Saturday, December 21, 2024
Friday, December 20, 2024
Late December 2024 News.
There are still government funding negotiations among Democrats and Republicans in Congress. There was once a deal, but then Trump and Elon Musk told Republicans not to follow it. Musk and Trump care more for an archaic economic philosophy than giving resources to the American people to live their own lives. Elon Musk is the richest person on Earth, and many Democrats are saying that Musk is acting like the President instead of Trump. This reality has pushed the country more into a government shutdown. A government shutdown means that Social Security payments are not given to people, (especially the elderly), people in the federal government could be delayed payments, and more people will suffer. Lawmakers are racing to stop a government shutdown now. Now, there is no new agreement now, so people are in square one. The previous bill will give billions of dollars to farmers and natural disaster relief. Elon Musk is an enemy of social progress. Some members of the billionaire class from Zuckerberg to Bezos are allying with Trump in meetings. Bezos wants to go the Trump inauguration which is highly wrong in my view.
I found out that my maternal 5th cousin is Veronica Elizabeth Glast, who was born in April 1972. She lives in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Veronica Glast has worked in Howard University as part of the Human Resources Business Partners (HRBP). She worked to help Howard University run more efficiently in Washington, D.C. She has experience from Virginia Commonwealth University and in other institutions. Her brother is Christopher Weylin Glast (b. 1968). Her parents are Willie James Glast (b. 1940) and Gracie Lee Bynum (b. 1945). Gracie Lee Bynum's parents were Jimmy Lewis Bynum Sr. (1920-2003) and Laura Elizabeth Claud (1923-1985). The parents of Laura Elizabeth Claud were Peter L. Claud (1891-1969) and Nettie Rogers (1894-1924). The parents of Peter L. Claud were Frank Thomas Claud (1856-1958) and Elizabeth Whitehead (1868-1939). The parents of Frank Thomas Claud were my 4th great-grandaunt Mason Claud (1840-1877) and Isaac Gilliam. The mother of Mason Claud is my 5th great-grandmother Zilphy Claud.
Fascism continues. One example is how Trump and some GOP members want to investigate and possibly jail Liz Cheney for her January 6th committee investigation. Trump wants to whitewash the January 6th attacks as just some gathering. The truth is that the insurrectionists are terrorists, not patriots, who used violence against property, harmed the police, called many police officers racist slurs, waved neo-Nazi and neo-Confederate flags, and wanted to hang then-Vice President Mike Pence. These traitorous insurrectionists deserve prison time, not medals or pardons. Also, some Democrats join Republicans in support of passing the fascistic Crucial Communism Teaching Act. The problem with the bill is that it lacks nuisance in the history of communism. Many people who were Communists were involved in massacres like Stalin, but communists like Trotsky was not involved in the deaths of millions of people. Also, the bill omits the millions who were murdered by fascists and capitalists from the Maafa, far-right regimes in the world, and other atrocities that communists have nothing to do. I don't agree with Communism, but that bill is a slick way to try to indoctrinate people into viewing all communism as this monolithic block trying to destroy the whole world. The truth is that communism is a rival political and economic system that I don't agree with, but I don't agree with laissez-faire capitalism either.
The New York Mayor Eric Adams is praising Trump. He desires a Trump pardon for him being accused of corruption. Also, this is the end result of centrists like Adams. Many centrists believe in the myth that coddling extremists to be in league with the powers that be. Adams said that people compared Trump to Hitler. Most Democrats never compared Trump to Hitler. Yet, it is true that Trump believes in fascism like trying to potentially jail Liz Cheney, sue media services, and attempt to ban birthright citizenship. Those are clear examples of overt fascism. Adams omits this and he omits Trump's anti-working class agenda of promoting tariffs, seeking to cut the social safety net, and trying to restrict economic rights that people fought for. Liars like Adams also forget that Kamala Harris has talked about housing (she said she wanted a 25,000-dollar tax credit for new home buyers), groceries, and other important issues with policies on dealing with those political subjects too.
Yesterday was the Birthday of the late Sister Cicely Tyson. She was an icon who art of performing acting, her beauty inside and out (in refuting colorism), and her wisdom (in promoting the principle of standing out to be a beacon of light) have inspired the world. She was one of the greatest actresses in history portraying non-stereotypical images of our people, especially black women. She was born in New York City to Afro-Caribbean parents Fredericka Tyson and William Augustine Tyson. Her parents were immigrants from Nevis in the West Indies. Her father came to New York City via Ellis Island on August 4, 1919. Cicely Tyson was raised in a religious household and modeled. She was in the film Carib Gold in 19556. Later, she was in the play by Jean Genet called The Blacks (with Maya Angelou, James Earl Jones, Godfrey Cambridge, Louis Gossett Jr, and Charles Gordone). She has three Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, a Tony Award, and earned a Kennedy Center Honors in 2015. She earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and the Honorary Academy Award in 2018. She lived to be 96 years old. Her humbleness was incredible, and her legacy will always be transcendent.
Rest in Power Sister Cicely Tyson.
By Timothy
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
True Facts.
The legacy of World War II encompasses many things. As we shall we 2025, which is the 80th year anniversary of the end of World War 2, we recognize that history may not repeat itself, but it rhymes. Decades ago, human beings saw fascists using genocide, violations of democratic rights, and imperialism to promote their interests. Now, we have one person (who is Donald Trump) who desires to jail Liz Cheney and the January 6 committee members, he wants to sue the media who dissent from his views, calls the media the enemy of the people, seeks mass deportation, and wants total loyalty to his agenda without restraint. World War 2 started with complex factors like the failure of the League of Nations, economic competition among imperialistic powers (from Germany, Japan, the UK, the USA, etc.), the rise of fascist governments (in Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, etc.), and economic tribulations in the four corners of the Earth (via the Great Depression). World War II was the bloodiest war in human history causing almost 100 million human beings to die. 100 million human beings dead in less than 10 years is unimaginable for our minds to ascertain. The Nazis used the Holocaust to murder Jewish people, black people, biracial people, Slavic people, Jehovah's Witnesses, Freemasons, Mormons, and other human beings. The Holocaust has no justification period. Many innocent Japanese Americans were placed in U.S. internment camps which was evil too. The Allied and Axis Powers not only fought for mineral resources. They fought for the future of the 20th century and the early 21st century. The irony is that the two major victors of WWII, America and the Soviet Union (who were allies during WWII) would be bitter enemies after the war during the Cold War (which lasted from 1945 to 1991). Hitler's reckless actions in Stalingrad, and Japan's overextension of its resources in Oceania and other parts of Asia contributed to the Axis defeat. Also, the Soviet Union used its military forces on the Eastern Front to make a huge difference in repelling Nazi expansion (even before D-Day).
There are tons of Allied forces heroes who rescued Holocaust victims, liberated countries, and showed awe-inspiring compassion for the suffering. The black women in the Triple Eight postal service organization deserve credit for helping the Allied cause (their service is promoted by a recent 2024 film by Tyler Perry, Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, etc. I can't entirely agree with Tyler Perry on every issue, but he deserves great credit for showing the true story of these black heroes in a film). WWII resulted in the growth of the anti-colonialism movement causing African, Latin American, and Asian peoples (in Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, etc.) to be free from colonial rule, and further globalization of trade and technology (a massive increase in life expectancy, inventions, and the rise of the Baby Boomers started after WWII). The United Nations was formed to handle international disputes. After WWII, the Cold War existed wherefore the American Empire and the Soviet Union fought over resources, politics, and philosophy. Stalin after the war became more anti-democratic and overtly anti-Semitic. After Stalin died, Stalinism crippled the freedom of many people in Europe which is why the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 took place allowing socialists to stand up to the Warsaw Pact. America promoted the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after the war, and General MacArthur used his influence to rebuild Japan. The American Empire (funded by wealthy capitalist interests) hypocritically claimed to love democracy but enforced Jim Crow apartheid, aided in right-wing coups, and went about to support unjust wars overseas. So, the Soviets and the wealthy elites in America made huge errors. There were always progressive Americans and others in the world (like Ella Baker, Malcolm X, Septima Clark, Diane Nash, Dr. King, Rosa Parks, etc.) who fought for real equality and freedom plus democracy to be clear. The modern war on terror existed since the September 11, 2001 attacks, which was our new Pearl Harbor moment. Now, we live in a post-Afghanistan war era where there are regional wars (found in Gaza, Syria, Congo, Haiti, etc.), but Americans are split on what to do. Some want isolationism, some want imperialism, and others want to support democracy overseas via rational means. The legacy of World War 2 is never again (we always remember the Holocaust), we should defend our democracy (i.e. the rule of law, the dignity of human life, equal rights under the law, and human justice), and standing up for freedom is a legitimate act to pursue, especially in our generation. I thank God that the Allied forces won World War II, and I will forever believe in the progressive principles that my ancestors fought and died for (many of my ancestors and relatives were in WWII, including having involvement in the Normandy D-Day invasion in real life). So, this is personal for me.
There are growing calls for action as sightings of drones continue in the Northeast and other regions of America. Many of these drones are seen at night. No one knows why they are in the air and for what purpose. Some people claim that it could be from Americans, foreign sources, or other origins. Others say that the drone are monitoring missing nuclear material. We just don't know. Many in the public don't accept the government's statement that these drones pose no national security threat to America. Many human beings have skepticism about the federal government's words on this issue. Many people have seen them heavily in New Jersey, New York, and as far south as Virginia. As we get closer to 2030, we see more strange events. Whatever the truth is, we have to accept it.
