July 4th News

July 4 is the time of Independence Day. It's a holiday filled with barbecues, sports, and other forms of fun. The essence of the day represents relaxation and a history. We know the historical lesson and this lesson isn't made up of rose-colored petals.  It's time to make it plain now and keep it real now. July 4, 1776 was the time where the Declaration of Independence commenced. During that crucial time period, the Founders & other leaders proclaimed their independence from the huge empire of Great Britain. The Founders opposed the stringent, regressive policies from King George (from the Stamp Act to various taxes on goods and services). The colonists wanted to handle their own affairs independently from the monarchical tyranny of King George. The hypocrisies of this day are apparent. The Founders claimed to exhibit an abhorrence of the tyrannical system of the British Empire, yet many of them maintained a sick society wherefore slavery & oppression against people of color, women, and other minorities would transpire. The British Empire was wrong in its imperialism. That is true, but we can't omit the crimes of early Americans. The land of America was established by the theft of it via Europeans from its indigenous people, namely the Native Americans. The Africans were exploited as a means to build up the original American nation. The African suffered the Maafa and other forms of abuse so cruel that I can't mention it here. Many people back then of numerous background blatantly opposed slavery and bigotry, but that vicious system remained for almost 100 years after 1776. This day should be used to inspire all humanity to fight for the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (and for us to renewal our dedication to the proposition that all men are created equal). In our day, in 2012, we can not support imperialist wars whether they exist in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other nation. American exceptionalism is nothing more than an nuisance, slick representation of white supremacy (imperialist style). We must reject American exceptionalism as we Americans ought not to express some superiority complex. Cultures globally are valuable in the world and we can gain inspirational insight from other cultures without imperialism & without oppression. There ought to be no Pax Americana. Other nations shouldn't experience a social engineering plan from us Americans. These nations should experience freedom, ingenuity, independent thinking, and progressive improvements. We should advance the interests of the people not the interests of a select oligarchy (of the 1%). I can't support the policies of a President who agreed with militarism overseas (which caused the death of millions of innocent human beings overseas). Likewise, I don't subscribe to a Republican Presidential nominee that agrees with radical austerity either. Now, the good news is that we can do something about our issues. We can write and more than that. We should speak out and promote social justice and organize in our communities to make solutions. We can work with real organizations that seek to eradicate poverty, end the prison industrial complex, help the poor, and seek justice for oppressed human beings. Now, it is important to know that numerous Americans then and now are fighting for the truth. We shouldn't omit the heroes in America nor omit the sins of America. 


The relationship between Islamabad, Pakistan and Washington, D.C. is very low now. Why? The U.S. forces are attacking suspected areas in Pakistan. Pakistan believes that these drone attacks (and other covert activities) are a blatant violation of Pakistani national sovereignty. There is debate on whether there should be a reopening of US/NATO supply routes that spread across Pakistani territory. U.S. Defense Leon Panetta said recently acknowledge that America was waging war in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region. He said that Washington is losing patience with Islamabad and that Pakistan would do more to combat terrorist entities like the Haqqani network. There are numerous civilians in Pakistan that are indiscriminately killed via heavy assault from the United States. America supports the separatist movement in Balochistan, which is a province encompassing western Pakistan, eastern Iran, areas of southern Afghanistan. This region is near China's commercial shipping activities in Indian Ocean. This separatist movement could divide and conquer Pakistan if some leaders in the West had their way. Now, we have President Asif Zardari calling for Islamabad's full membership into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This is Pakistan's response to issues of internal insurgency and threats of separatism. Pakistan could use China as a buffer to the Western hegemonic power structure (as the West and the Russia/China hegemony are competing for resources in the heartland or Central Asia). Foreign policy may shape forever with developments in Pakistan. The hypocrisy and the arrogance of the West is real. They claim to  desire democracy, but they advocate using the barrel of imperialism in order to create token, sellout states. The West talks about human rights, but they covertly are funding Turkish, Arabic, and other proxies, who are responsible for much of the violence in that region. The CIA and other intelligence agencies have committed war crimes and human rights violations for decades. Some new reports believe that U.S. drone attacks are now occurring in Mali (not just in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan). It's hypocritical for some people to advocate democratic changes when they are allying with repressive monarchies like Saudi Arabia. The attack on sovereign nations in this unwarranted fashion is truly wrong. The truth is real. Now, we have to promote Internet freedom. For the past weeks, some real websites have been banned or heavily restricted. There are new policies in the Net that even call controversial, non-vulgar words as being called "restricted for adults," which is slick form of censorship. It's our job to work hard and to bring the truth out without regrets and without fear. I have no fear of this world, but only God alone.


