Category: Opinion

Cultural, political, and philosophical ideas

Opinion

The perversity of Racism

Racism leads people to behave and think in ways that diminish themselves and others. Americans have struggled with attacking others while appearing not to or maintaining plausible deniability for a long time. This evil has caused issues and pain that drag the nation down. The country is threatened by the smallness in people who want to have two sets of rules; one for us and another for them. This embrace of fundamental evil must be broken for the United States to reach its potential. The United States shocked the world when President Barrack Obama was elected because other countries could not do what we had done. Choosing a minority group member for the most powerful position in government is unheard of around the world. Now we shock the world with our electoral pendulum swing to overt racism, fascism, incompetence, and xenophobia in the form of Trump. Evil will always be around but we do not have to accept it or give it a place in our society. We are capable of better as a species and time is running out. Ending the Trump administration is about the soul of America; a country so many amazing people have sacrificed to build. Think, research, communicate, pray, and vote in every election.

Opinion

Long game and Short game

Citizens who want a better future need to be active and engaged in the coming months and beyond. Good people need a long and a short game to bring about change in society. A lot has happened in the short amount of time since George Floyd’s killing, but much more needs to be done for real change. Leaders are emerging who focus on benchmarks and bringing people together to get things done. America will change if most of us want it to happen. The challenge for leaders and caring citizens is to develop the habit of following up. We will all have to monitor what is going on in our society and demand that media works for us, not against us. The saying that you need to “inspect what you expect” must be brought to life if we are to fight climate change, create a just society, and improve our republic. Social media and people power have been harnessed to challenge the status quo which makes the continuous effort that leads to change possible. All of us can research, communicate, and vote in today’s society with a minimum of effort (provided there is no voter suppression); it is the least we can do for a decent future. We must all remember the words from the Bible “Without a vision the people perish”.

Opinion

Ebbs and Flows

American history is filled with episodes of African-Americans making contributions or gains and then experiencing systemic attacks to preserve white supremacy. This is the ebb and flow of the movement toward our potential as a country; highs and lows. After the Civil War and Reconstruction blacks were targets of terrorism by the newly formed Klu Klux Klan. Successful businesspeople and farmers were specific targets for jealous whites who were threatened by any black success. Black troops returning from World War I feeling that they deserved the rights of citizenship were attacked to ‘put them in their place’. African-American veterans returning from World War II were targeted by systemic racism working to maintain white supremacy leading to the Civil Rights movement. The election of the first African-American president led to the white supremacist birther movement and the election of Donald Trump. The ebbs and flows of the movement towards America’s potential continues. We live in difficult times where it is easy to see that the death of the American republic could happen. Participate in the flow toward justice and dignity for all people and vote in 2020!

Opinion

Skeletons coming out

The new book by John Bolton called the Room Where it Happened; A Whitehouse Memoir is not worth buying for patriotic Americans. Bolton should have testified in the impeachment hearings of Donald Trump if he thought something was wrong. He cannot appear now to tell us amazing tales of treachery and corruption after he did not do anything when it counted. Trump attempted to sell pieces of America to China, Turkey, and Ukraine in exchange for help with his reelection according to John Bolton. This is not a surprise. We all watched him ask Russia for help and get it in 2016; we still don’t know what they got for the help. Trump represents the worst of white privilege; the spectacle he is today exists because he constantly got away with crime and corruption. He rose to power by lying about a black man, he stays there by selling racism, lies, and fear. Research and vote in 2020 if you care about justice in the world, or America!

Opinion

“Hoard food and it rots, hoard money and you rot, hoard power and the nation rots.” – Chuck Palahniuk

This quote is relevant to our nations issues today. Citizens do not trust our institutions and we have a president who openly attacks them. Why is this happening? Could it be that a system of white supremacy has become a direct threat to our potential as a republic? The largest issues of the day are; whether police officers are super citizens with more rights when they victimize minority communities, a political party that ignores the rule of law for a racist president, and a pandemic that impacts minorities due to low paying jobs in crowded conditions with no healthcare. America is heading in a direction that decent people cannot stomach and cannot hide from. Power has been concentrated in the hands of a few with the promise of status to whites while minimizing poor and essential minority workers/people. The rot is apparent and we will see what direction the people choose in 2020. More chaos and rot or hope and growth towards our potential? Make sure that you research and vote this year.

