Wednesday News in mid-January 2015

I don't support Charlie Hebdo's offensive covers at all. I do disagree with their offices being bombed (innocent human beings should never be killed), but I will not support their offensive rhetoric. One time, they talked about pregnant black women and welfare checks, so people know what the deal is. I don't agree with total censorship, but I have the free speech right to disagree. The reactionaries are exploiting the evil terror attacks in France as an excuse for them to promote further militarization and extend the imperialist war on terror. France is a neo-colonial power who seeks resources in the Motherland while France deprives religious liberty and free speech rights in France. It is hypocritical for the West to claim that they love freedom of speech & the freedom of the press, but support regimes (like in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, etc.) that violate democratic freedoms all of the time. Many of these Western nations including America have laws that violate many civil liberties too. We have to study geopolitics if we want to find the total truth about this situation. If problems must be solved in France, then people must confront the racism and Islamophobia found not only in France, but in America too. The attacks in the offices of Charlie Hebdo are evil and unjustified. What is also unjustified are the attacks against mosques recently in Narbonne, Le Mans, and in other locations of France. The corporate media doesn't want to report on this, because they want to promote the narrative that we are fighting against "Islamic extremism" for the sake of preserving democratic values. Yet, many of these same nations that were involved in the march have policies which are the antithesis of free speech and freedom of the press. France has anti-religious laws. It has stolen money from Haiti and it is exploiting the mineral resources of Mali. America has many laws which violate the freedom of speech and other human rights. We do know how many of these Islamic extremists have been funded by NATO (e.g. The West via France, America, etc. funded Islamic jihadists as a way to use them to overthrow Gaddafi. Now, Libya is in a state of blatant civil war) and the Western intelligence communities for years and decades. Also, we can't ignore class issues. We have to study the economic inequality problems in France, because many poor Afro-French and poor Muslim people are suffering. We have to understand this reality as a means for us to establish real solutions, so the suffering can feel like that they have stake in the world. Economic justice is a necessity. We have to condemn fascism and imperialism too.


The Obama family should not even respond to Huckabee’s comments. Mike Huckabee is a hypocrite and a reactionary extremist. Huckabee has said a lot of misogynistic statements and he has supported Rep. Todd Akin after he made evil comments about women. He has supported Ted Nugent (who made sexist, racist, and other vulgar comments for years). Nugent was a draft dodger and he said that apartheid isn’t that cut and dry, which is ludicrous (because apartheid is an evil system of oppression). In fact, Huckabee saw fit to sit in on bass with Nugent as Ted Nugent performed one of his biggest hits, "Cat Scratch Fever.” That song has controversial lyrics to say the least. Huckabee has not condemned the lyrics from Nugent's song at all, so we see the double standards here. I can’t take a person like Huckabee (who wants a near theocratic society, which violates many human principles) seriously when he tries to issue moral judgments about anyone. I am more concerned about the environment, our civil liberties, our economy, our educational system, and the fight for racial justice than I am about the musical tastes of the First Family. I’m not worried about Sasha and Malia. These daughters have shown great maturity, great strength, and great dignity, because they were raised by strong parents (who love their children). The First Family has shown amazing restraint in the midst of them experiencing slander and disrespect (beyond legitimate political critiques. People can agree or disagree with the policies from the White House, but the President and his family should never be slandered at all) from reactionary extremists. That is why we will continue to advance freedom and justice. She has made great accomplishments. Kamala Harris is a total professional. Whether people agree with her politics or not, she has every right to run for the U.S. Senate. She introduced the California Homeowner's Bill of Rights in the California legislature, which is a great thing. She has prosecuted polluters too. I wish her the best.


Certainly, we have to look at the big picture. The big picture is that it is about the masses of the people in the world fighting to be free from the oppression of the oligarchy. There are many differences and similarities between the black liberation movements of the States and of South Africa. One similarity is that many black American civil rights leaders were in support of the anti-apartheid movement of South Africa. We certainly see the crisis of capitalism first hand where Wall Street bankers receive record profits while the poor suffer. Black people are a strong, creative people. We have made great contributions and we certainly need racial and economic justice (as the death of the Markiana miners in South Africa has mobilized voices who are seeking an end to economic exploitation. In America, the deaths of unarmed black people have mobilized human beings to stand up for the dignity of human life). Solutions deal with forming alliances too. That is why I do favor more alliances among all black people in the world politically, socially, and economically. Right now, especially with the recent events, it is totally a just cause for us to fight to end the system of white supremacy. Progressive music ought to be promoted, but not only that. There must be more efforts to combat neoliberalism as well.


Ultimately, Mayor Bill de Blasio has expressed centrist, moderate words about this situation. He was right to say that he had to tell his son about being careful when he encounters the police. When Patrick Lynch slandered the mayor, the protesters, and others, it showed that Lynch has no respect for our people or for humanity in general. Black people want justice and fairness. There is no justification for anyone to be harassed, harmed, or killed unjustly at all. The cops, who turned their backs on the mayor, have shown how wrong they are in their reprehensible actions. The cops are not deities. Many of these cops act as enforcers of the establishment. Crooked cops have brutalized black people, members of the labor movement, members of the anti-war movement, and other activists who are fighting for real social change. Racial injustice in the criminal justice system is structural. We have a structural problem, because the Blue Wall of Silence is blatantly a collective problem found in the police institution. We have every right to resist evil. Resistance against oppression is our duty as Brothers and Sisters. Constructive, positive social change is needed. There must be a demilitarization of the local police and communities have the right to defend their human rights. Humanity has every right to have freedom and liberation.




The bigger picture is that the leaders of Hollywood have not changed its stripes. From the days when Birth of a Nation came out to 2015, Hollywood time after time again has shown their hand. Evil people have never taken days off in their actions. Hollywood has promoted racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, and pro-imperialist propaganda for decades. One example is about a recent movie which glamorizes the assassination of a leader of North Korea. Hollywood has shown movies that degrades and slanders the beautiful black image. Hollywood has ties to the Pentagon, the RAND Corporation, and to Wall Street. The military industrial complex funds Hollywood and that is a fact. Our response should not be for us to accommodate Hollywood. There is no compromise with evil. We fight evil. We should evaluate our situation, form more of our own movies that tell our real stories, and oppose imperialism. We must not only oppose imperialism, but we should oppose economic injustice too. That is why we will defend the poor and we will defend the essence of our people. People have to prioritize their time if they want to be healthier. Life is a journey. Also, plans and strategies are important to pursue obviously. Another great advice is to do a diversity of effective, potent exercises. Doing that can confuse the muscles and establish better results. Eating a diversity of fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables is always important. Plyometrics can help people a lot and another point is to be made too. Exercise should be used a way to improve humanity not as a means to degrade a person because of their physical appearance. The Golden Rule is a paramount, intrepid ideal for us to embrace. At the end of the day, being healthy is dealing with improving the mind (as exercising and eating nutrient rich, healthy foods can improve human cognition as studies attest to), body, and soul.

By Timothy