Boxing
It’s a sport that is not for the faint of heart. Many people have been seriously injured, damaged, or even died as a product of participating in the sport too. This athletic sport is boxing. Always popular, human beings mimic various styles of it for eons. It has existed for thousands of years. We have seen champions of various weight divisions from Muhammad Ali to Floyd Mayweather. Some have called Sugar Ray Robinson as the pound for pound greatest boxer in history because of his skills and will to win. We have seen women champions exist and flourish from Laila Ali to Ann Wolfe. Currently, the best woman boxer is from Flint, Michigan. Her name is Claressa Shields. Shields have proven herself in the ring and out of the ring with her activism, confidence, and great athletic skills. One honorary mention about Fredia Gibbs should be mdae too. Fredia Gibbs was a boxer and kickboxer. She is one of the greatest women fighters of this generation without question. During her kickboxing career, she held ISKA, WKA, and WKF World Titles. Before her kickboxing career, she won three world titles in Tae Kwon Do and was an All-American in basketball and track. Gibbs made Black History when she became the first African-American female Kickboxing ISKA World Champion. She earned the name "The Most Dangerous Woman in the World" after an upset in 1994 in her fight against World Champion Valérie Wiet-Henin of France in the "Battle of the Masters" Pay Per View Event in San Jose, California. Fredia Gibbs is an author, celebrity trainer, philanthropist, motivational speaker, and radio host. Boxing always requires determination. Some individuals are born with boxing skills, and others have to develop excellent skills via intense training. One of the biggest ironies of life is that sometimes that a person with more training has better boxing abilities than a person relying totally on pure athleticism.
That is why boxing is called the sweet science. You have to study and develop constantly as an athlete in order to achieve excellence. Running, sparing with people, hand eye coordination, and other specialized forms of training are requirements in being a complete boxer. Not to mention that developing one's defensive abilities is key in making a more thorough boxer as well. Every great boxer had great inner strength to achieve their accomplishments. In other words, you have to present what’s inside of you in order for you to experience success. In many boxing battles, the one fighter dug deep inside himself or herself to made the victory possible. The last round of Muhammad Ali and Earnie Shavers outlined how Ali had something inside of him to make sure that he was the winner of the fight. Joe Lewis made sure that his left hook was powerful enough to knockout his opponents. Regardless of how people feel about Floyd Mayweather (Floyd has admitted that he isn't a perfect person), no one can deny that he is the greatest boxing fighter of our generation. We witness the relationship between MMA and boxing as many boxers go into the MMA world plus vice versa. In our time in 2020, we still witness legendary boxers doing their thing. For all of this time, books, videos, movies, and other forms of multimedia describe what boxing is about. Boxing is certainly more than a sport. It is about a lifestyle that epitomizes grit and personal sacrifice. You have to brave to be a boxer, and we salute the great boxers who have stood up for the values of righteousness plus heart.
Equipment
Equipment for boxing is very diverse involving weight classes and regions of the world. Boxing deals with forceful, repetitive punching. Boxers focus on hand eye coordination and other multifacted skills. Therefore, you have to use all legitimate precautions. In that sense, damage to bones in the hand is minimized. Most trainers don’t allow boxers to train and spar without wrist wraps and boxing gloves. Hand warps are used to make sure that the bones are secure in the hands. Obviously, gloves are used to protect the hand from blunt injury. It allows gives the boxers the opportunity to throw punches with more force than if they didn’t use them. Ever since the 19th century, gloves have been required in competition. Modern boxing gloves are much heavier than worn during the early 20th century. Before each fight, each boxer agrees to the weight of the gloves prior to each fight. They know that lighter gloves allow heavy punches to inflict more damage. The brand of gloves can deal with the impact of punches. This is usually decided before the match happens. Both sides are allowed to inspect the wraps and gloves of the opponent to ensure both are within agreed upon specifications and no tampering has taken place. Fighters use mouth guards to protect their teeth and gums from injury and to cushion the jaw. This decreases the chance of a knockout. Both fighters must wear soft soled shoes to reduce the damage from accidental or intentional steeping on feet. Older boxing boots are similar to a professional wrestler’s boots.
Modern boxing shoes and boots are similar to their amateur wrestling counterparts. Boxers use punching bags to test their skills. There is the small, tear drop shaped speed bag to hone reflexes and repetitive punching skills. A large cylindrical heavy bag is filled with sand, a synthetic substitute, or water to practice power punching and body blows. The double end bag is connected by elastic on the top and bottom and moves randomly upon getting struck (it helps the fighter work on accuracy and reflexes). There are other distinctive boxing equipment that helps to train boxers’ strength, speed, agility, and stamina. There are free weights, rowing machines, jump rope, and medicine balls. Boxers use punch/focus mitts that a trainer calls out certain combinations and the fighter strikes the mitts accordingly. This is a great exercise to help the boxer to develop his or her stamina. The boxer isn’t allowed to go at his or her pace. The trainer dictates the combination training. The boxer focuses on output and volume being higher. Trainers can make boxers improve their footwork and distances more accurately. Boxing matches happen in a boxing ring. The raised platform is surrounded by ropes attached to posts rising in each corner. The term “ring” has come to be used as a metaphor for many aspects of prize fighting in general.
