How to Resist the Empire’s Neoliberal Debt Trap

 How to Resist the Empire’s Neoliberal Debt Trap - CounterPunch.org

Stories on Life.

  

Norma Artis Morton was my 4th cousin who lived from February 5, 1927, in Pennsylvania to August 15, 2010, in Jamaica Queens, New York City. She married the late Harry Morton Sr., and they had many children. Some of their children are Harry B. Morton Jr. (b. 1952), Bernard Louis Morton (1953-2003), Maureen V. Morton (b. 1961), Evan Morton, and Adrienne C. Morton George. My 3rd cousin Elliot Artis has a long history. She lived from 1898 to 1968. Her parents are Benjamin Joe Artis and Annie B. Lewis Artis. Their children are Madelean Artis (1894-1935), Annie L. Artis (b. 1900), May Artis (b. 1902), Maude Artis (b. 1907), Prince Edward Artis (1909-1972), Miriam Artis (b. 1912), Thaddeus Wilson Artis (1913-1968), Lewis A. Artis (B. 1917), Elliot Artis (1898-1968), and Jo Bill Artis. Elliot Artis married Julia Ann Wyche on December 28, 1924, in Virginia. Their children are Ella Beatrice Artis (1925-1927), Irma Artist (b. 1929), Virginia Artis (1929-1992), Elliot Benjamin Artis Jr. (1931-2003), Edward Artis (b. 1932), Mabel Artis (b. 1933), George E. Artis Sr. (1936-2003), Florence E. Artis (b. 1940), Lloyd Artis (b. 1942), Minnie Artis (B. 1943), and Anthony Artis (b. 1947). Elliot Artis's son was George Artis. George Artis married Bessie Mae Branch. Bessie Mae Branch's parents are Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Branch. Elliot Artis lived in Ossining, New York state. The ceremony was performed on February 20th, 1960, in a home. The bride Bessie Branch was employed at Beckley Hospital before going to New York. Her sister, Julia Branch, was the maid of honor. Her bridesmaids were Miss Alberta Knight, Miss Jane Murray of Brooklyn, NYC, and Miss Daisy Lee of New York including Miss Myrtle Merchant of Tuskegee, Alabama. Lloyd Artis is the brother of George Artis, and he was the best man. 

 

Many people know about the story of reparations coming to Evanston in 2012 by former Alderman Lionel Jean-Baptiste. Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) is a nonprofit organization that promotes and develops affordable housing. It was used to give the first 16 local reparations restorative housing grants. This is not reparations for black Americans collectively, but it is a legitimate gesture to help fellow human beings to survive in the world. Evanston's Local Reparations Restorative Housing Program wanted to eliminate the effects of systemically racist past practices from the city government and all city affiliated organizations. Many black people have to fit certain categories to get reparations like residents who lived in the city from 1919 to 1969, a direct descendant of a black resident from 1919 to 1969, and residents who gave evidence that they were victims of housing discrimination due to the city's policies or practices after 1969. More black Evanstonians are fighting for these types of reparations. This story has been written by the reporter at the Evanston RoundTable named Debbie-Marie Brown. Evanston is found in Illinois being a Chicago suburb. Reparations for black Americans have been stalled in Congress for a time now. In St. Paul, Minnesota, the city has apologized in 2021 for its role in the institutional and structural racism experienced by its black residents. City officials in St. Paul formed an advisory committee to create a framework for reparations commissions. The committee made a report recommending direct cash payments to eligible black residents and creating a permanent reparations committee. This will focus on sending reparations to address racial disparities in housing, healthcare, education, employment, etc. Trahrn Crew, a member of St. Paul City council's reparations legislation advisory committee partly influenced reparations efforts in Minnesota's capital city. Yohuru Williams wants a holistic approach to reparations. Times are changing, and the movement for reparations for black Americans collectively is reaching new heights of power. 

 

Life is a miracle. When I was younger, I certainly underestimated the value of life and timing. Now, that I'm older, I see the value of life is very important. Learning great lessons is part of aging. Centuries ago, my ancestors were in Western and Central Africa. Later, evil people kidnapped, raped, and abused our ancestors. They sent them to America against their will. Their cultures, music, and way of life (from Africa) have been gone in a moment. The journey of the Maafa was brutal. Black women were raped on ships, black men were whipped, and black people on ships were placed in chains. The worst crime of humanity involving slavery was the Maafa. It lasted from the late 1400's to the 1800's. It lasted for over 400 years. The miracle is that our people live now. After all of that pain and turmoil have done to our black ancestors by racists and terrorists, black people still exist as STEM leaders, teachers, lawyers, activists, theologians, artists, musicians, athletes, doctors, lawyers, and other courageous human beings. Our people have no malice toward innocent people of every color, but we reserve our right to advocate for restitution, accountability, and justice. Part of that aim for justice is to promote reparations for black Americans. The Black American story is a great story filled with triumphs from laws being made to institutions being developed to improve the lives of so many people in the world. We still have a long way to go in seeking liberation. For the past 50 years, the reparations movement has grown in strength. Many policies have existed. For the record, I reject xenophobia. Some try to exploit the reparations movement to demonize or minimize the importance of Pan-African unity. That is why I don't agree with the ADOS or FBA movements as their movements have tons of members having hostility toward black people outside of America. The leader of FBA, Tariq Nasheed, has disrespected Afro-Caribbeans constantly in videos and Tweets (even calling them slurs like the "t" word). One of the founders of ADOS even showed hostility to African music shown in Howard University. Another founder of ADOS said that he has more in common with a European American than an African. Therefore, black Americans will continue to fight for reparations without compromise, without xenophobia, and without bigotry. Truth is on our side. 

