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Wednesday, March 31, 2021

The Trial of the 21st Century (George Floyd and the Fight for Justice)

    

  

The trial of Chauvin officially started on Monday, March 29, 2021. The prosecution said that ex-officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd for 9 minutes and 29 seconds not 8:46. Chauvin is charged with 2nd degree murder, 3rd degree murder, and manslaughter. The jurors were shown a video of his final moments on the Earth. This trial is one of the most important trials in American history. It is a test to see how much the police can get away with. It shows truly if justice is served for black people or not. It is as simple as that. Chauvin's attorney lied and said that the crowd distracted officers during the arrest. The crowd of human beings were well far from the officers. They expressed their displeasure over the officers abusing George Floyd which the crowd had the free speech right to do. The police have a lot of unwarranted privileges from immunity laws to be given the benefit of the doubt, even if they violate the law. Many bystanders pleaded with the officers to check Floyd's pulse or let go of him, but the officers proceeded to violate the human rights of George Floyd. George Floyd was unjustly murdered, and the result was the creation of the largest anti-racism, anti-police brutality protests in human history back in 2020. The testimony today was very emotional. Hopefully, justice will be served. We have been done this road before. Miracles can happen.

The 2nd day of the historic trial in dealing with Derek Chauvin murdering George Floyd continues. The prosecution witness Genevieve Clara Hansen (or a Minneapolis firefighter) said that Floyd's body was lifeless, and still the officer had the knee on Floyd's neck. Hansen said that she called 911 and watched police officers not take a pulse and they didn't do anything to save Floyd's life. A child witness said that Chauvin scared her, and that she was shaking the mace near the bystanders. Another teenage witness (named Darnella) heard Floyd said that he can't breathe. The same teenager is a black American and cried on the stand showing grief about the fear about what has occurred (as she has black relatives). Yesterday, a MMA specialist said that the pressure on Floyd's neck was harsh and brutal. The MMA expert wiped away tears listening back to his call to 911. There were 4 bystanders who explained their horror and fear over George Floyd's death. Video recorded George Floyd's final moments on Earth on May 2020 sparking the largest movement for racial justice and an end to police brutality in world history. The witnesses in this trial bravely told their stories. The truth is self evident. Three officers murdered an innocent man. The 2 other officers are just as guilty as Derek Chauvin is, because they did nothing to stop Chauvin from placing his knee on George Floyd. They are complicit too.

 

Jennifer Hudson is one actress who is part of an upcoming movie on Aretha Franklin. The movie is called Respect. We know that Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul being a musical icon. She was not just a great R&B and soul singer. She was a dedicated activist who fought for our freedom day in and day out. She was a lover of romance, and she worked hard every day of her life. In fact, Aretha said that Jennifer Hudson was one person that she wanted to portray her in a biopic as Jennifer Hudson is one of the most talented singers of the 21st century. Jennifer Hudson has been working in acting and theater for years from playing Winnie Mandela to being in a holiday film. For long decades, Aretha was celebrated as a charismatic diva whose goal was to help her community. She toured many places of the world to share her love for music, and we celebrate her contributions involving improving the lives of humanity. Aretha Franklin's story has every right to be shown accurately and powerfully.

In Brazil, over 300,000 people has died as a product of the pandemic. One problem is Brazil now is headed by a far right extremist whose name Bolsonaro. The situation in Brazil's states and region has been tragic. Daily infections has increased from 36,000 to more than 77,000. The public health institution of Fiocruz said that the virus advance in Brazil has caused Brazil's greatest health and hospital collapse in its history. Thousands of people are waiting for an ICU bed. Brazil has doctors being forced to choose who will receive treatment and who will be left to pass away. Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro has promoted the evil heard immunity policy, and he wants Brazilians to stop "whining" and get back to work. His cruelty is not surprising but still revolting. Over the past year, 222 more Brazilians fell into poverty. The financial oligarchy has a monopoly of power in a feudalistic system. Wealth must be redistributed in order for human beings to democratically control their own lives without capitalistic exploitation.

 

Many people are asking corporations to oppose the new unjust Georgia law. This law limits drop boxes, expands state authority over elections, and even bans giving water and food to voters in line. Lindsay Graham disgraceful himself once again by supporting the unjust law. He said the lie that we think any white conservative is a racist, any black conservative is a traitor to black people, and other nonsense. We do say that Trump is a racist, and any Trump supporter is a supporter of racism. We do say that not all black conservatives are sellouts, but any black conservative who loves the new Georgia law is a sellout. We do say that there is no middle ground involving racism and unjust laws. That is why the Georgia law will be challenged in the court system and hopefully gone.

 

By Timothy

 


Monday, March 29, 2021

Culture and Society.

  

 

By 2010, Melanie Fiona's powerful song of It Kills Me topped the chart for 9 consecutive weeks. It was a very popular song. Trey Songz and Drake had the bold song of I Invented Sex being on the charts in early 2010 too. Robin Thicke's Sex Therapy grew to be number one for 2 consecutive weeks. Timbaland made a song called Say Something in 2010. Timbaland is known for using experimental, futuristic sounds in his music.  On April 3, Monica's "Everything to Me" ascended to number, and remained atop the chart for a further six consecutive weeks. On May 22, 2010, Alicia Keys' song "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" topped the chart for twelve consecutive weeks. It ranked as the number one song on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year end list. Usher's song "There Goes My Baby" peaked at number one for four weeks,  and ranked as the number two song on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year end list.  Usher also had the song of OMG featuring hip hop artist Will.I.Am. Chris Brown's song "Deuces", featuring Tyga & Kevin McCall, topped the chart for nine consecutive weeks,  and ranked as the number nine song on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year end list.  Trey Songz also topped the chart with "Can't Be Friends", a position it held for the final seven weeks of 2010. The Caribbean heritage of Rihanna was shown in her song of Rude Boy. In that same year, more R&B artists displayed their talent like Lloyd, Cee-Lo, Willow Smith (with Whip My Hair), Ciara, Jazmine Sullivan with Holding You Down (Going in Circles), Jamie Foxx, etc. Monica had classic songs in 2010 again like with Love All Over Me. One of the greatest albums of the 21st century was Sade's Soldier of Love which was released on February 5, 2010. That album was years in the making, and it was very much anticipated. Her album blew it out of the park with songs, messages, and dancing. Soldier of Love, Babyfather, and The Moon and the Sky were indeed songs in her album that expressed her excellent talent. The album debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart. It also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 502,000 copies in the United States, marking Sade's first number-one debut on the chart in 25 years since 1985's Promise while also spending three weeks at the top of the chart. Upon its release, Soldier of Love received generally positive reviews from most music critics and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The band promoted the album with their first concert tour in 10 years, Sade Live. Fantasia's song Bittersweet was one of her best songs. Fantasia by 2010 was already one of the greatest vocalists of our generation. Fantasia can sing very powerfully for real. Diddy and the Dirty Money group made Hello Good Morning. Miguel, Dondria, Maxwell,  Faith Evans, Jaheim, Kem with Why Would You Say?, Mary J. Blige, The Dream, Dwele, Teairra Mari, Eric Benet, Tank, Marsha Ambrosius, Gerald Levert, Jeremih, and other people made music during that time. 

 

Toni Braxton released her 7th studio album of Pulse  on May 4, 2010. It has many great ballads like Yesterday ft. Trey Songz, Woman, Hands Tied, Pulse, and Make My Heart. Singer and songwriter Ne-Yo worked on writing some of the songs on the album too. The album has uptempo music too. Erykah Badu's Window Seat song and video was about condemning groupthink and conformity for the sake of conformity. The video have her walking in Dallas, Texas which is her hometown. She strips all of her clothes until she is naked and mimics the shot that hit JFK (who was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963). The song Pulse is one of her best songs in the 21st century with notes, skills, and diverse sounds. You have to be one of the greats to make a record like that, and Toni Braxton is one of the greatest artists of our time. "Pretty Girl Rock" is a song by American singer and songwriter Keri Hilson, taken from her second studio album, No Boys Allowed (2010). It celebrated women entertainers spanning many decades. It is one of the greatest videos of the 21st century with a message of celebrating womanhood. An accompanying music video for the song was directed by Joseph Kahn and features Keri Hilson portraying an array of American female icons of the past, including Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, The Andrews Sisters, The Supremes, Donna Summer, Janet Jackson and T-Boz of the R&B girl group TLC. The video received positive response from critics and was nominated for Video of the Year at the 2011 BET Awards, and Best Dance Performance at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards. The end of the video shows Keri Hilson's image at the end. Keri Hilson's 2nd Studio album of No Boys Allowed had people in it like  Chris Brown, Rick Ross, Kanye West, J. Cole, Nelly and Timbaland. It talked about love, women's power, and other issues. Basic Instinct is the fourth studio album by American singer Ciara. It was released on December 10, 2010, by LaFace Records and Jive Records. Executive-produced by A&R agent Mark Pitts, Ciara, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, Basic Instinct returns Ciara to her urban roots with mid-tempo R&B cuts and bass-heavy pop and dance songs. Aside from production by Stewart and The-Dream, Ciara collaborated with production by Soundz, Infinity and T-Minus. Ciara's album was about her responding to her critics, showing her sensual side, and her telling the world that she's a grown woman. Even in 2010, many narrow-minded people want to hate on artists for no reason. Ciara's music expanded into a new era with that album. Let Freedom Reign is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Chrisette Michele, released November 30, 2010 on Def Jam Recordings. Production for the album took place at several recording studios and was handled entirely by record producer Chuck Harmony, who also co-wrote most of the album with Michele. Chrisette Michele is an artist with an old soul musically, and her voice is amazing. The album had songs like Let Freedom Reign (ft. Talib Kweli and Black Thought), Number One, So Cool, So Cool, 

 

In 2011, R&B Music has changed massively. The beginning of the year had Trey Songz's We Can't be Friends being high on the charts. Fall for Your Type with Jamie Foxx and Drake was popular. Moment 4 Life was popular with the hip hop artists of Nicki Minaj and Drake. By this time, many rappers increasingly sing on records.  Chris Brown's collaboration with Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes, "Look at Me Now", topped the chart for eight consecutive weeks. Although Miguel's "Sure Thing" only topped the chart for one week, it ranked as the number one song on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs year end list. Kelly Rowland's collaboration with Lil Wayne, "Motivation", topped the chart for seven non-consecutive weeks.  "Motivation" ranked at number two on the year end list. That song was part of Kelly Rowland's 3rd studio album called Here I Am. It was released on July 22, 2011. That album was Kelly Rowland's statement that she is her own woman, and this is her story. Kelly Rowland always had talent, and this album was her call out to the world about her experiences. It had pop sounds in it along with songs about love and intimacy. I heard of the song Commander ft. David Guetta. Here I Am also features guest performances from Lil Wayne, Nelly, Rico Love, Lil Playy, The WAV.s and Big Sean. Production of the album was handled by the likes of Rodney Jerkins, Guetta, Jim Jonsin, Hit-Boy, RedOne and The Runners. Kelly Rowland said that she wanted her music to be glam like the music of Donna Summer and Diana Ross. She worked with Ne-Yo too. 