There is another school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin. A teacher and student were killed along with the suspect. This happened at Abundant Life Christian School. Police Chief Shon Barnes talked about the tragic events today on Monday. Six people were injured, including two with life-threatening injuries, according to Barnes. The shooter is a teen 15-year-old girl who died from a self-inflicted wound, according to a law enforcement official. The police chief said that the suspect was a student at the school. Abundant Life Christian School is a K-12 school that serves about 390 students. It was planned to close for the holiday vacation after this week. Many of the injured were taken to St. Mary's Hospital and others were taken to University of Wisconsin hospitals. The gun used was a 9-millimeter pistol. There will be a candlelight vigil on Tuesday evening at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. This shows that the deification of guns above the dignity of human life remains a sickness that must be opposed.
Vice President Kamala Harris gave a speech to inspire young voters to carry on the fight for justice. She wanted to make the point about people having something to fight for. Kamala Harris is a great communicator. It is time to get busy to fight fascism promoted by Trump and get busy to stand up for our democracy. She told the truth that America's progress involves the people who stay true to their ideals in the face of difficulty. She spoke those words in Prince George County, Maryland, home to a large African American population. Kamala Harris wants people to roll up their sleeves to stand up for our principles. The argument that Harris made is that America is meant to be a multiracial democracy by birthright. America at its greatest represents an ideal that equality for all is a truism.
By Timothy
Monday, December 16, 2024
Historical Information.
Just before Pearl Harbor, America was involved in the Lend-Lease program to help the Allied forces to fight Nazis and other members of the Axis Powers. America was mobilizing its military forces. By this time, many experts knew that America would overtly participate in WWII on the Allied side. It was only a matter of time. Then, Pearl Harbor existed which was a Japanese surprise attack against American military forces in Hawaii. The Japanese military forces used a cowardly assault that damaged property, killed innocent human life, and inflicted massive trauma on Americans. Japan and America were once allies during World War I. That would change as negotiations over trade involving oil, rubber, and other resources failed between America and Japan. Japan didn't want any nation to threaten its empire in the Pacific Ocean. Japan didn't like America's influence in Guam, the Philippines, and China (yes, China was an ally of America back then). Japan wanted more trade with America to gain natural resources to build up its military and economic resources in the region. Japan conquered a large portion of China. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt wanted to stop Japanese expansion in Asia and Oceania. FDR in July 1940, created an embargo on important naval and aviation supplies to Japan (like oil, iron ore, fuel, steel, and rubber, especially in the Dutch East Indies). Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in 1940 with Italy and Nazi Germany. Then, FDR implemented a stricter embargo against Japan. Japan's expansion was not stopped by the embargoes. It was only slowed. By 1941, General Hideki Tojo was Japan's prime minister. Tojo had a smart mind and continued to militarily expand. He wanted America to be neutral in the war. By the summer of 1941, Japan and America had attempted to negotiate an end to their disagreements. These negotiations didn't work. Japan's expansion was strongly opposed by the American government. By late November 1941, U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull rejected Japan's latest demands. Tojo gave up on peace a week later. By the start of December, Tojo made the decision to deliver a military blow against America. There is debate on whether Franklin Roosevelt had foreknowledge of this attack or not. Tojo wanted Hawaii to be attacked because it would prevent Americans from using a strong resistance against Japanese expansion in Tojo's mind. The Japanese forces sent to Hawaii were headed by Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. The Japanese forces included 6 aircraft carriers, 360 airplanes, and battleships plus cruisers. Submarines were involved in the attack too. Japan destroyed the USS Arizona. Many American military forces were caught by surprise by the attack. The strike took place just before 7:48 am. local time on Sunday, December 7, 1941.
The Pearl Harbor base was attacked by 353 Imperial Japanese aircraft (including fighters, level and dive bombers, and torpedo bombers) in two waves, launched from six aircraft carriers. Of the eight United States Navy battleships present, all were damaged and four were sunk. All but USS Arizona were later raised, and six were returned to service and went on to fight in the war. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship, and one minelayer. More than 180 US aircraft were destroyed. A total of 2,393 Americans were killed and 1,178 others were wounded, making it the deadliest event ever recorded in Hawaii. It was also the deadliest foreign attack against the United States in its history until the September 11 attacks of 2001. Important base installations, such as the power station, dry dock, shipyard, maintenance, and fuel and torpedo storage facilities, as well as the submarine piers and headquarters building (also home of the intelligence section), were not attacked. The U.S. battlefleet was knocked out of commission for nearly 6 months. Japan did have access to raw materials. The aircraft carriers from America were out to sea during the attack. Nagumo canceled a third wave of attacks because he feared an American counterstrike. The American Fleet survived. Japanese losses were light: 29 aircraft and five midget submarines were lost, and 129 servicemen were killed. Kazuo Sakamaki, the commanding officer of one of the submarines, was captured. Japan declared war on the United States and the British Empire later that day (December 8 in Tokyo), but the declarations were not delivered until the following day. The British government declared war on Japan immediately after learning that their territory had also been attacked, while the following day (December 8), the United States Congress declared war on Japan. On December 11, though they had no formal obligation to do so under the Tripartite Pact with Japan, Germany, and Italy each declared war on the United States, which responded with a declaration of war against Germany and Italy. While there were historical precedents for the unannounced military action by Japan, the lack of any formal warning, as required by the Hague Convention of 1907, and the perception that the attack had been unprovoked, led then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in the opening line of his speech to a Joint Session of Congress the following day, to famously label December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy." Americans rallied together, and most Americans wanted a military response to stop the evil spread of fascism in Europe and Asia. Things would never be the same again. The Soviet Union was not with the Allied side after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union back in June of 1941. After President Roosevelt's speech, the House voted 388 to 1 to declare war, and the Senate joined them unanimously. Both Democrats and Republicans united to support the American involvement in WWII militarily. Isolationism died for a time.
First, the American public must be prepared and mobilize for World War II. There was a spirit of patriotism and determination after Pearl Harbor. Tojo and his forces underestimate the grit and determination of Americans. Many Americans joined the military, volunteered with the Red Cross, and worked in many jobs to help the Allied causes. Unfortunately, innocent Japanese people were scapegoated for Pearl Harbor and were victims of being placed in internment camps for a long time unjustly. More than 16 million Americans served in the U.S. military. The U.S. Army grew from about 1.4 million to more than 3 million people. The Navy grew from under 300,000 people to more than 600,000 people. The Marines grew from 54,000 to almost 150,000. Americans of every color and background worked very hard to be in the military to defeat the wicked Axis Powers. There were almost 1,000,000 African Americans, about 300,000 Mexican Americans, 25,000 Native Americans, etc. who were in the military. Most of them were in segregated units. Over 350,000 women were in the military via the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (being later called WAC or Women's Army Corps). Many women were postal workers, truck drivers, instructors, lab technicians, etc. Many women were nurses, and many were in the Navy and Coast Guard units. FDR set up the War Production Board or WPB) to handle wartime industries. Some goods were made into civilian goods and military operations. The massive defense spending contributed to the end of the Great Depression. Many women and men had jobs. The Ford Company was promoting war production in B-24 bombers, ships, and other supplies. The Allied production services made them having a clear military advantage over the Axis Powers along with the Soviet's massive army forces in the Eastern Front of the war.
By this time after Pearl Harbor, the Soviet Army made a major counter-offensive around Moscow. By December 16, 1941, Rommel started to retreat to El Aghlia in North Africa. WWII in North Africa included some of the most important battles of the whole war. Hitler runs the whole German Army by December 19, 1941. January 1, 1942, was when the Declaration of the United Nations was signed by 26 Allied nations. The Nazis started a U-boat offensive along the east coast of America on January 13, 1942. SS Leader Heydrich held the Wannsee Conference to coordinate the Holocaust (or what the Nazis called "Final Solution of the Jewish Question"). Rommell made the counter offensive form El Agheila from North Africa on January 21, 1942. American forces arrive in Great Britain for the first time on January 26, 1942. The internment camp injustice against Japanese Americans started in April of 1941. I agree with FDR on many economic issues, but I strongly disagree with FDR on promoting internment camps against Japanese Americans. The Nazis used air raids against cathedral cities in Britain by April 23, 1942. Rommel made an offensive against the Gazala Line on May 26, 1942. SS Leader Heydrich was attacked in Prague on May 27, 1942. The British used the first thousand bomber air raid against Cologne by May 30, 1942.
By June 1942, there were mass murder of Jewish people by gassing starting at Auschwitz. Heyrdich died of his wounds on June 4, 1941. The Nazis invade Sevastopol. Later, the Nazis kill Lidice in reprisal for Heydrich's assassination. Rommel then captured Tobruk, General Dwight D. Eisenhower came to London, and Rommel reached El Alamein near Cairo, Egypt by June 1942. The first battle of El Alamein took place from July 1-30, 1942. The Nazis took Sevastopol on July 3, 1942. The Nazis wanted to conquer Stalingrad in the USSR. By July 22, 1942, there were the first deportations from the Warsaw Ghetto to concentration camps, and the Treblinka extermination camp was opened. By August of 1942, British General Bernard Montgomery took command of the Eighth Army in North Africa, Stalin and Churchill met in Moscow., there was the first all-American air attack in Europe, and there was a massive German air raid on Stalingrad. Rommell is driven back by General Montgomery in the Battle of Alam Halfa. A German eyewitness saw the SS mass murder on October 5, 1942. Operation Supercharge was when the Allied broke Axis lines in El Alamein by November 1, 1942. Hitler wanted to execute all captured British commandos. Operation Torch started on November 8, 1942, when America invaded North Africa to defeat the Nazis. The Nazis and Italians invaded unoccupied Vichy France on November 11, 1942.
