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Monday, March 16, 2020

Real Truth.




Today, it is certainly a time of reflection and a time to recognize what has happened politically. It is truly historic when some in the corporate media attacked one candidate for trying to make neo-New Deal policies real while glamorizing another candidate who is unapologetic about his moderate views, his pro-imperialistic foreign policy, and his acts on girls plus women that would get ordinary people arrested. Yet, we live in this new era of our history. We have seen the progressive populist Bernie Sanders (who has imperfections on his economic nationalism, his views on reparations, his views on not being strong enough on intersectionality though Sanders is better on this issue in 2020 than in 2016) have been disrespected, slandered, and maligned ironically greater by some in MSNBC and CNN than FOX News. Red baiting has been promoted by the liberal establishment (not true progressives), pro-Trump reactionaries, and by neo cons. The neo con David Frum called Sanders a "Marxist of the old school of dialectical materialism." That is a lie. The former MSNBC host Chris Matthews said that before the New Hampshire primary that Sanders' democratic socialism is akin to the threat of execution in Central Park (and the Reds winning the Cold War). That is another lie. The liar Stephen Cloobeck (who is a major Democratic funder and former Diamond Restrots CEO) said that Sanders is an anarchist and would love to burn down the United States. Some in MSNBC even praised Michael Bloomberg's campaign. Former Root columnist Jason Johnson said the misogynoir comment about black women supporters of Sanders (Johnson called them ("the island of misfit black girls"). This was so inappropriate that he had to be forced to apologize. Jason is known for his hypocrisy. MSNBC pundit Donny Deutsch wanted to vote for Trump if Sanders won the Democratic primary. He's a hypocrite. Bloomberg slandered Sanders as a communist. Pete Buttigeieg claimed that Sanders wanted to burn down the house. Matthews said that Sanders winning Nevada was like the fall of France to the Nazis in 1940 that he apologized for.

The irony is that Sanders is advocating necessary reforms like progressive taxation, living wage, re-legalization of union organizing, green jobs organizing, and Medicare for all. The hatred of Sanders by many is about his Medicare for all proposal. His haters said that it is unaffordable, eliminates choice, and impossible to spend on. Biden, Buttigieg, Klochuhar, and Bloomberg claim that any Medicare for all system will eliminate medical coverage and tax people to death. This is not true. Sanders believes that quality health care is a human right. The current system is expensive, poorly burdensome, massively bureaucratic, and is dominated by select pharmaceutical companies. The prestigious medical journal The Lancet found that a single payer system will cut national health expenditures by 13 percent or more than $450 a year, save 68,000 lives a year, etc. Replacing premiums, deductibles, copayaments, and out of pocket costs with progressive taxation can save the average U.S. family $2,400 a year and give lower income families new medical services. Even Sanders has shown ways to pay for his programs. The American rich are undertaxed. Eric Schmidt and others slander Sanders as equivalent to Trump. The people who do this are also Jennifer Rubin and other neo-cons. Trump is a racist, a sexist, a vulgar violator of democratic norms, and a habitual liar. Sanders are not those things. The fact is that the leadership of both Republicans and Democrats are dominated by corporate and imperial interests. Some members of the Democratic establishment would rather lose to a right wing extremist like Trump than allow a progressive, social democratic person like Sanders to win. O'Donnell is wrong to assume that there is no Democratic establishment.