 

The last number one of 2011 was Wale's collaboration featuring with Miguel, "Lotus Flower Bomb. On June 24, 2011, Beyonce released her 4th studio album called 4. It was a heavily R&B album that went into basics. It has party anthems, women anthem, and overall great that everyone can enjoy like Who Run the World (Girls), Party, Best Thing I Never Had, I Care, Countdown, End of Time, etc. 4 was promoted in mid-2011 by television performances and festival appearances, such as BeyoncĂ©'s headlining Glastonbury Festival set. The album received generally positive reviews by music critics; several publications included it on their year-end lists. It was her fourth consecutive album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200, and it also reached number one in Brazil, Ireland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Beyonce took a break in 2010, and she took her time to make new music. 4 had old school and new experimental sounds in it. It's one of the greatest album of the 2010's. All the Lights having Rihanna, Kid Cudi, and Kanye West was one of the most creative songs in 2011. Artists making music in 2011 include human beings who are:  Jazmine Sullivan's 10 seconds, Frank Ocean, Faith Evans, El Debarge, Elle Varner, Jennifer Hudson, Bobby V, Kem, Chrisette Michele, etc. One of the greatest artists of our time is Ledisi, and it's her Birthday today. She is 49 years old, and she was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her name means to bring forth or to come here in Yoruba. She has performed R&B, soul, jazz, pop, neo-soul, and gospel music. Her family sang music constantly like her mother and stepfather. New Orleans has a strong musical culture in general. She was 8 when she performed with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. She moved into Oakland, California and attended now Edna Brewer Middle School. Ledisi played the piano and did opera in her life. She formed the group Anibade during the 1990's. Her first solo album was in 2000 called Soulsinger: The Revival. She made more music like Alright in 2007. Songs like Think of You and Joy are part of her legacy as well. Pieces of Me came out in 2011. Pieces of Me is one of her greatest songs from the album of the same name. Ledisi has performed at the White House 7 times at the request of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

 


 

 

Hip Hop involving fashion has been diverse being long lasting. Clothing, hair, clothes, and shoes have always been shown in a way that celebrated hip hop music. Since the 1970's, urban apparel and looks have changed over time. Back in the day, breakdancers and hip hop artists wore top hates, Chuck Taylors, and chains. By the 1980's, Run DMC popularized Adidas shoes and leather clothes. Wu Tang clan promoted the Clark's Wallabees. By the 1990's, major fashion changes existed in hip hop. Many designers had a connection to many hip hop artists. Brands like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger dealt with hip hop. Also, black owned companies promoted products involving hip hop culture like Fubu, etc. By the late 1990's and early 2000's, baggy jeans, baggy T-Shirts, and jerseys were popular. By the 2000's, people like Jay Z and Pharrell owned their own clothing lines like Bathing Ape and Rocawear. Kanye West worked with Louis Vuitton to advance his clothing line. As time went on, the clothes go tighter, more classically fashionable, and expensive. Today, hip hop fashion has changed into being more experimental, diverse, and colorful. 

 

 

The Universal Hip Hop Museum is set to open in 2023. This comes to celebrate the 50th year anniversary of hip hop in the New York City borough of The Bronx. The museum will show music, dance, and fashion. There is a small pop up exhibit showing what visitors can expect. The museum's Executive Director is Rocky Bucano. Other hip hop museums exist now in Washington, D.C. and across the United States of America. The future NYC museum is supported by Nas, Ice T, and LL Cool J. When the museum is completed, it will have 5,570 square meter space. It will have interactive exhibits, live shows, film screenings, and conferences. One room will have a breakbeat narratives interactive console. The device was created by Microsoft Corporation and the MIT Center for Advanced Virtuality. The exhibit will include Kurtis Blow’s original beat box machine, and the first and second rap records ever released.

  

 

One great Caribbean legend was Bob Marley. He lived from 1945 to 1981. He was one man out of many men and women who made reggae internationally popular. Marley was a vocal activist who wanted justice for humanity and liberation in Africa. As a vocalist and songwriter, his music from Exodus included some of the greatest prose in music. As a Jamaican icon, Marley loved his country. He loved Jamaican culture and the essence of human expression prodigiously.  He had 11 children. His mother was Cedelia Booker, and his father was Norval Sinclair Marley. Marley's grandchildren are Skip Marley and Nico Marley. Bob Marley was a leading Rastafari icon, and he later converted to Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity just before his passing. His advocacy of Pan-Africanism was legendary. Like we all know, he was outspoken for his support for legalizing marijuana. Bob Marley was part of the Wailers before forming his solo career. Legend from Bob Marley was the best selling reggae album of all time. Bob Marley worked with legends like Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith. Bob Marley possessed a positive mentality, and that perspective was exemplified in his music in songs like Exodus, Jamming and One Love. Albums like Kaya are classics. Bob Marley wanted unity among diverse political factions in Jamaica. He was nearly assassinated, but he survived. He fought apartheid in South African and celebrated Zimbabwe's independence.  Celebrated worldwide, we fundamentally appreciate Bob Marley's courage and sacrifice for our freedom in the world. 


 

Arlene Harris-Webber is a Caribbean leader of the STEM community. She is an Area Manager for Verizon Inc., serving the Central Westchester, New York and Connecticut regions. Her hometown is Bridgeport, Connecticut. Ever since she was young, she had a love and interest in technology and science. She helped students to improve their grades massively as a teacher. She formed many mentoring and social programs for young people at her church. She promotes medicine to low income communities. 

  

  

From 1947 to 1971, one Gospel legend helped to spread the songs of the Lord globally. She was a woman who not only sang gospel music, but she was active to promote civil rights for black Americans. She was late Sister Mahalia Jackson. That time period signified her era of time involving gospel music. I have always mentioned that Mahalia Jackson in my opinion was the greatest vocalist in human history. She was so great that Aretha Franklin was the protege of Mahalia Jackson. Aretha Franklin was the Queen of Soul. Gospel, during that time, spread nationally in America and internationally in a higher level. This was the time when more corporations got involved in the musical genre, and more debates existed on the balance between gospel singers earning a living and maintaining his or her integrity at the same time. This balancing situation is not new as nothing is new under the sun. That balance is key in maintaining a righteous life. In our generation, haters of God are abundant, and many of them were ironically ex-Christians. After all of these years with new discoveries about DNA, science, and new archaeological discoveries being made all of the time, my faith has been maintained plus strengthened. The Post World War II era saw an expansion of inventions, the 2nd Great African American Migration, and new social movements changing the atmosphere of American society. The music reflected the new times. The essence of gospel music is about human beings expressing their love of God and dealing with issues of spirituality, religion, and everyday living. I know many in this generation believe in the new age teaching that religion in general is evil and spirituality is only good. The truth is that true, authentic religion is not evil, and spiritual is good when utilized in the right way. Gospel singers, who were on the scene back then, were the Caravans, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Soul Stirrers, Swan Silverstones, Bessie Griffin, The Davis Sisters, Albertina Walker, Clara Ward, the Skylarks, Alex Bradford and the Bradford Singers, The Hightower Brothers, and other human beings. Gospel music from the 1940's to 1971 saw a Golden Age of music in general. After 1971, the world would never be the same again. The songs of Gospel still remains powerfully strong. 


  

Recently, the World Economic Forum released a video called, "What is the Great Reset?" This video is used to discuss about certain issues from the pandemic to other matters. Like always, we have facts on our side. We know that many political and economic elites advocate for globalization and even one world government. I have plenty of quotes of those folks saying it from Walter Cronkite to David Rockefeller. The World Economic Forum's video in talking about the Great Reset was a propaganda piece to put it lightly in my view to omit certain real issues necessary to understand the bigger picture. I have watched the video to see what it is about. The  video talk about solutions, but the 1 percent control the majority of the wealth on Earth. Working together under token change is not enough. Revolutionary change is needed. The commercial is supported by the Davos agenda.  The video says that 2020 is the death of capitalism as we know it. We know that capitalism is imperfect. Capitalism in the modern sense existed since the late Middle Ages with nobles and Kings. Later, evil people used capitalistic exploitation to harm the world from the British Empire to Hitler (as Western capitalism from IBM to other corporations funded the Third Reich). Also, we know that Stalin Communism is complicit in the deaths of millions of people in the Soviet Union. Stalin was an anti-religious bigot and later an anti-Semite, so I have no respect for Stalin. Many populists do a disservice to legitimately expose Stalin, but are silent on the imperfections of capitalism (which has contributed to income inequality and other forms of oppression that we witness today). The WEF isn't calling for the end of capitalism per se, but a new form of capitalism. Many of the mega corporations own a large part of the resources of the globe. We certainly want change, but not an authoritarianism that violates human civil liberties in the process of that change. The global elites are involved in a system no where near socialism when only a select group of people own a large percentage of the means of production. We have a feudalistic system which is socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. The World Economic Forum's video is slick in trying to talk about some legitimate issues on the environment, but it refuses to expose the Pilgrim Society, large corporations, and other entities responsible for much of the pollution, economic inequality, imperialism, and other evils that we witness today in 2021. 

