New Developments

There is good news. The University of Minnesota has launched its online archive of African American historical and cultural materials. This is great news. We, who are African Americans (that includes me as I'm an African American) exist in different ideologies, sexes, ages, geographic locations, and political persuasions. Yet, we are unified in our struggle for freedom and justice. This source of information is invaluable and it outlines the constant necessity for the displaying of African American history to the world. Our history doesn't just deal with the Middle Passage and slavery (though we should never forget slavery and the Maafa. We should always remember the Maafa). Our history also deals with black inventors, black social leaders, educators, religious people, judges, lawyers, and other human beings who contributed a great deal in society. Therefore, the torch has been passed to us. We have the responsibility to stand firmly for our human rights and to believe in the Dream. That Dream precisely means that our freedom isn't up for sale. Our dignity doesn't have a price tag and our rights as black people must always be honored wholeheartedly. From Oscar Micheaux to Harriet Tubman, people know about the strength of Black Excellence. We believe in education too. Part of that education is ensuring that black youth recognize not only their majestic history, but internally honoring their black heritage. Our hair, our skin color, our minds, our creativity, and our souls are beautiful as black people. We are black people, we are here to stay, and we a'int going anywhere.
That's real talk.

Yesterday was the Birthday of the late Jackie Robinson. I saw a great deal of the recent PBS documentary about his life. I do recommend it. He was born in the time of Jim Crow apartheid. He faced discrimination and oppression, but he utilized his strength and courage to change the world. He lived in Los Angeles, California. He could play football, basketball, track and field, and other sports. Yet, he played in baseball in the major leagues. He was a soldier during World War II and he made history as the first black man to be in the Major Leagues during the 20th century back in 1947. He played magnificent and he suffered unjust mistreatment by racists. His wife and his children inspired him to carry on. He made a great career and won the Hall of Fame. Later, he fought for the civil rights of African Americans. He was a friend to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and he knew Malcolm X. He promoted economic development in NYC for black people and he wanted black ownership of baseball teams. He passed away in 1972 at the age of 53. His wife has been there by his side. His wife, whose name is Rachel Robinson (who looks very youthful as she is 92) continues to stand up for justice in our time. So, Jackie Robinson was a hero and I have seen the movie 42 too. He shown how athletics ought to judge people by their character and talent not by the color of one's skin. He has shown us that fighting back against evil can also include using our minds and using a rugged determination to stand up for our cherished belief system. Jackie Robinson was a man who sacrificed only for his family, but for us in this time to endeavor for the principles of human equality and social justice.
Rest in Power Brother Jackie Robinson


This is similar to when Nixon fired Cox in October 20, 1973, who refused to follow his orders during the Watergate saga. Yates knew that she was going to get fired, but she bravely outlined the truth that the executive order was hastily created and it fundamentally is cruel. Trump is a person who is very overt in his authoritarianism and he's a narcissist. I have every right to dissent with Trump. I certainly haven't seen this level of funding and increase of membership in the ACLU in my lifetime. It's a historic time and people have made history in this regard. The fight is far from over, but recent events prove that many Americans will protest, defend human rights, and stand up for a righteous cause. Now, Donald Trump has nominated his Supreme Court nominee.  His name is Neil Gorsuch. He was a federal appellate judge from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in Denver, Colorado. Trump revealed his choice on Tuesday night on prime time television. The running up Judge Thomas Hardiman of the Third Circuit in Pennsylvania made an appearance too. Gorsuch obviously isn’t a progressive. He has voted for legal privileges and exemptions for religious groups and institutions. He is proven to be a defender of the police’s attacks on democratic rights. He sided with businesses against consumers and workers in the vast majority of such cases that he has heard. The judge comes from right-wing Republican stock. His mother, Anne Gorsuch Burford, was appointed administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1981 by Ronald Reagan, and given the task of dismantling antipollution regulations. When the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives sought EPA records of how money in the so-called Superfund for cleaning up toxic waste was being spent, Gorsuch defied congressional subpoenas, was cited for contempt and was eventually forced to resign. Gorsuch admitted that he is an originalist and a textualist, which Scalia believed in too. That means that he believes in a literal interpretation of the Constitution instead of using a more complex approach as we live in a complex society. Many Democrats like Charles Schumer (or the Senate Minority Leader) has threatened a filibuster.