In the Pacific, World War II accelerated. After America and Britain declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941, Japan went near Singapore and entered Thailand. This was the time when Japan conquered massive lands in Oceania rapidly. The Japanese invade the Philippines and seize Guam. Japan also invaded Burma on December 11, 1941. By December of 1941, the first Japanese merchant ship was sunk by a U.S. submarine, Japan invaded British Borneo, Japan invaded Hong Kong, and they invaded Luzon in the Philippines (on December 22, 1941). General Douglas MacArthur had to withdraw from Manila to Bataan on December 23, 1941. General MacArthur promised to return to the Philippines under a liberated Philippines from Japanese occupation. The British surrendered at Hong Kong on December 25, 1941, Manila was an open city, and Japan bombed Manila on December 17, 1941, too. The Japanese Empire was at its peak in 1942. On January 2, 1942, Manila and U.S. Naval base at Cavite were captured by the Japanese, Japan attacked Bataan in the Philippines on January 7, 1942, and Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies and Dutch Borneo by January 11, 1942. Burma was invaded by Japan on January 16, 1942. The German/Japan/Italian military agreement was signed in Berlin on January 18, 1942. Japan took North Borneo. Japanese take Rabaul on New Britain in the Solomon Islands and also invaded Bougainville, the largest island. The British go into Singapore by January 30, 1942. By February 1, 1942, the first U.S. aircraft carrier offensive of the war as YORKTOWN and ENTERPRISE conducted air raids on Japanese bases in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. After that Japan invaded Java in the Dutch East Indies and they invade Singapore. The British surrendered Singapore on February 15, 1942. The Japanese had a large air raid since Pearl Harbor against Darwin, Australia and Japan invaded Bali on February 19, 1942. By February 20, 1942, the first U.S. fighter ace of the war, Lt. Edward O'Hare from the LEXINGTON in action off Rabaul. General Douglas MacArthur is ordered out of the Philippines by February 22, 1942. By February 23, 1942, there was the first Japanese attack on the U.S. mainland as a submarine shell an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California.
The Enterprise attacked Japan on Wake Island on February 24, 1942. The First U.S. carrier, the LANGLEY, was sunk by Japanese bombers on February 26, 1942. From February 27 to March 1, 1942, there was the Japanese naval victory in the Battle of the Java Sea as the largest U.S. warship in the Far East, the HOUSTON, is sunk. Two Japanese flying boats bomb Pearl Harbor; ENTERPRISE attacks Marcus Island, just 1000 miles from Japan on March 4, 1942. The British left Rangoon in Burma. Japan invaded Salamaua and Law on New Guinea. The Dutch on Java surrendered to the Japanese on March 8, 1942. March 11, 1942, was when Gen. MacArthur left Corregidor and was flown to Australia. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright becomes the new U.S. commander. March 18, 1942, was when Gen. MacArthur appointed commander of the Southwest Pacific Theater by President Roosevelt. The Japanese attack the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Admiral Chester Nimitz was appointed as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Theater on March 24, 1942. April 3, 1942, was when Japanese forces attacked U.S. and Filipino troops at Bataan. American troops came to Australia by April 6, 1942. April 9, 1942, was when there was U.S. forces on Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. The Bataan Death March started on April 10, 1942, when 76,000 Allied POWs including 12,000 Americans were forced to walk 60 miles under a blazing sun without food or water toward a new POW camp, resulting in over 5,000 American deaths. American morale is increased when there was the surprise Doolittle B-25 air race from the Hornet against Tokyo. Then, Japan took central Burma and Mandalay plus Tulagi in the Solomon Islands. Japan wants to invade Midway and the Aleutian Islands by May 5, 1942. On May 6, 1942, Japanese take Corregidor as Gen. Wainwright unconditionally surrendered all U.S. And Filipino forces in the Philippines.
May 7-8, 1941, was when Japan had its first defeat of the war during the Battle of the Coral Sea off New Guinea - the first time in history that two opposing carrier forces fought only using aircraft without the opposing ships ever sighting each other. The last U.S. Troops holding out in the Philippines surrendered on Mindanao. That was on May 12, 1942. Later, Japan captured all of Burma and reach India.
From June 4-5, 1942, was a turning point in the Pacific theater of World War II. This was about the decisive victory for the U.S. against Japan in the Battle of Midway as squadrons of U.S. torpedo planes and dive bombers from ENTERPRISE, HORNET, and YORKTOWN attack and destroy four Japanese carriers, a cruiser, and damage another cruiser and two destroyers. U.S. loses YORKTOWN. Japan invaded the Aleutian Islands in June 7m 1942. Japanese troops are near Gona on New Guinea. By August 7, 1942, there were the U.S. amphibious landing of the Pacific War occurs as 1st Marine Division invades Tulagi and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. On August 8, 1942, U.S. Marines took the unfinished airfield on Guadalcanal and name it Henderson Field after Maj. Lofton Henderson, a hero of Midway. August 8/9 -was when a major U.S. naval disaster off Savo Island, north of Guadalcanal, as eight Japanese warships wage a night attack and sink three U.S. heavy cruisers, an Australian cruiser, and one U.S. destroyer, all in less than an hour. Another U.S. cruiser and two destroyers are damaged. Over 1,500 Allied crewmen are lost. Later Marines attack Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands. The Marines stop the first major Japanese ground attack on Guadalcanal. U.S. And Japanese carriers meet in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons resulting in a Japanese defeat. - The Red Cross announced Japan refused to allow safe passage of ships containing supplies for U.S. POWs. U.S. Troops invade Adak Island in the Aleutian Islands. This was in August of 1942. On September 9-10, 1942, a Japanese floatplane flies two missions dropping incendiary bombs on U.S. forests in the state of Oregon - the only bombing of the continental U.S. during the war. Newspapers in the U.S. voluntarily withhold this information. After this time, the American and British forces attack Japanese forces in Oceania. From September to December of 1942, U.S. and Japanese forces clash at Guadalcanal. Both sides lost carriers, but America won by December 31, 1942. Allied forces took Buna in New Guinea on January 2, 1943. By January 1942, Japan started its evacuation of Guadalcanal. Japan bombed Calcutta, India back in December of 1942 too. U.S. code breakers (made up of Native Americans too) found out that Japanese Admiral Yamamoto was flying in a Japanese bomber near Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. Eighteen P-38 fighters then locate and shoot down Yamamoto. This was on April 18, 1943. America fought the Japanese in the Aleutian Islands. May 31, 1943, was when the Japanese ended their occupation of the Aleutian Islands after America liberated Attu. American forces fought in the Solomon Islands and bombed Wake Island. Allied forces go to New Georgia and continued to fight in the Solomon Islands by the end of 1943. On August 1-2, 1943, a group of 15 U.S. PT-boats attempted to block Japanese convoys south of Kolombangra Island in the Solomon Islands. PT-109, commanded by Lt. John F. Kennedy, is rammed and sunk by the Japanese Cruiser AMAGIRI, killing two and badly injuring others. The crew survives as Kennedy aids one badly injured man by towing him to a nearby atoll. Japanese forces executed 100 American POWs on Wake Island. By early 1944, Allied forces slowly ended the spread of the Japanese Empire filled with war and fierce fighting.
The Battle of Stalingrad started on September 13, 1942. The Soviets had a counter offensive at Stalingrad by November 19, 1942. By December of 1942, Professor Enrico Fermi sets up an atomic reactor in Chicago, Rommel withdraws from El Agheila, Soviets defeat Italian troops on the River Don in the USSR, British Foreign Secretary Eden tells the British House of Commons of mass executions of Jews by Nazis; U.S. declares those crimes will be avenged, and there was the Battle of the Barents Sea between German and British ships. By January 2-3, the Nazis left the Caucasus. January 10, 1943, was when the Soviets began an offensive against the Germans in Stalingrad. January 14-24 was the time of the Casablanca conference between Churchill and Roosevelt. During the conference, Roosevelt announced the war can end only with "unconditional German surrender." January 23, 1943, was when Montgomery's Eighth Army took Tripoli. January 27, 1943 - First bombing raid by Americans on Germany (at Wilhelmshaven). February 2, 1943, was the date when Germans surrendered at Stalingrad in the first big defeat of Hitler's armies. After the Allied victory of Stalingrad, the Nazis were about to be defeated in less than 2.5 years from that moment. It was the beginning of the end of the Nazi imperialist empire. General Dwight D. Eisenhower led American troops in the Allied invasion of North Africa. By February 1943, General Rommel or the Desert Fox led his Afrika Korps against Americans at the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. Rommel broke through the American lines in trying to go the the Allied supply base at Tebessa, Algria. American soldiers stopped the Nazi attacks. Rommel retreated as he lacked supplies. This was when General George S. Patton Jr. was used to fight in North Africa. General Patton was an aggressive commander who knew how to fight in desert conditions. He would inspire U.S. troops to take initiative to defeat the Axis enemy. Patton helped to make North Africa free from Nazi occupation. The British forces came to Egypt, and Rommell escaped. By February 1943, the Soviets re-take Kharkov, the Nazis arrested White Rose leaders in Munich. The Nazis recaptured Kharkov by March of 1943, the Battle of Atlantic climaxes with 27 merchant ships sunk by German U-boats on March 1943, and the Warren SS attacked the Jewish resistance in the Warsaw ghetto in Poland.
