, 2020

Sunday thoughts.

TWEET MEI have some thoughts on this Sunday--- the day the hashtag #ObamaDay is trending on twitter. Something about it coinciding with the birthday of the guy occupying the White House from his bunker now.

First, the police officers in Atlanta who answered that call at the Wendy's South of the city must not have been watching the news for the past few weeks. What on God's green earth would cause you to shoot a fleeing suspect in the back? And with cell phone cameras rolling no less. My Lord! I shudder to think what was happening before these cell-phone cameras became a thing.

Please watch Dave Chappelle's new comedy special to understand the depth of black rage right now. 

And let me get this out of the way before I continue. I know some good police officers, most of them are people of color, and they have a tough job working these mean streets of Philadelphia. A lot of them are frustrated and want to quit the force. I would urge them not to. Now, more than ever, we need them to stay on and counter the behavior of the bad apples in their ranks. Especially the ones who sign up for all the wrong reasons, and are carrying around their biases against black folks and other people of color.

Which brings me to my second point: No one wants to defund police departments. That is short-sighted and foolhardy. Ask poor people living in the hood if they want to get rid of police departments via defunding. The answer will most assuredly be no. What we do want is the resources that police departments receive to be utilized in different ways. More and better screening and training of recruits. More community oversight agencies with well-intentioned folks running them. More resources for counseling,etc. And more incentives for good officers who step up and do the right thing.

My third point is the protests and unrest all over the country, and the clueless man in the White House who is hell- bent on starting a race war because he believes that this is the only way he will win reelection.

How else do you explain his coming out rally being held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and his initial wish to hold it on June 19th? For you white folks who don't know, this day is celebrated by black folks because on June 19, 1865 slaves became officially free in Texas. I know, I know, it's two years after the Emancipation Proclamation but that's a different story for another time. Anyway, Mr. trump finally moved the date of his rally but it is still being held in Tulsa. Most black folks think that is even more significant, because Tulsa has a history when  it comes to race riots. If you didn't know about it already, now might be a good time to look up the Tulsa Massacres. 

And then, incredibly, he does it again. Mr. trump will give his acceptance speech on Ax Handle Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida. Please take the time to Google what happened on that date in Jacksonville, Florida. Here, I will make it easy for you and give you a link. If you are paying attention, Mr. trump is two for two with his dog whistle to his racist friends.

Finally, speaking of Mr. trump. Remember when the news media made a big deal about Hillary's health during the campaign? I do. So I have to wonder: Why are they so quiet when it comes to Mr. trump's obvious issues with his health and his cognitive abilities? Did you see him walk down that ramp at West Point yesterday? Please take the time to watch the video. Even if you are trump supporter (heck, especially if you are a trump supporter) you have to be concerned. It was painful to watch. Clearly there is something wrong with the man. Of course the main stream media is refusing to talk about it, and you have to wonder why.

And can we talk about the two handed water bottle hold for a minute? WTF was that all about? Who uses two hands to hold a bottle of water like that? Honestly, if the water bottle fiasco doesn't worry you, well then you might have some serious issues as a trump cultist.

I have to wonder now what that quick and unscheduled hospital visit back in November was all about. Hmmm. They can cover up a lot of things, but given how much trump loves a photo op they won't be able to cover up his health issues forever. You can lie to us when he has his physical check- ups (if he weighs 235 pounds I am dating Emayatzy Corinealdi), but our eyes don't lie. We can see the physical deterioration and loss of cognitive abilities as plain as day.   

That's all my Sunday thoughts for today, folks.

Stay safe out there.

 

Thursday, June 11, 2020

The letter.

TWEET MEI saw this letter and I wanted to share it with my well meaning white friends who want to feel like they have a role to play in our struggle.

It was written by a young lady of color to her now former white friend. 

"Dear Former White Friend, 

I hope this letter finds you well. In fact, based on your Instagram posts, I know it will. Congratulations on your engagement, trips to Vegas, and margarita brunches. They sure look fun. 

You’re someone who I once knew quite well, someone I would’ve called a close friend. We went to school together, and we used to work together. You used to stay at my house every weekend, where my Black family fed you, cared for you, and loved you like one of our own. You cried into my arms when your boyfriend dumped you and you were certain you would never love again. You confided in me about your mental health issues and thanked me when I helped you find a therapist. I remember the time I slept in your guest room after a fight with my parents, or when you stayed up all night to help me study for that AP exam, or when you held my hair after I got too sick in college.

We haven’t seen much of each other in recent years. It may seem out of the blue, then, that I’m writing to you, but I have a question I’m hoping you’ll answer: do you believe Black lives matter

It seems like the sort of question a Black woman should not have to ask her friends, whether past or present. I would like to assume that anyone who was close to me would believe in the basic rights of Black people like myself. Yet, over the years, through all your Facebook and Instagram posts about CrossFit and Cabo San Lucas, I have noticed the distinct absence of any comments on the prolific murders of Black people in America. Not just noticed, felt. You have gone through the trouble of documenting each of your breakfasts, but you have never documented your outrage at the men and women who are lynched in the streets. 

You may be thinking that by no means does your silence indicate a denial of my human right to exist. You may simply not like politics or reading the news, and think that participating in the discourse of the day is not fun. If this is the case, I envy you.

I envy your blind confidence, your total assurance that no matter the law, uprising, or murder, nothing in the news is worth speaking out on, as it will likely not impact your white life. What bliss it must be to be so sure of your place in the world.  

