"Fake Pandemic"

The 2020 Presidential Campaign is in its final few weeks, with mail-in and absentee ballots being cast in record numbers, hundreds of millions potentially.  
The US Postal Service being undermined and minimized by the current Post Master General and Trump-flunkie-donor Louis DeJoy.
Donnie Drumpf continues to hold campaign rallies, yes, even in the midst of a global pandemic, the Covid-19, coronavirus.
Face masks and social distancing are key factors that public health professionals continue to push as deaths are reaching toward 200,000 in the U.S.
And then there are scenes like this, from Trump's supporters:

"It's a fake pandemic."

 It is also notable that there are NO Blacks, Asians, Hispanics/Latinx or Indigenous people among his supporters.

What does that say about Trump or his supporters?  

Think about that and the nation in which we now live.

Make America Great Again.... Again

 

So, when exactly was America "great" for Black people?  Let's take a tiny little look back:

1619 -- the first Africans are brought to America, in slave ships, from the African continent.

Enslaved, indentured servants, property, until 1865.

1865 -- The 13th amendment, which formally abolished slavery in the United States, passed the Senate on April 8, 1864, and the House on January 31, 1865. On February 1, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln approved the Joint Resolution of Congress submitting the proposed amendment to the state legislatures. The necessary number of states ratified it by December 6, 1865. The 13th amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." 

But were Black Americans really free?

Monuments to the Civil War sprung up, far and wide. And widespread denial of everything from voting rights, to housing, to where Blacks could live within cities... and on and on.

1964 -- The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (enacted July 2, 1964) is a landmark civil rights and labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibits unequal application of voter registration requirements, and racial segregation in schools, employment, and public accommodations.
Initially, powers given to enforce the act were weak, but these were supplemented during later years. Congress asserted its authority to legislate under several different parts of the United States Constitution, principally its power to regulate interstate commerce under Article One (section 8), its duty to guarantee all citizens equal protection of the laws under the Fourteenth Amendment, and its duty to protect voting rights under the Fifteenth Amendment. 
2020 -- Black Lives Matter protests and its movement, continued murders of Black people, mostly Black men, at the hands of primarily White police officers.

So, again, for the past 400 years,  

when exactly was America great for Black people?

Chadwick Boseman Has Died

Actor Chadwick Boseman, who brought the movie "Black Panther" to life with his charismatic intensity and regal performance, has died.

Boseman has battled colon cancer since 2016 and died at home with his family and wife by his side, according to a statement posted on his Twitter account. He was 43.

"A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you so many of the films you have come to love so much," the statement said.

"From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy."

With his role as King T'Challa in the boundary-breaking film "Black Panther," he became a global icon and an inspiring symbol of Black power. That role was the "honor of (Boseman's) career," the statement said. 

A South Carolina native, Boseman graduated in 2000 from Howard University, a historically Black college in Washington, DC. While there, he also attended the British American Drama Academy at Oxford in 1998.

"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of alumnus Chadwick Boseman who passed away this evening. His incredible talent will forever be immortalized through his characters and through his own personal journey from student to superhero! Rest in Power, Chadwick!" University President Wayne A. I. Frederick said in a statement.

Boseman's breakout performance came in 2013 when he played Jackie Robinson in the film "42." Boseman's passing was announced the day Major League Baseball honored Jackie Robinson Day, an annual commemoration delayed by several months due to the pandemic.

"His transcendent performance in '42' will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie's story to audiences for generations to come," Major League Baseball tweeted Friday about the actor.

Boseman made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in 2016 as T'Challa/Black Panther in "Captain America: Civil War. Black Panther then got his own stand-alone movie that released in 2018, which broke box office records. Marvel Studios president had previously announced the second movie of the "Black Panther" saga would debut in theaters in May 2022.

The actor starred in other films, including playing James Brown in "Get On Up" and Thurgood Marshall in "Marshall." 

Boseman returned to his alma mater in 2018 to give the commencement speech. He told the graduates about his early days acting on soap operas, saying he was fired from an unnamed production after he questioned what he felt was its stereotypical portrayal of Black characters.

"The struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose," he said at the time.

He concluded with his iconic "Wakanda Forever" salute.

Boseman "brought history to life" with his roles, Martin Luther King III said.

"As Black Panther, he was also a superhero to many," he wrote on Twitter. "And despite his 4 year long battle with cancer, he kept fighting and he kept inspiring. He will be missed."

The NAACP also paid tribute to the actor, saying Boseman showed "us how to conquer adversity with grace."

