Black History Is Everyone’s History

By Darlene Mitchell February 27, 2022 February 27, 2022 Africa, Bigotry, Black and Brown Issues, Black Lives Matter, Demonstrations and Protests, Domestic Terrorism, Human Rights, Race/Ethnicity, Women's Rights

Black History Is Everyone’s History

Editor: As 2022 Black History Month ends it is important to acknowledge the contribution of black Americans to the arts, sports, science, technology, and innovation. Let’s celebrate their amazing contribution to our country and support the rights of all citizens to participate in the American Dream in all its promised dimensions.

By Wes & Anna Hessel

A Black Mark Not On Our History

As Black History Month comes to a close, let us acknowledge those African Americans that have made a positive impact on the United States and the world. We all recall as children eating peanut butter spread on crackers as we learned about George Washington Carver, but little other significant Black history has been taught in our schools. African-American contributions to our society remain mostly hidden; not celebrated, or taught in schools. Black history has little representation in curriculums, what a shame; it should be an integral part of our education, just as it has been an integral part of life and history. History and culture of African-Americans needs to be taught, alongside other cultures, including the typical Western European WASP and Greco-Roman past. Nothing is done in isolation, certainly not improving the world.

Black History Is More Than A Month…

Founded by historian Carter G. Woodson to honor the attainments of black men and women, it originally began as a week-long celebration known as “Negro History Week” in February of 1926, a week in which the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass occurred. Dr. Woodson was himself the son of a slave and although he did not begin his high school education until the age of 20, delayed by his need to earn a living in West Virginia coal mines, he went on to study at Berea College, the Sorbonne, and the University of Chicago. He eventually earned his PhD at Harvard, only the second African American to achieve this, his predecessor being none other than W. E. B. Du Bois.

Russian Mercenary Drama in Mali

By Darlene Mitchell February 7, 2022 February 7, 2022 Africa, Human Rights, Mali, Russia

Russian Mercenary Drama in Mali

By Nicholas Waithaka and D. S. Mitchell

Increasing Instability in Mali

Mali has been a hotbed of political unrest for decades, making it vulnerable to external interference from players like Russia and China. Over the past few months, reports indicate that the head of Mali’s military junta, Colonel Assimi Goita, has negotiated a deal that would bring approximately 1,000 mercenaries from the Wagner Group into the country. Mali has had escalating security and political problems, but a turn to international paramilitary actors may become the proverbial slippery slope.

A Spiderweb Of Interference

The Wagner group, first appeared in Ukraine in 2014, where it assisted the Russian military in the annexation of Crimea. Since then, a spiderweb of paramilitaries, mercenary organizations, and businesses interestingly linked to Vladimir Putin and Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin have emerged under the general name; the Wagner Group.

Encouraging Instability

In Syria the Wagner Group supported embattled President Bashar al-Assad while securing a foothold in the country’s energy sector. In other unstable areas around the world such as Libya, Sudan, Madagascar, Mozambique and now Mali, a Russian paramilitary group is providing military support to unpopular, and undemocratic governments. The Wagner Group has become a shorthand name for a mostly opaque and extensive network of mercenary services. In fact, U.S. intelligence services caution the benign name may disrupt our ability to think about what they do and how they operate.

David Shadrick “First They Came-2022”

By Darlene Mitchell January 20, 2022 January 20, 2022 Asian Issues, Black and Brown Issues, Human Rights, Poetry, Race/Ethnicity

First They Came-2022

“First They Came-2022”

By David Shadrick

(A re-write of the Martin Niemöller poem)

First they came for the Muslims

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Muslim

Then they came for the Mexicans

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Mexican

Then they came for the Blacks

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Black

Then they came for the Native Americans

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Native American

Then they came for the queer guy

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a queer guy

Then they came for the Jews

And I did not speak out

Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak for me.

Martin Niemoller “First They Came”

By Darlene Mitchell January 19, 2022 January 19, 2022 Fascism, Germany, Human Rights, Poetry, War and Conflict

Martin Niemoller “FIRST THEY CAME”

“First They Came” was written by anti-Nazi pastor, Martin Niemoller. The message is clear.

First They Came

By Martin Niemöller

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.