 

Popular Culture has been around for a long time. During ancient times, many people did plays and other ceremonies about acting. Today, we have more sophisticated technology to describe stories, show entertainment, and deal with other aspects of human lives. Nowadays, Tik Tok among the youth can show dances and other forms of entertainment. Presently, advanced smartphones can create movies by themselves with cinematic, digital devices. The more facts that we know, the more insights that we know. I want to make the following point too. Crowder's disrespect of the quarterback Russell Wilson as "lame" (when Crowder talks about Wilson like that, he wants to dismiss his manhood) is silly by him. That view represents the view of some in the world. The truth is that Russell Wilson is a man who takes care of his kids, stands up for his wife, loves his family, and goes out of his way to provide for people. Russell Wilson is a role model that real men should respect not downgrade. Also, we know of the massive symbolism and occult influence found in Hollywood. One example is the racist L. Ron Hubbard invented Scientology. Scientology is a controversial group that believes that humans are immortal alien spiritual beings (a thetan) trapped on planet Earth in a physical "meat body." They claim that going through the process would allow people to gain spiritual strength. Margery Wakefield's 1991 work called, "What Christians Need to Know About Scientology" documents the heresies, blasphemies, and deceptions found in Scientology too. He lived in Jack Parsons' home for a time. Jack Parsons was obsessed with magic, sex rituals, the occult, and the views of the occultist and sexist Aleister Crowley. Jack Parsons founded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, an organization that paved the way for much of the research found in NASA. We know that it is evil in the world. Yet, we have to know about the good news. The good news is that many people are waking up and rejecting the Crowleyan sick ideologies. There is a remnant of human beings in the world who care for the sick, defend the rights of the poor, promote human rights for black people, care for women, and believe in the creed of justice for all. 

 

There was a German settlement in Mexico during the Spanish rule of Texas. the first permanent settlement of Germans was at Industry in Austin Coun, formed by Friedrich Ernst and Charles Fordtran during the early 1830's. They lived under Mexican rule. Ernst wrote a letter to a friend in his native Oldenburg. This was found in the newspaper there. His description of Texas was very influential in attracting German immigrants to that area. He is known as the father of German immigration to Texas. Many Germans, especially Roman Catholics who sided with Mexico, left Texas for the rest of present-day Mexico after America defeated Mexico in the Mexican-American War in 1848. A few Mexican Irish communities existed in Mexican Texas until the Texas Revolution. Many Irish then sided with Catholic Mexico against Protestant pro-U.S. elements. The first Emprearial grant has been made under Spanish control to Moses Autin. The grant was passed to his son Stephen F. Austin, whose settlers, known as the Old Three Hundred, settled along the Braxos River in 1822. The grant was later ratified by the Mexican government. Twenty-three other empresarios brought settlers to the state, the majority from the United States of America. By 1821, in spite of growing Mexican limitations on slavery, U.S. immigrants brought an increasing number of slaves to Texas. By 1825, 69 slave owners owned 443 slaves. Mexican granted Texas a one-year exemption from the national edict of 1829 outlawing slavery. Yet, Mexican President Anastasio Bustamante ordered all slaves to be freed in 1830. Slavery is immoral, and it should be banned. The colonists violated the law by converting slaves into "indentured servants for life." By 1836, there were 5,000 enslaved African Americans in Texas. Bustamante outlawed the immigration of American citizens to Texas in 1830. Many new presidios were formed in the region to monitor immigration and customs practices. These new laws called for the enforcement of customs duties, angering both native Mexican citizens (Tejanos). In 1832, a group of men led a revolt against customs enforcement in Anahuac. These Anahuac Disturbances coincided with a revolt in Mexico against the current president. Texans sided with the federalists against the current government and after the Battle of Nacogdoches, drove all Mexican soldiers out of East Texas.

Texans took advantage of the lack of oversight to agitate for more political freedom, resulting in the Convention of 1832. Among other issues, the convention demanded that U.S. citizens be allowed to immigrate to Texas and requested independent statehood for the area. The following year, Texians reiterated their demands at the Convention of 1833. After presenting their petition, courier Stephen F. Austin was jailed for the next two years in Mexico City on suspicion of treason. Although Mexico implemented several measures to appease the colonists, President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's measures to transform Mexico from a federalist to a centralist state led the Texan colonists to revolt. This caused the Texas revolution. So, the Texas Revolution was about settlers trying to be independent of Mexico in order to have a conservative government and maintain slavery against black people.  

The vague unrest erupted into armed conflict on October 2, 1835, at the Battle of Gonzales, when Texans repelled a Mexican attempt to retake a small cannon. This launched the Texas Revolution, and over the next three months, the Texian Army successfully defeated all Mexican troops in the region. On March 2, 1836, Texans signed the Texas Declaration of Independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos, effectively creating the Republic of Texas. The revolt was justified as necessary to protect basic rights and because Mexico had annulled the federal pact. The majority of the colonists were from the United States; they said that Mexico had invited them to move to the country, but they were determined "to enjoy" the republican institutions to which they were accustomed in their native land.

