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Friday, April 12, 2024

The Controversial Life and Legacy of O.J. Simpson (and other News).

 

On April 11, 2024, there is the shocking news of O.J. Simpson passing away. It is important to note that his life was controversial and complicated. He went from a man raised in a working-class environment of San Francisco, California, to be one of the greatest running backs in football history (excelling in high school, college, the NFL, and earning his right to be in the National Football Hall of Fame), being involved in the legal system for massive charges, and working with hip hop artists Cam'ron and Mase in a recent podcast (in the year of 2024). OJ Simpson passed away with his family, friends, children, and grandchildren right there next to him from prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is no joke, and men (including black men) must be tested to stop its spread. He was 76 years old when he passed away. We know of OJ's mistakes. His mistakes have no justification. God would want us to realize this fact, so we can be better people than in the past. We express empathy to OJ Simpson's family as they want people to respect their right to privacy. Also, we express empathy to the Ron Goldman's and Nicole Brown Simpson's families whose loved ones were murdered unjustly. OJ Simpson was a complex human being who both did amazing feats on the football field and had anti-black self-hatred found in his words and conduct (like him saying that he isn't black but O.J. , not being a strong supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, and allying with Donald Trump. Many people didn't know that back in the day, corporate America supported O.J. a great deal from TV sports commentary jobs to being in the Hertz TV commercials when he was hurdling over objects. O.J. Simpson acted in popular movies too). He was a person who people loved and despised. I was in the 7th grade in middle school in October of 1995 when the verdict of his murder trial existed or the Trial of the Century. 

The O.J. Simpson trial (which came after the L.A. rebellion in 1992, after the unjust beating of Rodney King by the LAPD, and O.J. had a better defense team filled with a Dream team of lawyers like Johnnie Cochran (who was great one in a generation talented lawyer) than the prosecution. The trial was watched by millions of people worldwide, the trial caused a circus in the public, and the trial caused a higher consciousness about the importance of DNA and forensics in the judicial system in general. Mark Fuhrman's racism being exposed by the defense was the beginning of the end of the prosecution's aim to convict O.J., regardless of if you feel O.J. was guilty or not. The prosecution team made mistake after mistake which caused the verdict to go in a certain way. Back then, most white Americans were shocked, and most black people cheered. Today, most Americans, regardless of color, view O.J. Simpson as guilty. O.J. was acquitted in the criminal trial, not in the civil case. O.J. would be arrested in the 2000's on another case. He left prison via parole in 2017. The trial represented a paradox of both the legacy of the judicial system being discriminatory against black people and how an accused person used all of the money in the world (and with a strong defense legacy counsel) to get off. Both things are true in an ironic way. The complex legacy of O.J. Simpson represents the complicated legacy of American society in general. Many of the same racial tensions back then exist now. Today, we have to realize that racial justice is a necessity along with morality, truth, and honor at the same time. I stand on every syllable that I wrote here. Therefore, O.J. Simpson had a complex legacy involving his life. These are my words about O.J. Simpson.


Judge Chutkan said that the January 6th terrorists are dangerous people, not hostages as said by Donald Trump. The judge is right. Many centrists and corporate Republicans support the FISA reauthorization. Many people forget that during the Bush administration, there was a scandal of the NSA using warrantless spying against U.S. citizens. We want America to be secure from terrorism and other evils, but we also want our civil liberties to be respected too. That is why a coalition of progressives and conservatives voted to block the FISA re-authorization bill over privacy and civil liberty concerns. One Presidential photographer quits the Ford Board of accusing the Foundation of bowing before Trump. The reality is that Trump is a threat to democracy whose views are antithetical to truth and freedom.


Justice has come to the black victims of sick former Mississippi law enforcement officers who did vile acts to innocent people. These acts are so evil that I can't mention them here because it was so graphic. These criminals pleaded guilty to charges of the January 2023 torture and abuse of 2 black men. 20 years were given to Brett McAlpin, Daniel Opdyke, and Jeffrey Middleton. Christian Dedmon was sentenced to 25 years, Hunter Elward was sentenced to 45 years, and Joshua Hartfield was sentenced to 15 years. All of their state sentences are to run concurrently with their federal sentences. The victims are Eddie Parker and Michael Jenkins. Eddie Parker has to go to therapy, and Michael Jenkins can't sing because of a gunshot wound that shattered his jaw. One NAACP Rankin County President Angela English wants the Department of Justice to clean house of corruption found in the county's sheriff's department. Criminals are going to prison, and we have to do our parts in making sure that society is fair and just for all, beyond some people.


For the past few weeks and months, many pro-Trump supporters have tried to convince me to support him. I don't. I made my point clear for years that Donald Trump is a clear and present danger to democracy and freedom in general. Donald Trump passed tax cuts for the super wealthy that caused massive record profits for large corporations but didn't benefit Main Street in a massive level. Conversely now in 2024, we have record low unemployment, massive job growth, and child poverty cut in half (all documented by statistics). Trump wants to free the insurrectionist terrorists at January 6th, and Trump called them hostages. These terrorists used poles to harm police officers, carried guns on Capitol grounds, waved Neo-Nazi and Confederate flags, and threatened to hang Mike Pence. These insurrectionists are antithetical and anathema to America and true freedom. In real life, my ancestors were part of the Union defeating the Confederacy and my relative was part of the Normandy invasion to defeat the Nazi fascists back in the 1940's. So, I know that it is my blood to stand up and speak up against fascists who attack women, immigrants, black people, etc. We reject authoritarianism as Trump has praised Hungary's Orban and other malicious people. I believe in the protection of the environment, and Biden did the right thing to impose national drinking water limits on toxic PFAS. Toxic PFAS can cause cancer and harm humanity. So, I will vote for democracy on November 4th.



By Timothy


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