The Powerful Words Of Dr. King

By Darlene Mitchell January 17, 2022 January 17, 2022 AIM (American Indian Movement), Asian Issues, Bigotry, Bill of Rights, Birthday celebrations, Black and Brown Issues, Black Lives Matter, Culture, Demonstrations and Protests, Ethics, Holidays, Human Rights, Martin Luther King Jr., Native American Peoples, Race/Ethnicity, Rep John Lewis, Social Issues, Women's Rights

The Powerful Words Of Dr. King

By Wes & Anna Hessel

The Great Doctor

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., stands as the paramount leader of the civil rights movement. There were many more alongside him, most notably the other members of the “Big Six”. They were James Farmer, A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young, and John Lewis. But Dr. King, or MLK, as many refer to him, was the most visible light and lightning rod.

He Still Speaks To Us

His words continue to speak volumes today, calling us to continue the fight for what is right. Most particularly right now is the need to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. That is the legacy that should be made to honor both these men who worked staunchly for what they believed. Dr. King’s own family is calling for a hold on celebrating his day until these voting rights bills are made law. In the meantime, we hear the echoes of MLK’s quotable phrases and speeches.

Hong Kong Freedoms Under Attack

By Darlene Mitchell January 7, 2022 January 7, 2022 Asian Issues, Censorship, China, Demonstrations and Protests, Government, Human Rights

Hong Kong Freedoms Under Attack

Continuing anti-democratic crackdowns in Hong Kong are alarming many in the west.

By Nicholas Waithaka and D. S. Mitchell

A Little History

On July 1, 1997 the UK transferred sovereignty over Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China. Hong Kong is now a Special Administrative Region of the PRC. At the time of the transfer, Chinese officials promised to preserve as much of Hong Kong’s unique attributes as possible. In fact, a 50-year autonomous stretch was declared. During the autonomous period Hong Kong was to keep its capitalist structures and its western freedoms. The plan was to integrate Hong Kong with motherland China while preserving the political and economic systems that had developed under the British.

The 1984 Declaration

The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 outlined the territory’s “one country, two systems” future. That principle is enshrined in a document called the Basic Law – in effect, Hong Kong’s mini constitution. Although the Chinese central government does not have power over Hong Kong per say; the central government does have the authority to interpret the basic laws. According to the terms of Hong Kong’s constitution (it’s basic law), the autonomous period is to last until 2047. From recent events 50 years is apparently longer than Beijing intends to wait.

National Security Law

In recent years, Beijing has begun interfering in Hong Kong’s political governance, notably cracking down on any form of dissent; peaceful or not. Such central government actions fueled massive protests in Hong Kong between 2019-2021. In 2020, Beijing passed a controversial national security law and arrested dozens of pro-democracy activists and lawmakers. It is becoming clear that Beijing is intent on eroding the long-held freedoms of Hong Kong citizens.

OPINION: Joe Manchin Shows His Political Ass

By Darlene Mitchell December 19, 2021 December 19, 2021 Asian Issues, Black and Brown Issues, Caucuses, Democrats, Disability, Domestic Policy, Energy Saving Ideas, Entitlements, Health Care, Human Rights, Joe Manchin, Lies and Corruption, Lobbyists, Native American Peoples, Opinion, Political Parties, Progressivism, Republicans, Senior & Elderly Issues, Social Issues, Social Security, Solutions, Tax Policy, Taxes

OPINION: Joe Manchin Shows His Political Ass

OPINION: Joe Manchin Show His Political Ass

I think it is time to remove the obstructionists from the Democratic Party

D. S. Mitchell

Joe’s Talking on Fox

12/19/2021. Joe Manchin (D.W.V.) is on FoxNews (sic) telling Bret Baier he “cannot vote” for the Build Back Better bill. Finally after months of dancing about, throwing up one road block after another Manchin, playing with the press and his colleagues has finally come clean and said it out loud. He, the lone Democrat, was now going to squash the bill, that would have given assistance to 70% of his constituents.

Out of Touch

I am dumbfounded. How could this rich, fat, white, yacht sunning, coal mine owning, entitled man be so cruel, and corrupt? How can he shut his eyes to the basic needs of the most vulnerable people in his state? West Virginia is one of the poorest states in this country, it seems Joe wants to keep it that way. By standing against the BBB act Manchin is not only denying West Virginians food on the table, affordable prescriptions for life saving medicines, and dentures in their mouths, but every other person in the country. Without remorse, apparently. Enraged, I switched to CNN where Jake Tapper was interviewing Bernie Sanders (I.Vt).