Many of the Texas settlers believed the war to be over and left the army after the initial string of victories. The remaining troops were largely recently arrived adventurers from the United States; according to historian Alwyn Barr, the numerous American volunteers "contributed to the Mexican view that Texan opposition stemmed from outside influences." The Mexican congress responded to this perceived threat by authorizing the execution of any foreigner found fighting in Texas; they did not want prisoners of war. As early as October 27, Mexican president Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna had been preparing to quell the unrest in Texas. In early 1836, Santa Anna personally led a 6,000-man force toward Texas. His force was large but ill-trained. Santa Anna led the bulk of the troops to San Antonio de Bexar to besiege the Alamo Mission, while General Jose de Urrea led the remaining troops up the coast of Texas. Urrea's forces soon defeated all the Texian resistance along the coast, culminating in the Goliad Massacre, where they executed 300 Texian prisoners of war. After a thirteen-day siege, Santa Anna's forces overwhelmed the nearly 200 Texians defending the Alamo, and killed the prisoners. "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" became a battle cry of the Texas Revolution.

News of the defeats sparked the Runaway Scrape, where much of the population of Texas and the Texas provisional government fled east, away from the approaching Mexican army. Many settlers rejoined the Texian army, then commanded by General Sam Houston. After several weeks of maneuvering, on April 21, 1836, the Texian Army attacked Santa Anna's forces near the present-day city of Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. They captured Santa Anna and forced him to sign the Treaties of Velasco, ending the war. The Republic of Texas lasted from 1836 to 1845. The 1st Congress of the Republic of Texas convened in October 1836 at Columbia (now West Columbia). It overturned the Mexican prohibition of slavery and outlawed the emancipation of slaves, although slaveholders were allowed to free their slaves outside the Republic if they desired. Free Black people were specifically forbidden to live in the Republic. Stephen F. Austin, known as the Father of Texas, died December 27, 1836, after serving two months as Secretary of State for the new Republic. In 1836, five sites served as temporary capitals of Texas (Washington-on-the-Brazos, Harrisburg, Galveston, Velasco, and Columbia) before President Sam Houston moved the capital to Houston in 1837. In 1839, the capital was moved to the new town of Austin by the next president, Mirabeau B. Lamar. So, there you go.

There were internal politics in the infamous Republica. There was a conflict among 2 factions. The nationalist faction, led by Mirabeau B. Lamar, advocated the continued independence of Texas, the expulsion of the Native Americans, and the expansion of Texas to the Pacific Ocean. Their opponents, led by Sam Houston, advocated the annexation of Texas to the United States and peaceful co-existence with Native Americans.

Although Texas governed itself, Mexico refused to recognize its independence. On March 5, 1842, a Mexican force of over 500 men, led by Ráfael Vásquez, invaded Texas for the first time since the revolution. They soon headed back to the Rio Grande after briefly occupying San Antonio. 1,400 Mexican troops, led by the French mercenary general Adrian Woll launched a second attack and captured San Antonio on September 11, 1842. A Texas militia retaliated at the Battle of Salado Creek. However, on September 18, this militia was defeated by Mexican soldiers and Texas Cherokee Native Americans during the Dawson Massacre. The Mexican army would later retreat from the city of San Antonio.

Mexico's attacks on Texas intensified the conflict between the political factions in an incident known as the Texas Archive War in 1842. To "protect" the Texas national archives, President Sam Houston ordered them out of Austin. Austin residents, suspicious of the president's motives because of his avowed disdain of the capital, forced the archives back to Austin at gunpoint. The Texas Congress admonished Houston for the incident, and the incident would solidify Austin as Texas's seat of government for the Republic and the future state. 

By February 28, 1845, the U.S. Congress narrowly passed a bill that made America annex the Republic of Texas if it so voted. The legislation set the date for annexation as December 29 of the same year. On October 13 of the same year, a majority of voters in Texas approved a proposed constitution. This constitution was later accepted by the U.S. Congress, making Texas a U.S. state on the same day annexation took effect (therefore bypassing a territorial phase).

The Mexican government had long warned that annexation would mean war with the United States. When Texas joined the U.S., the Mexican government broke diplomatic relations with the United States. The United States now assumed the claims of Texas when it claimed all land north of the Rio Grande. In June 1845, President James K. Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to Texas, and by October, 3,500 Americans were on the Nueces River, prepared to defend Texas from a Mexican invasion. On November 10, 1845, Polk ordered General Taylor and his forces south to the Rio Grande, into disputed territory that Mexicans claimed as their own. Mexico claimed the Nueces River—about 150 miles (240 km) north of the Rio Grande—as its border with Texas.

On April 25, 1846, a 2,000-strong Mexican cavalry detachment attacked a 70-man U.S. patrol that had been sent into the contested territory north of the Rio Grande and south of the Nueces River. The Mexican cavalry routed the patrol, killing 16 U.S. soldiers in what later became known as the Thornton Affair. Both nations declared war. In the ensuing Mexican–American War, there were no more battles fought in Texas, but it became a major staging point for the American invasion of northern Mexico.

