Everyday bold racist statements emerge in the media. A recent appalling racist statement was made by Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. She praised support for someone by saying: “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.” As an African American who is a descendant of slaves, I can never get used to the bigoted statements and bigotry in the U.S. In response, Hyde-Smith says “any attempt to turn this into a negative connotation is ridiculous.” She’s running in a run-off election against Mike Epsy, an African American and former Congressman. I don’t know what Hyde-Smith thinks about a public lynching. But I can tell her that it’s no joking matter—now or never. It is a negative part of U.S. history. Billy Holliday sang Strange Fruit in which the lyrics describe lynching of Blacks in the south. Those words in part were: “Southern trees bear strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Strange fruit hanging … [Read more...] about Lynching Statement by GOP Senator is no Laughing Matter
election
Gun Shootings Require Action From Lawmakers–Not Just Prayers
Two days after the midterm elections, I woke up to the news that another mass shooting occurred--this time in a supposedly safe suburban community outside of Los Angeles. A white man opened fire in a college bar and grill restaurant killing 12 persons, including a 29 year police veteran. On Saturday, November 3, I woke up to the news that a gun shooter killed two persons in a yoga class and wounded several others. My initial thought was we can’t even peacefully pray, meditate or practice yoga or dance in this country without the fear of being gunned down. It was just the previous week that I felt the pain of gun violence at a Pittsburgh synagogue killing seven Jewish persons. And yet, many of our powerful lawmakers act powerless in the face of tragedy. We need more than just thoughts and prayers in these tragedies from our lawmakers. Tragedy is what propelled Lucy McBath, a gun control advocate, to run for office. McBath appears headed to Congress from Georgia’s 6th district, once … [Read more...] about Gun Shootings Require Action From Lawmakers–Not Just Prayers
Trump’s Days are Dwindling Down
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDo-7SimhUn/ Some Republicans now state that Donald Trump may not seek re-election. If the unsealed indictments of Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and guilty plea agreement of George Papadopoulos are any indication of things to come, Trump may not last the entire first term. The much anticipated hashtag of #MuellerMonday revealed a 31 page, 11 count indictment against Manafort and co-defendant Gates’ indictments for money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent. Allegations revealed $75 million held in offshore account by Manafort resulting in his use to purchase lavish million-dollar homes, secure loans, purchase a lavish lifestyle of a million-dollar wardrobe in an alleged scheme to evade reporting of income and payment of taxes. It is a classic money laundering scheme as alleged. After turning themselves in, Manafort and Gates respectively were released on $10 million and $5 million bail, ordered held on house arrest, only to leave for … [Read more...] about Trump’s Days are Dwindling Down
Trump, Kim Kardashian and White Women Voters Who Love Them
In the one week since the historic election of Donald Trump, I like many others have been left wondering why or how the era of Donald Trump arrived. And just one way to look at it is from the face of the most popular reality show---Keeping Up with the Kardashians and white women voters. At least 53% of white women voters voted for President-elect Trump; whereas 94% of African American women voted for Hillary Clinton. And 68% of Latino women voted for Clinton. This begs the question as to why there is such a great disparity between white women and women of color voters. For white women voters, it is not so easy just to analyze them solely on the theory of the economy and the rural areas of the country—middle America doing poorly in relation to other parts of the country. One factor, not addressed before, is the Kim Kardashian reality show factor. Kim Kardashian and the Kardashians are followed by many white women. I don’t honestly know many black women who look up to Kim … [Read more...] about Trump, Kim Kardashian and White Women Voters Who Love Them
How Will Hillary Clinton New Emails Impact Election?
This election has more twists and turns than any novel could ever imagine. And now with 11 days before the election, FBI Director Comey claims to have found new emails as a result of a search involving Anthony Weiner and Clinton aide, Huma Abeden. No information is really known except for a short 2 paragraph letter from Director Comey to Republican leaders. Everything in Washington, DC is political. And I have to admit the revelation of any "pertinent" emails at this timing is likely politically motivated. Despite what many people might say otherwise, everything is really political. WUSA 9 anchor Bruce Johnson interviewed legal analyst Debbie Hines on Friday, October 29, 2016 on the Clinton new emails and their significance to the 2016 election. Watch here: Legal analyst Debbie Hines examines what this latest email probe could mean for Hillary Clinton's … [Read more...] about How Will Hillary Clinton New Emails Impact Election?
Dear Black and Hispanic Folks: We Must Prove Trump Wrong
Donald Trump is casting himself as seeking the African American vote. He even put Omarosa Manigault, formerly of his Apprentice show, in charge of reaching out to African American voters. Many African American voters, that voted at the highest rate of every single group in 2012 to re-elect President Obama, are not feeling Hillary Clinton. To say that many blacks are not feeling the burn or energized by Clinton is an understatement. And by watching a few focus group reports, there are actually some young undecided black voters who appear wavering over Trump versus Clinton. And I understand the lack of excitement for Clinton. Let’s face it, Clinton is not an exciting political candidate. And her many years of baggage which amounts to distrust for many voters doesn’t help her either. Donald Trump made clear his intentions in the first debate. As Maya Angelou once stated, when people show you who they are, believe them. His intentions are to keep blacks and Hispanics in … [Read more...] about Dear Black and Hispanic Folks: We Must Prove Trump Wrong