The common neoliberal line is that we should reject ideological purity tests, but the eliminating of slavery in America required ideological courage. It is a sad day in America when some Democrats are so right wing that some of them even considered voting for a former Republican to save them from a New Deal Democrat. Henry Wallace, in his most progressive days, would be slandered by the Democratic Party establishment in this time in my view. In fact, on economic issues, most Democratic candidates now are to the right of Hubert Humphrey. Warren and Sanders certainly aren't radicals, but moderate social democrats. Even promoting change in the capitalist system is too much for these neoliberal extremists. American oligarchs dominate most of our economic and political resources. That should change. Incremental change doesn't work to eliminate oppression. Jennifer Epps-Addison is right to say that, "This is not a time for black people to live in a moderate America." She is the Co-Executive Director of the Center for Popular Democracy, and she supports Bernie Sanders for President. Society needs revolutionary change to deal with racism, sexism, homelessness, and other evils. The bourgeoisie will want to maintain their interests. To see Obama allies Van Jones, Robert Gibbs, David Ploufe, and David Azelrod recently witnessing the Super Tuesday results is ironic. Obama supporter Rahm Emanuel is so extreme that he wanted to disrespect progressives, was a terrible mayor of Chicago, and wanted to purge antiwar candidates from the party's 2006 House of representatives candidate roster. Michael Smerconish liken Sanders and his supporters to the coronavaius is offensive. In real life, the Nazis called Jewish people and socialists viral infections. Now, Joe Biden is promoted as nearly God by many members of the corporate class and their agents in the corporate media. Biden is the one who gropes on women and girls without permission to smell their hair like a pervert, called a man too old to vote, and said to a woman that she is a "lying dog-faced pony-soldier." Biden goes around saying that he's running for the Senate, glamorizes racist segregationists, and boats about he would have beaten up Trump behind the gym in high school. Yet, the corporate media wants us to praise this man as a near savior. Biden is to the right of progressive values on public health insurance, Social Security, bankruptcy law, credit card interests rates, the prison industrial complex, the war in Iraq, etc. The sad thing is that Biden most probably will be the Democratic nominee. Yet, a miracle can happen. Bernie Sanders does have a chance to win. The red baiting of the Democratic establishment in 2020 will never forgotten by me. These days are clear that we won't stop promoting real progressive views.

The Biden and Sanders debate on March 15, 2020 was interesting. We see how Sanders is wrong to say that an immigration policy is akin to slavery. Slavery was tyranny where black Americans were stripped of language, culture, and creed. Slavery was about black people being forced to work without pay in the midst of black people experiencing torture, abuse, and oppression. Biden is wrong for overtly promoting U.S. imperialism. It's incredible how overtly imperialistic Biden is. He is blatantly advancing militarism. Biden fails to see the difference between condemning authoritarianism and acknowledging positive policies in a country. Just because you acknowledge positive outcomes in a nation doesn't mean you agree with the nation on every issue.

We disagree with Putin, but we don't want a military conflict with Russia. Biden omits that America supported dictators like Pinochet, Batista, Diem, Marcos, Hussein, the Shah, Saudi Arabia, etc. for generations as a product of promoting the interests of the military industrial complex (not the interests of Americans or freedom loving people worldwide). Sanders is the only candidate in the Democratic race now that recognizes the humanity of Palestinian people (and calling out the right wing extremist Netanyahu as a racist), wants to end the war in Yemen, and called out the Bolivian coup at the same time. The hypocrite and red baiter Biden talks about Cuba, but Obama did the same thing of respecting Cuba's educational system while condemning authoritarianism in Cuba. There is nuisance in life. There is a distinction between sincere people in a nation who want freedom and corrupt leadership running the policies in a specific nation. For example, the Soviet Union and America worked as a team heroically to defeat the Nazis during World War II, but we know that Stalin was a vicious dictator too. Biden said that he will pick a woman as a Vice Presidential candidate. Sanders said that he will likely do it in choosing a progressive woman. Sanders should have made it unequivocally clear that he will pick a woman on the ticket. Biden said that he will pick an African American woman on the Supreme Court. The debate showed the differences among both candidates. Everyone knows who MSNBC and CNN (some of them in both networks condemn Sanders' record, but they are silent on Biden's record in saying that it doesn't matter. Tell that to the victims of the Iraq War) are rooting for. That's self-explanatory.

They supported their guy from Delaware since early 2019 too. You need revolutionary solutions to deal with the coronavirus, because this is a global emergency. I do believe that a black woman should be on the Supreme Court and be a Vice Presidential candidate on the Democratic side. On the coronavirus, both candidates didn't mention capitalist exploitation as responsible for the spread of the disease rapidly to places of the world. Trump can send tons of money to Wall Street, but he refuses to send billions of dollars ASAP to workers, doctors, and other people in need of medical help, respirators, and other infrastructure necessary to combat the virus. There needs to be more hospitals built too. Joe Biden was slick saying that he is a Democrat with the big D implies that Sanders is no true Democrat. The reality is that Joe needs to be reminded of the First Amendment that says that we have the freedom of speech and the freedom of assembly to run for any party that we want even if we are Democrat or Independent. That is freedom. Biden talked about no new fracking (and calling for high speed rail. I have no issue with high speed rail. Sanders is more bold on climate change issues than Biden) without condemning fracking in general as harming communities, especially in poor areas plus communities of color. Bernie Sanders is more progressive than Joe Biden. Unfortunately, I didn't hear anything in the debate on poverty and ways to combat massive poverty in American society (that harms people of every color and of every background). Revolutionary change deals with results.


