Winter 2018 Part 6

 

Conclusion  (for Winter 2018)




Change never comes by submitting to the interests of the oppressor. Change comes by activism being enacted by the oppressed in order for the oppressed to fight back against injustice. Many states even refuse to pass a bill of rights to hold crooked cops accountable. Many of the "good" cops make it their duty to refuse to tell on the bad cops for the sake of promoting the evil blue wall of silence. It has gotten to the point that the Right today would consider an extremist like Ronald Reagan a "moderate." That is why many in the far Right today want to eradicate the Great Society and the New Deal social reforms including any progressive measure that enriches human lives. They (as in the racists) want bread and circus without social development beneficial to our people. It's as real as that. The ironic thing is that they know the truth. They know about American history, the racist anthem, and the real problem of police terrorism against our communities. They just don't care and desire a sick conformity to the status quo (where athletes are silent and just get a check at the expense of these athletes' human dignity). That is why I respect Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Althea Gibson, Jackie Joyner Kersee, etc. They not only are some of the greatest athletes in human history. They went into public to promote social justice, they helped the oppressed, they worked in charities, and they have spoken their minds. They or the bigots certainly want the players of any sport to be silent. I don't understand how anyone can be offended by a peaceful knell to disagree with racial injustice (and expose a racist national anthem).

One of the biggest lies in the world is for some to compare the evils that Stalin did to every socialist and every Communist on Earth. I am not a Communist, but I do know many Communists like Paul Robeson and Claudia Jones who stood up for black liberation and for basic human freedoms. That is why I know that Communism is not monolithic and it has different variations. The far right ignores the millions who died as the product of the Maafa. Those, who were involved in those millions of deaths of the victims of the Maafa, weren't Communists. They were mercantilists and capitalists who violated many moral principles for the sake of desiring economic profit (and they believed in the evil doctrine of racism). Not to mention that Stalin murdered many Trotskyites (i.e. a group of communists and socialists) and he allowed the destruction of many churches. Real freedom lovers believe in allowing people to believe in what they want without religious buildings to be destroyed. World War Two caused the deaths of almost 100 million people. It was the bloodiest war in human history. The people who started that war weren't Communists, but they were Nazis and other fascists (who followed many capitalist principles. Hitler and the Nazis explicitly hated and exterminated socialists and communists). Ironically, the USSR during WWII worked hard to defeat the terrorism of the Nazis.

The year of 2017 alone alone has seen 33 million people die of hunger, 10 million children die of lack of health care, and 2.7 million die because of occupational hazards. Many of the same ones who want us to expose Stalin's crimes and Mao's errors (which we should do) are silent on the atrocities of Columbus and other imperialists who made it their duty to oppress people (especially people of color). Far right extremists omit the anti-Semitism, brutality, and murder done by the many Czars too. The works of Marx don't even condone mass murder and neither does any rational person condones murder. Therefore, the crimes of others shouldn't be blamed on everyone who follows a specific belief system. It should be blamed solely on the person or the persons who has done the crimes. So, Stalin's brutality is to be blamed on Stalin not on every Communist who ever lived. When people condone socialism, they obviously want single payer health care, immigrant rights, civil liberties, an end to police brutality, etc. not gulags or unjust prisons. I don't believe in Communism, but even I know that people from diverse ideologies contributed to the cause of human liberation. Dr. King condoned democratic socialism. Malcolm X criticized capitalism. Ella Baker opposed the Vietnam War. Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were social activists for decades (long before the 1960's). Therefore, we know the truth.

I want to write about this topic for a long time. There has been a real Middle East rivalry among Iran and Saudi Arabia. This tension has occurred because of many reasons. Iran is mostly Shia and most people in Iran aren't Arabic (but they are a mostly Indo-European people). Saudi Arabia is mostly Arabic and mostly Sunni. Sunnis and Shias are Muslims with different interpretations on the true successor of Muhammad. For years, Saudi Arabia and Iran have competed for political hegemony in the Middle East. After the Iraq War, Iran has more influence with Iraq, parts of Syria (including Assad. Assad has an alliance with Russia. Putin is the head of Russia and Russian oligarchs have huge power in Russia too), Hezbollah (with a militarized, political force in Lebanon), etc. Saudi Arabia doesn't like this, so they are using their alliances with America and with Israel (yes, Israel) as a means for Saudi Arabia to establish more political and economic power in the Middle East. The Lebanon leader Saad Hariri recently threatened to resign and bring down the government. He reversed his position after pressure from America. America is allied with Saudi Arabia, but America wants stability in Lebanon. If Lebanon has instability, many political scholars fear more political unrest in the Middle East (while political unrest is already happening now over in that part of the world). Hariri has links to Saudi Arabia. Also, Saudi Arabia (with American backing) is attacking parts of Yemen.