  

 

There has been many stories about Tom MacDonald (or the Canadian rapper and singer) so much on the Internet, that I will issue this commentary about him. What Tom does is not new. Mark Dice  (when he mocks liberals and asks people questions in the street in a sarcastic way) does that this constantly. Tom MacDonald hypocritically criticizes cancel culture and wants divisions to end, but his music promotes divisions in bashing progressive activism and progressive ideals.  Also, Tom bashes rappers who promote nihilism, but he has many records promoting violence. There are many examples of him doing this. For example, in his song of Fake Woke (which was released in January 29, 2001), he doesn't agree with white privilege and lies saying that Black Lives Matter is a stupid name, because he believes that the systems harms people just the same. His lyrics shows his views and his agenda. He's a liar. The system doesn't oppress all people the same. Sociological studies and other studies document how racism, health discrimination, educational discrimination, and other forms of discrimination disproportionately harms the lives of black Americans more so than white Americans. Black people serve jail for more time than white people in America even if both groups of people are convicted of the exact same offensive. Not to mention that the term Black Lives Matter is not offensive. It is about promoting the dignity of black human lives, not promotes hatred of every white person. The Fake Woke song from him doesn't criticize Eminem and Cardi B for their racism, but he criticized them for criticizing Trump. Tom McDonald has a persecution complex where he feels that his whiteness is being bashed, but society from TV to movies constantly praise whiteness openly all of the time. That is why many self hating black people love some Tom MacDonald and his messages of obfuscation and taking things out of context. His songs of I Don't Care and Coronavirus (which made factual inaccuracies about the pandemic) are typical of him. MacDonald claims that straight white men are persecuted extremely massively, when the people in the 1 percent are mostly straight white men. Tom believes in the myth that black social activists are going around daily to  curse out or condemn every white person they see. That is why racists take comfort to him, because Tom omits the massive racism and oppression that black people and other people have experienced for a long time. Tom MacDonald is also a sexist. He Tweeted the following words on December 2, 2016: "I wanna tie a feminists to a chair, tape her eyes open and force her to watch a full season of Keys To The VIP. Bet she implodes." Police brutality, sexism, xenophobia, and systematic racism are realities that must end without compromise. White privilege is a documented reality, and some black people have to stop believing in the myth that seeking white acceptance in a compromising fashion is how to live life. Many of those claiming to be so "independent" are far right extremists. Tom MacDonald is honest in his coded language, his lies, and his distortion of what black liberation is. You live life by treating people right and promoting black liberation. The irony is that progressives brought the Civil Rights Act, clean water laws, the Voting Rights Act, and other blessings, but many radical conservatives (in FOX News, etc.) are propping up their hero MacDonald (when far right extremists have passed an unjust, voter suppression laws in Georgia. Georgia Governor Kemp signed that evil law near a picture of a plantation. A black woman legislator was unjustly arrested for just knocking on a door. Republicans are certainly dangerous for democracy. Pro-Trump far right extremists terrorized people at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. HR 1 and HR 4 must be passed by Congress ASAP). There is no middle ground with racism, xenophobia, voter suppression laws, environmental pollution, and other evils. We have to stand on truth, and we are never ashamed of the truth period. I stand by my words on this issue. 

 

By Timothy

 



Friday, March 26, 2021

AN Unjust Law in Georgia and Other News.

  

President Joe Biden gave his first major press conference on March 25, 2021. He talked about many issues. He said that he has been hired to solve problems, not create division. His intention is to make a bold infrastructure plan. Biden said that he has more Republican voters supporting him than Republican Congressional people supporting him. Biden  was asked on immigration, the virus, and on other issues. He was upset at the curtailing of voting rights in many states of America. Joe Biden called the voter suppression bills in various states as anti-American. Biden wants to run against for President in 2024 with Kamala Harris by her side as Vice President. Biden wants to reform the filibuster to allow policies on climate change, voting rights, and other plan to exist. At the end of the day, we need a bold agenda that ends the archaic filibuster. We desire black liberation without question 

 

Some bad news is that Georgia lawmakers pass a sweeping voting bill that will curtail drop off boxes and other Jim Crow level voting restrictions. This is a sad day for Georgia and America. These voter restrictions are completely racist. Years ago, Georgia was the leader in Voter ID laws. Now, Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act was gutted by the Supreme Court. The only way to stop this law is to challenge it in court, and for Congress to pass national voting rights legislation. The bill in Georgia is about taking local control from local jurisdiction. It has targeting black Georgia voters. It has curtailed Sunday voting, and bans giving food and water to voters. It's a cruel bill. The For the People Act must be passed. The Georgia bill is unjust, and it will be challenged in court without question. Senator Manchin of West Virginia has been disgraceful. He refuses to support the House gun control bill or the House Voting Rights bill unless Republicans support a token compromise to it. Manchin is in favor of the filibuster, when the filibuster is an archaic throwback that was used to promote slavery and fight against 20th century civil rights legislation. The filibuster was used by racists to try to stop the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. This person Manchin says that he supports the people of West Virginia, when many people in West Virginia are not moderates but progressives. West Virginia is not monolithic. The overall point is that we have every to defend voting rights despite moderates. Dr. King was right to say that the biggest hurdle to get social change was the moderates who care more for comfort and the status quo than freedom and justice. We live in a new time in American history. We need a bold vision and bold policies to help human beings here.

 

There has been a long debate among Roland Martin and the young man King Randall I. I think that both men misinterpreted each other, and both of the men's followers are picking sides. I don't believe we should split black folks against each other unnecessarily. We have one goal, and we can use different tactics in that goal. King Randal said that he is a conservative. King Randal said that he wants black people to Do for Self. I can't be a conservative on every issue, because conservative thinking doesn't adequately address income inequality, the environment, imperialism, poverty, and other human rights issues. Yet, King Randall is a very smart person, and Roland was wrong to call this man "an idiot." Roland can easily disagree with the man without disrespecting the man. King Randall is right that black self-determination is key for freedom. Randall was involved in building a school to help black young people. Also, since we pay money to the government, the government does have a role to solve problems. Demanding the government to solve problems is not begging. It's making a demand, because our black ancestors helped to build up this nation. Our sacrifice deserves compensation economically. 

The irony is that both men are right on some points. King Randall is right that black people have the power to use self determination to solve our problems. Roland Martin is right to say that the government does have a role to help humanity as the government should be made by and for the people. True government is an instrument of establishing justice and promoting the general welfare. Martin is right that the new Georgia Jim Crow anti-voting law should be concerned by all black people. This is our fight. Good government is not evil. Corrupt government is evil. There's a difference. In other words, you need both individual efforts and collective efforts in solving problems. Roland underestimated the power of black individuals establishing institutions. King Randal underestimates the necessity of a social safety net in helping the poor, the oppressed, workers, etc.  Also, the voter suppression law in Georgia is a disgrace and is akin to Jim Crow. Black Americans are owed reparations. Things like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security aren't handouts. They are resources that people earn to receive in their daily lives. If someone rejects all forms of government dependency outright, but he or she takes Social Security, Medicare, or government pensions, then he or she is mistaken. That is why I am a progressive on economic issues.

 

Today is the Birthday of one of the greatest singers in human history. She was the Queen of Soul with massive message about love and human consciousness. Always outspoken in favor of freedom, her inquisitive mind defended civil rights, defended the people of Flint, and defended the power of women. She is Sister Aretha Franklin. Aretha sang throughout multiple generations. From her songs like Respect to A Rose is like a Rose, she appealed to a myriad of demographics. Her father was a famous civil rights preacher named C. L. Franklin. Both Aretha and her father were friends of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Like many legends, she was born in the South at Memphis, Tennessee. She lived in Buffalo, and finally settled at Detroit as a child. Aretha played the piano by ear. She started doing gospel music during the 1950's as a child. She made songs like Never Grow Old. She knew the Soul Stirres, the Mavis Staples' family, and other gospel legends. Dinah Washington told Quincy Jones that Aretha was the next one (or the next legend). Dinah was right. By 1967, she was a worldwide superstar with music like I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You), Respect, and A Natural Woman. Her albums of Lady Soul and Aretha Now had hits like Thank, I Say A Little Prayer, Chain of Fools, etc. She earned her own Grammys. She sang in concerts globally until the 2010's. She loves her 4 children. Aretha Franklin passed away in 2018. The funeral on TV lasted for over 5 hours non-stop. Aretha Franklin was our black voice and the voice of the world. Now, in total peace, Aretha Franklin remains that legend forevermore. 


Rest in Power Sister Aretha Franklin.

 

 

By Timothy 


Events of Our Time.

  

 

One important issue is that many people want Washington, D.C. to have statehood. This will give total representation and enfranchisement to the citizens and residents of D.C. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (whose ancestors were slaves from Virginia) has fought for D.C. statehood for decades. House Resolution 51 is legislation that would make D.C. the  51st state of the Union. D.C. has no Senators with a population more than the state of Wyoming. Almost 50 percent of the population of Washington, D.C. are black people. Fourth ward D.C. councilperson Janeese Lewis Georgia has called for D.C. statehood on equality grounds too. She was born and raised in D.C. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser agrees with the statehood plan too. D.C. Statehood should certainly exist now as a way for thousands of Washington, D.C. human beings to have full representation in their rights for real. Evanston, Illinois is the first city in U.S. history to pay black Americans in a reparations housing program to black residents. 

 

The shooting in Boulder, Colorado was a tragedy with 10 people being murdered by a coward. The murderer's name is Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa of Arvada. This location of the shooting is at King Soopers store. The people who were injured and died were from 20 to 65 years old. The murderer was shot in his leg. No one knows the motive behind the shooting yet. During this week alone, the United States has seen at least 7 mass shootings in each day. This is clearly an epidemic that has existed in America for years and years. Witnesses saw a person with a semiautomatic rifle firing it at human beings. People scream and ran out of the supermarket building. The police found the shooter and sent him out after he was cuffed. An AR-15 style pistol modified with an arm brace was used in the shooting.

 


 


Like usual, the gun extremists use lies in order to prevent meaningful gun regulation legislation to be passed in Congress. One of their biggest lies is that we want total gun disarmament, which we don't. We want criminals to not have weapons of war. We want people to realize that a gun is not a idol. A gun is not God. A gun is an inanimate object that must be regulated to prevent gun violence. Gun violence has gone down in places like Connecticut when such gun control laws have existed. The problem is that gun trafficking has existed nationwide without a powerful national gun control policy system to regulate the exchange of gun across states. Using these policies have nothing to do with extinguishing self defense. It has to do with protecting human lives. It is a shame that in 2021, people want to use any gun among any circumstance without boundaries, but they lecture us on boundaries involving social conduct. These hypocrites talk about family values, but they value the gun more than they value human life. Biden has promoted stronger gun control legislation in Congress, as gun violence is a total epidemic in American society. Biden wants universal background checks (along with closing loopholes) and an assault weapons ban which is supported by the vast majority of Americans.

 

 

The White House is preparing for a $3 trillion jobs package that will deal with infrastructure. People from across the political spectrum agree that investments to develop infrastructure are necessary. When you build and modernize roads, bridges, homes, and other infrastructure, that will create jobs. More jobs cause more people to spent money in businesses and other services. That cycle will improve the economy by default. That is why adequate infrastructure investment is necessary to help people from across the socioeconomic position. Many federal investigators have not ruled out sedition charges against many of the people involved in the insurrection. New York Times has released footage of the violence. The footage shows people breaking windows and going into the U.S. Capitol violently. The terrorists fought the police. The video footage show the police fighting hundreds and thousands of terrorists. The police are overrun by 2:30 pm. on January 6, 2021. 12 Republicans opposed Congressional gold medals for the police that protected the U.S. Capitol. It shows that those 12 Republicans in the House are the ultimate hypocrites for lecturing us on the police, but they refused to support the U.S. Capitol police that saved their lives. I think that there should be sedition charges against the terrorists, as they are traitors to the United States of America. There was massive planning among elements of the Proud Boys, Neo-Nazis, the Oath Keepers, and other fascist groups.