"For showing us how to 'Say it Loud!' For (showing) us how to walk as a King, without losing the common touch. For showing us just how powerful we are," their Instagram statement said. "Thank you #ChadwickBoseman."

Sen. Kamala Harris, who also attended Howard, said she was heartbroken over Boseman's death.

"My friend and fellow Bison Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble," she tweeted. "He left too early but his life made a difference. Sending my sincere condolences to his family."

Actor Mark Ruffalo, who starred aside Boseman in the Marvel movies as the Hulk, said the death adds to the growing list of tragedies in 2020.

"What a man, and what an immense talent," Ruffalo tweeted. "Brother, you were one of the all time greats and your greatness was only beginning. Lord love ya. Rest in power, King."

 

 

#WakandaForever

Sometimes You Just Don't Want Your Darkest Fears Confirmed

His life, over the past 5 years, has played out in all its ugliness, hate-filled speech, narcissistic behaviors, racism, and so on. Laziness, too. Aside from the carnival sideshow hair and makeup, he's not only damaging us here in the United States.  He's also destroying allied relationships that have taking several generations to create and nurture.  

Pretty sure the only thing he's ever nurtured is his incredibly delicate ego. 

And so it goes with the release of Mary Trump's new book, "Too Much and Never Enough", wherein she outlines how her family, The Fred Trumps, created the most dangerous man in the world.  (Her words, not mine)

Every time we hear Donald Trump talk about how something is the greatest, the best, biggest (or bigly), most tremendous (implying that He mad them that way), we need to remember that he is still speaking, essentially, as the same little boy who felt inadequate and that He will be destroyed by that inadequacy.  He's still speaking to his long dead father, Fred Trump.

He simply refuses to even acknowledge that He's ever made a mistake and that nothing is His fault.

He's incapable of acknowledging the suffering of others, or any threat, internal or external, because to do so would indicate weakness.  (Mustn't do that!)

Taking responsibility would open him up to the blame-game.

Instead, what does the fat, bloated, orange one do?

Withdraw to his warm-fuzzy comfort zones -- Twitter, Fox News, chit-chatting with friends and allies on the phone, casting blame here and there.

He can never escape the fact that he is and will always be that frightened, scared, terrified little boy, desperately seeking his daddy's attention.

 

Public Health Decisions

Georgia currently has no statewide mask mandate.  The governor, Brian Kemp, as corrupt as they come in regards to science-denial, racist/racism and Trump surrogate, wants the good people of Georgia to make up their own minds about whether or not they need to wear a face mask.

Prior to becoming Georgia's governor, Brian was the Secretary of State there, in charge of voting and little things like denying voting rights and access to ballots to blacks, gerrymandering, and so on.  

So, yeah, he's a real stand-up guy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Some Cases, Such As A Public Health Crisis/Pandemic, You Have To Give Up Some Personal Liberties For The Good Of Everyone.

A national health emergency, such as the current Covid-19 pandemic, needs to be addressed by public health and government officials.  And YES, some of the decisions those groups or individuals make WILL EFFECT the population… such as wearing a protective face covering like a mask, covering the nose and mouth.

When that same government official (governor, deputy governor, assistant governor, and so on) mandates something like a mask, YES, we the people of that state have to abide by those directives.  Again, for public health safety.

So, when a high school principal makes a remark like, “Class changes at the high school level are a challenge when maintaining a specific schedule.  It is an area we are continuing to work on in this new environment to find practicable ways to further limit students from congregating.  Students are in this hallway environment for just a brief period as they move to their next class. … There is no question that the photo does not look good. ... Wearing a mask is a personal choice, and there is no practical way to enforce a mandate to wear them."

Read that last line again, slowly.

Astonishing, right?

NO. You have to GIVE UP that “personal choice” in order to keep yourself and others safe.  Period.  FULL STOP.

There is no personal choice involved here, but there most definitely should be discipline or punishment for not adhering to the state mandates. 

Maybe that’s where a lack of leadership comes in.  Maybe the governor doesn’t believe in science and public health over public safety.  In that case, heck, it’s an easy decision.  Go back to school or lose funding. 

Sure put the lives of these young people at risk.  They’re expendable, right?  You betcha, they are!

Here’s the picture, which clearly shows most of the students not wearing masks or other face coverings.   

Yes, teenagers do have many rights and are afforded many personal choices and liberties, even in a school setting.  They have rights and responsibilities, as well, and among those are being educated in a safe environment.

This is a situation where, try and weasel out of it as they may, the district and school board will be hard pressed to come up with a logical explanation as to how they can 1) Justify suspending a student for pointing out gross negligence on the part of the school and its board members, 2) How not wearing a mask is personal choice and not a requirement.  (Not to mention, appropriate social distancing.), and 3) How this is not a public health emergency situation.