By May 13, 1943, the Nazi and Italian forces of about 240,000 troops surrendered. The Jewish resistance ended in the Warsaw Ghetto happened by May 16, 1943. By May of 1943, there were the British raid raid on Rhur and Donitz ended U-boat operations in the North Atlantic. Himmler wanted the liquidation of all Jewish ghettos in Poland on June 11, 1943, the Nazis had their last offensive against Kursk on July 5, 1943. The Alsurrenderedlied forces soon land in Sicily, Italy by July 9-10, 1943. The British and American forces invaded Sicily, Italy separately. Eisenhower commanded the joint American and British forces. The Allied bombed Rome and captured Palermo, Sicily by July 22, 1943. The British bombed Hamburg. Mussolini was arrested on July 25, 1943, and the Italian fascist government ended. Marshal Pietro Badoglio ruled Italy and negotiated with the Allied powers. The Nazis soon evacuate Sicily and go to Northern Italy. The Americans had daylight air raids on Regensburg and Schweinfurt in Germany. The Allied reached Messina, Sicily by August 17, 1943. The Soviets get Kharkov by August 23, 1943. Italian surrendered to the Allies by September 1943. Yet, the Nazis occupy Rome by September 11, 1943. Northern Italy would be ruled by the Nazis. Fighting in Italy would continue until 1945 because of snow, mountains, and hills. The Nazis rescued Mussolini and Mussolini lives until 1945. The Allies went to Naples, Italy on October 1, 1943. Italy declared war on Germany on October 13, 1943. Soon, the Soviets recaptured Kiev by November, raids from Britain happened in Berlin, and The Tehran Conference happened (with Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin). By the end of 1943, the Soviet Union rapidly defeat Nazi forces and fight in Ukraine and Poland by January 6, 1944.
The Allied forces in Italy fight in Anzio, Monte Cassino, by January and February of 1944. The Nazis fought back. The Soviets fight in Belorussia. Then, Berlin was bombed in daylight by the Allies on March 4, 1944. The British bombed 3000 pounds in Hamburg, Germany. The Soviets fight to liberate Crimea, they recapture Sevastopol, and the Allies attack the Gustav line south of Rome. The Nazis surrendered in the Crimea by May 12, 1945. The Nazis left the Adolf Hitler line, retreating from Anzio. By June 5, 1944, the Allied forces entered Rome. The D-Day landings on the northern coast of France took place on June 6, 1944. The success of the Allied D-Day liberation of France caused the liberation of Europe from the Nazi enemy.
The American Revolution War changed the world in tremendous ways. The war ended in the modern expansion of the United States of America with its paradox of implications. America was birthed in the two sins of the genocide of Native Americans and the enslavement of black African human beings. I know many people want to whitewash history, but this is the reality of America's true history. Native Americans lived in the Americas first. Later, Europeans, Africans, and other human beings came to the Americas in many different ways. The colonies in the English colonies of North America have grown rapidly since the 1500s. By 1765, the American colonies were a major economic powerhouse. After the French and Indian War, the British Empire was a brutal monarchy. The Monarchy had an autocratic system where there was the British Parliament, but the King still had major political and economic power via mercantilism, the Maafa, colonialism, etc. The British Empire wanted the American colonies to pay taxes to end the debt that was accumulated from the French and Indian War. Parliament promoted more taxes, and many American colonies refused to pay taxes, because they didn't have representation in Parliament. The colonists opposed the Stamp Act. The Townshend Act, the Boston Massacre, and other events caused the colonists to rebel against the taxation policy from Parliament. The Patriots either wanted representation or American independence. The Loyalists were colonists who wanted to stay with the British Empire. The conflict lasted from 1765 to 1783. The colonists formed the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia by late 1774. They organized Patriot resistance in networks of committees. Then, the war started when British forces wanted to disarm local militias in Boston, and the Patriots fired their weapons at the Redcoats by April 1775. The war was on. The 2nd Continental Congress responded by June 14, 1775, to fight the war with George Washington as its commander in chief. The King George III occupied Boston for a time. The Patriot forces were heavily defeated at first, but they showed resiliency with help from the Dutch, the French, and Spanish, and other people. Black Americans joined both sides to desire freedom from the tyranny of slavery. By July 1776, the Second Continental Congress formed the new nation of the United States of America. Its Declaration of Independence was influenced by the philosophies of liberalism, republicanism, the Enlightenment, the 1689 British Bill of Rights, etc. against monarchy and aristocracy. Thomas Jefferson wrote "all men are created equal," but he owned slaves. American forces allowed the Redcoats to tire itself out in the South and other regions of America to cause an American victory. The war ended by September 3, 1783, when the Treaty of Paris was signed. America had lands east of the Mississippi River and south of the Great Lakes, and Native Americans heavily got their lands stolen and their treaties broken. America had a group of righteous people who wanted liberty and evil people who wanted slavery, bigotry, xenophobia, racism, sexism, and bigotry to reign. We won many progressive victories, but we have a long way to go nearing 2025. The American Revolutionary War was a very important epoch of world history that must be acknowledged to make America better than the past indeed.
By Timothy
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Friday, December 13, 2024
Me Being 41 Years Old Now.
My birthday existed yesterday, and it's a new time in my life. As an older Millennial, I know that times are rapidly changing. People, in my generation, were blessed enough to live through the time of analog and the subsequent digital society that permeates society today (filled with iPhones, DoorDash, Amazon, Spotify, and driverless cars). We are not children anymore, and being at the start of middle age is surreal to me. The reason is that I remember my childhood and early adulthood like yesterday. I remember being in the recreation center in 1992, attending a summer program in 1996, and graduating from high school in 2001. We lived through the times of Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr. Biden, and Trump's first term. Therefore, we saw the six championships of the Chicago Bulls, 9/11, Sean Bell, Hurricane Katrina, the election of Barack Obama as President in 2008, and the insurrection of January 6th, 2021. I appreciate the words of relatives, spiritual human beings, fitness experts, and other unsung human beings with words of forthright, incredible encouragement and succinct wisdom that will always inspire me as we all walk in life's journey. As we enter the quarter-century mark of the twenty-first century, artificial intelligence, digital streams, 3D printing, emojis, and holograms are commonplace in our technological age.
Yet, universal principles always stand the test of time like justice, righteousness, liberty, compassion, empathy, strength, and humbleness. I always believe in having an erudite discussion about the mysteries of life. There is an obsession with materialism in a wicked fashion among some in this time but having connections with family and friends is worth more than any form of money. Some want to bash people of different backgrounds, but we believe in human compassion and respect shown to all people. One lesson that remains permanently engrained in my consciousness is to never give up. There are always solutions available to those who desire a fundamental change in their lives. It is common among some to be more reactionary as they get older. Yet, the older I get, the more strongly I embrace my progressive views of tolerance, economic justice, racial equality, environmental protection, religious liberty, universal health, and a sense of community to realize that developing a just society requires the sacrifice of us all. I am 41 years old now. Therefore, I feel reinvigorated intellectually, spiritually, and physically to see what the future holds in my 40s. It's a wild feeling that in less than 10 years, I will be 50 years old. That is what life is. Life never stops, and being real is a goal that we humbly embrace.
Trump wants to sign the immigration executive orders on day 1 of his Presidency. Trump wants to restrict the policy to ban ICE agents from arresting undocumented people at churches, hospitals, schools, and like-minded organizations. Far right extremist militias desire Trump to use them to deport people. The cruelty is the point, and many far-right people view undocumented people as collectively degenerates plainly speaking (which isn't true). This deportation plan relates to undocumented immigrants who have been here for decades and established families plus paid taxes. People underestimate the cruelty of Trump supporters. Trump supporters voted for a male (not a man) who made sick comments about his own daughter, who mocked disabled human beings, who used a slur against Mitch McConnell's Asian American wife and lied about the 2020 election. Therefore, the cruelty of Trump and his acolytes is evil and reprehensible.
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Early December 2024 Political and Social News.
Trump supporters should be ashamed of themselves for being complicit in Trump's evil repressive policies. Trump told a Meet the Press host Kristen Welker (of NBC) that he wants to imprison the January 6th committee members including Liz Cheney. Trump said that he wants to ban birthright citizenship which will end the 14th Amendment. The 14th Amendment was created to end slavery against black people to give black people in America citizenship rights. He wants to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, including many legal immigrants too. This is fascism that our ancestors and relatives fought against decades ago. Trump wants persecution of his political opponents, massive tax cuts for the wealthy, and regulatory actions for corporate America and his fellow billionaires. Trump wants to pardon the hundreds of fascist thugs who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. These thugs harmed police, destroyed property, waved Nazi and neo-Confederate flags on Capitol grounds for the first time in American history, and some of them wanted to hang former Vice President Mike Pence. Anyone who claims to believe in God and supports these policies makes a mockery of God and is anti-God.
I found more information about my distant cousin Clarence Edward Harris Jr. (1954-2021). He lived in Waldorf, Maryland. His parents were Deacon Clarence Edward Harris Sr. and Mrs. Virginia Colbert Harris. He was one of 11 children born into this union. He was baptized when he was 12 years old in Washington, D.C. He was a deacon, preacher, teacher, and devotion leader. He worked in Washington, D.C., Delaware, and Maryland. He was raised in Washington, D.C., and graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1973, graduating in honors. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in May 1978. Clarence earned his Master's of Science in Engineering (MSE) degree from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. in February 1983. He worked in the U.S. Navy and had a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) degree in July 1999 with the tutelage of Dr. Phyllis E. Heath. He was married to Faye Harris for 37 years with five children Clarence Harris III (with Lydia), India Eadie (with David Sr.), Darius Harris (with Chioma), Kenard Harris Sr. (with Jillian), and Korea Harris. His six grandchildren are David Jr., Jael, Kenard Jr., Dawson, Nara, and Jude.
The hip-hop artist and billionaire businessman Jay Z has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl. Jay Z has strongly denied the allegation, and the accuser's attorney has responded. We express empathy to any victim of abuse and any form of mistreatment. We have to wait and see what the truth is. If Jay Z is innocent, then he should sue the attorney for defamation. If Jay Z is guilty, he should face accountability for his actions. This is a new era of our time. These events happening to Diddy, Weinstein, and others prove once again that living a righteous life is much better than living a reckless life. At the end of the day, people don't have to lose their souls to have happiness in life. Happiness is about gaining your soul via almsgiving, treating people right, and living a life filled with joy, peace, and righteousness.
Monday, December 09, 2024
Assad being Gone from Syria and Other News.