 


Some sad, shocking news is that the NBA Legend Elgin Baylor passed away recently at the age of 86 years old. He was a player ahead of his time in terms of shooting, dribbling, and overall creativity involving basketball. Before Lebron James, before Kobe Bryant, before Michael Jordan, and before Dr. J., there was Elgin Baylor. He played for the Lakers for over 10 years. He perfected the fundamentals of the game. Baylor could shoot, pass, and rebound the ball. He was the NBA Rookie of the Year too. He was born in Washington, D.C. He loved his wife and his children. Natural causes was how he passed away. Now, we recognize his life and legend as a father, as a coach, and as a man who lived a long life filled with happiness and joy. 


Rest in Power Brother Elgin Baylor.


Monday Updates in late March of 2021.

 


  

One of the most important films released in the 2020s is The United States vs. Billie Holiday. It was released on February 26, 2021. It was directed by Lee Daniels. The producers of the projects are Lee Daniels, Jordan Fudge, Rucker Tooley, Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum, and Pamela Oas Williams. Suzan-Lori Parks created  the screenplay. It starred the actors and actress of Andra Day (who is a great musician in real life) playing Billie Holiday, Trevante Rhodes, Natasha Lyonne, Evan Ross, Dana Gourrier, Erik LaRay Harvey, Tallulah Bankhead, and Garrett Hedlund. The movie is based on the book of, "Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs" by Johann Hari. The War on Drugs existed long before the 1970's and the 1980's with Nixon and Reagan. Billie Holiday was harassed by the federal government because of her outspoken political views in opposition to racism, lynching, and oppression. Audra Day was nominated for the the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama; the film was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song ("Tigress and Tweed"). Filming started on October 6, 2019 at Montreal, Canada. Tons of people have praised Audra Day's performance as Billie Holiday. The film details the life of Billie Holiday being targeted by the Federal Department of Narcotics with an undercover sting operation led by the black Federal Agent Jimmy Fletcher, with whom she had an affair with. Day captures the diverse life of Billie Holiday. The movie has Holiday an interview with a fan. Law enforcement didn't like her song "Strange Fruit" which condemns lynching in the South and other places of America. Harry Anslinger or the Federal Bureau of Narcotics have a vindictive vendetta against Billie Holiday in the film. Ansligner was not only a racist, but he said that jazz was of "the devil." The War on Drugs was used by the powers that be to not only criminalize non violent people who suffered drug addiction. The War on Drugs was utilized by some in the government to expand the prison industrial complex, strip resources from oppressed communities, permitted racism, and made false racist stereotypes against black people including other people of color. On civil liberty grounds alone, the War on Drugs has been a disgrace. That is why it should end with alternatives to help those with drug addiction. People know how I feel about Lee Daniels. It is what it is. Lee Daniels said that a white man can call black people the n word and still loves black people (Daniels wants white people to say the n word). Lee Daniels called himself a sellout and make an anti-black woman comment about welfare lines. Recently, he said something about criticizing white racism, but he has refused to condemn his previous self hating comments. Two things can be true. Lee Daniels made problematic statements, and the movie about Billie Holiday has the right to be known to the public. The movie didn't sugarcoat Billie Holiday's life. It showed her as she was. Billie Holiday was a genius musician with defiance, courage, and a creative spirit that inspires us all. Race and sex are involved in the film. While black and white people use drugs in similar rates, black people are jailed more percentage wise than whites even if they are convicted of the same crime. Women disproportionately experience abuse, rape, domestic violence, and other crimes in our world. We have to condemn evils, and we are clear that Billie Holiday never deserved this mistreatment by her own government. Billie Holiday was a musician, an activist, a lover, and an old soul who brought her creative power in changing the world forevermore. Rest in Power Sister Billie Holiday. 

 


  

 

One Night in Miami is 2020 film directed by Regina King (in her feature film directorial debut) with a screenplay of the same name. The movie is about a fictional meeting of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke at a room at the Hampton Housei n February 1964. The film detailed their celebration of Muhammad Ali's victory over Sonny Liston in a boxing match. Many people didn't believe that Ali would win (especially boxing journalists), but Muhammad Ali had the boxing skills to defeat Sonny Liston (who is an outstanding heavyweight fighter in his own right. George Foreman once said that the only man who intimidated him was the late Sonny Liston. Liston had massive punching power). The movie starred Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom Jr. in the lead roles, with Lance Reddick, Joaquina Kalukango, Nicolette Robinson, and Beau Bridges in supporting roles. The movie was based on the stage play from Kemp Powers with the same title about the fictional meeting of Malcolm X. What is true in the film is that Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown were well known friends. In fact, Muhammad Ali said that one of his biggest regrets in his life was not being friends with Malcolm X anymore after Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam. Many of the actors and actresses in the film are:  Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, and Leslie Odom Jr. in the lead roles, with Lance Reddick, Joaquina Kalukango, Nicolette Robinson, and Beau Bridges in supporting roles. 

 


One Night in Miami premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 7, 2020, a first for an African-American woman director. The film was released in limited theaters by Amazon Studios on December 25, 2020, before being released digitally on Prime Video on January 15, 2021. It received critical acclaim, with praise for King's direction, the performances, and Powers's screenplay. The film earned three nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Odom, Best Adapted Screenplay for Powers, and Best Original Song ("Speak Now"). Regina King also earned a Best Director nomination at the 78th Golden Globe Awards. The film starts in 1963. Muhammad Ali almost lost a boxing match to Henry Cooper at Wembley Stadium at London. Ali was skinnier then. He met with soul singer Sam Cooke at the Copacabana in New York City. NFL player Jim Brown came to Georgia to visit the family friend Mr. Carlton on a vast plantation. Carlton ladles praise on "the great Jim Brown," but when Brown offers to help Carlton move some furniture, Carlton reminds Brown that "you know we don't allow n_____s in the house." In real life, Jim Brown experienced tons of racism, but he didn't back down from oppression. Elsewhere, Malcolm X returned home and discusses his plans to leave the Nation of Islam with his wife, Betty Shabazz. On February 25, 1964, the men are all in Miami for Ali's title bout against Sonny Liston. X meets with Ali in a hotel room before the fight, and the two pray in a traditional Islamic fashion. That night, Jim Brown is a ringside commentator and Cooke and Malcolm X are in the crowd as Muhammad Ali upsets Liston, making him the world heavyweight champion. The movie showed the 4 men meet at Miami on February 25, 1964 for the Ali vs. Liston fight. Malcolm X talks with Ali in a hotel room before the fight. Both pray in a traditional Islamic fashion.  Muhammad Ali winning the match to be the world heavyweight champion caused a new era of boxing. It was celebrated worldwide, and Muhammad Ali gave new confidence to a younger generation of black Americans desiring total black liberation. 

 


Afterward,  Malcolm X invites the other three men to his motel room. Their hopes of a party are dashed when X makes it clear they are the only ones he invited. He wants to spend some time reflecting on their accomplishments, but tension between him and Cooke arises. X thinks Cooke has sold out the black community by pandering to white audiences, and Cooke refuses to feel guilty for his success. Muhammad Ali informed the men of his plans to announce his conversion to the Nation of Islam, causing more tension. Jim Brown discusses his plans to become a film actor, and wonders if it will go smoothly. The film (this is fictional by the way) showed Malcolm X and Cooke having more tensions. Malcolm X didn't like Cooke's music. Cooke said that his success and creative autonomy is itself an inspiration to the black community, and while he still cares about the black struggle in America, protest songs are not commercially viable. Malcolm X confronts him with the success of Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" in the movie.

 

The tension arose, because of the FBI harassment of Malcolm X and fears his schism with Elijah Muhammad. X is devastated that Ali has second thoughts about his conversion. X said to Ali that he is planning to form his own organization and asks him to join. Muhammad Ali refuses to join, as he felt is is a betrayal of Elijah Muhammad. A knock at the door informs them that the press has gotten wind of the meeting. As Muhammad Ali prepares to talk to the media, he asks X to come with him. When they leave, Cooke tells Brown that he has had similar thoughts about "Blowin' in the Wind" and has already written a song, but not yet performed it. In the aftermath of the night, Ali officially changes his name to Muhammad Ali, while X's life is thrown into chaos as he suffers the consequences of his split with the Nation of Islam; his house is firebombed, but he completes his autobiography. Cooke debuts "A Change Is Gonna Come" on The Tonight Show. Brown leaves the NFL to pursue his movie career. The film ends with a title card with a quote from X about the inevitability of martyrs for the cause, and that he was assassinated on February 21, 1965. The movie has universal acclaim. The film relates to our time about what to do involving racial justice matters. The movie, though fiction, relates to the diverse factions of the black freedom struggle. Black people are different. We want the same goal which is black liberation, but we have different approaches to that same goal. 

 

The truth is that movies like One Night in Miami can allow people to see the truth about these four giants of the 1960's. The truth is that these 4 men did meet in Miami back in 1964. Also, it is true that all men were real life friends. Malcolm X had disagreements with the Nation of Islam, because he felt that the NOI back then didn't use encourage political engagement in the black freedom struggle to cause legitimate results. Malcolm X wanted to work with the overall black freedom struggle in order to put international pressure in America to make America accountable for its crimes against black Americans. He said that he promoted this goal in his OAAU organization. OAAU stands for the Organization of Afro-American Unity that he formed in 1964 with the help of John Henrik Clarke (and other Brothers and Sisters). Malcolm X was punished by the NOI for his comments about JFK. Many black nationalists have criticized the film for in their minds disrespecting Elijah Muhammad. Elijah Muhammad was the son of a sharecropping preacher in Georgia. He saw white racism first hand from discrimination to lynching. That is why he felt so angry at injustices against black people that he promoted the NOI. People know of my religious views. I'm not a Muslim, but I do recognize the conditions of massive anti-black oppression that gave rise to the NOI in the first place. Malcolm X accused Elijah Muhammad of adultery and having many ladies pregnant. To this day, NOI followers deny this allegation. Karl Evanzz and other authors wrote literature on Elijah Muhammad's life too. Some people act like Elijah Muhammad was as bad as Nazis and the Klan which isn't the case. Do I agree with every single doctrine of the NOI? No, as I believe in the existence of the Son of the living God obviously. Do I agree with Black Love, Black self-determination, loving Blackness, and total independence plus justice for all black people (as tons of people in the Nation of Islam has advocated for decades)? Yes. The book "Blood Brothers" document the friendship of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali along with their split. Sam Cooke was ahead of his time with promoting ownership in his music which was taboo during the 1960's. Jim Brown started his movie career in 1966 with the Dirty Dozens (which I have seen before). Malcolm X was becoming more progressive in supporting international collaboration, opposing the Vietnam War, and being more active to unite with any civil rights groups genuinely in favor of results. Jim Brown focused on economic empowerment in the black community in what we call black capitalism in our time. The events of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other human beings make that film always relevant in our time. So, the movie shows the unity and the diversity of of the overall black community and the black struggle for justice in general. 