Rules
There are many rules to boxing. Modern boxing rules relate to the Marquess of Queensberry. These rules were published since 1867. Each boxing match can have a number of three minute rounds with a total up to 9 to 12 rounds. During each round’s break, it usually lasts for one minute. The boxers are given advice and attention from their coach and staff during each break. The referee controls the fight. He or she has the right to judge and control the actions of the fighter. He or she can rule to end a fight for safety reasons or because of a knock down count. He or she can rule on rounds. There are up to three judges that are present at ringside to score the bout, give points to boxers, and give a winner. The points are based on punches connecting; each fighter has an assigned corner of the ring, where his or her coach, as well as one or more "seconds" may administer to the fighter at the beginning of the fight and between rounds. Each boxer enters into the ring from their assigned corners at the beginning of each round and must cease fighting and return to their corner at the signaled end of each round.
A bout in which the predetermined number of rounds passes is decided by the judges, and is said to "go the distance." The fighter with the higher score at the end of the fight is ruled the winner. With three judges, unanimous and split decisions are possible, as are draws. A boxer may win the bout before a decision is reached through a knock-out; such bouts are said to have ended "inside the distance." If a fighter is knocked down during the fight, determined by whether the boxer touches the canvas floor of the ring with any part of their body other than the feet as a result of the opponent's punch and not a slip, as determined by the referee, the referee begins counting until the fighter returns to his or her feet and can continue. Some jurisdictions require the referee to count to eight regardless if the fighter gets up before. If a boxer fails to get up by the 10 count, then the boxer loses by KO or knockout. A technical knockout or a TKO is ruled by the referee fight doctor or a fighter’s corner. A TKO is when a fighter is unable to safely continue to fight, based upon injuries or being judged unable to effectively defend themselves. Many jurisdictions and sanctioning agencies also have a "three-knockdown rule", in which three knockdowns in a given round result in a TKO. A TKO is considered a knockout in a fighter's record. A "standing eight" count rule may also be in effect. This gives the referee the right to step in and administer a count of eight to a fighter that he or she feels may be in danger, even if no knockdown has taken place. After counting the referee will observe the fighter, and decide if he or she is fit to continue. For scoring purposes, a standing eight count is treated as a knockdown. In general, boxers are prohibited from hitting below the belt, holding, tripping, pushing, biting, or spitting. The boxer's shorts are raised so the opponent is not allowed to hit to the groin area with intent to cause pain or injury. Failure to abide by the former may result in a foul. They also are prohibited from kicking, head-butting, or hitting with any part of the arm other than the knuckles of a closed fist (including hitting with the elbow, shoulder or forearm, as well as with open gloves, the wrist, the inside, back or side of the hand). They are prohibited as well from hitting the back, back of the head or neck (called a "rabbit-punch") or the kidneys. They are prohibited from holding the ropes for support when punching, holding an opponent while punching, or ducking below the belt of their opponent (dropping below the waist of your opponent, no matter the distance between). A referee can end the clinch. Back in the day, some newspapers had no decision rules.
The history of Boxing
Boxing history goes back thousands of years. A Sumerian relief in Iraq showed boxing. By the 2nd millennium B.C., there were reliefs in Assyria and Babylonia of outlining boxing actions. Boxing existed in the Hittite area too. There was a relief sculpture from Egyptian Thebes (in ca. 1350 B.C.) that showed both boxers and spectators. In those places, the boxing contests had fighters being bare fisted or using a band on the wrist. Minoan Crete in ca. 1500-1400 B.C. used gloves in boxing. Various types of boxing existed in ancient India. The earliest references to musti-yuddha come from classical Vedic epics such as the Ramayana and Rig Veda. The Mahabharata describes two combatants boxing with clenched fists and fighting with kicks, finger strikes, knee strikes and headbutts. Duels (niyuddham) were often fought to the death. During the period of the Western Satraps, the ruler Rudradaman - in addition to being well-versed in "the great sciences" which included Indian classical music, Sanskrit grammar, and logic - was said to be an excellent horseman, charioteer, elephant rider, swordsman and boxer. The Gurbilas Shemi, an 18th-century Sikh text, gives numerous references to musti-yuddha. Boxing was in ancient Greece. It was very popular. In the ancient Olympics, it was first introduced in the 23rd Olympiad, 688 BC. The boxers would wind leather thongs around their hands in order to protect them. There were no rounds and boxers fought until one of them acknowledged defeat or could not continue. Weight categories were not used, which meant heavyweights had a tendency to dominate. The style of boxing practiced typically featured an advanced left leg stance, with the left arm semi-extended as a guard, in addition to being used for striking, and with the right arm drawn back ready to strike. It was the head of the opponent which was primarily targeted, and there is little evidence to suggest that targeting the body was common.
