Early October 2019 Updates.

We should reject the two extremes. One extreme is how some want to support Trump We know that Trump promotes anti-immigrant racism, racism in general, sexism, extreme nationalism (in being hostile towards even legal immigration), and hostility towards democratic institutions. That is why Trump is overt in trying to make the executive branch of government supreme which is against the principle of the separation of powers (where all three branches of government are equal in power). Donald Trump's words , actions, and policies are representative of the hatred found in many quarters of America. Trump is not new. Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, and others have similar forms of bigotry. Trump is the fruit of the imperfections found in American society. Polls show that a majority of Americans support impeachment or an impeachment inquiry. The other extreme wants to sanitize the mistakes of the CIA and the FBI. For decades, the CIA has propped up coups, dictatorships, election fraud, and other evils. The FBI illegally spied on civil rights leaders and other social activists for generations. J. Edgar Hoover is known for this, and he bragged about it in his speeches plus memos. Now, Trump is trying to block testimony from a witness. That is why many Democrats are having a subpoena.

It is obvious that the Trump administration refuses to cooperate in this ongoing impeachment inquiry. This has been mentioned by the President lawyers in a letter to Congressional Democrats. Trump blocking U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland is truly outrageous. Trump sending data to a secret server is telling. Trump is not acting like an innocent man. It is obvious that there was Russian meddling in the 2016 election. One Senate report confirms this reality. Michael Cohen plans on speaking with NY prosecutors to give what he knows about financial issues as it relates to Trump. One White House official called the Zelensky-Trump call as frightening. Trump is obstructing justice. Trump's corruption and other reason merits his impeachment.

One news is that Trump wanted to withdraw troops from Syria. This comes after Turkey's government will say that they will invade northern Syria where Kurdish forces are located. Turkey wants a 20 mile border zone along the Syrian/Turkey border. The Kurds have been U.S. allies for years involving in the Iraq War and the Syria Civil War. The Kurdish military contributed to the defeat of most of ISIS in Syria. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erodgan said that Turkey will have an operation in Northern Syria. The U.S. approves of this action. Some fear that this policy change will cause a bloodbath against Kurdish forces in Syria. Millions of Syrian refugees are in Turkey as a product of the civil war. Many Republicans and Democrats have vehemently opposed Trump's withdrawal policy from Syria. The Kurdish led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) wants to fight the Turkish forces if they are attacked.

Since the end of the Cold War, we have witnessed more almost three decades of Middle Eastern wars from the Iraq War to the NATO wars in Libya plus Syria. Iran and Russia supported al-Assad regime. The only solution is a long term political solution where the rights of the Kurdish people, Arabic population, and other non-Arabic populations are respected. The Sunnis, the Kurds, and the Shia have to find some common ground to end these conflicts long term. The region must not be dominated by Russian interests or Western imperialistic interests. It must be controlled by the people (i.e. the working class) in the Middle East.

Some good news is that a high number of Afro-Brazilians graduated from UFRB. That is the second largest university in the black majority state of Bahia, Brazil. The graduates from the mostly black medicine class have shown their pictures online. Black Brazilians are still fighting for a just, strong education. A racist social heirachy, police brutality, and economic exploitation still exists in Brazil. White Brazilians are paid less than Black Brazilians. By the early 2000's, affirmative action programs in Brazil have helped many Afro-Brazilians to achieve a higher education with dignity plus honor. The university is called the Federal University of Reconcavo da Bahia. Former Brazilian President Lula (who is a more progressive person) has praised the Brazilian university.There are abotu 18 internalized university campsues being created in Bahia. These future leaders of medicine will do great things and we are in solidarity with Afro-Brazilian people forever and ever.


By Timothy