The hair of black people have a long history stretching thousands of years. Hair from African American people have history of innovation. Back in 1444, Europeans saw West Africans with locks, plaits, and twists. There is nothing new under the sun. Many of the hairstyles that we see today have been shown by black people spanning millennia. As we know, when African people were kidnapped and brought to the Americas, Asia, etc., many of the cultures of African people were eliminated. This was done under the vicious programming of dehumanization, exploitation, and racism. Olaudah Equiano shown his hair greatly in his time as an abolitionist. African Americans, who were slaves, didn't have herbal treatments or elaborate combs. So, many slaves used bacon grease, butter, and kerosene to act as conditioners and cleaners. Racist slave owners intentionally divided slaves based on skin complexion, age, and sex in order to promote the evil of colorism. After the Civil War, bad, racist stereotypes about beauty and hair persisted. Many people wanted their hair to look a certain way to enter certain schools, churches, social groups, and business networks. The paper bag test was very real back in the day. Yet, tons of black people then and now love their kinky hair. By the early 20th century, Madam C. J. Walker created a large amount of hair care products for black hair. Marcus Garvey was overt in telling his followers to embrace their natural hair and promote African identity. In 1954, George E. Johnson promoted his Johnson Products Company with Ultra Wave Hair Culture. He wanted to straightened hair for men. I of course don't want my hair straightened. In 1963, Cicely Tyson made history. She worn cornrows on the show EastSide/West Side. This was rare, but she was courageous to do this. Garrett A. Morgan made chemical relaxers. The 1960's Motown culture had the Sunday best style of fashion, women with wigs plus relaxers, and men wearing more conservative hairstyles. By the late 1960's, changes came about. The Model Pat Evans shaves her head in a photo on 1966. Back in the day, it was taboo for a woman to shave her head. Today, it is more acceptable and common to witness this reality. Diahann Carroll worn a strengthened curled hair on the show Julia back in 1968. By the late 1960's and 1970's, Afros were commonly shown by people like Angela Davis, Jesse Jackson, Don Cornelius, Melba Tolliver, and so many other Brothers and Sisters. In 1971, Melab Tolliver was unjust fired form ABC after wearing an Afro after covering Tracia Nixon's wedding. Since 1977 and to the 1980's, the jheri curl was popular. By 1974, Beverly Johnson on was the first black woman to appear on the cover of Vogue having long, smoother textured hair. Pam Grier rocked her Afro too. Donna Summer shown her curls by the year of 1977. Black women have worn braids for a long time, and in 1979, Bo Derek (who is a white woman) worn braids. In 1980, Grace Jones worn the flattop fade. Spike Lee did a great job in exposing colorism and refuting "the good hair/bad hair" nonsense in his 1988 movie School Daze. By the 1990's, black Americans have shown diversity from natural hair, weaves, and locks. Erykah Badu won the head wrap in her debut album Baduizm which saw the resurrection of neo-soul music taking over the world. Halle Berry in 1992's Boomerang movie shown a short, smooth hairstyle. Shows like a Different World and Living Single have shown black people of diverse skin tones, hairstyles, and textures being represented on TV (as the 1990's was a Golden Age of African American television). By 1997, Lisa Price created Carol's Daughter. This is a hair care line from her Brooklyn apartment that wanted to help black people and their hair.  She promoted natural, untampered textures that set the stage for the growth of the natural hair movement. Aaliyah have shown long hair. We saw new companies rise like Dark and Lovely including Nia Long plus Mary J. Blige showing their iconic hair styles. Many Brothers worn dreads, fades, waves, Afros, etc. Lauryn Hill by 1999 in People Magazine was called one of its 50 Beautiful People with her locs. By the 2000's, diversity continued in hair like Lil Kim's blond weave to Macy Gray's Afro. Destiny Child during the early 2000's displayed varying lengths, textures, and styles. Tracee Ellis Ross have curls and she was an actress on UPN's Girlfriends form 2000 top 2008. She is Diana Ross' daughter. Viola Davis and other people in the 2010's have shown natural hair as the natural hair movement reached into new heights of popularity by the 2010's. From pixie hairstyles to total locs, we have the right to express our hair as we see fit. That's real talk. Black Hair Care is an industry worth billions of dollars.