During the age of ancient Rome, boxing was a popular spectator sport in ancient Rome. Fighters had to protect themselves. They used leather thongs around their fists. Later, harder leather was used and the thong soon became a weapon. The Romans used metal studs on the thongs to make the cestus. Roman Amphitheaters were where such fighting events took place. The Roman form of boxing was often a fight until the death to please the spectators who gathered at such events. In later times, purchased slaves and trained combat performers were used as valuable people in the sport. Their lives were exploited. Many slaves were forced to fight against each other in a circle marked on the floor. By 393 A.D., during the Roman gladiator period, boxing was abolished because of excessive brutality. It wasn’t until the late 16th century when boxing re-surfaced in London. Records of classical boxing activity disappeared after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Many people used weapons and using fists waned. There were many accounts of fist fighting sports in different cities and provinces of Italy between the 12th and 17th centuries. There was the sport in ancient Rus called Kulachny Boy or Fist Fighting. As the wearing of swords became less common, there was renewed interest in fencing with the fists. The sport would later resurface in England during the early 16th century in the form of bare-knuckle boxing sometimes referred to as prizefighting. The first documented account of a bare-knuckle fight in England appeared in 1681 in the London Protestant Mercury, and the first English bare-knuckle champion was James Figg in 1719. This is also the time when the word "boxing" first came to be used. This earliest form of modern boxing was very different. Contests in Mr. Figg's time, in addition to fist fighting, also contained fencing and cudgeling. On January 6, 1681, the first recorded boxing match took place in Britain when Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle (and later Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica) engineered a bout between his butler and his butcher with the latter winning the prize.
Early fighting back then had no written rules. There were no weight divisions or round limits, and no referee. In general, it was extremely chaotic. An early article on boxing was published in Nottingham, 1713, by Sir Thomas Parkyns, a successful Wrestler from Bunny, Nottinghamshire, who had practiced the techniques he described. The article, a single page in his manual of wrestling and fencing, Progymnasmata: The inn-play, or Cornish-hugg wrestler, described a system of head-butting, punching, eye-gouging, chokes, and hard throws, not recognized in boxing today. The first modern boxing rules were called the Broughton’s rules. It was introduced by champion Jack Broughton in 1743 to protect fighters in the ring where deaths sometimes happened. Under these rules, if a man went down and could not continue after a count of 30 seconds, the fight was over. Hitting a downed fighter and grasping below the waist were prohibited. Broughton encouraged the use of 'mufflers', a form of padded bandage or mitten, to be used in 'jousting' or sparring sessions in training, and in exhibition matches. These rules did allow the fighters an advantage not enjoyed by today's boxers; they permitted the fighter to drop to one knee to end the round and begin the 30-second count at any time. Thus a fighter realizing he was in trouble had an opportunity to recover. However, this was considered "unmanly” and was frequently disallowed by additional rules negotiated by the Seconds of the Boxers. Modern boxing has a three minute limit to rounds (unlike the downed fighter ends the round rule). Intentionally going down in modern boxing will cause the recovering fighter to lose points in the scoring system. Furthermore, as the contestants did not have heavy leather gloves and wrist wraps to protect their hands, they used different punching technique to preserve their hands because the head was a common target to hit full out. Almost all period manuals have powerful straight punches with the whole body behind them to the face (including forehead) as the basic blows. The London Prize Ring Rules introduced measures that remain in effect for professional boxing to this day, such as outlawing butting, gouging, scratching, kicking, hitting a man while down, holding the ropes, and using resin, stones or hard objects in the hands, and biting.
In 1867, the Marquees of Queensberry rules were drafted by John Chambers for amateur championships held at Lillie Bridge in London for Lightweights, Middleweights, and Heavyweights. The rules were published under the patronage of the Marquees of Queensberry, whose name was associated with them. These rules were about having 12 rules. They specified that fights would be a fair standing fight. The ring would be a 24 foot square or similar ring. Each round had three minutes with a one minute rest in each round. Gloves were used. Later, matches were more strategic with more defensive maneuvers like slipping, bobbing, countering, and angling. Boxers evolved to use their hands held closer to the face and a more forward stance. Back in the 19th century, many prize fighting was banned in areas of the UK and America. Prizefighting resulted in riots. England banned bare knuckle brawls in 1882 via the case of R v. Coney. Jim Corbett was the first world heavyweight champion under the Queensberry rules. He defeated John L. Sullivan in 1892 at the Pelican Athletic Club in New Orleans. Many boxers fought for legitimacy. Today, boxing is a multibillion dollar business. It is found globally. Many fighters come from poor backgrounds. Some are from Mexico, America, Africa, South America, and Eastern Europe. Young talent is found in inner cities of New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Flint, Los Angeles, and other places.
"That's my gift. I let that negativity roll off me like water off a duck's back. If it's not positive, I didn't hear it. If you can overcome that, fights are easy."