 

During the 2010's and 2020's, there has been a massive increase in athletes supporting political causes so greatly that we haven't seen this level of consciousness since the 1960's. Famous sports leaders and unsung athletes across the world are going about to fight for social change. This is not new. Althea Gibson supported civil rights in her life. Gibson brought down barriers involving the sports of tennis and golf. Women like Gibson has inspired the Williams' sisters in their socially conscious endeavors too. We know about Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson not only played in the MLB as the first black baseball player in the MLB since the 19th century. He also invested money into the Civil Rights Movement, formed a black owned bank in New York City, and later reject Nixon's far right extremism during the late 1960's and early 1970's (as Jackie Robinson was a liberal Republican for a time).  Muhammad Ali opposed the unjust Vietnam War and wanted black people to love their black identities in many speeches. Kareem Abdul Jabbar has not only written articles for social justice. He has been on the frontlines to advocate for the just causes of racial equality and human freedom. Jackie Joyner-Kersee has been a leader to help our her community with programs, giving speeches, and encouraging fellow people to follow their dreams. Today, you have tons of WNBA Players supporting Black Lives Matter, other social causes, and being in support of equality. Renee Danielle Montgomery has been a basketball player for years. Now, she is the Vice President and part owner including investor in the Atlanta Dream. She won the WNBA Championship 2 times in 2015 and 20187. Also, she was NCAA Champion in 2009. Renee Montgomery has always been outspoken to oppose police brutality, racism, and any injustice. Her Renee Montgomery Foundation handled out barbecue meals and water, Gatorade, and other supplies for protesters in Atlanta, Georgia. Lebron James has worked to fight against police brutality, and he supported policies to expand voting rights for American citizens. Even Michael Jordan in recent years has come around to invest in social justice work. 

  

 

The situation with Megan Markle is not new, but it is a painful situation dealing with race and other subjects. Us, who are black Americans, saw this coming a mile away. From the start, we (who are black people or anyone of any color who understood this as not shocking) knew that massive controversies would exist after Megan Markle married Prince Harry. For centuries, the British Royals have been complicit in imperialism, colonialism, racism, and other forms of oppression. That is proven by the British Empire never banned slavery until 1833. That is proven by Winston Churchill making overtly racist remarks, and it's proven by the Berlin Conference of the 1800's. Prince Philip is known for making racist comments for years, even desiring to be a virus to handle population issues if he is reincarnated. Therefore, we know what the deal is. Megan Markle and Prince Harry were married in a religious building with massive TV coverage worldwide. It had singing (even with many black people in a gospel choir) and a lot of pageantry. Little did they know that later on, they would experience a lot of emotional turmoil. Many in the British press not only presented articles disrespecting the couple. Some, in the British press, had articles using overtly racist rhetoric. The couple left Europe, stayed at Tyler Perry's homes, and then went to live in another place in America. Megan and Harry talked to Oprah about their horrendous experiences. I don't believe they were lying for many reasons. One is that Harry is a witness to the racism, Megan's words seem genuine to me, and those hurtful words that Megan was subjected too aren't going to be forgotten. Megan Markle said that one person in the Royal family said about concerns about the color of her child. Anyone who disrespects a little child in racist terminology is lower than low. The sad irony is that Megan Markle is a very light skinned biracial woman whose physical image didn't exempt her from white racism. It shows that racism isn't just found in America but globally. The paradox of Megan Markle is that she has a space that very few black people have in our time. In our modern society, many colorists would not give the same empathy to a dark skinned black woman as they would to Markle because of the obvious reason. This is not Markle's fault. It's the fault of sick system and racists who want to harm human beings who look like us. The unjustified mistreatment of Megan Markle should open anyone's eyes on the viciousness of anti-Blackness. We, who are black people or others who know of these things, are not shocked. The whole pageant of the Royal Family is a smokescreen. The reality is heavily omitted by smoke and mirrors. Get rid of the false image reveals the truth that there is a large current of racism in UK society. With many of us Americans, what you see is what you get. We are overt with our views on every issue. Piers Morgan, who has constantly obsessed with Markle and denied her words, being fired outlined the results of his actions. We know that Piers Morgan has been involved in many scandals and even once supported Trump until way late into his administration. 

 

Recently, there has been controversy with Sharon Osbourne. Sharon defended Piers Morgan's disrespecting Meghan Markle by claiming that she was lying about experiencing racism and depression. Not only was Sharon disrespectful to the host Sheryl Underwood. Sharon (who is known for disrespecting black people constantly) outright was arrogant and condescending to assume that it's Sheryl should educate her on racism. This person Sharon is older than 50 years ago. A Google search can educate many people on racism and its impact on black people. Sharon Osbourne is the same person who called the actress Holly Robinson Peete "ghetto" as Peete has said. We have reports that allege that Sharon Osbourne once called former The Talk host Julie Chen anti-Asian slurs. So, Sharon is a racist, and Piers Morgan is known for her disrespecting Markle and his scandals for real. Every time the subject of race comes about, people like Sharon wants to be angry and ignore reality. Black people have shown the world how real racism is, and it's not our responsibility to soothe the egos of white racists. We desire justice without compromise. To be free, you have to sacrifice and reject tokenism. So many people are naive about the real world. You have to have solidarity with black people not just in the States but globally. The historical legacy of the British Royal institution is reflective of the long legacy of white racist tyranny (found in America and other countries in the world). Harry is part of the equation too. Markle married Harry after Harry wore a Nazi uniform in a Halloween party. Harry and Williams are speaking to each other not in a great deal. Also, Megan Markle made a voluntary decision to marry into the British Royal Family. That is her business, but it our right to explain the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that many British Royals used a front to proclaim themselves as arbitrators of a new era of inclusiveness and colorblindess, but recent events prove that to be a total fiction. That is why while Harry lives in America, he doesn't lose his privilege as he has wealth with tons of influence. Another myth is that Markle's light skin somehow would make her not experience vicious racism from elitists. The other myth, that is promoted by racists and sellouts, are that biracial people are superior aesthetically to black people (with 2 black parents). We know that some (not all as tons of biracial people have upright character and fought for black freedom for a long time) biracial human beings have made disrespectful comments about black human beings like Keke Wyatt,  Amber Rose,  Danileight, Meechie X (who calls black people the n word regularly and promotes an occult-inspired anti-Christian music video when New Age leaders are known to include many white racists). Megan Markle being disrespected by racists have no place and have no justification at all period. Markle and Harry should be treated with dignity and with respect. At the end of the day, black people have every right to set up institutions that we control, advance resources, building our black families, and advocate for our justice. We have no malice, but we believe in black liberation without apology. So, we are clear to reject racism, colorism, and any evil harming the globe. 

 


 

Toni Braxton and Babyface have great musical chemistry spanning years and decades now. Their debut duet album of Love, Marriage, and Divorce was one of the greatest R&B albums of the 21st century and of all time. It was released on February 4, 2014 by Motown Records. It won the Best R&B Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. The album is a metaphor for their friendship. They were once great friends, until Toni Braxton lost a lot of money by the late 1990's. Babyface was involved in her career. They had a very lax relationship until recently. Now, both Toni Braxton and Babyface are great friends in 2021. Every song on the album describes the complicated nature of love, marriage, and divorce. The music was recorded at Brandon's Way Recording in Los Angeles County, California. In real life, both Toni Braxton and Babyface have gone through divorces. It's a subject that both of them especially can relate to. The lead single of the album was the song Hurt You. The album was Babyface's first new studio album in 7 years, and Toni Braxton's first new album since her 2010 album of Pulse. The song Hurt You rose to the number 1 spot on Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart for four weeks. Other classic songs on the album are Where Did We Go Wrong, Roller Coaster, Sweat, etc. Tons of people have given the classic duet album positive reviews. The album was so great that Toni Braxton decided to make future albums to this day. Both artists made quality R&B music for so long, that their duet was a throwback to the songs from the 1990's. Songs were heavily written by both Toni Braxton and Babyface. Music will always stand the test of time. Both artists have shown a blueprint where future musicians can rely on to express their new music for future generation to enjoy diligently. 


  

 

Hip Hop is international. It's a culture that is found in not only America, but in Latin America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Oceania. The diverse nature of hip hop contributed to its acceptance by many cultures. Many international hip hop artists use hip hop to promote fun, political causes, and they use it for other purposes too. Kwaito is the largest form of hip hop in South Africa. It has a similar growth like American hip hop. Kwaito was used using post apartheid South Africa as a way for artists to express themselves. Kwaito relates to fashion and language too. The genre uses the voices of the oppressed as a way for human being to find their creative power. Famous South African hip hop artists are Tumi, HipHop Pantsula, and TUks Senganga. The South Sudanese musician Emmanuel Jal uses hip hop to heal war torn African youth. Jamaica have hip hop music from American and Jamaican influences. Hip Hop has Afro-Caribbean ties in its origin. Kool Herc is a person of Jamaican heritage, and he is the founder of hip hop. That why he brought the sound systems, technology, and techniques of reggae music to New York City during the 1970's. Jamaican hip hop artists back in the day rapped in both Brooklyn with Jamaican accents. Jamaican hip hop back then and today are influenced by anti-colonialism messages, Rastafarians, and other cultural parts. The rapper Awkwafina is an Asian American woman who raps too. Some international hip hop artists want to come to America to seek opportunities. The Sri Lanka born Tamil hip hop artist of M.I.A. (Maya Arulpragas) said that he wants to build a bridge between industrialized nations and non-industrialized nations. Even K-pop in South Korea has been influenced by hip hop. South Korean hip hop artists are common with Korean b-boys, etc. In France, hip hop artists include people like: McSolaar, Bobba, Supreme NTM, Kerry James, Nekfeu, Ninho, Gims, and other human beings. In the United Kingdom, we know about artists like Stormzy, Skepta, Dizzee Rascal, Wiley, Stefflon Don, Little Simz, Nadia Rose, Roots Manuva, Plan B, Ms. Dynamite, Lady Leshurr (who is an Afro-British woman with outstanding lyrical ability), etc. 


