Analysis.

  

To understand the present and the future, we have to look at the past. Back in 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was unjustly assassinated. That changed the Civil Rights Movement forever. The black freedom struggle split into two major factions. One faction sincerely wanted justice for black people and the human race. They exist to this very day in early 2023. The other faction includes those who are compromised, embraced an exploitative form of laissez capitalism that care more for profit than economic justice, and those who were brought off by the corporate establishment (we know of their names). One of the many things that Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had in common was their critiques of capitalism and their total opposition to American imperialism (like in the unjust war in Vietnam). If Malcolm X and Dr. King lived, they would have the power to unite the civil rights, anti-war, Black Power, labor rights, and other movements to attempt to have a revolutionary change in America plus the world. Therefore, we (who are black people) may have different ideologies, but we share the same goal of total black Pan-African liberation. After 1968, black people legitimately got the right to vote and access to jobs. Yet, the struggle for economic justice was not victorious yet. You can't end oppression without dealing with police brutality, poverty, economic inequality, health issues, educational issues, environmental issues, and other important political/social issues going on in the world. 

The National Black Political Assembly on March 10, 1972, tried to make change, but as time went on, some folks were co-opted by the establishment to advance the status quo. Maynard Jackson (mayor of Atlanta) in 1977 unjustly ended the Atlanta sanitation strike and fired workers to support business leaders and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The common myth promoted by the far right is that progressive policies have ruined many urban centers in America. The truth is that far-right, reactionary policies (advanced by both many Republicans and many Democrats) of gentrification, economic exploitation (enacted by big business for profit), lax regulations, environmental neglect, educational problems, poverty, the War on Drugs, mass incarceration, and overt discrimination in many urban centers have nothing to do with real progressive principles. That is why the world's largest corporations control the majority of the mass corporate media. The same forces who co-opted some in the Civil Rights Movement exist today to try to push a compromised agenda to the establishment (this elite includes both white and black people, but the vast majority of the 1 percent are not black people). The struggle faced much ideological confusion and overt opportunists who wanted to stir the movement into a more sugarcoated fashion (in opposition to the ultimate liberation of African people).

Dwayne Wong is a Pan-Africanist who created great literature about Pan-African issues. We know that there is colonialism and imperialism in the world. Yet, there is also a neo-colonialist culture that has manipulated people into loving the system of the oppressor instead of loving truth and honor. This struggle is international. Western support caused the assassination of Patrice Lumumba in the Congo, and in 1985, the U.S. government bombed the MOVE commune movement in cold blood. 1985 is not that long ago, and the bombing took place in Philadelphia. Freedom fighters are diverse. Many freedom fighters are socialists, nationalists, religious people, non-religious people, etc. That is why FBA and ADOS followers do a disservice by using personal attacks against black people who disagree with their nefarious xenophobic views. Dwayne Wong made many interesting, accurate points about Marcus Garvey. I don't agree with Garvey having a dialogue with many members of the Klan and on other issues, but Garvey was right on many issues. As Wong has documented, Marcus Garvey is right that he wanted to challenge his critics to produce institutions to develop the black community, Garvey is right to oppose racist Eurocentric beauty standards, and he was right to call Black Beautiful. Garvey came to America in 1916 and visited many cities and 38 states. He met Ida B. Wells and historian Edward Bruce. Garvey made the UNIA that had institutions employing, housing, and feeding African people in America, Haiti, Africa, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and all over the world. Malcolm X, Walter Rodney, Kwame Ture, Dr. King (who came to his gravesite in Jamaica before), Maurice Bishop, and other revolutionaries were directly influenced by Marcus Garvey. Although, there are no justifications for Garvey's errors though (like cursing out Jewish people [I reject anti-Semitism], using ad hominem attacks against his critics, calling himself and his followers the first "fascists," having negative stereotypes of Africa, etc. For the record, DuBois was wrong to use ad hominem attacks against Marcus Garvey too). Despite Garvey wanting capitalism to have regulations, he was an advocate of capitalism. Obviously, I have my critiques about capitalism. 

