Weekend News

First, Clutch should be given their due respect for describing excellent information on Ebola, because many people have spread inaccurate information about the composition of ebola. Xenophobia is evil, immoral, and unjust. Xenophobia is heavily common not only in America, but in Europe. In fact, many Europeans have a more reactionary view of immigration than many Republicans. The crisis in Africa deals with many issues. There is a lax infrastructure and sanitation issues in many areas. The ebola virus has spread heavily from remote, rural locations. Also, many of the affected areas have massive poverty including a lack of running waters in some of the regions too. Income inequality must be addressed in Africa. African nations should collaborate more on fighting back. The solutions rely on multiple African nations working together, using funds, and strengthening infrastructure since the ebola crisis has spread into multiple nations. African resources are readily exploited by Western forces when the economic rights of the people in those nations are readily harmed. Therefore, a stronger infrastructure must develop, so human beings can be helped. The White House has executed at least 2 rounds of airstrikes against ISIS targets. The administration said that they want to protect American interests in Iraq and protect religious minorities from genocide. The situation in Iraq is complex and it is very serious for the people of Iraq especially. These military strikes are military interventions. U.S. military planes have dropped food and waters to the religious minorities stuck in the mountains of Northern Iraq as well. Iraq’s Yazidi, Christian and other minorities certain deserve humanitarian assistance. Yet, this doesn't excuse a hypocritical foreign policy of legitimately condemning ISIS's terrorism and barbarism while supporting Israel slaughtering civilians in Gaza (or the West supporting a reactionary regime in Ukraine). ISIS evolved from radical Sunni extremists and these same extremists have been funded by America (when these extremists are fighting the Assad regime now or when these same extremists fought Gaddafi in Libya). Erbil is in the location in Northern Iraq and the U.S. is a great ally of the Kurds. ISIS evolved from Al-Qaeda and other radical, terrorist elements. ISIS has many strong military power, strategy, and extremist rhetoric. The Iraq War increased these ethnic, religious tensions in Iraq into another level. At the end of the day, a long term political solution is necessary.

It has been 50 years since the Gulf of Tonkin incident. We see that according to Gareth Porter, the Vietnam War hawks manipulated President Lyndon Johnson into following a bombing campaign in retaliation to the deceptive Gulf of Tonkin incident. We know that the U.S. bombing of North Vietnam on August 4, 1964 (which was claimed was done in retaliation for an alleged naval attack that never happened) caused the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. The deception on that day was that Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara misled LBJ by withholding from him the information that the U.S. commander in the Gulf (who initially reported an attack by the North Vietnamese patrol boats on U.S. warships) later expressed serious doubts about the initial report and was calling for a full investigation by daylight. The withholding of information from LBJ represents a move, which usurped the President’s constitutional power of decision on the use of military force. McNamara’s deception is proven in the declassified files on the Tonkin Gulf episode of the LBJ library. The national security state including both military and civilian officials repeatedly wanted to pressure LBJ to commit the United States to a wider war in Vietnam. Johnson refused to retaliate two days earlier for a North Vietnamese attack on U.S. naval vessels carrying out electronic surveillance operations. Yet, he accepted McNamara’s recommendation for retaliatory strikes on August 4 based on reports of a serious attack. But after that decision, the U.S. task force commander in the Gulf, Capt. John Herrick, began to send messages expressing doubt about the initial reports and suggested a “complete evaluation” before any action was taken in response. Yet, McNamara told Pacific Commander Admiral U.S. Grant Sharp Jr. to continue with the execute order while he waited for Sharp to tell people what truly occurred. McNamara continued to execute a military strike without first consulting LBJ about what he learned from Sharp. Johnson knew days later that the attack was not it appeared to be. LBJ halted both CIA managed commando raids on the North Vietnamese coast and U.S. naval patrols near the coast. In fact, McNamara’s deception on Aug. 4 was just one of 12 distinct episodes in which top U.S. national security officials attempted to press a reluctant LBJ to begin a bombing campaign against North Vietnam. On September 1964, McNamara and top officials wanted LBJ to use provocative naval patrols going near the North Vietnamese coast at the same time as the commando raids. LBJ refused. Lyndon Johnson did not want to bomb North Vietnam, because the South was divided and unstable. Johnson also refused to oppose the demoralized South Vietnamese government negotiating a neutralist agreement with the Communists, much to his advisers’ chagrin. McGeorge Bundy later recalled in an oral history interview that he concluded that Johnson was “coming to a decision … to lose” in South Vietnam. Johnson capitulated by January 1965 when a letter from McNamara and Bundy (to him) said that passivity was not going to work in the war. LBJ later bombed North Vietnam. So, the national security officials not only the President are responsibility for the errors of the war strategy in the Vietnam War.