The Saudi forces are attacking the Houthis (who are financed by Iran). Over 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the Saudi Arabia/Houthi conflict. Saudi Arabia is in a new era. One leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has arrested many Saudi leaders. The problem with him is that he is an authoritarian and he wants to continue neoliberal privatization and many of the same retrograde policies in Saudi Arabia (like him targeting intellectuals, academics, writers, feminists, human rights defenders and key Islamist figures). Many prisoners in Saudi prisoners are being tortured. Recently, the Saudi regime imposed a new counter-terrorism law that provides for criminal penalties of five to 10 years in prison for portraying the king or crown prince “in a manner that brings religion or justice into disrepute” and includes under the rubric of “terrorism” any act “disturbing public order,” “shaking the security of the community and the stability of the State” or “exposing its national unity to danger.” At the end of the day, we don't need to support authoritarian regimes. We need to support independent movements (among the workers and other people) for real social change. Also, it is important to acknowledge that a black woman started the #Me too campaign. Her name is Tarana Burke. Many women and men are victims of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. Many of these victims worked in ESPN, the NFL Network, and other locations. One victim is Adrienne Lawrence who is working in ESPN. Therefore, we have to defend black women and we have to show compassion and support to any victim of sexual misconduct period (of any background).

Recently, Cornell West wrote an article criticizing Ta-Nehisi Coates. You know that I don't back down from confronting issues. So, here are my views about this dispute or debate. First, West's criticism of Coates is similar to his criticism of Obama. In essence, West feels that Coates doesn't go far enough in criticizing Obama and he believes that he doesn't go far enough in utilizing a class analysis or an analysis about certain issues (like Wall Street's predatory acts, imperialistic aggression overseas or various forms of discrimination against the oppressed). West wrote that Coates writes about racism/white supremacy and nothing more. Coates expressed pessimism about the American experiment because of the unfair experiences of black people in the Americas for centuries. Capitalist exploitation has harmed black people. We know where this comes from. West is correct to expose imperialism, neoliberalism, and other evils. West is right to expose the crimes of imperialism from drone strikes to bloody wars. The truth is in between the 2 extremes. West omits that Coates has critiqued Obama on many issues. Not to mention that Coates also did the right thing in advocating for reparations (a black man calling for reparations by definition is not a neoliberal), racial justice, and economic justice. Coates isn't perfect and no human is perfect. Yet, Coates' views on race and other injustices aren't synonymous with neoliberal views.

As for neoliberalism, it is the philosophy of believing in globalization, deregulation, tax cuts for the rich, and other policies of the status quo. Therefore, it is completely unfair to compare Coates to a neoliberal extremist bend on privatization, ecological disaster, and other forms of oppression. West is right on many issues, but he must realize that he isn't the sole arbitrator of Blackness. Blackness comes in many different forms and Coates is a black man too. Some of West's criticisms of Obama go beyond legitimate critique, but personal invective (like him calling Obama a Rockefeller Republican in blackface. That's crossing a line. He called Obama other names that I can't mention here. I disagree with Obama on some issues, but I don't call him out of his name). Cornell West should realize that not everyone will agree with him on everything (and that Trump is more than a neo-fascist, but Trump is worst than Obama on racial issues, immigration issues, health care issues, and on women's rights issues) while Coates should realize that exposing Wall Street, empire, class oppression, imperialism, and other forms of oppression (which Coates lacks in doing for the time being in a strong way) does a great job in building on his ideologies. Coates should never feel shame about his unapologetic exposure of white racism as he's telling the truth about the vicious nature of white racism. Coates deleting his Twitter account came after pressure came unto him. So, both men should learn from each other and grow. I feel very disappointed in West calling Trump his "authentic Brother" as found in Twitter. I have noticed that West doesn't criticize Trump in the same level as he has criticized Obama. Trump a'int my Brother in no shape or form. I reject permanent pessimism as a solution as I do believe in hope and a willingness to fight for change. So, both West and Coates are black intellectuals. Our real enemy isn't Coates. It's the system of racism/white supremacy. That's my take.