Cross fit is one of the most popular fitness styles of our generation. It was created by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai in 2000. Its origin is from Santa Cruz, California. It is a global phenomena that has been express by people of every background, race, sex, and fitness level. It has improved the lives of so many human beings. It is so well known that competitions based on crossfit are global in their extent. Cross fit deals with high intensity interval training, plyometrics, power-lifting, gymnastics, calisthenics, strongman exercises, and Olympic weightlifting. It is not a sport without risks. People have to be careful when doing it or injuries will come about. Some people who exert too much have a risk of exertional rhabdomyolysis (or a possible life threatening breakdown of muscle from extreme exertion).  Cross fit is a strength and conditioning program. The goal of it is to improve fitness. Some classes have gyms and warm up, a skill development segment, and a high intensity workout. Its proponents desire it to promote cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, balance, agility, and accuracy. Some use rope climbs, rings, medicine balls, resistance bands, mats, etc. It is decentralized. It has been used by fire departments, military, the police, etc. Tons of men and women join Crossfit. Crossfit can be expensive. We do know that there is a lack of black people or people of color in it, and people are addressing that issue. That is why many black people are setting out their own gyms to reach out to black people. Yes, there are black people who are involved in Crossfit. Many people involved in Crossfit today are Elisabeth Akinwale, Quiana Welch, Jessica Thurman, Carleen Mathews, Elijah Muhammad, Dora Milaje, and other human beings. The Cross fit games are well known. My view is that doing Cross fit is fine, but folks should get research from scientists, get advice from medically qualified experts, and always use precautions if you decide to do it.




It is always important to celebrate unsung heroes. One was Mary Luckille Hamilton who lived from October 13, 1935 to November 11, 2002. She was a Black American civil rights activist. Her case of Hamilton v. Alabama was sent to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court said that an African American was entitled to the same courteous forms of address that were given just to white people in the Southern United States. So, calling a black person by his or her first name in a legal proceeding was a form of racial discrimination according to the court. She grew up mostly in Iowa and Colorado. She graduated from East Denver High School in Denver, Colorado by 1953. She lived in Los Angeles as a teacher. She studied socialism and became a civil rights leader. She was a member of Congress of Radical Equality or CORE. She was a Freedom Rider. She helped black people to register to vote. Also, she was the only woman field secretary at CORE during that time. She was CORE's Southern regional director. She wanted to be called Miss or Mrs. She taught as a teacher and was a union organizer. She earned her B.S. from Briarcliff College from Briacliff Manor and her M.A.T (or Master of Arts in Teaching) from Mnahattanville College in in Purchase, New York. She passed away at the age of 67. The first black licensed nurse was Mary Eliza Mahoney. She was born on May 7, 1845 at Massachusetts. Her parents were from North Carolina. She worked in nursing for 40 years. She fought discrimination too. She was a member of the NACGN or the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses from 1908 at New York. She was 81 when she passed away on January 4, 1926 from breast cancer. She is honored to this very day via the Mary Mahoney Award in honor of her achievements (by National Association for Colored Graduate Nurses and the American Nurses Association). Another late legend was Cheryl White. She lived from October 29, 1953 to September 20, 2019. She was the first African American woman horse racing jockey. She was the first woman to serve as a California horse racing steward. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Her family were horse-racers. Her father, Raymond White, was a thoroughbred horse trainer. She started riding for her father in 1971. This was when she was 17 years old. Later, she received her jockey license at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio. She earned her first win as a jockey on September 3, 1971. She was the first black woman to have done so. Cheryl White won 750 races, 226 of which were in Thoroughbred racing. She earned over $760,000 in prize money. She was inducted into the Appaloosa Hall of Fame in 2011. She was the first woman to win the Appaloosa Horse Club's Jockey of the Year awards in 1977, 1983, 1984, and 1985. She retired and was a racing official. She was California's first woman horse racing steward. She was present an Award of Merit by the African American Sports Hall of Fame in Sacramento, California by 1990. She passed away at Youngstown, Ohio.