John Hagee has been a xenophobic, bigoted, and pro-austerity extremist for years. Years ago, he did a mock slave auction. You can Google this stuff. He has allied with John McCain and he believes in a hawkish foreign policy. The reality is that poverty is complex. Many people can’t work not because they don’t want to work. Many people are homeless, lack opportunities, ex-felons (when people won’t give them a job), or those who were laid off. That is why many people can’t work. Tons of welfare recipients do work. That alone refutes his argument. One thing that he will never do is that he will not expose how many in the GOP love corporate welfare or unfair tax breaks. Telling people that people should starve is cruel, abusive, and immoral. He is certainly not following the Golden Rule. John Hagee ignores that we have austerity and record low taxation. So, people like John Hagee, Glen Beck, etc. are lovers of militarism and Mammon. They preach the same words of reaction. We face wage cutting, austerity, and other evils in the world. People like Hagee and others refuse to talk about the record profits made by Wall Street, unfair corporate loopholes, and the agenda of oligarchy in the world. One of the influences of reactionaries has been the fanatical anti-communist and racist W. Cleon Skousen. He was a Mormon ideologue. In his book, The 5,000 Year Leap, Skousen claimed the US Constitution was based on the Bible and rejected the influence of the Enlightenment. He also contended that President Dwight Eisenhower was a communist agent and penned The Communist Attack on the John Birch Society. On his radio program recently, Beck praised The Red Network: A “Who’s Who” and Handbook of Radicalism for Patriots, authored in 1934 by Elizabeth Dilling, a rabid anti-Semite and pro-Nazi. In her book, Dilling slandered Albert Einstein, among others, and defended the Nazi regime’s seizure of his property in Germany on the grounds that he was a communist. People like Beck and Hagee defend Israel not out of a true love of Jewish people. They admire the militarism that Israel does in the region. The big bankers and the corporate aristocracy rob people of resources and some people get this or not. Many of the Americo-Liberians (or black American colonists who came into Liberia) established an evil caste system in Liberia during the 19th century including the early 20th century (by dominating the indigenous people of Liberia). They made up only 5% of the population, but they controlled a huge amount of the social, economic, and political powerbase of Liberia. Many of these Americo-Liberians imposed their way of life on the indigenous population, many of them had a superiority complex, and some of them dominated the lives of the people in Liberia in an inappropriate fashion. Liberia is a victim of Western neo-colonialism too. That is truly a shame. I am in support of the real people in Liberia though.


Donovan made many interesting points. Here are my thoughts. Black Americans deal with many different problems as compared to non-American black people. Yet, all of us still face many of the same issues too like unemployment (which is a real problem in South Africa not only in America), economic exploitation, gender discrimination (which exists in Africa not only in America), and other legitimate issues. We have to deal with a balanced approach. Black Americans do have the responsibility to do what is right and so forth. Yet, black Americans who are doing the right thing should not be treated in a condescending manner though. Many black Americans are providing for their families, working, and contributing to their community in a positive manner. Our contributions to the liberation struggle as black Americans ought to be respected. So, there should be a distinction between legitimately telling people about the problems in our community while at the same time, our people need encouragement (without being talked down to in an arrogant fashion) to fight on against oppression. All of us still face the same system of oppression. The President should go all out and talk about police brutality, white supremacy, black people having the right to have liberation, imperialism, and the whole nine yards without compromise. He is in his second term. He has talked about the interests of other ethnic groups & backgrounds in America explicitly too (in a positive way). Not to mention that Africans or African Americans should never embrace a superiority complex either. We are one people. Therefore, there should be more collaboration and programs that can cause more unity among us all excluding some divide and conquer strategies (that will only polarize human beings). We should always strive for the goal of liberation for humanity. Some have made a great point about individuals doing their part, so a collective voice can further grow. Sister Courtney have made excellent points on this issue too. I like to synthesize ideals. The truth lies neither in selfish individualism nor authoritarianism. We need individuals to do their part and people collectively doing their part as well. When all of the people work together, establish more businesses, establish more institutions, and further develop the family, etc. then the overall community can grow. So, many are making the point that we have to see the bigger picture of growth not being solely about what others can do for us. We should do things to help our neighbors. It is about what we can do to assist our community. We must have mutual concern for our own well-being. We, as African Americans, can learn the great cultures & legacies, of Africans (and black people in general) and they can learn from us in a progressive way. We should all respect each other and not play into the divide and conquer game. In real life, I have known Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, etc. who are real, intelligent, respectful, and humble. In real life, one great African professor taught me a lot of information on economic matters.


Justice is not totally found in the world yet. Men and women have the responsibility to talk about important issues. The truth is that many black women and black girls in Africa face discrimination and oppression in Africa. Women in general deserve equality, justice, and freedom. The battle is not over. That is very clear since abuse against females exist, the denial of the basic human rights of women exist, and these realities not only exist in other nations. These realities exist in America. One great point that the First Lady said is that the Brothers and men in general are tied to the progress of women too (and that men should stand up for the interests of girls too). In other words, she wanted to say that men (not only women) have to speak up against the oppression that women face on a day to day basis. There is nothing threatening to a man when a woman asserts her strength and her dignity. That is why men and women have the right to be themselves, to assert their humanity, and to never be afraid of the opposition or the naysayers. That is most important. Yet, we should not worship corporate power and we should question the agenda of the establishment. I reject imperialism and economic exploitation. Yet, that doesn’t mean that the interests of females should be placed in the back burner or that we ought to ignore issues relevant to women or girls. We should just to fight for real solutions and never give up. That is the point. I have no issue with the legitimate growth of infrastructure, technology, and other enterprises. Africa is having massive growth in its economy in many locations. There has to be massive input from the African people too. African people must have a say and their humanity must not be exploited for the worship of profit in an exploitative way. Also, workers' rights, and the rest of the human rights of Africans must be respected. There is nothing wrong with legitimate partnerships between Africans and African Americans, but it must be done in the right way. True collaboration between peoples of black African descent globally ought to be based on anti-imperialism, pro-economic justice (when poverty and economic inequality are fought against for real), and other pro-African principles. We need revolutionary change in the world. At the end of the day, we are all one people. We are all Africans as said by Brother Malcolm X.

By Timothy