 

 

 

There are tons of prominent Caribbean people who made a huge difference in world history. One great Caribbean person that I have known about for years is Jamaica Kincaid. She is an Antiguan-American novelist, essayist, gardener, and gardener writer. She was born in St. John's Antigua and Barbuda. She made literature that talked about the experiences and of black Caribbean people. She wrote about the excesses of tourism in the Caribbean about how some visitors just go to have fun without knowing the socioeconomic burdens of the workers in tourism (from low pay, exploitation economically, and workers being stereotyped). Her writings oppose colonialism, neocolonialism, imperialism, racism, and other evils. Her works are complex. Her life experiences have influenced her writing. A Small Place in 1988 was one of her greatest books. I read the book before in real life. The book criticized the Antiguan government for promoting the tourist industry in being allied with the British colonial legacy. 

 

By Timothy

 


Friday, March 19, 2021

Diverse Issues.

   


President Joe Biden said that his administration will soon be on track to have 100 million pandemic vaccine doses administered to Americans. This is just 58 days after the start of his Presidency. In many places, vaccine cases have gone down, and in other states they have increased. We have new variants, and the virus has grown again via the third wave in numerous locations of Europe. That is why many countries in Europe are having renewed lockdowns. The Post Office found out that there is no evidence that there is voting fraud in the state of Pennsylvania. The big lie (i.e. of Trump winning the 2020 election. 62% percent of Republicans in 2021 believe in the lie that Biden lost the 2020 Presidential election) has been promoted by many GOP members. In Georgia, Trump is being investigation for possible criminal involvement in trying to stop an election. In the final analysis, the truth is important to advance. The cults of Qanon, Trump supporters, and other people make no sense. The insurrection in 2021 at the U.S. Capitol shows us that evil exists, and we will promote goodness instead.

 

Biden called Putin a killer. Putin responded to him that he wishes Biden "good health." You can interpret that as you wish, but the relationship between America and Russia is very bad. Biden said that Putin will pay a price for his efforts to undermine the 2020 American elections. Putin wants to discuss or debate the issues between himself plus Biden live without pre-recorded questions (in an open and direct discussion). Biden's foreign policy is something completely different from Trump. I agree with Biden on signing up to the Paris Climate Accords, disagreeing with Putin, and going out to fight for a new Iranian nuclear deal. I don't agree with Biden on his support of the Iraq War and some of his borderline neo-conservative thinking on issues. Putin is what he is. Putin is not a hero nor a freedom fighter. He is a far right nationalist autocrat who has policies and laws that violate the fundamental liberties of the Russian people. Evangelism is heavily restrict in Russia now. So, Putin shouldn't be glorified as a saintly man. He is an adversity of democracy.

 

The recent murders of Asian people in the Atlanta area are evil and disturbing. The Mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Bottoms, police leaders, and people in the community are in unison to condemn the evil acts of murder. The murderer claims that he didn't do these acts because of race but because of another reason.  We know that this murderer targeted Asians because of race making his act being a hate crime period. The murderer specifically targeted Asian people because he had a fetish of Asian women. It wasn't because he had some addiction, because he purposely targeted Asian people. Regardless, in America, we have seen a rise of hate crimes against Asian Americans. We are clear that we condemn hate crimes of any kind, we reject assaulting innocent people, we reject racial scapegoating of Asian people for the pandemic, and we believe in justice for all. Since March of 2020, nearly 4,000 hate crimes have existed against Asian Americans in all 50 states. We must defeat racism, xenophobia, and any form of bigotry in the world. Part of the solution is to condemn such evils, educate people, and use policies that eliminates  the structures of racism and oppression. With following the Golden Rule, you never go wrong. You go right with treating any human with dignity and with respect.

 

Asian activists are quite right to condemn the fetishization and sexualization of Asian women during this time. We have known for this for years. As black people, even our bodies (both black men and black women) have been fetishized and sexualized by evil people even in our generation and centuries ago. Now, the Cherokee County Georgia Sheriff Capt. Jay Baker is accused of posting a photo of a racist, Anti-Asian shirt on Facebook in dealing with the virus. That is why one police officer was nonchalant in calling these crimes "just a bad day." These are not bad days, but overt terrorism. Therefore, we are clear that we treat all human beings with dignity and with respect. All human beings are created equal, and hate crimes of any sort have no problem anywhere in the Universe. Those, who commit hate crimes against Asian people, black people, or any human being of any background should be in prison period.

 

Senator Raphael Warnock has spoke out against the new voter suppression laws.  Senate Democrats are showing their voting election bill to the Congress. Republicans in state legislatures are proposing over 250 bills to suppress the voting rights of the people. 12 House Republicans refuse to honor the Capitol police. This shows them as being hypocrites. Many of those 12 Republicans may have links to militia groups. Recently, 4 more Proud Boys were arrested for their roles in the U.S. Capitol  terrorist insurrection. A Texas man was arrested near the Vice Presidential resident. This person had a large rifle and a large capacity clip. The U.S. Secret Service agents detained the man. He is Paul Murray of San Antonio being 31 years old. He had unregistered ammunition. This person said that he wanted to talk to the President. Murray said that he wanted to take care of "his problem" by buying an AR-15. Also, there has been tons of black media sources of information censored or banned in YouTube and other platforms unjustly. It's a shame. Yet, we want to give those independent black media voices a thank you for their service to the truth. 

 

By Timothy

 


 


Historic News.

  


Some historical news have recently come about. Deb Haaland is now confirmed as the 54th United States Secretary of the Interior. She is the first Native American woman to be part of a Presidential cabinet in American history. It is a long time coming, but she earned her new job as U.S. Secretary of the Interior. As a lifetime lover of environmental protection, she is an outstanding, progressive human being. The Senate vote to confirm her was 51 to 40. Back in 2018, she was one of the 2 first women Native Americans in Congress. Indigenous leaders and progressive campaigned for her to make sure that our natural resources, public lands, and Native American sovereignty are respected. This event is a huge deal that we should thankful for. The first people in America are the Native Americans. They traveled from Siberia into the Americas. For centuries, they have experienced unjustified torture, rape, abuse, theft of lands, violations of treaties, and other evils. Today, suffering exists in many forms, but our commitment for justice for all remains. We have one Earth, and Haaland will do an excellent job in building up the environment that we all share.

 

Now, the state of Texas further want voter suppression efforts. The GOP in Texas who want these bills passed are hypocrites. They claim that they want to stop voter fraud, but there is no massive voter fraud, and such a voter suppression policy will harm democracy. In Georgia, many corporations are pressured to oppose voter suppression bills in that state. Coca Cola and Home Depot have decided to oppose the Georgia anti-voting legislation. These bills in both states are so bad that they are nothing more than modern day Jim Crow legislation. Many Republicans can't stand defeat, so we have to maintain the right to vote as a fundamental human right. It is not a secret that ever since the 1965 Voting Rights Act was signed into law, extremists want to suppress that law (in harming black people's right to vote even today in 2021). There is no being moderate on this issue. We know that racists and far right extremists like the Boogaloo Boys, the Proud Boys, various militias groups, etc. have incited violence and committed violence against innocent people. Individuals like Senator Ron Johnson have omitted this reality. There is no moral equivalency between BLM and Trump supporting terrorists who invaded the U.S. Capitol. The choice is clear that you are either for democracy or not. We are for democracy.


One disturbing news is that Republican Senator Ron Johnson is minimizing the terrorists at the U.S. Capitol. Ron Johnson said that he wasn't in fear of the rioters in the Capitol, but he would be afraid if the people there were BLM and Antifa. He promotes the lie that BLM are equivalent to terrorists. The number one terrorist domestic terror threat is not BLM. These threats are white racist nationalists who seek to end multicultural American democracy. These racists have explicitly stated this on their documents and on the Internet. That is why we are clear that systematic racism and economic oppression must be eliminated all over the world. The terrorists at the U.S. Capitol don't love this country. They hate America and all that it stands for. If someone loves America, they wouldn't seek to destroy property in the Capitol. Ron Johnson is certainly wrong on every level. Johnson is the same person who claimed Speaker Nancy Pelosi of being involved in the riot. He refused to called the terrorist attack an armed insurrection. He lied and said that leftist groups were involved. He even said that deaths from the virus are "necessary sacrifices" to keep the economy up. He is a wicked, callous person. He even called terrorists (involved in the attack at the U.S. Capitol) as those who love this country. His words are straight up racist and appeals to those who want to revert back to a time in America where people, who look like me, couldn't vote.

  

Today, the migrant crisis continues. This involves around immigration, and it has a complicated history. Long ago, European imperialists dominated Latin America and North America too (from the conquistadors to British banking interests). After independence movements came about, many Latin American nations had different factions like sincere progressives and reactionaries. For decades, many American interests wanted to establish economic exploitation instead of human rights or addressing humanitarian concerns. For example, the U.S. military occupied Haiti during the early 20th century, Trump supports the far right radical President in Brazil, and for decades large embargoes existed against Cuba (that harmed human civilian lives). Corporations from the West readily exploited Latin American workers and the poor. So, after climate change increases, social disorders, and other economic complications, many migrants are risking their lives to go into America for survival. Asylum laws exist, but a more comprehensive solution is needed to solve this complex situation.

 

A new government report confirmed that Russia tried to strife and harm the 2020 election in order to try to cause a Trump victory and harm the Biden campaign. So, we know that many Russian intelligence types used hacking and election meddling which is completely wrong. The 2020 election was a defeat of Russian intelligence interests who wanted to ruin the election. Democracy is fragile, but the American people are very resilient. The young girls basketball team at Norman High School won the state title after an announcer made a racist remark. Many Norman players rightfully kneeled to protest injustice. The racist announcer is named Matt Rowan. Rowan gave his token, anemic "apology" blaming diabetes for his outburst. That is a lot of mess, and everyone knows this. What is important is to encourage these young athletes on whatever they desire to do. One of the most important issues in America is how GOP leaders are promoting voter suppression bills so bad that they are similar to the anti-voting Jim Crow laws in America decades ago. That is why we must defend our right to vote with earnest and zeal. Stacey Abrams and other people are asking corporations to not fund these anti-voting policies.

 

By Timothy

 


 


Monday, March 15, 2021

Culture in the Modern Age.