So, we have the recognize the complex legacy of Marcus Garvey (meaning he got many things right, and he got many things wrong). People like Kwame Ture, Malcolm X, Dr. King, Queen Mother Moore, and other human beings made contributions to the anti-colonial struggle and the organization of the growth of black liberation politics. We know of Garvey's imperfections, but he was right to advocate black self-determination in solving problems (as we have the strength to accomplish greatness). If you want to end imperialism and colonialism in the world, you have to organize and mobilize institutions and programs to address these evils. Part of that mobilization is uniting the poor and the working class to fight for economic justice, endorse legitimate unions, and reject capitalist exploitation. Marcus Garvey was certainly courageous to stand up for the dignity of black people, and he made contributions to the overall history of black people. Some people want to exploit Marcus Garvey's imperfections as an excuse for them to criticize nationalism in general. The truth is that Nationalism like Socialism can be used for positive change. For example, Patrice Lumumba was an African nationalist, who was one of the greatest, heroic black revolutionaries in history. Dr. King was a Democratic Socialist being a great revolutionary too. The situation is the objective of independence for humanity beyond just a title. It's just that evil people manipulate nationalism for nefarious purposes (in desiring some bourgeois, capitalist system) at times. We need to promote our black culture (in desiring the growth of black populations in America plus the world) and realize that class struggle along with black Pan African activism makes sense to stand up for our freedom. You have to create a political, economic, and social program in order for us to cause black liberation. Also, black unity and Black Love are sacrosanct concepts to love and honor. 

The book of Ezekiel has some of the most vivid imagery found in all of the books of the Bible. By 931 B.C., there was the division of Israel from Judah. The 12 tribes existed in Israel for centuries after the Exodus. The 10 Northern tribes existed with their capital in Samaria, and Judah (or the 2 Southern tribes) had its capital in Jerusalem. 2 Kings 17:5, 6 showed the event of how the Northern Kingdom was defeated by the Assyrians by 722 B.C. The 10 tribes were not lost as they existed long after the Great Exile and were mentioned by the apostle Paul in the New Testament as found in Acts 26:7 and Revelations 21:12. The prophet Ezekiel lived during the time of the 3 sieges of Jerusalem by Babylon. In Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel gives his prophecy while in exile in Chebar. Ezekiel was 30 years old, which is the age he would have been eligible for the priesthood (as found in Numbers 4:3). The story starts on the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile or ca. 593 B.C. The reason was that Jehoiachin was taken from Jerusalem to Babylon in 597 B.C., so the fifth year would be 593 B.C. Ezekiel's ministry was overtly prophetic. As the book of Ezekiel exists, the judgments shift from Judah to the judgments against the nations harming Israel and the Jewish people in general. 

In Ezekiel 1, there is the inaugural vision that Ezekiel has experienced. He lived near Babylon where he recorded his visions and prophecies. By Ezekiel 2, God gives Ezekiel his calling and instruction. In Ezekiel 3, Ezekiel eats the scroll which has a lot of prophetic significance. When Ezekiel ate the scroll, it tasted sweet like honey in his mouth. God said to Ezekiel to speak his words to the people of Israel. Ezekiel was chosen by God as a watchman for the people of Israel. The Lord in this chapter wanted the wicked people to turn from their wickedness and evil ways. The siege of Jerusalem was predicted by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 4 and 5. In Ezekiel 5, this chapter said that the Lord says that Jerusalem has idols and has done evil in the land. Ezekiel's vision of the end of time is found in Ezekiel 6 and 7. His First Temple vision was found in Ezekiel 8 to 19. In Ezekiel 8:1, he talks about the vision of temple abominations. In chapter 8, Ezekiel saw a vision of a person whose appearance was bright as glowing metal. The Spirit lifted Ezekiel up between Earth and Heaven and showed visions. One common theme of the Old Testament is its condemnation of Israelites using pagan idols in rituals.  In Judaism, the Temple is sacred, and worshipers must be righteous and serious went entering a house of worship. That's customary for a diversity of religions too.  False prophets are condemned in Ezekiel 13 too. Ezekiel 18 showed the Lord condemning evils like people defiling his neighbor's wife, those who do robbery, and idol worship. The chapter mentions that those who do righteousness shall live. 

By Ezekiel 20, he writes how he sees God refuse the Elders. In that chapter, many Israelites who followed idols defiled themselves, and rejected the commandments are explicitly condemned. Also, Chapter 20 had a prophecy against the southland. Ezekiel criticizes Jerusalem in Ezekiel 21 and 22. He prophesies against two sisters in Ezekiel 23. The siege of Jerusalem starts as found in Ezekiel 24. Ezekiel 25 talks about God's vengeance on Ammon and Edom. Ezekiel pronounced judgment on Tyre in Ezekiel 26-28. Tyre was one of the major cities of the ancient world inhabitants by the Phoenicians and other groups of people. Ezekiel 26 mentions the prophecy against Tyre for mocking the suffering of Jerusalem. It is no secret that the Babylonian and Assyrian Empires conquered Tyre for centuries. 