-George Foreman
Joe Gans was the first African American World Boxing Champion reigning continuously as a World Lightweight Champion from 1902 to 1908. He lived form 1874 to 1910. Many African American heavyweight boxing legends were Jack Johnson (1878-1946) and others who were brave in the early 20th century. Jack Johnson defeated Tommy Burns and Jim Jeffries. Jack Johnson survived many attempts from racists trying to kill him. Yet, he survived and lived to inspire future boxers. He beat Jim Jeffries in 1910. In 1926, ex-Marine Gene Tunney defeated Jack Dempsey for the World Heavyweight Boxing championship at Philadelphia in 1926. During the 1930's, Joe Lewis became a boxing heavyweight legend. He was beloved by black people and people of every color. He once lost to Max Schemling and then Joe Lewis defeated Max later in 1938 at New York City. Later, Joe Lewis would have more victories and ironically became friends with Max Schemling. Jake Lamotta was a famous middleweight fighter. Also, the pound for pound greatest boxer in history, Sugar Ray Robinson, would excel in the middleweight division too. Rocky Marciano would fight people too. By this time, Archie Moore and other legendary fighters would grow their legacies. During the 1960's, Muhammad Ali revolutionized boxing with his charisma, massive speed for a heavyweight, political activism, love of Blackness, and his confidence. He inspired many black people to love their black identities, and he became the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time with defeating Hall of Fame boxers in many occasions like Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, Joe Foreman, Ernie Shavers, Ken Norton, George Chuvalo, and other people. Sugar Ray Leonard was a fast boxer of the 1970's and 1980's who used his skills, speed, and endurance to defeat opponents. Mike Tyson dominated the heavyweight division in the 1980's with his accurate punches, defense, and power. He knocked out many opponents in a few rounds and sometimes in one round. More fighters like Roy Jones Jr., Evander Holyfield, Sweat Pea Whitaker, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, and other made great accomplishments in the 1990's. By the 21st century, fighters like Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Shane Mosley, Vitali Kitschko, Manny Pacquiao, and others have established new legacies in their boxing careers. In 2020, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder, and Tyson Fury are heavyweight fighters in the midst of the resurrection of the heavyweight division in general.
Women's Boxing
Women boxing have existed for a long time. Back in the day, many people banned women from participating in fighting in boxing events. Reports of women going into the ring (during the modern era) go back to the 1700's. Back in the 18th century, Elizabeth Wilkinson fought in London. She called herself the European Championess. She fought fought men and women. Back then, the rules of boxing allowed kicking, gouging, and other methods of attack not part of today's arsenal. By the 1920's, Professor Andrew Newton created a Women's Boxing Club in London. However, women's boxing was very controversial back then. In early 1926, Shoreditch borough council banned an arranged exhibition match between boxers Annie Newton and Madge Baker, a student of Digger Stanley. An attempt to hold the match in nearby Hackney instead was defeated by a campaign led by the Mayor of Hackney, who wrote "I regard this proposed exhibition of women boxers as a gratification of the sensual ideals of a crowd of vulgar men." The Home Secretary Sir William Joynson-Hicks was among those opposing the match, claiming "the Legislature never imagined that such a disgraceful exhibition would have been staged in this country." The story was reported across the country and even internationally. Therefore, sexism in boxing is very real. Women's boxing first appeared at the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1904. The Swedish Amateur Boxing Association pioneered events for women in 1988. The British Amateur Boxing Association sanctioned its first boxing competition for women in 1997. The first event was to be between two thirteen-year-olds, but one of the boxers withdrew because of hostile media attention. Four weeks later, an event was held between two sixteen-year-olds. One named Susan MacGregor (Laurenckirk, Aberdeenshire) and the other Joanne Cawthorne (Peterhead, Aberdeenshire).
The International Boxing Association (amateur) accepted new rules for Women's Boxing at the end of the 20th century and approved the first European Cup for Women in 1999 and the first World Championship for women in 2001. Women's boxing was not featured at the 2008 Olympics; however, on August 14, 2009, it was announced that the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board (EB) had approved the inclusion of women's boxing for the Games in London in the 2012 Olympics, contrary to the expectations of some observers. Around these (2009) hearings, in conjunction with AIBA (International Boxing Association), the International Olympic Committee agreed to include three additional women's weight classes to the 2012 London Olympic Games. The UK didn't issue licenses to women in boxing until as late as 1998. The first UK sanctioned bout between women was in November 1998 at Streatham in London, between Jane Couch and Simona Lukic. In America, Barbara Buttrick was the first televised boxing match between two women on television and on radio. During the 1970's, a popular woman boxer named Cathy 'Cat' Davis came out of the United States Northwest, and a few of her fights were televised. Cathy Davis was the female boxer to appear on the cover of Ring Magazine. But a scandal broke out where it was said that some of her fights had been fixed. Marian “Tyger” Trimiar and Jackie Tonawanda were pioneers as they were the first women in the United States to get a license for boxing in the United States.
Jackie Tonawanda was a legendary boxer in her own right.