One of the primary motivations for annexation was the Texas government's huge debts. The United States agreed to assume many of these upon annexation. However, the former Republic never fully paid off its debt until the Compromise of 1850. In return for $10 million, a large portion of Texas-claimed territory, now parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Wyoming, was ceded to the Federal government. More migration came to Texas after its statehood. Its population increased to about 150,000 people. There were societies like the Texas Emigration and Land Company that helped to settle colonists to be a militia to be a defense against Native Americans. In return, they would get a grant of 320 acres of choice land. Most of the new people migrated to the states of the lower South. Slavery was granted legal protection by the Texas constitution of 1845.  The Texas population by 1860 was quite diverse, with large elements of European whites (from the American South), African Americans (mostly slaves brought from the east), Tejanos (Hispanics with Spanish heritage), and about 20,000 recent German immigrants. The new state grew rapidly as migrants poured into the fertile cotton lands of east Texas. With their investments in cotton lands and slaves, Texas planters established cotton plantations in the eastern districts. The central area of the state was developed more by subsistence farmers who seldom owned slaves. Texas in its Wild West days was filled with men, women, and children in love with adventure. Germans (who were Protestants, Catholics, Jewish people, atheists, Saxons, farmers, intellectuals, abolitionists, slaveholders, etc.) were the largest group immigrating directly from Europe. 

The first Czech immigrants started their journey to Texas on August 19, 1851, headed by Jozef Šilar. Attracted to the rich farmland of Central Texas, Czechs settled in the counties of Austin, Fayette, Lavaca, and Washington. The Czech-American communities are characterized by a strong sense of community, and social clubs were a dominant aspect of Czech-American life in Texas. By 1865, the Czech population numbered 700; by 1940 there were more than 60,000 Czech-Americans in Texas.

By Timothy

New York state Senator speaks out against racism.

 New York state Senator John Liu speaks out after racist voicemail | Watch (msn.com)

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema backs Inflation Reduction Act, giving Biden the votes for Senate passage

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema backs Inflation Reduction Act, giving Biden the votes for Senate passage (msn.com)

End of the Week News.

 

There are grand jury subpoenas sent to former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone and former deputy counsel Patrick Philbin. The Department of Justice are actively being involved to investigate Trump's inner circle. This means that definitely the DOJ is investigating Donald Trump. The Justice Department has the power to bring criminal charges against Trump or its officials if they desire too. The House investigation continues during this late summer. The January 6th House Committee's public hearing will continue by September of 2022.  Trump had pushed false election claims even now in August 2022. Pro-Trump candidates winning Republican primaries in Arizona and Michigan present the challenge on how we must protect our democracy. We know this DOJ probe is growing after the texts missing from government phones used by the Defense Department and the U.S. Secret Services. Cipollone and his attorney are in discussions with the Justice Department about the grand jury appearances and how to deal with executive privilege issues. If things won't get resolved on testimony issues, the court fight could reach into the Supreme Court.

The Alex Jones fiasco is all Jones's fault. He originally made the lie that Sandy Hook was a hoax. He is being sued for defamation, and in court he said that it was real. Alex Jones hurt a lot of families with his words about the tragedy. For decades, Alex Jones' far right extremism is well known. During Alex's cross examination, Sandy Hook family attorney exposed his dishonesty. The jury had to decide how much Jones has to pay to the victims' families of the Sandy Hook massacre. The plaintiffs' attorney, Mark Bankston, said that he had evidence proving that Jones lied when he claimed during the discovery process that he had never texted about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. Alex Jones' financial and text messages has been leaked to the attorneys of the family. Now, the January 6th House Committee wants to get those text messages. Sandy Hook parents testified that Alex Jones inflicted huge pain on them. Alex Jones certainly makes a mockery of real truth with his antics. Legitimate researchers into conspiracies aren't like Alex Jones. We know that everything in the world is not a conspiracy, but real conspiracies do exist like the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Operation Paperclip, Operation Phoenix, Operation Mockingbird, and other situations. That is why we put things into context in showing our ideals without misinformation and lies. Alex Jones has to pay $4.1 million to the Sandy Hook parents.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaking at CPAC is normal as Orban is a racist and a xenophobic extremist. CPAC is very clear on its advocacy of GOP policies that deal with fascistic ideals. Orban is an authoritarian fascist too where Hungary has tons of laws the violate fundamental human civil liberties. He recently spoke at the CPAC meeting which was filled with racist, xenophobes, and bigots. Orban, in his speech, blamed immigrants and groups of people for problems in America. Of course, he is supported by Trump. Orban built a fence in Hungary to prevent migrants and refugees from seeking shelter. He said that the doesn't want more mixing in Hungary when Hungary is a nation made up of Finnish people, Magyars, Hunnic people, and other human beings of diverse ethnic backgrounds spanning thousands of years. Hungary has a failing population and its GDP may decline by 2.5%. Therefore, we know what the deal is. There are some people who don't believe in the principle that all human beings are created equal, and there are those that do. In our lives, we believe in the Golden Rule without any apology.

Britney Griner had to serve 9 years in a Russian prison. Obviously, the sentence is unjust and unfair. Griner's actions doesn't merit that time. Griner deserves to go home as soon as possible to America. We know how Russia is. Russia is a dictatorship under Putin's control. In Russia, the freedom of press is restricted, protesters are regularly arrested, and many Russians have escaped out of their own country to survive. The Russian military forces' war crimes in Ukraine have no justification at all. Tons of people in the WNBA, NBA, and other organizations have supported Britney Griner. The Bush administration has said that they are doing all that they can in making sure that Britney Griner will come home. If this is to occur, a prisoner swap may have to exist. Other Americans are in Russian prisons too. 