  

Real people love what is real. In 2021, we live in another new era of our time. The media now is multifaceted. Some media is dominated by Internet streaming services from Amazon Prime to Disney Plus. Cable and satellite TV has hundreds of channels now. Music has been more internationalized, and we witness an explosion of political movements in the world. Likewise, everything is not perfect. There are debates about cancel culture and certain social issues. There is still the pandemic in the world that has cost the lives of so many men, women, and children. In this year alone, many of our legends have passed away like Mary Wilson, Marvin Hagler, and Cicely Tyson. Still, we have the dream. The Dream has persisted throughout the thousands of years of human history. It was the dream of our ancestors and those who are living in this generation. That Dream means that all people are deserving of equality, justice, and happiness without oppression of any sort. We are clear to condemn oppression in any manifestation whether it's black people being unjustly murdered by some crooked police and the serious problem of anti-Asian hate crimes all over the United States of America. Once again, we're grown now. To view another human beings as inferior on the basis of color, race, sex, or background is repugnant and wrong in any place of the Universe. It has been a while since I have delved into popular culture on this forum, but now is the best time to show social commentaries on this issue. Nothing is new under the sun. It is a pastime of many of us researchers and truthseekers to talk about the modern day occult symbolism and various motiff found in popular culture. We already know that the mainstream entertainment media is controlled by the powers that be (while real issues are ignored like radiation damage, environmental damage, voter suppression, racism, police terrorism, colorism, imperialism, gentrification, poverty, and hedonism that all must be opposed). Many celebrity performances at award shows are scripted, monitored, and controlled by corporate interests. 

It is important to note that old school Hollywood had occult symbolism, and even Hollywood stars back then were involved in seances, psychics, and other forms of the esoteric atmosphere. It is not a secret that many people in Hollywood have a hostile attitude towards traditional Christianity. That is why many producers, directors, actors, and actress in that industry push the occult, Gnosticism, witchcraft, and other concepts in movies and TV shows. Many of those types think that they being cutting edge and sticking it to the "man," but the establishment have endorsed Gnosticism, witchcraft, and the occult in many ways for centuries plus beyond. For example, the Bohemian Grove have elitists having a Care ceremony with a large owl statue next to it (the owl representing the Goddess wisdom). Dr. Dee and Edward Kelley promoted occultism in claiming to have contacted "spirits" over in the United Kingdom. Old school Hollywood stars like Greto Garbo, Mae West, and others admit to seeing psychics, following the occult, and believing in spiritualism. The Skulls and Bones celebrate death in their initiation ritual. Freemasons like Manly P. Hall and Albert Pike celebrate pagan gods and goddesses. Manly P. Hall believes that humans can be a godlike beings along with other Masons that I can quote. To many musicians and pop culture figures, the anti-religious, sick extremist and O.T.O. member Aleister Crowley is some "patron saint." So, this is not new. 

 

The deal is that we have the responsibility to reject these false New Age doctrines (like the lie that man is a god or can become God when man has limitations biologically and spiritually) and live righteous lives. Books and other research have documented how some CIA interests consult many prominent Hollywood directors as found in the book, "The CIA in Hollywood: How the Agency Shapes Film and Television" by Tricia Jenkins. We know that many managers of celebrities have links to the intelligence community or large corporate interests. We know that a select few of large corporations (with ties to the Pilgrim Society, the Bilderberg Group, the CFR, etc.) own a large part of the mainstream entertainment industry in general. Not everyone in Hollywood is involved in many evils, but we have every right to show the truth that some people in the industry have a known track record of corruption. It is important to note that not every celebrity is monolithic. Even some sincere researchers believe in the myth that every celebrity is some evil, devil worshiper which obviously isn't the case. Many celebrities are evil, and many celebrities are more humble, righteous human beings. Getting that distinction clear makes the difference in showing wisdom. A lot of people are afraid of talking about these issues, but people will respect you more if you tell the truth unapologetically. For over 10 years now, I have started on this journey of knowing about the industry and revealing facts to the public. That journey won't end. At the end of the day, the truth will always prevail. 


   

 

As we all know, the 50th year anniversary of hip hop will come about in 2023. In the span of almost 50 years, hip hop has amazed crowds and grown in popularity. Talent is found in many artists like Antionette's lyricism and Nas' poetry. It has reached many backgrounds, and hip hop helped to bring down tensions in many places of the world. Also, there are debates in hip hop. We know that some hip hop musicians use the art-form for positive purposes. Other musicians exploit hip hop as an excuse for them to glorify many evils like murder, hatred of women, colorism, disrespect of elders, mocking parents, celebrating materialism (in mocking the poor), and celebrating wickedness in general. Musicians, who promote evil in their music, are people that I obviously don't respect at all. We know many of the very talented people in modern day hip hop from Rapsody to Kendrick Lamar. Also, it is important to analyze the debates and controversies in hip and to understand the culture of hip hop. Hip Hop is not just a musical genre. Hip hop is a culture that deals with fashion, DJing, dancing (as old school hip hop artists readily danced all of the time), graffiti, poetry, political activism, and other facets of human endeavors. In previous parts of this series, hip hop has been explained chronologically to designate its evolution or changes. Now, this part of the series will focus on the inner workings of hip hop, its international artists, and its global impact. Hip Hop being here for almost 50 years have certainly proven the doubters (who viewed hip hop as just as a fad) wrong in large measure. Changes to make hip hop improve is another necessity. For example, America obviously is not a perfect nation, but many Americans see it their duties to improve upon America justly. Therefore, the future of hip hop certainly will reflect the new generation's intentions, and the musical soul of black music in general will remain forever and ever. In essence, black music must always be honored and celebrated. 

 

 

Involving culture today, you have to discuss about Dave Chappelle. People salute Dave Chappelle because of many reasons. Many us (who are black people) salute Dave Chappelle for his sociopolitical, introspective views on fighting racism and injustice. Many people salute Dave Khari Webber Chappelle for being politically incorrect. One thing is true. Right now, he is the greatest stand up comedian of the 21st century and one of the greatest comedians of all time. He is an unique American. Dave Chappelle is a black Muslim from the Washington, D.C. area. He loves his wife and children, and he loves to smoke cigarettes constantly. He once was part of The Chappelle Show (2003-2006), which was one of the most hilarious, controversial comedy shows of all time. He also won 4 Emmy Awards, 3 Grammy Awards, and the Mark Twain Prize. His parents are William David Chappelle III (who was once a professor of vocal performance and the Dean of Students at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio). His mother is Yvonne Seon, who worked for the Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. She has been a professor and administrator at several institutions including Wright State University and Prince George's Community College. Dave Chappelle's great-grandfather was William David Chappelle, who was born into enslavement and led a delegation of African Americans who met President Woodrow Wilson at the White House. David Chappelle grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, and he attended Woodlin Elementary School. His parents were politically active. Johnny Hartman predicted that Chappelle would be a comedian. Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor inspired Dave Chappelle to do his comedy routine. He studied theater arts at Washington D.C.'s Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 1991. He worked hard to be at the Apollo Theater, at Def Comedy Jam, and being in movies. He was on Home Improvement and on the movie of The Nutty Professor with Eddie Murphy and Jada Pinkett Smith. He went into another level of comedy with his hour long HBO Special of Dave Chappelle: Killin' Them Soflty at Washington, D.C. He played Conspiracy Brother in the 2002 racial satire film of Undercover Brother. The Chappelle's Show's intention from 2003 to 2006 was to use parody and humor at confronting racial stereotypes, politics, pop culture, etc. in order to try to make changes in society. The show featured hip hop and soul artists. It also gave homage to the legendary black comedians of Paul Mooney and Charlie Murphy. Skits on Rick James, Prince, and other people were very popular.  The problem was that later on Dave Chappelle saw some of his later shows reinforcing stereotypes instead of confronting racial stereotypes. Chappelle recorded his second comedy special, this time airing on Showtime, Dave Chappelle: For What It's Worth, at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium, where Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and Robin Williams had performed. May 2005 was when he went into South Africa to relax and to eliminate stress. Chappelle was demonized with false claims about drug addiction, mental health issues, etc. 

Dave Chappelle's decision to quit the show meant walking away from his $50 million contract with Comedy Central  and forming a rift with longtime collaborator Neal Brennan. Chappelle's Block Party was a free concert in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn on September 18, 2004. He allowed many musical artists to perform like Kanye West, The Roots, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, Dead Prez and Jill Scott. These musicians are featured in the movie both performing in the concert and in conversation off-stage; Chappelle brought Yellow Springs residents to Brooklyn at his own expense.  Another highlight of the event was the temporary reunion of 1990s hip-hop group The Fugees. The concert was part of a movie. From 2005 to 2013, he relaxed in his farm in Ohio. He spoke out against the exploitation of black actors in films. He started to tour to show his comedy in 2013 and in 2014. On November 12, 2016, Chappelle made his hosting debut on Saturday Night Live the weekend of Donald Trump winning the 2016 presidential election. The show also featured A Tribe Called Quest as the musical guest. The third special, Equanimity, was filmed in September 2017 at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C., and then on November 20, 2017, Chappelle filmed a fourth special, The Bird Revelation, at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles. He worked with Netflix on other projects too. In January 2018 at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, Chappelle received a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album for his first two 2017 specials The Age of Spin & Deep in the Heart of Texas.  In September 2018, Chappelle's Equanimity special received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). 

 

In 2019, Chappelle was chosen to receive the annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor presented by The Kennedy Center. President of the Kennedy Center Deborah Rutter stated "Dave is the embodiment of Mark Twain's observation that 'against the assault of humor, nothing can stand'... and for three decades, Dave has challenged us to see hot-button issues from his entirely original yet relatable experience." The set of people honoring Chappelle included Jon Stewart, Bradley Cooper, Morgan Freeman, Lorne Michaels, Tiffany Haddish, Aziz Ansari, Sarah Silverman, Neal Brennan, Q-Tip, Mos Def, John Legend, Frederic Yonnet, Erykah Badu, Common, SNL cast members Kenan Thompson, Michael Che and Colin Jost, as well as Eddie Murphy. The Prize was awarded at the Kennedy Center gala on October 27, 2019. The ceremony was broadcast on PBS January 7, 2020. The Mayor of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, declared the day of the award ceremony "Dave Chappelle Day" in Washington, D.C. On August 26, 2019, Chappelle's fifth Netflix special, Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones, was released. Sticks and Stones is probably his most controversial work. We know the elephant in the room. Do I agree with all of the jokes in it? No. Do I agree with Dave Chappelle's commentaries on race, the double standards of drug addiction, on free speech, and on other issues? Yes, I do. In 2020, Sticks and Stones won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. Dave Chappelle made the Netflix special of 8:46 to honor the life of the late George Floyd. He criticized Don Lemon, Laura Ingraham, and Candace Owens. In 2021, Dave Chappelle made the special of Redemption Song tackling race, the 2021 Capitol insurrection by terrorists, and other matters. The legacy of Dave Chappelle is that he is a genius satirist who uses his experiences to make people think. He does make some people laugh and be angry. This is the job of comedian. A comedian isn't supposed to make you be placed in a permanent confront zone. A comedian is supposed to make you laugh, think, and feel emotions in making sure that real change comes to help the masses of the people. If it takes a joke to wake a person up, so be it. Also, comedy is a too way street. Comedians should know that they have free speech rights, but if they show controversial material, then they have to be man enough or woman enough to deal with the consequences of their actions. Comedians and any human being are not immune from accountability or critique. We are all have accountability to our community, to our peers, to our families, and to God on what we do, say, and think. Dave Chappelle admits his imperfections, as we are all not perfect. Likewise, we don't use our imperfections as an excuse for us to feel naive about the world. Dave Chappelle was never insane. He just wanted boundaries in his life, and not cross any lines that would violate his morals. We live to understand the world in order to change the world in a positive direction. 