World War II really grew heavily by 1941. In the European theater, Britain and the Nazis fought heavily in North Africa. Yugoslavia surrendered to the Nazis in April 17, 1941 and Greece surrendered to the Nazis in April 27, 1941. Now, the Nazis grew their influence by setting up a Pro-Axis regime in Iraq by April 3, 1941. They were defeated by the pro-Allied forces by June 4, 1941. The Nazis' ego propelled the Nazis to attack even the Soviet Union since they desired hegemonic control over Europe. In June 22, 1941, the Nazis attack the Soviet Union as Operation Barbarossa begins. This was when Germany tried to invade the Soviet Union. This was one of the biggest mistakes of Hitler, because the Soviet Union stretched millions of square miles. The Soviets were accustomed to long conflict and the climate of the Soviet Union greatly harmed the Nazi forces. Operation Barbarossa was a huge invasion since the Axis utilized 3.9 million of its own forces in the conflict. It was the largest invasion in the history of warfare. Hitler put all of the stops, because he involved 600,000 motor vehicles and about 750,000 horses to participate in Operation Barbarossa. Most of the German army causalities from 1941-1944 (and most of the Allied military casualties) came as a result of Operation Barbarossa. Operation Barbarossa was named after Frederick Barbarossa (he was the Germany mythical ruler, who according to the myth would rescue Germany in her time of need). It ended by December 5, 1941. At first, the Nazis made huge victories, especially in the Ukraine. Yet, the Russians came back to prevent the Nazis from taking Moscow. Many commanders of the Axis in this invasion (of Operation Barbarossa) were Walher von Brauchitsch, Franz Halder, Wilhem Ritter von Leeb, etc. and many commanders of the Soviet side included Georgy Zhukov, Aleksandr Vasilyevsiky, Semyon Budyonny, etc. Stalin and Britain allied since they opposed by the Nazi Empire by July 12, 1941. Hitler attacked Leningrad too by August 20, 1941. In September of 1941, Hitler took Kiev and murder 33,771 Jewish people in Kiev. Hitler was so desperate to conquer Russia that he organized the Battle of Stalingrad, which the German forces were defeated again. Stalingrad was one of the most brutal battles in human history. Stalingrad was a turning point in the war since after Stalingrad, the Nazis weren't same. The Nazis wanted access to Soviet oil in Stalingrad, but the winter conditions were harsh to the Germany. The reason was that the German army was ill equipped to deal with the harsh conditions. They were thousands away from Berlin. A historical parallel is of course Napoleon's forces being non used to the harsh winter climate in Russia more than a century before WWII. In 1942, SS leader Heydrich held his Wannsee Conference to coordinate the Final Solution.