Then, Ezekiel prophesies against Egypt in Ezekiel 29-32. The Kingdom of ancient Egypt ended as we know it in the future by the time of Alexander the Great conquered Egypt fully by the 300's B.C. Ezekiel is called the Watchman in Ezekiel 33. Jerusalem's fall is found in Ezekiel 33. Ezekiel talked about Jerusalem's fall in Ezekiel 33:21. Ezekiel foresees reproof and restoration in Ezekiel 34-36. The resurrection of the dry bones is found in Ezekiel 37. The dry bones are a symbol of the Jewish people coming together to see their nation return fully in the future. Ezekiel sees a future battle in Ezekiel 38. Ezekiel 38 is one of the most important prophetic chapters in the whole Bible. The chapter dealt with a future alliance made by Gog, the land of Magog. Gog is the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. The chapter mentioned that Gog will make an alliance with Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, Togarmah, etc. This alliance seeks to harm and destroy Israel, but they will fail. There are many interpretations of the identity of Magog, Tubal, and Meshek in that chapter like Russia or other locations. Later, Ezekiel saw God's judgment on Gog by Ezekiel 39. The Ezekiel Second Temple vision is found in Ezekiel 40-48. Ezekiel 40 mentioned the Temple area being restored.  Ezekiel 45 mentioned how Israel is fully restored. Ezekiel also saw another Jerusalem, a city with the glorious name of Jehaovah shammah (the Lord is Here) as found in Ezekiel 48:35. 

Out of all of the prophets of the Old Testament and New Testament, Ezekiel is one of the most underrated prophets of the Bible. The Book of Ezekiel isn't for the faint of heart. Many parts of the book have some of the harshest criticisms against the backslidden of Israel in the Bible. It didn't pull any punches on the corruption found among some Israelis during ancient times. During the time of Ezekiel's time, much of Israel was in exile. Wars were constantly shown, and new empires grew to conquer a large part of the Levant and other regions of the Middle East. Ezekiel lived during the 600's B.C. and in the late 500's B.C. Ezekiel is a Hebrew name meaning "God is strong" or "God strengthens." The Bible mentions that Ezekiel is the son of Buzi, born into the priestly (kohen) lineage. Ezekiel describes his calling to be a prophet and encounters God and four living creatures with four wheels that stayed beside the creatures. Vivid descriptions define the Book of Ezekiel from beginning to end. Ezekiel and his wife lived in Babylon during the Babylonian captivity on the banks of the Chebar River in Tel Abib. Ezekiel lived during the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. It is important to note that Revelation 20:28 refers to the Ezekiel prophecy of Gog and Magog. In Revelation 21-22, the prophet is transported to a high mountain where a heavenly messenger measures the symmetrical of the new Jerusalem. Therefore, the Book of Ezekiel is filled with insights into the ancient world that can help people to this very day in 2023. 

 

The Fair Housing Act of April 1968 was passed as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It came after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was the last great legislative achievement of the civil rights era of the 1960's. Originally intended to extend federal protection to civil rights workers, it was later expanded to address racial discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of housing units. After the bill passed the Senate by an exceedingly narrow margin in early April, it was thought that the increasingly conservative House of Representatives, wary of the growing strength and militancy of the Black Power movement, would weaken it considerably. On the day of the Senate vote, however, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. Pressure to pass the bill increased amid the wave of national remorse that followed, and after a strictly limited debate, the House passed the Fair Housing Act on April 10. President Johnson signed it into law the following day. We have a long way to go in to fight for housing rights. I want to make that point clear. 

Another unsung victory is how many places in America have torn down racist Confederate statues and monuments from public lands. Confederates are traitors. No taxpayer dollars should fund the maintenance of Confederate statues on public lands. The increase in the removal of such repugnant statues existed since 2020 (when global protests happened after the murder of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor). These 2020 global protests are the largest, most multiracial protests against police brutality and against racial injustice in human history. These victories are real. 

We all need inspiration from time to time in the world. Once upon a time, we didn't know about the mysteries of life, governmental corruption, corporate corruption, and other intrigue harming human lives. Now, we do. Therefore, we should be considerate when we explain to people about how the world really works. One of the mistakes that some have is to show arrogance in attempting to change minds. That doesn't work. To change minds in promoting justice, we have to be honest, filled with compassion, and uncompromising in our perspective. We don't have to demoralize someone in attempting to wake human beings up. One inspirational quality of life is that we are created by a miracle period. Long ago, our ancestors were in chains brought to America from Africa. Our ancestors suffered the worst form of slavery in human history. Yet, we live today as a product of the courage and resiliency of our ancestors. We are not descendants of weak people. We are from a very strong people indeed. From atoms, molecules, cells, organs, and organ systems to human life, we are not mistakes caused by random chance. We have complex intelligence as a product of biological processes, and; in my view, we have a soul. From the elements to DNA, we have a great intellect and power to achieve great things. I believe that the origin of these complex forms of life and everything else in the Universe came ultimately from God (who is the highest form of intelligence in the Universe). That is why I am inspired to continue this journey to discover information, to love truth, and to embrace the principle of the Golden Rule forever and ever.