Unrestrained Passion

Bernie Sanders went after the failed senator from West Virginia with unrestrained passion. Bernie called Manchin a “coward” for not standing up to the lobbyists and special interest groups (which Manchin is part of). Bernie, is also a wealthy man, just like Joe Manchin. But, Bernie seems to have a deep well of human empathy, decency, and compassion, which apparently, Manchin cannot understand or emulate. Is Manchin capable of embarrassment? Being the only Democratic senator that is willing to let kids go hungry, not only in West Virginia, but across the nation, should make him red faced with shame and embarrassment.

Purge the Party

It is time to purge the Democratic party of obstructionists, like Manchin, that are willing to stop a president and his policies by their single vote. Joe Manchin you were not elected president of the United States. Get in line and support President Biden and the Democratic platform. Support voting rights. If you are a Republican, Mr. Manchin, run as one, don’t pretend to be a Democrat. Be brave. Be courageous. As I see it Mr. Manchin, is intent on his legacy being nothing more than the dark smear left by a wet fart.

Quotes on Courage

Here’s a brief collection of some pretty smart comments by some pretty smart people on the topic of courage in life and politics.

1.) “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen,” Winston Churchill

3.) “Courage conquers all things,” Ovid

4.) “The strongest, most generous and proudest of all virtues is courage,” Michel De Montaigne

Conclusion

It is time to fight the obstructionists in the Democratic party. Joe Manchin cannot be allowed to stand in the way of progress much longer. He has ‘shown his ass.’ as they say in Texas, and a few other places; time for Mr. Manchin to vote with his party or leave the party.

Cori Bush: The Face of Perseverance

By Darlene Mitchell August 17, 2021 August 19, 2021 Black Lives Matter, Cori Bush, Democrats, Demonstrations and Protests, Homelessness, Human Rights, Progressivism, Social Issues

Cori Bush: The Face of Perseverance

Tenacity, Perseverance and Determination, all in one woman, Cori Bush

On Friday 7/30/2021 First term Congresswoman Cori Bush sat down on the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives with a camping chair, a sleeping bag, and a commitment to stop the potential eviction of millions of Americans from their homes.

By William Jones and D. S. Mitchell

Those At Risk

When it became clear that neither Congress nor the White House was going to act to stop a pandemic-era federal eviction moratorium from expiring, leaving hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of low-income Americans at risk for eviction from their homes Cori Bush stepped up. Ms. Bush — now 45 and a first-term Democratic congresswoman from St. Louis — felt a familiar flood of anxiety and a flash of purpose in the face of the pending crisis.

OPINION: Belarus Sponsors Hijacking

By Darlene Mitchell June 15, 2021 June 15, 2021 Belarus, Censorship, Government, Human Rights, Journalism, Opinion, Russia

OPINION:

Belarus Government Sponsors Hijacking

HISTORY REPEATING

By T.K. McNeil

Arrest of a Dissident

It was like something from a cold war spy novel. A national government, without a great record on human rights, tricks a commercial airliner from another country into landing there, claiming there was a bomb threat. Absurd as it sounds, this is exactly what happened to Roman Protasevich. Protasevich is a Belarusian journalist and dissident critical of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. The critic was taken, with his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, from a Lithuania bound Ryanair flight on May 23^rd. Lukashenko was no doubt angered by the reporting of Nexta a news outlet founded by Protasevich and Stepan Putilo that has focused recent coverage on anti-Lukashenko rallies after the disputed election in 2020.

But It’s Current Year

The hijacking event was met with shock around the world. Many news outlets seemingly uncomprehending that such a thing was even possible. As though dogs had suddenly started reciting Shakespeare in Latin. It seemed like a relic from a different age, as though time runs in a neat line, drawing a straight path from then to now. Letting one take comfort in the idea that the badness has past. The sad truth is, history is more a set of ever repeating cycles, with little indication as to when things might come back around. The mentions of the Cold War and Soviet tactics disturbingly apt.

OPINION: Derek Chauvin A Victim?

By Darlene Mitchell April 18, 2021 April 18, 2021 Black and Brown Issues, Black Lives Matter, Derek Chauvin, Human Rights, Opinion, Race/Ethnicity

OPINION: Derek Chauvin A Victim?