The 2024 overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime is very historic and a long time coming. Many people have celebrated in the streets desiring freedom for the first time in their lives. Some people say this is the first time their children will see a free Syria. Assad not living in Syria and not being the tyrant of Syria is a good thing. Assad wasn't just a dictator, but he was a war criminal who mass exterminated people, used chemical weapons against human beings, and led an authoritarian regime that violated tons of human rights. The issue is what will replace the regime. The rebels who overthrew the Assad regime are diverse. Some are Kurdish forces, some are secular people, and others are radical extremists who desire no democratic solutions to problems. This reality has caused a defeat for Russia as Putin once heavily funded Assad constantly. Assad once crushed the Syrian Revolution by destroying whole neighborhoods, and ironically, other forces have overthrew him forever. Assad's father, Hafez Al-Assad wanted no political parties, no dissent, no debates, and no public protests. The Assad family regime used neoliberal policies, anti-democratic actions, and other evil actions to oppress the Syrian people (causing massive extreme poverty and inequality). Assad is a coward who left his own nation. Syria was ruled by the Ottoman Empire during WWI, then divided by British and French imperialists. The Sykes-Picot Agreement divided the Middle East and exploited the diverse cultures and ethnic groups in the region for power. The Assad Regime has fallen. Assad has fled to Moscow. Russian state media said that Bashar al-Assad and his family have political asylum. Syrian rebels have captured Damascus. This reality is surreal because many people thought that Assad was never going to be overthrown. The leader of the main rebel group is Abu Mohammad al-Jolani. He said that toppling Assad is a victory for the entire Islamic nation. He said that wants minorities to be protected. This comes after Hezbollah and Hamas (Iranian-funded allies) have declined in power after the Israeli war over the past 14 months. The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that Europe will help rebuild Syria. People are trying to find the American journalist Austin Trice in Syria. A former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led an offensive last month. There are pro-regime forces, HTS forces, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic forces, the Turkey backed Syrian National Army, and other opposition groups now control Syria. Syria's dictator Assad being gone is a new chapter for the nation of Syria. We celebrate Assad not ruling Syria anymore, but we want Syria to be an independent democratic nation without another tyrant ruling Syria indeed.
The eighth studio album of Beyonce is Cowboy Carter. This album has stirred up debate, increased black people and other people of color's interest in country music, and has been an example of why diversity matters in music. The haters forget that black people were at the origin of country music, and black representation in country music is legitimate music. These same haters were mostly silent when Shania Twain did pop music, when Elvis made gospel music, and when Dolly Parton made many pop records. Yet, they have some type of animosity towards Beyonce for making country music elements. Beyonce can sing, dance, and write songs. She is not perfect as no human on this Earth is perfect, but her album of Cowboy Carter is not totally trash as some narrow minded country music so-called fans think. The song of Beyonce's American Requiem showed lyricism, vocal ability, harmonies, and other forms of talent found in country music. The album of Cowboy Carter represents a new era of country music history. It was released on March 29, 2024, via Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. It represents Beyonce's 2nd album of her planned trilogy of albums after Renaissance (which came out in 2022). Cowboy Carter's goal was to show the contributions of black pioneers to American musical and cultural history. A lot of people don't know that black people were well-known cowboys and country music pioneers. The album also merges many genres of music too like R&B, blues, pop, bluegrass, folk, zydeco, etc. Beyonce worked with country music legends like Dolly Parton, Linda Martell, and Willie Nelson. She also featured many modern day black country music artists like Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Willie Jones. Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Nile Rodgers, Jon Batiste, and Rhiannon Giddens contributed to the acoustic instruments played on the album too. Cowboy Carter is one of her best albums of her career. It goes into experimentation with a message that diverse country music artists have as much value as mainstream country artists. She answered the criticism among some who don't view her as having country roots when the woman went to rodeos, is a fan of country music, and had relatives found in the Deep South. In fact, Beyonce was born in Houston, Texas, and listened to country music at an early age. Her family attended the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo every year in western clothing. She performed at the Rodeo four times between 2001 and 2007. She is a Southern black woman. At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Cowboy Carter has 11 nominations including Album of the Year and Best Country Album (being the 2nd most nominated album in Grammy history). Texas Hold 'Em and 16 Carriages represent country sounds. Lemonade's song Daddy's Lesson is a country music song from 2016. Dolly Parton asked Beyonce to cover the song Jolene which she did. Beyonce recorded about 100 songs for the album. Black Southern culture is shown in the album. Predictably, the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards didn't nominate Cowboy Carter for anything, but we don't seek validation from corporate power that seeks to whitewash country music. We seek validation from the Most High. Cowboy Carter broke records involving streaming. Beyonce is the first black woman to have a number one country album. She is the first woman and 2nd artist overall to debut her first 8 albums at number one. Cowboy Carter debuted at number one on the Americana/Folk Albums, Top Album Sales, and Top Country Albums charts. Beyonce helped more people to listen to country music in America and worldwide. Paul McCartney, Nancy Sinatra, and Linda Martell praised the album. Stevie Wonder called Cowboy Carter a masterpiece that is changing music and culture.
By the 2020s, country music was dominated by both a youth movement and old-school artists. There is a turning point in country music where many narrow minded people want people to view country music as monolithic. Yet, country music since its inception was never monolithic. There has been the Nashville sound, the Bakersfield, California sounds, and other styles of country music for decades. In this decade of the 2020s, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Tyler Childers, Jelly Roll, and other people have found mainstream country music. Country music's crossover appeal has increased so much that for the first time since the inception of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the top three spots were occupied by country songs (by August 2023). Kacey Musgraves's fourth studio album Star Crossed focused on disco and dance pop music. Country folk singer and songwriter Oliver Anthony made music too. There is regional Mexican country music like corridos tumbados, banda, and norteno. Many of these artists are very famous in the world.
From May 10, 1940, to June 22, 1940, the Nazis attacked Western Europe in a vicious way. Luxembourg was occupied on May 10, the Netherlands surrendered by May 14, and Belgium surrendered on May 28, 1940. France was invaded soon. First, the Allied troops escaped from Dunkirk. Allied military forces knew that they had to live to fight another day, so they left for the United Kingdom. On June 3, 1940, the Nazis started to bomb Paris, and the Dunkirk evacuation ended. Norway surrendered to the Nazis on June 10, 1940, and Italy declared war on Britain and France. The Nazis entered Paris by June 14, 1940, and Marshal Petain became the French Prime Minister on June 16, 1940. Hitler and Mussolini met in Munich on June 18, 1940, and the Soviets started to occupy the Baltic states. On June 22, 1940, France signed an armistice agreement by which the Germans occupied the northern half of France and the entire Atlantic coastline. The southern region of France was ruled by a traitorous pro-Nazi Vichy regime whose capital was in Vichy, France. Adolf Hitler toured Paris on June 23, 1940. Now, we see a new era of the war where the Nazis wanted to conquer the United Kingdom. The British supported General Charles de Gaulle as the Free French leader. German U-boats start to attack merchant ships in the Atlantic by July 1, 1940. The Battle of Britain started on July 10, 1940, as the Nazis wanted to conquer the United Kingdom. The Nazis lost that battle. The Soviets took Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia by July 23, 1940. The Italians occupied British Somaliland in East Africa by August 3-19, 1940. In England, people were in shelters and other places of safety while Nazis bombed England. The Nazis bombed airfields and factories in England on August 13, 1940. The Nazis bombed the UK in broad daylight in air battles by August 15. Hitler wanted a blockade of the British Isles on August 17, and the Nazis used air raids on Central London by August 17. The British attacked Berlin in an air raid on August 25, 1940. Hitler promoted his planned invasion of England via Operation Sea Lion by September 3, 1940, and the German blitz against Britain continued by September 7, 1940. Italy invaded Egypt by September 13, 1940, and there were massive Nazi air raids on London, Southampton, Bristol, Carfield, Liverpool, and Manchester on September 15, 1940. By September 27, 1940, there was the Tripartite (Axis) Pact signed by Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan on September 27, 1940. This means that a nation that attacked the Axis Powers, the Axis Powers will fight that nation. The Nazis come to Romania on October 7, 1940.
Then, the Nazis delay Operation Sea Lion until the Spring of 1941. Italy invaded Greece on October 28, 1940. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was re-elected as United States President on November 5, 1940. There was the torpedo bomber raid that crippled the Italian fleet at Taranto, Italy from November 10-11, 1940. The Nazis bombed Coventry, England on November 14-15, 1940. Later, Hungary joined the Axis Powers on November 20, 1940. The Greeks defeated the Italian 9th Army on November 22, 1940. Romania joined the Axis Powers on November 23, 1940, and Britain started a western desert offensive in North Africa against the Italians on December 9, 1940. There was a massive Nazi air raid on London from December 29-30, 1940. Tobruk in North Africa fell to the British and Australians on January 22, 1941. British forces go into Italian Somaliland in East Africa on February 11, 1941. Nazi German General Erwin Rommel arrived in Tripoli, North Africa on February 12, 1941. The first units of Nazi Afrika Korps go into North Africa on February 14, 1941. British forces go into Greece on March 7, 1941. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act on March 11, 1941. This law is about Americans giving money and supplies to the Allied Forces in Europe to fight the Nazis. Even in 1941, there was a strong isolationist movement that wanted America to do nothing while innocent Jewish and non-Jewish people were being murdered by the Axis Powers. The coup in Yugoslavia overthrew the pro-Axis government on March 27, 1941. There was a pro-Axis regime set up in Iraq by April 3, 1941. Many people don't know that many Arabic radicals supported the Nazis like al-Husseini (who was pictured with Nazi leaders). The Nazis invaded Greece and Yugoslavia on April 6, 1941. Then, Rommel attacked Tobruk on April 14, Yugoslavia surrendered to the Nazis on April 17, 1941, and Greece surrendered to the Nazis on April 27, 1941. The Nazi attack on Tobruk was repulsed on May 1, 1941. Deputy Fuhrer Rudolph Hess flew to Scotland on May 10, 1941. From May 10-11, 1941, the Nazis bombed London massively, and the British bombed Hamburg. There was Operation Brevity starting when the British counterattack in Egypt on May 15, 1941. There was the sinking of the British ship of Hood by the Bismarck on May 24, 1941, and the sinking of the Bismarck by the British Navy on May 27, 1941. There is a pro-Allied government created in Iraq by June 4, 1941. The Allied forces invaded Syria and Lebanon on June 8, 1941. America freeze German and Italian assets in America on June 14, 1941.
