Friday News in early May of 2019.

Emmanuel Macron served as the economic minister in the government of PS President Francois Hollande. He supports the growth of the European Union. He was born in Amiens, France. He studied philosophy at Paris Nanterre University. He was an investment banker at Rothschild and Cie Banque. He ran for the President of France back in 2017. The French economist Sophie Ferracci headed his campaigns. The campaign raised more than 3.7 million euros. Many in the French media promoted his candidacy. He is friends with the owners of Le Monde. The magazine Marianne has reported that BFMTV, whose owner is Patrick Drahi, has broadcast more coverage of Macron than all four main candidates combined. He was in a run of against National Front candidate Marine Le Pen after the first presidential election. The second round was on April 23, 2017. Since Le Pen was radically right wing, many other people support Macron like European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and former U.S. President Barack Obama. On 7 May 2017, Macron was elected President of France with 66.1% of the vote compared to Marine Le Pen's 33.9%. The election had record abstention at 25.4% and 8% of ballots being blank or spoilt. Macron resigned from his role as president of En Marche and Catherine Barbaroux became interim leader. At 39, Macron was the youngest President in French history.

He was the first President of France born after the establishment of the Fifth Republic in 1958. Macron formally became President on 14 May. He appointed Patrick Strzoda as his chief of staff and Ismaël Emelien as his special advisor for strategy, communication and speeches. On 15 May, he appointed Édouard Philippe of the Republicans as Prime Minister. On the same day, he made his first official foreign visit, meeting in Berlin with Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. The two leaders emphasized the importance of France–Germany relations to the European Union.  They agreed to draw up a "common road map" for Europe, insisting that neither was against changes to the Treaties of the European Union. Macron promoted reforms on public ethics, labor laws, taxes, and law enforcement agency powers. Macron has cut taxes and replaced the wealth tax with a real estate tax. He wanted to cut jobs from the French civil service. He has promoted stricter, anti-terror laws. Macron is a centrist. Macron made the statement that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. Many anti-Semites are anti-Zionists, but others aren’t anti-Semitic. Also, Macron is dealing with the populist yellow vest movement for economic justice. It started in France in October 2018.

I’m not holding back. Many of these hypocrites are not only far right xenophobes, but some neoliberals who lecture others on immigration. Many are trying to note allow refugees into Europe while hypocritically supporting the brutal policies of the war on terror which contributes to refugees coming into Europe. Refugees are coming to place globally because of capitalist exploitation and the imperialistic policies of the West. Then, these same liars want to scapegoat migrants when they supported Western empires damaging the world (especially in the global South) for centuries. The same ones who lecture others on bootstraps and the free market are silent on government bailouts for corporations and desire tax cuts for the super wealthy. The important point is that human justice is an international affair. That means that freedom shouldn’t just exist in America. It should exist worldwide.

She is a black woman who is a trailblazer. She worked hard everyday in the Navy, and she is now retired. Her name is Sister Michelle Howard, and it is her birthday today. Right now, she is 59 years old. She was the first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship, the USS Rushmore, and the first to achieve two- and three-star rank. In 2006, she was selected for the rank of rear admiral (lower half), making her the first admiral selected from the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1982 and the first female graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy selected for flag rank. On July 1, 2014, Howard became the first woman to become a U.S. Navy four-star admiral. As Vice Chief of Naval Operations, which she began that same day, she was the first African-American and the first woman to hold that post. She was born in California. She has never wavered in her commitment to standing up for real rights. I wish Sister Michelle Howard more blessings.

Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Shannon Brenda Greene. She is a famous American singer, and she is now 61 years old. Washington, D.C. is her birthplace. She has made songs and albums that caused people to dance. During her career, she received numerous awards. She excelled throughout the 1980's as that decade had a smorgasbord of incredible talented people. While touring the world, Shannon attended and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. She is a great songwriter in dealing with her music and the music of other artists. She is a voting member of the Grammys. From Let the Music Play and other songs, she has revitalized her audience. Her music is for relaxation and just enjoying life. I wish Sister Shannon Brenda Greene more blessings.


By Timothy