D. S. Mitchell

Another OMG Moment

It is interesting how many ways the phrase OMG can be used, such as in total awesome disbelief seeing a father lift a car off his trapped son, or how about when there is a worm on your lettuce leaf, that’s a whole different kind of OMG. Then we have the OMG escape our lips when we watch the image of a Minneapolis cop slowly, seemingly arrogantly, extinguish the life of another human being on national television. Now, for any living breathing person with a heart who watched that video who wasn’t totally gut wrenchingly appalled needs to seek immediate therapy.

An Unpopular View

I don’t want to piss everybody off, but as I have watched the prosecution case build on itself I have been disturbed by the brutality and the arrogance of the entire event. Derek Chauvin, according to media reports served for nineteen years on the Minneapolis Police Department and accumulated seventeen complaints of misconduct complaints during that time. In what probably is a backlash response, I look at Mr. Chauvin and see what is bad about American policing. Not only did Mr. Chauvin fail his department and his community, but his department failed him. His is not an unusual case, other than he was memorialized for 9 minutes and 29 seconds by a teenage girl who filmed Chauvin’s left knee pinned to the neck of a black man while the victim pleaded for relief. Derek Chauvin is now on trial for Mr. Floyd’s death.

Swift Action

In Minneapolis, after 19 years authorities finally took ‘quick’ action against Mr. Chauvin, and three other officers who were on the scene when Mr. Floyd died. This does not mean all of them are gone for good. Public employees can appeal their dismissals and in many cases, police officers win their cases and municipalities put them back on the job every day. Despite community outrage nationwide over the deaths of black men at the hands of police it is notoriously difficult to hold police officers accountable in the United States. Some of the problem is because of the political power police unions wield, the hesitancy of investigators, and the reluctance of prosecutors and juries to second guess a police officer’s split second decision and the wide latitude the law gives the police to use force.

Interracial Challenge

The events have played out against, and in some ways have reinforced the racial divisions in America, as largely white police forces are accused of bias and brutality in black, Latino and other minority communities. The Floyd death came within weeks of killings of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery. These deaths have unleashed a wave of protests unlike anything since the 1960’s.

From Within

Police Departments around the country are often the core of resistance against change. Departments have consistently resisted civilian review or balked when it comes to overhauling officer disciplinary practices. Police chiefs in cities which have been the sites of high profile deaths of black men by white officers, have failed to punish or remove bad actors. Where civilian review boards are operating most are notoriously weak. Often they do nothing more than collect information, but have no power to make recommendations or enforce recommendations.

Patchwork Confusion

Several sources including Minneapolis Police Department Internal Affairs have released information on Dereck Chauvin conduct during his service. We do know that Mr. Chauvin has been involved in at least three shootings in his career. In addition he left a trail of misconduct complaints and a reputation for aggression. Chauvin’s combative reputation extended to his second job as a security person for a nightclub in the area. It has been demonstrated that Mr. Chauvin has operated in disregard for the particular circumstances of a given situation in determining appropriate reasonable force and simply fully restrains suspects with no regard for their well being.

So Let’s Stop Here

I believe that Derek Chauvin is also a victim. We hear TV commentators laud other cops who are testifying against him, like police chief Medaria Arradondo for “breaking the blue wall of silence.” As if these ‘good cops’ are coming out to punish a ‘bad cop.’ Well, I think that is a pile of horse puckie. All these good cops had nineteen years to stop the bad activities of Derek Chauvin and thousands more like him. He is now on trial because no one was interested in stopping him before his actions were so repulsive and appalling that millions hit the streets to demand better. But, until then, shove it under the rug, ignore it, hide it.

Now What

So, here I am today, Sunday 4/18/2021 saying Derek Chauvin is now, just as he always was, just one of the guys. Derek Chauvin was allowed to manifest into a killer within the Minneapolis Police Department. In a warm protective environment. I doubt Derek Chauvin would have ever killed anyone if he had not been wearing a badge. America’s policing is on trial. It is time that police departments sell off their tanks and invest in psychiatric interns, and marriage counselors to accomplish community ‘needs-based’ services.

911 Services

Calling the cops is not the right answer for every stressful situation. But, the way our 911 system functions, cops are often the first dispatched personnel. Frequently such calls spiral out of control because the appropriately trained individuals have not been dispatched for the call. And often these mishandled calls end up in death. Personally I don’t think the needed changes will happen from the inside. I think we as a nation need to protect the Floyd George’s who are victims of police racism and brutality.