Before Claressa Shields, before Laila Ali, before Ann Wolfe, before Jacqueline Frazier, before Cecilia Braekhus, and before Lucia Rijker, there was Jackie Tonawanda. She was so great that people called her the "Female Ali." Her name is Jackie Tonawanda (1933-2009). In fact, she was once Muhammad Ali's bodyguard. She was born Jean Jamison. She was a woman heavyweight boxer during the 1970's and the 1980's. She was born at Suffolk County, New York. She fought for her rights too. Once, she sued the boxing commissioner Edwin Dooley on the charge of sex discrimination as the state back then discriminated against women from fighting professionally. The court ruled in Tonawanda's favor. She was the first woman to be granted a boxing license to fight in New York state. She fought 36 times. She only lost one fight. She was the first woman boxer to be a member of Ring 8, the Veterans Boxing Association. She was in their Hall of Fame too including the Madison Square Garden's Hall of Game (where in MSG, she defeated a man in the ring named Larry Rodania in the 2nd round). She was a trailblazer to many women athletes. She studied martial arts too. The interesting thing about this story is that I first heard about this story recently.
Rest in Power Sister Jackie Tonawanda.
During the 1980's, women's boxing briefly resurfaced in California under the wings of sisters Dora and Cora Webber. The twin sisters were world champions and packed crunching punching power and a good chin. Women took hunger strikes to be noticed. But the boom of women's boxing came during the 1990's, coinciding with the boom in professional women sports leagues such as the WNBA and WUSA, and with boxers such as Stephanie Jaramillo, Delia 'Chikita' Gonzalez, Ann Wolfe, Laura Serrano, Christy Martin, Deirdre Gogarty, Laila Ali, Jackie Frazier-Lyde, Lucia Rijker, Ada Vélez, Ivonne Caples, Bonnie Canino and Sumya Anani, all world champions, jumping into the scene. Major boxing broadcasting networks such as HBO and P.B.C have yet to feature a woman's headlining bout. In a recent press conference, 2x Olympic Gold medalist Claressa Shields stated, “All the respect to all the women that box, we have more than one fight… [we are] fighting for equal pay and equal time on T.V… we don’t get enough sponsorships or endorsements as the men." Women boxing continues to exist in America and worldwide. Hanna Gabriel is a tough fighter who held the WBO welterweight title in 2009 and the WBO junior middleweight title twice between 2010 and 2018. Cecilia Brækhus is a great woman fighter too.
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Various Issues
There are many issues found in boxing. Boxing is filled with risks. Knocking a person unconscious of even causing a concussion, it may cause permanent brain damage. From 1980 to 2007, more than 200 amateur boxers and professional boxers plus Toughman fighters died due to ring or training injuries. Many medical associations including Dr. George Lunberg wanted a ban on boxing. Boxing is a sport where a victory is determined by hurting a person and causing a win by points or knockout. The 1997 American Association of Professional Ringside physicians was formed to create medical protocols via research and education to prevent injuries in boxing. Professional boxing was forbidden in Iceland, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea. Sweden banned it in 2007. Also, boxing training can contribute to fat burning, increased muscle tone, strong bones, strong ligaments, increased cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, improved core stability, more strength, stress relief, improved co-ordination, greater confidence, etc. Boxing is not a game. Therefore, I have great admiration for those who are brave enough to participate in the sport of boxing.
Conclusion (Boxing)
Boxing is a sport without apologies. It includes regulated violence. You have to keep it real on many things. Not only have people have been seriously injured as a product of a boxing match. Many people have died as an aftermath in the ring. That is why any boxer is brave. You have to be brave to be willing to fight for rounds knowing what the risks are. You have to be brave to train by running, using weights, sparring, and utilizing other means to be the best boxer possible. We learn lessons from many boxers too. Consciousness and love of justice have been shown by Muhammad Ali. Excellent defense have been shown by Pep and Sweat Pea Whitaker. Clarissa Shields has shown the world that any fighter (regardless of sex) with great accomplishments should be respected. Therefore, boxing as a sport as expanded into an international level since its invention many thousands of years ago. The flash of modern boxing today deals with the evolution of the sport. We witness records being broken by Floyd Mayweather and his 50-0 record. Likewise, we realize that the essence of boxing isn’t just about the training, the skills, or the athleticism. It is about will and heart. A lot of people have talent, but it takes heart in order for anyone to become a great boxer. How a fighter can overcome adversity signifies how great a fighter is. When Muhammad Ali was in the fight in Zaire with George Foreman, many media people doubted that Muhammad Ali would defeat Foreman. Yet, Ali proved the naysayers wrong by knocking Foreman out. When Sugar Ray Leonard defeated Duran after Leonard was defeated the first time, Leonard proved that he was brave plus one of the greatest fighters in history. Laila Ali coming in the ring to defeat opponents and write great literature in inspiring the youth to achieve their goals represents inspiration. Putting life into perspective makes sense. That is why we believe in honoring the sacrifice of those who participate in sports.
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In dedication to Brother Roger Mayweather. (1961-2020). Rest in Power.