Recently in December of 2017, hundreds of people in London protested at the Libyan embassy. The reason was that they are opposing the slave trade against black Africans taking place in Libya. It is no secret that black Libyans have suffered racism, slavery, and other injustices in Libya. This has been going on for years. The 2011-2012 NATO intervention in Libya caused massive political instability. During that time black people in Sirte, Benghazi, Tripoli, and in Ban Walid have been massacred, lynched, assaulted, and raped by racist terrorists (many of the anti-Qaddafi rebels were vicious anti-black racists. NATO is complicit in ignoring what these terrorists did). That is why courageous protesters are speaking out. Imperialist policies by the West and slavery enacted by many Libyan authorities should be condemned.

Slavery still exists and we have the right to defeat it by any means necessary. The NATO destruction of Libya is linked to the present crisis in Libya. Also, innocent refugees are trying to get into Europe in trying to achieve their sense of happiness, but many are unfairly scapegoated and demonized in many European locations. Today, many African refugees are being sold in slave markets. The UN Security Council has done nothing about this situation. Therefore, we want the slave trade to end. We also want a puppet regime in Libya to end, so independent Libyan people can govern their own country without racism and without slavery.

I do believe that people among both sexes in education (or in life in general whether someone is young or an adult) should be taught or learn on their own (not as an elective, but as a requirement) in dealing with:

1). How to finance and how to set up an enterprise regardless of one's economic philosophy. Also, it is important to use enterprises to benefit the community not just yourself. We want the poor and working class to have economic justice (without classism and without oppression).
2). How to plant a garden and how to cook
3). How to efficiently know and utilize STEM Fields
4). Real History (especially contributions of people of black African descent)
5). How to get a job and create jobs.
6). How to express music and art (or just learn about music and art). Studies document how art and music can develop creativity and other benefits among human beings.
7). How to know about and use various machines or tools around society (i.e. changing a tire, changing a light, screwing objects together, and other basic skills with machines). It is also important to develop more positive relationships among men and women.

One secret is to empower the poor and working class of our community to engage in engineering, political sciences, medical sciences, advanced technologies, and other great skills in a higher level in building a stronger community without scapegoating them or disrespecting them. Classism is evil and it must be eradicated in our world society. We need more enterprises, highways, bridges, trains, housing, real estate, education services, services to help the poor, great stores, and other services addressing the needs of the poor and the rest of us (involving both micro and macro economics). Along with that, we should always advance living wages, infrastructure development, programs to fight poverty, and strengthening the social safety net. That is why it is our destiny for our to build in local, state, national, and international projects enriching human lives. One secret in life is that it is futile to have excessive, unnecessary consumption without building something. It is also important for us to support or join genuine organizations that are dedicated to promote civil rights, economic rights, environmental justice, gender justice, and equality period. The key to liberation is building productive services in helping communities and maintaining human rights. That is how you make real change by addressing the needs of the people. So, education that's real must always be advanced. Part of that education is to always advance equality and justice among humanity. One important point also is that we should encourage more men and women to be contractors, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, painters, seamstresses, chefs, lumberjacks, masons, (as in making designs using bricks), candy makers, toymakers, musicians, tile workers, blacksmiths, air conditioning/refrigeration experts, movers, trash removal experts, lawn tree specialists, landscapers, pest control, chimney sweep, appliance repairers, hairdressers, locksmiths, shoemakers, and farmers of many kinds. The reason is that building, construction, and working with tools are conducive to a strong society. Also, building in a community lasts for generations into the future. These jobs have great social and economic benefits too. That is why experts are constantly talking about apprentice programs and trade schools since those jobs benefit people in enumerable ways.

I believe in net neutrality because of many reasons. Net Neutrality is the concept that the Internet is a public utility. That means that the Internet's ISP or the Internet Service providers must treat all Internet data the same (and that ISPs can't discriminate or charge differently based on user, the website, or the components of the websites). In essence, it tries to promote fairness without the ISPs having monopolies. As late as 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2015, ruled that companies that provide internet access to users, known as internet service providers (ISPs), cannot block or impede their users’ access to any website or service. This 2015 helped Internet users by banning companies from banning certain sites or overcharging going into certain sites too. The ISPs experienced legitimate regulations like electricity. Today, we have a problem. The problem is that the Trump administration wants to end net neutrality. Ajit Pai, a former Verizon lawyer, is an opponent of net neutrality. He is part of the FCC too. He has opposed the expansion of broadband networks if they were publicly owned.

