Worldwide Events.

Today, the NYPD decided to fire the officer Daniel Pantaleo. After five years, and multiple investigations (in the state and federal levels), this outcome came. It certainly came too late as it is obvious from the video footage that Daniel used excessive force against Eric Garner. Daniel's actions even violated police protocol in restricting the usage of a chokehold. That is why the Garner family is calling for state and federal bans on police from using a chokehold. Patrick Lynch of the PBA in NYC once again blamed the Commissioner for the firing of Eric Garner. Lynch is a known extremist who believe that Pantaleo shouldn't be charged with anything. While Daniel can go back to his family and eat food with his family, Eric Garner is physically gone, and the Garner family will experience that pain for the rest of their lives. It is the true injustice that places the immunity of accountability among officers instead of promoting a system of fairness for all citizens.

I disagree with NYPD Commissioner James O'neil saying that if he was a rank and file officer, he would be angry at his decision. He shouldn't be angry at his decision. He should be angry at police brutality, and the reality of many people experiencing injustices as it relates to the criminal justice system. While Pantaleo is fired, he will not charged of any crime. That is the sad part of this. Rarely are officers, who do police brutality, are held accountable for their actions. Black people know from first hand experiences of the imperfections of the system. That is why we don't quit. We will continue in our journeys to advocate and fight for the justice of all people. That is how we roll now. Yes, Black Lives always Matter.


We know of him as a television personality and a meteorologist. Yet, he is more than that. He is a family man, a father, a motivational speaker, and a human being who loves his wife including his children. He is Brother Al Roker, and it was his Birthday yesterday. Humbleness is included in his personality as he always has a love for expressing empathy towards fellow human beings. Al Roker is a great author, and he has acted before. He is 65 years old, and he was born in Queens, NYC. His parents are of Afro-Caribbean descent. His mother is of Jamaican descent, and his father is of Bahamian descent. He graduated from Xavier High School in Manhattan. He had a B.A. in communications in 1976 from the State University of New York at Oswego. His cousin is the late actress Roxie Roker. Al Roker's second cousin is Lenny Kravtiz (as they share the same great grandparents). He worked in TV shows as a weather anchor since the 1970's. He worked in New York, Cleveland, and other locations. Since 1996, he has worked on the Today show to bring weather to millions of people. Al Roker has hosted parades, been on TV shows, and loves to barbecue. He has written literature as well. He loves his wife Deborah Roberts, who is a journalist in her own right. The couple has three children. Always involved in helping other, Al Roker is a great role model in our generation. I wish Brother Al Roker more blessings.

There is the 1619 project from the New York Times magazine. It is about the remembrance of the 400 years after innocent black people from Central Africa being kidnapped and sent into Hampton, Virginia. This is personal to us and all black people, since our African American ancestors were slaves. Al Shaprton is right to say that every time I write my name on a document or whatever, my last name is the name of the Europeans who owned my family. That's deep. The leader of the project, Nikole Hannah-Jones, should receive great credit in talking about this issue. The legacy of slavery is felt to this very day. What many of us eat, how we interact with society, and many actions of our lives are influenced by the legacy of slavery. This legacy deals with discrimination and health plus environmental disparities too.

The only way to heal is to confront and acknowledge the real history of America without sugarcoating it (and use policies of compensation). America was build by the oppression of black people, and black people contributed heavily in pro-democracy movements from the beginning. Also, this story of America involve the huge contributions of black Americans. We, who are black people, are never descended of weak people. Our ancestors survived the trek to the gates, the travel against our wills into the Americas, the plantation, and the abuse by tyrants. From centuries of oppression, we still rise to be poets, teachers, lawyers, fitness experts, artists, musicians, etc. That's a miracle. No other people experienced what we have experienced, and we still rise to fight for our due justice.


By Timothy