The Orlando Massacre and Other News.

What happened on Sunday morning in early June of 2016 was a tragedy in Orlando. 49 people were murdered by a coward. This signifies how violent extremism, bigotry, and hate has no place anywhere on this Earth. We condemn murder and terror. We all send prayers and condolences to families and friends of the victims of that unspeakable massacre. As time as gone on, we have more facts about what has transpired. We don’t have all of the answers, but we have some of the answers. The massacre happened at the Pulse nightclub. The murderer’s name is Omar Mateen (who used an AR-15 type assault rifle that he legally bought to murder innocent people. Also, legitimate gun regulations is not equivalent to a total gun ban of all guns from all citizens. I don’t agree with Hillary Clinton on many issues, but even I know that Trump is a liar to assume that Hillary Clinton wants to ban all guns from all citizens). His co-workers have said that he had pathological hatred of gay people, African Americans, and other groups of people. He used the N word constantly. Daniel Gilroy, who worked alongside Mateen between March 2014 and March 2015, can been seen in an interview posted on the New York Times web site describing his encounter with the future mass murderer. Gilroy stated that he was “not surprised” when he heard that Mateen had carried out the Orlando massacre. “He was very racist, very sexist, anti-Jew, anti-homosexual and he made it known by derogatory statements as much as he could.” Gilroy has added that Mateen often talked about killing blacks. When his employer failed to heed his complaints about Mateen, Gilroy quit the firm. So, he was a racist. Also, he was a hypocrite. He was angered according to his father about 2 gay people kissing, but he frequently Pulse gay night club, drinked heavily there, and was active on the gay chat and dating ap called Jack’d including Gindr. So, bigotry and racism are linked to hypocrisy. We know that some of the biggest homophobes are closeted homosexuals. His ex-wife said that he was abusive and he has serious mental health problems as tons of these mass shooters have disturbed minds indeed. Many co-workers described him as mentally ill. His current wife said that she tried to stop him from trying to kill people. She might be charged by authorities with federal charges.

Marteen told a 911 operator that he had declared his allegiance to ISIS. Yet, there is no evidence so far that Omar Mateen had direct connections to ISIS or al-Qaeda. Also, it is important to understand the social roots of these evil mass shooting. We live in economic stagnation, massive Islamophobia in America, and massive bigotry in general in the world. The murderer was 29. Also, the FBI investigated him multiple times in 2013 and 2014 (because Mateen said that he know Tamerlan and Dzhokar Tsarnaev while a worker at G4S security) and let him go. The FBI said that Mateen made up claims about links to terrorism. Seddique Matten is the murderer’s father. Seddique hosts an online political affair programs. The program is right to criticize the puppet Kabul government, but Seddique is wrong to praise the Taliban (as both U.S. imperialism and theocratic Taliban fighters should not be glamorized or supported. The Taliban has violated the rights of non-Muslims and women for years and decades in Afghanistan). Ironically, the U.S. intelligence is known to support extremists to promote the war on terror. For example, the West supports the al-Qaeda affiliate Al Nusra Front in the civil war in Syria. Al-Qaeda was created by Osama bin Laden. Osama was aided by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia during the late 1970’s to fight the Soviet-influenced Afghanistan government. Also, Turkey provides much of the resources of ISIS via the Jabbar corridor on the Syria, Turkey border. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have given reactionary speeches about the incident. Hillary spoke about building our own defenses in America which will translate into violations to our democratic rights. She wanted to get back to the spirit of 9/12. Immediately after 9/11, we saw illegal war of aggression against Iraq, the Patriot Act, the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, torture centers globally, and the evil of assassinations without due process of law (even against an American citizen).