 


 

R&B Music of the modern age has existed in the 2010's and the 2020's. During out time, we see R&B music having massive influence from soundcloud music, emo vibes, and a sense of talking about love from the perspective of introspection. Many songs now want to question love, see if love is real, or cherish love. Many examples of these melodic flow in music are shown by songs like Blinding Lights from the The Weeknd, Doja Cat's Say So, and H.E.R.'s Slide ft. YG. R&B has now new people in it like Jhene Aiko, SZA, Summer Walker, Ari Lennox, Makaela, Shelley FKA DRAM,  Khalid, Jacquees, Sonia Stein, Tiana Major9, EARTHGANG, and other artists. Other artists of the younger generation are Leon Bridges, Kali Uchis, Normani, Tinashe, Chloe X Bailey, Bryson Tiller, Ella Mai, Koffee, Victoria Monet, Lianne La Havas. Typical of the these times, see the mix of hip hop and R&B along with the legendary R&B singers making a huge impact on the culture like Toni Braxton, Brandy, Faith Evans, Erykah Badu, Usher, Mary J. Blige, and other legends. Music is unique at times. For over 80 years now, R&B music has been in existence in the world. We have seen its changes from The Supremes to Whitney Houston. The soulful sounds of Stevie Wonder have inspired our minds. The sounds of Aaliyah and En Vogue made us see the views and souls of women. The voices of Boyz II Men and Zhane made people realize the diversity of living life. Now, we are in the 3rd decade of the 21st century with its technological advances and social changes. Yet, the power of R&B music is still very strong. With these political times that deals with fights against police brutality (and awareness about climate change, economic situations, social changes, immigration issues, reparations, etc.), many singers are talking about conscious message involving Blackness, etc. The drum never stops, and we will continue to listen to great music in the years ahead. 

 

 

 

Judas and the Black Messiah is a rare movie with a lot of emotion and action. Unlike other films, this movie mostly sticks by the facts. It shows the emotion of the late 1960's, and it has a talented cast of actors and actresses. Likewise, a critical analysis is needed to show people more about the Black Panther Party's legacy. The film has been critically acclaimed. The film described the last moments of Fred Hampton's life being betrayed by the sellout and FBI informant William O'Neal. The trailer of the film is one of the most powerful trailers that I have seen in the 21st century and one of the most powerful trailers in human history. It showed the emotion of Fred Hampton and the skepticism plus low behavior of the informant including FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. The film is directed by Shaka King. It was produced by Charles D. King, Shaka King, and Ryan Coogler. Fred Hampton is played by the Afro-British actor Daniel Kaluuya. Fred Hampton was the socialist chairman of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party. The Black Panthers believed in socialism, and that point should be emphasized in any discussion about that heroic organization. Other actors and actresses in the film are Lakeith Stanfield (playing the informant William O'Neal), Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Lil Rel Howery, Algee Smith, and Martin Sheen (playing Hoover). It was released in Sundance on February 1, 2021, and it was released in America on February 12, 2021. 

 

For his performance, Kaluuya won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes and Critics' Choice Award, and was nominated at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and BAFTA Awards. The film comes in the midst of protests and activism against racial injustice and against police brutality in our generation. The movie shows William O'Neal working with the FBI Special Agent Roy Mitchell in order to prevent him from serving prison time. O'Neal infiltrated the BPP in Chicago. Fred Hampton works with alliances with rival gangs, the Young Lords, and progressive white activists (i.e. the Young Patriots) in a Rainbow Coalition to fight oppression. Hampton goes to help children in the BPPs Breakfast for Children Program. The Rainbow Coalition is multiracial. The opening moments of the film are particularly important, with Hampton declaring, “We’re going to fight racism not with racism, but we’re going to fight with solidarity. We say we’re not going to fight capitalism with black capitalism, we’re going to fight it with socialism.” Hampton has great oratory ability and falls in love with fellow BPP member Deborah Johnson. O'Neal reveals things to Mitchell, and Mitchell gives O'Neal money. Fugitive BPP member George Sams is portrayed in the movie as another informant who helps the police to get search warrants. Fred Hampton is later arrested and imprisoned. The agent O'Neal becomes security captain. The film shows a shootout between the Chicago Police and the BPP at the chapter office. O'Neal sneaks out as the police bombs the place. He tries to quit being an informant, but Mitchell stops that from happening. Fred Hampton is out of prison to appeal his charges. Hampton's appeal is rejected.   Deborah is now pregnant with his child. A BPP member, Jimmy Palmer, who was hospitalized after being shot by a police officer, is killed while being transferred to another hospital. Enraged upon learning of Jimmy's death, fellow member Jake Winters engages in a shootout with police, killing several officers before being gunned down himself. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover ordered Hampton be "neutralized" before he returns to prison. Mitchell cornered O'Neal into helping with the plan by warning him that the BPP will retaliate against him if they find out he's an informant, and O'Neal reluctantly agrees to help. O'Neal is later handed a vial of sedatives and ordered to drug Hampton's drink with it. The next evening, BPP members gather at Hampton's apartment before he departs for prison. An allied gang leader offers Hampton money for him to flee the country with, but he turned it down and instead orders a trust to be established with the money under Jake's name. As the evening progresses, O'Neal reluctantly drugs Hampton's drink and departs soon after. Hours later, officers and agents raid the apartment and shoot Hampton dead. Later, O'Neal meets with Mitchell, who gives him money and a pair of keys to a gas station he now owns. O'Neal wants to quit again, but Mitchell gives him money and a keys to a gas station that he now owns. Fred Hampton was a real warrior for our people. O'Neal gave an interview featured in the Eyes on the Prize series. He later committed suicide on January of 1990. Fred Hampton and Mark Clark's death was so unjust that the victims' families settled for $1.85 million (in 1982). Fred Hampton Jr. and his mother are chairman and board member of the Black Panther Party Cubs. The movie has its own soundtrack and another album celebrates the movie in a separate albums filled with hip hop and R&B music. Fred Hampton was clear to criticize the Weathermen Underground for its opportunism, and it placed people in risky situations that has nothing to do with revolutionary change. Judas and the Black Messiah without question is one of the greatest movies of the 2020's and of our generation. Fred Hampton and Mark Clark passed away on December 4, 1969. 

 

 

Their assassinations were overly criminal on the direction of the U.S. ruling class and its state apparatus (via the FBI and the Chicago police). The police fired 99 shots, and Clark only shot one in a human reflect. Hampton was only 21 and Mark Clark was only 22. It is no secret that the FBI's COINTELPRO plan used infiltration and provocation to try to stop progressive, civil rights, and anti-war groups. Fred Hampton was a life long activist. His family came from Louisiana to Illinois via the Great Migration. The movie showed information on "The Crowns" which is based on the Blackstone Rangers (a Chicago gang that deal with social activism during the 1960's. Hampton reduced tensions with the Rangers and had more success with the Black Disciples). Class struggle influenced the development of the Panthers. That Black Panthers was right that imperialism is wrong. They used Maoish views mixed with other philosophies. Also, it is important to note that many Panthers excluded certain sections of the working class when working class internationalism solidarity is needed to defeat capitalist exploitation. For example, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (before he died) supported and was in solidarity with Memphis sanitation workers in order for these workers to have a union, just living wages, and live life with dignity and respect. Dr. King wanted a working class movement in order to advance social change in the atmosphere. Today, we still face fascism that exploits the pandemic to prevent services to help the people, police murdering people, economic devastation in many places, and the fascist, terrorist insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. That insurrection could have ruined our democracy. Also, the movie did omits some things too. The movie didn't mention the BPP newspaper or other BPP services that helped with health care and transportation. It had a brief reference to the BPP's Ten Point program. The movie did show very little on the Black Panther Party's social and internationalist political ideologies (as the movie downplays his anti-capitalist, Marxist-Leninist politics. Fred Hampton wanted the poorest of the poor to organize for justice). For the record, I have more respect for Lenin than Marx as Marx was a racist and self hating anti-Semite. In real life, Winters was killed by the Chicago police in an ambush just weeks before Hampton's assassination. The Black Panthers wanted to unite with anti-colonialist, anti-imperialism movements overseas. Police occupation and brutal violence against black human beings that inspired the creation of the BPP in the first place isn't show in the film. Cook County State's Attorney Edward Hanrahan hated Fred Hampton. What the film does show is the nefarious history of many FBI agents, the state terror against the Panthers, revolutionary views are important, exploiters and oppression can be among every color,  bold leadership is important in a grassroots fashion, and black revolutionaries courageously stood up against injustice. 

 

Fred Hampton's revolutionary life should inspire us to not only promote justice here but justice abroad too. We certainly believe in black liberation, Pan-African unity, justice, and black self-determination. 

 


 

 

  

 

Many years ago, when I was in college, a great teacher taught me a whole lot of information on Caribbean history and culture. Today, tons of people have a great appreciation of the courage, creativity, and intellectual strength of Caribbean people. As an African American, I do realize the sacrifice of so many Afro-Caribbeans who supported us from Shirley Chisholm to Kwame Ture. Caribbean people represent a large section of the revolutionaries who desire an end to injustice Like Touissant, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, and Nanny of the Maroons. Caribbean culture helped to create hip hop, ska, reggae, and other genres of music. Years ago, I wrote about this subject before. Now, we witness a new generation in a new decade, so it is time to show information on this important subject once again. Caribbean culture is very diverse. Caribbean people include black people, Latino people, those of Indian descent, other Asian people, Javanese human beings, biracial people, and multiracial people. Caribbean people are Christians, Hindus, Muslims, followers of Judaism, Rastafari, Buddhists, followers of traditional African religions, Sikhs, etc. The Caribbean stretches from South America to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Over 43 million people live in the Caribbean. Caribbean culture has diffused globally too. The Caribbean is more than about tourism. Caribbean people include a wide cultural reality of love of family, celebrations, and a realization that we are all this together. The Caribbean human beings always represents us basically. 

 

 

By Timothy