The Department of Justice have charged 4 police officers for the murder of Breonna Taylor in federal crimes. Attorney General Merrick Garland made the announcement on Thursday. It was shocking but long overdue. The people charged were Louisville police officers involving the deadly raid on Breonna Taylor's home. They are being charged with civil rights violations. This is the first time when federal courts leveled any of such charges against officers involved in the raid. Garland said that the civil rights offenses are part of the charges. The officers are charged with unlawful conspiracies, unconstitutional use of force, and obstruction. Tamika Palmer is Breonna Taylor's mother. She said that she has waited 874 days for the federal charges to be filed. She said that every day of her life is March 13. Joshua Jaynes, Kyle Meany, and Kelly Goodlett are charged with submitting a false affidavit to search Taylor's home and working to create a false story to escape responsibility. Brett Hankinson is charged with willfully using unconstitutional excessive force. We want justice. We owe that to Breonna Taylor and her mother. We owe that to the rest of Breonna Taylor's family plus friends.

By Timothy.

Domestic and Foreign Policy News.

 

Primaries are here, and there is an extremist named Kari Lake of Arizona. Lake claims to be religious and represents God, but she supports Trump unconditionally. Trump is a person who said that he doesn't ask God for forgiveness, who admitted on tape that she grabs women at their private areas, who cursed out peaceful protesters, and is a habitual liar about the 2020 election plus other issues. Therefore, Trump is a person who is the antithetical of someone being moral of righteous. He was involved in a coup d'état against American democracy. Kari Lake is running for the governor of the state of Arizona. Mark Finchem of Arizona also promote election denialism too. Kari Lake is a liar to say in a commercial that the left wants to burn down businesses. Burning down businesses is wrong just like it's wrong for far-right wing terrorism to invade the U.S. Capitol in January 6, 2021.

The massive Kentucky flooding is a product of climate change. The death toll has been at least 28 human beings who lost their lives. This historic flooding harmed eastern Kentucky. Heroes are saving lives too. Waters have caused mudslides and destroyed homes plus other buildings. The damaged areas are mostly isolated rural and coal mining towns. National Guard troops from Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia have made more than 660 air rescues and there have been over 600 water rescues. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is working as hard as he can to try to save lives too. It may be weeks in order for the public to know the total number of lives being lost as a product of the massive flooding. 50 bridges were washed away in Perry County alone. Power and cell phone service are lacking areas. 15 emergency shelters are active. FEMA is providing the state with 18 tractor-trailer truckloads of water, according to the governor. Many people in the region rely on paycheck to paycheck or Social Security checks to survive. This is precisely why I am not a conservative on economic issues. After decades of me living on this Earth, I am progressive on economic issues as the federal government has a role in providing the general welfare to the people.

Many GOP candidates in Arizona promote 2020 election denial. There are also people who express so much election skepticism that some want to promote the lie that dead people are voting. Many of these candidates refuse to concede any race. These extremists are angry that Arizona is a blue state. That is why Congress must pass laws to promote protecting our voting rights against the election denialism common among Trumpists. Now, we have less than 100 days before the end of the 2022 midterm elections. Republicans and Democrats are fighting for House and Senate seats in every level of government. The issues of the day are being debated. Even more extremists are running for office among Republicans like the neo-Confederate Michael Peroutka and Cox of Maryland.

Recently, Biden ordered the drone assassination of al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan. al-Zawahiri was the leader of al-Qaeda who was involved in the assassination of Anwar Sadat (of Egypt), the bombings in Kenya plus Tanzania back in 1998, the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, and the 9/11 attacks. The State Department has warned American citizens overseas to be careful about anti-American attacks. Some called al-Zawahiri as the number two man under Osama bin Laden during 9/11. The U.S. intelligence community said that he was tracked to a safe house in Afghanistan. Also, the attack was done by the CIA using two Hellfire missiles that killed al-Zawahiri on a balcony of the house. Biden approved an attack a week ago. Biden said that justice has been served. This comes in the war in Ukraine, the tensions in China, and other foreign policy crisis.

Yesterday was the Birthday of Sister Angell Conwell, and she is 38 years old. Orangeburg, South Carolina was the city of her birth. She is one of the most hardworking actresses of our generation. She was in the CBS Daytime soap opera of The Young and The Restless. People know her from the film Baby Boy in 2001 and playing Vernoica on Bigger. Conwell was the first African American student body president at Seven Oaks Elementary School. She moved into Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Glendale High School. Conwell was a cheerleader and a member of the Student Body Association. By 1994, she was on the show On Our Own. She was on The Parkers, One on One, and Cuts. By 2019, she received the kyes to the City of Columbia, South Carolian by Mayor Steven Benjamin. She won the Pinnacle Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2019 for her role in Caretakers. I wish Sister Angell Conwell more Blessings. 

By Timothy

Ancestry and Other News.

 