Donald Trump (who shared almost a gleeful attitude about the carnage, which is disgraceful on his part) was more overt in his demagogy and fascist rhetoric. He wanted a ban on all Muslims to come into America (even Muslims who are innocent of any crime or even the new Muslim mayor of London). Even Paul Ryan (a conservative) doesn't agree with a total Muslim ban. He or Trump blamed immigration and refugees for the terror attack when we have a strict policy of vetting refugees and thousands of refugees are in Canada (without massive terrorism done by refugees). Corrupt capitalist policies (not immigrants and Muslims) are responsible for falling wages and decaying infrastructure. Refugees are fleeing ISIS terror. They are not linked to ISIS. Also, Mateen (who was born from NYC and lived in Port St. Lucie, Florida) wasn’t a refugee or immigrant. He was an American citizen. Many people like Trump ignore white supremacist terrorists which is far worse than terrorism done by people who claim to be Muslim (but aren’t. They are extremists). Trump wants Muslims to either cooperate or face “big consequences.” We know what those consequences are. Far right politicians hypocritically claim to support LGBT people now after the Orlando massacre, but endorse policies that are blatantly anti-LBGT and desire Islamophobia. Both Hillary Clinton and Trump wants to increase U.S. military interventions and bombings overseas in the Middle East, which has caused more tensions in the world. This massacre is being exploited by many to stop the anti-war movement and to falsely scapegoat all Muslims as blood thirsty terrorists (which isn’t the case). Vigils have happened nationwide and worldwide to condemn the evil actions of one evil male. Also, tons of people in the Muslim community have condemned the massacre too in public and in private.  More facts will come out in the future. Omar Mateen was a terrorist just like Tim McVeigh, and others. Therefore, we do need investments in mental health. We need to build up our infrastructure (via legislation and community actions) and promote tolerance while standing up against violent extremism. Domestic terrorism and Western terrorism done by imperialists overseas must all be condemned. Also, we have to collaborate with Muslims and others in fighting against irrational terrorism. Also, we shouldn’t scapegoat Muslims collectively (as Adam Lanza and others aren’t Muslims. The late Muslim Muhammad Ali proves once again that many Muslims want to build bridges and promote peace in the world). A massive hate crime should always be condemned. Many things must be done and we believe in justice for all.

Cop terror is a serious problem nationwide. This is not new. There was the 1970 murder of Reuben Salazar by Los Angeles County sheriffs. There was the 1991 racist attack by the LAPD on Rodney King. On May 19, 2016, an unarmed black woman named Jessica Williams was killed by the police in San Francisco, California. She was killed inside a car. The police claimed that it was stolen. It was found in the mostly black Bayview-Hunters point neighborhood. Months earlier, a young black man Mario Woods was killed in an execution style way in the same neighborhood. Cell phone footage have shown Woods on a sidewalk surrounding by the police. The police then shot 15 rounds at him. This caused months of protests against the SFPD. Some want the DOJ to investigate the Wood’s killing. Racist American capitalism have harmed black people, Latinos, and the poor, and other oppressed communities. Over 400 people were killed by the police nationwide in the last few months. To get rid of police brutality, the entire system must be eliminated and replaced with a system of justice. San Francisco has economic exploitation and the gentrification action (which replaces the poor, black, homeless, and Latino people to be replaced with richer people). There has been a massive construction boom, but property values have increase. This, in term, causes the displacement of poor and working class residents (for the financial greed of developers). The historic Mission District section of San Francisco now have apartments averaging $2,700 a month. Many black people have been involved in a mass exodus of San Francisco because of rising property costs and discriminatory policies. Back in the 1970’s, Filmore (or the Harlem of the West Coast with great jazz clubs and bookstores) have many of their homes demolished. The majority black Bayview-Hunters point neighborhood (where the naval shipyard is located) have been negatively impacted by gentrification too. Back decades ago, 13 percent of San Francisco’s population is black. Today, it is only 6 percent. Predatory lending, the foreclosure of homes, and deepening unemployment has accelerated black dislocation. Many gentrifiers are buying places in San Francisco and across the Bay in Oakland. Oakland’s black population went from 43 to 26 percent today. This is beyond just bad policing. It is about a system that uses capitalist exploitation to harm human beings. We know about the unfair conviction of Jasmine Abdullah (who is a Black Lives Matter organizer in Pasadena, California). Working class people have every right to organize along with the poor to enact progressive solutions (from forming independent parties or organizations and form independent means to help the community).

One of the greatest heroes of all time is Sister Shirley Chisholm. She exemplified courage, political power, and social activism. She not only spoke up for civil rights. She was actively involved in helping others in her own community and in other places nationwide for decades. She was an educator and an author. Shirley Chisholm was a heroic black woman who both condemned racism and sexism. She was the first African American woman to be elected in the U.S. Congress in 1968. She loved Brooklyn too. She worked in Brownsville and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Her glorious, awe-inspiring brilliance has inspired people and told the truth about how we should care for the poor, for the homeless, and for the oppressed. She fought for investments in health care, education, and child care. We anticipate the film and we wish much success for Sister Anika Noni Rose. Black excellence is abundant in the world. Theater is part of great human experience, talent, and magnificent storytelling. So, we congratulate all of the winners. Hamilton is a very popular play in our generation. Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Cynthia Erivo, and others prove that black talent is not only amazing, but it is inspirational too. We are always reminded that we should be judged by our character and our conscious deeds not by our skin color. Black people know how to perform greatness, because greatness is in our souls and in our spirits. We acknowledge the legends involved in theater too like Melba Moore, James Earl Jones, Debbie Allen, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and others.


By Timothy