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The Coronavirus Pandemic
Here we are. The coronavirus pandemic is the worst pandemic since the 1918 influenza flu outbreak. There is no other way to describe it. This virus has killed at least 61 people and almost 300,000 people are infected worldwide. More than 11,000 people have passed away globally. The WHO has called this virus a pandemic. It has changed the world involving travel, social gathering, science, technology, politics, economics, and other spheres of our lives. This is the beginning and not even the end. Coronavirus is a very severe acute respiratory syndrome. It is called COVID-19. It started on December 1, 2019 at Wuhan, China before spreading globally. In America alone, schools are closed, grocery stores lack toilet paper including other foods, sports events are canceling, and the President declared a national emergency. China and Italy are nations hit very bad from it. On one day, over 200 Italians have died. The problem in America is that testing is still very minuscule. Now, Pence has promised 1.5 million tests in late March of 2020. The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates to near 0%. Trump has issued a bad response to the crisis with contradictory statements, scapegoating Democrats, and not being up to the job of President with his response. Fauci has been great in explaining to the American people that this crisis is no joke. It's real, and societies must be prepared for long term sacrifices. Sacrifice is better than death. Trump has closed the Mexican border to non-essential travel. Trump has extended federal tax filing until July 2020.
COVID-19 has been reported in 140 countries and territories. The coronavirus doesn't discriminate based upon race, sex, income level, or nationality. Rich people like Tom Hanks and his wife plus poor people have it. Most people at risk are elderly, those with a pre-existing health condition, those with a compromised immune system, and those who are in close contact with those with the coronavirus. Experts from the CDC and other places have said that if you are sick, stay home. Also, they mentioned that don't get in close contact with people, wash you hands constantly, clean surfaces around you, and be careful. The virus can have serious symptoms in the span of 5 days from coughing and sneezing to worst things like trouble breathing. Complications may include pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. There is no vaccine, and many trials have folks using specific antiviral treatment, but research is ongoing. Efforts are aimed at managing symptoms and supportive therapy. There is a national quarantine of Italy and Spain. There are curfews in China and South Korea. Schools and universities have been closed worldwide. There has been unfortunately racism and xenophobia against people of Asian descent. That is why we condemn racism and xenophobia 100 percent as all people are created equal (and all people should be treated with dignity and with respect irrespective of one's nationality or color).
The virus can cause fever, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, sputum production, sore throat, chills, etc. Trump has banned people from Europe to come into America. It is important to trust medical experts, expert doctors, the CDC, and other authorities with the facts. The coronavirus can stay on surfaces for 9 days. The WHO wants $675 million to fight the global coronvarius pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci or the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that, "The system is not really geared to what we need right now." This crisis outlines the crisis and failure of mainstream capitalism. There is no question that emergency funding to build hospital facilities are needed. Billions of dollars should promote paid sick leave, and building an infrastructure to help solve this problem. Cooperation (not travel bans) must exist nationally and internationally. Sharing resources and information is key. This is why universal health care is necessary in America. When you have U.S. health care having life expectancy, infant mortality, drug addiction, and suicide being issues, we have a problem. Trump deserves blame for this trade war and the embargoes against Iran causing Iran to experience worse deaths as a product of COVID-19. Many masks, glove, and nasal swaps are running out in NYC now. The federal government has a role in this affair. We reject the idea that corporate welfare should have a priority above the common welfare of the people. Hypocrites like Matt Gaetz voted against paid sick leave, but he talking it since he was exposed to COVID-19. The mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, has the coronavirus after he attended an event with the right wing extremist Brazilian despot Jair Bolsonaro. Jeremy Warner from the Telegraph made the disgusting comment that the COVID-19 virus may be beneficial long term by elderly dependents being gone. You can't make this stuff up. Many people surviving the coronavirus may be left with less than 20 to 30% less lung function. Also, students should have access in getting meals. Spain has about 2,000 coronavrius cases and more than 100 deaths in the last 24 hours. Larry Kuldlow is wrong to say that the U.S. contained the virus. NYC may be the new Italy if things continue. Therefore, people should ask questions, be strong, and live life wisely.
"...America’s 2008 bank crash offered a great opportunity to write down the often fraudulent junk mortgages that burdened many lower-income families, especially minorities. But this was not done, and millions of American families were evicted. The way to restore normalcy today is a debt write-down. The debts in deepest arrears and most likely to default are student debts, medical debts, general consumer debts and purely speculative debts. They block spending on goods and services, shrinking the “real” economy. A write-down would be pragmatic, not merely moral sympathy with the less affluent. In fact, it could create what the Germans called an “Economic Miracle” — their own modern debt jubilee in 1948, the currency reform administered by the Allied Powers. When the Deutsche Mark was introduced, replacing the Reichsmark, 90 percent of government and private debt was wiped out. Germany emerged as an almost debt-free country, with low costs of production that jump-started its modern economy..."