Maryland is a unique state. It's much more Northern than Virginia culturally, but it has some Southern cultural roots found in the Maryland part of the Eastern Shore and in other places in Maryland. It has Appalachian culture in rural Western Maryland. Its areas of Baltimore and near D.C. has a Northeastern culture too. It is going through many political changes. Maryland borders Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Its largest city of Maryland is located at Baltimore and its capital is Annapolis.  It has been a mostly progressive state for years, and it is a state where relatives on both sides of my family live at. Tons of African Americans live in Baltimore, Prince George County, and the southern Maryland region of the Eastern Shore. One of late relatives who have lived in Maryland for years was Fannie B. Moses Brittingham. She lived from November 28, 1928 to May 11, 2004 at Salisbury, Maryland. Her ancestors came from Southampton County, Virginia (where my maternal ancestors came from). So, she and her descendants are related to my maternal side of my family. One of her grandchildren is Kimberly Antionette Ponder-Duffy, who is my 3rd cousin. She was born on February 27, 1983 at Westover, Somerset, Maryland. We are third cousins, because we share the same ancestor of Charles and Fannie Peeples. Also, Ancestry.com confirmed our DNA relationship as she is found in my Ancestry.com DNA matches. Not mention, that we have shared matches with my maternal cousins like Tonya Peeples, Abdul-Rashad Diaab (who is related to the Peeples' family), the late Theophilus Moses, Jessica Lawrence (who is a descendant of Charles and Fannie Peeples), etc. So, DNA is the truth. Now, Kimberly Ponder-Mayfield is married to Rayfield F. Duffy. Her parents are Carl Ponder and Annettee Denise Moses (b. 1962). Annette Moses's parents are Vernon Archie Hope (b. 1930) and Fannie B. Moses Brittingham (1928-2004). Fannie's parents are Levin A. Moses Jr. and Viola Emily Jones (1909-1958). Viola Emily Jones' parents are Jessie Jones and Lizzie Peeples (1887-1964). Lizzie traveled from Southampton County, Virginia to Dublin, Somerset, Maryland. Lizzie's child was Viola Jones, and Lizzie's grandchildren were Moses Jones, Ralph Moses, and Fannie B. Moses Brittingham. Lizzie Peeples is the daughter of Charles Peeples and Fannie Peeples. Lizzie Peeples married Jessie Jones first and had the children of Viola Jones and John Mason. Lizzie's 2nd husband was a man named Thomas Spady. This information was recorded by my late grandaunt Leara Smith as it was told by my ancestor Hollie Peeples (1908-1996) in 1991. Hollie Peeples was my great grandmother, and Leara Smith was her daughter. Viola Emily Jones married Levin Moses on October 15, 1927, at Northampton County, Virginia. Their children are Ralph Ealie Moses Sr. (1927-2011) and Fannie B. Moses Brittingham (1928-2004). Viola E. Jones passed in 1958, and she was buried at Wes Pocomoke, Somerset County, Maryland. Ralph Ealie Moses Sr. lived to be 84 years old, and he departed on Saturday, December 24, 2011 in Salisbury, Maryland. He was born in December 9, 1927. He loved his wife of 61 years whose name is Lottie Polk-Moses. Their seven children are Ralph Moses Jr. (1952-2021), Claudius Moses (1956-2012), Timothy Price Moses (b. 1974), Patricia Moses, Virginia Corbin, Brenda Dale, and Victoria Handy. My 3rd cousin Ralph Moses Jr. married Ophelia Moses (b. 1950) with the children of Tiffany N. Moses (b. 1975), Ralph Ealie Moses III (1978-2006. He married Andrea Jones-Moses, and their children are Anesha Moses, Elijah Moses, and Jair Pittman), Myra White, and Ericka Moses Johnson. 

According to the Daily Times newspaper, Fannie B. Moses Brittingham's parents are Otis Winslow and Viola Jones Moses. Her brother was Ralph Moses Sr. Her children are Arnelda (Omra) Redding, Arvenia (Williams Jr.) Saunders, Annettee (Carl) Moses, and Theophilius (Ginger) Moses. She has 10 grandchildren and one on the way and 14 grandchildren. My 3rd cousin Annette Denise Moses was born in February 1962.Annette's parents are Vernon Archie Hope (1930-2021) and Fannie B. Moses Brittingham (1928-2004). Vernon Archie Hope was a known police officer from the Maryland Eastern Shore. He had a sense of humor, and his family plus peers respected him a great deal. Vernon Archie Hope's devoted wife is Recie Hope. Vernon Hope has two daughters, Annette (Carl) and Shalinda (Robert); three grandchildren, Nicole, Tykeshia and Kimberly (Rayfield); four great grandchildren, Tirrell, Daelynn, Sanaa, and Lon'dyn; and two sisters, Lince Brown and Eula Becket. 

Annette Denise Moses has the following children with Carl Ponder named: Tykeshia Raynell Ponder (b. 1980. Her child is named Tirrell Copes Jr.) and Kimberly Antionette Ponder (b. 1983). These daughters are my 3rd cousins. Kimberly Antionette Ponder has a daughter named Daelynn Johnson. Kimberly Ponder married Rayfield F. Duffy. 

 

The late Darthelia Frances Turner was born in ca. 1844. She is a very important ancestor as her descendants were part of many families. To start, the research documents her parents as being Betsy Woodson and Edwin D. Turner (both descendants of the Nottoway people in Southampton County, Virginia). She married John Harrison Jr. (b. 1852) on January 4, 1877, at Southampton County Virginia. The couple had one daughter named Rosa Ellen Sykes (1884-1972). She was my 2nd cousin. Rosa Ellen Sykes lived to be 91 years old, and she was a member of St. James United Methodist Church in Salisbury, Maryland. She was a former member of the Byrant Baptist Church in Courtland, Virginia. Rosa married Joseph Robert Sykes (1883-1930). Their children are Erdy Frances White (1911-1997), George Henry Sykes (b. 1912), William Sykes (b. 1915), Frank Sykes (1915-1921), Lucy M. Sykes (1917-1931), Hattie L. Sykes (1919-1960), Mattie V. Sykes (1922-1975), and Harwood H. Sykes (b. 1924). My 3rd cousin Hattie L. Sykes married Joe Ben Stith (1919-1974), and she lived to be 41 years old. She lived in Salisbury, Maryland. Hattie L. Sykes and Joe Ben Stith's children are: Mary L. Sykes (b. 1934), Sarah Sykes (b. 1938), Joseph Wesley Sykes (1940-1988), Christine Sykes (1942-1942), Edieth Mae Sykes (1942-1969), Benjamin P. Stith (b. 1944), Annette Stith (b. 1948), Diana Robinson Stith Hitch Brooks (1949-2020), and Ernest Sykes. My 4th cousin John Welsey Sykes married Elizabeth Ann Hudson (1938-2003) in 1961, and their children are: Broderick L. Sykes (b. 1959), Joseph Welsey Sykes Jr. (1961-2005), Ronald Lakeith Sykes (b. 1963), and Michael Lorin Sykes Sr. (b. 1966). 