We live in a society where some believe in the false view that dissent is always equivalent to slandering a person. When we dissent with Trump, we're not slandering him. We are aware of his egregious, reprehensible actions and executive orders that he has shown. His anti-refugee and anti-immigrant executive order doesn't include nations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Pakistan, etc. because those nations have many corporate ties to U.S. companies. That order hasn't been well thought out and confusion existed. Many innocent Iranians, Sudanese people, etc. now can't come into America because of it. For example, Iranian director Asghar Farhadi isn't allowed to come into America because of his nationality. A Syrian refugee (whose pseudonym is Nadia Al Moualem), who lives in Texas now, can't see her children since they are in Syria. This is evil and disgraceful. Many nations not on the banned list have those who have committed terrorist attacks on American soil. Yet, those on the banned list have people who have never committed terrorist attacks on U.S. soil (from 1975-2015). As NBC Philadelphia reported, two Christian families from Syria (or 6 people) escaping religious persecution arrived in Philadelphia in Sunday — only to be sent back home. The ACLU (which has record increased funding recently) and other scholars document how that executive order violates the establishment clause since a religious test is in that policy (which by default discriminates against Muslims) and it violates possibly the Geneva Convention as it relates to refugees. Refugees already have a stringent procedure before they even come into America. It is mean spirited and it condemns innocent people. In my opinion, it violates the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 since that law forbids immigration restrictions based on nation of origin. Even John McCain has said that the ban exacerbates tensions in the Middle East. Companies and universities in America have warned students from Iran, Somalia, etc. to not leave America at this time since they could be restricted from coming back into America. Now, Iran might form similar bans of Americans coming into Iran. Lawsuits have been filed and it might be eliminated by the Supreme Court in the future. Protesters have shown their right to assemble, their right to protest, and the right to let their voices to be heard. Trump is a fascist and fascism must be defeated.

For those xenophobes who hate Muslims (Malcolm X was a Muslim), many black people are restricted to come here too as many black people live in Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, etc. That fact documents how the Hotep xenophobes don't care about black freedom, but they want to worship a nation (which was created via genocide, slavery, and other forms of oppression) & mimic the views of white supremacists instead of wanting international black freedom. Since Tina Campbell is a Christian, it is important to note that Jesus Christ threw the money changers out of the Temple. Jesus healed a person on the Sabbath. Jesus didn't follow the Roman Empire unconditionally. Therefore, we are not required to unconditionally support any leader. We shouldn't worship Trump and Trump is not my Savior. Trump's agenda can go into perdition. In other words, Hitler was appointed leader in Germany back in 1933 by Hindenburg, but I won't support Hitler because of his racism and involvement in genocide. So, we have to use context and never use religion as an excuse to minimize the blatant sexism, bigotry, xenophobia, and outright ignorant behavior of a demagogue named Donald Trump who is not my President. There is nothing wrong with prayer. There is nothing wrong with hope. There is something wrong with a male who jokes about sexual assault and a person who refuses to release his tax returns when he is President now. I pray that Trump is impeached. Tina Campbell is not my real enemy. The real enemies are Steve Bannon (who is on the National Security Council when Bannon is a supporter of the bigoted alt right movement), and others who don't care about social justice, but oligarchy. Black people are always told to bow down to a white man on many occasions, but this is a new generation. Many of us reject that evil premise. We don't do that. Trump is given every excuse in the world by some and some people still want to blame Obama for Trump's errors. Trump is here in the White House now. So, I disagree with Tina Campbell. I have no hatred of her. We have the right to resist oppression and stand in solidarity to human justice.


By Timothy