-Michael Hudson's article, "A Debt Jubilee Is the Only Way to Avoid a Depression" on March 22, 2020
The coronavirus is certainly real. People are right to mention that to solve this crisis, we have to act like our grandparents and great-grandparents during WWII and sacrifice a lot. This certainly isn't about us alone. It's about people worldwide suffering. There should differently be stimulus resources given to small businesses, people out of work, and those who suffer from the coronavirus. Also, as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has mentioned, the federal government must assist state and local governments in investing in hospitals, ventilation systems, hospital beds, and other infrastructure. That action will blatantly save human lives. We are not in the down curve of this curve yet. We see cases in America alone being above 16,000 people (being infected) and over 200 people dead from the virus in America. Sending Americans checks has been promoted by Andrew Yang ironically enough. I have no issue with that proposal. Also, testing should expand nationwide and worldwide. Trump once called the expansion of the coronavirus a hoax until pressure came upon him to gradually send more serious statements of the illness. I agree with the economist Robert Reich that there should be guaranteed paid sick leave for all employees, extended Medicaid, immediate payments to adults and children, and the end of Trump's public charge rule. We don't need payroll tax cuts.
Many places are in lockdown like in San Francisco. New York City may issue stricter plans. There are over 4,000 cases of the virus in NYC alone. Italy is much worse with more than 40,000 confirmed cases and on one day hundreds of people who passed away from the pandemic (over 3,000 people in Italy have died as a product of the virus). In places nationwide, people can't stay in restaurants, gyms, schools, and other public locations. Millions of people are in home now in America alone. We haven't seen this reality since the influenza outbreak of 1918 being over 100 years ago. A lot of these things once again refute laissez faire capitalism. The free market isn't going to save us. If someone hates the social safety net and supports spending billions of dollars to address the coronavirus, then that person is a hypocrite. Stocks have rebound after experiencing record losses for a few days. As of Thursday on March 18, 2020, the stock market has gone down. Right now, a vaccine trial for the coronavirus is here in record time. Volunteers have received the coronavirus trial vaccine. The vaccine uses messenger RNA. It doesn't use components from the virus. This will take time. We will have victory, but we have to use science, use our faith in prayers, and use common sense to be wise about these times.
In America, there are about over 13,000 cases of the coronavirus with almost 200 people who passed away. The state of California on March 20, 2020 has made a lockdown on the entire state. In California now, as many as 18% of workers have lost their jobs and the unemployment claims in CA have doubled in a few days. The government wants restrictions of travel from Europe to America. The U.S. government has advised Americans to not leave the country. They want Americans to come home from overseas or stay in isolation in another country. Wall Street is trying to hike prices over the coronavirus according to an article from the Intercept. Also, the FDA is testing medicine to try to treat COVID-19. Many people in hospitals with the virus are young people between 25 and 44 years old. The Congress may pay a new law to give all Americans checks. The issue is that testing must massively expand right now. America is the richest country in human history, and this response now is unacceptable. Like always, we respect the real heroes like doctors, nurses, experts, and other people on the front lines saving lives and doing all that they can to defeat this virus enemy.
Senator Patty Murray of Washington state requested an investigation into the federal government's failure to deliver new tests to detect the coronavirus. Two-thirds of NYC residents are renters. New York State needs more than a mortgage moratorium. It must have a rent moratorium to stop mass displacement as well. More than 45 million Americans deal with the 1.6 trillion dollar student debt. That debt should be canceled for at least the duration of this emergency. The Moms 4 Housing organization has advocated housing for the homeless population of California. In California, as many as 18 percent of workers have lost their jobs, and the Governor said that unemployment claims in CA have doubled in recent days. The U.S. Air Force quietly flew 500,000 COVID-19 testing kits from Italy to Memphis on Monday days ago. The White House is still trying to strip 700,000 Americans from food stamps.
Trump is slick too. Trump's Justice Department asked Congress for the ability to ask chief justices to detain people indefinitely without trial during emergencies. This is part of Trump's agenda to push for new powers. This proposal is against the rule of law and it's blatantly anti-democratic.
A federal court blocked them calling it cruel during this pandemic. The White House is still appealing the court which could harm poor Americans. This is Trump's cruelty. Again, this is the 21st century version of the Spanish flu (from 1918). There must be the shipping of supplies and war power acts must be activated in allowing the federal government to manufacturing devices to save lives. More hospitals are starting to struggle to handle the capacity of people going in. Doctors and nurses in many cases lack masks and other medical gear to protect themselves. Human beings who are elderly, with compromised immune system, and those with pre-exiting conditions are especially vulnerable to the virus and other care issues. A vaccine will be developed by next year. This is beyond the governors and local areas. The federal government must be involved in a higher level. This is a national emergency.
I agree with Clint Smith that black people are disproportionately dying from the virus because of decades and centuries of structural oppression, lack of access to health care, overcrowded public housing, and other structural factors. Many communities have food deserts, no health clinics, and poverty. That is why you need structural change beyond just individual solutions. This comes not from a lack of personal responsibility (as many conservatives and many Hoteps believe falsely. Black people have always been hard working people spanning thousands of years). It comes from a broken system. People have to address racial inequalities along with economic inequality in order to get solutions accomplished. Isn't it ironic that the same ones who don't want to talk about race are silent on the truth about how the indigenous land was stolen, black people from Africa were enslaved, and poor people were exploited for profit. Yet, there was no true accountability about these injustices. Therefore, we will talk not just about class, but about race too. I do agree with Ayanna Pressley that to address COVID-19 disparities, we have to end food deserts, expand health care resources, clean up more of the environment, end structural racism, and help our communities in other ways too.