Opinion

The republic or the oligarchy

Some say the choice is between America or Trump, but if you look beneath the surface there is more. We are choosing between our current republic and an oligarchy. An oligarchy is rule by the few similar to what is taking place in Russia under Putin and his friends. Trump and his friends are the American oligarchy in waiting. Who are Trump’s friends? We know that he believes Vladimir Putin over the American intelligence agencies because he said so. We must assume that Mr. Putin is a friend of Trump. Other friends of Trump could only be identified by his tax returns and his trail of transactions. As Trump himself says he loves money and the people who give it to him. We will be making the most important vote of our lifetimes in November. Many have tried to get away with crime, but Trump will have done so if he wins. The statute of limitations will run out on many charges Trump is facing if he achieves another term as president. The American republic will be destroyed by a Trump victory as well as our reputation and soft power. Trump is ignorant, but he is not as dumb as he pretends to be. He knows how to run a scam and not end up in jail (so far). Research the facts through multiple sources and vote to save our republic in 2020!

Opinion

Removing Confederate symbols

Systemic racism seeks to produce inequality through: 1. fear created by terrorism that is sanctioned but denied 2. Cultural symbols that reinforce beliefs in the system of inequality 3. Mental and physical attacks at the micro and macro levels to maintain the system 4. Political,social, cultural and economic resources unevenly allocated. Events in Georgia, Kentucky, and Minnesota revealed systemic racism in action that this time have sparked extended outrage. The battle for civil rights for African Americans is a continuation of the Civil War and Reconstruction. Northern and southern whites reached agreement after Reconstruction to create second-class citizenship for black people. Confederates who had been traitors to the United States were elevated to hero status as a symbol of white supremacy. The Confederate traitors were not considered in a negative light because that was reserved for black people. Whites were elevated to a status of having the benefit of the doubt, while blacks were assumed guilty of something. Taking down the symbols of treason that subtly promote racism is a milestone on the road to fulfilling American potential.

Opinion

Gross failure of leadership

Americans across the country should be wearing masks in public spaces, but they are not. Many people refuse to protect their fellow citizens from the risk of infection by the simple act of masking up. All of this is taking place while infection rates are rising as predicted. Where are our leaders? A strong economy requires healthy people to work and participate in commerce without fear of death. Scientist point to countries that committed to mask wearing have sustained low infection and death rates. President 45 has no articulated plan for testing and pandemic mitigation, beyond pushing decisions to governors so he doesn’t look bad. States with republican governors often do not have campaigns to promote the wearing of masks. Many people will get infected and die because ignorance rules in one of the most advanced societies ever on earth. We are and will pay a price for this foolishness. Research, spread the word, set the example, and vote in 2020!

Opinion

More than meets the eye

The protests are about much more than Black Lives Matter. A protester sign said “All lives can’t matter until black lives matter.” Some say African Americans are the proverbial canary in the coal mine. In 2016 we elected an individual who gained political fame using the racist birther lie. The individual continues to lie and distort reality to attack others and defend himself. There is no accountability for the individual because his political party chooses to block the truth and limit voter participation. People can ignore a lot when they think things will turn out well for them and those they care about; but they can’t ignore looming disasters to protect a clear threat to their own futures. Citizens are seeking a rock (the truth) to build momentum for decent futures because Trump’s lies and incompetence are so monumental. Trump does not deal honestly with disease, climate, police abuse, and a shaky economy. The myth of strength has been punctured and the evil orange clown is seen increasingly for what he is. Abraham Lincoln is reputed to have said you can fool some of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time. But, you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” Many people are tired of the deception as threats grow larger. Please research, talk to friends, register, and vote in 2020 and every election!

Opinion

Culture of Lying

We currently have political leadership more beholding to Trump and the Republican Party than the United States Constitution. Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are not pillars of morality or decency, but they control our government for the worse. Both men appear motivated by ego and the desire to profit from their office. They use partisan motives to weaken institutions while relatives and friends are placed in positions of power. Their chosen ones gain access to resources and opportunities that others cannot get. McConnell covers for Trump and he gives him judges, etc. Republican senators stand with these two men out of fear, cowardice, and a lack of conviction. People see the criminality in Washington DC, and getting away with murder is more than political when police officers kill an unarmed man, on camera, in daylight. It is becoming obvious that our society is threatened by a growing culture of official criminality and lying. America faces the mother of all elections while Republicans fear more people participating, and fight the expansion of voting by mail (during a pandemic). Only citizens can put an end to this rot. Have a plan, do your homework, and vote every time starting in 2020!