The Nazis made a bad decision on June 22, 1941, when they invaded the Soviet Union via Operation Barbarossa. The Soviet Union had a large military and Airforce. Now, the Nazis are fighting on multiple fronts at the same time. By June also, the Nazi SS-Einsatzgruppen started mass murdering people. The Nazis ruled Minsk by June 28, 1941. Stalin wanted a scorched earth policy on July 3, 1941. The Nazi cross the River Dnieper in the Ukraine by July 10, 1941. Britain and the Soviets signed a mutual assistance agreement on July 12, 1941. The UK occupied Syria on July 14, 1941. President Roosevelt froze the Japanese assets in America and suspended relations. Japan wanted more oil and raw materials to expand its empire, and negotiations failed between America and Japan over trade and economic issues. Goring told Heydrick to prepare for the Final Solution on July 31, 1941. America announced an oil embargo against aggressor states on August 1, 1941. Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to the Atlantic Chater on August 14, 1941. The Atlantic Charter is about the agreement that America and Britain were fighting the Axis Powers to "ensure life, liberty, independence, and religious freedom and to preserve the rights of man and justice." The Atlantic Charter was a foundation for the establishment of the United Nations. The agreement was made on a warship off the coast of Newfoundland during the Atlantic Conference. The Nazis attacked Leningrad on August 20, 1941. Nazis ordered Jewish people to wear yellow stars by September 1, 1941, the first experimental usage of gas chambers at Auschwitz happened on September 3, the Nazis take Kiev on September 19, 1941, and Nazis murdered 33,771 Jewish human beings at Kiev. The Nazis wanted to conquer Moscow via Operation Typhoon on October 2, 1941. The Nazis took Odessa on October 16, they take Kharkov on October 24, and they reached Sevastopol on October 30, 1941. A British aircraft carrier Ark Royal was sunk off Gibraltar by a U-boat on November 13, 1941. The Nazis take Rostov on November 20, and the Soviets retake the city on November 27, 1941. Germans abandoned an attack on Moscow by December 5, 1941. The Soviet Army launched a major counter-offensive around Moscow on December 6, 1941.
The aftermath of the American Revolutionary War saw massive changes in America. The war inspired further revolutions in Haiti, France, Latin America, etc. Since early Americans feared the same tyrannical government of the British Empire, they formed the Articles of Confederation. The confederation of states had a weak state government with a cabinet and different rules to govern the people. There were debates on how this would work. Some wanted a direct democracy where people would directly control the voting structure to govern affairs like Thomas Paine has advocated. Conservative Patriots wanted to maintain colonial institutions. Later, America promoted the Republic where the people elect representatives to represent them involving political and legislative issues. Georgia and Pennsylvania had the unicameral legislature where one congress would govern the state without a governor. Most states from Massachusetts to New York had a bicameral legislature or a law-making body with 2 houses (a Senate and a House of Representatives). The Senate was made up of mostly wealthy people and the House was made up of more of the working-class people. Many Patriots wanted all people to vote, and others wanted only wealthy, white landowning men to vote. This debate would continue to the 20th century. After the Revolution, religious freedom was promoted more with the passage of the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom in 1788, which was drafted by the Deist Thomas Jefferson. Baptists helped to promote religious freedom. Massachusetts and Connecticut continued to promote established churches. 1777 was the year when the Articles of Confederation was formed. This confederation of 13 states worked together under the leadership of John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. The federal government was not strong. Each state had its own sovereignty. The federal government was elected among a congress of delegates, not voted by the people (chosen by state legislatures). It limited Congress in many ways like it can't make taxes. America promoted the Northwest Territory expansion into the Midwest. Thomas Jefferson wanted a nation of farmers and the expansion of slavery. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 banned slavery from the territory. That means that new states have to enter the Union as free states not slave states. Spain didn't want American independence to expand. They didn't want America to trade in New Orleans. The British used mercantilism to punish American independence. Britain only traded with America to benefit its interests. The Articles of Confederation was not strong enough to handle economic issues as multiple states were unreliable to handle tax and spend issues. The Shays Rebellion in 1787 was about farmers, led by Daniel Shays (a veteran of the Revolutionary war) to give farmers to settle economic issues (of farmers having trouble paying down debts). Therefore, many Patriots wanted to form a stronger national government to handle disputes among states.
Therefore, the Constitutional Convention was formed in 1787 to make the United States Constitution as we know it. Many people wanted Congress to regulate interstate travel and get taxes. The Federal Convention started in Independence Hall in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787. Many delegates from all 13 states were there from Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, etc. Alexander Hamilton wanted a strong federal government. Hamilton was a Federalist. Federalists were right that there should be a strong national government, but many Federalists went over the line like Morris who wanted the President to hold office for life or mimic aristocracy. James Madison wanted a strong federal government but wanted republicanism not a model of British systems. Madison wanted the Virginia Plan where the more people a state had, the more representation it had in Congress. The New Jersey Plan promoted by William Patterson wanted Congress to be represented by equal members no matter how large or small. There was a Great Compromise done by Roger Sherman of Connecticut where there are 3 branches government, the House is based on a state's population and the Senate is based on equal members regardless of the size of the state. There are federal courts. There is a distinction between federal and state powers. Also, the executive, legislative, and judicial branches were co-equal in power. There was the 3/5 compromise that called black slaves 3/5 of a human which is highly offensive. There were fugitive slave laws that forced Northerners to send escaped slaves back to the South. The Constitution was based on John Locke and other Enlightenment scholars. Then, there was the ratification of the U.S. Constitution which would be hard. The Federalists (led by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison) wanted a strong national government and the anti-federalists wanted a weaker national government (led by Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, etc.). The Federalists were right that the national government should be strong to protect the rights of people, and the Anti-Federalists were right to advocate a Bill of Rights to make sure that the national government doesn't be tyrannical against the people. The Federalists had support among urban workers, seaport workers, and the Anti-Federalists had support among farmers. The Federalists promoted their ideals in The Federalist essays.The Federalists won the Constitution battle, but the Bill of Rights was added to ensure that freedom of religion, the freedom of speech, the right to have a press, the right to a trial, etc. were in existence. Congress passed the Bill of Rights in 1789. The Constitution promoted popular sovereignty, limited government, the separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances, and representative government. The Constitution persists to this very day. The contradiction is that many parts of the Constitution had to be changed and added to right wrongs and fight injustices. To this day, we have people who want to harm the Constitution with reactionary policies. George Washington was elected the first American President by 1789 with Vice President John Adams via the Electoral College. Washington suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion, and he opposed political parties, but 2 early parties existed (the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans). The Federalists were right on many issues but wrong for supporting the anti-liberty Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 that contributed to Jefferson being elected President by 1800 (against John Adams). That is why we must always fight evil and promote legitimate democratic freedoms in our daily lives. America by 1789 was very imperfect, and it will take heroic Americans to end slavery, to defeat the Confederacy, and stand for civil rights decades and centuries after 1789 indeed.
I found out that Joy Latricia Faison is my 5th cousin. She was born on December 9, 1976 in Norfolk, Virginia. Her parents are George Lee Faison (b. 1950) and Rebecca Ann Turner (1953-2015). Her late brother was Sean Tyrone Faison (1971-1998). Her parents are George Lee Faison (b. 1950) and Rebecca Ann Turner (1953-2015). George Faison's parents were Rassie Williams (1923-2000) and Carolyn Caroline Ann Tabb Faison Brown (1929-2015). Rassie Williams' parents were Roser Williams (1900-1969) and Willie May Blow (b. 1910). The parents of Roser Williams are George Williams (1868-1934) and Mary A. Bryant (b. 1875). The parents of George Williams were my 5th great-granduncle John Burwell Williams (b. 1815) and Mary Williams (b. 1832). The parents of John Burwell Williams were my 6th great-grandparents of Winifred Woodson-Bozeman (b. 1791) and Burwell Williams. The mother of Winifred was my 7th great grandmother Nancy Woodson (1760-1808).
I found out more information about my late 4th cousin Euvonne Arbodella Peeples (1952-2017). She was born on April 19, 1952 in Adams Grove, Virginia to Joe Edgar Mack Peeples (1925-1972) and Dorothy Rose Gholston (1925-2016). Her nickname was Von. She believed in the Lord Jesus Christ at a young age as a member of Shiloh Baptist Church. That church is located in Boykins, Virginia, and I have been to the church before. She was educated in the Southampton County Public School system, and she graduated from Southampton High School in 1970. From there, she attended Norfolk State University. She worked in GMAC and ALLY after 30 years. She also worked as a federal employee for 9 years. She has been married to Albert Granby for 35 years. Euvonne Arbodella Peeples married Albert Granby Sr. at Shiloh Baptist Church. The double ring ceremony was performed by the Reverend R. C. Elliot. The ceremony had lighted candles and a fan candelabra. Mrs. Thelma Jennings was the organist. Mrs. Peggie Smith and Mrs. Evelyn Carter were singers who sang People and We've Only Just Begun. Euvonne's brother, Elger Peeples, escorted her to the altar. Ms. Margorie Joyner of Drewryville, Virginia was the maid of honor. She loved to cook, travel, and spend time with her children and grandchildren. She was an active member of Brown Grove Baptist Church in Chesterfield, Virginia. Her children are Albert Donnell Granby Jr., Donnie Granby, and her step-daughter Erica Granby Thorton. Her grandsons are Albert III, Avon, Bryson, and Blake. Her brothers are Earl Nelson Peeples (b. 1954), Elger Wendell Peeples (1948-1999), and Ervin Andre Peeples (1966-2013).