Many people have talked about Haiti. Yet, the mainstream media for the most part aren't talking nor discussing about the present tradegies in Haiti. Not only is there an UN/US occupation of Haiti. There are also rogue people calling themselves an army harming brothers and sisters inside of the country of Haiti. Others are right that Haitians don't deserve military occupation. They legitimately deserve free elections, housing, inclusive government, employment, and widespread access to education & health care. Ironically enough, the Duvalier dictatorship years ago activated the army as a mean to repression the aspirations and rights of the Haitian people. These paramilitary groups want to bring back the army as said by Michel Martelly. Former Haitian President Aristide disbanded the army back in 1995, which was almost universally supported. Some potentially soldiers want the army back. They stormed Haiti's Parliament to express their demands and their allegiance to Prime Minister designate Laurent Lamothe. Some sources believe that about 3,500 men and women are training in secret or impromptu military bases across Haiti. President Martelly wants the armed men to disband. Only a small minority of people voted for Martelly. Yet, in 2011, he wanted $95 million to form a new army. His plans was to form a National Intelligence Service (or SIN in a French acronym) in order to handle people that are accused of terrorism. He wants the employment of 3,500 soldiers to handle his new army. Haitians are still suffering from the January 2010 earthquake and cholera (introduced by the UN). The UN is occupying Haiti with help from America, France, Canada, and Brazil. The paramilitary are claiming to handle local authority. Some reports are indicating that allies of Martelly are trying to suppress the Lavalas. Lavalas is the name of the most active political organization in Haiti. Some people want pro-democracy grassroots activists to be suppressed. The United Nations is doing nothing to prevent the paramilitary from acting extra legally in Haiti. The U.S. State Department supported Duvalier and now they support Martelly. The US and the UN are not in league with the pro-democratic Lavalas government. The West supported the coup against Aristide. Some scholar believe that the U.S. is supporting the status quo in order to make money and privatize the nation (as part of the neoliberal economic strategy). In 2007, President Rene Preval started to privatize the state-owned telephone company called Teleco. Wikileaks proved that the the US government worked with US clothing manufacturers to oppose a minimum wage increase for Haitian assembly line workers. The U.S. government is supporting corporate banks in Haiti. Foreign companies like the Canadian firm Majescor Resources are acquiring resources from Haitian firms in order to get minerals from the land of Haiti. This is neocolonial in our own Western Hemisphere. The supremacists want again want resources. Even when America militarily occupied Haiti from 1915-1934, U.S. and international business interest made investments in Haiti that took advantage of the resources in Haiti. Haiti should control its own nation without excessive globalization and excessive privatization. 












In the advent of the 21st century, more people realize the agenda of the corporate elite as it relates to Hollywood. The anti-intellectualism as found in society has been mapped out by folks for decades. Even MTV founder Bob Pitman admitted in the 1980's that: "...The strongest appeal you can make is emotionally. If you can get their emotions going, make them forget their logic, you've got 'em." That means that some folks want human beings to solely rely on emotion in order for them to ally with the mainstream popular culture. There is nothing wrong with expressing emotion. We are all humans and expressing emotions is a normal part of our human longevity. Yet, we also need logic. A balance of emotion and logic or reason is a key representation of an active, progressive, and thinking human being. That means that we should read information, comprehend facts, analyze information, and have fun too (like various activities, hobbies, and interests). Now, in our time, we should be more active to promote the worth of especially young males and young females for certain segments of the pop culture glamorize the plain, Eurocentric monolithic look. The reality is that we should never ashamed of our looks that God gave us. I will never support an entertainment industry that bashes the darker skinned people of the world. I will never worship the false gods of materialism, militarism, bigotry, and economic exploitation.The beauty of humanity is that we are all different and we don't exist in the exact same fashion. We have unique personalities, social dispositions, phenotypes (as the late Dr. Martin Luther King said, we shouldn't be ashamed of our looks), and creative abilities. These differences ought to be cherished. Now, hope is in the air. There are programs and organizations today that help human beings to build up their self-esteem. There are numerous artists or musicians in the world that express lyrics promoting the dignity and value of humankind. Now, a person shouldn't be like someone else, but a person should accept themselves without negative emotional fatalism. We accept our value in the world, our limitations, and our strengthens. The man that lives in the ghetto is as significant as the man lives in the palace. The person with a GED is as significant as a person with a PhD. So, I am black, my hair is as good as anybody's hair, and I am beautiful. Now, we ought to fight against poverty and have sympathy for the poor & the outcasts in life's road. Today, we live in a special time. Issues are more complex. On the other hand, the same goal of freedom is ever real in our lives. Madonna  is wrong to say that she is "bored with the concept of right and wrong." The reality is that the concept of right and wrong is real and this concept is a valuable belief system. That means that adultery is wrong, corporate corruption is wrong, lying is wrong, the unjust hatred of certain people is wrong, economic inequality is something that can decreased, and it is morally right to adhere to righteousness. It is a sin to have even religious bodies to support militarism and monopoly capitalism. So, everybody has the responsibility to not only talk about righteousness, but to live it out daily in our lives. 




By Timothy