Maybe, somehow, you forgot that I am Black. You did say that you don’t see color; you just prefer to date only white guys. You said I don’t act like what you believe Black people act like; I speak so eloquently, I love indie music, I read Jane Austen. But I will remind you now that I am Black. That my family is. That my grandparents were terrorized in their own hometowns. That my ancestors picked cotton until blood ran red from their fingers. That people who look like me lived and died against their will to make life easier for people like you. Their lives did not matter in America. They were three-fifths a man. They were commodities. They were disposable. So do you think I am disposable, too? Is that why you will not say Black lives matter? 

You may be thinking that I’ve gotten too radical. Maybe you miss the old me, the one who went along with your jokes. The one who you used to call Collardgreenisha and LaQuesha because you saw those names in a YouTube video and thought they were funny, even though she asked you to stop. The one whose skin you loved to touch and whose ass you would grope under her clothes even when she would pull away. The one who you said the n-word in front of that one time by accident, but she totally forgave you, right? You must have gotten sick of this new me, who is always posting about politics. This new me doesn’t go along with the jokes. She’s no fun. It is no fun to stand for Black lives.

I am fine with us not being friends anymore, truly; being friends with someone who denies Blackness is exhausting. I am happy to no longer be your Black doll, posable and able to fit into your white life, and tossed to the bottom of your toy bin when you got bored. Have you heard of James Baldwin? He wrote, the white world is too powerful, too complacent, too ready with gratuitous humiliation, and, above all, too ignorant and too innocent.” He was right. Therefore, this letter is not an invitation for friendship. This letter is a request. This letter is a plea. This letter is a tombstone. 

We will never be friends again, but I am certain you will meet more Black people. I am certain you know them now. They may seem to be fine. They may smile. They may still comment on your posts. They may still be coming to Zoom brunch next week.

But they are a placid sea concealing a riptide. They are infected with a terror, anger, and numbness that can only be contracted from the experience of being Black in America. They hear your silence. They hear that you have not said that you believe their lives matter. They are not fine.

But they are a placid sea concealing a riptide. They are infected with a terror, anger, and numbness that can only be contracted from the experience of being Black in America. They hear your silence. They hear that you have not said that you believe their lives matter. They are not fine.

Writing this letter makes me angry. I’m angry that you, who had as much choice in your birth, appearance, and hair texture as I did, will never have to write a letter like this. You will never question if your life matters. You will never wonder what it would be like to meet someone who still, decades later, believes you are really only three-fifths of a person. You will never know the terror of getting a phone call that your brother was harassed by the police in front of your childhood home. You will never feel the humiliation of being called the n-word on your morning subway commute.

But I am not allowed to be angry here. Not in America. I must be calm instead—otherwise I will scare you, and you may call the police. 

You may never say Black lives matter. Maybe it is for the reasons I have already said, or maybe it is because, deep inside of you, in places you do not dare to acknowledge, you do not truly believe Black lives matter. Even still, I will not let my heart harden to you, although I want to. I want to let it crystalize with rage, to let it toughen into something impenetrable. But I must let my heart be permeable and transparent—not for your sake, but mine. I will let my inherent need and desire to be acknowledged and be seen by all. I will allow a vulnerability that is only possible when my heart is free of parasitic hatred. And I will know, with blind assurance, that I matter. That we matter. 

It is with that that I once again ask you: will you say Black lives matter? 

Sincerely, 

Your Former Black Friend" [Link]

Powerful stuff. But if you really want to understand and relate to our struggle, you have to try to understand this letter. 

Stay safe everybody. 

 

Sunday, June 07, 2020

Are Americans finally fed up with their Con- man- In -Chief?

  • Image result for bible trump image upside down protest
There are mass protests going on all over the country in support of racial justice, and we are all left to wonder if ten years from now we will be right back where we started. I mean haven't we been down this road before? It seems that America is always struggling with her racial demons. 

This time, because of the individual occupying the White House, it will be particularly difficult to turn the corner on racism and bigotry. Ironically, he is the reason that we have gotten to this point with the latest wave of protests in the first place. Americans (all Americans) are sick of him shaking his pint sized d**k at the Constitution, and treating the military as if it's his own personal army, meant to protect him from American citizens exercising their First Amendment rights. The same rights that were given to them by the Constitution. 

His photo op stunt should have been the last straw for everyone who cares about America and what she stands for. Imagine using military force on peaceful protesters so that the president can walk across the street and pose with a bible. (One he held in an improper way) That is some serious dictator stuff right there. And now, predictably, William Barr and the other actors involved in this disgraceful stunt have been trying to distance themselves from it. 

The American people aren't stupid, though. I suspect that but for the die hard 35% who support trump, everyone will see exactly what is going on: That a man who idolizes dictators and fascist, will do everything in his power to become a dictator and rule like a fascist. 

I hope that the will of the people will prevail, but I am not counting on it. The darkness and evil that has hovered over this country for so long is bolstered by powerful old men in dark suits, who pull strings like puppet masters from the halls of power, while a weakened and complicit press looks on, and the nation's citizens go along with it all like sheep. 

Maybe these protests will start a new awakening. Not only against police abuse, but against the abuse of power, and the abuse of the most powerful office in the world. 

Maybe.

Thursday, June 04, 2020

It's here.

  • Image result for dystopian lincoln memorial images


The fascism we all feared. 

Monday, June 01, 2020

Out of pocket.

Hi field hands, I'm currently unavailable. If this is an emergency please contact your local field Negro education office.

But seriously, I will be back soon. Stay safe during these crazy times, especially if you are a black man.