Ukraine, ISIS, etc.

There can be no liberation without people respecting the dignity of labor. The labor rights movement has grown as a product of blood, sweet, and tears from men, women, and children. There were brave people who opposed harsh working conditions, low pay, and illegal child labor, so that all workers would be treated with dignity and with respect. Strong unions are fine with me, but unions should be revolutionized not linking up with Wall Street unconditionally. Today, the US has the most unequally distributed income and wealth of all developed economies and one of the worst in the entire world. We know that the one percent has inordinate power in the world in terms of its capital wealth and their influence of corporate welfare (I am opposed to corporate welfare). For the past few decades, union power has gone down. Therefore, we need not only the growth of public sector unions (such unions should establish alliances with other social movements too like the black freedom movement, the environmental justice movement, the criminal justice movement, etc. Alliances cause more strength. Workers and people in general deserve ECONOMIC justice), but an increase of the minimum wage, and other policies that can grow the American economy. The deaths of the journalists are tragedies. The families of the beheaded journalists deserve justice. ISIS evolved from al-Qaeda forces. Al-Qaeda was created by Osama bin Laden (and Osama bin Laden was heavily funded by Western intelligence as far back as the late 1970’s). ISIS is a reactionary, terrorist organization. They have done war crimes and other vicious atrocities (just like Western imperialists). Therefore, the true story of ISIS must be known as a means for people to establish a coherent policy in dealing with the situation. The views of the radical neo-conservatives (who were so wrong on Iraq) should be rejected, because many of these neo-cons just want a total war policy in Iraq, Syria, etc. This situation is a complex situation and a rational, comprehensive policy is in order. The regional states in the Middle East (like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc. Also, ISIS is fighting Bashar al-Assad too. The West supported al-Qaeda related terrorists in Syria too since they fought Assad. So, we see irony in history) should take a primary role in handling the ISIS situation. Not to mention that Sunni minority in Iraq (from Anbar Province, etc.) should be reached out, so they can have a less of a chance to ally with ISIS. There should be debates and discussions about this important issue. They or the regional countries have the vested interest especially in stopping ISIS, because their operations are in their region literally. At the end of the day, a diplomatic approach and political strategies are necessary (especially for the long term).

I will never accept the prosperity gospel theologically at all. Yet, I am glad that more religious bodies are discussing about more social JUSTICE matters overtly. We all have to do these actions not just religious groups. Our people are suffering oppression and we have to speak up about it and do action about it. Real social change never comes by stagnation. It comes by focus action and a strong determination. Not to mention that structures must change in society, so the masses of the people can readily benefit. We have every to pray. I pray. Yet, the Creator gave us a brain for a reason; therefore we should pray and work in our communities to be part of the solution. That is the point. I have no problem with registering more people to vote, but more must be done. We have to set up unique strategies and focus on our collective power to build in our communities (and to fight back against police brutality, poverty, and other evils in society. Police repression of the democratic rights of the peaceful protesters in Ferguson is repugnant, unjustifiable, and evil). We should treat our neighbor as ourselves, but we should always stand up against evil. We have every right to not segregate our moral concerns. I am opposed to neoliberal ECONOMICS. I am in favor of economic justice including a living wage for humanity. The poor deserves empowerment, rights, and true dignity. I am anti-colonialist. There can be no peace without justice and there can be no justice without peace. We are concerned not only about domestic issues, but international issues as well. People want to be free.


The Wales meeting is coming up. It will have meetings between government heads of NATO member countries. Many NATO leaders want to create a special rapid response force with as many as 4,000 soldiers that could be deployed to any member state within two days. They want to sanction the creation of an ongoing troop presence in Poland and the Baltic states. There is the buildup of equipment and arms stockpiles in Eastern Europe. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has been invited to the NATO summit as well. The meeting will discuss about economic, diplomatic, and even possibly military policies against Russia. The tensions in Ukraine have escalated since the U.S. and Germany triggered the crisis in Ukraine (in last February by organizing a fascist led putsch, which overthrew the pro-Russian government of Viktor Yanukovych). Russia announced on Wednesday that it will alter its military policy in response to the aggressive expansion of NATO forces into Eastern Europe as well moves by the Kiev regime to integrate Ukraine into U.S. dominated Western military alliance. Mikahil Popov, deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said in an interview with RIA Novosti that “the issue of drawing of military infrastructure of NATO member-countries to the borders of our country, including via enlargement, will remain one of the external military threats for the Russian Federation.” The EU wants new sanctions against Russia like EU foreign policy Chief Federica Mogheirini. According to the Wall Street Journal, among the new measures being considered are restrictions on the ability of Russian state-owned companies to raise money on capital markets, the extension of restrictions on Russian state-owned banks and other firms from receiving new syndicated LOANS , and wider limits on the export of dual-use goods. US President Barack Obama was in Tallinn, Estonia on the eve of the NATO summit to meet with the leaders of the three Baltic states—Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, and Latvian President Andris Berzins. Grybauskaite recently declared that “practically Russia is in a state of war against Europe.” The President wanted to affirm the Baltic states’ status under Article Five of the NATO Charter, which triggers collective defense when a member state is attacked by another country. The reactionary leaders of the Baltic States have called for an increase US/NATO military presence in their nations. They share borders with Russia and have significant Russian minority populations. The Baltic States were part of NATO and the EU in 2004 (they were former Soviet territories). NATO is heavily aggressive. Russian Foreign Minister Segei Lavrov appealed for the US and its European allies to support a compromise in Ukraine between Kiev and pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country. He called on the US to use its influence to rein in Kiev and encourage the regime to resolve the crisis through a political process rather than military operations. There have been talks too in Minsk between representatives from Moscow, Kiev, and the separatists groups. The separatists have made huge gains against the Kiev armed forces. As high as 680 Ukrainian soldiers have been captured by the separatists in recent fighting. Hundreds of civilians have been killed as a result of indiscriminate artillery shelling of residential areas in the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk by Ukrainian armed forces. There has been a great suffering in Ukraine. Thousands of Ukrainians have came into Russia to seek either refugee/temporary asylum or other residence options. The truth is that a resolution to the crisis is needed.

