Massive Domestic and Foreign News

There is the serious economic crisis in Greece. There have been failed negotiations among Greek political leaders and the EU on how to solve the debt crisis in Greece. Eurozone finance ministers rejected another offer from the Syriza-led government in Greece to impose austerity measures in return for a new €30 billion bailout from the European Union (EU). Without more funding, Greece missed repaying the latest tranche of its loan from the International Monetary Fund or the IMF. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been dealing with trying to maneuver the demands of the EU, the European Central Bank (ECB), and the IMF. The Greek daily Kathimerini claimed that Tsipras was ready to fly to Brussels to discuss a new offer from EU President Jean-Claude Juncker. He reportedly had phoned Juncker, ECB head Mario Draghi and European Parliament President Martin Schultz, while Syriza MPs were ringing his office urging acceptance of any deal offered. Juncker held out the possibility of debt relief only if Tsipras campaigned for a yes vote on the upcoming referendum on the demands from the troika and agreed to terms first set out in a November 2012 agreement. Later, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she hasn’t heard of any changes since the ultimatum which was delivered on Friday. So, Tsipras announced a referendum for July 5. Tsipras’s offer shows that his call for a referendum on EU austerity over the weekend like us his Tuesday call for a “no” vote on the referendum is a cynical political tactic. Tsipras has already said that, even if the “no” vote won, he would use it to continue negotiating with the EU. Yesterday, less than 24 hours after supposedly throwing down the gauntlet, he was taking out his beggar’s cap and seeking to negotiate EU loans in exchange for austerity policies opposed by the Greek people. Syriza came into office, because the Greek people were tired of the harsh austerity demands of the European Union. Syriza wanted an agreement that preserves the framework of the bailouts. The Greek bourgeoisie and the petty-bourgeoisie want a referendum as well. “From the first moment, we made clear that the decision to hold a referendum is not the end but the continuation of negotiations for better terms for the Greek people,” the Syriza government said in a statement. “The Greek government will until the end seek a viable agreement within the euro.” The proposal from a new bailout made in a letter from Tsipras is about Syriza trying to promote an austerity program to submit to Greek creditors. Debt relief to make Greek capitalism viability is not freedom. It involves borrowing an additional €30 billion, covering a two-year period, from the Eurozone’s €500 billion European Stability Mechanism, bypassing the IMF, and allowing for some debt relief. Though unspecified, the proposal would mean accepting the vast bulk of austerity measures demanded by the EU. An EU source told Reuters that the Greek proposals were “closer” to what was being demanded of them. Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat later reported that Greece was willing to suspend Sunday’s planned referendum if an agreement was reached, or to “ask the people to vote ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’.” The US wants all parties to make a sustainable solution. The US is concerned about the global markets. Greece is offering new bailout concessions.

The burning of many black churches are acts of domestic terrorism. There can be no sugarcoating about what is being done. We, as black people, have every right to be tired of this. We are tired of witnessing a Justice Department refusing to prosecute crooked, terrorist cops killing our Brothers and Sisters in the streets. We are tired of a legal system that is proven by studies to treat black people less than fair as compared to white people (even if they are convicted for the same, exact crime). We are tired of people talking about respectability politics every time black people experience murder, every time when our religious buildings are being destroyed, and when our innocent people are being killed by stone cold racists. Ever since our ancestors arrived here, the racists have made it clear that they don’t give a (concern) about our well-being. Therefore, we have the right to protect our communities and use self-defense if necessary to promote our human rights. It is typical for the mainstream media to not readily report on black churches being attacked, but they want to lecture black people on “personal responsibility” all of the time when the 9 victims of the Charleston killing fulfilled their responsibilities in helping their people and their communities. RIP to the 9 victims who passed away. Structural injustice is a problem here. We will fight back. Revolutionary solutions are in order too and that is why it’s necessary for us to build up our institutions and our independent organizations (filled with grassroots, participatory power and a progressive consciousness. That means precisely that we have to continue to address homelessness, health care issues, and poverty), so we can assist each other more readily. It is definitely true that multinational corporations have exploited Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We know that the West has occupied and invaded both countries unjustly. We know that Bill Clinton and others have grown luxury hotels in Haiti while the masses of the Haitian people have suffered. Yet, people have every right to criticize the actions of the D.R. government. That is part of free speech and we will oppose xenophobia and racism in any country period. The Dominican Republic's immigration policy is blatantly draconian and wrong. Also, the Dominican Republic has a known history of an anti-black Haitian attitude. Many Afro-Dominicans even deny their own blackness and that's a shame. Self-hatred is a real problem in the D.R. Now, many Haitians have been lynched and assaulted in the Dominican Republic. The late Sister Sonia Pierre has fought for justice for Haitian people in the D.R. We will continue to fight for justice.