By Timothy
Saturday, December 07, 2024
Friday, December 06, 2024
The End of the Week Updates.
Elon Musk and Ramaswamy met with Congressional leaders to promote cutting government programs and firing federal jobs. That will cause pain and suffering to thousands of Americans. They promote this nonsense because they believe in the archaic myth of laissez-faire capitalism. They promote the DOGE agenda. This is nothing more than Reaganism on steroids. We have seen this playbook before. The Trump supporters hypocritically claim to be the working class, but they desire to cut the social safety net in a radical way that will harm the working class and poor Americans the most. Elon Musk is the richest person on Earth, and he wants contracts to be favorable to him and his interests. Musk has a massive influence on the Trump orbit. Trump wants massive billionaires to dictate policies toward working-class Americans. Only deluded people and hypocrites think that a habitual liar, convicted felon, Wall Street agent, and liable for rape person can promote economic justice for all Americans.
Wednesday, December 04, 2024
Early December 2024 News.
The FTC has sued monopolies, banned noncompete, and challenged pharma patents that keep Rx costs high. It is making it easier to cancel subscriptions. It has clamped down to fake reviews that mislead shoppers. This is why former Trump Secretary Steve Mnuchin wants to eliminate the FTC, because it is doing its job to stop monopolies from dominating our economic system. According to Oxfam, the world's richest one percent has more wealth than the bottom 95 percent. The Consumer Financial Bureau is used to protect us from sketchy corporations. Trump is so extreme that he suggests that Canada become America's 51st state if Canada doesn't adopt Trump's tariff policy. Corporate lobbyists dominate the cabinet's proposed picks among the authoritarian Trump team. That is very obvious.
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Monday, December 02, 2024
Historical Information (on Early December 2024).
Fascism and tyrants spread into Germany and Japan during the WWII era too. After World War I, Germany was a democracy at first. There was the Weimar Republic that was named after the town of Weimar where the government was created. By the 1920s, high inflation, terms of the Treaty of Versailles, and other issues plagued Germany. The internal disunity in Germany caused racists and anti-Semitic to dominate Germany. By this time, Germany had a Sexual Revolution where minority groups and the liberal arts flourished too in places like Berlin. The Weimar Republic was weakened and gone by the time Hitler had power in Germany. By the early 1930s, the world saw the Great Depression. The antidemocratic parties gained power by exploiting the economic crisis in Germany. The far right, racist, and anti-Semitic National Socialist German Workers' Party (or Nazis) threatened the Republic. The Nazis were not socialists as they exterminated socialists, communists, and liberals in the Holocaust. They were opposed to workers' rights in opposing capitalist exploitation. Adolf Hitler headed the Nazis, and he was a WWI veteran fighting on the side of Germany. Hitler was born in Austria. Hitler was a failed painter and was about to go insane before the Nazis existed. Later, he joined the small Nazi Party after WWI. He ran it and wrote a book called Mein Kampf (or My Struggle) that outlined his views and agenda in full detail. Mein Kampf wanted the expulsion of Jewish people from Europe, believed that black people were inferior, and condemned Marxist plus communist though. It harshly criticized communists and Jewish people. Hitler wanted to copy Jim Crow American policies and the genocide of Native Americans to be applied in Germany. Hitler wanted world domination, and we know that Europe had a long history of anti-Semitism. As we know, Hitler was an evil monster who promoted bigotry and hatred which has no justification in the Universe. The views of Mein Kampf were embraced by eugenicists, some Western industrialists, and other people worldwide, not just in Germany. In fact, the Nazis followed the eugenics movement (which was heavily found in America and the UK). By the early 1930s, Germany had massive poverty, homelessness, mass inflation, hunger, and widespread unemployment.
So, by January 1933, the President of the Weimar Republic appointed Hitler the chancellor Germany. During the next 2 years, Hitler was the President and the chancellor. The German Reichstag burned up by February 27, 1933. Dutch construction worker Marinus van der Lubbe was blamed, and some scholars debated whether the Nazis burned the building or not. Later, the Nazis exploited the Reichstag fire to suspend civil liberties, persecute communists, and convince President Paul von Hindenburg to issue the Reichstag Fire Decree. He gained more power and ruled unchecked by the Reichstag or the German parliament.
Hitler caused the first concentration camp opened at Oranineburg outside of Berlin by March 12, 1933. Hitler passed the Enabling Act on March 23 to give Hitler dictatorial power, the Nazis boycotted Jewish owned businesses and shop on April 1, 1933, the Nazis burned books in Germany on May 10, and the Nazis opened Dachau concentration camp in June 1933. The Nazi Party declared itself as Germany's only political party. Germany left the League of Nations. There was the Nazi Night of the Long Knives when innocent Jewish people were beaten and murdered on June 30, 1934. Austrian Chancellor Dollfuss was murdered on July 25, 1934. Hitler promoted military conscription in violation of the Treaty of Versailles on March 16. German Jewish people were stripped of the rights by the Nuremberg Race Laws by September 15, 1935.
In 1935, the institutions of Weimar Republic were silenced, and Hitler spoke alone as the voice of Germany. Hitler followed totalitarianism. He created a state-controlled press, a secret police that harmed opposition, and indoctrination of the youth with racist lies. Hitler used methods of brainwashing crowds of people during his speeches. Nazi rallies cheered him. The Nazis grown the Gestapo in 1936 and Nazis occupy the Rhineland on March 7, 1936. By the late 1930s, Hitler promoted rearmament, massive public works projects, and desired to end the depression in Germany. He promoted laws and unjust laws against communists, socialists, Jewish people, liberals, and other groups of human beings.
Militarists controlled Japan too. Japan, by the 1920s, had increased democracy and peaceful change. The Japanese government reduce the power of the military, legalized trade unions, gave all men the right to vote, and made diverse political parties to exist. Then, the Great Depression harmed Japan in the 1930s. Many Japanese imperialists believed that Japan invading territories outside of Japan will help them gain more resources. Japan was headed by a constitutional monarchy headed by the emperor of Japan. Japan attacked Manchuria in 1931 to gain economic resources to fund its empire. Franklin Delanor Roosevelt was elected President of the United States on November 8, 1932.
In 1937, Japan attacked China with massive war crimes and rape. Japan controlled railroad links and gained its then capital city of Nanjing. 200,000 residents of Nanjing were murdered, and a large section of the city was burned. This aggression by Germany, Italy, and Japan was not stopped back then by democratic nations or the League of Nations. The League of Nation lost power, because America never officially joined the League of Nations, it had no standing army or navy, it had no real power to enforce its decrees. Hitler wanted to steal land in his agenda of Lebensraum or living space, so he stole the Saar region of France in 1935. In 1935, Italy invaded Ethiopia. Ethiopia's emperor Haile Selassie wanted the League of Nations to intervene, but they did almost nothing (and Ethiopia fell for a time). Fascists and progressives in Spain had the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939. Spain had a democratic Republican government. Hitler and Mussolini sent the military and economic aid to help that fascist leader General Francisco Franco. America, Britian, France, and the Soviet Union were on the sidelines (excepts some Americans and other fighting for the progressives in Spain). France and Britian used appeasement or trying to compromise with aggressive, fascist nations in trying to stop the spread of Nazi Germany. Franklin Roosevelt opposed appeasement, but he didn't have Congressional support at that time (during the late 1930s) to invade Europe to stop Nazi Germany. Therefore, FDR invested via the Lend Lease program to help anti-fascist forces in Europe. Roosevelt wanted to work with an alliance of nations to stop the fascist movement in Europe. Hitler revealed his war plans during the Hossbach Conference on November 5, 1937. The Nazis mobilize their military on August 12, 1938. There was the Kristallnacht or the Knight of Broken Glass pogrom against Jewish people on November 9-10, 1938, when innocent Jewish people were assaulted and murdered. This came after 17-year-old Jewish person named Herschel Grynszpan living in Paris shot and killed a member of the Germany Embassy staff after the poor treatment his father and family suffered at the hands of the Nazis. During Kristallnacht, Jewish businesses and homes were vandalized. Mob violence happened when German police stood by when crowds of people watch Nazi storm troopers and members of the SS plus the Hitler Youth beat and murdered Jewish people. Many of them brutalized Jewish women and children. Goring, Heydrich, and Hitler forced about 25,000 Jewish men to be sent to concentration camps. SS leader Reinhard Heydrich reported 7500 businesses destroyed, 267 synagogues burned (with 177 totally destroyed), and 91 Jewish people murdered.
The Munich Pact was an appeasement by the French and the British towards Hitler. Hitler threatened Jewish people during his January 30, 1939, Reichstag speech. Hitler violated the Munich Pact by the Nazis invading Czechoslovakia. Then, France and Britain put their foots down to attack Hitler if it attacked another nation. Germany signed the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact with the Soviets on August 23, 1939. This agreement made Germany and the Soviet Union to not attack each other. Both nations wanted to conquer and divide Poland up. Hitler wanted to invade Poland next. By August 31, 1939, the British fleet mobilized. Civilian evacuations start from London.