An end to net neutrality will cause ISPs to monopolize power and increase charges for consumers to visit certain sites (and be forced to pay for premium access). There can be censorship of sites too since the ISPs can (without regulation) dictate who can go and visit various sites. Many workers in Verizon and other corporations have used strikes to fight for their working rights. From the NSA being caught using illegal surveillance years ago and to the exposure of the falsehoods used to promote the Iraq War, the Internet has been a valuable source in showing truth to power. We don't need a monopolization of the media industry and we don't need a need of monopolization of the Internet. The freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, and other democratic rights are sacrosanct. That is why I will forever believe in net neutrality. A free and open Internet is an Internet that I will endorse.

There is much talk about conspiracies. The truth should be known about these things. We should reject the 2 extreme views. One extreme view says that no conspiracies existed in human history (which is a lie). The other extreme says that every event is a product of a large conspiracy (which is another lie). So, we have to use logic, historical analysis, and rational thinking to decipher the difference between real conspiracies and just plain conspiracy theories. Real conspiracies are real. They have existed for thousands of years. 2 examples are that the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and Brother Malcolm X are products of conspiracies. Many men were involved in their deaths and they used tactics in getting their wicked deeds accomplished. Also, Operation Ajax in Iran and Operation Gladio are real conspiracies relating to foreign policy matters. We know about the CIA's corruption for decades and about the acts of Allen Dulles. Allen Dulles was involved in the Bay of Pigs failure, the coup in Guatemala in 1954, and Operation Ajax (which was about British and American intelligence working together to get rid of a democratically elected leader of Iran named Mohammed Mossadegh after he nationalized the oil supply in Iran).

Operation Mockingbird, which was a 1950's CIA program used to manipulate the media and show propaganda is a real conspiracy. One of the most sinister conspiracies of our time is FBI's COINTELPRO. That was a plan by the FBI to suppress and stop progressive movements for social change from civil rights groups, Black Power organizations, feminist groups, anti-Vietnam War organizations, Native American liberation groups, Puerto Rican independence groups, and any group that the FBI claims was detrimental to the status quo (or what they call "subversive"). Under that program, the FBI used many illegal tactics and infiltration constantly. Back during the 1970's, the Church Committee (this was a Senate committee which exposed corruption done by the intelligence community from the FBI, CIA, NSA, etc.) documented the illegal surveillance done by the FBI under COINTELPRO. Everything that I have mentioned here, you can look it up too. False conspiracies involve things like UFOs created Stonehenge or aliens creating D.C. Therefore, we have to use our minds in order to see the truth. The truth will set you free.

2017 will go down as one of the most important years in human history. For all of my days of my life, I will always remember this year. This year started with the unfortunate inauguration of the bigot Donald Trump. Immediately, courageous protesters from the Resistance (which included heavily black women and women of color) came out in the streets worldwide to oppose the evil agenda of Donald Trump. The Women's March inspired a new generation of people to speak up in favor of justice for all. We have seen the crisis of North Korea when it has launched missile tests and Trump has subsequently threatened fire and fury against North Korea. We have seen the racists in Charlottesville, Virginia (assaulting protesters plus clergy people and one white supremacist murdered an innocent woman) and the callous reaction of the far right as it relates to its derogatory attitudes about immigrants, black people, and refugees.

Also, we have seen the compassionate face of humanity. Folks have came out to help the Hurricane victims found in Texas, Louisiana, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Florida Keys, and other locations in the Caribbean. We have seen more people stand up in favor of what Colin Kaepernick is doing (in opposing police brutality and wanting racial justice). We have seen black women once again show the world that they are not going anywhere and they are strong with their spirit of opposing evil (with them making sure that reactionary politicians were defeated in Virginia and in Alabama). Black women should always be honored. History has been made with more black people and others of diverse backgrounds being elected in various political offices for the first time in American history. The solar eclipse brought people together worldwide in unison. More women have courageously came out to tell their stories of sexual assault and sexual harassment (which must end period). The historic #Me Too movement was created by a black woman, who is Tarana Burke. Also, Terry Crews was heroic to tell his story too which shows that anyone has the right to speak up and make sure that criminals who do such abhorrent acts should be held into accountability. The Mueller investigation continues with some Trump officials being indicted and the great possibility of Donald Trump himself being indicted. At the end of 2017, we are more committed in advancing the sacrosanct cause of social justice. So, 2017 has been a year of dynamic changes.

2018 is here now and we will always believe in justice forever.

By Timothy