 

After all of these year, more people have woke up about how popular culture really is. As more people wake up, some people have shown hatred against anyone who does conspiracy related research. There has been an increase of people who not only disagree with people who believe in God. Some want to mock people who believe in God as being ludicrous while claiming to be so tolerant. These hypocrites forget that we have the freedom of speech, and the freedom of speech dictates that I have every right to believe in God. I have every right to research conspiracy related information and show it to the world. Therefore, I feel like we should do more apologetics in defending our views with sources, great research, examples, and truth. The paradox of our generation is that we have more access to information than any other time in human history, but some claim to have an image of godliness but never come around to embrace the knowledge of God. Some just deny the power of God thereof under the guise of being just "spiritual" without a foundation or code of conduct. It is not enough to be spiritual. You have to test what you believe in, prove what you believe in, and follow what you believe in without apology. Modern-day popular culture has existed for over one century. We know of the stories of many people in the industry with drug addiction, reckless behavior, bigotry, and anger that ruined so many lives. There are countless victims of the industry being exploited and harmed. Not to mention that we realize that not everyone in the industry is monolithic. There is still a remnant of people, even in Hollywood, who sincerely embrace the truth, fight back against oppression, and desire a society filled with justice. One example is how Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee fought for black freedom for decades. That fact should not be underestimated. The common myth promoted by some is that any believer in God (and especially a Christian) is some money-lusting, materialistic bigot who doesn't know complicated thought or philosophy. Typically, these haters cite scandals as an excuse to advance their lies about believers. The truth is that there are tons of people who are religious or not with understanding the false doctrines found in the Prosperity Gospel, who believe in the rights of black people, who love truth, who want living wages plus economic justice, and who want a separation of church and state (in fact, many early Baptists were jailed and assaulted for believing in the separation of church and state during the 18th century), and seek a cleaner environment. 

 

The era of Presidents from Lyndon Baines Johnson to William Jefferson Clinton involve some of the greatest changes in human history from humans going to the Moon to the black freedom movement reaching new heights of power. Life would never be the same. Many of the same debates back then persist today. Also, the Presidents from 1963 to 2001 saw a fluctuation in the expansion and decrease in the role of government. For example, The Great Society obviously expanded the powers of the federal government to promote the general welfare of the people. Reagan saw cuts to many aspects of the federal government as part of his conservative revolution agenda. By the time Bill Clinton was President, we saw a centrist movement that impacted society in many ways too. From the civil rights, women's rights, and other movements, it was never a time without excitement. Scandals dominated the time from Watergate, Iran Contra, and the Clinton impeachment scandal. A lot of heroes lost their lives fighting for our freedom like Malcolm X, Ruby Doris Smith Robinson, Dr. King, Fred Hampton, and other human beings. To reflect on that time period is to realize the truth that you need both federal government policies and grassroots organizing plus activism in seeing the real change to be widespread. You need investments and cultural development. You need intellectual growth and agriculture plus the growth of the industry in order to see the Dream realized. Building institutions that we own and control benefiting the masses of the people will develop into more success. There should be no minimizing of the power of local and state power too. Judges, school board members, mayors, governors, etc. have huge power in our lives, and we do have the responsibility to vote for the right person in order to desire the results that we deserve. Therefore, the fight for justice continues, and we will be always apt to advocate for freedom plus justice for all. 

 

There are tons of lessons learned from Watergate. Richard Nixon was born in poverty. He struggled a lot in California during his early life. He was a WWII veteran being part of the Navy. He had a choice to either be a progressive hero or an establishment figure who worked with extremists in trying to ruin progressive institutions. Unfortunately, Nixon chooses the latter. His angry jealousy of John F. Kennedy was apparent. His narcissism was clear. His overt bigotry, racism, and anti-Semitism were on full display on those tapes from the 1970's. Him going to the Bohemian Grove decades ago which was a hotbed of Republican establishment figures doing rituals, etc. showed that Richard Nixon was supported by the elites. Richard Nixon wasn't acting like the new Nixon during the late 1960's. He had the same old mentality of "us against them," anti-Communist paranoia, and a sense of disdain for progressive activism. When he was President, he illegally monitored people, bombed Cambodia (which was illegal), and planned a cover-up over the Watergate burglary. For years, the Nixon administration violated the human civil liberty rights of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. His actions merit no justification, and he was about to be convicted. Yet, Gerald Ford pardoned him. The lessons learned about Watergate are that the federal executive doesn't have omnipotent political power, checks and balances are necessary for the government to prevent dictatorship, no one is above the law, and accountability matters. By the 1970's, new laws existed to address Watergate and the overreach by the CIA and the FBI. Yet, Trump and his team still tried their failed coup d'état on January 6, 2021. The Trump conspiracy existed long before 2021 too, and Trump never learned the Watergate lessons indeed. With our lives, we have to make it right to protect our democracy more than ever. 

