News on our Civil Liberties, etc.

In any society, civil liberties ought to be protected. We know that the FBI is covertly monitoring many progressive anti-war, pro-environmental, and other organizations. The Patriot Act is one law out of many that has compromised many of our human rights. Numerous whistleblowers have exposed how the NSA has made massively extensively surveillance all of the time. Laws like the Freedom Act are oxymoronic. It doesn't promote more freedom and it gives a slick means for the state to monitor citizens. The Fourth Amendment has been compromised throughout American history. It is disappointing and typical for the President to compromise in favor of the interests of oligarchy instead of the masses of the people (especially on issues of civil liberties and foreign policy. We know the destruction caused in Libya and in other places of Africa as a product of the Western imperialist system). It is a well-known fact that the FBI monitors Facebook, Google, and other social media. That is why anyone has to be careful when using social media (if someone decides to use it). The President signed the bill of the Freedom Act, when he could have easily rejected it by veto. When the Patriot Act came about in October of 2001, I was 17 as a freshman in college. Even back then, I knew of its dangers. The Freedom Act does allow telecoms the access to massive metadata, which can still be accessed by the government via more sophisticated channels. We can both preserve our civil liberties and have a sense of security without these draconian anti-civil liberty laws. The FBI has been caught illegally monitoring citizens all of time (even recently). The drone attacks, the high unemployment rate, and other problems are the fruits of neoliberalism. So, we should use discernment, execute courage, and keep on fighting for justice. That’s our job and we are inspired by those who paved the way for us.



This is a total example of white privilege and arrogance shown by many white people. Some white people think that they are entitled to call black people whatever they want to by virtue of “free speech,” but people have the free speech right to criticize him and to not buy his music. Chet Haze wants attention and he’s a culture vulture. He exploits the music of hip hop as a means for him to make himself more popular, but he supports using the N word. He is totally wrong and his black slave minded black “friends” supporting him are wrong too. We should never tolerate some arrogant white male trying to use reverse psychology in attempting to justify the usage of such a vile word like the N word. No one (regardless of skin color) should use the N word (irrespective if it has an –a at the end of it or an –er at the end of it). Chet has his history wrong. The death of Trayvon Martin occurred in 2012. The arrest of innocent protesters (in violation of habeas corpus rights) has existed in Baltimore in 2015. The SAE fraternity’s actions of singing about harming black people happened during this year. So, the New Jim Crow is not over. We are still fighting the same battles that our forefathers and our foremothers have fought decades ago. The struggle isn’t over. Some black people who allow whites to say the N word around them and if these black people praise the whites doing it, then those black persons should be ashamed of themselves. You have noticed that Chet never said that slurs against Jewish people, Hispanic people, Arabic people, etc. must be stripped of its negative connotation since he knows full well that the Jewish community (including others) will rightfully condemn him (if he said that). Others have exploited our inherit compassion as black people for their vile agenda. We say no more. We have to mark people who degrade us and not support them economically or otherwise. We have to take a stand and stand up for our people as Brothers and Sisters. That is the only way that we can be free. The successful movements of old were won with unity, solidarity, activism, and social empowerment that combated white supremacist, colonial views. We want liberation.



The Vietnam War had complexities, but the Vietnam War at its core was imperialist, ruthless, brutal, and unjust. War mongers like McNamara decades later admitted that Vietnam had no direct threat to U.S. hegemony at all. Vietnam had no nuclear weapons and the U.S. funded many dictators like Diem and General Ky (who fought with the French against his own Vietnamese people). Over 2 million Vietnamese people have been killed and many have experienced the effects of Agent Orange, napalm, etc. to this very day. That's a total injustice. The draft during the era was class based and also a disproportionate amount of African-Americans were part of the draft too. Also, many African American GIs suffered racism in the military barracks. Operation Phoenix, My Lai Massacre, and other evils in the Vietnam War have been ignored by many. Also, we have to acknowledge how some GIs actively resisted the war. Many brave soldiers were court martialed, because they courageously opposed the draft and opposed the war. A large part of the anti-war movement was working class. When more union members and a wide spectrum of people (like the SDS, SNCC, MOBE, other civil rights groups, women rights' groups, etc.) opposed the war by 1969, then everyone knew that the war would end. Some anti-war activists went into jail, because they wanted to never relinquish their moral convictions. Unfortunately, many folks haven't learned the lessons from the Vietnam War.



Too many people love selfishness. Raising a child is a serious responsibility and it’s one of the greatest jobs that any human being has to do. Suffolk, VA is a rural city. I have been to Suffolk before. There are no massive skyscrapers there. It has farms (with especially cotton farms and peanut farms) and its land is widespread. It has over 300 square miles, but it has a small amount of people. Therefore, Kionna Monet did the wrong thing. No 8 year old child should be treated in that fashion. Kionna Monet’s life is tied to her 8 year child. She should have never juxtaposed her responsibility to truly care for her child with her own personal, selfish interests. The neighbor did what was right. The neighbor should not be scapegoated or blamed for the actions of the mother. Back in the day, adults with children will ask relatives or neighbors to care for their children (if parents had to go somewhere). There was a great communal vibe in much of our communities decades ago. Today, some embrace social Darwinism and others just care about themselves only. The mother can easily celebrate Memorial Day with her child. I feel for the eight year old child. Actions, which were done by Kionna, deserve no pass. Care for our people is an intrepid and paramount concept for all of us to embrace.


First, RIP to Kelly Mayhew. Her death was a tragedy and I can’t describe the hurt that her family is going through. There are many points to be mentioned. One is that there must be a stronger crackdown on those who perform these illegal surgeries. Anyone who does illegal surgeries of this nature should be arrested. Anyone who performs these procedures legally ought to have great qualifications too. Also, another point ought to be mentioned. We know the point. Self-hate and other insecurities are serious problems among many in the human family. We know that not all people who use cosmetic surgeries have these issues, but some do. That is why we must constantly and consistently bring home the point that regardless if people do such actions or not, they must know their inherit human value. Their value is not diminished by their physical appearance. Their value is still worthy of dignity and respect. Also, we plus society must promote the truth that beauty is diverse. Beauty is not monolithic and the entertainment industry readily advances very degrading images of women. This should change. We have to view people as people not as objects. We have to make society better. I hope that the person responsible for her death is caught and brought to justice.

By Timothy