Friday News in Mid-February 2019.

Now, people have boycotted Gucci for promoting a racist blackface clothing collection. Floyd Mayweather has opposed the boycott and accused celebrities of false advocacy. He is wrong on all accounts. The reason is that 2 wrong don't make a right. It is wrong for some (not all rappers) rappers to make songs that disrespect women, glamorize the n word, or exploit the suffering of black people. Also, it is wrong for Gucci to advance racist clothing. People have the right to boycott as found in the First Amendment. Mayweather fails to see that life doesn't just revolve around you. Life revolves around billions of people. Black people going into the realm of justice requires us to sacrifice like our ancestors did. Money isn't everything. We have to care for our neighbors to grow in our own lives. The actions of hypocritical celebrities doesn't negate the need for people to call out Gucci for their blatant racism. For the record, I won't buy anything from Gucci anyway.


Today, both houses of Congress passed a shutdown compromise. Now, Trump wants to declare a national emergency to promote his vain wall. People from across the political spectrum oppose using a national emergency since it can be exploited to promote too much executive power. Also, future Presidents can use it by fiat to promote certain actions. The shutdown deal is about sending $1.375 billion for border fencing, wall repairs and other barriers on the US-Mexico border, as part of a much larger bill funding one quarter of the federal government through September 30. Trump may want to steal money from other parts of the U.S. budget to try to fund his border wall. This national emergency will be challenged in court. There is no need for a national emergency, because migrants are escaping persecution and these human beings are not cut throat murderers. Mitch McConnell is a notorious courage to support the national emergency declaration. It is no secret that Trump wants the executive branch to have supreme authority over the other two branches of government, which is against the legitimate concept of the separation of powers. Trump has promoted vulgarity, lawlessness, and an out of control expanded executive branch. That is wrong. The United States government shouldn't be run by one executive. We have historic lows of record low undocumented  immigration crossings.

When I did deep research in my ancestry, I found out that my ancestors' in laws were related to Frederick Douglass. I'm not related directly to Frederick Douglass, but my ancestors' in laws were. For example, Virgie Mae Claud Hardy (1895-1968) was my third great aunt. She married a man named John Walter Hardy (who was my in law). They had a child named John Melton Hardy Sr. (who was my first cousin). John Melton Hardy Sr. married a woman named Gloria Romenta Walden. Gloria Romenta Walden was a direct descendant of Frederick Douglass. Now, Gloria's father was Square Titus Walden (1893 - 1959). Square's father was Titus Lagrant Walden (1859 - 1950). Titus's mother was Nancy Ann Weaver (1843 - 1922). Nancy's father was Willis Weaver (1814 - 1892). Willis also had a son named David Weaver. David Weaver married a woman named Estella Irene Sprague. Estella Irene Sprague's father was Nathan Sprague. Estella was the daughter of Rosetta E. DOUGLASS (or Estella's mother). Rosetta Douglass is the daughter of Frederick Douglass and Anna Murray Douglass. This information certainly shocked me, but it showed that all of humanity are basically cousins (or more closely related).

The problem with the ADOS movement isn't their advocacy of African American interests. It's their constant omission of the need of reparations for Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Latinos, and all black people of African descent in Western Hemisphere. To keep it real, more black slaves came into Brazil than all of the British colonies combined. I agree with Yvette Carnell on many economic issues and her promotion of reparations for us black Americans, but she is wrong by minimizing the importance of Pan-African unity. I believe in Pan-Africanism and many ADOS advocates are hostile to Pan-Africanism. She or Yvette had a video called Pan Africanism is dead, so that tells everyone how she thinks. History teaches us that non-African American black people were crucial in African American struggle for freedom. Marcus Garvey, Kwame Ture, Claudia Jones, and other Brothers and Sisters weren't born in America. Yet, they did help many black Americans. Africans collectively are never to be blamed for the Maafa. I don't believe that ADOS members are some Russian bots, but I'm beyond some American. I'm an person of black African descent who was born in America. The enemy of racism must be ended. Black unity means unity with black people globally not just in the States.



Recently, Monique and Steve Harvey had an honest, spirited debate about the industry and black people. Monique said to Steve Harvey that real change is not easy and sacrifice is required to establish liberation for black people. Steve Harvey responded that we (as black people) must act in a certain way and play the game in order to see freedom. Monique made the greatest point in the debate in saying that our integrity is worth more than money. Money is never infallible. The love of money is the root of all evil, so our value as black people is never defined by money. Our value is inborn and it is priceless. Throughout history , black heroes used courage, sacrifice, protests, boycotts, self-defense, and other actions in getting real social change. Money is a tool that can be used for good or evil. Money isn't a god. Steve Harvey said that he doesn't care about slavery, he disrespected Flint victims, and he once talked with Trump in the White House. Steve Harvey defended the white racist Paula Dean. Harvey never apologized for those mistakes, but he is trying to insist that Monique tap dance and compromise to an industry that historically exploited black genius plus black talent for profit. Steve Harvey was very disrespectful in the interview with Monique too. Steve Harvey would never talk to a white actress or actor like he spoke to Monique. So, I agree with Monique than Steve Harvey. Also, helping the poor isn't about individual pursuits alone. Helping the poor deals with changing the whole structure of the system wherefore living wages, housing, education, and other blessings are available to the poor, so the poor can leave poverty. That's real talk.
INTEGRITY OVER MATERIALISM.



By Timothy