Wednesday, March 25, 2020

What is Truly Important (Helping Lives)





The coronavirus is part of a humanitarian crisis. It is important to note that human life is more important than Wall Street profit. Right now, many epicenters exist involving COVID-19 from New York City to California including Louisiana. Cases double every three days. There are over 25,000 cases in New York state with over 15,000 in NYC alone. NYC is the size of Chesapeake,VA, and NYC has almost 9 million people. New York City is the most densely population city in the USA with the most population of any city in America. The city lacks tons of ventilators and hospital space. That is why federal authorities are working to build more hospital space in the Javits Center in New York City. The bill of the CARES Act (or the Coronavrius Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) costs $2 trillion. It is the biggest proposed bailout in American history. If the bill becomes law, it is will give aid to many industries like cruise companies, resorts, and airlines. It will also give most Americans $1200 including $500 for children. The controversy of the bill is how to allocate the money among industries and the people (and if the money given to people is enough).

Right now in Elmhusrt Hospital in Queens, a long line of people behind police barricades wait to try to get treatment. Undocumented immigrants will receive no aid money when some of them sustain the American economy. The tragic passing away of the 36 year old principal at a Brooklyn school, who is named Dezann Romain, should allow anyone to witness the seriousness of the issue. NYC needs 140,000 hospital beds when only 53,000 are there now. They only have 5,000 ventilators when 30,000 will be needed. Doctors, nurses, and health care workers nationwide lack personal protective equipment, masks, face shields, and other supplies. This isn't the time for moderation. Centrism is not pro-liberation but pro-status quo. If a person doesn't believe that all people deserve universal health, a livable income, housing, and other basic necessities, then that person is on the wrong side of history. The coronavirus pandemic proves once again that capitalist exploitation is antithetical to democratic rights and humanity itself.

During these times, we have to use wise discernment. We should see what other nations have done in order to witness how they have made their coronavirus cases go down or level off. We have to be careful excluding mass hysteria. Many countries in Africa have hand-washing stations, beds in quarantine centers, walk in coronvarius testing for free temperature screening, and health screening at airports. America deserves supplies, resources, and other tools to fight back against the coronavirus for real. More than 10,000 people have died via that virus. Over 600 Americans have passed away with over 50,000 people being infected with the virus in the States. We have to treat this situation like a war, because it is a war. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York state have shown great leadership in this matter except for his advocacy of cutting Medicaid plus refusing to have a moratorium of renting. Trump wants the country to quickly go to work, but the virus doesn't follow on our time. Experts have said that the worst of the virus will exist for months. That is why a real stimulus bill must be made into law in order to save small businesses, help the poor, enrich the economy, and deal with solutions. We all want everything back open by Easter, but it most probably wont be like that. Therefore, we have to continue in preparation for a long term change in our society.

Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Dorothy Height. She passed away in 2010 and was born in 1912. She was an icon of the Civil Rights Movement. She dealt with voting rights, unemployment, literacy issues, and women's rights. She was the President of the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years. He was born in Richmond, Virginia. Later, she was raised in Rankin, Pennsylvania. For over 50 years, she opposed discrimination and fought for the just dream of human justice. She worked with the NAACP and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She encouraged LBJ to appoint African American women in positions of government. She encouraged Eisenhower to desegregate schools. She saw President Barack Obama inaugurated as President. Her maternal line came from the Temne people of modern day Sierra Leone. The Dorothy I. Height Post Office was one of the most iconic landmarks in the D.C. area. She received many awards like the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1989, the Candace Award in 1986, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994, the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004, and the 2009 Foremothers Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Center for Health Research. Her life is a total representation of the longevity and power of Black Excellence. Always in love with freedom, her soul reached magnificent heights of glory plus power.
Rest in Power Sister Dorothy Height.

As a singer and songwriter, she is one of the most exciting singers of all time. Before Rihanna, before Beyonce, before Toni Braxton, before Amerie, and before a lot of artists, there was her. She is the Queen of Funk and made numerous R&B classics. She is Sister Chaka Khan, and it was her Birthday days ago. She is now 67 years old, and she was born in Chicago. She won 10 Grammy Awards and sold about 70 million records worldwide. Her sister became a musician in her own right. Chaka Khan studied jazz and other forms of music as a child. By the late 1960's, Chaka Khan was part of many civil rights rallies with her father's second wife, Connie. Chaka Khan joined the Black Panther Party when she was very young. That is why she was a friend of late, great Fred Hampton in 1967. Her whole name was Chaka Adunne Audffe Hodarhi Karaifi given to her at age 13 by Yoruba Baba. She performed in many groups by 1969. By 1972, she joined the super group called Rufus. Rufus' song of Tell Me Something Good was their breakout hit. She made many more albums with Rufus, before she established her solo career more firmly. Her hit "I'm Every Woman" was written for her by Ashford & Simpson. I Feel For You is another classic from her. She worked with hip hop artists too. The ballad Through the Fire further established her career as legendary. She made more music in the 1990's and in the 21st century. Chaka Khan doesn't look 67, and she is a gorgeous black woman. In 2020, she was in the Masked Singer show, and she is still living her life. I wish Sister Chaka Khan more blessings.

By Timothy



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