This was inevitable. Trump has a huge ego. Roselyn Sanchez has spoken out against Trump’s evil comments too. Regardless of how people view immigration, there is no excuse for a Republican Presidential candidate to spew such xenophobic and bigoted rhetoric against Mexican people like that. Words have consequences. The same ones who lecture people on personal responsibility feel like Donald Trump should experience no accountability for his words. NBC has the legal right to do what they did. Some want it to make it like since Trump is talking about Hispanics, then this is not our problem because we are black people. This is our problem since Trump has a track record of saying racist things about black people too. When one person makes a sick, bigoted remark about any ethnic group, then we shouldn't be silent about it. Also, many of the extreme anti-immigrant activists (those who even opposed legal immigration) decades ago were pro-eugenics. I did my research. John R. O’Donnell said that Trump said derogatory comments about black people which Trump never denied. He has disrespected the innocent people (in NYC) who were once accused of raping a white woman. These men were exonerated, but still he has disrespected these victims after they were found innocent of all charges. His family's real-estate company, Trump Management Corporation, was sued by the Justice Department for racial discrimination (against black people). The more research that I have found about him, the more about his wicked character comes about. He just wants publicity. It's a known fact that Trump used policies to try to discriminate against people based on race. Even the Supreme Court validated the provisions of the Fair Housing Act, which was signed in 1968. Some polls say that he is in second place next to Jeb Bush in the GOP race. A person like Trump, who wanted black and brown families to not have housing, and a person who slandered the innocent people who were wrongly convicted outline Trump's evils.


There is a massive amount of political news in the world today. The Supreme Court made the evil decision of permitting the death penalty to use dangerous drugs. Another decision allowed the lax enforcement of the regulation of air pollution. Also, Chris Christie is running for President now. Christie is known for his brass language and his reactionary agenda. He may present himself as a “moderate,” but he isn’t one. Christie’s record as governor is reactionary. He ended a tunnel project which would have alleviated New Jersey residents’ commutes. New Jersey’s economy has taken a hit since Christie assumed office. The current 6.5 percent unemployment rate in New Jersey is worse than the national average and the state’s long-term unemployed rate is worse than 48 states. In his five years in the governor’s mansion, the state’s credit rating fell nine times, making it the second worst among the states. He reduced the earned income tax credit and vetoed legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour. Voters approved an increase in November. The Governor has massively cut pensions. He botched some of the funding of Hurricane Sandy. The governor also enacted strict quarantine practices for New Jersey when Ebola fears in the U.S. peaked last fall, raising questions about how he’d handle public health issues as president. Kaci Hickox, a nurse who was being quarantined, became involved in a bitter dispute with Christie over the policy which kept her confined despite the advice of public health experts. His progressive policies include signing the New Jersey DREAM Act to extend in-state tuition at public universities to undocumented students. Also, he doesn’t deny the existence of climate change, but he has not participated in a Northeastern regional plan to cut carbon emissions. Now, there is the Obama policy of allowing an Ambassador to come to Cuba and Cuba having an embassy in America. I have no problem with this policy, but Cuba should never be a client Western state. Cuba should have its independence.

The artist Fuse ODG has every right to voice his frustration at this wrong act by BET. We know that BET is owned by Viacom and the capitalist power structure dominates the mainstream TV machine. There is no excuse and no justification for BET to not to televise the Best International Act Award to him. The music from Africa matters as African musical expression should be acknowledged and respected. African nations also have their own award shows where their artists are treated with dignity and with respect. Another point is to be made too. There are tons of great African artists then and now. There is a great artist named Ntjam Rosie with amazing music. She was born in Cameron and she has grown up in the Netherlands. Her songs of “The One”, “Love is Calling,” etc. show excellent, positive messages. Naomi Wachira was born in Kenya and she has an incredible voice. I love her music. Naomi tells magnificent stories about her life and Africa as well. Fatoumata Diawara is another great artist and she’s from Mali. There are tons of amazing South African singers as well. This situation should remind us how far that we have to go in our struggle for liberation. Liberation is just not about words being spoken as way to inspire progressive change. It is about social action being done in respecting all of black African descent and fighting for equality being made in existence for all among the human race. I do listen to more African music recently. I like the beats of the songs, the creativity, and African lyrics too. It is certainly very important to be well rounded. The more that we learn about the richness of African music and African culture, the better we appreciate our own black heritage. Regardless of our nationalities as black people, we are still members of the human race. We are one.  I will certainly listen to more music from Angelique Kidjo. I'm blown away by her voice and by her energy. Pan African unity has been advanced by Kwame Nkrumah, Malcolm X, and so many of our heroes. Bless Mama Africa.


By Timothy