We've seen time and again as businesses reopen after months of closures, that because this is so important to them and they desperately want to get it right, many are going above and beyond state guidelines and mandates to protect not only their staffs but their potential customers as well. 

They need to be thanked graciously and applauded for their efforts.

Schools, as we've seen,  have to go above and beyond.  

Our children's lives are on the line.

We Have 4 Centuries Of History To Rewrite In Order To Correct The White-Washing Of The Past

Keystone, South Dakota, in the shadow of Mount Rushmore, President Donald Trump on Friday, July 3, 2020, railing against what he called a "merciless campaign" by his political foes to erase history by removing monuments some say are symbols of racial oppression.

"As we meet here tonight there is a growing danger that threatens every blessing our ancestors fought so hard for," Trump warned.  He added, "Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children." 

Seriously, dude? Do you really want future generations or even the current one, to continue to live with the white-washing of the United States?  400 years of slavery, denigration of indigenous peoples, that’s not enough?  Really?? 

Have you not been paying attention to the Black Lives Matter protests in May, June and July 2020?  That’s a rhetorical question, since, of course he doesn’t pay attention to anything not related to Him looking good. 

Just a reminder – Our first President George Washington was a slave owner while in office; Thomas Jefferson was also a slave owner while in office; Theodore Roosevelt believed Asians and ‘colored people’ were immoral, among other things; Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, although committed mass murder of indigenous people. (Yes, it’s a very brief history lesson.)

And for some reason, President Donald Trump wants to remember and celebrate those events. 

He couldn’t understand why fireworks have been banned at the monument for the past two decades.

“It’s all stone.  Where’s the environmental impact?”, he told a radio host recently.

Meanwhile, the entire state of South Dakota is on high alert, firefighters, paramedics and all, just for a few hours of incredibly stupid, arrogant behavior on the part of the leader of the free world and his minions, er, faithful followers.  How does that saying from the Bible go, “Like lambs to the slaughter?” 

Yes, yes it IS pretty re-donk-ulous.

One of the problems here, and there are many, is that with this particular monument (on Indigenous land) it’s description of who our founding fathers were needs a serious edit in order to point out and call attention to the contributions of Blacks, Asians, Hispanics and Indigenous peoples.  With other much smaller statues and monuments, most can be removed and replaced with more current people or symbols that represent our current, updated, upgraded history.

That’s a long, local level, state-by-state endeavor that should happen before the end of 2020.  Otherwise, it will absolutely get swept under the rug because that’s what lazy white people do… procrastinate… among other things. 

This one quote in particular stands out as strikingly misinformed:
"Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values and indoctrinate our children."

No. No one is talking about “wiping out history”, only editing it in order to reveal the stark, ugly truth:  Slaves were introduced to America in 1620.  The history books tend to gloss over that part because, again, it’s a painful truth.

“Defaming our heroes”, well, I’m not sure how heroic it is to own slaves in a white controlled government and country. 

“Erase our value”, ugh…. This is becoming repetitive, but necessary.  Slavery, enslavement, etc.  Is that really a value you want to project, protect and own?   No need to answer right now, just maybe take several hundred years to do nothing and think about it. 

“Indoctrinate our children”, again, we’re pretty good at that.  Been doing it for 400 hundred years.  And not only with politics and daily life – what about religion?  Seems pretty tame there, right?  Think about that one for just a moment.  Regardless of which religion you subscribe to, aren’t you learning and passing along those beliefs to your children?  

*loud gasps from the crowd* 

I know. I know.  Yes, that sacrilege.  But is it?  If we’re so afraid to even talk about religion, we need to think about why that’s a bad thing.  Indoctrination is embedded into who we are in America. 

“The American Dream”, two cars in the garage, 2.5 children, a home, a wife and a dog.  A white picket fence, Formica countertops, plastic wrapped sofas… you get the idea.  It’s an antiquated, pipe dream of an idea from the post-World War II era that never included or considered Blacks, Asians, Hispanics or Indigenous people.  It was never their dream.

Right now in 2020, 20% into a new century, those old thought patterns need to change and be replaced with the here and now, reflecting the multi-cultural, multifaceted people we’ve evolved into, for future generations.

And, yes, some of those old antiquated institutions need to go as well:

The KKK, the NRA, White Supremacists, hate speech, and on and on.  (I’d actually love to hear about more groups that you feel belong on that list.)

Inclusion, not exclusion.

Free speech, not hate speech.

Progress, not perfection.

This is not about erasing any history, only correcting and editing history to reflect the facts about how those groups were actually treated by White people.