 

Reparations for black Americans is an important cause to promote. We believe in the wonderful sounding statement that all people are created equal and are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Part of living up to that creed is to promote accountability involving restitution to the oppressed. The argument from some who hate reparations for black Americans is that slavery is gone in America, and it would be impossible for compensation to be met. That is refuted for many reasons. One is that historically, the American government gave reparations to Native Americans centuries after the first genocides against Native Americans. There are instances where the government gave payment to the descendants of the victims of oppression. Also, the American government gave reparations to Japanese Americans who were the victims of the internment camps decades later in the 1980's. Black Americans have not received reparations after we experienced the Maafa, slavery, the peonage system (which was virtual slavery that lasted from the 1800's to the 1940's), Jim Crow apartheid, other forms of discrimination, etc. Also, America in many cases had missed policy opportunities to send reparations to newly freed slaves back then. Even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. endorsed a form of reparations during the 1960's.

 

In the state of California, the issue of reparations for black Americans is coming up. There is a new task force calling on the state to provide comprehensive reparations to black Americans. The truth is that slavery didn't just exist in the South over 150 years ago. It existed across America, even in parts of California. The California Reparations Task Force was created by Governor Gavin Newsom after George Floyd's 2020 unjust murder. This was made up of a body of nine appointed individuals responsible for studying what a reparations program would be like for California. It was created in 2021. Its report came about in June 2022 with a comprehensive interim report. It researched the state's history of slavery and the oppression of Black Californians since the state was formed in 1860. The report found that after the 13th Amendment allowed Congress to legally abolish slavery, new forms of oppression existed in California afterward. Khamilah Moore or the chair of the commission said that the report is the most thorough report on race since the 1968 Kerner Commission. The report dealt with exposing voting rights violations, housing segregation, unfair education systems, and environmental injustice in California. It studied the racial wealth gap and how the state and federal governments make it harder for black families to stay together. California never ratified the 14th Amendment until 1959, and the 15th Amendment until 1962. The task force wants solutions too in banning the words of involuntary servitude, education grants sent to black students, fighting police brutality, tackling pollutants, and other issues. This is an interim report, and it's the start of a move towards possible reparations in California and throughout the nation of America. Also, I heard of this person named "American Cholo" making anti-black statements. He, his ancestry is from Honduras, recently appeared on the radio station Power 106 (talking about Tyga apologizing for a music video). The racist on the American Cholo podcast wants to protest black people getting reparations (They want Native Americans and Mexicans to get it first, but many Native Americans already have reparations. Also, there is footage of American Cholo's racist rant using the n word and calling black people "ghetto c___." It is no secret that racism is found in Latin America including Mexico. Not all Latinos are racists, but black Americans and black people, in general, have every right to call out racism and bigotry. Yes, Afro-Latinos are black people too). American Cholo is a person that I don't respect, and his racism should be condemned 100 percent.  Reparations for black Americans is a necessity. 

 

Now, we have very important midterms coming up during the Fall of 2022. The issues of education, the economy, civil rights, reparations, the rights of black people, women's rights, the rights of other people of color, the War on Drugs, crime (dealing with crime is not just about making sure criminals are held accountable. It is also about making sure that laws are fairly applied to all people, and we have law and justice, not law and order. Stopping crime also deals with passing more gun safety regulations and not glorifying guns above the value of human life. Human life is worth more than a gun), the prison industrial complex and other issues will be on the minds of voters. Also, we have gubernatorial races, Senate races, House races, and other local races. Right now, Wes Moore is running for the Governor of Maryland, and his Republican opponent is the election denier of Dan Cox. Wes Moore is a Democrat. President Joe Biden is a President filled with unsung accomplishments but economic uncertainty at the same time. Many people legitimately talk about the crisis we are facing with our democracy and our economy. Also, it is important to realize the accomplishments that happened this year like the computer chip passed that will help American semiconductor productor. We are on the cusp of passing the Reducing Inflation Act. Child poverty is now cut in half, and an increase of people rejecting the Trump-backed candidates. We still need to reckon with higher inflation and the war in Ukraine.

With the recent passings of Bill Russell and Nichelle Nichols, you can never take life for granted. For decades, we have seen the truth in many ways. Legends are here physically for a short span of time. Yet, we learn lessons from them in being inspired to live a life better in the present and the future than the past. With all that is going on in the world, we have to be real to see that our democracy is in a very fragile state. We were just near the end of our democracy in America as we know it during January 6, 2021, terrorist insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. We have the growth of unjust Supreme Court decisions that completely violated the rights of fellow human beings. We have mass shootings harming tons of human lives constantly. We have the most massive increase of fascism in the world from Hungary to America since World War II. This isn't hyperbole. This is real. For years, some in the media falsely claim that Trumpism (as Trump wanted to use the U.S. military to dominate the streets and shoot the protesters on sight during the summer of 2020 during the George Floyd protests) is just populism instead of what it really is, which is fascism. The paradox of this time is that we have a massive problem of far-right extremism, but many of the moderates still feel like we must compromise our convictions to placate the emotions of Republicans. This strategy doesn't work as most of them will never go along with us anyway. Also, centrism commonly ruins society as it maintains the status quo, doesn't increase economic power, and seeks to preserve the system instead of making a better system of justice for all. That is an independent, people-centered movement is necessary to solve our problems. We don't need to bow down to any human on this Earth, and we ought to stand up for our human rights. Addressing housing, health care, nutrition, pollution, education, and other real issues will make a real difference in establishing a better society.

By Timothy