Here we are. The coronavirus pandemic is the worst pandemic since the 1918 influenza flu outbreak. There is no other way to describe it. This virus has killed at least 61 people and almost 200,000 people are infected worldwide. More than 3,000 people are infected in America. The WHO has called this virus a pandemic. It has changed the world involving travel, social gathering, science, technology, politics, economics, and other spheres of our lives. This is the beginning and not even the end. Coronavirus is a very severe acute respiratory syndrome. It is called COVID-19. It started on December 1, 2019 at Wuhan, China before spreading globally. In America alone, schools are closed, grocery stores lack toilet paper including other foods, sports events are canceling, and the President declared a national emergency. China and Italy are nations hit very bad from it. On one day, almost 200 Italians have died. The problem in America is that testing is still very minuscule. Now, Pence has promised 1.5 million tests in late March of 2020. The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates to near 0%. Trump has issued a bad response to the crisis with contradictory statements, scapegoating Democrats, and not being up to the job of President with his response. Fauci has been great in explaining to the American people that this crisis is no joke. It's real, and societies must be prepared for long term sacrifices. Sacrifice is better than death. COVID-19 has been reported in 140 countries and territories. The coronavirus doesn't discriminate based upon race, sex, income level, or nationality. Rich people like Tom Hanks and his wife plus poor people have it. Most people at risk are elderly, those with a pre-existing health condition, those with a compromised immune system, and those who are in close contact with those with the coronavirus. Experts form the CDC and other places have said that if you are sick, stay home. Also, they mentioned that don't get in close contact with people, wash you hands constantly, clean surfaces around you, and be careful. The virus can have serious symptoms in the span of 5 days from coughing and sneezing to things worst.  Complications may include pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, but research is ongoing. Efforts are aimed at managing symptoms and supportive therapy. There is a national quarantine of Italy and Spain. There are curfews in China and South Korea. Schools and universities have been closed worldwide. There has been unfortunately racism and xenophobia against people of Asian descent. That is why we condemn racism and xenophobia 100 percent as all people are created equal (and all people should be treated with dignity and with respect irrespective of one's nationality or color). The virus can cause fever, dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, sputum production, sore throat, chills, etc. Trump has banned people from Europe to come into America. It is important to trust medical experts, expert doctors, the CDC, and other authorities with the facts. The coronavirus can stay on surfaces for 9 days. The WHO wants $675 million to fight the global coronvarius pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci or the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that, "The system is not really geared to what we need right now." This crisis outlines the crisis and failure of mainstream capitalism. There is no question that emergency funding to build hospital facilities are needed. Billions of dollars should promote paid sick leave, and building an infrastructure to help solve this problem. Cooperation (not travel bans) must exist nationally and internationally. Sharing resources and information is key. This is why universal health care is necessary in America. When you have U.S. health care having life expectancy, infant mortality, drug addiction, and suicide being issues, we have a problem. Trump deserves blame for this trade war and the embargoes against Iran causing Iran to experience worse deaths as a product of COVID-19. Many masks, glove, and nasal swaps are running out in NYC now. The federal government has a role in this affair. We reject the idea that corporate welfare should have a priority above the common welfare of the people. Hypocrites like Matt Gaetz voted against paid sick leave, but he talking it since he was exposed to COVID-19. The mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, has the coronavirus after he attended an event with the right wing extremist Brazilian despot Jair Bolsonaro. Jeremy Warner from the Telegraph made the disgusting comment that the COID-19 virus may be beneficial long term by elderly dependents being gone. You can't make this stuff up. Many people surviving the coronavirus may be left with less than 20 to 30% less lung function. Also, students should have access in getting meals. Spain has about 2,000 coronavrius cases and more than 100 deaths in the last 24 hours. Larry Kuldlow is wrong to say that the U.S. contained the virus. NYC may be the new Italy if things continue. Therefore, people should ask questions, be strong, and live life wisely.



By Timothy


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