Conclusion for Spring 2020
Old debates and new challenges are on the horizon. One of the biggest lies promoted by not only by the far right, but by neo-liberal moderates is that we don't need a revolutionary change in society. These people are ignorant of history and modern realities. There are tons of people who are homeless in America plus the world right now. Over 500,000 experience homelessness in America alone. Internationally, many people oversees live on less than 5 dollars a day. We have police brutality and racial discrimination. Sexism and xenophobia are very real as proven by increased hate crimes in America since 2017. Therefore, we should never be naive to bash real revolution. The Civil Rights Movement was a revolution. Many people in that movement risked their lives in order to get the right to vote, have educational resources, or to end the oppressive system of Jim Crow apartheid. Many people had shed blood and even died for our freedom like Medgar Evers, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, James Reeb, the 4 little girls in the Birmingham church, and other unsung heroes. We don't forget their names and their legacies. That including the heroes of the Civil War who defeated the evil Confederacy document the reality that structural, revolutionary change is a total prerequisite for freedom and justice. The late Marine U.S. General Smedley Butler admitted that admitted that the workings of the military industrial complex harmed the lives of people overseas, and he called war a racket. Butler have shown the lesson that national affairs and international affairs matter. You can't advocate for freedom if you're silent on Brothers or Sisters overseas experiencing economic oppression, colonialism, imperialism, etc.
During this time, we see Trump as an existential threat to democracy. It is not enough to condemn Trump as we already know that he's a racist, sexist, xenophobe, and extremist. It is also our responsibility to educate people, fight for the right to vote, build in our communities, and be active in the solution making process. Article I, Section 8, Clause 5 is clear that the government via Congress has the constitutional responsibility to manage the economy. That is what we are born to be. Having specific policies to address structural racism and other evils is always key. That is why it is right to promote fighting redlining to invest in black home ownership, to address maternal issues that black mothers face, securing tenant rights, creating jobs, send more Pell Grants, creating multi billion dollar funds for HBCUs, ending cash bail, end the 1994 Crime Bill, and defeat police brutality. We have the will to do these things. We have the economic resources to do these actions. We won't give up. We believe in the equality of all peoples of the world. Victory is ours.
It is clear to celebrate the following human being, who is one of the greatest heroes of world history. She is the wife of a martyr, and she is a great mother. She is a lifelong civil rights activist, and her name is Sister Myrlie Evers-Williams. Right now, she is 87 years old. Vicksburg, Mississippi was the place of her birth. She graduated from high school in 1950. She sang in a girls' vocal group. She married the WWII veteran Medgar Evers. They married on Christmas Eve of 1951. They had 3 children together. She was the secretary to the Mississippi NAACP. Medgar Evers was the field secretary of the group. The couple organized voter registration drives and civil rights demonstrations. The couple fought to end Jim Crow apartheid. They were threatened by racists, and their home was firebombed after they boycotted Jackson, MS stores.
Yet, they stood firm in their conviction that justice ought to be given to black human beings. They wanted the University of Mississippi to be desegregated and equal rights for all people. Medgar Evers was murdered by one evil person. Later, Myrlie Evers-Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Pomona College. She spoke in favor of the NAACP. She worked to help the community, and the youth. By 1995, she was the leader of the NAACP. She helped to improve the NAACP with its financial situation and eliminated its debt. She helped to make the NAACP more progressive. In 1998, she received the NAACP's Springarn Medal for her human rights activism. She married Walter Williams, who was a civil rights activist, as her 2nd husband. Williams passed away in 1995. She gave the invocation at the 2nd inauguration of Barack Obama. She was the first woman and the first layperson to deliver the invocation at a Presidential inauguration. For long decades, Myrlie Evers-Williams has always presented a compassionate spirit in her life. Her wisdom and her strength came from within her. We honor her accomplishments and her sacrifice for our people. She is our hero and a hero for humankind. I wish Sister Myrlie Evers-Williams more blessings.
Likewise, our brave ancestors suffered much worse than us, and we are inspired by their strength to carry forward with the Dream. Internationally, we love our black people overseas in Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America, South America, and throughout the Earth. That is why Afro-Brazilians, Afro-French, Afro-British, and African people are my Brothers and my Sisters. Maya Angelou including Toni Morrison taught us about literature and eloquence. Malcolm X taught us about courage plus self-defense. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught us about love and nonviolence, Ella Baker taught us about community, grassroots development, and Stevie Wonder including Nina Simone taught us about further musical genius. Also, Harriet Tubman taught all of us that revolutionary change is necessary to end injustice. We are loving, great people. Most importantly, we realize that our value is priceless. We are the first people on Earth, and our dignity is sacrosanct.. As part of the 7 cities (of Hampton Roads, Virginia), we are different in many ways, but we are unified in the common goal of freedom and justice for all.
By Timothy
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