During the Spring of 2022, we have witnessed new developments in our world history. One such event is about the Russian illegal, unjust, invasion of Ukraine. Civilian areas being destroyed, massive refugees fleeing the nation of Ukraine (in more than 1.5 million people coming into Poland, Hungary, America, etc.), and the shelling even near nuclear plants (that a massive damage could cause a radiation crisis in Ukraine) represent the tyrannical, abhorrent actions of Vladimir Putin. Also, we were clear to oppose the racism and discrimination at the Ukrainian border experienced by black Africans, Indians, Middle Eastern people, and other people of color. Many African refugees are prevented to board buses to cross the border by virtue of the color of their skin. The United Nations have shown tons of evidence of this discrimination too. That mistreatment is evil, wrong, and has no place anywhere on Earth. Domestically, in America, we have the 2 threats of far-right extremism (its adherents ally with Donald Trump. Some of them even praise Putin overtly) and neo-liberal moderates who want the status quo. The far right Trumpists in America advance anti-democratic measures like passing voter suppression laws, advancing censorship of anti-racism books in schools, and harboring hatred of social safety net. Neo-liberal centrists minimize the epidemic of police terrorism against black people, support Western bombings in Libya, Somalia, etc., and they refuse to promote reparations for black Americans (as we black Americans deserve reparations. Many Japanese Americans, many Jewish Americans, and numerous Native Americans have justly received reparations). Manchin and Sinema are two leaders of the neo-liberal moderate movement who care more for preserving an archaic filibuster than advancing the Build Back Better build for real. With massive economic dislocation, deaths from a pandemic, and extreme homelessness, a token moderate approach will never cut it to advance progressive, revolutionary solutions. We need a radical redistribution of economic and political power.
Change comes by constructive actions and love. Love is not supporting injustice. Love is always a strong force that desires goodwill, justice, and a real transformation of human societies. This love has inspired the slave revolts, boycotts against white racism, and building solutions to eliminate economic oppression. We should reject distractions that attack black people or advance gender war nonsense. That is why I don't support the ADOS/FBA movement, the Goldensphere, the manosphere, and diversters. They exist to divide and try to ruin black cohesive power in the globe. All of these movements are similar in the sense that they reject widespread solutions globally, they hate Pan-African unity, they want divisiveness to reign, and they refuse to talk about real issues. They don't talk about health care disparities, environmental problems (from toxic waste to radiation matters), resisting imperialism, and desiring justice to exist worldwide in the Universe. That is why those movements deserve no respect in my eyes. This year is the 56th year anniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Vice President Kamala Harris gave remarks on this day. Bloody Sunday was when crooked police officers beat up men, women, and children peaceful demonstrators near the Edmund Pettus bridge. Many people escaped into the Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church to survive literally. John Lewis was hit on the head, and Lewis feared that he would die. This increased the power of the Selma movement to cause the Voting Rights Act to be passed in 1965. The Selma movement were diverse made up of grassroots people, SCLC, SNCC, the Dallas County Voters League (DCVL), and other human beings who stood up for justice. Amelia Boynton, Dr. King, Annie Lee Cooper, Prathia Hall, Kwame Ture, Bernard Lafayette, and other leaders were part of the cause. After Bloody Sunday, marchers finally came from Selma to Montgomery (or the capital of Alabama) in order to advance voting rights for all people. Now, we continue to remember that this fight for voting rights is not over. We have a long way to go with voter suppression laws, unfair gerrymandering, and other issues. Yet, our cause is just, and we shall overcome in the end.
Living on this Earth is a gift and experiencing the 21st century is truly a blessing. As we approach the quarter century mark of this current century, it is always important to celebrate and recognize unsung legends in the world. Augusta Savage was more than an unsung legend of the culture of art. She was an educator, an activist, and a human being who changed the world in a myriad of positive ways. There is a very long tradition in African American culture and black culture globally involving the arts. We know about Coltraine, Sarah Vaughan, and other geniuses. Augusta Savage's contributions in artistic expression are vastly powerful. Back when I was in high school (1997-2001), I did sculpture. I sculpted many images. Before my time, Augusta Savage has sculpted some of the most beautiful images in human history. She lived from the start of Jim Crow to the beginning of the end of it. She saw the two World Wars, the Harlem Renaissance, and the growth of the Civil Rights Movement. Her work dealt with forming images of children, men, and women. For decades, Savage was an outspoken proponent of equal rights for all people in the world. Drawing images, developing images of people, and teaching some of the greatest artists of all time like Jacob Lawarence are all part of her splendid legacy as a black human being. Also, we have to cultivate a better future too. The past is important to know, so we can be inspired to create our own paths. Some people may deal with STEM, athletics, legal affairs, education, medicine, and in other arenas. Yet, we have to honor the right of people to decide on how to conduct their lives in a legitimate fashion. Each of us have talents and gifts from God, and we certainly ought to promote justice, fair treatment, equality, respect, and dignity for all human beings regardless of background. Augusta Savage was the icon of the ages.