 

Many people want to know what God's grace means. This concept is found in many faiths, including Christianity. God's grace is God's favor and compassion to fellow human beings. In the Old Testament in Exodus 34:6, it mentioned that God is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. In the OT and NT, God is shown as a gracious being filled with grace. Therefore, God's grace is about kindness and favor shown to someone. Every human is not perfect, and every human has sinned at least once in our life. Therefore, God's grace is about compassion sent to human beings in saving souls. This doesn't mean that we do what we want and whenever we want. We must do the right thing, treat people rightly, and follow moral principles. It does mean that we follow righteousness despite our imperfections as human beings. God's grace does deal with love and mercy. Ephesians 2:4-5 mentioned that humans are saved by God's grace. The paradox of life is that while we should show love and mercy in the world, we also must show justice to those who do evil in the world. The world is not perfect obviously. Therefore, there should be systems of accountability to make sure that those who commit conscious evil are punished, and those who do good in the world are rewarded. In the final analysis, we want any human being alive now to wake up. 

 

As you get older, you see how the Universe is interconnected. All entities of the Universe consist of the same substances. These substances deal with atoms and subatomic beings. In science, there are natural laws, gravity, and natural processes that are real. The human body is a complex biochemical, atomic being that is organized by atoms. There are levels of organization in the human body. At the atomic level, the human body is made of atoms. Atoms have electrons, protons, and neutrons. More than 96 percent of the human body is made up of a few elements called Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen. Elements are made up of many atoms. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the human body, and carbon is an element related to a huge basis of living matter. Hydrogen is key in living organisms too. Nitrogen is found heavily in DNA too. Atoms come together to exist as molecules. Macromolecules are needed for life to exist on Earth. The four major molecules of life are proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates. Proteins are formed by amino acids coming together. We, as human beings, definitely need proteins to live a long, healthy life. Proteins help the human body to function. The body uses protein to build and repair tissues, make enzymes, and make hormones plus other chemicals. Nucleic acids are used in DNA (DNA is a molecule made up of atoms. Chromosomes are made up of multiple DNA, DNA is found in the nucleus, and the nucleus is found in the cell) and RNA. Lipids are molecules that have structural components of cell membranes, store energy, and signal molecules. Carbohydrates are sugars of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides (used to store energy, have cellular messaging, and supports cells and tissues). 

Trillions of atoms make up one cell. The human body has about 100 trillion cells. At the cellular level, life starts. All living beings have at least one cell. It's like a Universe within a Universe. Cells come together to form tissues. The human body has 4 types of tissues, and they are connective tissues, epithelial tissues, muscle tissues, and nervous tissues. Muscle cells form muscle tissues like smooth muscle tissues, skeletal tissues, and cardiac muscle tissues. Nervous tissues are found in the brain and other locations of the body. Many tissues form organs in the human body. Organs perform specific functions in the body. The brain is the control center of the body. The heart pumps blood through the blood vessels. Organs together form 12 organ systems of the human body. The organism level is all of the atoms, molecules, tissues, organs, and organ systems coming together as one human being. That is why each human being (made up of trillions of cells) is unique, specialized, and has great gifts in the Universe. Cells are made up of proteins, which is a type of molecule. Molecules are a collection of atoms. We are made up of very intelligent atoms with great power and energy. 

Atoms are far too small to see directly, even with the most powerful optical microscopes. But atoms do interact with and under some circumstances emit light in ways that reveal their internal structures in amazingly fine detail. It is through the "language of light" that we communicate with the world of the atom. In quantum physics for the past years and decades, they discuss about light links to atoms and frequency all of the time. Similar to a tuning fork or even a musical instrument, the electrons of atoms have a natural frequency at which they tend to vibrate. When a light wave with that same natural frequency impinges upon an atom, then the electrons of that atom will be set into vibrational motion. Most of the atom is empty space. In the Universe, forces from Nature hold structures in order in many cases. Many physicists believe in the value of fractals and even in the existence of consciousness. From the subatomic world to the galaxies, we are made of the same elements, atoms, and stardust from the origin of the Universe. From the Big Bang to human beings, we have great value in the Universe. We aren't accidents as we were formed by trillions of atoms in a combination of natural functions in a complex, intelligent biological system. 

By Timothy