World War II officially started when the Nazis invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, via the blitzkrieg attack (or using a sudden, massive attack with tanks, guns, airpower, and other military forces to conquer territories in a rapid fashion). The Nazis destroyed Poland's Airforce. It was too strong for Poland. England, France, Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Nazi Germany on September 3, 1939. Back then, America was neutral until the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Soviet Union invaded Poland on September 17, 1939. Then, France and Great Britain declared war against Nazi Germany. Poland fell to the Nazis by the end of September 1939. The Axis Powers were united by Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Allied Forces were France, Britain, America later on, and other nations. There was quiet first after Poland was conquered by the Nazis. Then, by the spring of 1940, Nazi Germany invaded Western Europe. Germany attacked Denmark and Norway on April 9, 1940. Both nations fell almost immediately. By May 10, 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The Nazis wanted France next. Reinhard Heydrich was the leader of the new Reich Main Security Office (RSHA). The Soviets invaded Finland by November 30, 1939. By January 8, 1940, Britain started to ration supplies. Finland signed a peace treaty with the Soviets on March 12, 1940. The evacuation of Dunkirk started on May 26, 1940. Belgium surrender to the Nazis on May 28, 1940. This was the time when Winston Churchill was British new Prime Minister.
There is more information that I know about the Peeples family on November 30, 2024. My fourth cousin Earl Nelson Peeples (b. 1954) married Joyce Ann Boyd (b. 1953) on June 19, 1982, at Clarksville, Virginia. Their 2 children are my 5th cousins Brandon Earl Peeples Sr. (b. 1984) and Amber Kristin Peeples (b. 1988). Amber Kristin Peeples, from 2010 to 2013, studied at Business Administration at Keller Graduate School of Management. Earl Nelson Peeples, Brandon Earl Peeples, and Amber Kristin Peeples share the ancestors of Zilphy Claud and Charles Peeples (and her wife Fannie Brown). My 2nd great grandparents of Charles Peeples (1855-1922) and Fannie Froniana Susanna Virginia Brown (1857-1946) had a child and my great-granduncle named Mack Franklin Peeples (1881-1939). Mack Franklin Peeples married Daisy L. Claud (a descendant of my 5th great grandmother Zilphy Claud) on December 28, 1919, at Southampton County, Virginia. The person who performed the ceremony was W. R. Blow (shown by the Virginia U.S. Marriage Registers, 1853-1935). Mack Peeples was in the U.S. Army from 1918 to 1919 being in the 540 Engineers. One of the children of Mack Peeples and Daisy Claud was my 3rd cousin Joe Edgar Mack Peeples (1925-1972). Joe Edgar Mack Peeples married Dorothy Rose Gholston (1925-2016) on March 29, 1947, at Emporia, Virginia. One of the sons is Earl Nelson Peeples (b. 1954). So, this is how they are related to me. I am a descendant of Charles and Fannie Peeples via their son Joseph Peeples.
The end of the Revolutionary War started when the Redcoats increasingly invade the South. The British wanted to endorse the Loyalists of the farmers of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The British promoted a traditional war, but the Patriots regularly utilized unconventional warfare which contributed to the Patriot victory. At first, the British had early victories in the South. By late 1778, the British seized Savannah, Georgia. During the strong of 1780, the British controlled Charleston, South Carolina along with 5,000 Patriot soldiers. The British defeated another Patriot Army at Camden, South Carolina. The Spanish forces helped the Americans out. Spanish leaders under Bernado de Galvez made attacks on British forts in the Guif Coast area. By 1780, the Spanish captured the British fort of Mobile, Alabama. Then, they took Pensacola in 1781 as Pensacola was the British capital of West Florida. Then, the Patriots came back to defeat the British in many places of the South. In the South, there was a civil war where Loyalists and Patriots were fighting and killing each other. Both sides plundered and killed civilians, which I don't agree with obviously. Neighbor against neighbor and family against family were commonplace in the Revolutionary War. The Patriots won a victory at Kings Mountain in South Carolina defeating a Loyalist militia. Many prisoners were executed. Many Loyalists came to the Patriot side. People in the countryside supported the Americans more. So, General Cornwallis of Britian was angry. The Continental Army of the South was led by commanders Nathanel Greene and Daniel Morgan. It was a small but powerful army. By 1781, the Continental Army gave heavy losses to Britian at Cowpens, South Carolina and Guilford Courthouse, North Carolina. Then, Cornwallis went from North Carolina to my state of Virginia. He led his troops into a trap. By late summer 1781, George Washington marched most of his troops south to trap Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. The French fleet supported the Patriots at the Cheasapeake Bay. Cornwallis was taped by land and sea, so he surrendered his army of 8,000 people at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. The French helped the Americans at the critical time. The British people were sick of the fighting by this time and wanted peace. In early 1782, a new administration came to power in the UK to make peace. An American delegation with Benjamin Franklin negotiated a treaty with certain terms. This was the 1783 Treaty of Paris that recognized American independent and granted generous boundaries of the United States. Franklin was a great negotiator, and the French strained its relationship with America (as France wanted to run the negotiation process). The war was over. The British betrayed many of its Loyalist allies. Many Loyalists, including black Loyalists were refugees. Many slaves were made slaves again in the British West Indies. The Native Americans were abandoned by the British. Also, the Patriots made unfair treaties with Native Americans that further stole their lands at Fort Stanwix in 1784 and Hopewell in 1785. Many settlers traveled into Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Midwest. African Americans firsthand saw the contradiction of the words of the Declaration of Independence and the reality of slavery against black people. Black Americans joined both the Patriots and the Loyalists in seeking an end to slavery as soon as possible. About 5,000 African Americans joined the Patriots, and about 50,000 African Americans joined the British. Most people who benefited from the war were upper middle class and wealthy landowning white men for the most part. Slavery would gradually be banned in the North, but the South maintained slavery for decades to come. The Revolutionary War further motivated black people to fight for freedom. Women had little to no rights back then too. The views of the Revolutionary War inspired social revolutions against monarchies in Haiti, Latin America, France, and other places of the world. The Revolutionary War ended an old chapter of American history. It was bloody and imperfect, but authoritarian monarchies are antithetical to democratic freedom. So, the British Empire not ruling America was a good thing. Yet, America had to reckon with its sins of slavery against black people and the genocide of Native Americans. To this day, many Americans whitewash those sins, but we won't. We realize that there are good people and evil people in America. In order for America to reach its true destiny, it must acknowledge its history and fight to institute justice for all for real.
By the 2000s, country music sales continued to rise. In 2002, The Statler Brothers retired from music. This time saw 9/11 and the early war on terror. September 11, 2001, was when evil people used planes as weapons to kill almost 3,000 innocent human beings in New York City, Pennsylvania, and in Virginia (at the Pentagon). There was a wide sense of patriotism spreading across America. So, country music reflected the time over 20 years ago. Carrie Underwood in the 2000s was a new artist who was highly successful. She is from Checotah, Oklahoma being the first American Idol winner to record mostly country music. By the end of the decade, Underwood had 8 No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart along with many awards form the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, and others. Country pop continued in the time as well. The Chicks, Lonestar, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, and Rascal Flatts made more music. Big and Rich can about to express country music too. There were Jewel, Jessica Simpson, Sheryl Crow, and others who made music. By the late 2000s, a teenage Taylor Swift was the first country act to have widespread mainstream popularity since the 1980s and 1990s. Love Story and You Belong to Me were very popular. Swift was the first country artist in history to win an MTV Video Music Award in 2009. Country music embraced pop. There was a backlash. Many people in country music culture said that some artists became too pop and not country enough. There were artists like George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Brad Paisley who were more traditionally country. Also, many country artists promoted defending America during the early part of the war on terror found in Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet, it is important to note that patriotism is also about expressing dissent to make America better not to be brainwashed to view America as 100 percent perfect and immune of any legitimate critique. That true point must always be emphasized.
By the 2010s, country music grown in popularity. Many younger people by the 2010s became fans of country music. There is a segment of country that embraced hip hop sounds too. This time saw popular country acts being Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Jellyrool. Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Kacey Musgraves, Luke Combs, Brett Young, Kane Brown, and tons of other people. Forever Country was composed of three country songs shown by September 2016 to honor the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards. Also, there has been influence of hip hop on modern day country music. Many country artists started to rap on songs, wore more blue jeans, show themes of partying, ride pickup trucks, and embrace a subgenre called bro-country (promoted by Florida Georgia line, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, etc.). Old Town Road was performed by Lil Nas Z and Billy Ray Cyrus. Also, we see saw the passing away of country music artists like Glen Campbell, Randy Travis, and other people like Troy Gentry.
The time from 313 to 606 A.D. in the history of Christianity was certainly involving revolutionary changes. Constantine, the Roman Emperor, merged church and state to make Christianity protected in the Empire. The Roman Empire by this time was the start of the last renaissance of the Roman Empire. By the 400s, the Roman Empire declined. Christianity spread more rapidly in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Constantine invested in churches, gave restoration of properties to the churches, and gave bishops judicial power. Pagans saw their power decline in many respects. Jewish people lived in peace in many Christian areas in Europe (except in Visigothic Spain) until the 1200s when anti-Semitism was very widespread. Replacement theology rose up in claiming that Christianity displaced Judaism as God's chosen people. This time saw the Donatists, the New Testament having its canon modernized (via the Council of Rome in 382, in Hippo in 393, and Carthage in 397). This era saw the Eastern and Western churches growing part of over language, theology, and culture. Much of the church by this time divided itself into 5 patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Rome. By the 300s, the bishop of Rome wanted to rule all of Christianity. This claim caused the modernization of Roman Catholicism as we know it. The name of Jesus Christ was debated by Eastern and Western churches too. From the end of the Roman Empire to the early Middle Ages, Christianity spread. Many Germanic people became Arian Christians (in denying the Trinity), and others didn't. By this time, many people did follow the simplistic gospel of Jesus Christ like Vigilantius, Jovinian, Aerius of Sebaste, and Helvidius (who opposed the veneration of saints and relics, who rejected the intercession of the dead, denied the perpetual virginity of Mary, and it is wrong to prescribe fasts or abstinences by law). Therefore, the light of truth spread all over the world.
By Timothy