The 2014 Video Music Awards has been filled with music, a moment of silence, and of course controversy. Throughout human history, many forms of art and many forms of music have been filled with debate and controversy. The show combined many celebrities talking and new artists showing their talents in the stage. The hosts were Sway and Lucy Hale. The presenters consisted of many celebrities not just musicians, but TV hosts, comedians, actors, actresses, etc. There are a lot of debates, subjects, and discussions about the awards show. There were numerous performances from Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea, and others. The awards showed many performers dancing. Some people love the performances and others view some of the performances as being oversexed. This debate is an important one. The answer leads into balance. Any performer should not be totally restricted in the freedom of expression. The freedom to never be ashamed of dancing is fine and we should not be nihilists either. Therefore, reasonable boundaries are fine to adhere to in performances and things of that nature. Nicki Minaj performed her music too. One of the new people in the VMAs was Ariana Grande. She was a child TV star and now she is more famous today. She was once on a Nickelodeon show called “Sam and Cat,” which was popular among children under 12. Now, Ariana Grande has her video called “Break Free.” In the video, it showed the Kabbalistic Tree of Life being used to launch the spaceship. So, symbolism are common not only in music performances, but in music videos all of the time. In one image, she shows a yellow star covering up her right eye. Common issued a moment of silence about the death of Michael Brown and the situation in Ferguson. I have no issue with this. Nicki Minaj’s Anaconda song samples Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” song. The lyrics in both songs are very vulgar. Jesse J and other have shown their performances too. Jay Z and Beyoncé in the awards show acted as the royal family of the awards. I will say that it was touching to see both of them show love to their child Blue Ivy. That was a great moment of the awards show. Jay Z and Beyoncé truly care about Blue Ivy. She gave a performance. She quoted a famous African writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in promoting the idea of feminism. I know Bell Hooks don’t agree with her on this issue. I understand where Bell Hooks and Beyoncé are coming from on the issue of feminism. The truth is that there is nothing wrong with feminism when it calls for the social, economic, and political equality among men and women. Feminism is fine with me. The problem is that mainstream Western society claims to follow feminism, but its policies, movies, and actions readily degrade, malign, disrespect, exploit, and harm women and females in general all of the time. Hollywood and the entertainment industry claim to be progressive, but their movies and propaganda are far from progressive (that is why Hollywood readily supports the military industrial complex). That is the point. The youth need legitimate boundaries. Sex and sexuality are wonderful, but they should not be exploited to degrade people or to send the wrong messages in the world. We can have our freedom and follow real ethics at the same time.


Other scholars and studies document how vicious racism and discrimination are in America. The UN’s report is a further documentation of that reality. The report is the reason why we must CONTINUE to fight against evil. We can join independent, grassroots organizations that are doing something positive in our communities. Volunteering, mentoring, and being politically active are excellent things that people can do as well. We should communicate with our neighbors on these important issues and we should constantly learn about relevant social, ECONOMIC, and political facts that can enrich our lives. Many of the Western elites are hypocrites by claiming that they believe in democratic principles at home while using imperialist policies against other people in other countries. The problems of unfair sentencing, economic inequality, the violation of civil liberties, etc. have nothing to do with all black people collectively. It has to do with systemic errors that have existed from the political ruling class (these problems have also existed from bad economic austerity policies and other bad policies from the large banking elites). As a Brother, I will always stand for truth, freedom, and justice. Jamil Dakwar is right in mentioning that we have to fight for our human rights. People have the right to change things with their own power. A real change must not only be done by building up our families. We need stronger families and stronger families will strengthen our communities. That is commonsense. It must also be done by confronting the system and fighting back against oppression via constructive, revolutionary means. We have to continue to speak up against injustice and to be socially/politically active. The whole structure of society must be changed. The UN is not perfect, but the UN report only stated the obvious facts that many people already know. It is what it is. The truth is that ancient Africa had universities, pyramids, governmental structures, cultural development, and other great components of civilization as found in Axum, Ghana, Mali, Songhai, Nubia, etc. spanning thousands of years. People should keep on showing the truth that black people throughout human history are made up of strong, industrious, and resilient people. Great black historians that document this information were John Henrik Clarke, John Hope Franklin, Frank M. Snowden, Jr., and so many other Brothers and Sisters. We know about the injustices that came to the Motherland via European colonialism and that is why activists fought back and created the African independence movements. Today, there are many black people who have strength, honor, dignity, and a sense of purpose (in seeking to forthrightly IMPROVE society, so humanity can reach its highest possible potential).

By Timothy