Mixed Martial arts is a sport that should be evaluated. It's a full contact combat sport that has increased its popularity since the start of the 21st century. For decades, it has been used by men and women to express their skills in boxing, wrestling, and other forms of fighting skills. Back in the day, MMA was controversial. Many states banned the sport in America alone. It is only in recent years when MMA has been more promoted in a positive way by mainstream society. Being a youthful sport, it has gone through growing pains. Today, tons of corporations have influence in it, and diverse MMA leagues are in abundance. Venues have been called the Octagon, cage, and an MMA ring to showcase fighters fighting other fighters. Combat sports have existed for thousands of years in human history. We have interstylistic contests in Japan during the early 20th century. We know about the Gracie family using their own Brazilian jiu-jitsu for self-defense and to be involved in MMA culture. Bruce Lee wrote about combat fighting, and he had a scene in the 1973 film Enter the Dragon where a MMA-like match takes place. Muhammad Ali in 1976 fought Inoki in an Exhibition match that ended in a draw. Antonio Inoki was a wrestler. As time goes on, mixed martial arts has become more organized, more regulated, and the talent has spread globally. There are risks in MMA like increased chances of injury, CTE, and other damage to the human body. In our time, some of the best mixed martial artists of all time are human beings like Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Rhonda Rousey, George St.-Pierre, B.J. Penn, Randy Couture, Hkabib Nurmagoemdov, Daniel Cormier, Royce Gracie, Quinton Jackson, Amanda Nunes, Holly Holm, Valentina Shevchenko, Megumi Fuji, Joanna Jerdrzejczyk, Cris Cyborg, and other fighters. One common denominator among these athletes is that they are highly trained in multiple disciplines like boxing, wrestling, judo, jiu-jistsu, kickboxing, etc. These people don't just know one art of fighting. They are high trained in diverse skills too. Mixed martial artists has expanded its influence, culture, and popularity over the years. It is important to show information on everything under the sun, and this sport should have its time to be researched and studied fully.
The era of Presidents from Warren G. Harding to John F. Kennedy included some of the most important historical developments of the 20th century. Massive changes in America including the world happened from 1921 to 1963 like Little Rock Nine and the independence of the nation of Ghana. In that time, we saw the bloodiest war in human history killing almost 100 million people, new African including Asian nations being independent from Western imperialism, and the growth of social movements advancing the cause of justice and equality in the four corners of the Earth. The Roaring 20s, the Harlem Renaissance, the Swing Era, Jazz, and the early Civil Rights Movement were all part of the time when these Presidents have lived. In the midst of this time period, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt changed America forever militarily, socially, economically, and politically. The world of Presidents now came heavily from FDR's actions. The Great Depression ruined many lives, and then massive federal government involvement was created to help to end it. Roosevelt was probably the most influential President of the 20th century with his strengths and imperfections. He helped to cultivate the modern expression of liberalism politically in many spheres of the world. By the end of this period, there was the brink of nuclear war among America and the Soviet Union. With the Berlin Airlift, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and other events, WWIII was almost going to occur. Yet, cooler heads prevailed among both sides to resolve those conflicts. There was the Non-Aligned Movement among many nations that rejected both Western imperialism and Soviet Stalinism too. President John F. Kennedy saw both the promise of democracy and the long way to go in seeing America live up to the aspiration of total human equality and justice for all people.The assassination of John F. Kennedy totally changed America forever. Nothing would be the same. With the war in Vietnam, the start of the end of Jim Crow, and more activists fighting for real social change, these Presidents witnessed unparalleled developments in world history indeed.
By Timothy
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